Welcome to Sam Obukelihor's Blog

 The first external training course I attended when I started HR Practice was "Security and Safety Management" and the training affected my attitude in the production floor in all manufacturing companies I either worked or visited. Although many HR Managers receive Factory Inspectors, they do not take seriously the help rendered by these government Officials. They take undue interest in the PR aspect of the visit. Most HR Managers are not aware of the provisions of relevant safety legislations. From my several tragic industrial accident experiences, I did not at anytime negotiate safety standards with anybody no matter their status. I always insisted that Factory Inspectors go through the factory. Although considered harsh, I had to terminate the appointment of a technical staff who fell off the roof for failing to observe the SOP on working at that height. Infact, I got a particular job as a result of my observations on unsafe acts in that factory when a group of HR practiti

 Watering down the impact of Evil and Anti-Social behaviours is a product of lack of integrity and trust.

 Obey all instructions from Superior Officers? NO. Obey only lawful and reasonable instructions.

 I worked in some places where I was always surprised at the behaviour of HR Managers when it came to annual salary increment. Firstly, there was  this place without any formal measuring instrument, and salary increment was by departmental heads to staff and was accepted by the HR Manager. Secondly, there was this other place where the HR Manager sent out a measuring instrument and departmental heads delay it to the extent that the Union used it to blackmail the HR Manager. Thirdly, there were these two quoted companies that carried out performance appraisals but did not use it for annual salary increment. Finally, there was a place that put a lot of efforts on the appraisal process, only to announce that due to the performance of the company, there would be no annual salary increment. Usually, this is after the company has gone to the stock exchange to show case her performance in the preceding financial year. My position on all these especially the last company which I did not hide w

 All decisions based on Stomach Infrastructure (personal gains) are products of lack of integrity and trust.

 "When an old man sees evil and refuses to reveal it, when he dies, he begins to decay from the eyes" - Igbo wise saying.

 Most HR Managers in my clime do not know the difference between Employee Relations and Industrial Relations. One yardstick for identifying irresponsible managements is their response to Trade Union movement. Irresponsible managements pay lip service to the dictum that their most important resource is their people but do not wish to see union activities in their organizations. Out of fear based on lack of understanding, some HR Managers let their let branch union executives get away with blue murder. Some HR Managers fail to understand that their employees in branch union executives are not the Union. In one place I worked, some branch union executives put themselves into full time unionism thereby abandoning their duties but at the end of the appraisal exercise asked for salary increment. In another place, the branch executives asked for promotion for an industrial accident victim who was performing a non-technical job. Some HR Managers behave as  if there would be no industrial harmo

 All no move against evil but resort to empty words is a product of lack of integrity and trust.

 Finding a politician with integrity in my country is as easy as Satan repenting and becoming angel Lucifer again. 

 I am a firm believer of the fact that successful organizations are run by policies and procedures. One of such policies and procedures is staff discipline which defines acceptable behaviour pattern and actions to be taken in cases of breaches. In one organization, there were senior HR Managers who felt bad about my approval to terminate the appointment  of a branch union vice chairman for stealing. In another place, there were some members of the HR Community of the Conglomerate who were not happy with my termination of all nine exco members of the beach union for disrupting production. At another place the 2-i-c of the company reduced the dismissal of a stealing production supervisor to termination of appointment without carrying me along. Yet in another place, the Deputy Head of Human Resources blamed me for blocking the termination of some high- flying sales managers on frivolous reasons.

 Amending an existing law to benefit oneself more than the majority is a product of lack of integrity and trust.

 A people who elect deaf and blind leaders have no right to complain of bad governance.

 There are HR Managers who do not partake in the staff selection process but issue employment letters on instructions. I detested all forms of Nepotism and short-circuiting of the selection process and in three cases which I bowed to senior managers instructions ended in failure. Firstly, a Personnel/Admin Manager fought with a Cleaner within three months of his assuming office. Secondly, a Material Stores Manager, I had to terminate his appointment on the third month. Thirdly, a TPM Officer stayed a month and left. On one occasion, I had to cancel an interview in my absence because someone who thought he was powerful substituted the candidates I called for interview with other candidates. Finally, I only accepted candidates recommended for interviews not employment. Infact, on one occasion, I threw out the names brought for employment by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company. I am sure to a majority of HR Managers reading this content, disqualifying the candidates of t