Celebrating Our Ghanaian Heroes

His hobbies are soccer and farming; he reads a lot and does a lot of research. He is married with 3 daughters and two sons. He developed his competitive nature from childhood: He was in the same class with his cousin and always wanted to beat his cousin in class, so when his cousin was asleep, he was up studying. He did not have too much of formal education. 

His subordinates describe him as a simple man of wisdom, creativity, a risk taker, full of confidence and energy, a straight forward and strict person, passionate about his job, hardworking and a people’s person. However, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, CEO of Kasapreko Company Limited, describes himself simply as humble.

Guinness Ghana Appoints New HR Director, Commercial Director

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) has appointed Mr. Eric Sewornu Adadevoh and Mr. Nick Cook, as Human Resource Director and Commercial Director respectively.

The two new members of the GGBL team would be reporting to Mr. Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director of the drinks maker.

  

Having worked with the business for over 20 years, Eric has enormous experience across the Supply and Human Resources functions.

Most recently as Supply HR Business Partner, he developed strong working relationships with the GGBL leadership of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, and successfully led on the business’s engagement agenda prior to this. 

His previous other key roles include HR Director, Serengeti Breweries in Tanzania, HR Business Partner – Demand, and Talent & OE Manager.  Whilst in the Supply function, Mr. Adadevoh worked across the Brewery Leadership Teams. 

Eric brings a wealth of experience, knowledge of the business and a passion for people to the role. 

Nick Cook joined Diageo from Nestle UK where he held several positions in sales and customer marketing after starting as a sales rep on their graduate scheme. 

After over 7 years at Nestle he joined Diageo to head up the Commercial Planning and Activation team for the grocery channel where he delivered a winning Christmas strategy as well as the first ever holistic promotional evaluation project which provided record savings for the business.

As the Commercial Director – Spirits and Customer Marketing, Nick will focus on the GGBL’s spirits agenda which is a critical enabler in delivering the F17 growth ambition.

At his most recent role as the Customer Marketing Director for Africa, Nick step-changed the function into a strong commercial planning organization while developing and executing new proven growth drivers for the Africa business. 

Commenting on the appointments, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director Guinness Ghana said, "I am delighted to have Eric and Nick join the executive management team."

“Eric’s appointment is a testimony to our commitment to grow and develop talent within the business, and bringing in an individual of Nick’s experience will galvanize the key accounts and reserve teams to deliver breakthrough results”, said Mr. Peter Ndegwa. 

Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com

Questions Hitting HR

I have risen through the ranks in the company I work for to become manager of my department. I find it very difficult to get my former colleagues to do what I want and they are supposed to do. What can I do to salvage the situation? 

ANS: If you have been promoted to a managing position, it is because you have worked hard and you have the required skills for it. Believe in yourself; self-confidence inspires confidence, and this is the first step toward success. Some people change when they start to handle responsibilities and it can bring tension to the team. You have to keep in mind that the employees you now manage are your former colleagues. Do not denigrate them or act like you do not know them anymore. Nevertheless, being a manager implies a certain distance vis-à-vis your ex-colleagues. Gossiping, criticizing the management or other employees and taking sides in altercations must be forgotten. You now have to be irreproachable and an example. Do not be partial. Be professional and make yourself indispensable; a good manager is someone who is admired for his human qualities and his expertise. Show them why and what they can learn from you. Communicating how you plan to support and gain insight from them is also a positive way to show you are not coming in with the intent on changing everything right away. 

I hold an MBA in finance and been working with this company since 2005 till date. I have been to so many interviews to help change my job but I fail in answering the question “why do you want to change your job?” What could be the best answer to give my interviewers? 

ANS: It is best to be positive and reassure the employer that you are not leaving your job to escape being fired or because you are hard to work with. Then, say something nice about this opportunity and/or employer. Finally, add a closing statement that answers the question in a way that reflects well on you. 

