Hello everyone this is Michael from BM product solutions. Yes, it’s just a small little two-minute blog message. Think of this is just me saying stay strong and keep your business sustainable. Now with regards to COVID-19 a lot of small businesses have taken strain and people have been wondering how to make an income and how life is going to treat them there after.

These are questions that are hanging over a lot of businesses heads and specially in South Africa. So, I would say that if you have controlled your financial situation correctly and you’ve made provisions for situations such as this thing well done and you. Also, in this time a lot of businesses can take us 21 day break and actually revive their businesses and come back even stronger because now you’ve got ample time to some remodelling look at areas of improvement look at gaps in the market places where you can improve your business in terms of strategic and competitive advantage. And also in in that light don’t look at it as a negative there is a positive. Someone has given you 21 days to basically look at your business from an outside perspective. Look at where you have had shortfalls, look at where you need to make these changes to actually save and cut costs for events such as this which may arise in the future.

I am not saying lay people off or retrench them, but look at the brighter side and think to yourself, “how do I prevent this from happening in the future”? “How do I make sure that my business is sustainable should and event like this occur once again”? I mean this has hit the world, nations and countries by storm and it’s bad because you have people that thought they had good jobs and now they’ve been placed under lockdown with no security regarding their income and so forth. So do not be one of those businesses that just thinks okay fine I’m in it for the money. Think of the people that help you make that money. Think of the people that you have at tell now in this period of time that I can to pay you. It’s not just about you! Your business does not survive just because you are there. Your business survives because of the people that are there helping you make it survive.

Employees, I think that’s the most important part of this message that you need to take away right now is that how do you sustain your business? Not just for yourself, not just for your family not just for the person it’s going to take over your line of your generations to come. But how do you make your business sustainable to insure that people who work for you are valued, people that work for you feel valued and people that work for you see that you are going to the ends of the Earth and beyond to make sure that they are safe and they have employment and that their jobs are secured. These are the types of things that you as a business owner need to start taking initiative on now, bearing in mind that look at what has happened, look at what has happened in this world.

People are losing their jobs left right and centre people are dying, out there! And I mean companies need to start stepping up, I mean small, big, and large. I am not just putting it out there that it’s the big corporations or the small corporations or the private sector, it’s everybody. And in order to create that sustainable future not just for us but for the for the generations to come, We need to start adopting that knowledge, we need to start adopting that emotional intelligence. We need to be aware of what we are doing to this planet! We need to start thinking of the planet first. We need to then start thinking of the people there are in this planet and then, we need to start thinking of the profits that we are making off the planet and the people. That’s the triple bottom line in reverse. Before it was People, Planet Profit! I think we should put the Planet first, then think of the people on this planet, and then we think of the Profit.

So in closing I just want to say that take this time to reflect on your business, take this time to actually think as to how you are going to come back from this setback that we have had. And yes you may come back stronger you may come back knowing for a fact that there is another area of opportunity but that’s up to you.

From myself, Michael and BM Project Solutions – we ask that you stay safe keep your family safe and follow all the guidelines set out by the ministers and your country’s policies.

Myth: I’m not creative

You are only as creative as you allow yourself to be. If you do not step out of your comfort zone you will become monotonous to yourself. You are literally causing damage to yourself and the potential within you.

People in the workplace tend to blame others for their lack in creativity. This is one myth that needs to be dispelled within the workplace as it causes unnecessary barriers. This negative attitude in the department makes the others around you just as despondent to changes as you are. Employees become so complacent in their environment. They forget that we are all there to learn from one another in order to make the business as sustainable as it can be.

This myth creates a barrier to creative thinking. While the rest of the department is attempting to come up with ideas to better the workplace, the complacent employees are clouding the office with negativity. This starts creating a mental block in all the staff as there is no buy in from the very people who are going to do the work. Yet when management implements the innovation, they start arguing that management does not care about them.

Myth: Creativity is the result of the lone innovator

This myth almost links the one identified above. If there is only a handful of people prepared to do the thinking, then what is the use of the department existing. There is currently a situation where employees are not happy with the changes taking place in the organization. However, we need to ask ourselves the question why?

When management calls a team/department meeting and mentions the changes that they plan to implement, nobody voices their opinions. This gives management the impression that everybody is on board with the idea and they can go ahead. The moment the idea is implemented the very people who kept quiet in the meeting are the ones who complain. This myth creates a barrier where management is the lone innovators and the rest of us follow like sheep. We need to ensure that input from the entire department is considered. This only helps the innovation become better.

This is another myth that needs to be dispelled from the department. People need to understand management is there to lead the department to the goals set out by the organization. It is the people on the ground doing the actual work that needs to help them reach these goals not just by doing the work but being creative and innovative. Without this input the department will seize to exist or be overlooked come bonus and salary increase time. Thus, the reason management becomes the lone innovator.

Myth: Being creative is a waste of time

If being creative is a waste of time then what are you doing with the life God has given you. You might as well be living under a rock or back in the Stone Age. Organizations cannot afford to sleep on the job as their competition is always lurking around the corner. The moment you close your eyes they get the better of you. This creates a negative barrier in the workplace as the people are not interested in change. The rest of the people in the department will not be willing to be creative as they will also start to think that it is a waste of time.

As mentioned in the previous myths, complacency has gotten the better of most employees. They do not know what value they bring to the organization just by giving their valid opinion. The reason people may feel this way is that they are not very receptive to negative feedback. If management says that the innovation will not work, it does not mean you must just leave it there and give up. There are many things one can take from this response to get the result you want.

Maybe you should go back to the drawing board and re-look at your innovation. There might be little thing which can be tweaked to make the innovation more appealing to management. Maybe the way you presented it did not touch crucial points and details as to why the innovation is needed and why it will work. Sometimes the longer explanation is needed than that of a high level one.

