₦airaland Forum

Wage stagnation. Income inequality. A lack of quality education. Insufficient training and skills development.

Issues like these have led approximately two-thirds of Americans to believe that the next generation will be worse off than the last. And it is true that too many people are not getting a fair opportunity to get ahead. We must find ways to help them move up the economic ladder, and everyone — business, government and nonprofits — needs to play a role.

At JPMorgan Chase, we’re starting by giving thousands of employees a raise.
Our minimum salary for American employees today is $10.15 an hour (plus meaningful benefits, which I’ll explain later), almost $3 above the current national minimum wage. Over the next three years, we will raise the minimum pay for 18,000 employees to between $12 and $16.50 an hour for full-time, part-time and new employees, depending on geographic and market factors.

A pay increase is the right thing to do. Wages for many Americans have gone nowhere for too long. Many employees who will receive this increase work as bank tellers and customer service representatives. Above all, it enables more people to begin to share in the rewards of economic growth.

And it’s good for our company, helping us attract and retain talented people in a competitive environment. While businesses, including ours, are understandably cautious when it comes to expenses, there are good expenses (investments that will pay off in the long-run) and bad expenses (waste and inefficiencies). We have never hesitated to invest aggressively if we thought it would improve our long-term prospects.

While a higher wage is important, so are benefits. Our lower-compensated employees receive a medical plan — subsidized up to 90 percent by the company — as well as dental, vision and other coverage. Many of these and other benefits, including a 401k, pension, a special annual award, paid family leave, paid vacation and bereavement, have been increased in recent years. In total, the annualized value of all of our benefits for these employees is on average approximately $11,000 a year above their existing wages.

It is true that some businesses cannot afford to raise wages right now. But every business can do its part through whatever ways work best for it and its community. It can identify local partners to address economic inequality. It can encourage and provide continuous training, teach leadership capabilities and identify mentors to help sharpen employee skills.

In our case, we will invest over $200 million in 2016 on training for thousands of entry-level employees in our consumer banking business. We’re on pace to train 30 percent more employees this year, many of whom are tellers. This type of training has helped more than 40 percent of our tellers get promoted into higher-paying roles within five years, and we now have five very senior regional directors who worked as tellers.

Of course, not all skills development can be done on the job. Currently, about five million young people are neither working nor in school. Others are stuck in dead-end, low-wage jobs without the skills they can transfer to better paying careers. They lack the right education or credentials that will set them up for long-term success. This is a national tragedy and an economic crisis.

We are also investing $325 million in career-oriented education aligned to growing sectors. This fall, through partnerships with education organizations, we will provide 10 states with up to $2 million each to strengthen and expand career-focused education in their school systems. These investments are focused on the millions of well-paying jobs that do not need a bachelor’s degree but do require training, either in high school or a post-secondary program.

Around the world, these programs are helping job seekers, including young people and adults, attain valuable skills in a range of fields, from robotics to nursing.

Finally, programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit supplement earnings of lower-income workers, strengthen families and improve prospects for communities. We should consider broadening the EITC to make more workers eligible.

America has been dealt an extraordinary hand, and I am optimistic about our future. Our universities are second to none. We have many of the best businesses on the planet — small, medium and large. Americans are among the most entrepreneurial and innovative people in the world, from those who work in entry-level jobs on the factory floor to Bill Gates. We have a reliable system of law, extremely low corruption and a hugely resilient and self-correcting democracy.

We face many challenges. But they can be overcome by government, business and the nonprofit sectors working together to build on models of success that advance economic opportunity and create more widely shared prosperity.

This op-ed originally appeared in the New York Times on July 12, 2016.

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THE ORGANIZATION AS A SYSTEM - AN OVERVIEW

WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

A system is a collection of parts (or subsystems) integrated to accomplish an overall goal (a system of people is an organization). Systems have input, processes, outputs and outcomes, with ongoing feedback among these various parts. If one part of the system is removed, the nature of the system is changed.

Carter McNamara in his article titled ‘Thinking about Organizations as System’ noted that a Systems range from very simple to very complex. There are numerous types of systems. For example, there are biological systems (the heart, etc.), mechanical systems (thermostat, etc.), human/mechanical systems (riding a bicycle, etc.), ecological systems (predator/prey, etc.), and social systems (groups, supply and demand, friendship, etc.).

Complex systems, such as social systems, are comprised of numerous subsystems, as well. These subsystems are arranged in hierarchies, and integrated to accomplish the overall goal of the overall system. Each subsystem has its own boundaries of sorts, and includes various inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes geared to accomplish an overall goal for the subsystem.

A pile of sand is not a system. If one removes a sand particle, you've still got a pile of sand. However, a car is a system. It is a collection of components which put together in a particular way, will transport you. Individually these components cannot achieve much if anything - a spark plug or petrol tank on its own will not take you far. Remove the carburetor and you've no longer got a working car. Again, if one component is faulty or stops working then this can have a massive impact on the whole system. e.g. a flat tyre.

THE ORGANIZATION AS A SYSTEM
The organization is a system - made up of components which work together to achieve an overall goal. These components can be defined in any number of ways, but you could see them as different functions. For instance, the HR team could be one component; the Marketing Unit another component; the service delivery staff another component; the Accounting Unit another component, the Cleaning Unit another; the Security Unity another; the IT unit another component and so on. The organization is also a system of people.
All these different functions are dependent on each other. A great HR team on its own does not make a great organization in the same way that a petrol tank on its own does not make a car. You may have a great team of staff delivering services, but if your finance processes and procedures stop working the whole organization suffers.

