CAPACITY BUILDING IN AN ORGANIZATION

Capacity building can be defined as Human resource development, which involves the process of equipping individuals with the understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.

Whose capacity are we trying to build?

This entails the target people whose capacity is to be built. It depends on the company or organization but mostly the staff of company.

Capacity to do what and why? This means building the right capacity for the right purpose. The focus should be on critical functions, which if performed effectively would allow the organization to survive and hopefully, overcome their main challenges and constraint.

TYPES OF CAPACITIES:

Functional capacities are “crosscutting” capacities that are relevant across various levels and are not associated with one particular sector or theme. They are the management capacities needed to formulate, implement, and review strategies, programs, and projects. Since they focus on “getting things done,” they are of key importance for any successful capacity development.

Technical capacities: are those associated with particular areas of expertise and practice in specific thematic areas or sectors. Technical capacities tend to be acquired through more formalized instruction, study, and practical training. Because this tends to be a more specialized set of skills, the target audience is generally much narrower.

Behavioral capacities: This has to do with cultural shifts and changes in attitude. An important component of capacity building, especially in a multi-stakeholder context, is raising awareness in order to affect changes in the attitudes, practices, and behaviors of individuals, groups, and organizations.

Why do we need to build capacity?

·         An opportunity for long-term, bigger, lasting change:

·         An opportunity to do something organizations usually cannot

·         An opportunity to apply organizational resources in a unique way by making use of skilled members and knowledgeable staff and faculty.

How to Improve Capacity?

1.) The organization knows best: The leaders of the organization are in the position to best understand the existing abilities and future needs of the organization itself. Thus the organization does not need to be “told what to do”, and the capacity builder should not assume superiority. 

2.) Build the investee relationship: Capacity building has been a two-way street that requires frequent, open, and honest communication. There needs to be a relationship that shows the capacity builder and the organization both has a shared stake in the organization’s success. Trust needs to be present on both sides, and the capacity builder and organization staff needs to communicate on equal footing.

3.) One size does not fit all: There is no one approach to capacity building that will work in every organization. Rather, each organization has different situations and different needs that need to be specifically addressed and uniquely met.

4.) Start and end in self-assessment: Organizations need to start by assessing themselves to know where they are struggling, so they can have adequate knowledge of their needs and work towards focusing on them. After capacity is built, additional assessment needs to be done in order to understand if the capacity building is actually working and to identify new problems. Without this assessment, things may be working, but it could be hard or impossible to tell.

5.) Know your limitations and choose your battles: As a capacity builder, it can be tempting to assume you are more skilled or knowledgeable than you really are. However, if the end goal is to maximize one’s value-added, this requires being honest about one’s own abilities. One also needs to focus on finding good matches where the organization needs line up with the skills one is able to actually help with in an effective and competent manner.

StreSERT Services Limited delivers unique and well researched training programmes for both the public and private sectors, offering organisations distinctive services to fulfill all their training objectives. Programmes developed are in relation to job requirements, and focused on initiatives meant to develop employees for their current jobs and future roles and responsibilities.

Our training services cover the following:

·         Management and leadership skills

·         Supervisory skills

·         Performance management

·         Negotiation skills

·         Personal Effectiveness

·         Professional office management

·         Presentation skills

·         Marketing and sales skills

·         Team building

·         Communication skills

·         Customer service

·         Several other training subjects

In-company and customized learning solutions

We can deliver our open programmes to single company audiences (i.e. in-company) when an organization is seeking to create impact and improvement through lifting the performance of groups or teams within the organization. These can be lightly tailored or heavily customized depending on the precise nature of the client’s need(s)

Customized learning solutions

Our customized learning solutions are designed with you to match precisely your needs. Working with you from the earliest possible consideration of both the need and the solution design, we ensure your objectives are met in full and that the outcome has a sustained impact on the workplace.

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

Recruitment is the process of sourcing and hiring the best-qualified candidate(s) from within or outside of an organization to fill a job opening; in a timely and cost effective manner. It can also be described as the process of attracting, screening, selecting, and onboarding a qualified person for a job.