This myth needs to be dispelled from the organization. People need to understand that maybe the timing of the innovation might be clashing with one that management has already considered and busy implementing. They need to see what it is that they can do to maybe improve this creativity once it has been implemented.

Myth: Creativity is not for adults or people with serious careers

If this is true, then why do we need to employ elderly people or those with serious careers? Clearly you can do better all by yourself and you do not need the organization just as much as it needs you. This creates a barrier as the adults in the business do not share any past experiences in the organization. The individual with the serious career is so caught up in his success that he does not see the need to be creative.

If people believe that they cannot add value or creativity due to their age or job status then they are clearly mistaken. For the organization to prosper we need input from everyone in the organization. Adults are more mature and can bring some form of calm in a very despondent department. You also need these adult’s maturity and knowledge as they have probably grown with the business for a long time. They have seen many changes and ideas being implemented in the organization in their time here. They are the ones who are more likely to add the most valued points in a meeting.

The person with his serious career can learn from this adult. If they work together they can take new ideas and see how they converge with the old ones which did not work out or were never implemented. It is thus the reason that creativity has no status, age limit or expiration date.

This is one myth that should be dispelled. The people in the department need to understand that they have been employed for a reason. They do not have to come up with a fortune five hundred idea but any input is valuable input. It might not make sense to one person but the others in the room it might just make perfect sense. Do not keep your creativity hidden in your degrees or doctorates or take it with you to your grave.

Myth: Creativity always from an epiphany

Some of the greatest ideas probably came from an epiphany. This does not mean that it will always be the case. Some employees merely pretend to be creative to score points for their appraisals come year end and bonus time. This can create a barrier as people lose confidence in their thinking as they think management does not take them seriously.

This is what makes employees feel that they need to go into some sort of complacency mode. Just because this wonderful idea popped into your head does not mean it must be implemented immediately. You need to right down the idea and explore it to the point where it not only makes sense but your research of it makes it make sense. You must cover all angles of this idea as it can touch other areas in the department. This can turn your simple epiphany into a great innovation.

Management needs to see that thought and effort went into your idea. They are looking for one thing and that is if the idea will add value to the department as a whole. Employees need to understand that being creative is far from just having an epiphany. Your epiphany may seem creative but try explaining it to yourself first and see if it makes sense and is valid.

This myth needs to be dispelled. Validation of creativity needs to be the driving force. Epiphany’s can only take you to a certain point of being creative. Drawing out the plan can help you understand your epiphany better. The better you understand your epiphany the better you will be able to interpret it to management in a way that can sell your idea.

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

Website

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“Management means doing the things right, leadership means doing the right things Drucker in: (Krames, 2009, p. 125)”. (Kardos, S. 2012).

There are five knowledge worker roles which the author will be investigating. The main aim is to demonstrate and establish if these roles work well within the workplace.

These knowledge worker roles are;

• Reconnoiter
• Navigator
• Handyman
• Shepherd
• Gatekeeper

“Knowledge workers have high degrees of expertise, education, or experience, and the primary purpose of their jobs involves the creation, distribution, or application of knowledge. Knowledge workers think for a living. They live by their wits – any heavy lifting on the job is intellectual, not physical. They solve problems, they understand and meet the needs of customers, they make decisions, and they collaborate and communicate with other people during doing their own work. What becomes clear is that by applying their knowledge in new, complex situations, knowledge workers create new knowledge while developing on the job continuously”. (Kardos, S. 2012).

Reconnoiter

Reconnoiters would be individuals who can detect changes and looking for new opportunities. This would mean that reconnoiter could be someone working in the compliance department. Compliance is always detecting new changes and laws being passed by government. This means that their main function is to ensure that we are always up to date on our processes regarding legislation.

Reconnoiters could also be senior management and directors. These are the individuals who see opportunities in the market and possible areas where the business can thrive. Managers with reconnoiter mentality generally want to see results and numbers. They are quick to identify areas where there could be possible threats and make sure to shift the business away from it as quickly as possible.

“This person acts an early detection system to any changes or threats to the environment. This role also acts as a data gatherer, providing the rest of the team with the data they need to formulate and validate their ideas”. (The Da Vinci Institute. 2016).

Navigator

The navigator is the person who generally provides direction to the organization. They are clued up on how things like the economy and macro-environment can impact the organization. They tend to work closely with reconnoiters as they need to analyze data together to see if the business is heading in the right direction.

The navigator is also the person who tends to look for ways in which the business can save money or time. This does not necessarily have to be connected to the economy; however, it needs to be in line with the business strategy. Navigators in the authors’ department would be the operations, finance and compliance managers.

“This person is normally identified as a thought leader who takes the core data and enriched sources to interpret and provide new opportunities to the data, so that the team can understand the internal and external forces that will have an impact on their environment”. (The Da Vinci Institute. 2016).

Handyman

The handyman will consist of the project manager and business analyst in the department. They take the information from reconnoiters’ and navigator and simplify this into a process. They are responsible for ensuring that the correct systems are utilized to carry out the correct process.

The handyman can also be an innovator as they tend to see things that others cannot. They can be people working on the ground doing the daily tasks. They have a more hands on approach to the problem in the workplace and a perfect source for gathering information. These individuals would be the ones that can inform the department of what the system should be able to do and what would satisfy the customers’ needs.

“This person is the practical doer. At times the visionary puts plans and structures into place to ensure that the end outcome is achieved and the operation is effectively maintained”. (The Da Vinci Institute. 2016).

Shepherd

The shepherd would generally be the manager reporting to the head of the department. Shepherds look after smaller teams which make up the department. They have team leaders who assist them in delegating work to the team. Shepherds take the information analyzed by reconnoiters’, navigators and the handyman, and simplify this further to their individual teams.