Lakshmi Anand K (2008) in his article titled ‘Organization as a system’ posited that management theorists have seen organization in different views and perspectives. They have identified more elements in the systems besides the people. The choice of technology and structure as additional three elements of the organization system. Noting that the task, technology, people and structure are dependent on each other and their signification cannot be ignored as elements of the system. The arrangement of task in terms of process and work design is dependent on the people. The choice of technology of handling the task is dependent on the people. You may choose the best technology and well-designed task, but they have to be suited for the people.
Over and above these are to be arranged in proper structure. Further a fourth Element has been added as culture. According to Leavitt an organization should be viewed as a socio- technical system consisting of people, task, technology, culture and structure. The modified Leavitt’s model is shown in Fig.

In view the nature of the task the organization is supposed to carry out it has to be designed as an open system capable of adjusting itself to the changing environment. The organization continuously exchange the information with the environment and is influenced by the changes in it and therefore built in such a fashion that it adjusts with the changes in the environment and the goals and the objectives are achieved.

IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING AT ORGANIZATIONS AS SYSTEMS
Carter McNamara opined that the effect of this systems theory in management is that writers, educators, consultants, etc. are helping managers to look at organizations from a broader perspective. Systems theory has brought a new perspective for managers to interpret patterns and events in their organizations. In the past, managers typically took one part and focused on that. Then they moved all attention to another part. The problem was that an organization could, e.g., have wonderful departments that operate well by themselves but don't integrate well together. Consequently, the organization suffers as a whole.

The organization is a socio-technical system whose sub-systems are task people technology culture and structure each having its own input and output satisfying at first its own objective and eventually the corporate organization goals and objectives. If the sub-system's goals and objectives are not congruent with the goals and objectives of the corporate organization poor performance resistance to change and non-attainment of corporate goals will be the consequences.

The systems and their goals are not stable. The goals change in response to the changes in the business focus the environment and in the people in the organization. A significant change calls for change in the organization structure a goals displacement is said to have occurred when the system goals significantly. Another reason for goals change is fue to the Natural process of growth and decline. All organizations and their business go through the different phases of growth cycle in stages as Introduction Growth Maturity and Decline. Each phase generates new goals to be served if the changed or displaced goals are not reflected in the organization is bound to suffer from decay.

Recent studies have revealed that more managers are recognizing the various parts of the organization, and the interrelations of the parts, e.g., the coordination of central offices with other departments, engineering with manufacturing, supervisors with workers, etc. Managers now diagnose problems by recognizing larger patterns of interactions and not by examining what appear to be separate pieces of the organization. Managers maintain perspective by focusing on the outcomes they want from their organizations. Now managers’ focus on structures that provoke behaviors that determine events -- rather than reacting to events as was always done in the past.

SYSTEMS THEORY, SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND SYSTEMS THINKING
Carter McNamara asserted that one of the major breakthroughs in understanding the complex world of systems is systems theory. The application of this theory is called systems analysis. One of the tools of systems analysis is systems thinking. Very basically, systems thinking is a way of helping a person to view the world, including its organizations, from a broad perspective that includes structures, patterns and events, rather than just the events themselves. This broad view helps one to identify the real causes of issues and know where to work to address them.

Systems Principles -- Some Examples
Systems theory has identified numerous principles that are common to systems, many of which help us to better understand organizations. One of the best descriptions of systems principles is in the booklet "Systems 1: An Introduction to Systems Thinking" by Draper L. Kauffman, Jr., edited by Stephen. A. Carlton (from The Innovative Learning Series by Futures Systems, Inc., 1980, Stephen A. Carlton, Publisher, Minneapolis, MN (612) 920-0060). The following is adapted from that booklet.

The system's overall behavior depends on its entire structure (not the sum of its various parts). The structure determines the various behaviors, which determine the various events. Too often, we only see and respond to the events. That's why, especially in the early parts of our lives, we can be so short-sighted and reactionary in our lives and in our work. We miss the broader scheme of things.
Too often in organizations (and in management training programs), we think we can break up the system and only have to deal with its parts or with various topics apart from other topics. Systems theory reminds us that if you break up an elephant, you don't have a bunch of little elephants.

There is an optimum size for a system. If we try to make the system any larger, it'll try to break itself up in order to achieve more stability. Too often in our organizations, we continually strive to keep on growing -- until the reality of the system intervenes. At this point, we again only see the events, not the behaviors or the structures that cause them. So we embark on short-sighted strategies to fix events, often only causing more problems for ourselves and others. There are numerous other systems principles, e.g.

• Systems tend to seek balance with their environments
• Systems that do not interact with their environment (e.g., get feedback from customers) tend to reach limits

IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
What does a system mean when you are implementing organizational change? Taking an analogy of a functional car as a system, if you decide to change the tyres, or swap the spark plugs, it might seem relatively minor but it will affect the whole performance of your car. When you are planning organizational change consider how those small changes to components might affect the ability of the whole organization to achieve its goals. For example, changing the working hours of your clerical cum administrative staff might not seem a huge change but think through the implications as it could have big changes to the organization as a whole.

A circular relationship exists between the overall system and its parts. Organization managers should learn to treat all cadre of their workforce with equal respect and due recognition. Even the least cadre of staff plays a significant role for organization to effectively function as a system. It takes the services of the Cleaner for the organization to project an immaculate aesthetics and thus such categories of staff should not be treated as ‘ordinary cleaners’ as the organization depends on their services to pride itself as a wholistic functional system.

Casualization is a grave malady that has befallen Nigeria Labour market in general and the banks in particular. Fidelity bank is not the only bank guilty of this workplace apartheid and modern slavery which banks have subjected a lot of their workforce to. Many of the banks are not innocent of this precarious labour practices.

