Tag: Recruitment Africa

Navigating the Unavoidable Labor Shortage

According to forecasts from the Quebec Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Solidarity, over 1.4 million positions are expected to remain vacant in the province by 2026. A similar reality is unfolding across the African continent, posing a significant challenge for employers: meeting human resource needs despite limited availability. This long-term perspective demands a thoughtful approach, uniquely tailored to African realities.

A promising strategy involves optimizing operational efficiency. Automating repetitive tasks, developing employee skills, and recognizing underutilized skills within the team are measures to consider. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics can be leveraged to enhance efficiency, while accounting for local specificities. This approach not only helps achieve more with fewer resources but also enhances employee engagement by offering more autonomy, recognition, and growth opportunities.

Combatting Talent Attrition

While recruitment efforts continue, talent retention is of paramount importance in the African context. In an environment where resources are scarce, losing team members is a luxury few companies can afford.

To retain employees, it’s crucial to rethink offered benefits and working conditions. By aligning salaries with the market, offering improved retirement plans and flexible leave options, you can encourage loyalty. A strong corporate culture also plays a vital role in employee satisfaction. Transparent management, professional development opportunities, work-life balance, and an inclusive and collaborative culture are essential elements for maintaining an engaged team.

Overcoming Disengagement and Resistance to Change

In an environment where engagement is a valuable asset, addressing disengagement and resistance to change is crucial. The pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, requiring a response tailored to the African context.

To boost engagement, focus on a motivating corporate culture that highlights employees’ skills. Encourage their participation in company decisions through collaborative platforms or cross-functional committees. Listen to their concerns, value their suggestions, and maintain strong bonds to strengthen team unity.

Maximizing “Boomerang” Talent Opportunities

In Africa, the concept of “boomerang employees” is gaining traction. In a competitive market, it’s time to reconsider these opportunities. Rehiring former employees can expedite the recruitment process and bring new skills to the team.

Before welcoming a former employee, understand their motivations and openly share developments that occurred during their absence. Also, anticipate future departures and encourage the preservation of professional connections, which may potentially lead to new talent.

Strengthening Employer Brand Beyond Appearances

In the African context, employer branding plays a pivotal role. A positive reputation attracts quality talent and fosters employee loyalty. Investing in a high-performing, well-being-focused corporate culture is a powerful way to attract and retain talent.

Focus on the values that define your organization and create a healthy and fulfilling work environment. Your company’s reputation plays a decisive role in recruitment and retention, as candidates are drawn to employers who share their values.

Fully Integrating Digital Transformation in Talent Management

Digital transformation is a major lever for addressing African talent challenges. Digital tools, such as artificial intelligence and applicant tracking systems, can streamline the recruitment process and provide valuable real-time data. However, a successful transition requires meticulous planning, accounting for local needs and African market specifics.

Redefining the Role of Managers

The role of managers in Africa is evolving toward a more humane and collaborative approach. They must act as coaches, attuned to their team members’ needs. Developing human management and communication skills is essential. Free managers from administrative tasks and encourage them to be inspiring leaders within the team.

Emphasizing Skills Development in the Employee Journey

In Africa, skills development is crucial for enhancing employee experience and organizational efficiency. Invest in diverse and adaptable training methods. Foster internal mobility and transfer knowledge to ensure continuity.

Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

By promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion, African companies create positive and high-performing work environments. This requires a strategy aligned with the organization’s values and involvement at all hierarchical levels. Strengthening these initiatives contributes to attracting, retaining, and advancing diverse talents.

In summary, the talent management challenges in Africa in 2024 demand approaches tailored to the region’s specifics. By investing in operational efficiency, retention, digital transformation, skills development, and equity, companies can build strong and high-performing teams for the future.

In the dynamic business landscape of Africa, talent management stands out as a crucial challenge. Human Resources Directors (HR) and CEOs invest time and energy in developing local talents but often find themselves defenseless against the departure of these skills to other horizons. This phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the “talent drain,” requires thorough reflection and solutions tailored to the African context.

Trained Treasures, Lost Treasures

Investments in training are not enough

African companies significantly invest in the training and development of their internal talents. However, many witness, perplexed, the migration of these skills to other, often more established, markets. It is time to rethink our strategies to prevent our investments from evaporating.

