Welcome to Sam Obukelihor's Blog

 I recently came across a young professional sharing that she left a good paying job due to the toxic environment which was the brain child of the Managing Director. The summary of her complaints were:- - No detailed job description. - All instructions were verbal. All instructions were to be carried out immediately. - Turn around time of all instructions was 5 minutes. For her sanity sake, she had to resign. REACTION I shall share with briefly, my experiences in three companies I worked. Firstly, My colleague who was meant to provide staff uniforms, acuse yours truly in a Union/Management meeting of failing to provide the same staff uniforms. The CEO came to my defense. Secondly, There was this company I worked where the Managing Director refused to pay thirteenth month salary inspict of the fact the current year's nine months performance was better than the previous years performance by 60%. Again, the FC who had the MD in his pocket, bought two officials for yours truly and anot...

 Looking for a country being ruled by foreign natives who use the country for gathering funds to finance their foreign homes? Welcome to the most populous black nation on earth.

 Last week, I came across a post dealing with Office Politics - Without the Drama. The author made a very valid point that nobody teaches this in school, but it is part of the job, notwithstanding your job involvement. Continuing, the author said that people skills will take you further than technical skills alone. The author went further to list few truths that have helped him to succeed. They are:- - Your job is to make your boss's life easier. That your smartness on the job does not earn you a promotion. - Communicate clearly, that office politics thrives on silence and assumptions. You should not hide behind e-mails.  - Build relationships especially outside of work topics. That people are people first, professional second. - Don't take sides. Always be professional. Stay neutral, Stay kind and stay focused on your work. - Control your emotions. Respond calmly when called out because your calmness under pressure is your power. - Stay true to your values even when the loude...

 Looking for a country whose God travels regularly leaving her citizens to be slaughtered like chicken, while he enjoys the basic amenities he has denied his citizens? Welcome to my country, Nigeria, loved by only those without plan B.

 Not too long ago, a young professional wanted to know the difference between Human Resources and Administration. While the answer is straight forward, in answering the question, one needs to go into the HR Ecosystem The HR Ecosystem has inadvertently created three major companies structured along the line of how People and Culture matters are handled. Firstly, The Finance/Admin: In this typology, employee matters are handled by Finance Professionals who treat all matters in relation to their contribution to the bottomline. Finance people do not in the main see people, rather pay roll statistics. They are quick to cut off any expense that does not contribute directly to profit margins. What this does in the main is to relegate the welfare of employees, thereby acting that the people is not the most important resource of the company. Secondly, The HR/ADMIN, here, there is a combining of HR function - employees welfare with ADMIN -organization welfare. The employer recognizes the rol...

 Looking for how a ruler ought to rule especially in Nigeria? Look no further. He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God and he shall be as the light of the morning.

 Looking for a country where some citizens have the right to kill other citizens and destroy properties without questions being asked, while any attempts at self defense by those being killed is criminalized? Welcome to my beloved country Nigeria.

 As I intimated last week, in the next two or three months, I shall be Reacting to posts by other HR Professionals. Today I wish to react to man's inhumanity to man in the work place. There is this young Nigerian who got an employment letter with great excitement but vanished when he opened the letter and saw the offer. The salary was not only very small, but there were no allowances of any kind. Also there were no medical services, no accident insurance, no pension scheme, no job description, salaries are paid late, no performance management system and no opportunity for upward mobility. The only way to survive was for him to get involved in other two jobs after work. REACTION The above situation only exist in places where the HR Manager is just a figure head meant to message the Ego of the employer. In properly organized companies, there are certain minimum HR Policies and Procedures. Where these HR minimum requirements are not in existence only charlatan HR Managers can be comfo...