OMAN: Where experience and knowledge flowed





OMAN: Where experience and knowledge flowed

23rd, October 2014

MUSCAT — The four-day Human Resources and Future Preparations conference looked at people management and enhancing the capabilities of the individuals in an organisation. Should it be the educational sector that ought to look at the development or the employers who ought to be the facilitator in empowering the individuals? Should the question be what can you give your organisation or what can the organisation give back to the employee?

As experts shared their experience and knowledge, the participants also went through workshops on the last two days. The Chief Executive Officer of Oman Establishment for Press, Publishing and Advertising Dr Ibrahim al Kindy said this is the crucial time to plan for human resources development, “We are in vital need to put forward a strategy for replacement of the current situation. The private sector needs to focus more on the issue of human resources development because it is the major group who employs expatriates.” The Study and Research Department at OEPPA organised the conference.

“The stake holders have to sit together to discuss a strategy to develop our human resources to let the individuals catch up with the opportunities. We need to increase their ability whether the individual is employed at public or private sectors,” said Dr Al Kindy. “We need to find out where the problem lies. We need to focus on the critical point. And that is what this conference is all about. Based on the statistics, we need to see where we should head,” added Dr Al Kindy.

The strategy for 2040 also needs a foundation to take off from opined Dr Al Kindy who has specialised in Human Resources. The two day conference followed by two days of workshop was a platform for the local and international speakers to share their experiences.

According to the experts, it is not just the strategy that matters but long term objectives to be precise. The most important challenge for the world today in relation to human resources is that of change management said Dato Dr Shaikh Omar Abdul Rahman, the HR expert from Malaysia. “The challenge is to get the employee understand, about the need to be changed and the need to be empowered. This can be done by giving inspiration. Inspiration means giving the individuals the sense of purpose. Why are they working? Is it just a livelihood or earning an income for yourself or is it for the family? Is it to look after yourself or are you working just because you are a man?” questioned Dr Omar.

According to the expert the biggest challenge for the employer is to make the employee understand that he or she must go beyond just earning a living. “You have to let them know that they are working at the organisation. It is the awareness but this is in the lowest level. ‘So what?’ would be the response typically. Give them the ‘So what’. You have to add value. You are part of the asset. You are not a liability; instead you are making a positive difference. This requires intervention. Now this is the aspect of the employee. Now the employer should be the one to take the responsibility to do this. It does not happen by accident,” added Dr Omar. If people think empowerment and development in human capital just happened without a strategic intervention then it is a wrong notion pointed out Dr Omar.

The strategy is simple says Dr Omar, “Do the right thing at the right time with the right people. The plan should not be short term. There should be long term planning. The short term planning is for the day to day running. I call the day to day running the problem solving strategy. You cannot empower your staff with that kind of strategy. You can only maintain status quo. Empowering for me is giving the individuals the six Es. Number one is the expertise, experience, third E is energy. Energise the staff. Fourth E is excitement and we have to make them excited about their work. Fifth E is for empathy, whether is caring for other people or caring for customers. And the last one is extremely important and that is to be ethical. If you have these six Es then he or she will be empowered.”


 














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