Sexual Harassment

Man with hand on female coworker, as she looks on unapprovingly

Part II, Section 6 (1) of the Employment Act 2007 defines sexual harassment as ‘if the employer, the representative of the employer or co-worker directly or indirectly requests for sexual intercourse, sexual contact, or any other form of sexual activity that contains an implied or expressed promise of preferential treatment in employment, threat of detrimental treatment in employment or threat about the present or future employment status of an employee, uses language whether written or spoken of a sexual nature, uses visual material of a sexual nature; or shows physical behavior of a sexual nature which directly or indirectly subjects the employee to behavior that is unwelcome or offensive to that employee and that by its nature has a detrimental effect on that employee’s employment, job performance, or job satisfaction.’

For anyone who has suffered sexual harassment at work, it is for sure one of the most uncomfortable experiences. It is very important that you address any instances of sexual harassment immediately the signs begin to show. The perpetrator must be notified in no uncertain terms that his/her advances are not welcome.

Men and women alike get harassed sexually at work regularly. Recently, a female employee of National Bank of Kenya filed a case against the CEO for sexual harassment. What is really interesting in such cases is that proving sexual harassment is very challenging. Victims of sexual harassment too find it very difficult to share their experiences for fear of being judged.

If you are therefore experiencing this at work, it’s very important that you speak to someone you can trust. Make a complaint to the Human Resource department in writing so it goes on record that you complained and follow up on the progress of your investigations and action. It is also very important that you have solid evidence of harassment when making the said complaint because ‘your word against his/hers’ usually doesn’t stick. Have a journal to record your experiences especially when they are still fresh in your mind.

It is the duty of every employer to provide a safe and conducive working environment for all the employees. It is also the duty of the HR Manager to communicate the company policy on sexual harassment to the staff very clearly and ensure that it’s implemented.

 

March 16, 2018 Resource No comments yet

Landing the Interview

Before you can be called for any interview, you first have to be shortlisted.

But how do you get a chance in that small list of potential candidates? It is very simple. Actually, it takes a bit of work. You may increase your chances with these tips:

When applying for a job, it is important that you match your skills, experience, capabilities and qualifications to the position advertised. Applying for a HR Manager position when you are barely out of college with no hands on experience on the job is a waste of time. If by chance you get hired, you may get too overwhelmed and end up being frustrated. You need to ensure that you meet at least 80% of the minimum qualifications for any position before you can comfortably apply.

Update your CV and match it to the job. Draft a proper cover letter. Again, this must be in line with the job you are applying for. Avoid those ‘copy & paste’ cover letters you use for every vacancy. Check for grammar, spelling mistakes, proper punctuation etc.

Ensure that when sending in your application,you stick to the instructions. If the advertisement said, ’email your documents to….’ don’t waste your time sending a hard copy document. Please note that small things like not following instructions disqualifies a candidate. With the current unemployment rate in Kenya, an employer may receive 1,000 applications when they are looking to fill in one position. So at the shortlisting stage, any small mistakes takes you out of the list.

Stick to the deadline indicated in the advertisement. The earlier you send your documents, the better for you. Sometimes recruiters begin the recruitment process before the deadline expires especially when the turn out is huge and may close the process even before the deadline date if they get the right number of potential candidates.

Once the application has been sent, wait for further communication. Check your emails daily, keep your phone on. It is shameful sometimes when a candidate you emailed for an interview calls you three days later to say they didn’t see the invite on time. If you notice delay in communication, you may call the company and find out if they completed the shortlisting process.

Should you be shortlisted and for some reason you cannot make it at all or say at the stipulated time, always feel free to communicate and request to be scheduled at a different time or simply apologize for your unavailability. However, do not arrive late without communicating, neither should you be a know show without informing the recruiter.

March 14, 2018 Resource No comments yet

Till we meet again….

Image result for images of black roses

When I received a phone call today from one of my staff’s relatives notifying me that the said staff had passed away, I screamed, I was numb and suddenly I felt the urge to use the washrooms.

Then I had to call other relatives to confirm that this information was actually true. I mean, how does someone just die without giving us even a notice. How will I tell my bosses? How will the rest of the staff react to this news? I thought to myself.

