The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a significant move to champion inclusivity and belonging in the workplace, BrighterMonday Uganda, a leader in tech recruitment and HR solutions, recently hosted “HR Fusion: Creating Inclusive: Fostering Belonging for Every Talent To Thrive at Work.” The event, held on July 25, 2025, in Jinja, brought together HR professionals, business leaders, and managers from various key sectors, including manufacturing, hospitality, NGOs, health, and ICT.
Xenia Wachira, Country Director of BrighterMonday Uganda, emphasized the company’s evolution beyond merely connecting job seekers and employers.
“We are now an HR firm where we help employers with anything to do with HR: HR consulting, HR advisory,” Wachira stated. She highlighted new initiatives, including partnerships with organizations like Mastercard, to provide placements and skilling for youth.
BrighterMonday Uganda boasts a robust platform with over 10,000 employers and 300,000 job seekers over the past decade. Wachira noted the platform’s accessibility for small businesses to hire for free, alongside its success in placing over 80 senior-level professionals and 500 small business placements in the last 18 months. The company’s services now extend to talent management, employer branding, and culture alignment, aiming to be an extension of organizations’
A key focus of HR Fusion was tackling the practical challenges of implementing inclusive practices, particularly for Uganda’s predominantly informal small businesses. Wachira acknowledged the perception that inclusivity is a luxury for larger companies with more resources. However, she countered this, stating, “It’s actually so easy and not as it’s perceived to be,” advocating for continuous dialogue and demonstrating the simplicity of fostering diversity, including more women, people with disabilities, and displaced individuals in the workforce.
Ahmed Alaga, Head of Programs Impact and Partnerships at Talent Africa Company, highlighted the profound influence of culture on workplace dynamics. He cited examples where cultural norms, such as avoiding eye contact with elders in some African societies, can be misinterpreted in interview settings, highlighting the need for young people to understand contemporary workplace requirements.
Alaga also addressed the significant gap between the output of the education system and the skills demanded by employers. “Many times we are hearing employers saying that young people require some sort of training or that what the market requires now is not what the education system is churning out,” he explained.
Talent Africa is actively working to bridge this gap by collaborating with employers to identify skill deficits and then providing targeted training, career guidance, and support to young people, especially women, in underserved communities.
Susan Mataka, HR Manager at Kakira Sugar Company, provided a compelling case study of intentional inclusivity within a manufacturing setting. She stressed the importance of compliance with national regulations and proactive implementation. Kakira Sugar offers various initiatives to promote employee well-being and inclusion, including on-site gyms, sports facilities, and flexible work arrangements for new mothers. New mothers can work half-days and enroll their babies in a free kindergarten after one year, with continued flexible hours.
Kakira Sugar also demonstrates a commitment to gender balance, tracking numbers monthly and hosting special events for both men and women.
Mataka highlighted the company’s zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment, alongside inclusive hiring practices that actively seek to increase the representation of women in leadership and technical roles. She proudly noted that women lead various key production processes, from packaging to distilling.
HR Fusion reinforced BrighterMonday Uganda’s strategic partnership with the Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works Program, aiming to create pathways for dignified and fulfilling work for young Ugandans. By empowering employers to build inclusive environments, the initiative ensures that young talent not only secures employment but also thrives and grows within organizations.
The event served as a crucial platform for BrighterMonday’s ongoing mission to bridge the talent gap, facilitating robust employer engagement and building a stronger placement pipeline. The target audience of the event – employers with 20 to 50 employees, including SMEs, NGOs, and businesses across manufacturing, health, ICT, and hospitality & tourism – underscores its broad impact on Uganda’s workforce development.
BrighterMonday Uganda continues to lead the charge in fostering a culture of belonging, recognizing that a truly inclusive workplace is the bedrock of organizational success and national development.
