HR VOICE MEET THE NEW SABPP CEO - NURTURING GRADUATES
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THE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FOR ALL HR PROFESSIONALS
HR VOICE JUNE 2019 · ISSN 2304-8573
MEET THE NEW
SABPP CEO
NURTURING
GRADUATES
SABPP IS NOW REGISTERED AS AN NPO 117218
INSIDE
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
BOARD DESK PAGE 3 CONTACT US
• Top Highlights in June
• Press release LEARNING & QUALITY ASSURANCE
• A Journey of 20 Milestones Naren Vassan: HRA
naren@sabpp.co.za
• Taking up the baton with honour and humility
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Kgomotso Mopalami: HRP
COO’s DESK PAGE 10 research@sabpp.co.za
• HR Youth Council MARKETING & STAKEHOLDER
• Member Profile RELATIONS
Siphiwe Mashoene
siphiwe@sabpp.co.za or events@sabpp.co.za
FEATURED PAGE 13
HR AUDIT
• Exploring the Myth of Graduate Annetjie Moore: MHRP
• Why employ graduates? annetjie@sabpp.co.za
• Nurturing Graduates is a critical duty to society HR STANDARDS
• When designing a graduate programme, have the Maphutha Diaz: MHRP
graduate in mind hrstandards@sabpp.co.za
• Nurturing Graduates - Are graduates work-ready and can
employer/mentor upskill them for work? PROFESSIONAL SERVICES &
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
• Feedback on the SABPP 2ND Annual L&D Conference 2019. Zanele Ndiweni
registrations@sabpp.co.za
or Tebogo Mahesu
INDUSTRY NEWS PAGE 22
professional@sabpp.co.za
• The Importance of Curiosity in the Digital Industrial ADDRESS Willowbrook House, 1st floor
Revolution (Also Known as the Digital Age). Constantia Office Park 14th Avenue & Hendrik
• Mental Health in the Workplace Potgieter Street Weltevredenpark
Roodepoort 1715
T: 011 045 5400 / F: 011 482 4830
010 007 5906
HR GOVERNANCE PAGE 27 www.sabpp.co.za
• The Evolving Nature of HR Governance: Towards a Hu- ADVERTISING HR Consultants and providers
man Face of Corporate Governance who want to advertise their products and
services in the HR Voice, should please
contact Ceanne Schultz from SABPP.
T: 011 045 5413
LABOUR LAW PAGE 30 events@sabpp.co.za
• Dismissal for a positive cannabis test is fair says the EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Please send
CCMA editorial submissions to Ceanne Schultz
• Faulty Charge Formulation can be Fatal ceanne@sabpp.co.za
• Human Resource Reporting in South Africa
CONTRIBUTORS
Dr Marius Meyer: MRHP, Xolani Mawande:
MHRP, Danny Tuckwood, Malebo Maholo: HRA
Dr James Ramakau: CHRP, Elsabé Bell:
STUDENT CHAPTER PAGE 36 MHRP, Dr Mpho Magau: CHRP
Dustin Hogg: CHRP, Theo Tshanga: HRP
Maphutha Diaz: MHRP, Naren Vassan: HRA
• Life after Graduation Jerome Speckman: CHRP, Dr Asaph Mo-
• SABPP NWU Mafikeng Hosts Top Achievers’ Awards shikaro, Tony Healy, Ivan Israelstam: CHRP,
Jacques van Zyl, Ntesang Pharasi
INSIDE · PAGE 2
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
BOARD DESK
TOP
HIGHLIGHTS
IN JUNE
The month of June is here, and on behalf of the SABPP Board Exco it is an honour and privilege
for me to share the top 3 highlights of the month of June with you.
Appointment of new SABPP CEO:
It gives me great pleasure in announcing the new CEO of SABPP being appointed with effect from 1 June
2019. Mr Xolani Mawande, our COO over the past five years has been appointed by the SABPP Board as
our new CEO. Congratulations Xolani! The Board is proud of the work you have done over the past five
years, so much so, that today we celebrate your appointment as our new full-time CEO.
