For decades, locally and globally, people have been fighting for inclusion: inclusion in homes, in society and at work. Women and people with disabilities have been asking for one thing; equality. Seeking acceptance is human nature and while we, as leaders in human resource, cannot control people's feelings of belonging in their homes or social lives, we can definitely control the way they feel when they're under our care, at work.
Human resource management in Pakistan is not easy. The market is full of hirings being done on the basis of connections or from a select group of available employees only. These practices ruin the industry for those of us who believe in hiring based on an applicant's skill sets and capabilities, as job seekers might become hesitant in applying.
Under Section 10 of the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981, any private establishment having more than 100 employees is bound to implement the 3pc employment quota for the disabled. Under Section 11 of the ordinance, an establishment which does not employ a disabled person is bound to pay into the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Fund an amount equal to the salary or wages of disabled employees.
How many HR personnel abide by this law? And how many follow it solely based on the fact that it is a law? The next question arises in reference to women at the workplace. As per a World Bank report, Pakistan@100, it came to light that Pakistan ranked 148 out of 149 countries on the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index in 2018. The report also highlighted the female labor force participation which, while it almost doubled from 13.3 percent in 1992 to 26.3 percent in 2017, remains one of the lowest, not just in South Asia, but globally.
These figures speak volumes about human resource management in Pakistan. It also furthers the pressures on the employees who have not just studied HR but who are working in human resource departments in companies. How many of us have diversity and inclusion as a part of our hiring plans? Not because it is a law or because we are bound by regulations to fulfill these requirements but because we actively believe in developing a work environment which is equal for all.
In order to achieve the ideal level of diversity and inclusion at a workplace we need to become proactive in our hiring. We also need to step up and evaluate the kinds of trainings we align for our employees. If we know having a diverse and inclusive workplace is going to make some of the workforce uncomfortable, we need to be able to prep them accordingly. Host the right trainings and start the right conversations.
As HR personnel the onus lies with us to ensure everyone gets an equal opportunity to work. The World Bank's Pakistan@100 report clearly states that our country's biggest asset is our growing population of almost 208 million people, with the number of individuals entering the labor market over the upcoming years expanding at a faster rate than the total population. This means that we need to look to create sufficient quality jobs within our organizations and ensure that individuals of working age - both men and women - participate in the labour force. By doing this we will not only be contributing to the growth of our economy but by ensuring we keep an open mind while hiring and hire the right person for the right job we will also be able to further increase diversity and inclusion in our workplaces which would help create an inclusive and positive environment for all.
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