Labour Minister: Continuous professional development vital for Cyprus

Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Yiannis Panagiotou said on Thursday that his Ministry has drawn up an action plan that includes targeted actions and initiatives to support the effort for continuous professional development, retraining and upgrading the skills of employees, in the context of the European Year of Skills.

Addressing a conference of the Cypriot Human Resources Management Association (CyHRMA), the Minister said that the development of human resources is vital for the country, in order to face the new challenges and shape the future, as it contributes to increasing productivity, competitiveness and resilience, social cohesion and economic prosperity.

Panagiotou assured that the Ministry promotes effective and efficient human resource management practices and provides all support and guidance to those working in this field.

“By promoting work-life balance and enhancing the sense of purpose, we can create a wave of productivity that will benefit both people and organizations and lead to a prosperous and just society”, he said.

President of the Cyprus Human Resources Management Association (CyHRMA), Elena Stavrinou, said in her speech that “work as we knew it no longer exists and has changed irreversibly.”

“For the first time we need to manage intercultural teams with different backgrounds and demographics, which are no longer homogeneous – in terms of age, characteristics, experiences, culture with no common workspace or work schedules and work relationships,” she said.

She added that the working environment largely loses its physical characteristics, acquiring an eminently immaterial form.