Anybody picking on the OP is only talking out of ignorance because he/she has not faced same treatment or have never read 'Adams Equity Theory of Motivation'. Here is situation whereby two people are doing similar job but are paid different wages in same organization. Candidate 'A' because he is subjected to be a casual employee do all the dirty works and earn peanut, stay stagnated, never promoted nor salary increased or even send for either in-house or off work training. When he even strive to develop himself through academic and professional education, yet he would still not be recognized, elevated nor given the opportunity for career advancement. In other words he is perpetually condemned to same position, same salary year-in, year-out. How can such employee be happy doing the job or even committed to the organization?

On the other hand, candidate 'B' takes the glory of the efforts of candidate 'A'. He 'B' gets recognized, promoted and even send for trainings and other developmental programs by the bank while candidate 'A' is subjected to the precarious abyss of penury yet they work in the same organization.

The worst is that this banks each day come up with evil policies that would perpetually push this casual staffs to the captivity of penury. This set of bank workers are demoralized, demotivated and debased to the extent that most of them have lost self-confidence thus faced with a psychological disorder of inferiority complex because the policies of the banks have invariably created 'two class system' (one - inferior humans, the other - superior humans) in the same organization - workplace apartheid.

I think the banks are cashing in on the severe unemployment situation in the country to perpetuate this inglorious labour practice in Nigeria. The supply of labour is more than the demand for labour in Nigeria which have therefore drastically forced the price of labour down.

I will conclude by leaving Nigerians with this thought of James Allens in his book ‘As a man thinketh so is he’ “here is an employer who adopts crooked measures to avoid paying fair wages, and in the hope of making larger profits, reduces the wages of his workers. Such a man is altogether unfitted for prosperity and when he finds himself bankrupt – both in reputation and riches – he blames circumstance, not knowing that he is the author of his condition”.

May God help Nigeria!

This fellow is wasted!

The employers are taking advantage of the severe economic condition of the country coupled with the market forces of 'demand and supply of labour' which is gravely imbalance as the supply of labour is more than the demand for labour thus forcing down the price and value for the labour force in Nigeria.

HIDDEN REASONS WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE

Leigh Branham, an employee-retention expert in his book ‘The 7 hidden reasons employees leave’ as summarized by Soundview executive summaries in Vol. 27, No 6 part 2 (2005); Stated the following as the seven hidden reasons employees leave their organizations. These seven reasons are:

• The job or workplace was not as expected.
• The mismatch between job and person.
• Too little coaching and feedback.
• Too few growth and advancement opportunities.
• Feeling devalued and unrecognized.
• Stress from overwork and work-life imbalance.
• Loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders.

The above reasons are briefly discussed below:

1: THE JOB OR WORKPLACE WAS NOT AS EXPECTED
Every day, new hires enter organizations with a wide range of illusions and unrealistic expectations. Some stay and adapt, some disengage and stay, and many disengage and leave. At the root of their disenchantment is an expectation that was not met. In some cases, the employee’s expectations may have been unrealistic, and in some other cases, they were not. Quite simply, unmet and unrealistic expectations both cost a business untold millions of dollars. You may never see an exit survey with a checklist of reasons for leaving that includes the choice “unmet expectations,” but it may well be the number one reason employees leave.

2: THE MISMATCH BETWEEN JOB AND PERSON

Research over the last 25 years has shown that 80 percent of workers feel they are not using their strengths on a daily basis. When you consider it closely, though, it’s almost surprising that 20 percent of the working population does get to use their strengths daily. The key missing ingredient in so many companies is management’s lack of passion for getting the right people in the right jobs. Why is this so?
While many obstacles come to mind, the greatest of them all is a basic lack of understanding about the nature of human talent. Some managers believe employees are interchangeable parts to be moved into whatever slots most need to be filled. Others believe skills and knowledge are more important than talent. Those two misconceptions often lead to short-term solutions that ignore the long-term success that can result from focusing on properly matching employee talent with appropriate jobs.

3: TOO LITTLE COACHING AND FEEDBACK
Performance coaching and feedback are essential force employees because they help employees answer four basic questions:
• Where are we going as a company?
• How are we going to get there?
• How do you expect me to contribute?
• How am I doing?
The answers to these questions constitute much of what gives meaning to an employee’s efforts. Companies need to give feedback and coaching to make sure that employees’ efforts stay aligned with organizational goals and the expectations of direct supervisors. This alignment is a necessary precondition for employee engagement.

4: TOO FEW GROWTH AND ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

So much has changed in the worldwide business climate and in the way businesses now operate that the impact of those changes on the careers of individuals working in organizations needs to be acknowledged.

Downsizing has changed the loyalty contract between employee and employer, and it has also heightened the level of stress over job security. Focusing on short-term, bottom-line results has created pressure on management to reduce costs and push workers to do more with less.
Productivity gains have come at a cost — in reduced job satisfaction, stalled job creation and stagnant careers. A new career contract has not materialized in most organizations, particularly ones that value control over autonomy and self-direction. Most employers of choice, however, communicate clearly that employees must take the initiative in their own career development. They also give their people the tools and training needed to accomplish this, enabling them to be the best they possibly can be.

5: FEELING DEVALUED AND UNRECOGNIZED
Everyone wants to feel important, yet many organizations manage to make their people feel quite the opposite. It could be seen as a lack of simple appreciation, or a greater focus put on making numbers, and not valuing employees. Some employees might feel like a mere number — that no one in any kind of position above them listens to them or even knows they exist, much less work there. Managers who do show some appreciation might not show it in a timely manner or the rewards given might have little if anything to do with what the employees truly find valuable.

