*… as Pivotage Consulting CEO says people management must become strategic priority

By Adetutu Audu

As Nigeria marks Workers’ Day, a leading human resources strategist is urging businesses across the country to look beyond wages and benefits and confront a deeper crisis in how organisations are built and led.

Doyin Gbajabiamila, Managing Director and CEO of Pivotage Consulting, says the conversation around Workers’ Day has long been too narrow.

“These issues only scratch the surface of what work truly represents, especially in an economy like Nigeria’s,” she said.

Doyin, who has led the HR and people management firm for a decade, points to a widening disconnect between employers and employees as one of the most pressing challenges facing Nigerian workplaces today. While businesses are navigating growth pressures and cost management, workers are increasingly seeking clarity, stability, and purpose and not just a paycheck.

“One of the biggest misconceptions in today’s workplace is the idea that people are simply ‘resources’ to be managed,” she noted. “In reality, people are systems that require structure, direction, and intentional leadership.”

She warns that many companies are hiring without building, onboarding talent into environments that lack defined roles, clear expectations, or adequate support, resulting in frustration, low productivity, and high staff turnover.

The solution, she argues, lies in intentional workforce design: structured onboarding, performance management systems, and leadership that guides rather than merely supervises.

Doyin also places accountability squarely at the leadership level, stating that most HR problems are, at their root, leadership failures. “When leaders fail to communicate clearly, fail to define expectations, or fail to create accountability, the entire system begins to weaken,” she said.

As Nigeria’s business landscape continues to evolve, she believes organisations that treat people management as a strategic function rather than an administrative one will hold a decisive competitive edge.
“Workers’ Day should not only be a moment of appreciation. It should be a moment of reflection,” Doyin said. “Strong businesses are not built on ideas alone. They are built on people who are placed in the right systems and given the right direction to thrive.”

Pivotage Consulting works with organisations to design and implement people management systems aimed at driving workforce performance and sustainable growth. More information is available at pivotageconsulting website