Think of the shepherd as the subtitles you would get in a movie. Everyone does not understand the jargon used by senior managers hence the team leader and managers are there to interpret that language. They ensure that every individual in the team understands their role and function. They ensure that the team has the necessary tools to perform these functions to the best of their abilities.

“The shepherd is the mediator that facilitates the team to ensure that each role is given equal opportunity to engage and contribute to the process. This role is also integral to knowledge sharing across the team, without this function; there is a chance that the information will be considered in isolation”. (The Da Vinci Institute. 2016).

Gatekeeper

Gatekeepers could be considered as the training department. They are the ones who take the information received from all the other knowledge roles and provide detailed training about it. This means that they run sessions with the employees in the department. They relay the information in greater detail and conduct detailed user acceptance testing.

They make sure that the employees are well trained regarding the new process and systems which have been innovated. They ensure that further feedback is given back to the other knowledge roles to go back to the drawing board for future changes or enhancements. The gatekeeper ensures that there is continuous feedback from one knowledge role to the other.

“The gatekeeper is the final role in the community of practice and acts as an evaluator. This role controls the flow of knowledge into and out of the team and is instrumental in creating and developing the community of practice. The gatekeeper is the innovations architect”. (The Da Vinci Institute. 2016).

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

Website

Ifyou wish to donate to my blog please do so via PayPal or scan the QR code below.

 

 

Daintith, J. (2004). “While statistical methods are widely used in the life sciences, in economics, and in agricultural science, they also have an important role in the physical sciences in the study of measurement errors, of random phenomena such as radioactivity or meteorological events, and in obtaining approximate results where deterministic solutions are hard to apply”.

BM Project Solutions will define the difference between Intrinsic Value and Instrumental Value. While doing so we will examine the two to confirm if there is not a possible link between them.

Intrinsic Value

Thomas, H (2006). “A thing’s intrinsic value is the value it has in itself as opposed to the instrumental value it derives from causally producing something else. Such value is important for the theory of the right, since on most views at least one moral duty is to promote intrinsic goods and prevent intrinsic evils. But it also matters in itself”. Business Management Project Solutions understands that intrinsic value is the actual value of something. This value must be or have good value to it as it needs to be something positive.

An example of this would be a motor vehicle. Motor vehicles have two values when it comes to retail prices. There is the market value, and then there is the actual value of the vehicle. The actual value is the intrinsic value as this is the value of the entire vehicle including every nut and bolt from back to front, interior, etc.

A company can also be listed as an example of Intrinsic Value. There is the value of the company which investors wanting to buy the company are willing to pay (Market Value). Then there is the actual value of the company including its assets and actual funds on its books (Intrinsic Value). This value would include everything from the buildings and offices to the very last employee of bit of stationary.

Positivity is another example of Intrinsic Value as it is a good thing to be positive.  Positivity can help you make the most out of a bad situation as you will always look to the brighter side of a situation rather than the bad. Being positive motivates not only yourself but those around you and allows for another Intrinsic Value to follow which is Happiness. This is an example where you can say one Intrinsic Value leads to another.

“Intrinsic value has traditionally been thought to lie at the heart of ethics. Philosophers use a number of terms to refer to such value. The intrinsic value of something is said to be the value that that thing has “in itself,” or “for its own sake,” or “as such,” or “in its own right.” Zimmerman, M.J (2014).

BM Project Solutions sums up intrinsic value as what is within every single person or organisation. This is what either motivates us or makes us better people within society.

Instrumental Value

“The theory of instrumental values stems from the idea of an object or idea that directly or indirectly leading to a value.  For example, an instrumental value of pleasure may be reading. If the individual enjoys reading, then that action directly leads to their pleasure”. Taylor, T (2012).

The bank is a financial institution which helps keep financial affairs in order. With this said, the bank plays and instrumental value when it comes to new businesses or finance. Without a loan from the bank most organisations or businesses will not be able to start their company. However, individuals and investors allow the bank to have these funds on hand to borrow to the business owner.

This would mean that citizens and companies are all instrumentally connected in some way. If we did not earn salaries or have a lump sum of money which could be deposited into a bank account, then banks would not exist as there are no clients. Investors would not receive a return on their investment and new companies would not have capital to start their operation. This can be regarded as the circle of survival or growth.

The business does not get the loan from the bank to start operation, and then it cannot employ people and add value to society or the economy. Without this organisation there will be no revenue income and salaries to pay which in turn will go back to the bank. That means by this business receiving a start-up loan allows it to generate income and employ staff who in turn will be able to bank money and take up financial products. If this organisation does not receive the start-up loan, the economy might take strain as there will be more unemployment.

As you can see that instrumentally speaking each action has a reaction which can either be positive or negative. Instrumentally speaking, one good thing will lead to another.

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

If you wish to donate to my blog please do so via https://www.paypal.me/bmps305 or scan the QR code below.

 

BM Project Solutions will look at six different archetypes which will consist of three good and three bad archetypes. These archetypes will be those we choose to keep and those we want to dispel. This will demonstrate how thoughts become things; things become actions and actions play out in behavior.

Archetypes

• Alchemist
• Artist
• Athlete
• Beggar
• Hedonist
• Martyr

Alchemist

The alchemist is the archetype that any organization needs to have. These are individuals that are not afraid to take risks and learn new skills. They are the people that are willing to go the extra mile. They are out of the box thinkers who have the big risk big reward mindsets.

This archetype is relevant to the organization and its strategy. In the present age with all the competitors out there, we need people who are quick thinking. These are the people who are raring to go and not afraid to learn to see the organizations succeed. These are more left-brain thinkers than right.

