HR lady trains all the way to Africa

ARMI TRENAS: In order to attract the right talent back to the Philippines, the needs of the whole family have to be considered.photo by Ma. Esther Salcedo-Posadas

ARMI Stephanie Treñas is a globe-trotting Filipino human resources consultant. She is the founder, president and principal consultant of Learning and Performance Partners Inc. (LPPI). She has been traveling since 2009 to African countries like Sudan, Chad, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to conduct human resource training programs for the United Nations Defense Peacekeeping Organization.

Another client, Southeast Asian Association of Central Bankers has also referred her services to other companies in the region (Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia).

Her key learning and development programs include three courses: foundation of instructional design, evaluating training results and courseware development workshops.

She is also the first certified talent economist in the Philippines, a program popularized by Gyan Nagpal, author of the book Talent Economics: The Fine Line Between Winning and Losing the Global War for Talent.”

LPPI is currently preparing for the upcoming Certified Talent Economist program to be held on June 3 to 5. (Details are available at www.learnperformance.com)

Talent economics

“Talent economics teaches that we have to look at talent as a resource, especially at this time when we are competing for talent,” says Treñas.

She explains that some companies recruit only to end up losing talent later because they did not look at it strategically.

She continues, “For example, a lot of companies would bank so much on retirement benefits thinking that it will hold people for a long time. Nowadays, this is changing … It’s no longer the company saying this is the way it goes. Now the bargaining power of employees is getting higher.”

Work-life balance

According to Treñas, employees in the present times look for other things such as a more balanced life and opportunities for self-development.

Treñas discussed the issue of talent migration (of overseas Filipino workers or OFWs) with Nagpal and concluded that the phenomenon is not exclusive to the Philippines. She cited that many people who go to universities want to experience working abroad.

“The difference with Filipinos is that when we go out of the country, it is for greener pastures compared with other people who just want experience and plan to go back.”

Many Filipinos don’t necessarily return due to the usual concerns over the political situation, ease of doing business, city traffic, etc. Treñas explains that in order to attract the right talent back to the Philippines, the needs of the whole family have to be considered.

“Talent economics looks at how you can improve the entire talent chain. The program shows the developments in the environment. One of the trends is more life-work balance. That’s why some of the companies are going near the communities. There are people who have given up lucrative jobs or taken a lower position just to be able to spend more time with family or aging parents.”

Treñas thinks that working from home is a good option as long as one gets the work done and it motivates people. She clarifies that there are people who also don’t do well working from home.

She acknowledges that there may not be enough lucrative jobs to keep all returning OFWs for good. She advises, “Learn while they are abroad. When they come back, share what they have learned to help the country develop.”

From her work abroad, Treñas notes that some migrant workers face family situational difficulties. “What I have observed is the need for companionship. And this would have consequences if you are apart from your family for an extended amount of time.”

Instructional integrity

Separation from family is one of the factors to consider before accepting a job offer abroad. “It’s a choice you need to make,” Treñas adds.

According to the company website, Treñas coined the term “instructional integrity? to describe a learning intervention whose elements are arranged to deliver its “promise,” that of addressing a performance gap.

A design is said to have instructional integrity when it focuses on the learning need through measurable objectives, focused content and assessments using methods that work.