schoolscolleges2020 hed news

Class Photo
By: Dexter Din, Samut Prakan, Thailand

My name is Dexter Din, 45 years old and is currently working as a Vice Principal at an International School in Samut Prakan, Thailand. My job includes taking care of the school’s internal and external affairs (School Affairs) as well as coordinating in the Human Resource Department. For quite a while before coming across the Diploma on Human Resource Management program of PMAP-AIHRM through Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, I have been engaged in modules on Human Resource Management via another online platform. There are tons of highly available courses on the internet these days. Aside from the fact that I have learned a lot from those materials, it does not cost anything as they are all for free (unless you would like a certificate).

In my current organization, pay raises are usually awarded if you are able to finish an additional program (diploma) that are relevant to your position and are guaranteed to enhance the quality of job you deliver. After finishing at least three modules in a free online platform, I realized that it will not hurt if I consider enrolling in a formal institution, interact with practitioners, be certified, and finally, be able to monetize the learnings.

I was ecstatic to stumble on the program hosted by Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan. The advertisement was barely up on that day when I saw it. Without any hesitation, I emailed the program coordinator and expressed my interest to enroll. Mr. Rogelio Lee eagerly responded with the details and lucid instructions on how to proceed. It was a pleasure to correspond with him.

Meeting Ms. Gina Libot, the resplendent instructor assigned to tackle the Certificate on Compensation Management was cordial to everybody during our first Zoom meeting. My classmates who are mostly accomplished professionals in their field are warm enough to make the first meeting like nothing new. It was an amazing start.

The certificate program covered topics on compensation and benefit, job analysis, job description, job structure, job evaluation, and salary structure. Every single session is preceded by an email that contains the link to the meeting, Power Point materials for the topic, and additional documents on workshop and exercises. It was imperative to have exercises on calculating appropriate salary range, width, executing a compa-ratio in order to prescribe an internally equitable and externally competitive salary structure for a company.

Being conscious on the remuneration package offered and received by each employee in my organization, the program is not merely informative for me - it was enlightening. The basic principles and concepts that are fundamental to practices of an organization were implicitly and explicitly discussed in our classes, at least in my perspective. Every session gave sense to what I do in my job. Although I have been involved in hiring staff in my organization for 4 years, I was too complacent and settled on the thought that I merely inherited the practice or the system adapted in our organization. Imposing anything out of the current system will be like stirring a still, calm water. For a while, I thought it is to my best interest to do what I am told to do and I would like to keep it that way.

As I delve further into the learnings during the session, I realized that coming up with recommendations that are backed by standard practices in Human Resource will not be a bad idea. Armed with new knowledge wherein satisfaction of the basic human needs of employees and the capacity of the employers could be factored in, a ‘storm’ started to brew in me. Though adapting recommendation is not a guarantee, applying what I learned from the program will be a good start for me as an HR practitioner. Who knows? If the Management take my word, I will be a part of transforming a company in which satisfaction is mutual from both corners in the organization, the employees and employers.

My conclusion in finishing my first certificate is expressed in this quote by Aldous Huxle: “The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.” Genius may be a relative word. I am far from it. Enthusiasm however puts all of us on equal footing. In imposing changes for the better, we always have to begin somewhere. It doesn’t take a genius, you just need at least an ounce of enthusiasm on it.