The 11th Women in Human Resource (HR) Conference has ended in Accra with a call on female HR practitioners across the country to take leadership positions and influence boardroom decisions in their respective institutions.
The two-day conference, which climaxed last Thursday under the theme: “Beyond HR – Women Driving Culture, Strategy & Innovation”, was aimed at celebrating and highlighting the evolving role of women in HR who are driving culture, innovation, and business strategy in a fast-changing world of work.
It also focused on empowering women HR professionals to take on strategic leadership roles, influence boardroom decisions, and actively shape the future of their organisations among others.
The conference also served as a platform for women in HR to discuss current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field.
The occasion was graced by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA), Alex Frimpong, and the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Matilda Asante-Asiedu, who was the Guest Speaker; the Head of HR of Ecobank Ghana, Nixon Amuah-Awuah, and the Senior HR Consultant, Kusi Consulting, among others.
Call to action
In her address, Mrs Asante-Asideu, urged women in HR practice to step out of their traditional roles and embrace leadership positions in various sectors.
She urged women to own their leadership stories unapologetically, walk into spaces of power with confidence, and bring their perspectives to the table.
She stressed that women should not be confined to roles like human resources, corporate social responsibility, or middle management. Instead, they should be given opportunities to lead and shape organisational culture, strategy, and innovation.
The Second Deputy Governor averred that women, according to research, had proven to adopt more transformational and participative leadership styles, prioritising collaboration, empowerment, and inclusivity.
These traits, she said, strengthened organisational culture, sparked innovation, and sustained change over time.
“When women lead, organisations don't just evolve; they leapfrog. Women's participation in leadership positions can drive economic growth, improve decision-making, and increase innovation,” she said.
Advocacy
For his part, the CEO of GEA, Mr Frimpong, said it was imperative to indicate that female HR practitioners were no longer confined to administrative support, but were now at the forefront of shaping inclusive workplaces, influencing boardroom decisions and leading the transformation of work in the digital era.
He said it was within that context that the GEA introduced the Women in HR Conference in 2015 as part of its broader vision to strengthen human resource management practice while deliberately addressing gender gaps in leadership across enterprises in the country.
“The Conference was therefore conceived to provide a unique space where female HR practitioners could share experiences, exchange knowledge and build networks that would enhance both their career trajectories and organisational impact,” he said.
Mr Frimpong added that the establishment of the Conference reflected GEA’s recognition that empowering women in HR was a matter of equity and strategic lever for fostering inclusive workplaces and innovation.
The CEO of GEA affirmed that over the years, the Conference had steadily gained momentum and was well on its way to achieving its core objectives of building a knowledge hub for HR practitioners, strengthening women’s influence in strategic decision-making and shaping the future of work through collaboration and innovation.
Looking into the future, Mr Frimpong added that the Conference aspired to further deepen its relevance by positioning itself as the premier convening space for HR leadership in the country.