Artist

The artist is another archetype that every organization needs. These are people who would work well with the alchemist. With the artists’ creativeness and imagination, the two of them would be able to achieve greatness. The two of them would have so much in common as they are quick thinking, sharing and goal driven individuals.

This archetype is relevant to the business as they fit perfectly with the strategy of the organization. BM Project Solutions strives to be the most innovative bank and with an archetype such as the artist it can continue being just that. We need artists in the world we are living in as they are always thinking and sharing new ideas. These are normally individuals who are more right brain thinkers than left.

Athlete

The athlete is the kind of archetype that needs to be involved in the decisions made by the alchemist and artist. The reason for this is that the athlete can see any future problems which may occur if the plan and innovation is not carried out properly. These are dedicated individuals and will ensure that they contribute one hundred and ten percent of their efforts to see the project succeed.

Just like the artist and alchemist, the athlete also fits in perfectly with the organizations strategy. Most people think of solutions which can solve a problem but fail to see the long-term needs and effects. The athlete has a long term thinking ability which in most cases tends to be a whole brain thinker. They can see things are not able to identify immediately and can spot loopholes in the project which can make it more sustainable.

Beggar

The beggar is an archetype with a very negative attitude if we can call it that. They are comfortable with the way things are. They have a go with the flow attitude but are afraid of change. They see change as a threat to their way of life and therefore lack confidence and need validation in everything they do.

Beggars are not really aligned with the organizations strategy; however, you do need a beggar around. The reason for this is that they are the perfect people who you ill test your innovation on. They may not have valuable input to the cause but their reaction to the changes can tell you many things. If they are uncomfortable with the idea that generally means that your idea has great value. How? You are taking them out of their comfort zone and forcing them to adapt to new surroundings.

Hedonist

The hedonist just like the beggar is afraid of stepping out of their comfort zone. They do not see a need for change. They want to walk into the office, do what they get paid for and leave to go home. They are the ones who ensure that they work exactly the hours they are suppose too, take lunch and tea everyday for the exact times.

Yes, we need to stick to our times; however, these are individuals who will never offer to work overtime or during their lunch, unless there is some form of reward for doing so. They will not take on extra work as it is not stipulated in their contracts which they have signed. You can call them narrow-minded. They always feel that they cannot add value without some form of reward.

Martyr

The martyr has so much in common with the beggar and hedonist. They will not take leadership or risks to better themselves. Martyrs are generally people who believe that if something has been working why change it. Why fix what is not broken? They do not see the bigger picture of the organization and what the business wants to achieve.

The business needs martyrs as the alchemist, artists and athletes become more innovative. They can tell you in detail how things worked in the past which can paint a clear picture of where the innovation needs to go to. The only problem with this is getting the information from the person as they are afraid that their jobs are at risk.

Summary

Every organization will be made up of various archetypes. The main thing is to find balance with whom we employ and where they fit in. If we have too many artists, alchemists and athletes in the organization, when will we get any work done? There will be innovation after innovation and we will forget what we are supposed to be doing.

We need martyrs, hedonists and all the other archetypes that may not be very innovative. They carry out the daily functions which are to service the clients and the business while your visionaries and artists find better ways of performing these functions. As the author mentioned there needs to be a balance. This does not mean that you need twenty artists and twenty martyrs in the same department. The balance would be that you maybe need two to three artists and thirty-eight martyrs, hedonists and beggars.

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

Website

 

What is Human Resource Management? How important is it to have Human Resource Management within ones organisation?

Let us explore the role and function or Human Resource Management within an organisation. We will demonstrate how Human Resource Management and Line Management need to work together to achieve one common goal.

The effectiveness of Human Resource Management on how they deal with Talent Management and Employee Engagement will also be explained. Stress Management, Emotional Intelligence, and Employee Engagement will be critically analysed. How employees manage their stress in the work place is important as this determines how well they perform. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is something all Human Resource Management departments need to incorporate in their recruitment process. Employee Engagement needs to be one of the top priorities of Line Managers and needs to be executed effectively.

With all the above considered and critically analysed we will then be able to explain what Human Resource Management is.

Role of HRM Team

The role of the HRM (Human Resource Management) is to ensure that the organisations Vision and Mission is applied and achieved within the organisation. Human Resources have three objectives which they need to achieve;

• Vision and Mission for the organisations success. This ensures that all objectives and goals set out by senior management and business directors are achieved
• How employees and employers adapt to each other to the advantage of both parties. This will help create an environment where the employee is satisfied with what the employer has offered in terms of workload versus remuneration. Many a time this is the case where the employee feels overworked and underpaid.
• Support Line Managers in the execution of their tasks and management of people. This helps managers understand their staff better as Human Resources would have provided feedback received on various analysis done one of which is Emotional Intelligence.

Human Resources have 7 important functions which they need to execute. The functions include Provisioning, Planning, Recruitment, Selection, Placement, Induction and Career Management. These functions include some form of input from line managers all the way to directors.

BM Project Solutions confirms that Human Resource Management is a key contribution factor to the organisations success and achievements. They ensure that the organisation has the right employee with the correct qualifications executing the correct function or role. Human Resources within the authors’ organisation also ensure that career development is implemented and available for all employees.

Human Resources are present in all meetings involving structural change within the organisation. This allows Human Resource Management to confirm the ideal candidate’s management is requiring filling the role or function. This will assist with easier job profile requirements in terms of Qualifications and Skills needed. They will be able to forecast the number of employees required and whether they should be permanent or temporarily employed.

