Human Resources (HR) practitioners are strategic enablers of businesses and not a group of professionals that provide support services only. Their strategic impact in organisations begins from the conception of a project to the execution stage.
Guest Speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Orizon Boon Limited, Leslie George, said this during the 64th induction ceremony of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), where he spoke on ‘Human Resource Management: Past, Present and Future.’
Given the characteristics of the 21st-century HR professional, he said HR needed to be more strategic with the responsibility of ensuring businesses are at par with the industry. Going historically, George spoke about how the profession came into being and the importance of labour as one of the factors of production.
According to him, HR must know the business and industry, leadership and influence, as well as a propensity for action and engagement. Describing HR as a productivity centre, he said this was to ensure that every function was as productive as every person.
Citing tech, adaptability skills, and critical thinking as part of the characteristics of 21st-century HR, George added that building relationships across departments helps in maximizing the potential and success of organisations.
President and Chairman of the Governing Council, CIPM, Ahmed Gobir, said the induction, which witnessed an influx of over 1,000 new members into the institute, spoke on the institute’s unwavering role in enforcing standards, advancing professionalism, and ensuring legal compliance within the HR profession in Nigeria.
He said the inductees were admitted into HR at a time when the profession was not just shaping policies but also shaping cultures, companies, and countries.
He reaffirmed that membership in the institute was not only a professional credential but also a legal requirement for all individuals practising HR in Nigeria.
“In accordance with the provisions of our enabling Act, CAP I15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, anyone practising Human Resource Management in Nigeria without CIPM certification is in breach of statutory regulations. This applies across the public and private sectors, including NGOs. The law is clear, and the institute will continue to uphold its mandate to professionalise and regulate HR practice in Nigeria,” he said.
The induction ceremony welcomed members through three qualifying routes – 21 via the executive route, 212 through the HR practitioners’ route, and 864 associate members through the professional examination route.
