Uganda’s Top Employers Honored at Employer of the Year Awards
The Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) has awarded MTN Uganda, Nile Breweries Limited, and Uganda Breweries Limited with the esteemed title of the country’s premier employers. This recognition was unveiled at the 18th edition of the Employer of the Year Awards, held at Speke Resort Munyonyo. The event’s central theme, “Employer Competitiveness in the Post COVID-19 Era,” underscored the importance of resilience and adaptability in today’s business landscape.
The selection process involved a comprehensive national survey conducted by FUE in collaboration with the respected Makerere University School of Psychology. Supported by prominent entities such as the International Labour Organization, Uganda Insurers Association, Enabel, and Vision Group, the survey meticulously evaluated over 200 companies. Through interviews with over 1,700 employers and employees, the assessment covered a wide range of factors, including quality and company performance, innovation, risk and compliance, customer experience, workplace culture, and employee well-being. Notably, the evaluation also scrutinized talent management strategies and the inclusivity of individuals with diverse abilities.
Professor Kikooma Julius of Makerere University elaborated on the evaluation process, highlighting its emphasis on holistic measures of competitiveness beyond mere financial metrics. “The models used in the awards consider a small subset of criteria in measuring competitiveness such as sales, growth, and profits. We also looked at employer competitiveness in terms of quality and company performance; innovation; risk and compliance; customer experience; and workplace culture,” remarked Prof. Julius.
Among the category winners included Maria Investments winning the Best Refugee Employer, Cipla with the Digital Inclusion Award, NUDIPU winning the Best NGO Award, Young Agro-Green Africa Network with the Best SME Award, Engineering Solutions winning the Sexual Reproductive Health Award, Carrefour winning the Best Service Sector Award, Hubby Elite winning the Best Urban Refugee Employer and Grant Thorton winning the Best Talent Management Award.
In his opening remarks, Douglas Opio, Executive Director of FUE, underscored the Awards’ mission to laud enterprises committed to exemplary management practices. Opio articulated, “The Employer of the Year Awards aim to recognize enterprises that prioritize good management practices, promoting the adoption of the best human resource management and business practices to foster organizational growth and profitability,” he said.
Eng. Silver Mugisha, Chairperson at FUE and Managing Director at National Water and Sewerage Corporation stressed the importance of adhering to top-tier human resource practices that can promote competitiveness and continuous learning as essential elements of thriving in the business.
His words were re-echoed by Emmanuel Njuki, Director for Legal and Corporate Affairs at Nile Breweries who noted that these Awards symbolize the trust and confidence that employees have in the recognised companies.
On his part, Luc Pirson, the Head of Cooperation of the Embassy of Belgium said that the Employer Of Year Awards are a vital component for progressing towards a just society and acknowledged FUE for championing fair workplace standards and social protection in the employment sector.
Other speakers like Jonan Kisakye, Chief Executive at Uganda Insurers Association thanked FUE for flying the employers’ flag high while stressing the importance of insurance to employers decrying the low uptake of the mandatory Worker’s Compensation that stands at only 1% of employers. He said, “a healthy workforce can deliver results for an organisation to be profitable. And that is why we must safeguard employeed health through insurance as the industry has consistently shown its solidity with almost UGX 2 Billion in claims paid out daily.”
The recognition bestowed upon MTN Uganda, Nile Breweries Limited, and Uganda Breweries Limited, alongside the distinguished cohort of awardees, signifies a commitment to fostering excellence in employment practices. This recognition not only honors these organizations but also underscores Uganda’s dedication to building a business environment grounded in professionalism and inclusivity.