Chinese HRM in action: an interview with Wayne Chen of Hay Group China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of the current status, major concerns and trends faced by Chinese HRM professionals in relation to Wayne Chen and Hay Group China's engagement in its client organizations, also to identify the relationship between HRM research and practices in China. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports an interview with an established HRM consulting practitioner, Wayne Chen, Managing Director of Hay Group Northeast Asia. Findings – The gap in HRM professionals' skill set between China and Western countries may take years to close. The impact of Chinese culture in the workplace also indicates HRM practice is different to that in the West. The focal area of China HRM practices is to help organizations achieve their strategic goals by effectively managing and developing talents additionally, research informed HRM practice proves to be effective in enhancing the contributions of HRM practices to organizations. Practical implications – The practical implication is obvious as the interviewee is with a leading consultant currently engaged in real world Chinese HRM practice. This paper also informs future research on Chinese HRM. Originality/value – The interviewee, Wayne Chen, offers valuable insights for both HRM practitioners and researchers about current status and future trends in Chinese HRM practices.