For example, “Growth is limited in my current employer’s organization because it is relatively small, so I need to look elsewhere, outside of the current organization, and this opportunity looks very interesting to me because…”  

Be very careful not to bad-mouth your current employer in answering this question. The best things to think about is the good things about your current company and spill them out. 

I have been working in an institution for the past 4 years. When I commenced work, I was given an appointment letter stating a 6 months’ probation period. The period passed without me receiving any confirmation letter.  I have made constant follow up on my confirmation status as a staff. Can I sue my employers for not confirming my appointment all these years? 

ANS:

   1.  Always explore peaceful or win-win methodologies to solve issues 

   

  2. No employer wishes  to employ a litigant – so “suing” should always be avoided  and nowadays, workplace conflict, arbitration or alternative dispute resolution  (ADR) is the preferred option to going to court 

  3. In some organisations where an HR practitioner is not in place or an unstructured environment, or even in structured organisations,   confirmation letters are inadvertently overlooked.  A gentle reminder to the appropriate supervisor should resolve that.  If this takes longer, you are either speaking to the wrong person in the organisation or that the drivers of the organisation do not place much value on that particular type of paperwork.  The employment relationship is forged and continued based on several things including the employee accepting to work for an agreed upon remuneration package.  Your continued decision to work means you accept the conditions that go with the employment relationship.  Have a genuine discussion with your employer that you are uncomfortable with not having a confirmation letter and ask what you can do to facilitate a quick solution. 

Job Interviews: Dealing With Rejection

Being turned down for that job that you really wanted can be quite a disheartening experience and can leave a dent in your confidence. When handled the right way however, rejection can be treated as a learning experience and ultimately turned into something positive. Rejected candidates can use the opportunity to learn more about themselves, especially with regards to their strengths and weaknesses and build on that to perform better in subsequent interviews.

“It is probably not you”

With lots of people on the lookout for jobs, there are a lot of talented candidates that would most likely get rejected. The rejection may not necessarily be because of your perceived inability to do the job, but with regards to whether or not you are the right fit for the role. The situation therefore may not be that the recruiter was rejecting you, but saw another candidate that he/she saw to be a better fit. One must also take into consideration the fact that hiring is usually subjective so another recruiter may have chosen you.

“Perhaps the hiring manager was right”

It is possible that the hiring manager was right by not picking you because the job would not have been the right fit for you. You may not have performed as well as you and the company would have liked and ultimately been unhappy in the company. Assuming this was the situation, the hiring manager would have been right not to hire you.

“Be Polite”

Sending a note saying “Your loss” to the hiring manager is definitely not a smart move. As mentioned earlier, the rejection could be with regards to your fit, rather than your competence. You could therefore be considered suitable for another position that would come up. When hiring managers interview someone for a position, they usually have an idea of other positions they are looking to fill so even though you could have been rejected for one position, you could be considered for another. It is therefore always a good idea to be polite and if possible, maintain the relationship with the hiring manager even in the event of rejection.

“Take a moment to reflect”

Job interviews are a great way to learn about your strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps you did not read enough on the company, or the problem may be with your appearance. Whatever the issue, it is imperative to get feedback from the interviewer on your performance so you can use that information to improve your performance in subsequent interviews.

Being told that you were not selected for a job is not a pleasant experience, but it is also a great opportunity to improve and better oneself. If you take the good with the bad and learn from your mistakes, you can easily turn what was meant to be a stumbling block into a stepping stone to success. Good luck!

By-Mimi Koranteng

4TH EDITION OF JAPAN MOTORS/ETV GHANA CORPORATE RUN LAUNCHED

Accra, July 14, 2014:  Japan Motors in partnership with e.tv Ghana has launched the 4^th edition of their annual 5km Corporate Run and Walk. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, September 20 at the Silver Star Tower in Accra.

The event is aimed at bringing corporate institutions in Ghana together to promote health and networking through team-building physical activities. As has been the custom, proceeds from the event will be donated to charity.

