MY ARTICLE ON BECOMING A STAR PERFORMER IN AN SME POSTED ON WWW.JOBBERMAN.COM CAREER BLOG

Hi Everyone,

Please take out some time and read and comment on my article posted at the below link:

http://t.co/REZZ76ot

According to an article I posted earlier, over 75% of the working population is currently employed with a small or medium size enterprise. Quite a number of us that work with SMEs have previously never worked at an SME and may be struggling with problems, fears, and issues we haven't encountered before. My article offers further  insight to SMEs and how to become a proactive star performer.

So please grab paper & a pen and get reading!!

Have a great weekend!

MAKING A FORMAL CASE FOR THE PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES IN THE WORK PLACE

The chairman House of Representatives' Committee on Human Rights, Beni Lar, has called on corporate organisations and employers to ensure that the rights of the employees are respected at work places.

Speaking during a National Dialogue, titled: Human Rights and Business: Applying Human Rights Standards to Corporate Actors in Nigeria, organised by the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), Lar said that employers must respect the right of their employees by giving them good benefit, paying them on time and making the workplace conducive and safe place for them .

"Some companies transport Nigerians in vehicles not fit for human beings. For example, Julius Berger pack Nigerians like animals in long vehicle that you can hardly get ventilation. Some foreign companies come to Nigeria and just paid peanuts; that is bad and must stop."

While pledging the National Assembly's commitment in helping the commission, the Rep said that it would continue to pass bills that would help protect t lives of Nigerians in and outside their places of work.

Also speaking, the former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi ( SAN) stated that most Nigerians value money more than life which he said was one of the issues that have brought about poverty in the nation.

"We have been told to live by our own sweat but modern man is bent to eat his bread with the sweat of others. They used inferior method so that they would gather too much by infringing on the lives of people. We regard human right as the responsibility of government; it is the responsibility of everyone."

In his opening address, the executive director of NHRC, Bem Angwem stated that the commission organised the dialogue because of the need for a balance between business and human right and to ensure that corporate organisations were sensitised on the need to comply and recognise their obligation.

(Culled from the Leadership)

We look forward to seeing systems and practices set up to safeguard the rights of Nigerian employees.

NEWLY RECRUITED DOCTORS START INDUCTION IN LAGOS

Evening everyone,

I hope we all had a fantastic week and it is my sincere hope that even if you are experiencing problems or issues at work, my tips are helping you to overcome them? and you will always feel free to email if you need any one on one advice or help?

Regarding the earlier report of the Lagos Government sacking the striking doctors, news reports confirm that they have been issued their formal sack letters which also advised them to vacate their official residences immediately.

Further to this, The Daily Trust reports:

Lagos — Some of the newly recruited 375 doctors by Lagos government yesterday commenced induction at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). Their recruitment followed the sacking of 788 doctors by the state government last Monday. Our correspondent gathered that the doctors have been placed on temporal appointment to be confirmed if they proved capable of doing the job. The sacked doctors insisted that the state government must implement the CONMESS among other demands while the state said it would no longer pay any "fees imposed" by the federal government.

This is a situation that if not handled properly can get really ugly really fast so we can only pray the law and best practice prevails above everything else.

SMES EMPLOY 31 MILLION IN NIGERIA - OVER 75% OF THE WORKING POPULATION!

Lagos — Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, has said Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria have risen to 17 million, employing over 31 million Nigerians. Speaking at the World Economic Forum meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday, Aganga said Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises account for over 80 per cent of the total number of enterprises in Nigeria and employ 75 per cent of the total workforce.

In a statement issued by the minister's Senior Special Adviser on Communication Yemi Kolapo, Aganga said that in the last one year of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, the results of new SMEs policies and schemes in terms of job creation had shown that if given the necessary support, SMEs would provide the foundation for sustainable growth and poverty alleviation in the country." But their contribution to Nigeria's GDP is still relatively low due to major constraints in the operating environment which has limited their abilities to create jobs and perform the vital role of enhancing economic growth and development," he said.

He said that in the next three years, Nigerians should expect more SMEs with enhanced productivity. He said a national database had been developed in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics which was the first step in the effective tackling of the problems of the sector. Aganga said a committee, comprising of experts in the different fields relating to the major bottlenecks in the sector was already being set up to ensure that the country achieved a turnaround before the end of this administration. He said there will be a national SMEs policy that will address the major problems in the sector. Aganga said the Bank of Industry was already executing matching programmes with state governments on SMEs and deepening financing penetration using microfinance banks.

(Culled from the Daily Trust)

SENATE ORDERS NDLEA TO WITHDRAW ALL UNTRAINED STAFF HANDLING WEAPONS

The Senate, yesterday, directed the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to commence the withdrawal of about 2,000 untrained arms-bearing operatives under its employ which they deployed to states across the country.