We wish Xolani well on all his endeavours in taking SABPP beyond the 2020 workplace, while advancing
the HR profession nationally and internationally. See the full press release elsewhere in HR Voice, as
well as in the media over the next couple of days.
The SABPP Board looks forward to working with Xolani in ensuring that new successes are achieved
over the first few years of the 2020 era. Representing the HR profession, Xolani is the national and in-
ternational representative of SABPP as the HR professional and quality assurance body of South Africa.
Ultimately, we share his overarching goal of advancing the HR profession to the highest level of signifi-
cance and impact as we embark on the next phases of the HR professionalisation journey.
BOARD DESK · PAGE 3
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
SABPP Annual General Meeting – 20 June:
The SABPP Annual General Meeting (AGM) has become a highlight on our calendar over the past six
years, so much so that we typically exceed 100 members attending. This year will be no different, and I
therefore invite you once again to our AGM. This is also a great opportunity for you to meet our new CEO
and for you to interact with him directly.
New SABPP Strategy:
June also means that the SABPP Board is embarking on a new strategic journey. With the phenom-
enal success of the HR standards journey putting SABPP on the world map as a leading voice for the
HR profession globally, it is now time to fully embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution by developing a
future-fit strategy for SABPP to take us into and beyond the 2020 workplace.
A special word of thanks to Prof Chris Adendorff from Nelson Mandela University Business School and
one of the 4IR advisors of President Ramaphosa, for facilitating this strategic session for the SABPP
Board. We are now ready to take HR into a new era of significance, in fact, the 2020-2030 decade may
turn out to be the period of greatest impact for SABPP. Fasten your seat belts, change is coming. Within
days, SABPP will be on your smart phone and in your home and workplace. We are entering your life in
cyber space, and we are excited to be part of your professionalism journey.
At the AGM we will share elements of the new strategy with you. Once again, your inputs are needed
to ensure that the new strategy will meet your needs and expectations. Also, Xolani will be more than
willing to come and engage with you at your company so that he can obtain your inputs on the new
SABPP strategy.
Wishing you a good month of June. Let us be as professional as possible as we work through another
month in completing the first six months of the year. See you at the AGM on 20 June.
Marius Meyer: MHRP
Chairperson: SABPP
BOARD DESK · PAGE 4
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
PRESS RELEASE
XOLANI MAWANDE APPOINTED
NEW CEO OF SABPP
Issued on behalf of SABPP Johannesburg 1 June 2019. Xolani Mawande has been appointed Chief Exec-
For more information utive Officer of the SA Board of People Practices (SABPP), South Africa’s HR
contact: professional and quality assurance body, which is responsible for setting HR
standards nationally.
Lunice Johnston
Communication Mawande was appointed Interim CEO in August 2018. Mawande has a mas-
ter’s degree in commerce from the University of South Africa, is registered as
Mobile: +27 82 824 6384 a Master’s HR Professional with SABPP and is also a member of the Institute
Email: lunice@lunice.co.za of Directors.
“Xolani’s confirmation as SABPP’s new, full-time CEO is the culmination of
an outstanding five years with us, achieving goals such as ensuring the ap-
proval of HR practitioners as ex officio Commissioners of Oaths by the Minis-
ter of Justice and growing new SABPP members to more than 1 000 annual-
ly,” says Marius Meyer, Chairperson of the SABPP board. “He is dynamic and
has natural business acumen and innate leadership abilities.”
Mawande initially joined SABPP in 2014 from Learning and Development
management and specialist positions in the financial sector. As Operations
Manager, he was tasked with streamlining operations to improve the SABPP
value proposition and service delivery. Within a year, Mawande was promot-
ed to Chief Operating Officer, serving on the SABPP board and on several
sub-committees.
“The SABPP Board looks forward to working with Xolani as he implements
the organisation’s strategy for the 2020+ workplace and takes SABPP beyond
the 10 000 members milestone,” says Meyer. “Already he has influenced the
lives of thousands of HR professionals and students.”