According to Mr. Ernest Arday, General Manager of e.TV Ghana “The main aim of the annual 5km Corporate Run is to provide a better platform for corporate officials to interact and socialize while engaging in healthy activities. Most Ghanaian Corporate Officers are not able to make time for such activities because of tight schedules and demanding jobs. We therefore hold this event annually to give them the opportunity to keep fit and stay healthy. Registration is open to all corporate institutions and individuals interested in participating in the run.

Hilda Peasah, Marketing Manager of Japan Motors noted that “our collaboration with e.TV Ghana works perfectly because the two companies share a common objective to promote healthy lifestyle through healthy activities while creating a unique platform for all corporate bodies to network and interact outside business settings. This is the 4th time we are organizing the 5km Corporate Run with e.TV Ghana and we are hopeful to see an increase in the number of corporate bodies and individuals this year. I urge corporate institutions and all who wanted but did not get the chance to participate last year to join us this year for a wonderful healthy experience.

The 5KM run will start at 6am at the Silver Star Tower, through to 37 and back to the Silver Star Tower. Other activities to be held on the day include an exhibition, an awards ceremony, and medical screening.  

Registration for single entry is 20 Cedis while corporate entry is 50 Cedis. Registration centers include e.tv Ghana at Asylum Down and Japan Motors at Graphic road and Silver Star Tower, Airport City. 

Getting Your Job Evaluation Right

In all organisations, there is an odd dynamic at play when it comes to remuneration. It does not matter how well-paid employees are, if they feel that they are paid differently (worse) to their colleagues, and they cannot see or understand the reason for this, they will be unhappy. One of the most important elements in remuneration is internal equity. When your internal equity is out of balance, meaning, when two people doing the same job, with the same inputs (education, skill, experience), are paid differently, one of them is bound to be unhappy. In a way, internal equity is far more important than external benchmarking.

Take, for example, two newly-qualified engineers; Engineer A is paid GH¢5,000 a month, when the average in his organisation is GHC¢4,000. Engineer B is paid GH¢6,000 a month, when the average is GHC¢7,000. Which engineer do you think is the happier?

Engineer A is the happier because relative to his colleagues, he is paid above the average and will feel valued and appreciated. Although Engineer B is earning more than Engineer A, Engineer B will feel under-valued and less appreciated. However, if Engineer B understands why there is a difference in salary, and what needs to be done to move to a higher salary band, the feeling of being undervalued can be changed into a drive for achievement.  To do this, we need to understand the differences in job rankings in an organisation.

Enter job evaluation: Job evaluation is about defining and comprehending the complexities of jobs in an organisation and how they fit together. Job evaluation systems require an understanding of the job being evaluated, including what is required of the person in the job (knowledge and skills), what processes have to take place (judgement required, planning and communication), and the impact the job has on the organisation. By evaluating all the jobs in an organisation and providing feedback to the employees, they understand where they fit in the organisation and what needs to be done to move to another level. This means that the process needs to be consistent, fair, transparent and credible. However, the perception of employees is that most job evaluation systems fail at this fundamental level.

The easiest and most cost effective way to change this is to include employees in the process. A computerised job evaluation system, such as HayGroup Decision Tree, is just such a system, which adds value, but at the same time, simplifies the process. Typically, computerised systems do not involve a full committee to evaluate a job. The system is loaded onto a facilitator’s laptop (making it portable) and the facilitator, incumbent, and the incumbent’s manager answer system-based questions to determine the grade of the job. By having the manager and the incumbent participate in the process, you immediately demystify the processes, making it clearer and perceptibly fairer. The incumbent immediately buys into the process and is far more willing to accept the results. Further, having chosen the most appropriate answer from a list, the incumbent has gained an understanding of what differentiators there may be in other positions, making it easier to justify different grades for similar positions in an organisation.

