Human Resources and Vocational Education & Training Working Group

On October 31, 2024, the HR and VET Working Group Meeting was held at the AHK Azerbaijan conference hall, focusing on the topic of “Future of HR Trends & Technology.”

Declaring the meeting open, Acting Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, Aytekin Sirajzade, informed the meeting participants about today's topics and then she gave the floor to the guest speakers: Aykhan Abdullayev, representative of SMART Cloud LLC in Azerbaijan; Natalya Sandler, Director of Human Resources at Unibank Commercial Bank OJSC; and Gulnar Hajiyeva, Senior Consultant (HR & Payroll) at SMART Cloud LLC.

In his opening remarks, Mr Abdullayev introduced the innovative solutions of SMART CLOUD LLC, highlighting the concepts of “SMART Payroll” and “Functional Moduls” as essential elements of the HR ecosystem within the framework of the partnership with Microsoft. He emphasised that the “SMART Payroll” system enables organisations to perform salary calculations more efficiently and accurately. At the same time, he noted that “Functional Moduls” play a crucial role in the systematic management of human resources and performance evaluation processes.

The meeting continued with Ms Sandler’s presentation. She discussed the vital role of digital transformation in the field of human resources (HR) and the significance of “Remote work” and hybrid models in the modern work environment. Finally, she addressed the topic of "HR Analytics and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on HR," emphasizing the role of HR analytics in the collection and analysis of data in workforce management.

Afterwards, Ms Hajiyeva highlighted the importance of the Microsoft Business Central system, noting that this platform enables organisations to manage their resources more efficiently. She also discussed the Smart Payroll system, which ensures optimisation according to national legislation and salary requirements, as well as the concept of localisation. Ms Hajiyeva pointed out that integration with "Microsoft Power BI" facilitates data visualisation and analysis, allowing organisations to make more accurate decisions. She also emphasised that the "Approval Workflow" system automates decision-making processes, helping employees and managers save time and making salary calculations more efficient.

The meeting concluded with an active exchange of ideas and a "Q&A" session. More

On October 4, 2024, the HR and VET Working Group Meeting was held at the AHK Azerbaijan office on the topic of “New Regulations in Labor Legislation.”

The Chair of the HR and VET Working Group, Ms Nigar Huseynzade, opened the meeting, greeted the participants, and provided information on the flow and topic of the meeting. She then gave the floor to the guest speakers, Mr Fuad Heydarov, Head of the Labor Policy Department at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Ms Narmin Mirzayeva, Deputy Head of the State Labor Inspectorate Service under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In his welcoming speech, Mr Heydarov discussed the recent updates to the Labor Code, including frequent cases of gender discrimination and corresponding amendments, as well as the concepts of electronic signatures, SİMA, and Asan Imza, along with their advantages. He also provided information on changes in the Labor Code regarding the protection of employee rights, the implementation of termination and leave orders, and shared updates on new projects related to remote work and vocational training for individuals with addiction issues.

Ms Mirzayeva continued the discussion, emphasizing the importance of digitalizing labor relations. She then introduced the “Dost Inspector” project and highlighted how the formation of electronic platforms for fixed-term labor contracts has led to the replacement of old labor contracts with new ones.

The meeting concluded with an interactive “Q&A” session, where participants had the opportunity to share their personal experiences. More

On August 1, 2024, at the office of AHK Azerbaijan, at the next meeting of the HR AND VET Working Group, the topics “Challenges of Finding and Keeping Top Talent" and "Employee Termination Policy and Procedures in Azerbaijan" were discussed.

Declaring the meeting open, Acting Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, Ms Aytekin Sirajzade, informed the meeting participants about today's topics and gave the floor to the guest speaker, Ms Anne Ramsay, Regional Human Resources Director of SCHNEIDER GROUP.

Ms Ramsay expressed her gratitude for the invitation and provided extensive information about SCHNEIDER GROUP's services. She began by discussing five themes shaping the future of work. These included changes in motivations and beliefs about what constitutes a great job, the role of automation in rehumanizing work, technological changes blurring the boundaries of firms, and the challenges younger generations face as they feel increasingly overwhelmed. Emphasizing the current recruitment challenges, Ms Ramsay noted that 77 percent of companies are struggling to find top talent. She gave information about "quiet hiring" and explained its practical application through need assessment, talent mapping, internal communications, training and development, and feedback and monitoring. Additionally, Ms Ramsay elaborated on the "build-buy-borrow-bridge" concept.

