POSDCORB, an acronym propounded by Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick in 1937, reflects the classic functions of administrative management. These are planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting.
Stuffing implies bringing in and training staff, as well as maintaining comfortable working conditions. According to Theo Haimann (editor’s note: Theo Haimann (1911-1991) is an author of multiple works on management including “Professional Management: Theory and Practice”, “Managing the Modern Organization”, “Haimann’s Healthcare Management”, etc.): “Staffing pertains to recruitment, selection, development and compensation of subordinates.” He argued that staffing is one of the most important management functions along with planning, organizing, directing and controlling. In general, operation of every organization, private or public, its success and failure fully depend on the workforce.
However, sometimes the way private employers treat their personnel causes confusion. Let’s, for example, talk about Nigerian commercial banks (editor’s note: there are 24 of them in the country).
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), 80% of Nigerian graduates are presently wandering around the streets without jobs. Nigerian banks have also contributed to this disappointing statistics by turning Nigerian graduates into slaves.
Jobs they offer to most graduates can be likened to what transpired during the ancient days of slavery. It refers primarily to contract appointment that implies, however, performing of the functions normally expected from permanently recruited employees.
Let’s take, for instance, Access Bank. Each of its branches is managed with only three pensionable workers that are branch and operations managers and a marketing manager serving as branch team leader. The rest are on contract appointment, that’s why they are not entitled to pensions, leave allowances, training and re-training, etc. They are issued a letter bearing the name of one of Access Bank subsidiaries I don’t want to mention.
These contracted bankers are paid peanuts, less than N65, 000 per month, part of which they have to spend on expensive corporate attires and shoes. At the same time, those working in Lagos leave their homes before 5 a.m. and never return until 10 p.m.
Marketers among them are tasked to bring N500-million deposit monthly. They are appraised and scored based on the sum they brought to their branches. Anyone graded “E” for three consecutive times risks being dismissed.
The evil perpetrated by Unity Bank senior management is the most alarming. There, young graduates are invited annually to write an aptitude test for being employed as executive trainees (ET).
However, when those passing the test and interview get to training school they learn they are to be paid as outsource staff for minimum one year before being converted to ET.
However, some spend four years in Unity Bank as outsource staff before they are converted to ET. At times, contacts matter, but the luckiest spend at least two years before becoming ET.
Promotion of staff in Unity Bank is like gold. As a former transaction officer and marketer in the bank I know many employees that have not been promoted since 2006. It is just irresponsible not to promote hardworking staff for eight years.
I want to declare unequivocally that it is the height of wickedness to subject young graduates to contract appointment for three years before they become ET which is the lowest rank in banking.
Let me also reveal that about 35% of Unity Bank staff is issued appointment letters bearing the name of a company called “Caranda Management Services Limited”. I’ve found out that the company is owned by one of the bank directors.
In Diamond Bank, 45% of stuff is issued appointment letters bearing the name of a company called “C&I Workforce Nigeria Limited”. Marketers, transaction officers, etc., are recruited through the proxy firm.
These employees are used like slaves. Ironically, some of them are holders of Master degrees. They are not entitled to any allowance whatsoever. No capacity development. No training and re-training. Salaries are increased ones in five years.
However, should we blame senior management of these banks of the way they are currently exploiting Nigerians? My answer is no! All accusations go to the Nigerian government for failing in their responsibility to provide job opportunities thereby making the private sector to brazenly and cruelly exploit Nigerians.
It has also been rumored the Nigerian government officials do receive a kickback from the private sector. Top bankers sometimes “cooperate” with politicians. They bankroll politicians running for elective positions, and these politicians, in return, defend their “friends’ interests” after winning elections.
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the Trade Union Congress, the Nigerian Labour Congress, etc., have failed in their responsibilities to protect the welfare of workers in the private sector.
In conclusion, I call on federal government to set up a task force that would be monitoring the welfare of employees in the private sector. Central government should start resuscitating all the moribund industries in Nigeria so as to make the life of Nigerians better.
The Nigerian Telecommunication, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dunlop and Michelin Tires, Ajaokuta Steel Company and other moribund factories should be brought back to Nigerians so as to reduce the wave of unemployment currently blowing in Nigeria.
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com or its editors.
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Commercial banks in nigeria
Nigeria youth unemployment
Private Sector
Youths unemployment in nigeria
CREDIT: Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye
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