‘Inclusion, Effective Participation Vital for Organisational Growth’

Toyin Sanni

Ugo Aliogo

The Chief Executive Officer, Emerging Africa Group, Toyin Sanni, has stated that inclusion and effective participation are vital in driving organisational growth.

Sanni, who stated this in Lagos recently, during a keynote address with the theme: ‘Stand Out,’ at the 2020 Great Place To Work Awards ceremony, pointed out that in a healthy organisation, employees and supervisors must have the same goals, everyone should enjoy a feeling of inclusion and participation.

The event was organised to recognise companies who made the ranking list of best workplaces for 2020.
She noted that managers in a well-run organisation listen to the ideas put forth by subordinates.
She said it must be understood by every member of an organisation that it requires a collaborative effort to meet targets and produce continuous profits.

Sanni explained that in a healthy organisation, individual differences are nurtured; information is not suppressed or spurned, the organisation adds value to employees, “rather than merely extracting it from them; the organisation stands for something meaningful; the work itself is intrinsically rewarding.”

The Emerging Africa Group CEO maintained that all employees at every level of the organisation must be aware of the company’s goals, mission, vision and should have bought into it.

She urged managers and subordinates to understand what is required to reach the company shared goals, their specific roles to be played and be committed to making sincere efforts to achieve them.

According to her, “I have always maintained that the most valuable and productive employees work from their hearts and not from their minds.

“Employees should value their positions in the organisation and desire to work there for a long time. This ensures that productivity is high. High employee morale is achieved by treating employees with respect, ensuring appreciation of good work, embracing diversity and by encouraging cooperation over competition.
“Employees produce their best when they derive a sense of meaning and fulfillment, and not just financial compensation from their work.

“A good company should provide relevant and consistent training and advancement opportunities for employees to enhance their work-related skills, this will improve productivity and overall employee satisfaction.

“The best companies also offer opportunities to pursue certifications and continual education.
“Good leadership is of course one of the main characteristics of a successful organisation. Employees give their best when they trust and admire their leaders.

“Leadership development is therefore of critical importance. Employees should have good relationships with management built on trust and managers should know how to optimise employee productivity and collaboration.

“Managers should also be able to effectively communicate constructive criticism rather than reproach.”
At the event, 15 organisations won this year’s Best Workplaces award. For Small Corporate Organizations: FBN Quest Trustees (5th); Pfizer (4th); IdeasHouse (3rd); FBN Holdings (2nd); and SC Johnson (1st). For the Medium Corporate Organizations BetKing (5th); FBN Quest Merchant Bank (4th); Novartis (3rd); Oando Plc (2nd); and Courtville Business Solutions Plc clinching the 1st position.
The final category, Large Corporate Organisation Best Workplaces 2020 was: First Bank Nigeria Limited (5th); TVC (4th); FIDSON (3rd); PWC (2nd); and Sterling Bank Plc (1st).