Where organisations inevitably fall short is after the job evaluation process: the process stops once the evaluation committee has verified the results and sent them off to Human Resources. Ideally, it is paramount that results are communicated to the organisation. Employees need to understand where they fit in the organisation, where other positions (note: not people) fit in the organisation and the relationship between the jobs in an organisation. Once an employee has this understanding, justifying differences in pay between jobs and also between individuals become much easier.

In South Africa, the amended Employment Equity Bill, which seeks to ensure that workers are paid the same for work of equal value was passed in the National Assembly in October 2013 and is expected to be signed into law in the near future. The bill seeks to end unfair discrimination by employers in respect of terms and conditions of employment of employees doing the same work, similar work or work of equal value, and protection against unfair discrimination.

The question is, is your job evaluation process able to help you with all of this?

By-Andrew Dickson

Redundancy; Doing It The Right Way

Times are hard! The current economic situation has been so difficult that for some businesses, redundancy is one of the prime options to cut down costs and stay afloat. However, if this is not done the right way, it may create bigger problems for businesses because of the possibility of costly and time wasting litigations.

In summary, redundancy occurs when an employer closes down its business (or intends to do so); or closes down a particular workplace (or intends to do so); or has a reduced requirement for employees to carry out the particular work for which they have been employed such that the employer has to lay off some workers.

Although the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) does not define the term redundancy, it gives an indication to its precipitators which include, but are not limited to, where an employer contemplates the introduction of major changes in production, programme, organization, structure or technology of an undertaking that are likely to entail terminations of employment of workers.

Redundancy is one of the grounds upon which termination of employment is deemed as lawful. Nonetheless, failure to comply with the requisite procedure under the Labour Act renders it unfair termination which opens the employer to more liability than it would have incurred.

Under the Act, whenever an employer intends to embark on a major change, which is likely to result in the termination of employment, the employer shall provide notice, in writing, to the Chief Labour Officer and the trade union concerned, and give the proper notice and the required information according to law. The employer is also required to provide a roadmap to justify the redundancy and measures to mitigate the effects. Although the Act makes reference to consultation with the trade unions, it is usually advisable for employers to consult with employees when the proposal to make redundancies is in its formative stage before any decisions are made at management or board level. Consultation should take place before the employer takes the final decision to dismiss, otherwise, the process can be perceived as a sham and the dismissal as unfair.

When employees are laid off as a result of redundancy, some compensation must be paid by the employer. Redundancy pay is purely a matter of negotiation between the employer and the employee. Parties may usually provide for the basis of the calculation of the redundancy pay in the contract of employment in the absence of which the parties may negotiate the sum payable. In most cases, parties are unable to reach an amicable settlement on redundancy packages. The simple reason being that whereas the employee usually feels he or she is entitled to more, the employer’s aim is to minimize its exposure to the barest minimum. However, in the case where dispute arises, either party may refer it to the National Labour Commission for settlement, and the decision of the Commission shall, subject to any other law, be final. Advisedly, it is always prudent to include a redundancy clause in the employment contract. It is equally pertinent that the redundancy clause be properly worded so as to avoid controversies.

It is important to mention however, that all that has been said so far above does not apply to workers engaged under a contract of employment for a specified period of time or specified work; or a worker serving a period of probation; or workers engaged on casual basis.

 By-Nana Akwasi Awuah

Is Compliance Necessary?

Growing up in secondary school, it was those who broke the rules that people admired, yet, when they faced disciplinary action in the form of suspension or expulsion, then it felt not so bad being the goody two-shoes student.

Should companies play by the rules? Why should it take an enforcement action through fines, lawsuits or even costly circumstances such as injury or death to change corporate behaviour?  Where are all the corporate compliance culture studies during normal times?  Why are these rules not implemented to affect corporate behaviour, improve efficiency, and mitigate risks? Corporate Compliance violations result in such costly consequences, yet, it is paid lip service. Corporate Compliance and ethics should be at the forefront of company policy and the foundation of corporate governance. Every employee, from top management to the lowest ranking person, should understand why Compliance is a necessary part of their responsibilities. Companies should not wait until under pressure to create or elevate Chief Compliance Officer role.

