Broadcasting
Post-pandemic World Calls for Empathetic Leadership
By Emmchel Dudu
Usman Okoroigwe has been struggling with unemployment since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. Usman worked as a hospitality manager in a popular hotel chain. He had been with the company for over a decade and had worked his way up from an entry-level position to a managerial role. However, when the pandemic hit and travel restrictions were imposed, the hotel industry suffered a severe blow.
As the hotel occupancy plummeted, Usman’s position was declared redundant due to the financial strain the company was experiencing. It was a devastating blow for him, as he had dedicated a significant portion of his career to the hotel industry and built a strong professional network. Usman’s story reflects the harsh reality faced by many individuals who have been struggling with unemployment since the Covid-19 pandemic began. It highlights the long-lasting impact of economic disruptions and the challenges in finding new job opportunities in a rapidly changing job market.
Like other workers who lost their jobs, Usman’s mental health plummeted. A survey was conducted among adults in selected African countries using WhatsApp, Facebook, and emails between April and May 2020, when those countries were under lockdown due to the pandemic. The survey included adult respondents – the majority (27%) were from Nigeria. Almost all Nigerians reported mental health symptoms (89.9%). About half of Nigerians reported feeling anxious (44.9%) or worried (47.1%). Almost a third reported being frustrated (31.7%). A sixth were angry (18.5%), and almost two-thirds (59.2%) reported boredom during the lockdown. In the wake of this unprecedented state of mental health among the workforce, empathetic leadership has become essential to cultivating a workplace culture that acknowledges and supports individual needs, fosters resilience, and boosts overall well-being.
Newmark Group Limited, a pan-African Integrated Marketing and Communications Company, emerged as a shining example of empathetic leadership. When the pandemic necessitated a transition to remote work, the company made a pivotal decision that defined its empathetic approach—it chose to continue paying its employees full salaries when many other companies either slashed their employees’ salaries or retrenched others. This helped the employees feel at ease, ensuring their financial stability and peace of mind. This compassionate act thus laid the foundation for a post-pandemic world where empathy and employee well-being remained the core principles of Newmark’s leadership philosophy.
Embracing Empathy and Inclusive Leadership
The importance of empathy by leaders is further shown in reports carried out between the 2020 pandemic and now. 77% of respondents to a Deloitte survey agreed that empathy is a crucial leadership skill, especially in times of crisis. Additionally, a study by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) found that leaders who demonstrate empathy are viewed as more effective by their employees and have higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction within their teams.
This proves the essence of leaders actively seeking diverse perspectives and ensuring that marginalised voices are heard. This will prioritise the well-being of their employees, as leaders will pay attention to not just their physical safety but also their mental health, work-life balance, and overall well-being. Human-centric leaders understand the power of empathy in driving meaningful connections, fostering inclusivity, and building resilient organizations. By valuing diversity, equality, and inclusion, leaders can tap into the full potential of their teams.
Prioritizing Employee Well-Being:
Creating a work-life balance-friendly environment for leaders to support employee well-being is important. Leaders can establish flexible work schedules, provide resources and assistance for mental health issues, and encourage self-care behaviours. This will foster a healthy workforce by investing in the total well-being of their workforce, which will also increase productivity and creativity.
Empathy and compassion must be at the core of leadership in a post-pandemic world. Putting employee well-being first shows dedication to people’s growth and success and directly affects organisational performance. Empathy should be embraced even by those who are not yet leaders for the benefit of both individuals and the organisation. We should engage in human-centric leadership and create a future marked by compassion, understanding, and growth.
Moving forward, it’s important to recognise the necessity for health and well-being workplace technology disruption. This disruption should go beyond wearable devices and smartphone health-tracking apps. This will create an environment that optimises their health, productivity, and satisfaction. The future of work can be reshaped by embracing these changes that prioritise the holistic well-being of the workforce.
As leaders, employees, and communities, we have the power to create a post-pandemic world where empathy, inclusive leadership, and digital workplace technology converge. Our transformative journey involves combining compassion and innovation to establish human-centric leadership as the norm. This will enable us to achieve new heights of success, well-being, and fulfilment.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has officially granted a direct satellite broadcasting (DSB) television licence to Voice of the East Media Limited.
This contained a letter published on the official social media pages of Voice of the East.
Gaius Chibueze, chairman of Eastside Ventures and founder of Voice of the East-Ndi Igbo, stated in a statement via his verified Facebook page that, with the licence, Voice of the East can operate a terrestrial television channel, a digital media broadcasting network, and other services.
He further stated that he founded Voice of the East eight years ago to promote Igbo excellence and defend the interests of Ndi Igbo.
He added that the NBC approval marked a new chapter in their mission to inform, educate, and influence people and society.
“From integrity to innovation, we are committed to delivering content that not only informs and educates but also inspires positive change. Our dedication to diversity and inclusivity drives us to represent and empower voices from all walks of life,” Chibueze said.
Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, media consultant and founder of Visage Media, commented on the development and noted that Voice of the East, from its humble beginning, has grown to be the number one social media platform for Ndi Igbo, where they go for everything Ndi Igbo.
He stated that Gaius Chibueze discovered a market and a niche when many people were not paying attention and built a brand around them.
“Voice of the East will begin operations in December and will be available on DSTV near you,” Iwuchukwu added.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has declined to oppose the preliminary objection of Multichoice Nigeria, Pay-TV operator, which challenged the jurisdiction of a court sitting in Abuja that recently restrained it from increasing the prices of its DStv and GOtv packages.
Nikiomari Abeke, counsel for the FCCPC, told the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) on Thursday that he was not opposing the application of Multichoice Nigeria.