As I sat there contemplating on how to break this news, my mind raced back to a few years back when my sister Christine died, just as sudden. I got the news in the morning, and whoever delivered it was very blunt. I don’t ever remember feeling so afraid like I did on that day. This death shook my faith in God, it took me a very long time to accept it and up to date, I struggle with forgiving God for what I have felt was a mistake on His part (I know God doesn’t make mistakes), it wasn’t just time yet, at least, according to me. I still imagine that the Angel that was sent to the ‘death registry’ picked the wrong file.

So I started to compose a text message to the staff, the HR has to say something you know, before the rumors start. I must have edited the text I think five times. I didn’t have the right words. You see, when you are trying to tell people that someone has died, there is never a nicer way, so I just said it as it was. Everyone was in shock.

Over the years, I have gotten used to telling people bad news like, ‘you have been dismissed’, ‘your services have been terminated effective immediately’, without blinking an eye. HR work come with certain responsibilities that no matter how many times you perform them, you can never perfect them. I have dealt with staff deaths severally but each one of them seem like a first, you just never get used to telling people ‘so and so has died’.

And so as we plan to lay her to rest, our hearts are heavy. I see fear, disbelief and pain in the eyes of the staff. All we remain with are the memories.

To all the departed souls, may God grant them eternal rest. And to Lucy, may you rest in peace as you continue to live in our hearts.

March 13, 2018 Resource 8 comments

The Interview

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A lot goes on in the interview room which greatly affect the outcome of the whole exercise.

As a candidate, these are some of the tips that could assist you:

Walk into the interview room confidently, greet the panel audibly and ask if you could kindly have a sit. Don’t just sit, it’s not your house. At this point, the head of the panel will probably introduce the rest of the panel then proceed with the questions.

‘Tell us more about yourself..’ is a question you will most definitely will come across. This is an opportunity to sell yourself to the panel. Speak about your educational and professional backgrounds. Any achievements you have made so far and most importantly, emphasize to the panel why you are the most suitable candidate for the position.

Most candidates however waste this opportunity and instead go on and on about irrelevancies. Note that the rest of the question and answer session will move towards the direction you have created for the panel.

Maintain a proper eye contact with the panel, do not look down. If you are a shy person like me, look above their eyebrows. Make sure you smile when talking. Being too serious is a bit boring. Bring some humor to the process of you can, but let this be limited.

‘What is your expected salary? Whenever you pause for too long to respond to this question or say ‘any amount you will offer’, you are most definitely not serious. Everyone knows what they are worth, or at least what you hope the job should pay you. So say it, and let your answer be in Kshs. Anything else is irrelevant. Of course the company has a budget and you are afraid to over/under quote. However, a company that really wants to hire you will call you for negotiations, so be bold and state that amount.

After the interview is complete, thank the panel for their time. Don’t forget to ask them when to expect further communication on the outcome.

March 13, 2018 Resource 3 comments

Dear Mentor…

One of the biggest influences and mentors in my career was a gentleman called Ken.

When I remember Ken Wood, there is just so much to say. I can almost write a book about him. I learnt my work ethics from this guy.

He was actually my first boss when I started practicing HR. When we first met, he was interviewing me somewhere along Mombasa road. The guy spoke so fast I could barely understand what he was saying. He however understood that I was a bit ‘slow’ so he would repeat his questions slowly. He was English and Englishmen speak a bit fast, or maybe I’m just a bit village.

Ken was an atheist, he always wondered how I could possibly sit in holy Mass for two hours listening to a priest. So when I invited him to church one time, he asked me to find out from the priest if he was allowed to bring along his newspaper. According to him, his gods were discipline, hardwork and integrity.

He taught me the essence of time management. If a meeting was scheduled at 9am, he expected everyone to be seated by 8.50am. His meetings were short and to the point. If you wanted to tell stories, he would gladly buy you a drink after work. Otherwise, all he needed was a report indicating that the work had been done, not reasons why you couldn’t do it.

He had an Oxdometer, it’s the instrument used to measure bullshit. So if you brought him gossip, he would whip out his oxdometer and throw you out of his office. He was very forthright and would tell you off straight to your face.

Ken taught me integrity. ‘Ann, never let yourself be compromised with money’, he said to me. You needed to deliver on a promise you made to Ken, otherwise, it would not end well. And he had a note book to record every activity so it wouldn’t slip his mind. If it’s not written, it did not happen.

Physical fitness was his thing. He believed that overwheight people were slow so he paid gym membership fees for all of us and ‘forced’ us to work out. He checked the gym attendance book daily. He believed that a good employee needs to be fit and active. I still work out to date.

