HR Awards ceremony 2006

The Foundation for Human Resources Development held its fifth HR Awards ceremony on November 30 at the Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian's.

The ceremony was opened by chief executive officer Maria Pia Chircop, who outlined the scope of the awards: "For the FHRD to provide to organisations a tool which encompasses values and criteria against which organisations can measure the way they are managing and developing their people, for business success." Such a tool should be used within all the layers of the organisation. It should gather 360 degrees feedback to ensure a common understanding of the organisation's processes and it should be used to bridge the gaps that might arise between managerial and non-managerial perceptions, reducing violation of the psychological contract.

Ms Chircop also stated that the HR Awards should serve to continue developing organisational skills and people with the aim to improve business performance. Other short speeches followed by FHRD president Noel Scerri and by the two judging committee chairpersons, Jozie Devoy, who chaired the Committee for the HR awards, and Jackie Fenech, who chaired the Committee for the Training and Development awards.

The two chairpersons congratulated the participating companies for their high standards of submissions, stating that people management is alive in Malta, and that training and development is considered to be an added value to the organisation.

This year there was also an award offered by the Centre for Labour Market Studies at the University of Leicester, presented by Dr John Goodwin, head of the centre, in the presence of Dr Henrietta O'Connor, director of Learning and Teaching. Two companies received the award, MITTS Ltd and Mizzi Organisation Automotive Ltd.

The closing speech was delivered by Frank Edwards, principal and chief executive officer of MCAST on behalf of Minister for Education, Youth and Employment Louis Galea, who was unable to attend.

This year the FHRD offered five awards for the Best HR, Training and Development and People Initiatives and for Excellence in People Management and Training and Development. Six companies were awarded and recognised for meeting the FHRD criteria (see photos).

The FHRD is launching its HR Awards for 2007 in the second quarter of next year.