Organisational renewal – what have we done for staff over the last five years?Despite massive constraints, Numsa has managed to give its staff new skills says Numsa's skills development facilitator, Alex Ramahlo.
When we embarked on organisational renewal, we identified that we must build the capacity of staff.Secondly we wanted to move the organiser from being a jack of all trades to become a specialist.
We wanted to move the administrator from being a permanent receptionist to start doing some of the exciting stuff that was only being done by the organiser.
The above was only going to be possible by improving the skills levels of our staff at both the local and regional level and for staff to start being focused with regard to service delivery.
We coined the slogan – “100% Efficient and Effective Service to our Membersâ€. We said that the local will give our members advice and information and that service would be rendered at the regional level.
The locals will also do recruitment of new members, build the factory structures, revive the dead factories and assist the local office bearers with the day to day running of organisational activities.
The Region was to be the service centre. It would take matters to the CCMA, bargaining councils and handle plant level negotiations.This sounds so easy doesn’t it?However it was not as easy as it sounds.
The major problem was the skills which we acknowledged were missing, but we did not take into cognizance the magnitude of the deficiency.
The main missing skills were labour law (knowledge, interpretation and application).Hence most of our courses were labour-related and included skills for advice and information in the case of administrators.
How far have we come since 2003?
Name of course
Comment
Office administration and communication 2003
5 administrators received certificates of competency
Advanced Labour Law 2004-5
2 organisers enrolled and were successful
Advanced Labour Law 2005-6
10 organisers and 2 administrators enrolled – all were successful
Advanced Labour Law 2006-7
28 organisers enrolled – 19 were successful
Advanced Labour Law 2007-8
27 organisers enrolled – awaiting results
Counselling for Young Adults 2004
1 participant passed
Occupational Hygiene 2005-6
1 participant – still awaiting the results.
Practical Labour Law 2007-8
18 administrators and 1 organizer participated; 18 passed, 1 failed
Interpersonal and Communication Skills.
90% administrators attended
Para–legal Course (Black Sash, Advice Skills)
85% Administrators attended
Credit Management
3 participants currently attending
Event Management
2 participants currently attending
BSC Financial Management
2 participants (1 resigned)
MBA
2 participants: 1 on 1st Year, 1 on 2nd year in 2008
Project Management
2005 – all 8 participants passed2006 – all 4 participants passed2008 – enrolled 1 participant.
Professional Certificate in Public Management
2007 – all 2 participants passed
Management Development Programme
2006/07 – 1 participant passed
Advance Programme in Project Management – 2007
2 participants, both unsuccessful, 1 repeat 2008
Development Programme in Labour Relations (DPLR)
2006 – 2 participants – 1 dropped out and 1 completed the Course
LLB
2 Participants 2008
Para-legal (Diploma)
2005/06 – 5 participants; all did not complete the Course2007 – 2 participants; proceeded to the second year in 2008
Social Science Degree 2005-2007
6 participants – All successful
BA Social Science Honours
2008 – 2 participants (1 participant got a bursary)
Mixed feelings from administrators!
We give two diverging views from administrators on staff development. What is your experience?"I thank Numsa for giving me the opportunity to gain experience because when I started I did not have any experience because I started to work for a trade union straight from school.""I am still doing exactly what I did 21 years ago with nowhere to go!"
Questions for discussion:* What do you think of Numsa's attempts to retrain Numsa staff?* Can you see the benefits?* What further efforts should Numsa make to improve staff training so they can offer a better service to membership?
Source
Numsa News