The Chairman, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, CIPM, Oyo State Chapter, Omolara Onipede, has urged Nigerian workers to develop and acquire skills relevant in the future.
The CIPM boss stated this at the weekend while speaking at the inaugural seminar organized by the Employment Relation and Human Resources Management Students Association, Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan. Addressing the participants, Onipede said the time has come for workers in the country to retool themselves for the challenges ahead.
She described the seminar entitled “The Challenges of Employment Relations in a rapidly Changing World of Work,” as timely.
The Chairman maintained that it has become necessary for the workers to acquire news skills that are relevant to their work. “So that they will not be shoved aside as a result of the challenging nature and future of the work.
Onipede, therefore, added that there is need for workers to develop and acquire skills relevant in their future work. This is regarding with what they do presently and how automation, robotics and artificial intelligence will be deployed in accomplishing tasks in future.
The Chairman pointed that crowd sourcing and the use of gig workers will gain more grounds in the future. This, she said, is because the future of work will become more fluid having collocated workplace and utilizing more remote workers.
Onipede said the employment relationship faces numerous challenges in today’s rapidly changing world of work. She gave examples like Work-Life Balance (Wellbeing supporting employment mental health, flexibility and personal needs). Job Insecurity, Lack of Job Satisfaction, Income Inequality, workplace safety, globalization, and poor working conditions among others.
The CIPM Chairman noted that employment relations can be improved if organizations “Put employee experience first. She canvassed for the break down of walls between managers and employees. The provision of formal management training and to celebrate successes.
Onipede also charged employers not to play favourites, but to set an example and communicate clearly and often. She said they should be approachable and should involve their employees in the running in the running of the business.
The Chairman, therefore, urged employers to focus on inclusivity. She said they should build an official handbook and provide opportunities for employees to leave feedback.”
source: Blueprint