6: STRESS FROM OVERWORK AND WORK-LIFE IMBALANCE
It is sobering to consider all the things there are to be stressed about in the workplace — overwork, personality conflicts, forced overtime, disorganized supervisors, gossip, harassment, prejudice and so many others. Workers get stressed when they must sacrifice family time to work extra hours, when they must deal with the insensitivity of some co-workers, and when they really need a personal day but cannot take one because their company does not offer them.

These are the people who consistently work late, work through lunch, work through sickness, take work home and express frustration in myriad unhealthy ways. Company leaders must determine whether their organization’s culture is unhealthy, or even toxic. When you force workers into choosing between having a life and a career, your organization has a toxic culture. Workers are not merely resources: They are people. You should be empowering them, not attempting to control them. Address these things, this culture, or your employees will — by leaving.

7: LOSS OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN SENIOR LEADERS
Senior leaders are challenged with creating a culture of trust and integrity that strengthens the bonds of employee engagement. While this challenge is shared by all managers and employees, it is incumbent on senior leaders to set the tone and the example. This isn’t always easy, particularly when employees already have a number of issues with their managers and leaders. They complain about a basic lack of trust and integrity in leadership. They might feel management is out of touch with day-to-day reality. Or, they might feel that leaders are concerned only with their own greed, and not with the needs and concerns of workers.

You can see these issues manifest themselves in the effort and conduct exhibited by the work force, in a lack of enthusiasm in the workplace, and in the increasing complaints and questions about policies and practices. You can see it in managers who begin to question the decisions and actions of senior leaders, or even in active resistance to leader initiatives and change efforts. How to recognize the subtle signs and act before it’s too late – The 7 hidden reasons employees leave: summarized by Soundview Executive Book Summaries 2005.

THE PROCESS OF DISENGAGEMENT
Employee turnover is not an event — it is a process of disengagement that can take days, weeks, months or even years until the actual decision to leave occurs. There are several sequential and predictable steps that can unfold in the employee’s journey from disengagement to departure. These are:
• Start the new job with enthusiasm.
• Question the decision to accept the job.
• Think seriously about quitting.
• Try to change things.
• Resolve to quit.
• Consider the cost of quitting.
• Passively seek another job.
• Prepare to actively seek.
• Actively seek.
• Get new job offer.
• Quit to accept new job, quit without a job, or stay and disengage.

Many managers are so busy or preoccupied that they wouldn’t notice where their employees were in the continuum if they wore signs around their necks that proclaimed “Trying to Change Things!” or “Becoming Less Engaged Every Day!” Managers need to better understand the signs of discontent before they lose their best and brightest people.

They are not militant but terrorist. I think Nigeria government to take a decisive action to crush them before it escalate all over the southwestern states.

Good day all,

Please I need your candid advice, I just rented a shop and have 100k cash left. Can this amount of money start up a female clothing (new) or hair extension business for me here in Lagos. If yes, where can I source for cheap and affordable ones for the shop.

Your sincere suggestion will be most welcomed.

Thank you

I greet you OP. I sympathize with you in this ugly situation. It is very heart breaking to discover that your trusted wife is cheating on you.

However, I still believe that two wrongs cannot make a right. You don't pay violence to violence because if you do, it will result to a greater violence. Having said that, I still want you to carry out further investigations on this matter, consult very wide before taking any drastic decision.

The truth is that we are Africans and our tradition and culture is very potent in various areas especially marriage. From where I hail from, if a man have any premonition that his wife is cheating and went ahead to cover it, with time that man will die mysteriously or his kids will continue to die mysteriously except they perform certain tradition. All these tradition are only valid when the man had validly paid the bride price and perform the traditional marriage rites on the woman. I wouldn't know the part of the country you come from because tradition varies.

Howbeit, if such tradition is potent in your part of the world and you did perform the traditional rites on her and ascertain your fact that she is actually cheating, I would therefore counsel that you escalate this matter even if you are still going to forgive her after the whole thing. This measure is to save your life and that of your kids.

It is not our fault that as the Africa culture appears, it tend to favour men in matters like this. Men are naturally immuned and when they cheat on their wives there is no adverse effect on the family but women are not so immuned by African culture thus the act of cheating by women adversely affects the family that is why you see some men die or fall ill mysteriously and in other cases, their fortune begin to dwindle because of the singular act of cheating by their wives. This is a serious matter that must be handle with all care and seriousness.

If you are a Christian and do not want to escalate too much, I still advice that you both meet your pastor where she must be made to confess her sins and a serious deliverance be conducted on her and your family.

Thank you very much.

CASUALIZATION, ORGANIZATION COMMITMENT AND EMPLOYEES’ TURNOVER INTENTIONS.

Allen and Meyer (1996:252) defined organizational commitment as “a psychological link between the employee and his or her organization that makes it less likely that the employee will voluntarily leave the organization”

Lower levels of organizational commitment amongst casual employees may arise because of the precarious nature of their employment (Campbell, 1996). Caudon (cited in Dessler et’al, 2004:198) posited that “people have a psychological reference point to their place of employment. Once you put them in the temporary category, you are saying they are expendable and therefore they are less likely to exhibit loyalty and commitment to their organizations”.

