Employment Law and HRM Reform in India

Human Resource Management (HRM) reform has become a central policy and organizational concern in India as the country confronts economic liberalization, globalization, technological disruption, and significant demographic change. While mainstream strategic HRM scholarship often foregrounds managerial innovation, performance enhancement, and competitive advantage, this chapter argues that legal frameworks remain the most powerful institutional forces shaping employment relations and HRM practices. Focusing on the Indian context and informed by global comparative perspectives, the chapter examines the legal foundations of HRM reform through a historical, institutional, and regulatory lens. It traces the evolution of Indian labour and employment law from colonial regulation and post-independence protectionism to contemporary reform initiatives, with particular emphasis on the consolidation of labour legislation into four labour codes.