HR practitioners encouraged to lead by example
Boikobo Mmolai | Wednesday July 23, 2025 10:18
Speaking at the eighth strategic HR conference held recently, Opelo said this should be embedded in legal reforms into organisational culture and practice.
He highlighted that as Botswana recovers from recent economic shocks and pivots to a knowledge-based economy, the conference underscored HR’s frontline role as not just job creation but fostering meaningful, future-oriented employment for a diverse talent pool.
Opelo encouraged institutions to pivot from reactive to proactive workforce planning, leveraging strategic talent development, localisation, and inclusive hiring to boost productivity and reduce youth unemployment.
Central to Opelo’s message was the need for digital transformation: “Technology is no longer a support function; it is the foundation of how we work, learn, and lead,” he said. He also urged HR leaders to champion digital upskilling, smart recruitment, and evidence-based performance management, arguing that digitally enabled, merit-based systems are crucial to Botswana’s regional and global competitiveness.
“Meritocracy is not a slogan. It is a system, and systems must be designed, implemented, and enforced. HR must now be the engine room of meritocracy because without it, our dreams of transformation are built on sand”, he added.
Opelo emphasised that the election of President Duma Boko wasn't just a historical political change but rather a national awakening, which is a sign that hard work and performance come with good results, hence performance, commitment, evidence-based leadership or governance.
“Boko has made it clear that our path forward must be driven by meritocracy where capability, not connection, defines success and where delivery, not rhetoric, defines leadership. As a government, we are retooling our policies and laws to reflect this vision, and we expect our institutions, especially HR leaders, to do the same. HR must now function as a catalyst for systemic change”, Opelo emphasised.
Furthermore, Opelo announced that the government has merged the labour policies with a goal to enhance Botswana's labour landscape. He said the framework will encourage equality, fairness and productivity to ensure a progressive framework.
'We published the Employment and Labour Relations Bill No. 10 of 2025 in the Government Gazette. This Bill represents a comprehensive reform consolidating the Employment Act, the Trade Unions and Employers’ Organisation Act, and the Trade Disputes Act into one unified,” he said.
Opelo stressed that real change depends on action: “Legislative progress means little without implementation and implementation begins and ends with HR.”