Role of Line Manager

Line Managers need to work in line with Human Resource Managements value chain. For example, Human Resource has a “Selection” function, which requires them to select the ideal candidate for the role. Line Managers will conduct the interview with the selected candidate and inform Human Resource Management if they are happy. This will result in Human Resources drawing up the necessary contracts for the candidate to sign.

Line Managers need to manage people and assist with career development. This will include identifying an employee with a unique set of skills which can contribute to the greater good of the organisation. In this case, the Line Manager will discuss the additional skills the employee has and the value which he/she can add to the organisation. This results in career growth and job satisfaction for the employee.

The Line Manager is also tasked with ensuring that the Human Resource and Business strategies are implemented. They need to manage people by ensuring they perform the functions they were hired to do and not something completely different.

Effectiveness of HRM Strategies

Talent Management

Talent Management should commence from the first day the employee starts with the organisation. The reason would be to ensure that the employee does not feel under-utilized and decides to leave the organisation. Human Resources need to keep track of the employee’s career development plan and monitor the employee holistically to ensure that the goals set out have been achieved. Should the employee achieve their goals then remuneration is not the only thing that retain the employee. They need to move into different divisions in the organisation to grow and develop further.

Human Resource Management provides the organisation with employees who have gone through learning and development courses. These courses enhance employee’s skills and ensure that they are always up to date with what their role requires from them. This helps keep employees motivated and optimistic about positive future changes which may arise. In these cases, employees will not feel the need to look for other opportunities externally as they find satisfaction within the organisation.

Human Resource Management need to ensure that work is enjoyable and employees look forward to attending work. This does not mean that everyday should have an activity, outing or a team building activity. What this means is that employees are happy when the people they work with share the same ethical behaviour and values. Employees lose motivation if some of their colleagues do not perform or are not as productive as they are. This puts more strain on the employee who really enjoys coming to work and is motivated to see the organisation progress. However, this can be short-lived as these employees will then start looking for better opportunities and will move to another organisation the moment the opportunity presents itself.

Employee Engagement

“Employee Engagement is driven from the Line Manager. In order to have successful engagement with their Subordinates, Line Managers need to ensure that five important things are done within the team” (Markos, S and Sandhya Sridevi, M. 2012);

• Align efforts with organisations strategy
• Empower staff
• Encourage teamwork
• Help staff with growth and development
• Support staff and provide recognition

BM Project Solutions believe that Employee Engagement starts from the top within his organisation. Leading by example is an important factor within the organisation and filters from the top all the way down to the last subordinate.

Communication is important and allows employees to engage effectively with the organisation as they are the ones who perform the tasks required. Seeing that they carry out the various tasks daily, they can contribute to future strategies effectively as they have specific information regarding the improvements needed. This leads to innovative thinking and employees are therefore allowed to help the organisation move forward.

Recommendations

• Human Resource Management need to ensure that communication within the organisation is carried out effectively. One-on-One discussions are a great starting point to interact on a more personal level with employees. This will show that Line Managers care about their subordinates and that they are interested in their personal goals and career aspirations. If employees are informed of their positive performance and productivity they will feel important to the organisation and will therefore show more commitment to their roles.

 

• Learning and development can motivate employees to reach their goals and career aspirations. This will indicate to the employee that the organisation has shown interest in them and can lead to a possible future move within the organisation. Line Managers can therefore identify certain skills in the employees which can benefit both parties. Employees will see that the organisation is investing in their future so they will therefore ensure to stay longer with the organisation and continue being productive. This will then allow the organisation to retain the talents of these unique employees and will not need to recruit new staff all the time.

 

• Reward and Recognition is important within any organisation, whether it be done on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. Employees feel more motivated when they are recognised and sometimes the reward can be as simple as a “Thank You or Well done” and not always a monetary reward. Some employees just need that whether you recognised them in a team meeting or in their One-on-One, if they feel appreciated. Employees can also be motivated if they are made aware that the success of the organisation depends on them just as much as it depends on you as their Line Manager. This will drive employees to start thinking innovatively and come up with ideas on how to work even smarter in moving the organisation forward.

Concept of EQ

The intension of Emotional Intelligence being implemented in the workplace, is to assist Human Resource personnel understand employees better. This allows Human Resources to evaluate and assess people’s behavior, attitudes and interpersonal skills. The reason for the evaluation or assessment is to align specific roles within the organisation to specific individuals.

Job profiling is that, one cannot have a person with an outgoing personality in a Filing Clerk position. This individual should be placed in a more client facing role such as the Call Centre or groomed to become a Private Banker or Marketing Manager should they have the necessary qualifications.

(www.businessballs.com, 2000-2014) “Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence Quotient), which has tended to be the traditional measure of intelligence. We’ve all met people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially and inter-personally inept. And we know that despite possessing a high IQ rating, success does not automatically follow”.

BM Project Solutions therefore believes that having the right person in the right role at the right time is an important process for Human Resources and Line Managers. A leader with a very strong personality should oversee a Call Centre as they will be able to manage people on a scheduled basis and time management. A leader who prefers to lead from behind will oversee people who can manage their time and commitments effectively as well as work independently. According to the reference above “High EQ (Emotional Intelligence) = low insecurity = more openness. This will allow for better leadership, trust and job satisfaction.

Importance of Employee Engagement

What is Employee Engagement? The author understands that it is a two-way relationship between the Employer and Employee. The Employer has the responsibility of motivating and empowering their employees. The Employees on the other hand are responsible for applying themselves to the various roles allocated to them. There are four ways Human Resources can improve employee engagement. These consist of Company “coolness”, Relationships with Bosses, Loyalty versus Freelancing and Changing Motivations.

(www.ceridianblog.wordpress.com, 2013) “If a business is successful, its employees will be happier”. Employees want to work for an organisation which is growing fast in a sustainable manner.