As a strong supporter of good education generally and mathematics in par-
ticular, Xolani is challenging HR professionals to improve their qualifications
and to master Digital HR, HR analytics and metrics to add greater financial
value to their organisations.
“I value authenticity and integrity above all,” says Mawande. “My advice to
young HR professionals is that there is no place for mediocrity in the HR
profession and they should not allow others to decide on the limits of their
potential.”
BOARD DESK · PAGE 5
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
MILESTONES
XOLANI MAWANDE - FROM COO
TO CEO: A JOURNEY OF
20 MILESTONES
Building on the press release, in this article we want to pay
tribute to the new CEO of SABPP, Xolani Mawande. Over the
past five years, Mr Mawande was responsible for some of the
biggest successes achieved by SABPP in recent times. He
spearheaded the following historic milestones:
Provincial growth strategy: Mr Mawande managed to
1.
achieve the best provincial membership growth in the
history of SABPP. Visiting all provinces and consti-
tuting provincial committees in all nine provinces, he
managed to ensure a significant SABPP footprint in all
provinces. Reaching out to the rural provinces in par-
ticular ensured that through his regional support pro-
gramme, the Eastern Cape managed to become the 5. A new IT and membership system: Following years
first province outside Gauteng to unseat the Western of challenging IT transformation, Mr Mawande suc-
Cape and KZN as top membership growth provinces. ceeded in the transition to a new IT system, the cus-
tomised online membership portal for SABPP mem-
2. Student chapters: Mr Mawande managed to achieve bers. This was the first major attempt to the full
incredible growth in student chapters throughout automation of all SABPP work, providing self-ser-
South Africa. Once again, visiting and reaching out to vice access to learning providers and professional
the most remote provinces resulted in rural univer- members.
sities such as Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern
Cape outperforming large metropolitan universities 6. SABPP App: After a successful pilot project, Mr
in terms of SABPP student member numbers. Un- Mawande went ahead to develop an App for SABPP,
der his leadership, 12 student chapters were formed thus members now have SABPP on their phone for
at different universities throughout the country and daily contact and interaction.
more than 2000 students mobilised. Many of these
graduates managed to find employment within weeks 7. Building a strong team: With the growth in member-
after graduation, thus contributing significantly to HR ship numbers, staff numbers also increased. From
graduate employment. a small team of 4 people in 2011, SABPP has grown
to 20 staff members in 2019, making it one of the
3. HR Youth Council: Building on the success of the HR fastest growing professional bodies in South Africa.
Student Chapters, Mr Mawande launched the HR
Youth Council in 2019. The HR Youth Council consists New building: The new and growing SABPP team
of the chairpersons of student chapters and they now 8. needed a bigger building, hence the need to acquire
have a national voice to influence decision-making a bigger building. Mr Mawande successfully man-
about HR youth talent in South Africa. aged this transition to the new ultramodern building
in 2019.
4. Dynamic conference talks: As a preacher, Mr Mawa-
nde has a unique talent to inspire any audience. His Biggest budget ever: Given the phenomenal growth
excellent talks at several national events, such as the 9. of SABPP over the last 8 years, the budget has in-
CHRO conference, AMIHRP, Mice Academy and Emer- creased more than ten-fold from a R2 million budget
gence Growth resulted in several further invitations to exceeding R20 million. Mr Mawande was respon-
for presentations, in addition to an increase in SABPP sible for the financial planning and management of
membership numbers following these talks. SABPP during this period.
BOARD DESK · PAGE 6
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
10. Largest surplus: While non-profit organisations
are primarily focused on balancing the books when
reachng break-even point, in 2018, given his perfor-
mance and that of his team, the largest ever surplus
was achieved.
11. Commissioners of Oaths: Mr Mawande was the in-
dividual at the SABPP office who did the most work
in ensuring that SABPP HR Practitioners were ap-
proved as Ex-Officio Commissioners of Oaths by the
Minister of Justice, Advocate Michael Masutha.
