Minister visits PMC Auto, Kia Motors, Sodepak |15 February 2014
Labour and Human Resource Development Minister Idith Alexander kick-started her visits to workplaces in the public sector this year by touring the PMC Auto, Kia Motors and Sodepak Pty Ltd.
During the first visit at PMC Auto, the minister and her delegation were greeted by directors Jayant Mayadas, Cedric D’Offay and Paul Hodoul.
A guided tour of the premises was given followed by visits to the other branches which include Sun Motors, Autocare and PMC Spares.
As is customary, Minister Alexander interacted with staff from the various sections visited. She was pleased to note that staff members were satisfied with their working conditions and that the majority of the workforce was young and very motivated in their work.
In the debriefing session which followed, a number of points were discussed, the first of which was Minister Alexander’s appreciation in learning that staff are not only being equipped with modern equipment but are given the necessary training to be able to operate them effectively. The second was the fact that the organisation is in the process of introducing a scheme of service for its staff.
“It is a very good initiative to introduce a scheme of service as it will not only serve as a motivation but will help with staff retention,”said Minister Alexander.
Additionally, the management team was informed of the different employment training schemes offered by the ministry, changes in the functions and roles of the Agency for National Human Resource Development which took effective as of January 1 this year, tertiary training opportunities for the private sector and they were encouraged to consider taking part in the second Seychelles Human Resource Development (SHRD) Award.
On their part, the management team expressed their interest in providing tertiary training for their staff and agreed to liaise with the ministry for help in this regard.
The second visit was conducted at Kia Motors where the ministerial delegation was met by the managing director Anthony Payet and the accounts manager Judith Etienne.
The minister and her delegation were given a guided tour of the different departments and talked to staff with the majority saying they wish to continue working for the organisation.
For this debriefing, discussions focused mainly on the recruitment of qualified and motivated staff to work for the organisation. Minister Alexander assured the management team that her ministry will provide the necessary support in regards to recruitment and training opportunities. She also encouraged Kia Motors to become a member of the Human Resource Forum which will provide them with a platform to share their experiences with other human resource professionals and consider the possibility of providing placements to people on the employment training schemes.
Sodepak Pty Ltd was the last workplace visited. Even though certain parts of the premises are under construction, the minister was not deterred from conducting her visit.
They were met by managing director Stephen Banane and project manager Luc Banane. A tour was given of the existing offices and the new ones being constructed for the staff.
The minister noted that despite minor concerns raised, the retention rate is very high with a number of staff members being employed with the company for over 20 years.
In the debriefing, Minister Alexander stressed on the importance of good human resource practices and communication in the workplace. She added that this will help address the concerns raised by staff members.
The minister also pointed out that once a focal human resource staff is appointed, the company will benefit from joining the HR Forum where human resource personnel from the private share their best practices. She also pledged her ministry’s support in this endeavour.
The management team thanked the minister for her visit and assured her that once the new facilities that will include new technologies are operational, none of their staff will be made redundant. They will instead be retrained in other areas.
The accompanying photos show the minister and her team at the three workplaces they visited.
