By Jabali Media
The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) has launched the 5th Employee of the Year Awards (EYA), with the winner expected to be announced towards the end of the year.
Speaking on Thursday in Kisumu during the 44th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the FKE Western branch, Jacqueline Mugo, FKE Executive Director and CEO urged employers in Western region and across the country to submit their entries, adding that it is the first step towards winning an award at the end of the year.
“I encourage all of you to participate by submitting your entries and supporting the EYA through sponsorship. Let us work together to increase participation from this region and celebrate the exceptional contributions of employers across Kenya,” she said.
Interested employers will seek to win the overall employee of the year award, besides submitting entries in the nine categories on the table.
The categories are: leadership and governance, corporate performance, innovation and productivity, responsible business conduct, inclusiveness and diversity, workplace environment, learning and development, Human Resource practices, industrial relations and the SMEs – a new category.
“We'll be carrying out that assessment over the next six months and towards the end of the year we have a gala dinner and an event where the winners are unveiled,” said Mugo.
More information on the awards can be accessed via the FKE website.
The event was presided over as chief guest by Dr. Edwins Baraza, Dean of School of Business and Economics at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), who decried the impact of high taxation on businesses across the country.
“Employers in the formal sector are overburdened with taxes, making the cost of doing business unsustainable,” he said.
“The Laffer curve teaches us that over-taxation can be counterproductive, as excessive taxation discourages investment and economic activity. This concept shows that beyond a certain point, higher taxes actually reduce government revenue because they stifle business growth.”
When businesses struggle under excessive taxation, he insisted, they cut jobs, reduce innovation, and sometimes shut down completely.
He called on the government to implement a tax policy that encourages enterprises to grow and expand, instead of shutting down.
During the event, KIWASCO Managing Director Thomas Odongo was elected FKE Western Regional Branch President for a period of three years, succeeding Margaret Oloo who retires after 6 years in office.
