The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has called on all the Management Staff in the Public Service Office, Office of the Head of Service, not to relent in discharging their duties diligently, efficiently and effectively, saying that it is through such means that they can identify specific areas to re-align with the present administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda for a Greater Lagos.
The Head of Service spoke at the opening ceremony of a three-day Retreat for Management Staff of the Public Service Office, Office of the Head of Service, held at the Jubilee Charlet, Epe, stating that the programme was organised to provide an avenue for participants to share knowledge and rub-minds on salient issues and challenges encountered by staff in the course of performing official duties, while proffering workable and practical solutions through the platform.
He stressed that the theme for the Y2021 retreat: “Leading and Engaging a Multi-Generational Workforce in the Lagos State Public Service”, was chosen with the aim of examining the dynamics of the older generation’s gradual exit from the Public Service and the assumption of leadership by the younger generation without creating a vacuum.
Muri-Okunola maintained that it is safe for all forms of organisations, Public or Private, to reflect a multi-generational workforce but there is a need to scrutinise the dynamics of the older generations gradual exit from the Public Service as well as the assumption of leadership by the younger generation of Public officers, which is part of what the retreat was set to achieve.
“Multi-generational workforce is a workforce made up of employees from different generations such as the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and Year 2000 generation, and thus exhibit varied work habits, expectations, and communication styles, which an organisation that desires success must understand, in order to implement strategies that would optimise the capacity of such workforce to attain corporate goals, specific organisational targets and timely service delivery”, he stated.
The Head of Service assured participants that issues affecting a multi-generational workforce such as generational differences in the workplace, generational styles, challenges, benefits and best practices in managing a multi-generational workforce would be extensively discussed and seasoned facilitators have been selected to take participants through the sessions.
While admonishing the staff of the Public Service Office to continue to deliver on the Ministerial mandate, Departmental responsibilities and individual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), he, however, implored them to align themselves with all the programmes, policies and projects of the Sanwo-Olu administration to achieve the Greater Lagos Dream.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Office of the Head of Service, Mr. Samson Ajibade, encouraged the participants to ensure that they take advantage of the retreat to brainstorm, network and equally take their minds off work environment by relaxing even as they discuss solutions to issues encountered in the workplace.
The Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, also urged Heads of Departments, Heads of Units as well as other Management Staff to support and encourage their subordinates to be diligent, transparent and truthful while discharging their duties, as this will enable them to get to the pinnacle of their careers in the State Public Service because diligence and hard work are adequately rewarded.
Some of the facilitators at the retreat include former Permanent Secretaries in the Public Service, Mr. Bashir Braimoh, who delivered a paper on ‘Driving the Past and the Present Towards the Future’ and Mr. Adewale Ashimi who spoke on the ‘Challenges and Prospect of implementation in the Lagos State Development Plan’, among others.