Following Ms Ramsay's presentation, Ms Irada Shamilova, Head of Accounting Group at SCHNEIDER GROUP, discussed the topic "Employer of Record: A Key Component of Talent Strategy". She explained that an EOR approach enables companies to manage their workforce effectively, reduce risks, and focus on strategic business growth. By leveraging EOR services, companies can adapt quickly to market changes, hire talent globally, and ensure compliance with local regulations.

Afterwards, Ms Sabina Karimova, Associate Lawyer at SCHNEIDER GROUP, shared her insights on common grounds for dismissal, which include failure to perform job duties, misconduct, long-term illness, and redundancy. She discussed strategies for ending the employment relationship, emphasising the importance of separating after difficult discussions to avoid potential conflicts that could harm both the company's image and the employee's reputation. Alternatively, she suggested negotiating and finding a compromise, such as offering favourable conditions for parting ways, including compensation and assistance in finding new employment. Ms Karimova also provided guidance on terminating employment contracts by mutual agreement, advising on key aspects to consider during this process to ensure a smooth and fair termination for both parties.

Concluding the meeting, Mr Rizvan Karimov, an Independent Consultant on Labour Issues, provided extensive information about the employee termination policy and procedures in Azerbaijan. He explained everything according to the Labor Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and shared his own experiences, offering valuable insights into effective termination practices and compliance with local regulations.

The meeting concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where participants discussed strategies to address the highlighted challenges and shared best practices for effective employee termination policies and procedures in Azerbaijan. More

On May 29, 2024, the next HR and VET Working Group meeting was held at the office of AHK Azerbaijan, where the topic "The Process of New Employee Adaptation" was discussed.

Opening the meeting, the chairperson of the HR and VET Working Group, Ms Nigar Huseynzade, greeted the participants and provided information about the course and topic of the meeting. Ms Huseynzade recommended that participants read the new AHK Human Resources Insights journals. She then gave the floor to the guest speakers, AccessBank CJSC’s Ms Khumar Huseynova, Training and Development Manager, and Ms Ilhama Rustamli, Head of the Human Resources Business Partnership Department.

Starting her speech with a greeting, Ms Rustamli provided information about the important preliminary preparations HR should undertake to organise the new employee adaptation process. She also emphasised the importance of defining goals and stages in this process. Ms Rustamli spoke about the role of the mentor in supporting new employees during their introduction and adaptation and in uncovering their potential. Additionally, she highlighted the importance of organising the orientation for new employees, monitoring progress, and providing feedback. She then gave the floor to Ms Huseynova.

Ms Huseynova began her presentation by sharing her experience from Alliant Credit Union with the meeting participants. She discussed strategies for maintaining positivity both at work and in personal life. Then, she talked about 12 factors that engage employees in their work. At the end of her speech, she provided information about online training opportunities.

The meeting concluded with an active exchange of ideas and a "question and answer" session. More

At the meeting of HR and VET Working Group of AHK Azerbaijan held on February 22, 2024, the power of understanding people and coaching topics were discussed. Mr Insafali Samadov, Chief trainer and consultant of Develor Azerbaijan and co-founder of SparkUs digital coaching platform, and professional coach Ms Ozlem Sarioglu were speakers at the meeting.

Declaring the meeting open, the Chairman of the HR and VET Working Group and Human Resources Director of PASHA Property Management LLC, Ms Nigar Huseynzade, welcomed the participants and gave the floor to Mr Samadov, giving detailed information about the progress of the meeting. Mr Samadov first informed the participants about Develor Azerbaijan, its local and foreign partners, as well as the company's trainers, and then in his speech, he gave the audience extensive information about human psychotypes, the importance of internal communication and analytical psychology. Mr Samadov informed the participants about Carl Gustav Jung's 4 energy psycho-types and held an interactive session to help the participants identify their own energy psychotypes. Towards the end of his speech, Mr Samadov spoke in detail about the topic of "Insight Discovery" and turned to the audience with pictures to help them better understand the topic. At the end of his speech, he informed the participants about the knowledge of understanding people and how to use it.

After that, Ms Sarioglu started her speech by informing the participants about herself and the SparkUs digital coaching platform. After getting the audience's opinion about the term coaching, Ms Sarioglu gave detailed information to the participants and informed them that coaches are someone who helps people find their own solutions to problems and increase the potential of employees in a business environment. At the end of her speech, Ms Sarioglu gave information about the main differences between coaching and mentoring and the analytics of coaching.

The meeting ended with a Q&A session and an interactive session that allowed participants to share their personal experiences. More

In a session held on January 23, 2024, AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group explored the role of innovative technologies in the realm of recruiting human capital. The event, titled "Using Technology to Better Leverage Human Capital," featured distinguished speakers Ms Anne Ramsey, Regional Human Resources Director, and Mr Sergey Danilyuk, ERP and IT Director, both representing the Schneider Group.

