Anchored by the telecommunications giant MTC, the Institute of People’s Management (IPM) Conference hosted its 14th edition under the theme, “Namibia Decides – Managing Hopes and Fears.” The two-day conference, highly popular among Human Resource practitioners in Namibia was held in Windhoek on the 18th to 19th November 2024 and recorded hundreds in attendance.
The event was officiated by the Minister of Finance, Ipumbu Shiimi, who in his keynote address, shared three critical insights on effective recruitment, emphasizing that interviews should account for no more than 10% of the decision-making process when assessing a candidate’s suitability. “While qualifications and skills are important, attitude is paramount. When a person has the right attitude, they get the job done. This is what drives efficiency within a company or department,” he remarked.
The conference featured experts and seasoned professionals who spoke on various of insightful presentations. Speaking at the conference, Margaret Akooko, a Principal Human Resources Business Partner at the Bank of Namibia discussed the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in a recruitment process. “It is essential that interview panels reflect diversity and extend beyond religion and culture. Diversity is critical to pulling varied skills, knowledge, and competency of any organisational workforce.”
Maggy Shino, Petroleum Commissioner at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, addressed Talent Development for Emerging Sectors. She encouraged young Namibians to develop expertise in industries like oil and gas, highlighting that importing skills is costly. “We need to start training and equipping our own in fields that are critical for driving national economic growth. We are therefore proud that to-date, through Petrofund, we have trained over 300 students in emerging industries,” she said.
Lisa Matomola, Chief Executive Officer of IPM expressed satisfaction with the 14th edition of the conference, deeming it a success. “We are quite pleased with the growing interest in membership within the IPM community, and noting the high level of engagements among attendees highlights the relevance of the body (IPM) amongst HR and other professionals.”
John Ekongo, Corporate Affairs Manager at MTC, added: “We hope the discussions at this conference will inspire meaningful action, demonstrating how Human Resources can play a pivotal role in advancing HR matters at all levels. This gathering should shine a light on critical insights, showing how HR inspires specific dreams and develops strategies to support the government in achieving the Vision 2030 blueprint.”
IPM conference is driven with the purpose to empower HR professionals and driving progress within Namibia’s workforce.