Different organisations adopt different HR practices. Employers may believe that their HR practices are the best for their organisational culture, their people and their output, whether this is a product and/or a service they provide.

This argument may be very correct. However, it is very worrying when during a masterclass session organised by FHRD last month, trade unionists confirmed that more than a request for rise in pay, employees sometimes approach their trade union than their employer even for issues like a change in break times.

It is also worrying when employers query to what extent they can tolerate abuse of sick leave covered by a medical certificate, when legal control of bad practices in companies, whether through government legislation and/or collective agreements, is important to eliminate human distress and to 'raise the bar' for HR practices (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998).

Now that the peak season is approaching, it is even more worrying to read in our local newspapers that trade unions have to intervene as employers abuse of part-time and/or seasonal employees by giving them more than 20 hours work without any benefits. So one would query whether these HR practices are the best for one's organisation.

Debating differences in HRM, Graham & Bennett (1995) argue that the need to recruit, motivate, train, appraise and manage/control employees is common to all organisations throughout the world. It is the implementation of HRM practices that differs and among various factors one can attribute such differences to cultural factors.

However they further argue that, through globalisation, these cultural factors are becoming less and less important since business methods are being harmonised over frontiers and business management is assuming an increasingly technical aspect, independently from cultures of particular nations.

The mission of the Foundation for Human Resources Development (FHRD) is to "promote management and development practices and to raise the HR profession on the Maltese Islands". To continue achieving its mission, the FHRD, as in previous years, has, during the first quarter of this current year, given opportunities to all employers to improve certain HR practices.

These opportunities varied from a breakfast meeting in partnership with WPDC (Workers Participation Development Centre now CLS) and MEA (Malta Employers' Association), in how to deal with substance abuse at the workplace, a seminar in partnership with NCPE (National Commission for the Promotion of Equality) in presenting a Code of Practice on sexual harassment and monthly commentaries in The Sunday Times on certain HR aspects like leadership, management innovation, employment relations and the perception of HR in Malta.

The FHRD also provides networking opportunities through its activities both locally and abroad for all those in the HR domain to improve HRM and HRD. This month was marked by a Maltese delegation attending a CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) conference in Dublin.

New knowledge and qualifications are also an asset and these are being offered through the FHRD Continuous Professional Development programme and the certificate, diploma, master's and doctorate courses offered by the Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester. FHRD is proud to confirm that about 100 Maltese students have successfully completed their programme of studies with the University of Leicester over the past four years.

To assess the implementation of, and promote HR Best Practices, the foundation will this year be awarding organisations hailing from the manufacturing, retail, hospitality and services sectors and from the government departments/ agencies, for their Excellence in People Management.

A set of criteria have been identified which include also those practices which are required by new legislation like equal opportunity. Such criteria will be used as a yardstick for the judging committee and as a tool for FHRD to be able to offer its services in the coming year(s) to those organisations that would not have achieved such standards.

Furthermore one organisation from each of the above five sectors will be awarded for its best HR initiative of the year.

In conclusion, one needs to highlight that new legislations, which are being transposed from the European Employment Strategy demand new HR practices. Such practices require a change in mentality and above all a shift in culture.

Therefore all social partners and those international organisations which have long successfully implemented those HR best practices common to any type of business, including health and safety, flexibility, lifelong learning and equal opportunity, are duty bound to help both at national level and at organisational level, so that such a shift in culture materialises across the local labour market within the least time possible.

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