Retention on the other hand tells the extent to which an organization is able to retain its best employees and hence maintain a lower employee turnover. It involves taking measures to encourage employees to remain in the organization for the maximum period of time.

Retaining key employees is crucial to the health and success of any organization. It is an established fact that retaining the best employees ensures customer satisfaction, increased sales, satisfied colleagues and reporting staff, effective succession planning, and deeply embedded organizational knowledge and learning. Therefore, failure to ensure retention of key employees would be a costly proposition for an organization.

SERVICE PROFIT CHAIN

The service profit chain is the link (chain) between service and profit. What it basically says is that profits come from customer loyalty, customer loyalty comes from customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction comes from employee satisfaction.

Barriers to Employee Retention:

       Monetary dissatisfaction: One of the major reasons for an employee to look for a change of job is because they are dissatisfied with their current pay. Every organization has a salary budget for every employee which can be raised to some extent but not beyond a certain limit. Retention becomes a problem when an employee quotes an exceptionally high figure beyond the budget of the organization and he’s just not willing to compromise.

 Dearth of opportunities: where there is no dearth of opportunities, stopping people to look for a change is a big challenge. Every organization tries its level best to hire employees from the competitors and thus provide lucrative opportunities to attract them. Employees become greedy for money and position and thus look forward to changing the present job and join the competitor.

      Job mismatch: Individuals speak all kind of lies during interviews to get a job. They might not be proficient in say “branding”, but would simply say a yes to impress the recruiter and grab the job. It is only later do people realize that there has been a mismatch and thus look for a change. Problems arise whenever a right person is hired into a wrong profile.

  Boredom: Some individuals have a tendency to get bored in a short span of time. They might find a job really interesting in the beginning but soon find it monotonous and look for a change. The management finds it difficult to convince the employees to stay in such cases.

  Unrealistic expectations at the work place: Unrealistic expectations from the job also lead to employees looking for a change. There is actually no solution to unrealistic expectations. An individual must be mature enough to understand that one can’t get all the comforts at the workplace just like his home.

Ways to improve retention rate:

•  Salary, benefits, perks
•  Contests and incentives
•  Motivational conversations, good communication
•  Promotion from within
•  Fostering employee and management development
•  Participative leadership
•  Employee ownership
•  Compelling corporate purpose, mission statement
•  Create an environment where the employees want to work and have fun
•  Treat your employees like you treat your most valuable clients

Ensuring that your best employees are happy and productive is important to the success of your business!

At StreSERT Services, we can help you structure “Retention Strategies” for your organization with the purpose of ensuring that the best hands are always retained and satisfied. 

UNDERSTANDING EXPATRIATE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

Expatriation is the most expensive staffing strategy for multinational organizations, but still it is a viable method for increasing the organizations’ understanding of international operations. Expatriation is a way for the organizations to develop global competencies that are consistent with the organizations’ overall strategic human resource plan.  It also helps to transfer technical, administrative or management know-how; to develop international management skills; to ensure the same company standard worldwide; gain experience and exposure for future positions within foreign operations etc

Expatriation involves Expatriates, who are people who move across national border(s) to other countries to pursue their professional, economic and financial goals. 2 key challenges usually faced by expatriates are acceptance by organizational members; and cultural fitment in the host nation.

Expatriate Management

The management of these Expatriates who come on international assignments for multinational corporations is called Expatriate Management. It involves a lot of processes and operations that include contract preparation, expat sourcing and selection,  visa processing, relocation assistance, home finding, schooling for their kids, registration, tax, reimbursements,… etc.

The International Human Resource Management literature suggests that effective management of expatriates requires attention to the four parameters basically referred to as “FOUR PILLARS OF EXPATRIATE MANAGEMENT”

Selection of Expatriates: This entails careful assessment of an expatriate to ascertain whether he/she is the best and most cost-effective choice for the international assignment. This assessment should be conducted and the selection process should be designed to enhance the effective development of actual and potential expatriates of the company

Preparation for International Assignments: In-depth socio-cultural training should be provided to the expatriate as well as to the family members accompanying the employee on the expatriate assignment.

