THE Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) Inc. concluded a two-day training workshop on human resource development this week in Antigua and Barbuda. A collaboration with the Jamaica Institute of Financial Services (JIFS), the workshop – Talent Management for Competitive Advantage – was delivered at the Trade Winds Hotel in St John’s on 11-12 February 2020. The exercise was facilitated by noted human resource consultant, Henry L. Reid.
A total of 21 individuals from 10 organisations in six territories took part in the session. Managing directors, managers, and supervisors at various levels, including human resource managers, recruitment and training officers were able to learn the skills needed to identify, attract, develop, and retain talent; build the employer brand; improve performance management; integrate social media into talent management; and undertake successful succession planning.
The human resource professionals were taught how to make the link between enabled employees and successful business strategy. Hailing from Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Suriname, they engaged in spirited discourse on the employee value proposition, employee profiling and the recruitment process, and the application of emotional intelligence in talent management.
Wendy Delmar, CEO of the Caribbean Association of Banks Inc. noted, “This is truly a very timely intervention. We are witnessing unprecedented change in the regional banking and financial services sector, and it is incumbent upon us as the collective voice for the sector to do what we can to provide our member organisations with the tools to chart the way forward. I am confident that the practitioners who took advantage of this opportunity will come away poised to better advance the interests of their respective firms.”
“Human resource development, training, and coaching are part of my DNA,” she said. “It really is wonderful to see those working in this particular sphere within the banking industry networking and collaborating with one another. We certainly were heartened at the response from our members. We are delighted that we have been able to reinforce our relationship with JIFS, and we thank Mr Reid for imparting his knowledge and experience to all of our participants.”
At the end of the Workshop, the persons taking part were able to recognise the business case for talent management; identify strategies to enhance employer attractiveness to desired talent; identify the need to have talent management integrated into organisational strategy; understand key steps to implement the talent management continuum; design an action plan to address the organisation’s talent management needs; design an appropriate succession plan for their organisations; and recognise the power of coaching as a tool for growth and capacity building.
Mr Reid has worked with some of the leading businesses in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Over the course of his 35-year career, he has been employed with Cable & Wireless Caribbean, CIBC / FirstCaribbean International Bank, and British American Tobacco Caribbean. In a consultancy capacity, he has worked with major firms such as the Jamaica Public Service (JPS). A highly consultative change agent, Mr Reid facilitates team building and creative approaches to problem-solving.