Listening to excuses was not one of his greatest attributes. If you ever came to Ken with a challenge, why you were incapable of doing your job, he expected you to provide him with a possible recommendation on how to solve it. Otherwise, if you expected him to solve all your problems, you had another thing coming.

When we last saw each other, it was at his farewell party. He had finally decided to leave Kenya for good. He was relocating to Portugal to learn how to ride a motorcycle.

Therefore, today I celebrate a great man. A man who trusted me very much. A man who gave me a chance to prove myself, he believed in me when I knew nothing about HR practise, a man who opened great doors for me and gave me an opportunity to shine. And most importantly, a man who held my hand with tough love and pointed me towards the right direction.

Long live Kennneth Allan Wood!!!

March 12, 2018 Resource No comments yet

Before the Interview

Recruitment process is one of the major activities of any Human Resource Manager.

From my experience, it is not one of the exciting things about human resource practise. And there are some candidates who have made it even more painful.

As a candidate, it is very important that when you are called for an interview, you come well prepared. I have done some interviews that left me almost in tears. Some of the things you need to consider when attending an interview are as follows:

Research about the company you are going to. It is a very awkward moment at an interview when you have no idea where you are at. The impression you give the interviewer is that you are not serious. Referrals have a habit of arriving for an interview like they own the place. The research rules apply to everyone.

Be punctual. You only have one opportunity to make a first impression. By arriving late, you have already given me an idea about the kind of employee you will be. Arrive at least 30minutes early so you can relax as you wait.

Dress for the interview, depending one the position. I have seen people come for interviews in flip flops and camisoles. Look as professional as you can. Make sure you smell nice…….without using whole bottle of your perfume.

Carry your documents. In Kenya, we believe in seeing in seeing the original certificates. Bring them along. Always carry an extra copy of your CV. There are interviewers who walk into an interview room with no idea of who they are about to interview.

Last but not least, carry your confidence with you. Looking like a weather beaten kitten at an interview hurts your chances of being hired. Your confidence shows in your dressing, how you walk into the interview room, your tone when you speak, how firm your grip is when you shake hands with the interviewer (if you must) and your body language.

March 10, 2018 Resource 2 comments

To those that much is given……

I’m not a politician so whenever a work related incident is politicized, it gets me on edge.

I prefer to deal with the facts as presented. As a HRM, when you get mixed up in the office and work politics, you loose sight of the reality of what’s happening, your attention is diverted. Experience has taught me that things are never what they seem.

I’m writing this article following the recent incident where a patient at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi had a brain surgery performed on him even though he was the wrong patient. The CEO was sent on compulsory leave and then the Registrars at KNH & Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital downed their tools following the suspension of doctor who performed the surgery. They cited victimization, they were standing in solidarity with their colleague. Then there were those claiming that the CEO had nothing to do with the incident and someone was out to get her.

I’m a strong believer that the buck always stops with the boss. If anything goes wrong, or right, it is the boss who is answerable, whether they were there or not. The rest of the details of how he or she wants to handle the matter within the confines of the company walls, those are details.

The Holy Bible says that to those that much is given, much is expected. When you are in a position of authority, you are not just responsible when things go right. Even when things go wrong, you still remain at the helm of it, and trust me, things will go very wrong sometimes, like this incident. Any manager who removes him/herself from a situation and blames it on their junior staff is irresponsible and should not hold that position.

Many a times when such negative incidents happen, you as the boss may find yourself between a rock and a hard place. You may loose your job as a result, but such is life. It is just like inheriting property from your parents; you inherit both the assets and the liabilities.

Therefore, to those crying foul over the KNH CEO compulsory leave situation, I’d like to say this, being the CEO of the largest referral hospital in Eastern & Central Africa is not a walk in the park. There could have been politics involved, there could even have been malice & sabotage,however, to those that much is given, much is expected.

March 9, 2018 Resource No comments yet

LOYALTY

The success of every organization depends entirely on the employees of the company. You need to have the right people, not the best ones in order to achieve this success.

Loyalty makes a right employee. Loyalty is one of the top qualities any employer needs to look for in every staff. It is what counts when push comes to shove.

Loyalty is having your employer’s back. It’s doing the right thing even when the boss is not watching. It includes having your employer’s interest at heart when making decisions while still obeying the law. Loyalty is telling your employer, ‘look, what we are about to do is unlawful, it may benefit us now but in the long run, it will work against us’. Loyalty is performing your job with a clean heart, without expecting your employer to applaud you all the time. Loyalty is taking pride in your employer because you believe in them, and when you wear your work badge/logo, you walk with your shoulders pushed back, chest out and your head raised up high.

