How HR helps to sustain enduring workspace

Head, Human Resources at MacTay, Olufunmilayo Olaifa, has said it is important for Human Resources (HR) practitioners and professionals in Nigeria to evolve as the world witnesses contemporary trends across diverse industries.

She spoke to The Guardian on issues that needs to be addressed as the world commemorates International Human Resources Day today.

Speaking on how HR practitioners in Nigeria can be equipped to lead the change in the evolving workplace, she said: “It is important for HR practitioners and professionals to evolve as we witness contemporary trends across diverse industries. The workforce is changing, and the practice must change with it. This is because HR professionals are responsible for managing the entire employee lifecycle from recruiting to onboarding, training, employee development, morale and engagement programmes, workplace conflict resolution amongst others. HR must be open to a culture change and must be continually positioned as a strategic business partner.

“In this case, human resources work closely with senior management to develop goals and a strategic plan for accomplishing those goals. This is the role that adds tangible value to the company.

“At MacTay, especially with our experience in HR Consulting and Outsourcing, we ensure end to end performance when it comes to delivering all aspects of human resource management. We do not compromise on excellent delivery. Our approach to HR Outsourcing is adaptive to suit the business needs of all our partner organisations, this allows our clients to focus on managing their core business goals.

On how she ensures suitable candidates are hired for jobs with her years of experience in the HR sector, Olaifa said: “Over the years, we have been able to adopt the right strategies to bring the best talent onboard. The contributions of each employee play a pivotal role in the longevity and growth of a business. For us at MacTay, we have mastered the art of simplifying the application process and projecting our corporate culture, which then allows for a seamless hiring experience. By aligning the needs, objectives and core values of the organisation with the right individual, competency and value set, we can identify the best fit. We understand that qualified candidates on paper may not be the right fit for the role and as such it is vital to understand the candidates’ interests, ambitions and priorities when assessing for suitability.”

Speaking on what the educational system can put in place to make human resource more effective, she said: ‘Education is intricately linked to development, it enlightens people, brings about acquisition of skills, abilities and competencies. This enables individuals to live, work, and contribute to the development of society at large. The role of education in human capital formation cannot be overstated.

“From my experience, I have found that recent graduates enter the talent pool severely under prepared for the job market. Basic interviewing skills, digital literacy and soft skills will go a long way in preparing graduates for the fast-paced nature of business. That said, the onus lies with the individual themselves to ensure continual upskilling to remain relevant in the workplace.

“For example, MacTay recently launched the MacTay Sales Academy programme, a two-week intensive sales bootcamp that gives graduates with little or no sales experience an introduction to the fundamentals of professional selling.

“In this training, participants will learn how to develop strategies for effective prospecting, manage pipelines and acquire skills that will make them fit for the job market. Upon successful training, participants will receive the coveted TACK/TMI and MacTay certificate and the opportunity to begin a rewarding sales career with leading organisations in Nigeria.

“These are some of the ways we can continually put structures in place to aid the talent selection processes in our country today.”

On the theme for this year’s International Human Resources Day, which is ‘HR Shaping the New Future’, she spoke on how this is playing out in the work that you does.

“Work as we know it has undergone a rapid transformation over the last decade. From adaptive technology to generational workforce changes as well as the flexibility of work, there are so many changes taking place in the work space. The emergence of Generation Z into the job market coincided with the changes COVID-19 introduced to the way we structure our work.

“This has emphasised the need for HR to adopt a proactive rather than reactive approach to the future of work. Understanding the importance of workforce changes, technology and flexibility and its impact on work as we know it, is what gives HR an edge in redefining the workplace.

“We at MacTay, have been at the helm of strategic outsourcing for several decades, providing support across the entire sourcing lifecycle from recruitment, employee management and payroll implementation as well as support.

“We work with credible organisations who also understand the value of people and are willing to collaborate with us to build an excellent corporate culture. This is the power of a formidable HR force.

