General News
4 Simple Steps Your Business Can Take to Retain Top Talent
By Andrew Bourne, Regional Manager, Africa, Zoho Corporation
The past few months have put organisations around the globe under unprecedented pressure. Few have been spared the economic fallout, with many unable to survive. Others have had to downscale and even those operating at full capacity have quickly had to adapt to new ways of working.
Offices that were used to having everyone onsite suddenly had to deal with fully remote teams. And even as people slowly come back into the workplace, it’s far from business as usual. All of these changes, in combination with the ongoing pandemic, have put employees under incredible strain.
As organisations move beyond the measures needed for short term survival, they should return to focusing on employee wellness and engagement. Here are four simple steps they can take in doing so.
Train your senior and mid-level management
The significance of effective communication during a crisis is obvious. What is even more important is ensuring that the right parties are equipped with the right skills. In any organisation, middle management is largely responsible for making employees feel truly valued. During periods of high anxiety, employees will appreciate team managers who are empathetic and practice clear communication.
As much as managers need to be accessible and reliable, they should also refrain from overdoing it and remember to give people space. As employees get accustomed to novel working conditions, it’s important to be sensitive to their mental well-being and offer routine flexibility. Another key consideration to keep in mind is to avoid micromanagement at all costs and trust your remote workers.
Design wellness programmes
Just as workplace premises include facilities like coffee stations or playrooms to help employees unwind and re-energise themselves, stay-at-home policies should also carry an equivalent. With physical activity taking the hardest knock in the daily routine, healthy lifestyle choices are imperative. Think about introducing provisions like corporate access to online workout classes, yoga, and meditation programs to help people stay physically and mentally healthy.
The absence of a workstation at home means employees can end up lounging wherever they find space. Another option is to provide one-time allowance packages that enable employees to set up an ergonomically correct home office and avoid spinal distress.
Educate your talent
Now is the time to take a step back and reflect on your business goals. Take a good look at the evolving business environment, identify the technologies that will make a real difference, and build up your employees’ skills accordingly. You should, for instance, consider establishing an in-house Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) division if your business is exposed to large amounts of data. Doing so will equip your employees with a deep sense of AI/ML technologies and save you from having to outsource.
With every economic crisis, enterprises have experienced similar levels of unpredictability. Thoughtful leaders have, however, been able to adapt and rebuild their businesses to stand the test of time.
Keep up the team spirit
Loss of social interaction can leave people feeling disconnected and subsequently negatively impact morale. Keep your team connected by encouraging monthly or weekly online team bonding activities, such as virtual Wednesday lunches that allow for non-work discussions.
Another idea is to suggest employees team up and participate in open competitions, such as virtual hackathons or exercise challenges. Such public activities are an added opportunity for remote teams to showcase their skills and present ideas that can create a social impact.
While the concept of remote work has been around globally since the 1970s, most companies have only recently embraced the model as part of their Covid-19 response. This unexpected shift was a huge culture shock for many employees. As they reel under the effect and rethink their priorities, how businesses take care of their workforce now will determine whether employees decide to stick with their current employer in the post-pandemic era.
The Nigerian government has launched the Virtual Privacy Academy, a new digital training platform designed to deepen data protection and privacy policies in the private and public sectors.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, unveiled the initiative during the 8th annual conference of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities, which began yesterday in Abuja.
The three-day conference, titled “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies,” drew attendees from over 30 African countries, as well as Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
Dr. Tijani emphasised that the academy is part of Nigeria’s strategy to capitalise on the benefits of the digital economy by providing actors with the tools they need to navigate hazardous data governance landscape.
According to Tijani, this project would provide Nigerians with the opportunity to gain practical skills in data protection.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, highlighted Nigeria’s recent data governance milestones during his address.
He stated that the Commission had completed over 5,000 compliance assessments, opened 223 investigations, and assisted 12 organisations with rehabilitation.
Dr. Olatunji urged African countries who have yet to pass data protection laws to do so, emphasizing that “strong data protection frameworks are not barriers to innovation, but enablers of a resilient and inclusive digital economy.”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said that the Afreximbank would invest $19 billion to fund the African Energy Bank.
He said the $19 billion would go a long way toward tackling and overcoming energy poverty, driving economic growth, and improving the lives of millions of people.
The minister disclosed this while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Pavilion, hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, U.S with the theme “Africa’s Energy Renaissance: Leveraging Innovation and Natural Gas for Sustainable Development.”
He said that by pooling resources, African countries can invest in large-scale energy projects.
Also, the minister stressed the need for Africa to develop cohesive policies tailored to its unique circumstances, warning that fragmented approaches would be ineffective in addressing the escalating energy deficit.
“This conference is not a jamboree. It is a platform for Nigeria, and by extension, Africa — to showcase its vast potential,” Lokpobiri said.
He underscored the importance of regional collaboration, highlighting the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) as a strategic entity established to devise shared solutions for the continent’s energy challenges.
According to him, the prevailing global discourse on energy transition is largely influenced by geopolitical considerations.
In response to this challenge, he announced that APPO is in the process of establishing the African Energy Bank to bridge funding gaps and ultimately free the continent from energy poverty.
During a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart, Lokpobiri advised Ghana to draw lessons from Nigeria’s past experiences in the energy sector, particularly in avoiding early missteps.
In his address, Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Abdullahi, acknowledged Nigeria’s leading role in the region.
He stated that while Ghana is a relatively new player in the oil and gas sector, it is eager to learn from Nigeria’s experiences and reforms, especially in the areas of local content development and climate policy.
“We will continue to consult Nigeria as we build a successful oil and gas industry. The collaboration between both countries remains strong. For his part, PETAN Chairman Wole Ogunsanya emphasised the significance of Nigeria’s presence at OTC.
He said: “This year’s event, under the Nigerian Pavilion, is set to highlight Africa’s growing role in the global energy sector.
“OTC 2025 promises to bring together top-tier industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders at the world’s largest energy event.”
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has declared July 1, 2025, as the deadline for phasing out cash transactions across all its offices nationwide.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Frank Alao, director of Corporate Communications,NIPOST.
The move is part of a broader reform initiative aimed at transforming NIPOST into a more innovative, efficient, and digitally driven organisation.
The management explained that the reforms are aligned with global best practices and tailored to meet the demands of Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy, as well as the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Alao stated, “We are assuring Nigerians of a revitalised NIPOST that delivers superior service and embraces the future.
“A major highlight of the reform package is the transition to a fully cashless system. Beginning July 1, 2025, all post office counters nationwide will no longer accept cash payments for their services. Customers will be required to use approved electronic channels for all transactions.
“This is a crucial step in our modernization journey, one that ensures safer, faster, and more transparent service delivery.”
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