Performance management of expatriate: Being able to articulate clearly the objectives and expectations for the expatriate is essential in terms of reducing ambiguity surrounding the expatriate assignment, and making sure that the goals of the expatriate and the goals of the company are aligned.

Repatriation practices: Repatriation is the process of bringing back the expatriate after the completion of their international assignment. It would be added advantage for companies to retain their repatriates by providing opportunities for them to use the knowledge and skills they gained during their assignment, otherwise they may lose this valuable source of global competence to their competitors.

Challenges in Managing Expatriates

ü  Immigration administrative problems surrounding obtaining necessary documents like work permits, visa processes, renewal and deletion of expats, regularization, extension of re-entries etc.

ü  Integration of global workforce with the local workforce

ü  Problems of differential government regulations governing the workforce

ü  High cost of expatriate recruitment   

ü  Work related problems i.e. the time it takes to develop necessary working relationship with the host employee and external stakeholders.

ü  Challenges involving proper expatriate selection and training (for both the expats and accompanying persons) keeping in mind all the needs and motives of an individual expat

StreSERT Services Limited provides immigration consulting services listed below with an effective registration and tracking system. Based on our in-depth knowledge of immigration policies, procedures and its attendant protocols we partner with our clients to ensure a hitch free immigration system as well as full compliance with statutory requirements in the following areas: " Expatriates quota New, Additional, Renewal Re-designation, Restoration and Upgrading to PUR status, Deletion

"Subject To Regularization (STR)/CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Resident Permit And Alien Card)

"Regularization, Re-designation, Change of Employment/Entry Visas

"Business/Visitors Visa, Extensions and Re-entries

"ECOWAS Residence Card & Passport" Expatriates Monthly Returns/Process Review

"General Advisory and Consulting

Staff Outsourcing: Screening and Selection of Service Provider

The need to Outsource becomes an option when businesses require expertise or skills that they don't have within their organization to solve the problems and challenges the company might be facing. Outsourcing is the contracting out of a business process to a third-party. It is contracting with another company or person to carry out a particular function. Basically, the function being outsourced is considered non-core to the business or back office roles. The outside firms that are providing the outsourcing services are third-party providers, or as they are more commonly called, service providers.

The processes involved in outsourcing contract, generally encompasses five stages starting with the identification of outsourcing opportunity in the organization, assessing business case of the company, evaluation of vendors’ proposals and selecting the best fit for the service to be outsourced, contract agreement and engagement of the service provider and finally renewal of contract if service is rendered satisfactorily or exit if otherwise.

Steps to Screening and Selecting a Successful Vendor:-

1. Analyze the business requirements: In analyzing the business requirement, the first task that the vendor selection team needs accomplish is to define, in writing, the product, material or service that the company is searching a vendor for. The technical and business requirements should be explicitly defined and also the vendor requirements.

2. Vendor Search: The next step after analyzing the business requirement is to search for possible vendors that will be able to deliver the material, product or service. Of course, not all vendors will meet minimum requirements and so the company will have to decide which vendors you will seek more information from. Thereafter a Request for Information (RFI) should be written and sent to the selected vendors. Finally, evaluate the vendors’ responses and select a small number of vendors that will make the "Short List" and move on to the next stage.

3. Request for Proposal or Quotation: The third step is to develop the RFP (Request for Proposal) and RFQ (Request for quotation) to be sent to the short-listed suppliers.

The RFP outlines the engagement’s requirements — relevant skill sets, language skills, intellectual property protection, infrastructure, and quality certifications — and gives prospective vendors the information necessary to prepare a bid. 

4. Due Diligence/ Proposal Evaluation: Due diligence supports or validates the information the vendor supplied on processes, financials, experience, and performance. It helps to determine vendor’s project management, the level of success achieved, the quality and standards of work delivered, adherence to contract terms, and the communication process. Reliable, ongoing communications, especially in offshore outsourcing is very important; potential pitfalls can result from infrequent or vague communications.