(www.ceridianblog.wordpress.com, 2013)  “If employees have solid relationships with their superiors, they’ll work hard to give them quality production”. As we stated earlier, engagement is a two-way relationship. We believe that if some superior shows the same amount of concern to all the subordinates within the team, there will be less unhappiness. Favoritism and Discrimination can de-motivate employees in such a way that their performance decreases. We all know how the saying goes, “what’s good for one is good for all”.

(www.ceridianblog.wordpress.com, 2013) “Some may prefer to do some freelance work on the side rather than work solely for one employer”. As generations have progressed, individual mentality including wants and needs have progressed as well. Today it is all about the money. There are younger Private Client’s in banks these days then there are elderly. The reason for this is due to education and hard work. They are so determined to make it in the world that while working for an Employer; they are busy starting their own venture on the side. BM Project Solutions believes that the older generation is an asset to the organisation. They are the ones who stick around when things get a bit tough and will put in the extra hours to ensure the company succeeds.

(www.ceridianblog.wordpress.com, 2013) “Younger workers are highly ambitious and want to advance their careers, while older individuals have other priorities in life, such as working on their marriages or raising their children”. Younger Employees want to enter an organisation and attempt to reach the top as quick as possible. Money will play a factor in determining how long they stay or how happy they are. If this does not happen in the set timeframe they have given themselves they will leave the company for better opportunities and most of the time for a higher salary. Your older generation is the ones who will work according to the career development plan they have set out for themselves, and will be much happier in their roles as they progress.

BM Project Solutions confirms that in a Human Resource Management role, an EQ (Emotional Intelligence) assessment is vitally important to an organisation. This works hand in hand with Employee Engagement as you will now be able to recruit the correct person who wants to join your organisation, and know what their intensions are. This is vital as you can now forecast when you will need to start recruiting again and what kind of candidate the organisation requires.

Management of Diversity

Managing diversity means acknowledging people’s differences and recognizing these differences as valuable. Therefore, the role of Human Resource Management is to ensure that there is no discrimination, biasness and inequality within the organisation. These are merely two aspects Human Resources deal with on a day to day basis.

Take the above into consideration when advertising a new position in the organisation. Human Resource Management will need to ensure that the role is fit for any person willing to apply. This means that should you be white, black, purple, or green, you deserve the opportunity to apply for the post. Should you have a disability or be of a different religion, you deserve the opportunity to apply for the post. Human Resource Management must ensure that when advertising the position, it clearly outlines what they are looking for in terms of Race, Gender, etc.

An example of this would be Islamic Banking. We first thought that Islamic Banking was only for Islam, however, it is open to anyone who wishes to bank with them. This means that they could probably recruit people of different religions which will add a different culture within the organisation with more diversity.

Diversity will always bring its challenges to the organisation. The only thing is for people to take the time to learn about various cultures to understand their peer’s reasons for their actions. Team Building can add value and fun to learning about each other’s religious beliefs and cultures. This will make the workplace a better place and environment for all.

Conclusion

So, what exactly is Human Resource Management? What makes a good Human Resource Management team?

To be an effective Human Resource Manager, you need to be able to sell the Vision and Mission of the organization. They need to ensure that the goals and strategy set out by Exco is achieved.

Human Resource Management also needs to work well with Line Management. They need to support Line Managers in managing the employees which will be selected to perform the relevant tasks required. Line Managers on the other hand need to ensure that the strategies of Human Resources are carried out by the Employees.

Human Resource Management needs to ensure that Talent Management as well as Employee Engagement is implemented. This will help them retain Talent and ensure that staff is happy. BM Project Solutions has confirmed that Employee Engagement is a two-way street in terms of communication. Management need and Human Resources need to ensure that staff is well informed of the organizations goals and strategies. They also need to be recognized for their hard work and performance.

A great Human Resource Manager will practice all of the above. They will be involved from the time they start their selection process to the time the employee is placed in his/her role. They will ensure that Line Management and employees are engaging effectively and both parties are benefiting from the relationship. A great Human Resource Manager will keep staff motivated in their role and possible growth opportunities.

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

Website

 

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”. (Niebuhr, R. 2016).

People need to understand that just because someone does not see your opinion or belief’s clearly, they are not on board with your concept of ideas. Each person has their own way of processing information. They see the world in a completely different way as to what you see it. There are many barriers in our daily lives that prevent us from seeing the bigger picture.

Five barriers from the authors’ perspective which prevents us from seeing the bigger picture,

• Innovation
• Commitment
• Upbringing
• Religion
• Family

Innovation

If we do not start doing things differently we become stagnant in our ways and we become comfortable with the way life is. We start relying on the fact that we are secure and if we step out of our comfort zone we might get hurt. We need to find new things to do that inspire us and keep us and our families motivated.

We tend to go through the normal daily practices of waking up, getting ready for work, and taking kids to school. One parent will drop the children off and the other will pick them up. We confirm what we are having for dinner and get the kids ready for bed after homework is done. How about we step out of this programmed life just once and see if we cannot do things that will make our lives more interesting.

How about we wake the kids ten minutes earlier for school so they can help with their lunch packs in the morning? This will teach them a sense of responsibility and what it is to look after one’s self.  How about weekly we change the roles of who is dropping the children off and who picks them up? Why just have dinner on a Monday evening when we can have a family picnic in the lounge and really bond.

There can be various ways in which we can be innovative in our families. We just need to find the things that we are not doing and seeing if they add value to our relationships.

Commitment

We all have various commitments in our lives like family, work, sporting activities, etc. We need to understand that the same commitment we show to one aspect in our lives cannot be the same for the other. Commitment comes with balance and sacrifice. We need to know when and where it is time to do something.

