Bridging the gap at work places

Prof Semakadde listens to Mr Anil Patel, one of the managing partners addressing staff of Grant Thornton during the forum day held last week. Courtesy Photo.

A collaborative workplace is the goal of managers and employees alike. All employees desire to work in a culture where people share information and resources, understand and appreciate each other’s' responsibilities, and help each other succeed.

We may want it. But we don't always get it. Collaboration is challenging. Employees have to make a commitment to cooperation, and bosses, must remove the institutional barriers that get in its way.

Any organisation having a proper and free working environment is important. More so a place where you opinions are valid and heard is even greater.

This is what Grant Thornton, an accounting firm aimed to achieve with its employees when it hosted them to a forum day, a day that encourages the staff to mix and mingle and share ideas amongst themselves. The forum day also gives the less experienced employees valuable feedback, insight and support, while passing down wisdom and institutional knowledge.

Mr Patel Anil Ramabhai one of the Managing Partner of Grant Thornton Uganda said this was part of the company’s 2020 strategy of investing in its people through encouraging transformational leadership.

Staff of Grant Thornton pose for a picture after the event.

“Every employee whether junior or senior, or local irrespective of any tribe he or she becomes free in the organisation, takes pride in what is being done in the work place. They get an opportunity to speak out in public. They can reach out to the managing director or partner freely

Through this kind of initiative, he says the firm has been able to grow from year to year in terms of revenues, branding and business.

Professor James Semakadde, board chairman FINCA Uganda says it is very important for work places to break boundaries between senior managers and their junior fellows.

He said the description of an individual involved the place of work and as such work places ought to create conducive working environments for their employees to thrive.

George Orwell wrote in "Animal Farm," the reality may be that "some animals are more equal than others." Organisational cultures produce official and unofficial caste systems among the rank and file. Good institutional leadership fine tunes that.

He says good managers promote a conducive environment where employees work as equals.

Mirian Ndyanabo, the human resource manager and people and culture leader at Grant Thornton Uganda said their strategy 2020 is clear in every one's mind. “We have succeeded in creating the awareness about growing our communities and growing with them,” she says.

Adding that “…the impact we make has a real difference as we grow together with our local communities around the world.”

She says as HR practitioners, we must know that people have a range of skills and experiences outside the professional work. They must be helped to put it to use as seen on our forum days and during our corporate social responsibility activities.

The firms also built a classroom block for a school in Namulonge as part of their corporate social responsibility. This follows their announcement of plans to support communities as part their responsibility by creating 25 corporate social responsibility champions from their workforce of more than 100 people who will ensure that they give back to communities in which they operate in.

About the company

Grant Thornton Uganda is part of a global group of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms operating in 120 countries with more than38,500 employees.