Organizational commitment has benefits for employers and employees (Mowday, 1998).
For employees, commitment to work and in an organization represents a positive relationship that could ‘potentially add meaning to life’, whereas, for employers, having committed employees has the potentials for increased performance and reduced turnover and absenteeism. Organizational commitment has also been linked tentatively to an organization’s efficiency, productivity, creativity and innovation (Hom & Griffeth, 1995 cited in Mir, Mir & Mosca, 2002:189) as well as its profitability (Raab & McCain, 2002). One of the few strong links in the literature is that between employee commitment to an organization and staff turnover. As Allen and Meyer explained ‘employee who are strongly committed are those who are least likely to leave the organization’ (1990:1).

Turnover intention is consistently related to affective and to a lesser extent, normative commitment. Correlations between continuance commitment and turnover intentions are less consistent across studies. Similar results have been found in studies measuring actual turnover, where turnover was significantly related to affective and normative commitment but not continuance commitment, (Allen & Meyer, 1996:264-6).

The traditional industrial relations system based on the concept of full-time employees working within an enterprise is increasingly being challenged by the use of nonstandard work arrangements (NSWA) by employers. This changing nature of work has taken a new dimension with the adoption of flexible work arrangements by many firms globally. The theme running through many of the new approaches to management in today’s globalized economy is the development of a more flexible workforce which has become employers‟ new frontier in the management of human resources and basis of their employment policies. However, these changing patterns of work (e.g. casual, contract, temporary, part-time employments, subcontracting, outsourcing/insourcing etc.) occasioned by Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAP), have created concerns for workers and trade unions alike, especially in Nigeria. Job security, social security, terminal benefits and minimum conditions of work are some of the issues of concern.

The push toward casualisation in Nigeria is evident of a continued effort by government and corporate elites to maximize profit at the expense of a long-term jobs policy, transparent governance and shared economic development. Casualization is a great malady that has engulfed the Nigerian workplace.

Casualisation as a form of labour practice has been defined by most management writers as the process by which employment shifts from a preponderance of full time and permanent positions to higher levels of casual positions. It can also be viewed as an employment of an irregular or intermittent nature (Rodriguez, 2009). The concept “casualisation” has proved to be a cankerworm in the flesh of the workforce of both developed and developing economies. For instance, casualisation of employment in Nigeria as well as other parts of the world is fast gaining grounds in an unprecedented proportion, intensity and scale.

The increase in the spread and gradual acceptance of this illicit labour practice in the Nigerian labour market to be particular has become an issue of great concern to the government, labour organisations, academic researchers and the employees themselves. This level of concern is shown by the current rate of alarm being raised by the Nigerian labour Congress (NLC) against employers accompanied by serious threats and warnings which has been concurrent within the past few years. Available records have shown that within the shortest space of time, employers of labour are increasingly filling positions in their organisations that are supposed to be permanent with casual employees.

The reason for this has been largely attributed to the increasing desperation on the side of employers to cut down the organizational cost and as such, they have considered casualisation of employment as the appropriate strategy for cost reduction. Viewing this from the periphery, it seems to be a justifiable point since reduced cost means higher profit which is the ultimate goal of every organization.

However, in the ultimate end, it presents lots of challenges for the employees and organisations alike which employers may be ignorant of or possibly have neglected. The employees’ commitments have been greatly adversely affected and this has hampered their engagement level and jacked up their turnover intentions particularly in the financial sector of the economy.

UNDERSTANDING TIMES AND SEASONS: A LESSON FROM THE ANTS
What a wonderful creature the ants are; they study and understand times and seasons - knowing when to sow and when to reap; knowing when there is surplus and scarcity. In the advent of surplus they gather and store for the future knowing that a time will come when there would be scarcity of food.

The ants are good forecasters, planners, organizers, managers and executors. They don’t live by the day rather they know how to plan for the rainy day. They project into the future and make necessary arrangements ahead of time in the event of any future challenges and eventualities. They are very dogged, focused & goal oriented; no matter the obstacles on their way, they don’t give up on their goals. They know how to work around their stumbling blocks. If you distract them in the process of reaching their goals, they retreat, study the situation, get more equipped and later reinforce to complete their goals. They don’t eat today and get carried away by the euphoria of the moment to forget about keeping something for the future.

If you take a critical look at the ants, you’ll discover that they are very committed to their duty and targeted objective. They are very organized and disciplined even without a leader. They know how to utilize their individual strengths and classify and delegate duties. They are team players. When you see an ant carrying a substance, there is no amount of obstruction that can deprive it from taking the particle to its destination except death. Try to stop it, it will retreat and reinforce to complete the mission. They don’t given in nor give up on their goals. That is the exact quality expected from a purpose driven individual – zeal, focus and doggedness.

Some people dream of worthy accomplishments while others wake up and do them, if you are having trouble thinking outside the box, you’re probably in the wrong box, you just have to get out of there. Success begins at the beginning, and it continuous with consistent action. Keep sowing; refuse to quit until they bring forth fruit.

In conclusion; what are you giving to life; how are you sowing? Is what you are doing presently enough to realize your dream in the near future? Are you really channeling your efforts in the right direction? What are your priorities, are you setting them right? What are your targets this year and what efforts are you making to achieve them? These are some of the questions we must draw from the study of the ants and strive to answer them if we must make a reasonable progress in life.

haha This girl be no fair like this before oooo!

How can you just meet somebody online and he proposed to you that he was going to help you to US, you agreed. You didn't only agree but you left the South-East and traveled far to the Maiduguri (North- East) for same purpose. Maiduguri of all places, my guy you are too desperate and can do anything to achieve your aim.

Just thank God you came out alive cause your greediness could have landed you to your early grave.

The sacking of bank employees every year is not a new thing. The only different now is that there is now more awareness due to social media. I have been in the banking sector for 7 years now and each year bank lay-off certain percentage of their workforce which they feel are not living up to expectation and then recruit fresh hands.

