Africa-Press – Seychelles. President Wavel Ramkalawan has called on human resource professionals in government ministries and government entities to ensure that they continue to provide the level of service delivery and customer care expected of them for the benefit of the public.
He made the statement yesterday afternoon during a special ceremony organised by the Public Service Bureau (PSB) to commemorate the International Human Resource Day, being celebrated today under the theme ‘HR Shaping the New Future’.
Held at the National Theatre, Mont Fleuri, the activity – a first of its kind to be celebrated in the country – was to recognise all the hardworking HR professionals who work tirelessly to ensure an organisation’s most valuable asset (its employees) is managed efficiently. There were around 100 HR professionals present. Their work of HR has evolved from an administrative function to management and ushering in a new era of employee-centric work culture.
“The new future is about service delivery, it’s about customer care so that people will feel that they have been well received, well served and that they get the answers, be it positive or negative, that they are searching to solve their problems, to move forward,” President Ramkalawan said.
He called on HR officials to see that their organisations stay united which is at the core of good service delivery and good customer care and to put the former and latter at the cenre of their thinking to better improve on them.
He congratulated and thanked the HRs for their hard work and noted that government will continue to support them in their work.
Also present at the ceremony was the chief secretary of PSB, Shella Mohideen. In her address, she said that being the core of any organisation, HRs have to ensure that they recruit the right human resources to join the organisation and that the individuals selected are fit for the purpose of better service delivery.
“We also have to reflect on how to create a conducive environment for employees to feel valued and recognised so that in return they can give a better service,” Mrs Mohideen said.
Given the challenges of the profession, Mrs Mohideen noted HRs, who are responsible for the wellbeing of employees, have to work with other leaders within the organisation to create initiatives that will ensure that employees are well taken care of.
She called on the HRs to reflect on the theme to create the new future HR working environment in the country where the contributions of every individuals is valued, including their wellbeing so that in return they can give good service delivery.
During the ceremony a group of serving HR practitioners from government ministries and government entities were recognised for their long years of service. The eight staff with over 20 plus years of service were presented with their certificates and trophies by President Ramkalawan and Mrs Mohideen.
Among the eight in-service awardees was Anette Jolicoeur, who is the longest serving HR with 33 years of service with the Judiciary working as a senior HR officer.
She said that as a child she always dreamed of work in an office and after her post-secondary studies, she started as a secretary before grooming up to become a HR practitioner.
“I think to work in the HR field is a vocation as you have to love people and also to have them to have confidence in you, to speak to you about any confidential matters to them, knowing that you will keep it to yourself,” Mrs Jolicoeur said.
Five HR practitioners who retired last year was also recognised and Rose-May Ernesta, who clocked 43 years of service with the Ministry of Education, was among them. She started off as a secretary with the ministry for two years before taking up HR. Her last position was as a human resource manager at the Seychelles Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH). She said that it was her devotion, passion and love for the job that kept her in the job for so long.
“For me HR is a very interesting job. In my work I made sure that my clients are satisfied because when they are satisfied I also get to be satisfied which indicates that I have done a good job and I can go home feeling happy that I have been able to help my clients with their problems,” said Mrs Jolicoeur, who noted that apart from taking care of housework, she also takes time to travel and to meet friends.
The ceremony ended with some words of wisdom by the deputy cabinet secretary for Policy Affairs, Margaret Moumou, who explored the concept of wellness and mental health and the role of HR in ensuring wellness and mental health in organisations to enhance job satisfaction, performance and productivity. Before she took the podium, 11 PSB staff who have spent more than 20 years providing support to HRs across the country, were recognised for their guidance and support.
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