We spend so many hours away from home at a place called work that it becomes your home away from home. We tend to get trapped in our work most of the time that some of us end up working around the clock and ignoring the other important things around us. The same can be said about our sporting activities. If you Golf every weekend and spend hours away from your other priorities it becomes neglect.

We need to start finding balance in our lives. Yes, it may sound as if we need to become programmed like robots and do things according to a schedule. There are not enough hours in a day we say but I say we need to do more with the hours we have been given.

Upbringing

We have all been brought up in different ways with a different value system. This value system and upbringing is what drives our culture and view on how life should be. This can also be a barrier in our personal lives as well as our work life. We always tend to disagree and argue or our moral compass is not on the same track.

If two people are married they need to start adapting to the new part of their lives. If one of these individuals were spoilt as a child they would expect the same treatment from their partner or spouse. If you as a partner have spoilt your better half by constantly doing things for them, eventually they become so use to it that if you do not do it any longer they start fighting with you.

We are all still growing as people and we need to understand that nobody is perfect. There will always be arguments and fighting but we need to take a moment and understand how this individual was raised and what they are used to. This might help you appreciate this person’s value even more.

Religion

Religion plays a large role in our lives and our belief systems. If you were raised to honor a woman and respect her, which is exactly what to do as it is stated in the Bible. However, we need to understand that people also have various views on religion. You may wonder how someone is so spiritual or religious yet they do not attend church every Sunday. You may wonder how someone can know so much about what is in the Bible and yet they do not have someone preaching to them.

It is a personal choice one makes to fill one’s spiritual needs. People think that you need a Pastor to tell you what to believe in or how to pray. No, you do not. All you need to do is read the Bible yourself to understand the message of God. Many people say you can never read the Bible from cover to cover. If you enjoy reading and can read novel after novel, what is stopping you from reading the Bible.

Religion can change the way you and your family grow. This can also give a person a more sensitive view on life and really reflect deeply on changes around them.

Family

Family is probably the biggest barrier you can have. Many people have supportive families who want to see you succeed in life. Others do not have this luxury and need to work hard to convince their family that the plan or idea can work. Family can be a barrier in a way that while you are trying to move forward with your life, they want to dictate to you what to do.

Take a married couple for example. If the one half is constantly being influenced by their family they might end up destroying the marriage. The reason for this is that they were made to believe that their family is right and have always been right. They do not take the time to understand their partner or what their partner really wants. They believe that if they show dominance they will always win the battle. Wrong, these are the people who get hurt the most as their partners either do not care anymore or dispel of them completely.

There are many aspects in our family that can add value in our lives. It is up to us to choose how we use this information and apply it in our lives.

 

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

Website

What is business ethics? All businesses big or small have codes of conducts and ethics which all employees need to abide by. In most instances the employees within the organization tend to bend these rules. This can either make or break a department. Employees in the organization need to consider that these codes have been put in place not to rule us but to guide us.

There is a difference between guiding and ruling people. Employees need to understand the difference and the reason for a manager or team leader’s actions. They need to consider that the management team takes a lot of strain form heads and CEO’s (Chief Executive Officer) of the department. They are the ones that need to answer as to why the individual did not follow the correct process or guidelines set out by the business.

Business Management Project Solutions would like to propose that the code of ethics and conduct be communicated to your employees on a quarterly basis. This is to ensure that they fully understand and comply with guidelines set out by the organization.

Ethical Challenges

“South African manager’s today find themselves squeezed between juxtapositions, such as international competition and simultaneous skill development programmes to combat illiteracy.” (Maritz, 2002.)

This could be since the education system in South Africa is not up to international standards, or there is no standard at all. Think of the fact that government keeps on reducing the pass rate to get students to pass grades and advance. School is one of the phases in every person’s life where ethical values are learnt. These students get the impression that they do not need to work hard to get what they want. This leaves school leavers with the idea that they now have a matric certificate and they can just get any job.

There have been negative aspects to this as no company will employ an individual with a low pass rate. They have seen that these students do not know basic Mathematics, English or general reading and verbal communication. Call centers are known as an entry level form of employment. Today, companies require you to have a Degree of some sort to be employed in the call center. How can you possibly employ an individual who cannot read, write and communicate in Basic English? How would your clientele react to the fact that an illiterate individual is dealing with their million-dollar accounts?

“Affirmative action has led to troublesome labour relations.” (Maritz, 2002.)One of the other challenges in the country is the fact that people are hired based on their gender, age and most importantly race. With inequality being a burning issue in South Africa due to the apartheid era, government has implemented laws such as BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) and Affirmative Action. These laws “force” organizations to hire more people of colour than white. These people are then placed in managerial and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) positions. In most cases these individuals do not have Degrees or basic education. The ethical practice is to award the position to the most qualified and knowledgeable candidate regardless of race or gender.

“Towards the end of the 1990s there was growing discontent amongst the black community about the effectiveness of the strategy. The concern was that it only benefitted a select few black people in the country – generally those who were politically connected. It was cynically dubbed ‘Black Elite Enrichment’.” (Irwin, 2011.)

Look at our government. Now with all the scandal surrounding the Gupta family and their influence they have on the country things are not looking very good. Take the former and newly appointed CEO of Eskom as an example. He resigned from Eskom and became a MP (Member of Parliament). He was to receive a thirty-million-rand pension payout, which was deemed unethical by the constitutional court. So, because he could not receive his “golden handshake” he is now re-appointed as the CEO of Eskom? This clearly shows the disregard of the public. Further to this you have NERSA (National Energy Regulator of South Africa) who is forced to increase the cost of electricity to fund the large salaries these executives are to receive.

Impact on your Organization

“It has been reported that JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) listed banks have lost R86 billion of their market capitalization due to Pravin Gordhan’s dismissal as South Africa’s Minister of Finance.” (Nedu. 2017.)

