HOW THE HR PROFESSION IN MALAWI IS STUCK AND HOW TO GET IT LOOSE!

Human resource management has become a pervasive and influential approach to the management of employment in all organization. This is so because more effective management of human resources positively affects performance in ministries, government departments and in private organizations both large and small. Globally, human resource management has become recognizable both as a profession and field of study due to positive impact of strategy implementation. Despite this plausible fact, there are several challenges to its development in Malawi. Confronting these challenges, could go a long way in liberating the stunted growth of the HR profession in Malawi.

It comes not as a surprise when a story appears in one of the daily news papers or on tabloids about a strike at a certain company. It is also not a bolt from the blue to hear of the back log of cases at the Industrial Relations Court of which some date as far back as 2009. We are also not surprised when we hear a colleague being called to attend an interview or start work for a job they applied two years ago. We are now used to interviews that ask candidates to mention how many buttons there are on their shirts. Unfair dismissals, failure to adhere to laws of natural justice during disciplinary hearings are order of the day. Lawful and procedurally fair administrative action, which is just in relation to reasons given where rights, freedoms, legitimate expectations or interests of employees are affected or threatened as demanded by the constitution, are never an issue to HR practitioners in Malawi. The questions that arise out of all this are that does the current HR team of practitioners in Malawi have the adequate knowledge to manage human resources? Are human resource practitioners knowledgeable enough about Malawi Labour Laws? Is there a legitimate human resource management body that regulates how human resource managers operate in Malawi?

Owners of businesses willingly accept human resource management as a profession if the HR department contributes to the achievement of the goals of the organization. Human resource managers here participate in developing strategies and ensure that human resource dimensions are considered. It is a fact that managing human resources is an intricate contractual obligation because people are social beings that have needs and wants that are always changing. Most HR practitioners currently in Malawi have the experience but luck intellectual caliber necessary to manage the contemporary employee. Similarly, there are a lot of young, well trained intellectuals in human resource management that lack experience to effectively manage human resources and yet this is the generation that will change the game! This is the dilemma that the profession is currently facing in Malawi. To trade of between experience and intellectual know-how in human resource management is increasingly becoming problematic. Coupled with lack of an apt and legitimate human resource management regulatory body has led the HR profession in Malawi to be stuck and therefore no meaningful progress can be seen.

In order to get the HR profession loose and progressive, there is a need for a holistic approach where all human resource intellectuals and practitioners in Malawi come together and structure a body that is inclusive and a true representative of the values, principles and tenets of the profession. This would be a body where practitioners can get professional advice on matters arising from their prospective organizations. It would also act as a body that would train and develop human resource managers on contemporary human resource management activities. It would also provide a platform where Labour Laws of Malawi can be interpreted so that all HR practitioners can easily understand and apply them. The body would also lobby to government and law makers on favourable laws that positively bring sanity to the employment relationship. A body that does not only have dinners once a year but rather tirelessly strives to see the good of the profession!  

Time is up for a docile human resource management team in Malawi. Human resource practitioners in Malawi need to be transformative, proactive and have the urge to do the right things. There is a strong need to be more visionary, inspirational and persuasive to stimulate employees and other stakeholders to do desired things. Ultimately, this shall help make the HR profession in Malawi become fully grown, respectable and an inspiration to Malawian kids to grow up and become human resource managers!

THE BUSINESS OF POVERTY PRODUCTION IN MALAWI: OF UN-PATRIOTIC MALAWIAN PRESIDENTS

Celebration of Martyrs Day on 3^rd March each year in Malawi provides an opportunity for all of us Malawians to reflect on our past, build on successes and turning our failure into opportunity. Malawians who lost life and property fighting for our liberty deserve so much respect and admiration by all Malawians today because they showed us that true patriotism requires selfless fight for a good cause even in the face of suffering and death. Their souls rest in eternal everlasting peace.

When the martyrs fought for our freedom, they wanted all Malawians to be liberated entirely from political, economic and social conditions at the time. They wanted a Malawi that provided endless possibilities for its people. They wanted to see a Malawi free of impunity and suffering. They wanted a government led Malawian sons. They wanted to see a government of the people, by the people for the people. Taking stock of the strides that Malawi has taken over the years, Malawi has achieved so much in areas such as health, agriculture, human rights just to mention but a few. The successes we have achieved so far as a country can not be over-emphasized.

However, there is one thing in common among our leaders that remains a challenge and cause of concern. Most of our leaders have shown their endless desire to keep the people poor and destitute for their own political mileage. Instead of bringing policies that really transmute communities and the people at large, our leaders continuously implement policies that erode the sheer hope and optimism that people of Malawi have. It is disheartening to see our presidents who publicly swore to protect and preserve the word and spirit of the constitution, being in the forefront raping the same constitution left, right and centre. The constitution tips all persons responsible for the exercise of powers of the state that they do so on trust and that they should only exercise such power to the extent of their lawful authority and in accordance with their responsibilities to the people of Malawi. They are therefore required to be transparent, accountable and responsible while running affairs of the state. To our dismay however, there are always revelations of mismanagement of public funds starting from Dr. Bakili Muluzi to Dr Joyce Banda. The question that we ask in this is, are our leaders conscious about poverty reduction in Malawi or they are in the business of making Malawians more poor?

Leaders are supposed to be beacons of light. They are supposed to bring hope to the hopeless. They are supposed to bring anger in the people to work hard to change their lives, those of others and develop their country. How do law abiding citizens work hard when they know that the huge tax they are paying to the government will be embezzled by a few corrupt and selfish government officials? The recent Cashgate and Jetcash revelations have left so many Malawians disoriented and hopeless because Malawi could accomplish a lot should such resources been used for poverty alleviation in the country. Much as the incumbent President Joyce Banda may distance herself from these scandals, she is entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing that these incidences do not happen under her watch. 100 days into her presidency, I asked President Joyce Banda what her agenda was for our beautiful country http://www.nyasatimes.com/2012/08/12/president-joyce-banda-what-is-your-agenda-for-malawi/. Poverty alleviation requires that people be empowered economically, socially and politically. To achieve this, there is always a requirement to use policies that create jobs for millions of Malawian youths in desperate need of jobs, sound economic management that encourage entrepreneurship, development of the education sector and strengthening of the health sector.

The dream by the late President Professor Bingu wa Mutharika to turn the nation from a predominantly importing to a predominantly exporting one was a step in the right direction because this leads to creation of real wealth. It is in my view that giving out handout in terms of shoes, flower, cash or clothes diverts people from focusing on real things that can move people up the poverty line. As we move closer to elections, it is my utmost hope and prayer to my fellow Malawians to put into government leaders that will tirelessly work hard to reduce poverty levels in the country. Selfish and corrupt leaders must not be allowed to take up crucial positions in our society because doing so leads the country in a path of self destruction. I urge my fellow Malawians to take a leading role in ensuring that our leaders are accountable for their actions by taking action when things go wrong. Active citizenship is needed to show our leaders that they have crossed the line. So Malawians lets wake up and repossess what has been stolen from us and end our poverty. No one can stop light from shining. No matter how dark the night is, there is dawn.