Root Causes of the Exodus

The search for new challenges, dissatisfaction with corporate culture, or even uncompetitive compensation can explain the talent drain. However, the key often lies in the implementation of robust retention strategies.

Facing the Puzzle: Some Adapted Solutions

Strengthen Cohesion through an Engaging Corporate Culture

African companies face a cultural transformation imperative to foster a more inclusive and inspiring work environment. Similar to the Japanese management model, which emphasizes proximity between leaders and employees, African leaders must adopt a more accessible and open approach.

Creating a corporate culture rooted in African values goes beyond inspirational speeches; it requires a profound revision of management practices. Leaders must be visible and accessible, establishing a direct connection with employees at all levels of the organization. This accessibility reinforces the sense of belonging and encourages transparent communication.

Similar to the Japanese model, where leaders are often present in the field, African leaders should engage more with their teams. Idea-sharing sessions, informal meetings, and open communication contribute to breaking hierarchical barriers, creating an environment where each employee feels heard and valued.

The openness of African leaders should also manifest in decision-making. Involving employees in the decision-making process, gathering their opinions, and integrating their ideas promote a sense of engagement and collective responsibility. This collaborative leadership model, inspired by Japan, helps build a common vision where each individual feels invested in the overall success of the company.

By embracing this approach, African companies can not only create a corporate culture rich in shared values but also strengthen employee loyalty and engagement. This open and accessible management model contributes to forging a solid organizational identity, conducive to talent retention and sustainable growth. Ultimately, fostering proximity and openness is how African leaders can truly guide their teams towards common success.

Offering Local and Regional Evolution Perspectives

African talents, especially Generation Z, seek challenging opportunities and mobility across the continent. Companies need to adapt their career development programs to meet these aspirations.

Transparent Evolution Paths: Career plans should be clear, showing progression steps within the company.

Intra-African Mobility: Encouraging mobility between African countries provides exploration opportunities and enriches skills.

Mentorship and Coaching: Integrating mentor relationships helps talents overcome challenges and promotes personal and professional growth.

Valuing Local Contribution: Highlighting the local impact of work reinforces a sense of belonging.

By adapting these programs, companies can attract and retain exceptional talents, creating a flourishing professional environment for Generation Z in Africa.

Reassessing Compensation Policies in an African Context

In a complex African economic context, talent retention requires a creative approach to compensation. Companies must remain competitive while considering economic realities.

Prudent Salary Competitiveness: Maintaining salary competitiveness by intelligently adjusting to the cost of living.

Creativity in Compensation: Exploring innovative compensation methods such as performance-related bonuses, non-monetary benefits, and professional development opportunities.

• Equitable Remuneration: Establishing fair salary structures, considering individual contributions.
• Adapted Benefits: Offering social benefits aligned with economic reality, such as health insurance or financial well-being programs.
• Transparent Communication: Clearly communicating the compensation policy, explaining its consideration of economic conditions.
• Financial Flexibility: Providing flexible options, such as remote work, to help employees manage their budgets.

By balancing financial competitiveness and understanding economic realities, companies contribute to talent retention and the creation of a resilient professional environment. By investing in employee financial well-being, they strengthen the employee-company bond and promote long-term stability.

Continuing to Invest in Ongoing Training with Local Content

Maintaining talent competitiveness in Africa requires a proactive strategy centered on ongoing training, rooted in relevant local content. Companies must recognize that the professional growth of employees must align with the specificities of the African market.

Assessment of Needs: Companies must conduct regular assessments to understand developments in the African market and the required skills. This ensures that ongoing training remains in line with changing sector requirements.

Local Partnerships: Collaborating with educational institutions and local experts allows the integration of specific African perspectives into training programs. These partnerships also promote knowledge exchange and the development of a local network.

Strengthening Local Skills: Ongoing training should focus on strengthening local skills, promoting the growth of talents from local communities.

Innovation and Adaptability: Encouraging innovation and adaptability in training programs allows employees to develop skills aligned with emerging opportunities in the African market.

Reducing Unemployment: Effective training programs contribute to reducing unemployment by improving the relevance of workers’ skills in the local and international markets, especially with the opportunities offered by remote work.

By investing in ongoing training with local content, companies contribute not only to the individual growth of their employees but also to the overall economic development of Africa. This approach ensures that local talents remain relevant, competitive, and ready to face the specific challenges of the continent. Ultimately, by investing in education and the development of local skills, companies shape a prosperous future for Africa.