It also mandated its committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes to open an investigation into the recruitment and deployment process of arm-carrying NDLEA personnel across the country.

The resolution of the Senate followed the adoption of a motion, 'Deployment of Recruits of NDLEA without Training' sponsored by Senator Heinekin Lokpobiri.

Senator Lokpobiri stated that the deployment of 2,000 untrained personnel was dangerous to the Nigerian society. He lambasted the NDLEA for deploying 2,000 personnel without training despite having a training school in Jos, Plateau State. "NDLEA recently recruited about 2,000 operatives and deployed them to the various states and area commands across the country without training. "An officer of the NDLEA allegedly shot dead one Joseph Chia in Taraku Town in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State on 16 October, 2011."

(Culled from the leadership)

With other countries enforcing strict gun laws, exams, tests, and permits before issuing firearms, how did 2,000 untrained men and women get their hands on firearms?

COUNCIL WORKERS PROTEST IRREGULAR PAY IN KADUNA

Local government workers in Kdauna State have decried the irregular payment of their salaries by the council, calling on Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa to intervene with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem.

Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE, Comrade Shehu Abubakar, said this while responding to complaints forwarded to him by the local branches of the union over the non-payment of the workers' salaries promptly. The union leader, who exonerated the local government councils for being responsible, also blamed the state government.

(Culled from Daily Trust)

NEW NIGERIAN WORKERS UNPAID FOR 12 MONTHS - STAGE PEACEFUL PROTEST

Workers of the New Nigerian Newspapers yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Kaduna over the non payment of their 12 months salaries!! The workers, who staged the protest at the entrance of the company on Ahmadu Bello way, accused the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) of insensitivity.

They barred placards with various inscriptions such as, "FG pay NNN liability and pension", "No poverty alleviation in the North", "We are dying" etc.

Addressing newsmen during the protest, chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalist in the company, Ibrahim Adamu urged the Northern Governors Forum to come out with sincere measures that could aid payment of their salaries. He said since the commencement of the strike, five staff have died.

"The governors should come out with sincere measures aimed at ensuring payment of our salaries and set in motion necessary machinery for the privatisation of the company for effective management, and or other measures deemed necessary to keep the company afloat. We are law abiding Nigerians and that is why we have been patient all this while. However, our patience has been over stretched. Please pay our salaries and stop toying with our lives," he said.

Daily Trust reports that the workers embarked on strike last February as a result of non payment of their 10 months salaries, which has now increased to 12 months.

(culled from the Daily Trust)

I mean seriously, 12 months?? when does negligence turn into wickedness if people can go unpaid for 12 months? And at which point after not being paid for a job you are doing do you think, may be I should look for another job rather than accumulate bills I cannot pay for?

SAFETY AND HEALTH WORKERS WARNED ABOUT NEW ON THE JOB HAZARDS

Ughelli — Chairman, Delta State branch of the Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals, Chief Anthony Odibo, has warned safety and health workers against the hazards being created by green jobs in the country.

Odibo, who gave the warning in a chat with newsmen to mark the World Day for Safety and Health Workers, said: "The green jobs have created new hazards which are unknown to the ordinary workers. Because of this, there is now the need to seek the advice of trained Occupational Safety and Health professionals, who have the potential to assess the hazards and give advice to stem it.

"While these jobs are meant to help improve the environment, revitalise the economy and create new employment opportunities, one of the greatest risks is that, in the haste to create these new jobs in large numbers, little attention is paid to their quality."

Culled from The Guardian

UN SAYS JOB CREATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR YOUTH IN NIGERIA

The creation of green jobs is essential in ensuring a sustainable future, UN officials said on Friday in New York. The UN Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officials spoke at a forum with the theme "Empowering Youth with Better Job Opportunities". The forum which was held at the UN Headquarters was aimed at giving young people a platform to voice their concerns, experiences and ideas to tackle youth unemployment. "Young people are the future of our societies; as such they should also be part of solutions."Creating a sustainable future means empowering youths with better job opportunities and it means giving young people a voice," Vice President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Luis de Alba, told the forum. He added that it waculles important to look at under-employment and vulnerable employment, as many young people are in precarious short-term contracts, or trapped in low-skill and poorly-paid jobs. "Labour policies and institutions may not create any incentives to hire young people, and, as we all know, policies are not yet in place in many countries to equip young people with the skills demanded by today's labour market," de Alba said. In her address to participants, UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said youths were mobilising like never before and that their ideas could help countries achieve sustainable development objectives. "Young people can drive the global push for green growth. As entrepreneurs, consumers and leaders, they can adopt new lifestyles that respect our planet. "They can promote trends that encourage sustainable development," she said, adding that youth participation was particularly important in events such as the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). The conference is scheduled for next month in Rio, Brazil. NAN reports that youth unemployment has soared in both affluent and poor countries since the global financial crisis began in 2008, with the largest annual increase on record reported in 2009. At one point, nearly 76 million people aged between 15 and 24 years of age were unemployed worldwide and, currently, young people are three times as likely as adults to be unemployed. In Europe nearly one in four young people are out of a job, and in North Africa and the Middle East youth unemployment is almost 30 per cent, the highest worldwide. The Secretary-General for Rio+20, Sha Zukang, underlined that job creation was a top priority for action for the conference, because ensuring employment for youths goes hand in hand with sustainable development. "Unemployment affects both current well-being and future prospects, and these ramifications can trickle down to the next generation. "There is a growing convergence of views on the importance of creating green jobs. By training our youths in the skills needed for transition to a green economy, we can address both unemployment and sustainable development issues," she said.