It's unfortunate that this does happen.

They cant do nothing! They are only bragging and can't do no shit!

Very insignificant news piece

Must Nigerians believe and applaud everything negative written about us by foreign medias? Where is our pride as a people? Why are we so engrossed about negative reports on our nation and leaders?

More befuddling is the dispositions of our so-called educated youths. Where is our objectivity in analyzing people's opinion about our nation? Must the nation sink because Jonathan lost the last election?

From the reactions I am getting from Nigerians on social medias on negative publications against our government and people by foreign medias, I am tempted to and have no other option than to believe that average Nigerians are suffering from a severe psychological disorder of inferiority complex if not I see no reason why we trust foreign reports about ourselves much more than what is obtainable within us.

I weep for this generation!

That is a deliberate attempt and antics to delay his trial.

I just dey laugh!

I am interested aguegbo4real@yahoo.com

Rubbish statements. This assessment is far from being transparent

The fellow above is only making mockery of himself. There is always a substantial sacrifice to make to install an outstanding and sustainable change. There is always no gain without pain.

What we are experiencing today is the fruition of the seed sowed by successive administration and it will take a little time to install the needed change.

I think the best thing for Nigerians to do is to begin to support this administration through constructive and objective criticism.

Had the previous administrative invested genuinely in the power and petroleum sector, we would not have been experiencing this hardship today. They had the opportunity to develop this country way beyond where we are today but they squandered it. Now they are blaming the administration that is less than 12 months for the woes of Nigeria.

FRAUDULENT DEPRIVATION OF NIGERIAN BANK WOKERS THE RIGHT TO UNIONIZE: COMPLACENCY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR STAFF OF BANKS, INSURANCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (ASSBIFI) AND NATIONAL UNION OF BANK, INSURANCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTION EMPLOYEES (NUBIFIE).

The right of workers to organize in form of trade union is an adjunct of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and association. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (amended) guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association. The section provides that:

… “Every person should be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest”.

In the light of the above, it therefore presupposes to state that formation and membership of trade unions is an exercise of this constitutional right. According to section 1 (i) of the Trade Union Act (1973) as amended, a trade union is any combination of workers or employers, whether temporary or permanent, the purpose for which is to regulate the terms and conditions of employment of workers…

From the foregoing statutory definition, it means that for an association to qualify as a trade union within the meaning of the trade union Act, it must fulfill the following conditions: The combination must be of workers or employers The purpose of the combination must be to regulate the terms and conditions of employment of workers.


The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) were supposed to be the umbrella bodies for the unionization of Bank, Insurance and other financial institutions workers. These bodies that were formed with a noble intention to represent and protect the interest of the Nigerian bank workers have grossly derailed and compromised their roles through unhealthy fraternization with various management of the Nigerian Banks at the expense of the bank workers which they ought to have being representing.


There is no practical union in the banking industry in Nigeria, if they do exist, it is only on paper and when it comes to collecting monies from the bank managements by the so-called union leaders. The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) are only representing the interest of their pockets and not the Nigerian Bank workers. On monthly basis, bank managements allots monies to The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) purportedly representing the bank workers’ subscriptions/check-off whereas in reality, the intent is to financial induce them in order to deprive them from carrying out their statutory obligations to the bank workers. In most cases, the banks management usually fraudulently presents their puppet who interface between the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) and the Banks management, impersonating or assuming the imposter position of workers representative just to further defraud these hapless bank workers and deprive them of their rights to organize. The executives of ASSBIFI & NUBIFIE are aware of these grave antics of the banks but they deliberately decided to ignore this anomaly because of the financial gratifications they get from the banks.

These failures of the executives of ASSBIFI & NUBIFIE to effectively perform their statutory duty have created an ample opportunity for the banks to adopt various nefarious, degrading and inhuman labour policies and practices amongst which is EMPLOYMENT CASUALIZATION. Available records have indicated that within the shortest space of time, the banks are increasingly filling positions in their organizations that are supposed to be permanent with casual employees. The reason for this has been largely attributed to the increasing desperation to cut down cost and as such they have considered casualization of employment as the appropriate strategy for cost reduction.


In life, one is supposed to either move horizontally or vertically but most banks have forced their casual staff to either retrogress or remain static and rigmarole in a particular point. There is neither promotion nor increment in their salaries. Casual staff in most cases spends 10 – 15 years in the same employment status/ designation. The worst is that within the same organization there exist dichotomies in the relationship between the full and casual staff. Whereas the latter are treated with disdain, demoralized and looked upon like inferior being, the former are accorded with superior respect. More than ever before, banks now appear to be taking advantage of the chronic economic underdevelopment of the national economy to exploit the Nigerian work force through organizational political strategy to undercut their hard-fought victories at the bargaining table and replace good jobs – jobs with benefits, training and security – with various forms of insecure and lower-paid contract, short-term and temporary work.


Concerned bank workers alleged that various banks in Nigeria use casual workers in an attempt to replace full-time unionized workers with lower- paid, less-protected workers and to relegate legal and managerial responsibilities to one or more third-party subcontractors.


More worrisome is the conspiracy of silence and the action/inactions of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) as regards to this state of affairs and the plight of Nigerian bank workers who are subjected to these slavish and precarious labour conditions. The casual worker has no say, and if you are daring enough to complain, you will get fired or they give you some other severe sanctions. You are not considered part of a team and there is no sense of being part of a team.

Befuddling, more permanent/good jobs are falling prey to corporate cost-cutting moves by Nigerian Banks Management at the expense of the working families. Too many jobs are being outsourced, contracted out, or reclassified under a barrage of legal definitions designed to keep pay down, benefits low and unions out. More and more workers in permanent employment are losing their jobs and are being either re-employed as or replaced by casual or contract workers.