The impact these unethical actions have on the organization is of excellent value. We have investors (local and international), who move their money to other countries where labour ethical governance is practiced. Think of the unethical removal of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan. This was the reason that the ratings agencies downgraded the country to Junk Status.

If we hire illiterate people to work in our professional organization, we may as well close our business. We cannot employ an individual who does not know how to do basic Mathematics. How are they going to work on a client’s account and calculate interest charges, balances, etc.? These individuals who were basically pushed through school with low results might cause more harm than good. They could end up causing disruptions in the organization as they do not know how to reason or work hard to get what they want.

We cannot place an individual in a senior decision-making position who does not meet the criteria. Therefore, most organizations suffer as the people in power may not be competent enough to handle the position. They placed there for the company to comply with BEE and Affirmative Action policies. Now you sit with a situation where some companies would rather run the risk of not complying with these policies and select a candidate based on experience and qualifications.Your business ensures that only the best candidate is selected for the post. They also ensure that they comply with the necessary policies set out by government regarding inequality and transformation.

Recommendations

Business Management Project Solutions recommends that organizations continue to employ only the best and qualified candidates. We also need to consider that some student’s finishing school do not have the funding to attend universities. It is for this reason the author suggests that the organization employ people with excellent results directly from school. This provides empowerment as these students can now take up bursary applications through the organization.

Should the organization provide these opportunities to hard working and deserving students, they will never have a shortage of qualified individuals to promote within the business. Now it will not be based only on gender and race but rather years of service, qualifications and experience. We would be able to instill ethical and corporate values into these individuals from an early age.

If government wants equality within the country then it needs to start at the grass root level, which is school. With increasing the pass rate requirement, students are therefore encouraged to learn and work harder. This allows them to understand that life after school is ten times harder.

In conclusion BM Project Solutions believes (in a perfect world), that for a business to succeed it needs to be ethical in its dealings. We need to work together to ensure that we remove any corrupt dealings from the organization and start instilling ethical values in all our employees. Management is therefore also required to make sure that they are more proactive with their employees. Managers need to take the first step in leading and guiding their employees. The first step in the authors’ opinion would be to go through the necessary code of conduct and ethics with the employees. This will ensure that all staff members are well informed of the rules within the organization. They are also aware of the dismissal process and the implication of the process.

 

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

Website

What are barriers and enablers for innovation? The two terms pretty much define themselves. A barrier refers to something that is going to stop you or guard you. An enabler is something that is going to assist or help you. In business management or the running of an organization, innovation has to be at the forefront. Each business wants to gain market share and remain relevant. Business Management Project Solutions believes that in this day and age, innovation is the cornerstone of any company.

There are various barriers, which can prevent you from growing your business and being innovative. Some of these barriers can be decision based or process based. Think of your business and the various processes it has to follow. Now you see that a slight change in the way you perform your daily functions (processes), can enhance the service delivery turnaround times (SLA) – you encounter a barrier by you employees not being receptive to the changes you want to make. You may find that a barrier could the legality/compliance of the process you want to follow. You may find that your employee has this wonderful idea that can work if only some help and guidance is provided, just to find out that the line manager they report to was not open minded and shot down their idea. One of the biggest barriers today is funding of innovative ideas.

With that said, enablers are merely the reverse (positive) side of barriers. Enablers would be your management teams actually listening to the people on the ground. Enablers take the time to see the bigger picture and motivate their staff to be more creative. Remember a happy employee means a happy customer. You innovate not just to make your job easier but to be more productive. More productivity mean better turnaround times a more services. Enablers would be receiving support regardless if your idea requires funding or not.

Here at Business Management Project Solutions, we strive to use your barriers as enablers. We look at cost effective ways to increase revenue in your business by simply enhancing the processes or streamlining your business. We want to help enable your business to be above the rest. Stay tuned for the next two blogs to follow where we will identify a few of these barriers and enablers.

Food for Thought: There is no such thing as a stupid idea. Sometimes the craziest ideas bring in big rewards.

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

 

Why do I need Business Management? This is the question every business owner should/could have asked themselves. There is no simple solution however; the answer is readily available to you. Business Management Project Solutions helps you solve the problem in a cost effective way.

 

Sometimes you need to take a step back to see if your process and services are aligned to the strategy of your company and its vision. You need to ensure that you always go back to your checklist and see if you are still on track. The fault most companies make is to drift off the path by getting distracted with too many projects. The truth is that while you are busy fixing or revamping your business, you tend to think of many other ideas the current process can solve. Your focus shifts to the newly thought of idea and you completely forget about the problem you were trying to solve in the first place.

Business Management Project Solutions assists with project alignment and business modelling. This allows you to identify any other problem areas while we work on your current problem with no distraction. We will ensure that your seamless end to end process is aligned to your strategic goals.

What is the importance of Business Management? This is the second important question you should be asking yourself. The importance thereof is to ensure that your business strives to be the best of the best. With proper business management control your business will learn to function holistically and not in silos. You need to understand the reason one department is dependent on the next. BM Project Solutions helps to solve this problem for you. This is not an easy fix however; it can save your business.

Food for Thought: According to ratings agency S&P (Standard & Poor’s), the average lifespan of a company has decreased from 60 years to 10 years or less.

The reason for this decline is that most companies provide the same services over and over again. There is no change or innovative thinking in the organization. Business Management Project Solutions is here to help keep your business relevant with innovative thinking. Our aim is to do more with less and put your business above the rest in the most ethical and professional manner.

Make the right choice and take your business to the next level. Know the importance of Business Management.

 

Michael Joseph

Business Management Project Solutions.

info@bmprojectsolutions.co.za

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