“At MacTay, as we look to the future, it is important that the HR profession continues to lead the change and does not slip back into traditional ways of thinking and working.”

Speaking about the organisational culture at MacTay, she said: “The key to a successful organisation is to have a culture based on mutually beneficial value systems that are supported by strategy and structure. When an organisation has a strong culture, three things happen: Enhanced brand identity, increased productivity and elevated employee engagement, all of which positively impact the organisations bottom-line.

“Culture, whether positive or negative, does not happen by accident. The development of organisational culture requires a level of intentionality and strategic focus.

“At MacTay, our culture is unique, and this offers us a competitive advantage in terms of the type of talent we attract. The MacTay culture is hinged on the premise of integrity, people, customer-centricity and the open-door policy in which we operate.

“We are big on improving performance for our employees and outsourced staff members and we stop at nothing to ensure we continually equip them with tools, and programmes relevant for their individual and career growth.”
Speaking on how the brain drain affected Nigeria’s workspace, Olaifa said: “The current brain drain is a clog in the wheel of the workspace and Nigeria’s development in general. The effect of the loss of highly skilled talent and the impact on both industry and the wider economy cannot be overstated.

“For organisations to remain competitive on a global level, innovation and technical competence, is essential. What we are seeing with the reduction of our national talent pool is only the beginning. As a nation, our economic power will continue to suffer until we implement policies to address the problem.

“The staggering statistic of migrants from third world nations highlights the desire of millions of people for a higher quality of life. According to Maslow, if our basic needs security, safety and physiological needs go unmet, we are simply unable to self-actualise. Migrants, in pursuit of better education, jobs, healthcare, or simply a safer place to live are looking further afield to have their essential needs met.

“It has now become urgent for the government to address fundamental issues with policies aimed at improving governance, strengthening institutions, and improving delivery of public services. There are specific policy options governments must begin to think about if we are to address the pertinent issue of brain drain.”

On how HR professionals can ensure the productivity of staff, she said: ‘Low productivity is a persistent problem not only in Nigeria as we see it, but we have also discovered that simple interventions can make a significant difference. Research has shown that a boost in employee happiness can lead to a 12 –15 per cent increase in productivity, while unhappy employees were found to be 10 per cent less productive. Human happiness has large and positive causal effects on productivity and positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings.

“HR professionals should continually create a culture of mindfulness, communication, collaboration and empathy as a way of improving morale and motivation among a workforce.

“At MacTay, we constantly develop strategies to improve the performance of our employees, including our outsourced employees. We go the extra mile to train, motivate and encourage staff members to always bring out the best in them. We sufficiently empower our employees to find innovative ways of improving their job functions and add value to the organisation.”

Speaking on her projections for the HR profession for the next decade as the HR Director at MacTay, Olaifa said: “From the current trends we can catch a glimpse into the future of HR; for one, we can expect a hybrid workforce. It is common knowledge that the flexibility of work introduced during the pandemic is here to stay and as such HR will be expected to manage several work structures. In turn, HR will need to develop organisational culture, which transcends brick and mortar. Strategies to manage both virtual and in-person employees without compromising productivity will be essential.

“We can also expect increased completion for talent on a global level, where we once fought local competitors for the best talent, we can expect to do so on an international level. Previously, HR in Nigeria neglected the employee experience and focused solely on customer experience. To attract and retain the best talent, HR will be required to invest in tools, upskilling and strategy to enhance the employee experience.

“Thirdly, data analytics and artificial intelligence are here to stay and as such HR will be required to build competency in the data analytics space and embrace the data driven future. There is a wealth of data and metrics available to help HR predict trends and address several organisational issues. In future, HR will need to partner with businesses from a data driven angle to inform key business strategies essential for survival.

“As leaders in the HR space, we at MacTay are in the business of creating bespoke learning solutions to support our partner organisations adapt to the ever-evolving world of work.”