Labour consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Gamey and Gamey, Austin Gamey, has urged employers to align their pay policies with employee productivity to ensure satisfaction.
Speaking at a labour law forum in Accra organized by The Business Executive, Gamey stated, “Now that business predictability is reasonably assured, it is for employers and unions to come together, work collaboratively to raise productivity levels and pay the workers well by matching the pay with productivity.”
According to him, higher productivity leads to increased company revenue, positively impacting the overall economy.
He emphasized the importance of employees to a company’s success and noted that effective communication between employers and employees can result in greater productivity.
He, therefore, called for cooperation between labor and management to foster business success and progress. “If labor and management cooperate and work together in a way that promotes the company’s financial health, safety and health while people have assurance of a good income, they will take their destinies into their own hands,” he said. He stressed, “It is important that all parties work together to generate enough income that can be ploughed back into the business for growth. That way, everybody will be satisfied. Nobody will feel cheated. It is all about work and happiness.”
The forum aimed to provide participants with a deeper understanding of labor law implementation, early dispute resolution strategies, and the necessary skills to effectively apply the law in workplaces to prevent work stoppages and enhance productivity.
During his lecture at the forum, the lawyer advised both employers and employees to become well-versed in labor law and its application, stating, “The labor law is a social legislation written with the mindset of helping the employer and the worker to work together collaboratively.” The law clearly defines the roles of both employers and employees. Ghana’s Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) mandates a 40-hour work week or 8-hour workday, with provisions for compensated overtime.
Addressing the anticipated labor shifts with the implementation of the 24-hour economy policy in Ghana, the lawyer urged the government not to amend the existing labor laws, emphasizing that they already accommodate shift work. “Our labour law is adequate enough to take care of that because we have a three-shift system in the law already,” he said. However, he suggested that the government consider enhancing the law through regulations. He added, “You do not even need to amend the law,” suggesting that a legislative instrument (LI) to expatiate on the 24-hour economy would suffice.
While praising the proposed 24-hour economy and its potential benefits for Ghana’s economy and workforce, Gamey cited his positive experience with a similar “sleepless economy” in Kenya. “It is real. I was in Kenya recently to do a presentation on productivity and we went to a shop at about 1am to buy things to prepare for our journey. So, if they don’t run a 24-hour economy, how do you get what you want at 1am?” he shared. He asserted, “Any nation that wants to be competitive in the world has no choice other than to operationalise a 24-hour economy,” underscoring the timeliness and relevance of the John Mahama administration’s 24-hour economy proposal. “It’s a good thing that has been brought. I am sure we will embrace it and make it work out,” he added.
