Build enduring business to transcend boundaries - Graphic MD challenges workers

The Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mr Ato Afful, has challenged workers of the company to build a business that will transcend times and boundaries.

In that regard, he called for a re-focused direction that would leapfrog the business to be more competitive and profitable.

He was speaking at the company’s staff durbar at its head office in Accra yesterday.

Award

At the ceremony, some of the staff members were awarded for years of dedicated service to the company.

Among the awardees were Mr George Akufo of the Finance Department, who was honoured for 30 years of service to the company.

Mrs Mary Aggrey of the Human Resource Department was also honoured for 25 years of service, while Mr Daniel Kenu from the Editorial Department of the Kumasi Office received an award for serving the company for 15 years.

Generating revenue

Mr Afful further urged the staff to re-engineer the business so as to stay afloat and survive the competitive environment.

]He said out of the opportunities that would come out of the re-engineering of the business, the group could generate revenue and provide more for the welfare of the staff.

“In this competitive era, let’s be conscious of what we do, when we do that, we will build a business that will transcend the times,” he said.
Sharing a three-prong business review development strategy, Mr Afful urged staff to work tirelessly to develop the audiences, create exceptional opportunities to build an enduring brand and develop a consistent content direction.

“We must always find content that drives leadership and engages our readers,” he advised.

News gathering

Mr Afful also spoke about what he called, ‘nuanced circulation’ where circulation and distribution modules would be enhanced to drive both the print and digital version of the paper.

News gathering, the managing director added, was expensive but noted that it was also becoming relatively free on other spaces and, therefore, called for creative and innovative ways to boost revenue for the group.

Collective action

In his remarks, the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Kobby Asmah, underscored the need for a collective action to move the company forward.

He urged workers of the group to recommit and rededicate themselves to the business, saying “it is us against them and not them against us. Therefore, workers must endeavour to positive outcomes including a changed attitude to work, adhering to the company’s value systems and making sure that we are one another’s keeper­. It is important that we all work together to bring on board bright ideas to grow the business”.

Staff welfare

For his part, the Chairman of the local branch of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Mr William Ashalley, noted that in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff, especially unionised members, defied all odds to work very hard to grow the fortunes of the company.

For that reason, he called on the management of the company to make it a duty to pay this year’s salary bonus, known as the “13th month” to motivate them to continue to go the extra mile.

Additionally, he urged the management to resume the payment of Long Service Awards to deserving unionised staff.

“I will take the opportunity to say that we are in a critical period of our business. Luckily, we have the resources it takes to turn things around. We are encouraging all managers concerned to open up and form transformational teams to develop new ideas aimed at changing the business. We can only make it together if we are seen together,” Mr Ashalley stated.

During an open forum, staff took turns to seek answers to questions about the end of year benefits, circulation of the newspapers and exploring new business opportunities, among others.