Business growth depends heavily on the people behind an organisation. While revenue, profitability and expansion remain major priorities for companies, building a strong workforce is equally important to achieving those goals.
This was a major focus at the 2025 HR Fusion by Jobberman in Akwa Ibom, where HR professionals and business leaders examined how better talent management can help organisations attract, develop and retain the people they need to grow.
The event was held on Friday, September 26, by Jobberman Nigeria in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. It featured a keynote presentation on talent management, followed by breakout sessions that explored workplace inclusion and strategies for building stronger teams.
Aligning Talent With Business Goals
During the keynote session, Mr. Ide Owodiong-Idemeko explained that effective talent management goes beyond recruiting qualified employees.
According to him, businesses need to ensure that the right people are placed in the right roles and given the support required to perform effectively.
He identified five important areas that businesses should focus on: strategic alignment, talent attraction, employee development, engagement and technology.
The message was particularly relevant to businesses in Akwa Ibom, where talent should be viewed as a key driver of growth rather than simply an HR responsibility.
Owodiong-Idemeko also stressed the importance of continuous learning, employee empowerment and engagement in helping organisations retain valuable workers.
He referenced Richard Branson’s well-known advice that businesses should train employees well enough to leave while treating them well enough to want to stay.
He further encouraged HR professionals to operate as strategic business partners by using technology, data and inclusive workplace practices to improve performance and support innovation.
Businesses Need to Rethink Inclusive Hiring
One of the major issues raised during the breakout sessions was the limited recruitment of people from marginalised groups.
The discussion highlighted that nine out of 10 employers do not actively seek to recruit individuals from marginalised groups, despite the 5 per cent quota requirement.
Participants stressed that genuine inclusion requires businesses to look beyond assumptions and recognise the skills, experience and potential that these candidates can bring to an organisation.
Misconceptions about productivity, workplace adjustments and the perceived challenges of employing marginalised groups can discourage employers from considering them. However, overlooking these candidates can also mean missing a significant pool of capable workers.
Challenging Workplace Bias Against People With Disabilities
Another major discussion centred on changing attitudes towards persons with disabilities.
Organisations were encouraged to deliberately address biases that may influence hiring, promotion and workplace responsibilities. Such bias can sometimes appear in assumptions that people with disabilities are unable to manage demanding roles or take on leadership responsibilities.
Businesses can begin changing these attitudes through awareness programmes, disability-inclusion training and better accessibility across the workplace.
Recognising the achievements and contributions of employees with disabilities was also identified as a way to help shift workplace culture from sympathy towards genuine respect and inclusion.
Building Safer Workplaces for Women and PWDs
Creating a safe workplace was another important part of the discussions.
Organisations were encouraged to establish clear and fair procedures for dealing with harassment and ensure that HR teams are properly prepared to respond when complaints arise.
A respectful workplace should apply to everyone, including men, women and persons with disabilities, with leadership expected to demonstrate those values in everyday operations.
Beyond having policies on paper, businesses can strengthen workplace safety through confidential reporting channels, clear anti-harassment rules and regular staff sensitisation.
Physical accessibility should also form part of workplace planning so that offices, facilities and technologies can be used effectively by employees with different needs.
Managers Have a Major Role in Workplace Inclusion
The behaviour of managers can strongly influence how employees experience inclusion within an organisation.
Managers who demonstrate fairness and respect in their daily decisions can help establish the standard expected across their teams. This includes how they distribute assignments, provide development opportunities, consider employees for promotion and respond to bias.
The discussion also emphasised that inclusion should not be treated as the sole responsibility of HR departments.
Managers and other leaders need to be held accountable for creating fair and respectful teams, making inclusion part of broader leadership performance rather than an isolated HR initiative.
Recognition Can Improve Employee Experience
Employee recognition was also identified as an important part of effective talent management.
For employees with disabilities in particular, recognition programmes can strengthen their sense of belonging while encouraging stronger performance.
Recognition does not have to be limited to awards. Businesses can create opportunities for employees to demonstrate their abilities, access mentorship and participate in professional development.
When employees feel valued and supported, organisations can build stronger engagement while creating an environment where talented workers are more likely to remain and develop.
Inclusive Recruitment Can Strengthen Business Performance
The discussions at the HR Fusion also highlighted the broader business benefits of inclusive recruitment.
Actively creating opportunities for young persons with disabilities can help businesses build more diverse teams while giving qualified individuals access to dignified employment.
A broader talent pool can introduce different perspectives into workplace decision-making and problem-solving. It can also help organisations develop new ideas and improve their ability to respond to changing business needs.
For businesses seeking sustainable growth, inclusion therefore goes beyond meeting a social responsibility. It can become part of a wider talent strategy that supports innovation, employee engagement and long-term competitiveness.
The 2025 HR Fusion in Akwa Ibom ultimately placed talent management at the centre of the conversation around business growth, highlighting the need for organisations to attract capable people, invest in their development and create workplaces where diverse talent can thrive.
