Beyond the routine

With the coming of computers and automation in the work place many routine and scheduled activities became amenable to automation. This has been effectively achieved through the use of relevant software that prompts and implements activities.

Victor Famuyibo, Human resources director at Nigerian Breweries and President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, while sharing his thoughts on new and strategic roles of HR management with the BD Human Capital team recently, decried the continued moribund focus of human resources departments on routine human resources activities like leave approvals, access to leave allowances, staff loans,  etc and the cumbersome manual documentary processes that accompany these in organisations. He wonders why these routine activities that are better managed by automated computer process are still taking much of the work load of HR departments.

Modern and effective human capital management function should engage strategically on issues of talent sourcing and management to fit organisational growth plans and continual audit of workforce deficits and strengths in relation with productivity targets for units. Human resources management must always be futuristic and strategic and not be bogged by current peripheral demands as is largely the case.

Human resource managers should at all times engage with departmental heads and staff to understand if current  skills and performance standards align with corporate productivity projections for short, medium and long term. When departmental skill pools cannot efficiently deliver growth targets, gaps must be filled through upgrade of staff skills or external recruitment that really addresses the talent gap. How many times do human resources managers meet with staff of various units to debrief them of issues that hinder their productivity or that can assist them to meet their productivity targets? Do human resources managers really understand that it falls within their jurisdiction to ensure that the organisation’s human capital contribution is maximised towards meeting productivity and growth targets?

Over time, many organisations and their staff perceive training programmes for staff more as a ‘welfare package’, or done without relevant consideration of skills deficit within the organisation or its relevance to creating capacity for growth. No wonder why in such organisations recommendations for staff training are not guided by clear organisational demands for relevant capacity.  Huge expenses are made without commensurable value to company’s productivity and growth.

The present and future expectations from the HR function goes beyond addressing routine issues that can be automated, but more importantly providing organizations with effective human capital strategies for continual competitiveness and growth in the market place.

     IKENNA OBI