5. Test Project (Optional): The test project is to ensure a good fit between the company and the vendor. These tests allow companies to review the vendor’s project management process for efficiency and effectiveness. Specifically, they look at whether project execution is completed within guidelines, whether deliverables are timely, and whether the vendor has adhered to defined quality standards. Tests serve as a good method for companies to check and review the facts before making a final vendor decision.

6. Vendor Selection:  The biggest step in the process of selection is picking a service provider to manage business processes and applications. Making the final decision means signing a contract that clearly defines the performance measures, team size, team members, pricing policies, business continuity plans, and overall quality of work standards.

StreSERT Services Limited, recognizing the intrinsic value of outsourcing in that it removes the burden of having to manage back-office functions so HR executives and departments can focus their attention on business processes and strategic initiatives provides outsourcing services to various corporate organizations in different capacities. To this end when you choose StreSERT Services, you get more than a provider; you get a partner who will add value and help you achieve high performance by deploying and managing personnel in various positions/departments.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS FLOW: A Practical Approach

RECRUITMENT PROCESS FLOW: A Practical Approach

A Recruitment Process is an organization’s unique way of sourcing for new employees. Basically the decision on the recruitment process to adopt resides within the Human Resources function, although again this may differ depending on the specific company, or its organizational structure.

A recruitment process can be broken down into different parts and the exact process steps are unique to an organization. A recruiting process may start with the identification of a vacancy, then the preparation of a job description, database sourcing, role marketing, response management, short-listing, interviews, reference checking, and selection.

Recruitment Approaches

There are various recruitment approaches and most organisations will adopt a combination of two or more of these as part of a recruitment exercise to deliver their overall recruitment strategy. In summary five basic models more commonly found are:-

·        - An in-house personnel or human resources Approach.

·        - Outsourcing of recruitment to an external provider

·        - Employment agencies

·        - Executive search firms for executive and professional positions.

·   - Internet recruitment services including recruitment websites and job search engines used to gather as many candidates’ applications as possible by advertising a position over a wide geographic area

Recruitment Stages

 

1. Review: This involves identifying the cogent needs of the business unit that is having the vacancy. This will give proper direction in the preparation of job description and selection criteria. 

 

2. Prepare: It is very important for every organization to prepare selection criteria before embarking on recruiting candidates.  Selection criteria can be divided into two “essential’ or “desirable. Selection criteria should be written in a simple and clear language, be specific, and not overlapping or repetitive.

3. Attract: This involves attracting the right candidates whether they are from internal or external sources.  It considers the various methods of advertising and job posting sites where candidates can be sourced.

4. Shortlist: Short-listing of candidates should be done judiciously with key focus on quality and not quantity. Applicants should be shortlisted if they genuinely meet all the essential requirements and believed to have the potential to be appointed.

5. Interview and Assessment: Interviews, and all other assessment tools, should give applicants every opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to successfully fulfil the duties and responsibilities of the position. It is the responsibility of the selection panel to determine the appropriate means of assessing the applicants.

6. Referee Report:  Referee checks are essential. Obtaining references is an essential part of the recruitment process and it should only be done under serious consideration of appointment.

7. Recommend:  This is the stage where the preferred candidate is being recommended. After considering all of the assessment information, the selection panel would decide who, if anyone, to recommend to the Delegate as the preferred candidate(s).

8. Contract: This is the stage where one of the candidates, proven to be the best, is being engaged once the candidate has accepted the verbal offer and agreed a salary and employment start date.

9. Candidate Care: Candidate care is of the utmost importance in all recruitment processes.  The candidates should be provided with a selection experience that is professional and friendly, and leave them with the impression that the organization would be a great place to work. Good candidate care also includes organizing proper orientation and induction programmes for the employee as this would help to increase retention, employee morale and productivity. Candidate care also includes advising unsuccessful candidates.  Providing feedback when it is requested for to enable them know why they weren’t successful so they can look to improve on future applications.