Yesterday, I wrote on ‘Invest in Your Human Capital’, which was basically addressed to employers of labor. I feel it will be one sided if I don’t write a follow up addressing employees, hence this write up.

Your career is like a building. Each work experience you gather represents the bricks used in building. If you use a 6 inch brick where you are meant to use 9 inch, there will be defect in the building. If you fail to use the right mix of cement, sand and gravel in your columns, you may have cracks and eventual collapse of the building. The same applies to your career. If you don’t build it well, you may suffer a career collapse later on. There are certain obligations you owe your employer. Some of these are:

1. Duty to be professional
2. Duty not to compete with your employer
3. Fiduciary duty
4. Duty of non-disclosure
5. Duty of self-development

Professionalism: This implies conscious representation of your employer in all matters within the scope of your duties in a way and manner that will not damage your employer’s image. This includes your dressing, communication, punctuality, public conduct, integrity, work output and interpersonal relationship. When you are professional in carrying out your duties, it rubs off on you and makes you a professional.

2. Non-competition: It is totally unprofessional and unethical to run the same line of business with your employer while still employed. As a matter of fact, some organizations do not allow you to be involved in any other personal business activities while employed. Also, even after leaving employment, some employment clauses may prevent you from engaging in similar trade for a time frame. So you need to familiarize yourself with the engagement clauses in your employment letter.

3. Fiduciary Duty: You are essentially an agent of your employer, so you are expected to act in the best interest of your employers always. This includes putting company first before self. An example is that of an Accountant managing a poor cashflow situation which requires payment of salaries in batches. Even when you are privy to availability of funds, you must ensure that you pay from bottom upward until it gets to your turn.

Non-Disclosure: You are not allowed to share information about the organization with third parties without necessary authorization and approvals. It is also called confidentiality of information. There are certain information that will come to your possession and that must be kept confidential. For instance, as a banker you may have information about the financial status of so many people. You cannot disclose such information or use it against them.

Self-Development: While your employer owes you the duty of training and helping you to become better, there is no better form of training than self training. You must always keep yourself abreast of latest developments in your field and even related fields. Be informed. Read widely. Make reading an habit. Reading opens up your mind.

These are some of the covenant obligations expected from employees. Do your part. Remember again, what you sow is what you will get. Sow right! Don’t kill other people’s businesses with your actions or words. It will always come back to you.

God bless us all.

Good morning Africa!

Good morning Nigeria!

Companies don’t make the people, the people make the company. Stephen R. Covey said “Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” Simply put, your employees are your first customers. If you can’t treat them right, how do you intend to treat your external customers right? It is impossible! A major reason why businesses fail is breakdown of trust between employees and employers. Once your employees lose trust in you, forget it, you are only keeping them for another employer. And when they leave, they leave with your customers.

It is therefore important to make deliberate and conscious decisions and policies to invest in your employees. They are your greatest assets. Without them, your services will be poor, your processes will be truncated and your controls will fail. Train them. Spend time to mentor. Create a mentorship scheme in your company. Engage them constructively such that they keep looking forward to the next working day. We often fear losing our employees after training, yes, you will lose some but you will gain many more, because the ones you lose will be your brand ambassadors. You can have a reasonable bond arrangement if necessary. Just focus on building your human capital, you will be amazed at the results.

One of the worst languages is when an employer says ‘I can get a hundred replacements for you immediately.’ Or ‘you are of no use to me.’ If he is useless to your business, then you have failed in making him a useful asset, so your business is also useless to him! An asset will be useless if not properly used, maintained or deployed. Likewise your human capital! It is the language of an employer who is completely ignorant about factors that engender business success. The truth is you will never build a team if you reason that way, and it is your team that will build the company. So treat them right. Pay them on time. If you treat them right, they will put in more than expected. I have been there before. I saw it happened severally. Even, if your business is undergoing challenges that may affect their pay, be open and let them know. You will be surprised at the sacrifices some of them will offer to make. Employees will only sacrifice for an employer who has sacrificed for them. Don’t demand for what you have not given.

The worst thing that has happened to our economy is the plethora of businesses that have no business being in business! They keep employing people when they can’t even pay those on ground. It is morally irresponsible for you to lure someone to leave his or her former employer to join your company and then you can’t pay him or her! It is sacrilegious! There are so many businesses like this in our nation today and this is why we have broken labor force, a largely predatory labour force, ‘unhealthily’ mobile. They are afraid. They can’t trust their employers to keep to their covenants! We must stop this dangerous trend. I believe we have reached that stage where a sort of Employment Bureau should be put in place, where job seekers can check on the status of a company before joining such company. The time is ripe for it.

So please understand that life is a seed. The state of your business today, is an harvest of what you sowed. You will reap what you sow. If you invest in your employees, they will invest in your business. So, the Choice is yours!

God bless us all.

Good morning Africa!

Good morning Nigeria!

(Copyright)

adewumioni.com

As a bird that wanders from her best, so is a man that wanders from his place. (Proverbs 27:8). Your place is your space. It is that which brings out the best in you. It is where you excel the most. Whether as an individual or a business entity, we need to find our space and stay in our space. Create your niche! Stop imitation. Your business has a unique strength, find it and deploy it well. It may be in your process, expertise, location, technology, etc. Find it and use it to your advantage.

It is good to step out of Comfort zone, but do it within the confine of your space.

Watch out for a business seminar in June!

Gratis!