Culled from The Leadership, Abuja

BEST PRACTICE NEGOTIATING AT WORK

 

Imagine this:

  

It appears you have an easy day ahead of you tomorrow. Your schedule is not overbooked and things seem to be running according to plan. Upon arrival at work, however, you discover items you requested for won’t be available for another 1 week, 5 urgent tasks have been assigned to you by your supervisor,  a co-worker in another department you requested information from is off sick and his/her colleagues are working on a deadline due in their department by end of business day. To make matters worse, a report you need within three hours will not be available until the last minute. How should you handle this situation? Who are the people you need to communicate with and what is your strategy for achieving what has now become urgent for you? It’s now obvious that at some point you will need to negotiate with someone to get their time and attention in order to help you achieve one or more of your new targets for the day. There are different styles of negotiation, depending on circumstances - where you do not expect to deal with people ever again and you do not need their goodwill, then it may be appropriate to "play hardball", seeking to win a negotiation while the other person loses out. Similarly, where there is a great deal at stake in a negotiation, then it may be appropriate to prepare in detail and legitimate "gamesmanship" to gain advantage. Anyone who has been involved with large sales negotiations will be familiar with this. Neither of these approaches is usually much good for resolving disputes with people with whom you have an ongoing relationship with or must communicate with continuously at work. Look at this way, If one person plays hardball, then this disadvantages the other person – who may or may not remember later…to your disadvantage.  The best type of negotiation usually involves a ‘win-win’ approach to negotiation.

 

For a negotiation to be 'win-win', both parties should feel positive about the negotiation once it's over. This helps people keep good working relationships afterwards. This governs the style of the negotiation – histrionics and displays of emotion are clearly inappropriate because they undermine the rational basis of the negotiation and because they bring a manipulative aspect to them.

The negotiation itself is a careful exploration of your position and the other person’s position, with the goal of finding a mutually acceptable compromise that gives you both as much of what you want as possible. People's positions are rarely as fundamentally opposed as they may initially appear, it’s just that for the most part what is important and urgent to you at one point may or may not be urgent or important to the other person, hence the need to find middle ground. Therefore it is important to negotiate in a way that protects your interpersonal relationships rather than damage it. Negotiation must be done to take care of present issues and needs while ensuring there is a fertile ground for future dialogue and any negotiations (if applicable) Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are negotiating with the aim of protecting interpersonal relationships:

·         Keep your communication style direct by sharing plans, not concepts. Think collaboration not confrontation.

·         Be clear about what you want and practice asking for it in a calm, direct manner. Our advice: don’t be confrontational. Getting fired-up and emotional may have an adverse reaction.

·         Negotiation is a conversation and you may risk getting off-track. Our advice: stay focused; remain on point and on course to avoid a negotiation disaster.

·         Gaining buy in along the way will get you closer to your goal faster. Making sure that the other party is being heard is a sign of respect and will be appreciated. Our advice: repeat the points of the other side and use language such as “Let me make sure I completely understand your point.”

·         Successful negotiating requires preparation. Be prepared with a strong understanding of your needs and motivations, as well as the other side. My advice: do your research, gather together relevant information, and if it’s complicated, get outside expertise from a mentor or colleague.

·         Starting with your bottom line may close the door on negotiations. My advice: be prepared to compromise and expect the other party to compromise as well.

·         Being fair is not a loss. It shows that you are willing to adjust your expectations to meet the needs of the other side. My advice: ask the question, “Why don’t you tell me what you think is fair.” You may be surprised at the answer.

·         Negotiating is a process, not an event. One conversation may not culminate in a final decision. My advice: be willing to say, “Let me think about that and get back to you in 24 hours.”

As business professionals, we negotiate every day on topics ranging from work assignments, project delivery dates and even business travel and the primary purpose of negotiation is to resolve situations where what you want conflicts with what someone else wants. So next time there is a clear discrepancy between what you need from someone at work and what he/she is able to provide, why not try to negotiate keeping in mind the personal relationship you want to maintain at work. Have a great week everyone!