It is beneficial to manage a highly ethical and compliance-driven culture. Corporate Compliance is not limited to just the defense against fines and fees, but makes good business sense. A company with effective compliance controls can easily detect when employees are improperly siphoning corporate funds or opting for shorter cuts to quality standards. Company brand image is protected when there is the absence of media reports of corporate scandal. Proposals and bids for new businesses stand a better chance of winning contracts and edging out competition when a company can be trusted, and there is confidence in its financial state of affairs.

Compliance cuts across industry. Take healthcare for example, an effective compliance system increases confidence in the services the hospital, lab or pharmacy provides, and it also saves lives. What happens when the doctor does not follow rules required as a healthcare practitioner and focuses rather on making money, by prescribing unnecessary drugs which interact negatively with a patient’s medications, or where the inattentive nurse places the wrong records in a patient’s file and does not follow hygienic protocols? Everything would go wrong – people could suffer complications and revenue may be lost fighting lawsuits or paying stiff penalties.

Compliance in manufacturing guarantees that inspections, assessments and tests are performed in an unbiased manner to ensure customers receive products which conform to industry safety and quality standards.

So what is Corporate Compliance?  Simply put, it is a system or process that is designed to ensure company policy and practices are in line with government regulations, industry standards, applicable laws and ethics. For any compliance programme to work effectively, there must be collaboration between executive management, the Chief Executive or MD and functional departments– HR, Finance, Legal, Administration, IT, Operations. Branch offices, subsidiaries and external partners such as vendors, suppliers and consultants should also be stakeholders in the process. It is the responsibility of management to control and mitigate risks. Management input and involvement is key to the success of any compliance programme. It creates confidence in the organization.  Simply seeing the Chief Executive proffer his support is sufficient to instill co-operation from all employees.

In a complex business environment, where many local companies partner with foreign investors and companies, there is a high price to pay for violations. The UK Bribery Act of 2010, US Sarbanes-Oxley Act and FCPA, cover the actions of businesses tied in any way to UK and US companies. In Ghana, accounting and auditing practices suffer from institutional weaknesses in regulation, compliance, and enforcement of standards and rules. Laws and regulations are outdated and enforcement is weak. Although listed companies claim compliance, they are only in partial compliance with the Ghana National Standards Board.  A review or audit of existing policies and processes should be conducted and revisions made to align with best business practices, transparency and accountability. Employees will need to be trained and educated on a continuous basis so they are familiar with regulations and company policies, and any new updates. 

Employees should be encouraged to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal. Partners, suppliers and consultants must sign agreements to abide by these policies or have their contracts terminated.

It is encouraging to note that there are signs of progress with conversations and discussions on compliance and ethics on the agenda at conferences. However, much work needs to be done in this area for companies to understand that playing by the rules is really the best way to go.

By-Doris Agyeman                                                  

Push For Regulations

The modern HR practitioner brings to the organization a competitive mindset; seeks to understand the goals the organization wants to achieve, and designs and implements HR systems and strategies to facilitate achievement of those goals. The intricacy of managing human resource to obtain optimum utilization requires certain specialist skills and these are the skill-set embedded in HR practitioners.

As HR Practitioners, we occupy a very strategic position in organizations and society at large. This is simply because we are the “experts” when it comes to areas of resourcing, training, motivating, managing and utilizing human capital.

As custodians of the policies and procedures of organizations, are we living up to our responsibility? Why have we been marginalized all these years as compared to our marketing and accounting counterparts? Admittedly, we may have contributed or allowed ourselves to be relegated to insignificance in organizations in Ghana. We find quite a number of our colleagues ducking and diving and allowing themselves to be pushed around by some CEOs or accountants, who have little or no clue about how to optimize human capital.

