Human resources -Managers learn to better deal with in-house issues |12 September 2012

This was one of the points made at the launch of a one-day forum for human resources yesterday morning at the Seychelles Trading Company’s conference room.

The event aimed to seek the concerns of human resources managers and administrators in the private sector – which employs 72% of the workforce – compile suggestions and empower them to better deal with in-house issues.

It was suggested that only after failing to solve the issues in-house, should third parties like the department of employment be brought in.

Launching the event, the Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander noted that the country’s economy modernises and rapidly grows and that the importance of workplace stability for continued social progress becomes all the more vital.

“In the light of these changes, it is more important than ever before for the government to be more innovative and active in its role of facilitating decent work for all workers in Seychelles,” she said.

“The forum will be inspirational because strategies to continuously improve employment conditions and industrial relations will be addressed. This forum will also be an opportunity because the views of organisations will be heard as feasible and sustainable solutions will be encouraged for us to address employment challenges together.”

One of the pertinent facts that came to light is that 515 grievances cases have been registered with the ministry and 2070 have sought labour and employment advice from the ministry.
Minister Alexander said they recognise that managing people is not an easy task.

“Within an organisation, there are people with different backgrounds, upbringing and expectations. We will all nonetheless agree that great employer-employee relations are vital for the success of an organisation and we must do our utmost to ensure that we strike the right balance so that organisations continue to be successful, while employees are kept motivated and are provided with the best possible conditions at work,” she said.

A testimony was also given during the launch by the human resources manager at the Seychelles Breweries company, Japha Ally, who said Seychelles has changed and with it the people, and that HR managers needed to change with the times.

“Being on the HR team has helped me realise that I need to value to add value to the organisation, and that the values plus the right culture needs to be created in the workplace,” he said.

Speaking to the press, the principal secretary for labour and human resources Veronique Bresson said they have invited workplaces in the private sector to join with her department to hold regular discussions.

“This platform will therefore be used to guide and help the human resource managers so that they can better serve their mandate and bring more harmony to their workplace,” she said.

“We are also appealing to other private sector organisations who have not yet responded to our invitations to join our platform, to do so,” she added.