HR managers to get annual practicing licenses
HR Managers Association of Uganda President Ronald Kibuuka (R) handing over a plaque to the Post Bank Managing Director Julius Kakeeto at a HR practitioners' conference in Kampala on November 29, 2024. PHOTO/BUSEIN SAMILU
What you need to know:
- If the HR legislation is enacted, there will be creation of a human resource national society.
All human resource managers will be required to register with an independent body, which will issue them with an annual practicing lincense under a new law in offing.
The Human Resource Profession Management Bill, which was first tabled in 2023 as a private members Bill, seeks to professionalize the human resource profession and remove quacks, according to Ronald Kibuuka Bbossa, the President of the Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda (HRMA-U).
The issued licenses will expire every year and only renewable by an independent council that will be created to govern the sector.
“As a professional, we know that when we have the human resource professionals Act, and we know the action and conduct of the people who lead the profession in the country and structured and guided properly…there will be a direct benefit to the employee,” Bbosa said during the annual HR Conference on Friday in Kampala.
He added: “We cannot underestimate the need to standardise our action in terms of what we do to people, and with people at places of work.”
If the HR legislation is enacted, there will be creation of a human resource national society equivalent to establishments such as the Uganda Law Society or Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Accountants.
“We want to ensure that at least 70 per cent of HR personnel have content in their studies related to human resource and for those who are already there, we shall give them a five-year window to adjust,” Bbosa said.
He further added: “We want to ensure that we reduce on the over 1,500 case backlogs in labour courts, majority of which are are due to HR practitioners.”
Workplace employee management and inclusion formed part of the discussions during the 3-day conference held as part of the commemoration of the 25 years of HRMA-U.
The conference ended on November 29 and attracted over 500 delegates from the association and other dignitaries.
Julius Kakeeto, the Managing Director of Post Bank, highlighted the importance of leveraging team core capabilities to achieve a competitive advantage.
“As a human resource manager, you must engage your employees and let them know the direction of the company so that they understand what is needed of them,” he said.
On her part, national BNI Director Diana Kibuuka decried challenges faced by women in line with human resource.
“Only two per cent of women hold positions at the chief executive officer level. Women face challenges in negotiating for themselves—whether it's for pay, benefits, time, or simply being heard,” she observed.
Experts said that a lot of biases are holding women back in Africa, yet investing in women is key to unstoppable growth.