Casual work which is supposed to be a form of temporary employment has assumed the status of permanent employment in many organizations in Nigeria without the statutory benefits associated with permanent employment status. They are subjected to lower pay, barred from their rights to join a union, denied medical and other benefits. The purpose of this article is therefore to call on the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance &Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Committee of labour in both House of Representatives & Senate and other concerned labour bodies to intervene in these callous, barbaric, degrading and precarious labour policies and practices of Nigerian banks.

Beneath this form of degrading labour practice in the country is the high level of unemployment and accompanying poverty. These two issues have bred a dangerous workplace and have gravely aided the prevalence of employment causaulization as many desperate jobs seekers in the labour force are willing to take any job no matter how illegal, dirty or inhumanly degrading it is. The supply of labour is higher than the demand for Labour.


In conclusion, one would easily agree that casual workers occupy a precarious position in the workplace and society at large and are effectively a new set of “modern slaves” and “underclass” in the modern extreme capitalist economy.

Writer: Egbo A. E

FRAUDULENT DEPRIVATION OF NIGERIAN BANK WOKERS THE RIGHT TO UNIONIZE: COMPLACENCY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR STAFF OF BANKS, INSURANCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (ASSBIFI) AND NATIONAL UNION OF BANK, INSURANCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTION EMPLOYEES (NUBIFIE).
The right of workers to organize in form of trade union is an adjunct of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and association. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (amended) guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association. The section provides that:
… “Every person should be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest”.
In the light of the above, it therefore presupposes to state that formation and membership of trade unions is an exercise of this constitutional right.
According to section 1 (i) of the Trade Union Act (1973) as amended, a trade union is any combination of workers or employers, whether temporary or permanent, the purpose for which is to regulate the terms and conditions of employment of workers…
From the foregoing statutory definition, it means that for an association to qualify as a trade union within the meaning of the trade union Act, it must fulfill the following conditions:
The combination must be of workers or employers
The purpose of the combination must be to regulate the terms and conditions of employment of workers.
The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) were supposed to be the umbrella bodies for the unionization of Bank, Insurance and other financial institutions workers. These bodies that were formed with a noble intention to represent and protect the interest of the Nigerian bank workers have grossly derailed and compromised their roles through unhealthy fraternization with various management of the Nigerian Banks at the expense of the bank workers which they ought to have being representing.
There is no practical union in the banking industry in Nigeria, if they do exist, it is only on paper and when it comes to collecting monies from the bank managements by the so-called union leaders. The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) are only representing the interest of their pockets and not the Nigerian Bank workers. On monthly basis, bank managements allots monies to The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) purportedly representing the bank workers’ subscriptions/check-off whereas in reality, the intent is to financial induce them in order to deprive them from carrying out their statutory obligations to the bank workers.
In most cases, the banks management usually fraudulently presents their puppet who interface between the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) and the Banks management, impersonating or assuming the imposter position of workers representative just to further defraud these hapless bank workers and deprive them of their rights to organize. The executives of ASSBIFI & NUBIFIE are aware of these grave antics of the banks but they deliberately decided to ignore this anomaly because of the financial gratifications they get from the banks.
These failures of the executives of ASSBIFI & NUBIFIE to effectively perform their statutory duty have created an ample opportunity for the banks to adopt various nefarious, degrading and inhuman labour policies and practices amongst which is EMPLOYMENT CASUALIZATION.
Available records have indicated that within the shortest space of time, the banks are increasingly filling positions in their organizations that are supposed to be permanent with casual employees. The reason for this has been largely attributed to the increasing desperation to cut down cost and as such they have considered casualization of employment as the appropriate strategy for cost reduction.
In life, one is supposed to either move horizontally or vertically but most banks have forced their casual staff to either retrogress or remain static and rigmarole in a particular point. There is neither promotion nor increment in their salaries. Casual staff in most cases spends 10 – 15 years in the same employment status/designation. The worst is that within the same organization there exist dichotomies in the relationship between the full and casual staff. Whereas the latter are treated with disdain, demoralized and looked upon like inferior being, the former are accorded with superior respect.
More than ever before, banks now appear to be taking advantage of the chronic economic underdevelopment of the national economy to exploit the Nigerian work force through organizational political strategy to undercut their hard-fought victories at the bargaining table and replace good jobs – jobs with benefits, training and security – with various forms of insecure and lower-paid contract, short-term and temporary work.
Concerned bank workers alleged that various banks in Nigeria use casual workers in an attempt to replace full-time unionized workers with lower-paid, less-protected workers and to relegate legal and managerial responsibilities to one or more third-party subcontractors.
More worrisome is the conspiracy of silence and the action/inactions of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) as regards to this state of affairs and the plight of Nigerian bank workers who are subjected to these slavish and precarious labour conditions. The casual worker has no say, and if you are daring enough to complain, you will get fired or they give you some other severe sanctions. You are not considered part of a team and there is no sense of being part of a team.
Befuddling, more permanent/good jobs are falling prey to corporate cost-cutting moves by Nigerian Banks Management at the expense of the working families. Too many jobs are being outsourced, contracted out, or reclassified under a barrage of legal definitions designed to keep pay down, benefits low and unions out. More and more workers in permanent employment are losing their jobs and are being either re-employed as or replaced by casual or contract workers.
Casual work which is supposed to be a form of temporary employment has assumed the status of permanent employment in many organizations in Nigeria without the statutory benefits associated with permanent employment status. They are subjected to lower pay, barred from their rights to join a union, denied medical and other benefits.
The purpose of this article is therefore to call on the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and National Union of Bank, Insurance &Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Committee of labour in both House of Representatives & Senate and other concerned labour bodies to intervene in these callous, barbaric, degrading and precarious labour policies and practices of Nigerian banks.
Beneath this form of degrading labour practice in the country is the high level of unemployment and accompanying poverty. These two issues have bred a dangerous workplace and have gravely aided the prevalence of employment causaulization as many desperate jobs seekers in the labour force are willing to take any job no matter how illegal, dirty or inhumanly degrading it is. The supply of labour is higher than the demand for Labour.
In conclusion, one would easily agree that casual workers occupy a precarious position in the workplace and society at large and are effectively a new set of “modern slaves” and “underclass” in the modern extreme capitalist economy.
Writer: Egbo A. E