Ms Anne Ramsey commenced the session by presenting an overview of the various evolutions of HR from a historical perspective, paving the way for a vision of HR 4.0. Delving into future developments, she highlighted the potential of hyper-automation in the recruitment process through artificial intelligence and the efficient use of chatbots for talent acquisition. Ms Ramsey emphasised how AI, specifically through deep learning, can rapidly and precisely analyse CVs, providing valuable feedback.

Following this, Mr Sergey Danilyuk shared personal experiences, shedding light on challenges and concerns related to data security in the context of blockchain technology. His insights provided a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding the integration of blockchain in HR processes.

The meeting concluded with an interactive session, allowing participants to pose questions and share their personal experiences. More

On 21 December 2023, a joint meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET and Tax, Customs, and Legal Affairs Working Groups took place at the AccessBank Azerbaijan CJSC Head Office with the participation of more than 40 company representatives. Ms Gulnar Gurbanova, Vice Chairperson for Legal Affairs within the Tax, Customs and Legal Affairs Working Group representing BHM Law Firm, and Mr Fuad Heydarov, Head of the Department of Labor Policy of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, participated as speakers in the meeting.
 
Ms Nigar Huseynzade, Chairperson of HR and VET Working Group from AccessBank CJSC greeted the participants and opened the meeting with a brief welcome speech in which she presented the meeting agenda. Taking the floor, Ms Gurbanova greeted the participants in her turn and began her speech by explaining the main changes and innovations made in the Labor Code this year. At the same time, Ms Gurbanova shared the business survey results and listed the problems and desired expectations related to the Labor Code.
 
Following this, Ms Gurbanova gave the floor to Mr Heydarov. Mr Heydarov informed the participants about the activities of social partnership principles. He also talked about new projects and anticipated amendments in 2024. Later, Mr Heydarov discussed the current problems in the Labour and Employment Subsystem with the participants.

The event continued with a lively question-and-answer session. More

On November 24, 2023, the next meeting of the HR and VET Working Group was held at the AHK Azerbaijan office with the participation of representatives of about 40 member companies. The main theme of the event, "Hybrid Business Model in Azerbaijan", was presented by Ms Zibeyda Haji, the director of the human resources department of PASHA Bank OJSC, and Ms Aydan Mammadova, the specialist of the human resources department of PASHA Bank OJSC.

First of all, the Chairman of HR and VET Working Group, Executive Director of Access Bank CJSC for human resources, Ms Nigar Huseynzade, greeted the participants and gave brief information about the progress of the meeting. Later, Ms Zibeyda Haji started the presentation. Ms Haji emphasized the advantages and difficulties of the "Flexoffice" model. He also talked about the application of the hybrid model in the office and its impact on business relations. During the presentation, Ms Haji actively discussed with the participants and answered their questions.

Then the meeting continued with the presentation of Ms Aydan Mammadova. He talked about the impact of the hybrid business model on the traditional work environment and the importance of employees adapting to the new model. Ms Mammadova informed the participants about the implementation of the hybrid model in the office and the creation of an effective working environment with it. Ms Mammadova also held active discussions with the participants and discussed the legal aspects of the innovation.

The meeting continued with a Q&A session, and at the end of the meeting, Ms Huseynzade thanked the participants. More

The next Meeting of the HR and VET Working Group took place on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the office of AHK Azerbaijan. The meeting focused on discussions in the direction of well-being in the workplace.

Declaring the meeting open, the chairman of the HR and VET  Working Group and the executive director of the Human Resources department of AccessBank CJSC, Ms Nigar Huseynzade, welcomed the participants and informed them about the progress of the meeting. Also, Ms Huseynzade informed the participants about future events and plans.

Ms Elnara Majidova, employee of Azerconnect LLC, head of employee transformation and programs, who participated in the event as a guest speaker, greeted the event participants with an introduction and gave brief information about well-being in the workplace. Later, Ms Majidova spoke about financial, physical, community, social and career well-being, which are the main components of workplace well-being. Talking about Mental Health as an essential part of well-being, Ms Majidova also informed the participants about the psychological, emotional and social well-being of employees. At the end of her speech, Ms Majidova talked about intrinsically oriented behaviour and sustain mental health. The meeting ended with a question-and-answer session. More

On 14 July 2023, the next meeting of the HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of more than 30 company representatives. The meeting revolved around the topic of the cost of employee turnover.

