Kenya Human Resource Practices

In a country where human resource is not appreciated and valued as in other countries, one wonders where Kenya’s job market is heading.

The story of the talents in the Bible where a businessman entrusts his wealth to the care of his servants while he is away. When he returns, he evaluates each servant’s responsibility and rewards them accordingly. The owner says, “Well done, good faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

In this passage, the businessman gives Affirmation: Good job! Well Done. Next he gives a promotion: I will put you in charge of many things. And finally he honors through celebration: come share your master’s happiness.
Does this happen in Kenya’s job environment?

In many cases, businessmen take advantage of their employees. Salaries also provide an avenue for employers to exploit their employees. Imagine working 80hrs a week under the same salary that you would get paid for working 40hrs? This is what some employers are doing…Instead of hiring more employees, they are forcing their employees to work longer hours with the same salary.

When was the last time you received affirmation from your boss? Does he/she even acknowledge that you exist? Is affirmation important to you?

Promotion comes after affirmation. It is a recognition that you have carried out your responsibilities well and you can handle more. A promotion means that you are entrusted with more.

After hard work, it is important to receive affirmation, receive a promotion and receive honor. Honor maybe financial (more money for the work that you do), maybe a party in your honor, it might be a plaque recognizing your contribution, training to prepare you for greater responsibilities, etc.

I wish Kenyan employers could borrow a leaf from the Bible and acknowledge their employers.
Human resource is the driving force of any organization. Neglect this area of any organization and you are seeking doom! Frustrated employees can bring a successful enterprise to its knees.

Surviving the Test of Time

In 1941 Bultmann launched his Manifesto, The New Testament and Mythology, in which he explained that the New testament world of spirits and miracles had become decidedly foreign to the modern scientists and technologists who were in control of themselves and of the world.
If this was true then, it is even truer now.

The dotcom generation, the age of gadgets and wiki where you can find an answer to all life mysteries does not seek the truth in the Bible. Does this mean that religion is slowly dying? Will the next generation know anything about the Old Testament and the New Testament? If they do know anything of the word, will the word be of any significance?

Can religion stand the test of time “as it is” or will it adapt to the changes in society?

If this generation does not read the Bible will it end up following wrong disciples?

Ricoeur said: “What we have here is a circle: to understand the text, I must believe what the text imparts; but what the text imparts to me is given nowhere else save in the text: that is why it is necessary to understand the text.”

So this begs the question: how many of us actually read the word for ourselves? With all the false prophets out there why do we allow them to interpret the text for us while we can do it for ourselves?

In Kenya we have seen Pastor Deya, Brother Paul Patni, Hellon etc who have obviously misled people; but I those who were misled allowed themselves to be misled.
We have been given the ability to think for ourselves and read and reason for ourselves; so why allow someone else define your relationship with your Maker?

So can religion is we know it, or as it was known by our parents survive the test of time or will it be kidnapped by self-serving, false prophets? Does religion serve a crucial role in our lives for us to defend it?