Some employer’s however confuse loyalty with other things. That a loyal employee is that one that sneaks into the bosses’ office and starts gossiping and bad mouthing the rest of the staff. No, that a gossip! You see how fast they are at telling you about other employees’ shortcomings instead of assisting them work on them, that’s how fast they are at selling you out to your enemies. That a loyal staff is the one that arrives first in the office and leaves last, that who doesn’t take lunch breaks because they are too busy with work, doesn’t go on leave lest she be needed by the boss and answers ‘yes Sir/Madam’ to everything the boss says.

Loyalty goes beyond just the few years you spend in a company. I know for a fact that there are people I have met and companies I have worked in that I am loyal to to date. Not because they are the best people or companies in this country but because my experience with them was life changing. You may be the most hardworking, punctual, highly educated and all, but if I cannot trust you, we cannot work together properly.

Loyalty should be rewarded too. And whenever you establish a truly loyal employee or friend, you need to keep them very close to you. A loyal person/employee will stay true to you no matter what…..until the end.

March 9, 2018 Resource 1 comment

Happy Women’s Day

I’ve met and been inspired by great women in my life, I’ve read about exceptional women, women who have conquered barriers. Of all of these women, one woman stands out to me……..my mother!!! And no one has even written a book about her…….yet!

This woman was made of steel. She took the bull by its horns and was never afraid to speak her mind. She knew when to fight and when to just sit back and watch.

Our Heavenly Father has the reputation of making Master Pieces, but I think He outdid Himself when creating this woman. This woman was simply exceptional……and she didn’t even know it.

She worked hard, she broke her back to feed her kids and she never complained. She hated laziness. We were all assigned specific duties daily. Sometimes I wondered where she got all that strength.

When it came to disciplining her kids, she was in the front line. If you came to her to report that you had heard someone speaking ill of her, she would slap the living daylight out of you. Gossip was out of question. I do not remember talking back at her, but how could you….unless you were signing your death warrant. Her rule was simple with her children, her house, her rules,otherwise,you were free to move out.

My mother never went to school……ok, she went through adult education, enough to enable her count the pages of my exercise books to confirm that they were all intact. We were not the easiest children to deal with. But she valued education, not once while she was alive was I ever sent home for not paying school fees. If she needed to go and plead with the Head Master, she was ready. With all my education and degrees, I’m not even half the woman my mother was.

And today as we celebrate Women’s Day, I celebrate an incredible woman. A woman who sacrificed everything, until her last breath, for her family. The night before she died, she made sure she had prepared the following day’s lunch for her children.

I take after my mother, in more ways than one. I draw my strength from her legacy because even in death, this woman continues to shape my life. I am my mother’s daughter!!!

Dear Lord, grant my mother eternal rest and may you continue to bless her children. Happy Women’s Day to all the selfless women out there, all the great women who refuse to stay on the sideline and watch things happen. To all the women who sweat it out to make this world a better place, we celebrate you today and everyday!!!

March 8, 2018 Resource 9 comments

I’m looking for a Job…

Whenever someone calls me to say, ‘Hi Ann, I’m looking for a job. Can you help me find one?’ My response is always standard, ‘what kind of job are you looking for?’.

The other almost standard response usually is, ‘any job’. There is however a problem with that answer. First, ‘any job’ is very difficult to find because it does not exist. No potential employer advertises for a position called ‘any job’. Secondly, a person who is looking for any job is probably not very serious. That’s because, any time you leave your house in search of employment, or even approach a potential employer,at the back of your mind, there is a particular job you are hoping to land.

One of the reasons why some people are not getting jobs as soon as they should is not because they are not qualified enough or educated enough, it’s because they are not sure of which direction they are headed. The thing is, if you don’t know where you are going, you will keep walking round and round and end up in the same spot you started.

Therefore, when you sit down to structure your CV and check out the job columns, you need to have your head straight. Be sure you know what you want and pursue it as aggressively as you can. You will be rejected a couple of times, you may even want to give up and try to settle. You however need to remember that nothing in life comes easy, these days even falling asleep has become difficult.

So go out there and pursue your dreams.

March 7, 2018 Resource No comments yet
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