Conclusion: Let’s Value Our Human Wealth

The talent exodus can be transformed into an opportunity for local growth. African companies must take a proactive approach, rethink their talent management strategies, and invest in solutions that consider the continent’s specificities. By creating an environment where talents feel at home, offering concrete career development perspectives, and recognizing the value of each employee, African companies can not only retain their human treasures but also nurture sustainable growth. It is time to move from concern to action, transforming our human wealth into an invaluable asset for Africa.

Investors’ growing interest in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of investments is perfectly matched by their enthusiasm for infrastructure. ESG is the alpha and omega of infrastructure,” exclaims Charles Dupont, Head of Infrastructure Finance at Schroders. In essence, we finance assets that demonstrate a strong social utility. Our business is based precisely on an analysis of the balance between economic profitability and social interest. ESG aspects are the primary source of risk,” he points out. Proof that green finance and infrastructure go hand in hand is the fact that half of the 34 funds with the Greenfin state label are infrastructure funds (debt or equity).

At a time when the climate emergency is making the headlines, this concern is prompting us to take a fresh look at certain assets. Digitalization and de-carbonization of the economy are two strong trends,” says Harold d’Hauteville, head of infrastructure at DWS. Some time ago, we looked at a port asset whose activity was largely based on the transport of coal to power plants in Germany. We preferred not to do so. Conversely, data centers powered by clean energy can be interesting assets.”

Increasingly diverse assets

The growth of the market is allowing for increasingly targeted strategies. “We are initiating niche strategies where our expertise and commitment sets us apart from traditional players,” summarizes Johnny El Hachem, managing director of Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity. One example is the PEARL Infrastructure Capital fund, which focuses on water, waste management and renewable energy, with the ambition of promoting the circular economy.

The diversity of assets and their rapid evolution requires the use of more and more different expertise. This market is shifting from a system of fixed tariffs guaranteed by governments to over-the-counter energy sales contracts, which makes credit analysis more complex,” explains Philippe Garrel, head of the RE infrastructure funds at Acofi Gestion. And the assets themselves are also becoming more complex, with energy storage complementing traditional wind and solar projects. This complexity is also a source of barriers to entry for the managers of these very special assets.

Emmanuel Schafroth    

Source : https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/gestion-actifs/linvestissement-esg-sepanouit-dans-les-fonds-infrastructures-1140078

When you’re looking for a job, don’t minimize any opportunity to get the job of your dreams, because you never know… If you haven’t yet received a phone call for an interview, after applying to several job offers, consider attending a job fair. This is a great opportunity to meet potential recruiters. Still, to have a chance to catch the eye of a recruiter at a job fair, you don’t have to go just anyhow … Remember to prepare yourself well for this event which can be a determining factor in your career. What to do? We review with you the tips to use …

1. Take care of your outfit

It’s true that a job fair is not a classic job interview, but that’s no reason to present yourself to recruiters in old jeans with holes in them. Taking care of your outfit will always earn you points with recruiters. Shirt and shaved face for men, blazer and discreet make-up for women, a sober appearance is what you need to seduce a recruiter at a job fair.

2. Find information on participating companies

The mistake you should never make is to arrive at a job fair without first having taken the time to take all the information on all the companies participating in the event. Take all the information you need before you go to the job fair. This will help you find out which companies are of interest to you. What jobs are on offer? Knowing which company you are applying to will work in your favour.

3. Print your CVs in several copies

Since you are going to meet many potential recruiters, don’t forget to print a sufficient number of general resumes and bring your business cards with you if you have any. This will ensure that you don’t miss any opportunities to apply for a maximum number of offers and in many companies. Your chances will only be boosted…

4. Prepare your presentation in 30 seconds in chrono

Recruiters generally do not have a lot of time at career fairs to spend with all candidates. These are networking events. You need to take this into account by preparing a lecture that introduces you, your field of expertise and your experiences. It must be short, precise and effective. You will repeat it to introduce yourself to all recruiters.

5. Collect the cards

When you meet with the recruiters, don’t forget to ask each one for his or her business card. You will then be able to contact them again to ask if they are interested in your application. Who knows? You may be able to find a recruiter interested in your profile.

