Roles of personnel management in boosting women businesses
The Women in Business, this week, takes a look at the importance of personnel management in business and why women do not employ this means for the growth of their businesses.
The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in which the highest percentage of women belong to, has continued to be the powerhouse of economic growth for economies of the world.
Almost every economy that has achieved major economic growth has encouraged the establishment and operation of SMEs.
Of course, the role of personnel management cannot be overemphasised in the successful running of SMEs, hence, the need to focus on it for effective business management.
Personnel management is essential but it is often neglected in most small businesses and women, most especially, find it difficult to employ capable hands in managing their business. Rather, they want to do it alone.
Personnel management can be defined as obtaining, using and maintaining a satisfied workforce. It is a significant part of management concerned with employees at work and with their relationship within the organisation.
According to Dun & Bradstreet in Bizmove Management Training Institute, the Bizmov.com, 90% of all businesses’ failures analysed can be traced to poor management. “This is backed up by our own experience. As veteran entrepreneurs and consultants to companies, we’ve seen dozens of managers ruin their career and tens of owners go under, not because they weren’t talented or smart enough, but because they were trying to reinvent the wheel rather than rely on proven, tested methods that work.”
Personnel manager acts as a mediator, he is a linking pin between management and workers. He acts as a spokesman since he is in direct contact with the employees, he is required to act as representative of an organisation in committees appointed by government. He represents a company in training programmes.
Bolanle Jimoh, human resource personnel, said personnel management starts with recruiting and hiring staff to a particular firm or business.
She said that small scale businesses do not need a well laid out process of recruiting and training of staff, adding that personnel management entails encouraging growth when the businesses encounter problems and tensions that arise from working towards achieving its desired goals.
Mercy Amos, who runs a dry cleaning shop at Gwagwalada, says she does not need any laid down process in recruiting her staff.
She states that when she needs to employ staff, she only places the advert on the street and anybody who feels he is up to the task meets her at the shop.
She said: “Washing and ironing of clothes do not need a certain kind of certificate to know how to do them. When I need to employ, I write on cardboard and place on the street, and anybody who needs a job comes to me and if he meets my criteria, I employ him.”
Mrs. Amos emphasizes on patience, honesty and readiness to work. “I test how patient the person is because patience is the only thing that will keep customers that aren’t polite to us.”
Another business woman, Nneka Amadi, who manages a superstore for her husband, said hiring a salesperson for the store includes teaching them to understand what is expected of them.