The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria has urged Human Resource (HR) managers and practitioners to remodel leadership lifestyle in the workplace. This, it said, would create an understanding that diversity makes business sense, which in turn helps management to better appreciate its workforce, and get to know what customers really want. The call was made at the 26th induction ceremony of the institute held recently in Lagos.
Having a remodel leadership in workplace that does not stereotype about the age, sex, and category of workers in an organisation creates a better profiling base for the organisation to know how best to relate with the market, the institute said.
Keynote speaker, Akin Oparison, Senior Fellow, Lagos Business School, in his paper presentation ‘The Current Challenge of Ensuring Talent and a Future Supply’, said when people are well managed, the bottom-line of the organisation would be significantly impacted.
According to him, HR must treat people as human and not as tools, with a problem-solving mindset. “The purpose of HR is to help members of an organisation be the best they can be, and understand the business environment well, and must see themselves as the enabler of the business,” he said.
Akin opined that HR practitioners must learn business language to operate effectively at workplace. “You must understand data and learn to use data. Your CEO wants figures, and the moment you are able to speak the business language backed with data, they will listen to you,” he said.
However, Akin urged the inductees to consistently make employees engagement at workplace. “Winning the internal war within an organisation is what set the organisation apart, which is what the HR is usually out to achieve,” he further said.
Udom Inoyo, president/Chairman, Governing Council, CIPM, in his welcome address said, practicing HR in Nigeria comes with enormous responsibilities, either because of a lack of appreciation of what HR is about, the deliberate attempt to wish it away or the enormity of expectations from both employees and management.
A total of 179, and 371 were inducted for the HR Practitioners’ Route and Professional Examinations Route respective, while Oghenekparobo Abasa was presented with gift items as the best graduating student.
Seyi John Salau