you are getting the subject of discourse from a negative perspective. the essence of it all is to establish the fact that life is a process. you can't bye-pass the process to reap the progress.

life is sowing and reaping. and everyone reaps according to what he/she sows. thus we are therefore counselled to effectively manage each stages of our lives if we must arrive at the desired destination.

were are not to be deterred/discouraged by the various obstacles that we face in the process.

you will agree with me that you were not born with the mastering skills of reading and writing in English, it took years and rigorous efforts for you to learn the language and arrive at the stage you are today. that is the process of life and that is what this topic is teaching as lucidly summarized below.

1. Success is a function of 'efforts = results'
2. Success is a function of 'sowing = reaping'
3. Success is a function of ' process = progress'
4. Success is a function of ' sacrifice = outcome'
5. Success is a function of ' paying now = playing later'

You can't be admitted into the university without passing through secondary education. SSCE (WAEC/NECO), UTME and Post UTME are the statutory Visa to gaining admission into our tertiary institutions in Nigeria without which one is not qualify. This also applies to every other areas of our life and quest for fulfilment - PROCESS & PROGRESS!

Life outcome is a function of efforts and result. the level of efforts and/or sacrifices you make determines the results you get.

No pain and no gain. you must pay now in order to play later.

YOU CAN’T GET TO THE PROMISE LAND WITHOUT PASSING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS

In the story of the movement of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan – the promised land. It was observed that one entire generation of the physical offspring of Abraham died on the wrong side of the border (wilderness), in unbelief because they were faithless. Only those who were the “faith” descendants of Abraham could claim the Promised Land …“The Land – is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us the He will bring us into this Land and give it to us” Numbers 14:7-8. They all had the dream of going to the Promised Land but their thoughts, attitude and faith were incompatible with this dream. They had a positive dream but demonstrated a negative attitude towards its realization.
James Allen posited that “Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self- crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. This is true of earthly as of heavenly things. Even the man who sole object is to acquire wealth must be prepared to make great personal sacrifices before he can accomplish his object; and how much more so he who will realize a strong and well poised life”.
At every stage of moving up, there are always hurdles to be surmounted. There is nothing good that comes easy. Do not invest your precious time on mere wishes; take action. God has endowed you with all it takes to succeed in your chosen endeavour. He is just waiting for you to activate them. Don’t sit back and start praying for luck. There is nothing like luck. Riches are not found in lost wallets, pool betting, gaming machine tables and horse races. But consider your trade, which is a just reward for efforts than the goddess of luck (if she exists). Luck does not exist! ... “Be ready when opportunity comes...Luck is the time when preparation and opportunity meet’. ~ Roy D. Chapin Jr. 
Many people are not able to bring their business undertaken to success and they think the next thing to do is to switch to luck. Avoid that idea. It is better to take a risk and fail, than to live as a coward. If you must be assured of success before you make a move, you may never make a move or you wait forever.
It’s worthwhile to opine here that you are a Christian is not a guarantee against temptations and frustrations from unforeseen circumstances. Yes! You can be severally frustrated but the assurance remains that “…even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me; your rod and staff – they comfort me”… Psalm 23:4. The only way you can get at the sheep is to capture the shepherd, and God can’t be captured because he is our shepherd. You don’t have to be afraid because the shepherd is with you. It thus doesn’t matter what people are saying concerning you, what is important is what God is saying and his mind towards you. You only need to be dogged towards the realization of your goals.
You must convert all your ideas into action and pursue them rigorously, one day, the tide will change, and the storm will be calmed. You will conquer the wilderness and possess your divine inheritance in Christ.
By: Egbo Ekene

The supreme will of the people has prevailed today in Nigeria above ethnic and religious sentiments. At least today's result has vindicated my earlier stance that the outcome of this election will reveal many fake prophets.

The outcome of the 2015 election will redefine Nigeria's political system and engender political accountability based of the below premises.

1. If APC wins the presidential election, they will definitely work in order not to lose the 2019 election.

2. If par adventure PDP wins, they would sit up vehemently because the would have realised that power reside on the people.

3. The unfolding events prior to this election have send a serious signal to the politicians that they can nolonger eat their cakes and have it. it is no longer business as usual and Nigerians have realized the existence of their supreme power to determine their political destiny through the ballot.

we wisely. let not religious and ethnic sentiments determine the direct of your vote.

A review of the 6 weeks performance and activities of GEJ has left me with no option than to conclude that GEJ's failings and nonperformance of the past 5 year was deliberate attempt to punish Nigerians unnecessarily which has also led to the lost of lives of thousands innocent Nigerians in the north.

This form of deceitful government must be voted out.

Vote Buhari&Osinbajo, vote change!

we have many compelling reasons not to return this administration. Reelecting GEJ is tantamount to shipwrecking the Nigeria project.