Though we admit that the practice of Human Resource Management has been in Ghana for some time now, its impact has been minimal due to varied reasons, some of which are:

1.Society is largely uninformed about the intricacies of HR practice

      2. HR is populated by diversely educated professionals, who are knowledgeable in other related professions. This diversity causes identification with differently constituted professions, example Industrial Psychology, Labour law, Industrial Sociology, etc.

      

   3.There are multiple points of entry into the profession from other disciplines, with the borders seeming endlessly permeable.

     

   4.The HR field has been known to be used to “dump” unsuccessful managers from other disciplines, greatly to the detriment of the reputation of HR. With no entry barriers, the quality of entrants cannot be screened.

For example, the HR Professional body in Ghana; Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners-Ghana has been in existence for years yet, its influence is still very minimal as compared to other Professional bodies. Its lack of legal mandate (legislative instrument) has created a vacuum of regulating the practice of the HR profession in Ghana and contributed largely to the acute shortage of quality human resource management professionals in the country. The ripple negative effect of this are poor formulation and implementation of HR strategies, policies, procedures and systems; poor design, interpretation and implementation of employee terms and conditions of service; industrial tension and frequent strikes; poor work ethics, low employee morale and motivation, to mention a few.

If HR managers do not accurately anticipate the future and do not plan appropriately, they affect plans, machines, sales and numbers, and the people they lead. Therefore, to put the workforce into the hands of unqualified people is a recipe for disaster.

HR leaders in multinationals have moved to positions of influence and are very visible because they directly and indirectly touch everyone in the company; from entry to retirement, set the standards and norms for behaviour within the company, and coach other leaders to demonstrate the leadership brand.

It is against this background that regulation of HR is absolutely necessary and critical for industry. While it remains ideal to self-regulate and work with passionate and totally committed people, in a big system, this is rarely achievable. Regulatory minimum standards will have a profound impact on the quality of the profession.

Extensive consultations with HR practitioners and related bodies have clearly indicated that there is an awareness and acceptance of the necessity to regulate. There is also a growing acceptance in business that professional registration is a benchmark of quality and it is becoming more common-place to find registration required when applying for an HR position. With this, companies will appoint professionally registered HR practitioners to the top echelon of Human Capital Management as a measure of best practice. It is also believed that by setting a recognized and uniform standard of competence and professionalism, good governance will be enhanced and industrial strikes reduced.

All HR Practitioners in Ghana should come together and lobby the Ghana Government to endorse the process and enact a legislation to create a professional body that will provide training and expert advice in Human Resource Management and regulate the practice of the HR profession as is prevalent in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and the UK.

By: Ebenezer Ofori Agbettor

Executive Director

Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners-Ghana

My First Day At My First Job

Hurray! Finally, the job that you have been dreaming and fantasizing about is here! You have received the phone call or e-mail asking you to report to work the next Monday. You are excited and your family and friends are all happy for you. They have all given you pieces of advice on how to conduct yourself and your confidence is bolstering up. But, somehow, a wind of anxiety is quietly blowing across your mind. In this article, we are going to explore a few things you can consider as you get ready to enter your new world as a working professional.

The Week Before

Let us begin with the preparations you have to make the week before the D-day. Once you receive the call, the first thing you should consider is brushing up on your knowledge. Whatever your field of expertise, it would be important to start reading around to refresh your memory and get acquainted with some trending industry norms and practices, including appropriate jargons. The next thing to consider is your wardrobe. This cannot be stressed on hard enough. If you have to get a few clothes to augment what you have, you should not waste time. Your appearance tells a lot about your personality so make sure you invest in a good wardrobe and personal hygiene.

The D-Day

It goes without saying that before the D-day, you should have figured out the easiest and most cost effective way of reaching your new job place. Your best bet is to arrive early. Most offices open for work at 8:00 am so arriving any time before 7:30 am would be a good mark. You should look smart with well-ironed clothes and well-polished shoes. A fresh haircut for a guy and a new hairdo for a lady would be appropriate. No need for elaborate hairstyles and wild facial make-up: something simple and “professional” would suffice. Your handbag or file should be smart-looking as well. Do not forget to have stationery like a pen, pencil, ruler, eraser, writing pad, etc. depending on the job you are going in for. It will also not be a bad idea to arm yourself with reading material related to your job or position.