Opening the meeting, Ms Nigar Huseynzade welcomed the participants, briefed them on the planned activities of the working group, and called them to be more active in subsequent discussions. We were joined by Tural Mammadov, Co-founder and Board Member of the Azerbaijan Human Resources Association (AIRA), who facilitated an interactive session on the topic of “Turnover Costs and its Financial Effects on Business”.

The meeting continued with active discussions, and the guest speaker answered questions raised by the participants. More

On 25 May 2023, the next meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of more than 30 participants at INNOLAND Incubation & Acceleration Center. The meeting revolved around the Employer Branding Best Practices in Azerbaijan.

Opening the meeting, Ms Nigar Huseynzade welcomed the participants and thanked INNOLAND Incubation & Acceleration Center for hosting the event. Taking about the importance of employer branding, she noted that there was lots of creativity involved in this topic, and it was the field where human resources meet marketing.

We were joined by the three professionals of the field, Ms Nigar Huseyn-zada, Business Partnering and Talent Management Section Manager at the Azercell Telecom LLC; Ms Natalya Sandler, Director of the Human Capital Management Department and Ms Viktoriya Huseynova, Head of the Organisational Development at the Unibank Commercial Bank OJSC. The guest speakers of the meeting shared their own experiences regarding employer branding in Azerbaijan.

Afterwards, the representatives of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, Ms Fatima Alakbarova and Ms Gulnar Mirhuseynova, gave a short presentation on the Technest Scholarship Programmes provided by the Agency. The meeting was followed by lively discussions with the participation of the member companies. More

On 26 April 2023, the next meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of around 30 participants, which Yelo Bank OJSC hosted. The meeting revolved around the Spiral Dynamics Model.

Opening the meeting, Ms Nigar Huseynzade welcomed the participants and thanked Yelo Bank OJSC for hosting the event. She emphasised that the topic was quite interesting and actual, with many applications for daily business. We were joined by Ms Ulviyya Jabbarly, Co-founder and Director of iBloom LLC, who facilitated an interactive session exploring Spiral Dynamics, Its Value for Human Resources and Application in Azerbaijan. After a brief introduction to the model, she talked about the evolution of value systems and went through the eight different levels of the model.

The meeting was followed by lively discussions with the participation of the member companies. More
 

On 05 April 2023, the next meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of around 30 participants. The meeting was focused on the public-private partnership opportunities for the development of vocational education in Azerbaijan.

Opening the meeting, Ms Nigar Huseynzade welcomed the participants, further stressed the importance of this particular topic, and expressed her hopes for regular meetings with a similar agenda. We were joined by Mr Jeyhun Karamov, Deputy Director / Acting Director of the State Agency on Vocational Education, who delivered his presentation on the topic of “Public-Private Cooperation in Vocational Education: Opportunities and Challenges”.

Starting his presentation with a brief exchange of ideas, Mr Karamov talked about the recent trends among the youth and the efforts by the state to attract interest in vocational education and went through a number of key figures and notable initiatives. Following this, he drew attention to the success stories of the dual education programmes implemented together with private companies in the country.

The meeting was followed by a lively questions and answers session and discussions with the participation of the member companies. More

On 01 March 2023, the next meeting of AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of more than 30 participants. The meeting was focused on the market compensation strategies in Azerbaijan.

Opening the meeting, Ms Nigar Huseynzade welcomed the participants, briefed them on the planned activities of the working group, and called them to be more active in subsequent discussions. We were joined by the representatives of Willis Towers Watson (WTW), Ms Çağla Soysal and Ms Sabina Dikmen, who specialised in the field of compensation management and total reward strategies.

Following this, the guest speakers delivered their presentation on “Azerbaijan Compensation Market Overview”, representing the key results of the 2022 General Industry Compensation Survey - Azerbaijan. The presentation touched upon a number of issues in the local compensation market, first starting with the general trends in the global landscape and then diving into developing competitive and cost-effective compensation packages, market benchmarking, and attracting and retaining key talent with the right compensation levels.

The meeting continued with active discussions, and the guest speakers answered questions raised by the participants. More

On 01 February 2023, the next meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of around 30 company representatives. The meeting revolved around the key topics concerning human resources and vocational education in Azerbaijan, aiming to set an annual agenda for the Working Group for 2023. The discussions were moderated by Ms Nigar Huseynzade, Chairperson of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group.

