Every Organization has a vision that attracts people to it but as Jim Collins the author of Good to Great said "Great Vision Without Great People Is Irrelevant". It thus reaffirms that for any company / organization to excel,it needs great people.Most organization have a key component / department called "Human Resource" whose role is basically to deal with people and organize them to achieve company goals and objectives
In today's career spotlight, we bring you Maureen Katusiime who is a Human resource officer at Solar Now who shared with us some deep career insights about Human Resource. This is what we asked
So what do you as a human resource officer and what motivated you to pursue that career path
I initially had no idea what course to take at the university but eventually i talked to my sister's friend who owns a recruitment firm and she advised me to do Industrial & Organisational Psychology which she explained at the time might not be understood in the Uganda career field but will later emerge as a need in many organisations.I felt it was a good idea given my personality and need to interact and solve problems head on.
Help someone understand the connection between Human Resource Management and Industrial Psychology?
Human Resource Management and Industrial psychology both deal with people in the work place.The only difference is that Human Resource Management focuses alot on the work place processes and policies while Industrial Psychology involves understanding employees' behavior in the work place and why they perform the way they do and relate it to the HR processes.Industrial Psychology inter-connects HR processes with human behavior to ensure a high productivity in the work place.
So Maureen, what do you find cool about this kind of work and are there challenges?
What i like about my job is that it is not a monotonous job.Every day has a new challenge and it gives me ground to provide different solutions to different challenges.It also creates a learning environment for my career growth.
What i do not like about my job is that when you make one mistake,it affects a large number of people in the organisation.
What skills does one need to be a Human Resource Officer , how important are those skills and how can someone perfect such skills?
Here are some very major skills a human resource officer needs to have;
1. Attention to detail : A Human Resource Officer needs to understand that every aspect of the Human Resource function is vital.e.g. mispelling an employee's name can lead to their salary bouncing, when writing a termination letter one needs to ensure it in line with Uganda employment laws?
2. Decision making skills : A Human Resource Officer must be able to make decisions all the time because cases are different at the HR desk.e.g.You may be involved in an accident case,later a termination,next a performance or conduct hearing.etc.So it's important the decisions made are impartial and your conscience is clear.
3. Excellent communication skills: It is important to have excellent written and speech skills.One needs to know how they approach an employee's issue in a discreet and professional manner.Human Resource also involves a lot of administrative tasks like writing appointment letters,transfer letters,performance letters.etc.One needs to know the vocabulary needed to use in an appropriate way.
4. Good judgement: One needs to have the ability to make a judgement call in cases where there is no definite policy written.
5. HR Legal: A Human Resource Officer needs to have an understanding of the Human Resource laws by heart because at all points of contact with employees in performance management and exit processes they will be employed.
6. Organisational Skills :These are needed when prioritizing which tasks to do and in HR record keeping.i.e.Employee records.Very crucial in grooming an HRO.
Most of these skills develop over time and also one needs to be passionate and have the ability to put into practice the theory learnt in school.
So how did school prepare you for the career you are pursing today?
I did HEL/D (History,Economics,Literature and Divinity) :My love for literature and History made me a good writer,a person who can read between the lines and understanding people's personalities.
In my school i had the opportunity to participate in different clubs.e.g.In my A-level i was the deputy speaker UNSA,Chair person Student's Council,President Debate & Journalism club ,Treasurer Scripture Union and Drama Club.O-Level:Vice Chairperson of the Girls' Brigade Club.In all these clubs i learnt how to lead a team,to plan,to organise and to deal with different individuals and characters.This has helped me a lot in my current role given that i have a leadership role by virtue of my being on the Human Resource desk.
Has Maureen had any rewarding events so far, if yes, what are some moments that made you proud to be a Human Resource Officer?
My salary was doubled after 3 months into this company.I was proud to be part of a team that appreciates effort and hard work.As a Human resource Officer i take pride in for example in my role as a payroll officer when salary is paid on time.When i help an employee improve performance or when an employee with my guidance makes the right career move
So what is the future like for this career field? What trends are you seeing that are going to define the field 5 years to come?
In the Industrial psychology field,i see this role evolving into a more people centered approach than an autocratic approach because human beings are dynamic.You cannot force them to stay in one place.Therefore recruitment,performance management,Rewards and recognition.etc. will be different.Today an employee might be happy getting a certificate for good service but in the future with a generation that asks "Why" you could see the rewards going to a course in a particular field,a coach,a mentor.etc.OR even people moving to a professional approach to building sustainable businesses and at this time,Human Resource will be crucial in determining the trend of these changes.
Finally what advise would you give someone especially a young lady who dreams of walking on the same career path you are on?
My personal advice would be if you want to join the HR movement.You need to be passionate about people,understand them,relate with them and enjoy the role.