Arrival at the Office

When the doors open, you should first report to the front desk officer, who will lead you to the Human Resource Manager, Managing Director or whoever facilitated your employment process. You may be taken round to be introduced to other co-workers, or taken directly to your seat and given instructions as to what you are supposed to do. Whatever the case, you have to settle down quickly. You should appear confident and relaxed. Sit comfortably with a good body posture. Smile a lot and carry yourself as a warm and friendly person.

Lunch Time

Soon it would be lunchtime. Do not be the first person to rush out. It is a good idea to continue working till a superior officer or a colleague reminds you that it is time for lunch break. Then you can go out and quickly get a bite. Make sure you return to your seat on time and resume work. By this time, you would probably have made your first friend. Be careful! It is too early to commit to friendships. Your best bet is to be nice to everyone and take your time in eventually deciding on the person who would become your closest acquaintance.

Closing Time

How time flies! Now the day is about to end. Yes, by 5:00 pm some workers would start leaving. Once again, do not be in a hurry to rush out of the office. It is always a great idea to continue working till you are prompted. That way, you are seen as a hardworking person. And just before you leave, it would be wonderful to report to the Human Resource Manager or Director and give some feedback. Let them know how much you have enjoyed your first day. Avoid complaints even if there are a few issues you would like to bring to their attention; they most likely know about it already. Be diplomatic and let them know you would be reporting to work the following day. Let your enthusiasm run high!

This is just the basics of your first day on your first job. I wish you a successful career!

 By-Kweku Amoabeng Ortsin

Taking The Long Haul?

With the word “overtime” gaining roots in the vocabulary of workers, most workers now disregard nature’s demand of having, at least, 8 hours of sleep daily.  This is happening probably because of the requirements of the job, the pressure of workplace and industry culture, which may include completing the tasks involved and having a high workload and customer demands. The need for more income, being able to maintain a basic standard of living and “extras” cannot be downplayed. It is necessary, in some cases, to go beyond the normal hours of work but not when it becomes a habit. The big question is, considering the risks involved in spending longs hours behind your desk, is the long haul worth it?

According to the Ghana Labour Law Act 651, the maximum hours of work shall be eight hours a day, making up to 40 hours every week, although there maybe exceptions.  For instance, where shorter hours of work are fixed, the hours of work on the other days of the week may be proportionately longer than eight hours but shall not exceed nine hours a day or a total of forty hours a week.

Making a habit of working for more than 8 hours daily can affect a worker's long term health. The choice of a lifestyle, which includes the working life, has its consequences.  A person who lives a life which promotes stress, lack of sleep, bad eating and exercising habits, is at risk of heart diseases. A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that adults who work 11 hours a day or more have a 67% risk of developing coronary heart disease; placing the level of risk at the same level as smokers, those with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  

“People who work long hours should be particularly careful in following healthy diets, exercising sufficiently and keeping their blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood glucose within healthy limits,” Kivimaki, a professor at University College London, advised.

Aside the health factor, long working hours with inadequate breaks affects, largely, a worker's productivity and increases the risk of accidents. This can increase the cost of sick pay and compensation for a company, thus, increasing the company's marginal costs. Bosses should be concerned when their employees begin to spend long hours at work. The effects of working beyond the prescribed hours do not only affect the employee but the business as a whole. Utility bills rise and the tendency of recording a lot of errors becomes prevalent due to fatigue. Employers should look at rewarding results as against efforts; this will deter employees from adding more time, which does not cover the loss of labour hours brought on by fatigue.

