DIAMOND BANK URGE MSME'S TO EMBRACE BEST PRACTICE IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

L-R: Ayona Trimnell , Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank; Chidinma Lawanson, DivisionalHead, MSME and  Agency Banking, Diamond Bank; Dipo Davies , MD Castle Newspapers; Aisha Menkiti, CEO, Saycheese Cakes; and Ogechi Altraide , Regional Manager, Lagos Island, Diamond bank at the 62^nd  Diamond BusinessXpress Seminar held  in Lagos recently.

In line with its strategic thrust and promise to help enhance the development of human capacity within the Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs), Diamond Bank has charged operators in the sector to adopt best practice in human resource development, pointing that it is the only way to foster business sustainability. 

The charge was made at the 62nd BusinessXpress Seminar organized by the Bank to train MSME stakeholders on how to efficiently and effectively manage human resources for optimum business outcome. 

In her opening address, the Bank’s Head of MSME & Agency Banking, Chidinma Lawanson, stated that Diamond Bank’s support for the sector stems from the conviction that the operators hold the key to rapid and predictable economic growth and development in the country.

“Diamond Bank is a strong supporter of MSMEs in Nigeria. Our interest is driven by the belief that growing capacity among the over sixteen million MSMEs in the country will have a positive impact on the economy, which will invariably be beneficial to us as a Bank. We have invested hugely in the sector and the BusinessXpress Seminars are borne out of deep insights that reveal that small businesses need more than money to grow.”

She stated further that “in addition to providing financial solutions and advisory services to MSMEs, the BusinessXpress Seminar Series was established to build capacity within the sub-sector because we understand the need for continuous business education in order to successfully manage and build a sustainable business. The seminars also serve as credible networking platforms for participants to expand their contacts and clientele base which can be ultimately converted to profit.” 

The keynote speaker, Dipo Davies, Managing Director, Castle Magazine, urged the participants to lead by example as employees typically follow the footsteps of their employers. He further advised them to always strive to look for creative ways to run their businesses and solve problems beyond the norm.

“I have been an entrepreneur for over sixteen years now, with no prior experience in publishing before I ventured in. One of the most vital lessons I have learnt along the way is that there must be synergy between the goals of the employer and that of the employee for a business to thrive. So, employers have to make their objectives clear to candidates, right from the recruitment stages. In fact, I usually advise that this should be summarised into a goal so that employees do not get confused.”

Another speaker, Aisha Atta, founder of Say Cheese Cakes, advised MSMEs to ensure that they remain focused and persistent in achieving their goals. She likened building a business to nurturing a child into adulthood, an exercise which requires a lot of patience and time. 

Reiterating the keynote speaker, she advised that employers need to ensure that potential employees are qualified for the job because it is only when employees believe that they can actualise their personal goals within the organization that they can become relaxed enough to pursue the long term growth of the company. She also noted that a business cannot be sustainable if it cannot function without the constant physical presence of the owner.

The Diamond Bank BusinessXpress Seminar Series is a customised training initiative of the Bank aimed at building capacity among Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises in Nigeria. It is an offshoot of the Bank’s BusinessXpress account.

The seminar series was first held in 2011 and now in its 62nd edition. The training programme is held in different Nigerian cities each month, with themes structured to help MSME operators to optimally manage their businesses with predictable and sustainable profitability.