Sean Daniel is group industrial relations officer – The BHL Group
Are you where you’ve always wanted to be?
I would say professionally I am on course. I have always seen myself as making a contribution to my community and the process of nation building. The work I do in the field of human resource management, with emphasis on employee or industrial relations, is important to ensuring that the leading beverage group in Barbados continues to be in a position to produce high quality products, in a sustainable manner.
What is your biggest professional challenge?
Getting reliable information when I need it. I believe in making decisions based on scientifically gathered, objective evidence, rather than sentiment or emotion, as my experience has shown this leads to better decision making. Regrettably, it is often difficult to find reliable job market information in a timely manner.
A much more robust means of collecting and reporting national employment data, specifically relating to market rates for positions where variables such as qualifications and experience and competencies can be compared to earnings, is desperately needed.
What is your biggest life challenge?
Like so many in my generation, finding right work/life balance and finding the time for family, while putting in the hours needed to perform to the professional standards that I have set for myself, and are required by my employer.
When you look to the future what do you see?
Personally, there is a lot of studying in my near future as I seek to further enhance my professional qualifications and competencies in areas such as occupational safety and health, conflict management and workplace training.
Professionally, these are exciting times in the industrial relations practice in Barbados as there is a new generation of leaders who must find new approaches to ensuring that both decent work and sustainable enterprises are preserved.
What is your favourite pastime?
I like to spend my free time enjoying myself in a relaxed, stress-free environment. This may take many forms but usually will involve sports (either playing or watching) and, of course, for added enjoyment, a Deputy lager is essential.
What is your favourite meal?
When I was younger, macaroni pie and chicken, but with experience and a better understanding of food and nutrition, I would say at present I really enjoy a good “steak-fish” meal with a wide variety of fresh seasonal vegetables – a much healthier option.
On Saturday nights where you are likely to be?
Weekends are for “quality” time, so either with my son at home or spending some “quality” time with my partner either at home or at some entertainment event.
What upsets you the most?
Dishonesty. Both in professional and personal relationships there is a need to be factual. When people hide, omit or refuse to accept facts, it puts tremendous strain on relationships often with negative impacts. This is closely followed by watching Tottenham, Barcelona, Barbados or West Indies play badly and lose.
What is your guiding philosophy?
If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well and always remember nothing without help from God.
If you had the chance to manage Barbados for a day, what would you do?
Make the Senate a tripartite institution with 12 senators; four nominated by the Barbados Private Sector Association following their elections, four from the labour movement, again following their elections, and four from the political parties based on the proportional results from the last general election.
I would then place the management of the National Insurance Scheme funds in the collective hands of the new Senate, where the people (employers and employees) whose contributions make up the fund have some input into how these funds are used.
