Employers told to relax some job etiquette rules and change with the times

Employers have been told to relax some  of the job etiquette rules in order to rhyme with the current generation of graduands and young trainees.

“The expectations of many employers are sometimes in conflict with those of the current generation of graduands. For instance, there is a clash of hair styles, dress codes, mannerisms and job etiquette,” says leading educationist Dr Vincent Gaitho.

He adds; “The youth are keen on browsing social media and are constantly on their mobile phones; work may suffer. They are impatient. Employers need to accept, flex and relax some of their etiquette rules,” he said.

Dr Gaitho spoke during a regional conference for academics and industry leaders held in Kigali, Rwanda, dubbed the 13th Academia Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) and organised by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and the East African Business Council (EABC).

The three-day symposium brought together researchers, innovators, higher education leaders, industrialists and policymakers to deliberate on sustainable growth in East Africa in the face of a competitive world and the evolving demands of the job market.

Part of the discussions focused on addressing the persistent skills mismatch between university education and the industry-cum-job market.

“We should not expect modern employees to report to work with pin-stripe suits or certain hairstyles. This is a constantly changing world and we must change with modern times,” stated Dr Gaitho, who is the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) Education Sector chairman.

The scholar pointed out the importance of equipping students with soft skills such as leadership, communication, and patience, which are essential in the workplace.

“How do we induct young workers into jobs? Do they have leadership skills? Communication skills? Do they have the patience of a farmer?  Do they have the practical skills?” Dr Gaitho posed.

“The youth can say they are not coming to work tomorrow. They live on the fast lane, which is a problem on their performance at that work places,” he added.

The academician noted there is a need to engage the industry in programme development and review if the universities are to meet the talent requirements of the industry.

“It is also important to pursue industry relevant research to offer solutions while ensuring new products and services, new markets and new fields,

“One of the biggest pain points in academia-industry collaboration is program relevance,” Dr Gaitho observed and quipped; “Do we develop our programs in isolation, or do we actively involve the industry?”

At the same time, Dr Gaitho who is also the chairman of Mt Kenya University  (MKU) Council, appealed to universities to shift their focus from theoretical research to practical, industry-driven studies.

“Much of the research conducted in universities today is aimed at academic prestige and promotion, rather than solving real industry problems,” he said, calling for increased collaboration between academia and businesses to ensure research leads to innovation, new products and job creation.

He emphasised that universities must serve as solution providers to businesses and employers, ensuring graduates are well-equipped for the job market.”

He further highlighted the importance of universities engaging industry professionals in curriculum development, research supervision, and mentorship.

“There are many highly qualified experts in the industry, including PhD holders, who can contribute significantly to academic training. We need to involve them to make education more practical and aligned with real-world demands,” he added.

Universities, he maintained, should also allow engagement of industry champions in contributing to training and supervision while underscoring reliable industry engagement through dual training, internships and apprenticeships.

“They should also inculcate work ethics and soft skills relevant to work environments to graduates while seeking opportunities to solve industry problems,” he pointed out.