HR conference tackles industrial challenges

Preparations are underway for the 5th Strategic HR Conference to be held in Gaborone, hosted by the Progressive Institute Botswana. The conference will be held under the theme, ‘ The Great Reorganisation: Building Winning Workplace Cultures In A World Transformed.’ Director of the Progressive Institute Botswana, Mmoloki Mmolotsi noted that the Strategic HR Conference, which started in 2016 has quickly built its reputation to become one of the biggest HR forums in the region. “At the peak of this event in 2018, the event was attended by a record 350 delegates.

We are optimistic that this year we will match or surpass this number as we return to Gaborone International Convention Centre.” The Strategic HR Conference is an event focused on quality, not merely quantity. “Most leaders, in the business of people have witnessed painstakingly selected speakers tell their honest, passionate and sometimes personal stories on how the turning points of their pasts changed the trajectory of the future,” he said.

This year, the conference will feature over 20 speakers and contributors across industries during the two- day event.

They have also introduced Breakaway Sessions for the HR community to come together to collaborate, learn from each other and address current workplace challenges in a relaxed environment. Over 20 speakers and contributors are expected to take part in the conference slated for 19- 20 October 2022. This year’s edition will feature some of the most widely recognised figures in the world today, who include; Pravin Rajpal - International Keynote Speaker and Revolutionary Change Maker of India’s Education System, Innovation Coach Fortune 500 Companies; Rachel Nyaradzo Adams - TEDx Speaker, Founder of Narachi Leadership; Joshua Maponga - Author, Speaker and Philosopher; Dr Jerry Gule - Chief Executive Officer – Institute of People Management; Gaone Macholo – Director, Directorate of Public Service Management ( DPSM) and Regina Vaka - Seasoned Corporate Leader and Leadership Coach. Skills development is a key aspect of economic growth as Botswana aims to develop new engines of growth, supplementing the minerals and manufacturing industries and transforming the country’s entrepreneurship sector into a buoyant, productive, and innovative private sector led by entrepreneurs with cutting- edge skills. According to a World Bank report, ‘ Raising Botswana’s Human Resource Profile to Facilitate Economic Diversification and Growth,’ a key ingredient of this strategy is the development of a holistic approach to skills development. Botswana has achieved high enrolment in basic education, 90 percent in primary education, and the government continues to invest a high share of gross domestic product GD in education.

Nevertheless, skills constraint is repeatedly cited as a major challenge for many businesses in the country, the report paper states. It indicates that the Enterprise Survey for Botswana reported that of the 10 major business constraints, the majority of firms in the country reported skills shortage as the major problem.

“The country also has high unemployment rates reported at approximately 17.8 percent and approximately 27 percent, when discouraged job seekers are included.”