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JANUARY 2015 09 08 JANUARY 2015
Management at MRUL recognizes that Human
Resource is the most important resource as it
controls all others. Deliberate efforts have
therefore been made towards Human Resources
development through both conventional and innovative
approaches.
When McLeod Russel took over in 2010, exercises in
identification of performance gaps were undertaken.
Appropriate investment then started an ongoing program
for field and factory development, using a holistic approach
towards development of Human Resources.
These included:
 Training (structured and unstructured hands-on).
 Review of organization structures to streamline
responsibilities and accountabilities.
 Review of performance management and evaluation
schemes.
Training: Staff
This adheres to the following approaches:
1. ON-JOB SKILLS TRAINING . This has been
emphasized as opposed to the earlier practice of hiring
of ‘Gurus’ to provide classroom training. The main
aspects of this are:
a) SkillsTransfer from India: Uganda needs to benefit
from experiences gained in India in areas of tea
manufacture and machinery maintenance. Skills
Transfer commenced with experts making periodic
visits from India to Uganda. It was further decided
that Managers and other executives from MRUL
would visit Assam to share live experience in
operations. All Estate and Factory Managers as well
as Heads of Departments at the Mwenge Head
Office have since visited MRIL. This strategy has
been extended now to deputing skilled personnel
from India for specific periods, thereby leading to
an increased contact time. Also a larger number of
people can benefit when compared to the number
that can practically visit India.
b) Skilled senior managers on their routine schedules
continuously interact with and develop their junior
colleagues in unstructured training.
2. STRUCTUREDTRAINING: Staff members from
different estates come together to share experiences. In
most cases, External Resources/Trainers are brought
in to conduct such specialized training.
a) Managerial Skills Development: Training is
conducted by Mr Daniel Ojara of Management for
Development (M4D). Daniel is a Chartered
Manager and has many years of experience in
Operations and Administration specific to Tea. An
interactive approach is taken to training whereby
intense discussions about real work issues are
moderated by the Trainer. Workshops conducted
at least once a year cover a particular module, while
others are organized on needs basis. For example,
as it was realized that Industrial Relations
management required improved literacy in Uganda
Labour Laws, a Workshop was accordingly
organized.
b) Management Training Scheme: Fresh University
Graduates are recruited annually and trained for a
period of 2 years. Trainees are taken through all
aspects of field and factory management as well as
other associated activities on an estate.
c) Standards Training: The following standards are
maintained by MRUL: Rainforest Alliance and
Food Safety Management System (ISO 22000) on
all estates, along with Fairtrade at Mwenge and
Bugambe Tea Estates.Workshops and seminars by
consultants are regularly arranged to maintain
compliance with these standards.
d) Other Specialized Training Programs: Some
operations such as management of Estates’ Clinics
require staff to keep up-to-date with emerging
practices. In such cases staff members are sent out
for specialized training for several days.
Management Organization
Structure
When MRUL took over, estates were organized on a
Functional structure. This was mainly specific to field
operations: whilst one person was in charge of the entire
harvesting operation across the estate, someone else was
responsible for field maintenance and so on. The objective
earlier had been for an individual to focus on a particular
function, it also meant that his development was restricted to
that function. Structural reorganization into Divisions was
done and the Divisional-in-Charge now controls all
operations/functions in his geographical area.This has led to
acquisition of all-round skills and greater accountability.
~ Onesimus Matsiko
Administration & Human Resources Manager
Mwenge Central, Uganda
Developing Human Resources
at Mcleod Russel in Uganda
“Make the strengths of people productive and their
weaknesses irrelevant.” ~ Peter Drucker
Mr Saneer Gurung shows Uganda Managers around Kolkata
Mr Daniel Ojara Training Junior Management
Managers Trained on Uganda Labour Laws
Staff Training on Rainforest Alliance