BrighterMonday CEO ,Brian Ntambirweki talks The African Talent Company

In May this year, BrighterMonday Uganda, the number one online job-matching platform in Uganda announced becoming part  of The African Talent Company (TATC) group (formerly known as Ringier One Africa Media (ROAM) Jobs) which runs the BrighterMonday platforms in East Africa (Uganda & Kenya) and the Jobberman job-matching platforms in West Africa (Nigeria & Ghana).

Over the past 10 years, TATC platforms have developed a database of nearly 75,000 employers registered across Africa.

The company has also facilitated access to jobs for over 10 million users, with more than 5 million completed job applications and over 5,000 courses.  Our aim is to bridge the African talent gap.

BrighterMonday's Chief Executive Officers has spoken about the development

 What should we  expect going forward?

You can expect a lot more value from BrighterMonday Uganda which now has an expanded mandate under The Africa Talent Company to better meet employers where they are and effectively match them with the best talent.

Additionally, recruiters will have access to a more robust catalogue of HR solutions and services that are tailored and designed to be accessible across a wide range of requirements, including:

Digital recruitment solutions: Here, we have enhanced our self-service online products, which are designed for efficiency and allow for easier and more effective matching via the company’s large candidate database.

Offline recruitment solutions: We have expanded the range of bespoke, concierge-based solutions for more complex hiring needs.

Manpower outsourcing: We have Developed highly specialized offerings for niche customers, with a growing demand for transactional jobs. This will include augmenting our offering with skills development as well as technology-enabled onboarding and benefits management.

Lastly; to provide more career development support, The African Talent Company will be investing further in the e-learning space and developing a winning suite of diverse, easy-to-use, self-service online products for upskilling candidates on its platform.

Jobseekers will also benefit from timely access to relevant job listings, visibility to top companies hiring, and career developmental support while employers can access quality candidates in a cost-saving and efficient recruitment process.

How important is it to invest in effective talent management?

It is very important to invest in talent management. By doing so, you ensure that your employees are up-to-date on the latest industry best practices, equipped with the skills they need to perform their jobs effectively, and motivated to continue learning and developing their careers.

Additionally, investing in talent management can help improve productivity, reduce turnover and improve retention rates as was identified in our Employee Satisfaction Report released last year where over 88% of the employees stated that employee satisfaction was a major factor in their productivity.

What is the biggest opportunity you see in the job market?

The rapid increase in digitisation has made remote work, gig work, and BPO become mainstream therefore we are seeing a lot of opportunity there and our new mandate will see us move beyond the traditional marketplace and begin to holistically tackle the challenges we see in our labour markets in a hybrid approach that benefits both seekers and employers.

The global business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is worth around $245 billion and growing at a rate of around 9% per annum. As more organizations seek to become more efficient and agile by focusing on their core competencies & functions, East Africa and Uganda in particular are well positioned to take advantage of this sector.

It has the potential to create numerous opportunities, jobs both directly and indirectly mostly in the healthcare, I.T & telecommunications sectors therefore, we see a lot of opportunities we can take advantage of.

What is your advice to employers and employees on handling the recent inflation spike being experienced across the country?

Inflation complicates a number of issues for both employers and employees especially around compensation and benefits. Uganda has not been immune to the global disruptions caused by the recent pandemic, supply chain & geopolitical issues which is partly why we have seen our inflation increase month on month since January this year.

Costs are rising for employers and definitely employees are feeling the squeeze as well with their purchasing power diminishing every month while pay and benefits may not necessarily be on the rise for most.

Last year in September we launched the Employee Satisfaction Report which is a valuable tool for organizations looking to foster resilience, enhance competitiveness and prepare for future disruptions.

This report and many such like it form some basis for both employers and employees to build resilient processes & structures that withstand short & long term shocks such as supply chain issues & now inflation because by working together as a unit, they can find a suitable and cost-effective solution that doesn’t hurt the business and also give employees some reprieve during such difficult situations.

Throughout the pandemic, we have been witnessing a lot of changes ranging from flexible work, work from home and so many arrangements and it is time companies started to implement the changes. We should not abandon them, especially if they can improve on the current situation and enable employees to deal with rising costs.