6. On the spot, think practical

Don’t forget to swallow something before you arrive at the job fair: you’ll be more concentrated if your stomach doesn’t gurgle during an interview. Also avoid smoking before or during the job fair: ashtray breath will put off recruiters.

Recruiters are overloaded with the huge number of cover letters they get every day. That is the reason why, if your cover letter has nothing original about it, there is a good chance that it won’t be read. You must then set yourself apart with a strong email: cover letter! Usually, a lot of those letters or emails are flat and boring. To put an end once and for all to all those tasteless cookie cutter cover letters, we have a few simple writing style techniques to help boost your mail.

1. Be straightforward 

First and foremost, keep in mind that the first sentence of your cover letter is crucial. Therefore, you must learn to avoid beating about the bushes. You must quickly get into it. Many think that they need 3 or four sentences to give praises to the company before going in. Wrong! The hook of your cover letter must be powerful. If it isn’t, the recruiter will get tired of reading from the very beginning.

2. Be careful of the style of your letter 

We said earlier that recruiters didn’t have time. Consequently, you must absolutely avoid having convoluted phrases in your cover letter. Prefer having a more fluid style therefore much easier for the recruiter to read.That will make your letter more attractive. It’s not necessary to have an over the top complicated writing style in your cover letter. If it is not clear and simple, it will simply be tossed away for the benefits of other ones.

3. A cover letter is not a CV…

It is common to see uninspired candidates, to repeat in the cover letter what they have already written in the CV. It is far from being a good idea, because the cover letter must be seen as something that will make the recruiter choose between two candidates in other words to set them apart. A good CV is certainly a good thing but a good CV with a good cover letter is even better. It is in the letter that you will show that you are someone who has a vision of its profession. So say it! Talk skills, techniques, multitasking, leading skills, organization skills, methods, efficiency…

4. choose a clear structure 

The structure of your cover letter is very important. If you want a strong letter then be careful. If done right, there is a great chance you will leave a good impression on the recruiter who will see you as someone consistent. If you want to have a simple and clear structure, you can choose to have a more traditional composition with a paragraph for every sentence. It will be set up this way:

– Opening: where did you find this job offer?

-Motivation: why did you answer that job offer?

-Argumentation: why are you the perfect candidate?

– Conclusion: Anticipate a future interview.

Finding a job in Africa is not easy for people with degrees, let alone for people without none. When you have left school with no diploma, it can be difficult for recruiters to have an interest in you. However no matter how difficult it can look for someone to get a job without a degree, it is not a lost cause…There is a lot of different help needed and plenty of sectors that hire people with no qualifications. Here, you will have few tips on how to find a job with no degree…

1. Go to the dedicated services…

As a person without a degree,when you are looking for a job, think about going to the departments that are dedicated to people in the same situation as you. Those services will help you find the perfect job for you. They will also help you find vocational trainings. There is a lot of different kinds of departments depending on the country you are in.

2. Go after the sectors that are hiring…

Despise what you think, not having a degree is not necessarily an obstacle to you finding a job considering the fact that many fields do not look for specific qualifications. That is the case in the transport field, for example, like delivery guys or taxi drivers. That is also the case in the rail transport where they hire people without degrees. The food service industry, sales, wholesale distribution, cleaning services are all among the sectors that are opened to people without degrees. Lastly, in the public sector certain public services don’t always require certain skills like the army.

3. Think internships…

In the lieu of a degree, an internship could be an excellent option that could make your integration easier. It will allow you to gain experience in the field you want and improve your CV. It shouldn’t matter to you whether your internship is paid a little or not at all. What is important is to do one so you can show recruiters that you are motivated, and that is the key factor in job seeking. Remember that any experience is good experience.

4. Point out your skills 

Much as a degree supposes you have knowledge and skills, not having one doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have skills. You excel at respecting deadlines or in teamwork? Do not hesitate to underline it on your CV and your cover letter. It could grab the attention of some recruiters especially those who are mostly interested in soft skills.

5. Put everything on your network 

If you want to find a job with no degree, you must have several channels to better your chances. Your friends, the friends of your friends can all help you through word of mouth or via social networks. Put all your chances on your side by building a strong CV and creating a LinkedIn profile, for example.

6. Be patient

Last but not least, it is important to know that job seeking sometimes takes a lot of time and can be fastidious even for people with degrees. That is the reason why, you should remain patient and not give up after the first few months. Learn to go around because climbing the ladder takes some time.