Recall that the he tribunal had restrained MultiChoice from increasing its subscription rates pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice filed by Festus Onifade through Ejiro Awaritoma, his lawyer,.
Onifade, who sued Multichoice Nigeria Ltd, had accused the former of unjustly increasing subscription fees without one month’s notice to customers, seeking interim orders against the Pay TV.
A three-member tribunal, chaired by Saratu Shafii, had ruled in favor of Onifade by restraining Multichoice in the interim, in the suit marked CCPT/OP/2/2024.
The court held that “the 1st Defendant(Multichoice) is hereby restrained, whether by themselves, her privies, assigns by whatsoever name called, from going ahead with impending price increase schedule to take effect from 1st May 2024 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed before this Honourable Tribunal.”
But M.J. Onibanjo (SAN), Multichoice’s lawyer, filed a preliminary objection urging the court to decline jurisdiction on the suit filed by Festus Onifade because such price dispute case had been decided before in favor of his client.
Onifade also asked the tribunal to direct Multichoice Nigeria Limited to pay the sum of N1 billion or any amount the tribunal deemed fit in this circumstance for “deliberately disobeying, contravening, and failure to comply with the Interim Order of this Honourable Tribunal granted on the 29th April, 2024.”
At the resumed sitting, Onibanjo tendered and adopted the previous judgment of the tribunal in suit no CCPT/OP/1/2022(Exhibit A), alongside his application, saying when a court had determined an issue between the same parties on the same subject matter before, that matter cannot be re-litigated again by any tribunal or court.
“This tribunal cannot sit on appeal on its decision. This tribunal is bound by its own decision in Exhibit A; that it is not the forum where the claimant can come to seek to regulate the prices and services offered by Multichoice,” Onibanjo said, urging the tribunal to strike out the suit.
On his part, Onifade argued that the issue he placed before the court is whether Multichoice Nigeria gave adequate notice in respect of the May 1, 2024 price TV subscription increase, and not price regulation or increase.
“It is our submission that the eight-day notice issued by Multichoice Nigeria is insufficient in law. A monthly subscriber should be given at least a month.
The FCCP counsel, Abeke, said his client “is not in opposition of the first defendant (Multichoice) and to that extent, no process and no counter was filed to the motion of the first defendant.”
After hearing from the parties, the three-man panel chaired by Justice Thomas Okosu adjourned the suit to June 7 for ruling.
Multichoice announced new price adjustments on DStv and GOtv packages on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
Nigeria’s customer-focused telecommunications company, 9mobile, has unveiled Treelz, an innovative digital entertainment platform for customers on the 9mobile network.
Treelz is a platform designed for customers to experience a world of entertainment through Movies, e-learning, fun videos, gaming, music, sports, photo filters and lots more!
Speaking during the unveiling, the Products and Digital Services Champion at 9mobile, John Muo, stated that, “Treelz is a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem that combines advanced features and seamless connectivity to deliver an unparalleled user experience.
With Treelz, users can enjoy a wide range of exciting and engaging rich media contents, including video games, movie and music hubs, sports and e-learning platforms, which are all accessible through a single, intuitive platform.”
“Treelz is available on the 9mobile website and can be accessed under the “Digital Services” tab on 9mobile.com.ng or by simply clicking the link https://9mobile.com.ng/treelz.
Customers who are not on the 9mobile network but wish to enjoy the thrills of the platform should activate a 9mobile SIM or port their existing line to 9mobile to enjoy the service,” Mou added.
The platform represents the culmination of 9mobile’s commitment to innovation and customer-centricity, offering unparalleled features and capabilities.
Customers can access the rich contents on Treelz for as low as N30 per service via airtime subscription only. The daily or weekly subscription guarantees access to play games, watch movie, and listen to music on the website.
Chineze Amanfo, Public Relations Lead at 9mobile, while expressing her delight at the unveiling said, “The expertise and influence of the media are invaluable in helping 9mobile spread the word about this groundbreaking platform and its transformative impact on communication and entertainment.
Your endorsement and coverage will not only help raise awareness about Treelz by 9mobile but also empower individuals to embrace its unique qualities especially its ability to entertain and educate.”
With Treelz, 9mobile continues to push the boundaries of innovation within the digital interactive space. Experience the power of seamless connectivity, enhanced collaboration, and unmatched convenience with Treelz by 9mobile.
ATCON Offers Solutions to Fibre Cable Cuts in Telecom Industry
Starlink now 3rd Largest ISP in Nigeria – NCC
NDPC Empowers Institute to Certify Data Protection Professionals
Airtel Africa Completes $550m Bond Repayment
UBA Reels Achievements @ 75, Seeks Shareholders’ Nod for N500Bn Recapitalisation
60 Hearty Cheers to Chioma Ekeh, Africa’s Leading Unusual Female Tech
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
World Earth Day: Kuda Partners with Wecyclers to Clean up Communities in Lagos
INTERPOL Appoints Uche, Nigerian CP as Chairman, African Heads of Cybercrime Units
Odu’a Investment Declares N1.961Bn as Profit Before Tax
E-Financial1 day agoNDIC Gets Court Order, to Wind Down 96 Microfinance, Mortgage Banks
Telecom1 day agoElon Musk’s SpaceX Doubles Price for Starlink Global Roaming Plan
Broadcasting1 day agoNBC Grants DSB TV License to Voice of the East
E-Financial1 day agoCBN Finally Makes U-turn, Withdraws Circular on Cybersecurity Levy
Telecom1 day agoAirtel Wins Big at Maiden ICAN-NGX Awards
News1 day ago2024 Nigeria Innovation Summit 9.0 Gets October Date
News1 day agoWHO Prequalifies New Dengue Vaccine
Telecom1 day agoNIGCOMSAT Plans Dedicated Satellite for Military Operations