“I work long hours to earn enough to enable me keep the home.” That is the maxim now, however, in recent times, staying late at work seems to be tearing the family apart instead. It is widely believed that long hours of work can damage relationships, especially marital relationships. For parents, spending long hours at work can inhibit the development of the child.

A joint Reuter/Ipsos global poll finding records that sexual harassment in the workplace is at dangerous levels, a vice women especially have to contend with. One in 10 workers has been pestered for sex by senior employers. For humans, it is in privacy that our drive for sexual activities is at its heights, thus, staying late into the night at your place of work can insight sexual thoughts when left alone with a colleague of the opposite sex.

When a lot of time is wasted on things that do not matter, it drags our ability to meet deadlines thus, projecting the time we spend at work. We all have 24 hours to make the best of the day. For the worker however, 8 hours is all you have to make a difference at work; how best you use it is what will distinguish you from the rest.  Pick a system for managing your time that works for you and stick with it. It is important to keep ourselves accountable for how we use our time.

Steps To Regaining Corporate Reputation

The term “corporate reputation” refers to how an organization is positively or negatively perceived by its key stakeholders. These stakeholders usually include employees, customers, the media, investors, NGOs, suppliers and financial analysts. Their perceptions are built from an organization’s past actions and it’s improvement on keeping promises that give progressive results. Thus, corporate reputation is built over years and can be painstakingly slow.

The relevance of corporate reputation has become evident following series of scandals that have razed multi-million and reputable companies to the ground with very little chance of recovery. Ernst and Young have pointed out that in the investment world for instance, it is believed that 30% to 50% of an organization’s value is intangible; most of this is based on reputation. However, corporate reputation does not only interest the investment world but affects the earning power, growth, profit margins and employability of any organisation. What makes corporate reputation quite remarkable is that as intangible as it is, the tangible actions of an organization is what makes or breaks its reputation.

Corporate reputation is in two part –sympathy (liking and emotional appeal of an organization to the public) and competence (quality of goods and services provided).  Consequently, corporate reputation is built through client experiences, word-of-mouth, the media and consumers. This means corporate reputation takes time to be built; but can be damaged instantly. Internet and media scrutiny allows seamless flow of information that has far reaching consequences but as devastating as it may be, losing face in the corporate world does not mean the end of a business. Gaines-Ross (2008) revealed that recovering corporate reputation is believed to be six times harder than building it. Research has proven that recovery takes an average of three and half years; with it taking 3.2 years in North America, 3.6 years in Europe and 3.5 years in Asia. She has developed a 12-step Reputation Recovery Model which has been grouped under four broad steps:

Stage 1: Rescue

The idea is to take the heat, starting with the leaders of the organization. The organization will have to admit their part in the destroyed reputation without excuses. There should also be continuous honest communication to stakeholders about the state of the business without qualm. Criticism will definitely flood in with unsympathetic reviews from all angles. Though there may  be no preparing for critics, there should be a mental note to never underestimate how much more damage these criticisms can do and how much competitors will take advantage of the downfall.  The final thing will be to re-set the organization’s clock and look back at what triggered the slide downhill.

Stage 2: Rewind

It would be relevant at this point to analyze all the things that went wrong and what had been done right in the past. The right and the wrongs must be torn apart and carefully measured repeatedly till every detail is covered.

Stage 3: Restore

Next, there must be a change in organizational culture. The right culture towards making things work should be adopted without hesitation. The organization will have to take charge and shift their dynamics. The media has to be faced bravely. The point is to let the public understand that you admit something(s) went wrong, but changes have been made to ensure it never happens again. Clear sustainable processes and steps should be communicated in order to regain trust.

Stage 4: Recover  

This step involves building a drumbeat of good news. There should be a gradual, consistent and transparent report of progress. The process is long and slow and so the organization should keep in mind that it would be a marathon and not a sprint. Finally, there should be conscious and deliberate efforts to minimise any form of risk.

The steps are not set in stone. They can be re-adjusted and personalised to suit each business but they have to be followed.