By Frank Kwame Abbor
Ho, Aug. 9, GNA – Human Resource (HR) professionals have been urged to position themselves as strategic partners in organisational development by effectively bridging institutional strategy and workplace culture.
Mrs Pearl Ama Akordor, Public Relations Officer of the Volta and Oti Regional Chapter of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana (CIHRM), made the call at the second edition of the CIHRM Volta/Oti Regional Conference held in Ho.
The conference, on the theme: “HR: Bridging Strategy and Culture,” brought together HR professionals and other stakeholders to discuss emerging trends, challenges and opportunities in human resource management.
Mrs Akordor described the conference as an important learning platform for HR practitioners and others interested in human resource development.
She said human resource management had evolved beyond traditional personnel administration such as recruitment and dismissal to become a critical strategic function influencing organisational performance, culture and growth.
“HRs must understand that they are strategic partners in the development of the organisation and must ensure that each and every person succeeds within the organisation,” she said.
Mrs Akordor urged heads of institutions and organisations to stop viewing HR departments merely as cost centres, stressing that effective human resource management contributed significantly to productivity and organisational success.
She said organisations that failed to recognise HR as a strategic partner risked undermining their growth and long-term sustainability.
Mr Edem Kofi Kpotosu, Member of Parliament for the Ho Central Constituency and Chairman of the conference, said organisational strategies could only succeed when supported by a workplace culture that reflected an institution’s vision, values and objectives.
He noted that while organisations invested substantial resources in developing strategic plans, many failed to achieve their goals because their prevailing organisational culture did not support implementation.
Mr Kpotosu said HR professionals had evolved beyond recruitment, payroll administration and records management to become strategic planners, change agents, leadership coaches, talent developers and custodians of organisational values.
He urged organisations to deliberately build cultures anchored in integrity, accountability, innovation, inclusion, and continuous learning.
The MP emphasised the need for Ghana to invest more in human capital development through skills training, education, leadership development, employee welfare and effective performance management systems.
He also encouraged organisations to embrace emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, automation, data analytics and digital transformation, while ensuring that technology complemented rather than replaced the human element of the workplace.
Mr Kpotosu said the Volta and Oti regions possessed enormous human potential but unlocking that potential required strong leadership and strategic HR management that aligned organisational objectives with people-centred workplace cultures.
He encouraged participants to use the conference as an opportunity to acquire practical knowledge, build professional networks, and develop actionable solutions to improve productivity and workplace culture.
The MP further urged HR professionals to champion ethical leadership and uphold fairness, transparency, professionalism, and respect for human dignity.
Mr Austin Gamey, Labour Consultant and keynote speaker, urged HR managers to become more assertive and recognise themselves as the nerve centre of their organisations.
He said HR managers played a central role in determining the effectiveness, productivity and sustainability of organisations and must therefore take responsibility for organisational outcomes.
“You are the leader and nerve centre of the organisation, so when the organisation fails, you fail too,” Mr Gamey said.
He encouraged HR professionals to demonstrate leadership, take ownership of organisational challenges, and work closely with management to develop effective strategies for organisational growth.
The conference, expected to be organised biennially, aimed at strengthening the capacity of HR practitioners and promoting a broader understanding of human resource management as a strategic tool for organisational development.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah