Experts urge employers of labour to address digitalisation challenges in workplaces
Human resources experts have urged employers of labour to address digitalisation challenges in their workplaces to boost their employees’ productivity.
They made the plea at the closing ceremony of the 2022 International Work Festival in Lagos on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, which was held simultaneously in Lagos, Nigeria and Kigali, Rwanda, host over 500 companies across African countries.
Its theme was: “The Future of Work In A Technology Driven World (Work-Humans).”
Mrs Erefa Coker, the Founder, Human Resources Expo Africa (HREA), said that essence of the programme was for human resources managers, policymakers and employees to discuss how best to succeed in a technology-changing world.
Coker, organiser of the exhibition, said that essence of the event was to bring solutions to issues that could affect productivity in the workplace.
She said: “This is the seventh year we are organising this event and even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had it virtually so it didn’t stop us from doing the programme.
“At the end of the programme, participants will be able to learn a new ideas from facilitators and exhibitors and see what they can take back to their workplace.
“We have several exhibitors that can help organisations to design solutions that will enable their workers to be happier and improve on their productivity.
“This is because happy people make good employees and we have exhibitors that are available to help you design policies in this regard.”
Coker said instead of taking workers out of job, employers could help their employees to re-skill using online courses that could help them in their productivity.
The founder said that 17 exhibitors participated at the exhibition, including the Federal Housing Authority, Bastion HMO, Vetifly, Cadana, D-Brown Consult, Digital Marketing Skill Institute, Sure Group.
Others were the Leadway Health, KeraPay, Legal Blitz, Hygeia, Wagefit, Event Architect, Avon HMO, Tekadia Institute, Doheney Services Limited.
In his remarks, Mr Dare Dairo, General Manager, Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs, commended the initiator for organising the programme for Human Resources managers and employees.
Dairo said: “This is a fantastic initiative because Human Resiurces is a heart of work and productivity is the essence of humanity of people in a workplace.
“It is important we keep abreast of the salient issues in the workplace as a country, people and as we strive to meet up with the rest of the world.”
Dairo added that this was in terms of the social development, technological advancement and growth of productivity generally.
Also, Mr Dolapo Agbede, the Chief Executive Officer, Lead Consultant, WillWay Paradigm, a consulting outfit, said that persons with disability have the talents if they were given the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Agbede, one of the exhibitors, said there were Human Resources firms that prepared persons with disabilities to face the digital challenges at workplace for anyone who was interested in the digitalisation.
“There are organisations who specialised in up-skilling them and we have partners that can connect people who are ready to learn to those who are ready to teach,” he said.
Agbede said that the firm was changing the way people see persons with disabilities and technology, because that was why it was going to work in the future, adding that they could make an income with disability.
Speaking, Mr. Yemi Fasheun, the Chief Talent Officer, YF Talent Partners, said that in the last two years, technology had totally changed the world.
According to Fasheun, technology has allowed us to do so many things.
“In the area of people management, how else can we leverage on technology to improve and reward people and promote our culture,” he said.
Some of the topics discussed were: “Technology and the Future of Learning and Development in Workplace and Digital Transformation: How can we redesigned the way we work in post pandemic era? and Digital Transformation: How can we redesigned the way we work in post pandemic era?” (NAN)
