Working with the Working Time Directive

A seminar organised by the Foundation for Human Resources Development last Tuesday on 'Working with the Working Time Directive' broke new ground on the subject.

The event at the Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian's, was well attended with over 90 participants from all sectors of the economy.

FHRD president John Muscat Drago noted that such a healthy attendance was an indication of the importance being attached to the subject.

The Foundation had chosen the Working Time Directive because it had not been discussed adequately at national level although it had implications, both positive and negative, on the economic, social and personal areas.

Mr Muscat Drago dwelt on the Foundation's focus on the two main areas of Malta's most crucial resource, its people: the promotion of the human resource profession and the promotion of human resource practices. Apart from its local activities, the Foundation is a member of the European Association of Personnel Management, which is represented in 26 countries, and of the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations.

FHRD was also the first organisation in Malta to have achieved the prestigious UK Investors in People Standard. Having recognised the need to give due recognition to those who invest in human resources, three years ago the Foundation took the initiative to launch the Human Resource Awards.

Four awards have been given, the Best HR Strategy to Business Success, the Best Training Initiative, HR Practitioner of the Year and Best HR Contribution to Micro Enterprise. This year the award is to be fine-tuned to better reflect the developments and realities of the local human resource scenario.

Mr Muscat Drago said much needed to be done on both the macro and micro levels to assess the impact people had on the success of any organisation, be it private, public, voluntary or otherwise.

"Certainly any strategy adopted to bring about change, penetrate a new market, offer a new service or product, to remain competitive, enhance an image, and so on, can only be effective if this is accompanied by a good and well-thought-out human resource strategy," he said.

Often organisations tended to be reactive rather than pro-active in HR matters. "In Malta, if we can compete on anything, in human resource matters the various stakeholders should collaborate much more to address the various issues with a view to making people feel much more motivated, productive and thus, in turn, add a higher value to any entity or organisation."

Mr Muscat Drago suggested it was necessary to appreciate the impact of people more. On his part, the HR practitioner needed to have a clear understanding of the economic and social realities and developments. "It is only through such a holistic view that the right decisions can be taken for the benefit of all while keeping human resources at the centre, as ultimately these are the ones that make things happen," he said.

Introducing the seminar, FHRD chief executive John Camilleri said one survey after another, especially in the UK, showed this was the directive that entrepreneurs and HR practitioners found most difficult to implement. It is also, allegedly, the directive that has been taken advantage of most, abused or even ignored by both employers and staff.

What will the Maltese experience be in implementing the directive, now that it has been enacted?, Mr Camilleri asked. Do we know enough on the implications it could have on the way we have always worked so far? Are we ready for the changes that this new reality will undoubtedly bring in the way working time will be organised? The seminar was the first step in understanding the law and its implications.

Speakers included Dr Noel Vella, consultant at the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations, who gave an exposition of Legal Notice 247 of 2003: Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

This was followed by two panel discussions which gave the views of the various stakeholders. The panels were made up of: Anton Borg, president, Malta Federation of Industry; Arthur Muscat, president, Malta Employers Association; Winston J. Zahra, president, Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association; Dr Joanna Drake, chairman, Occupational Health and Safety Authority; Gejtu Vella, general secretary, Union Haddiema Maghqudin; and Tony Zarb, general secretary, General Workers Union.

The keynote presentation giving past experience and present debates in the EU was made by Dr Simon Busuttil.

This event was organised with the participation of Megabyte Ltd and Dakar Software Systems, suppliers of HR hardware and software packages.

This seminar will be followed by HR Practitioner Meetings in the near future to discuss the implications of this directive for HR practitioners and their respective organisations in the various sectors.

For more details, contact FHRD on tel: 2137-8895 or e-mail: info @fhrd.org.