Opening the meeting, Ms Nigar Huseynzade welcomed the participants and shared the results of the HR and VET WG Activities Survey, which was conducted online among the members in late January. The meeting continued with lively discussions with the participation of the member companies of AHK Azerbaijan, who shared their daily challenges and encounters in different areas of human resources. Experience sharing and lobbying to improve the current legislation were among the major parts of the discussions. In her closing remarks, Ms Nigar Huseynzade reaffirmed the Chamber’s openness to all suggestions and ideas from its members. More

On 01 December 2022, the next meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of around 40 company representatives. The event was focused on discussions of the key findings of the “AHK Human Resources Insights” series, which will be published in the coming months. Since early 2022, several members of the HR and VET WG have been working on articles to address the most important and challenging questions on people-related issues in Azerbaijan.

Opening the meeting, Mr Tobias Baumann welcomed the participants and speakers and praised the hard work and dedication gone into the preparation of the “AHK Human Resources Insights” series. Thanking Mr Dayanat Ahmadov for his commitment over the last five years, he announced the handover of the leadership of the HR and VET Working Group in the new term to Ms Nigar Huseynzade, Human Resources Executive Director at the AccessBank CJSC. More

On 09 June 2022, the next meeting of the AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of around 30 company representatives. The meeting was focused on the role of vocational education and training in the economic development of Azerbaijan.

Opening the meeting, Tobias Baumann welcomed the participants and the guest speakers and noted that vocational education was an essential part of the Chamber’s agenda. Looking back, the establishment of the State Agency on Vocational Education was a strong step forward in the development of this area. After this, Dayanat Ahmadov briefed the participants on the recent activities of the working group and introduced the agenda of the event.

We were joined by Jeyhun Karamov, Deputy Director / Acting Director of the State Agency on Vocational Education, who talked about the strategic directions and key priorities in vocation education, including increased access and higher technical vocational education. During his speech, he particularly acknowledged the value the Chamber gave to vocational education. Mehmet Cakar, Dual VET Expert / Project Manager BBP Azerbaijan at BiWE International, then presented their dual VET project in Azerbaijan, applying German standards.

The meeting was followed by a lively question and answers session with the participation of the member companies and partners of AHK Azerbaijan. More

On 16 March 2022, the next online meeting of AHK Azerbaijan HR and VET Working Group took place with the participation of more than 30 participants. The meeting was focused on aligning human resources and business strategy.

Opening the meeting, Dayanat Ahmadov welcomed the participants, briefed them on the recent activities of the working group, and introduced the guest speakers. He pointed out that international human resources practices were among the most mentioned topics of the member survey conducted last year.

We were joined by the regional representatives of Boyden Executive Research - Dr Robert Winterhalter, Birger Svendsen, and Sylke Sergel who were specialised in human resources and global cross-sector practices. During their presentation, the guest speakers shared the results of the Boyden Senior Executive Survey and its wide-range implications with the participants and touched upon a number of key topics such as the CHRO and the future organisation, human resources as a strategic business partner, and integrating human resources in the business planning process.

The meeting was interactive and after the presentation, the guest speakers answered questions raised by the participants. More

On 27 January 2021, the next online meeting of the HR and VET Working Group in cooperation with DAAD Azerbaijan took place with participation of more than 40 company and local university representatives. The meeting was focused on the possible application of dual study programmes in Azerbaijan.

Opening the meeting, Dayanat Ahmadov highlighted the lack of skilled labour in the country and expressed his hopes that this discussion would contribute to finding possible solutions. The session was jointly moderated by Dr Magnus Mueller, Head of Vocational Training at AHK Azerbaijan and Dr Michael Beck, Lecturer of the DAAD at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University Baku. We were joined by two experienced guest speakers in dual studies - Franziska Kuhl, Director of Agency on Dual Studies in Brandenburg and Peter Hirsch, Former Expert at AHK Colombia who shared their best practices with the participants.

The online event was interactive and after the presentations, the guest speakers answered questions raised by the participants. The meeting was followed by discussions on the topic. More

On 02 November 2021, the first in-person meeting of the HR and VET Working Group this year took place with participation of over 35 company representatives. The meeting was focused on assuring quality in the training process and the role of certification in it.

Opening the meeting, Dayanat Ahmadov noted that after a long break he was happy with the return to in-person meetings and recalled the brief interviews carried out within the working group back in spring. One of the main challenges that became clear from the interviews was the role of certification in business life which was addressed that day.

We were joined by the representatives of the State Employment Agency, Kanan Baghirov and Toghrul Alakbarov who shared their activities and upcoming projects in the field of vocational training with the participants. They were followed by Elchin Azimli, Head of Training and Development at Azersun Holding who stressed out that at a time when labour market and its requirements were changing rapidly, a university degree alone was not enough. Drawing attention to the importance of keeping up with the changing market environment, he particularly noted the role of emotional intelligence and social skills amongst the employees.

The event was interactive and after the presentation, the guest speakers answered questions raised by the participants. More