Human Resources Expatriate Policy Train-the-Trainer Internal Workshop at Westin Hotel, Kuala Lumpur from 25 Aug-1Sep 2008.

As a continuation to the Human Resources Expatriate Policy training I had attended in The Hauge, The Netherlands in May early this year, I was invited to attend the Train-the-Trainer workshop at Westin Hotel, Kuala Lumpur from 25 Aug-1Sep. The plan is to lay out a training plan where local and internal resources would be trained to deliver the training. The facilitator was a young South African lady who is based in The Hague, The Netherlands. She is white without any intention to point this out, more to provide one of her personality. She had been in KL once before on a short work assignment.

The workshop consisted of 4 parts

1. Introduction of new Expatriate Human Resources Policy training modules
2. A three hour examination (I had sat and alhamdulillah had passed a three hour examination in The Hague, The Netherlands earlier in May)
3. Role playing as a trainer
4. Feedback on role playing

I had come to the workshop with an open mind, as I had expected that there would be a lot of learning from the 6 days workshop. True to my expectation, I had absorbed as much as it is possible and along the workshop, we had several views and ideas exchanged between the facilitator and participants. This is the part I like about workshops that are open and allow exchange of views and ideas.

However, there was an instance where the facilitator had been so engrossed with the policy so much so that the discussion had turned into a defensive argument. It was not helpful that one of the participants had an eye for a position in the Human Resources Policy unit that she had lost sight of her sensible judgement.

I had once held a Human Resources Policy role and I understand the thinking behind Human Resources Policy formulation, it is based on the principle of equity, competitiveness, clarity and standardisation. However, in my opinion Human Resources Policy shall always be run hand in glove with Human Resources Operations, the former from an idealistic view while the latter from a realistic view. Striking a balance between them would definitely bring in the principles mentioned above naturally.

I am still waiting for the result of my three-hour examination, which the facilitator said she would mark with her colleagues upon her return to her office.