12. HR Standards Conference – 6th Annual Summit:
Building on this world leadership event running from
2013 to 2018, Mr Mawande managed to run the 6th
Annual SABPP HR Standards conference with such a
success that the event showed a bigger surplus than
the previous annual conferences. This was mainly
achieved as a result of the best ever sponsorships
being secured for the conference.
18. Supply-chain management: Given the phenome-
Unprecedented membership growth: While excel- nal growth of SABPP over the past eight years, the
13.
lent membership growth was experienced since number of suppliers has increased. Mr Mawan-
2011, Mr Mawande was a key driver of the increased de responded by developing a clear supply chain
membership numbers, mainly as part of a stream- framework for SABPP, including a BBBEE strategy
lined membership department, but also when depu- and policy.
tising the CEO during membership drives.
19. Largest project: Mr Mawande played a key role in
14. Employee benefits: Using his corporate experience building relationships and overseeing the finances
in the field of employee benefits, Mr Mawande ar- and delivery of SABPP’s biggest project in history,
ranged a full set of employee benefits for all SABPP i.e. HR capacity building for the Gauteng Provincial
employees. All contract positions were converted Government, Department of Health.
to full-time employment and all employees now
receive a full suite of employee benefits, including 20. Building and strengthening alliances: During
pension and medical aid. 2019 several existing alliances were strengthened
such as The Ethics Institute, Leadership Platform,
15. Diversity and employment equity: When Mr Mawa- the Association for Certified Fraud Examiners
nde arrived at the SABPP office in 2014, about 60% and CHRO South Africa while new alliances were
of members were white and 40% black. He has now formed to advance the HR profession.
turned this around, and five years later, more than
70% of members are now black, meaning that the On behalf of the SABPP Board and the broader HR
HR profession is now one of the first transformed community, we thank Xolani for the hard work cul-
professions in South Africa. minating in the above successes and we wish him
and his team many further milestones as he takes
16. Board exams: In 2019 Mr Mawande introduced the HR profession forward. We are proud of our
Board exams for HR practitioners, thereby ensuring new CEO and we are ready to support him all the
that South Africa assumes world leadership in this way in his future career and journey as the leader
regard. of SABPP governing the HR profession.
17. Awards and bursaries: A number of awards and Marius Meyer:MHRP
bursaries were established during his period as Chairperson: SABPP
COO, but these awards are now part of a formal HR Dr James Ramakau:CHRP
awards programme. Vice-chairperson: SABPP
BOARD DESK · PAGE 7
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
TAKING UP
THE BATON
WITH
HONOUR
AND
HUMILITY
XOLANI MAWANDE
CEO: SABPP
I am delighted to take up the leadership role at SABPP with driven by high ethical foundation. We will continue being the
great honour and humility. I am grateful and sincerely thank voice of the profession. We intend taking and owning our
the SABPP Board, on behalf of the HR community , for en- space in the executive boardroom tables by ensuring that we
trusting me with such great responsibility at the time like become and remain the most trusted lieutenants of the CEOs.
this. My predecessor Dr Marius Meyer managed SABPP for
over seven years breaking multiple records and SABPP went We are not going to react to technology and 4IR but rather pro-
through unprecedented growth. To now take over after such actively lead the discourse. After all it’s about people.
phenomenal leadership and growth is indeed big shoes to fill.
Ed West put us at ease when he said ‘ He leaves big shoes to We are going to grow membership from 7000 now to over
fill but they are pointed in the right direction’ 10000 in the next three years. We want to increase visibility in
proportion to the value we add to members. We have spaces
SABPP strategy for the next three years sees the Board con- for young people and spaces for the experienced. We have
solidating all the great products and services initiated over the spaces for all races, all gender and religions. We cannot suc-
last six years, repackaging them and the HR profession to be ceed without your input and support. We therefore call upon
future fit for the next decade. This is indeed the expectation of professionals across the globe to join us in our journey. The
the 2020+ workforce and we are ready for the future. road will definitely be bumpy but the journey will be worth it.
It was Bruce Lee who said ‘ When I look around I always learn We intend doing a roadshow around the country to meet you.
something, and that is to be yourself always. Do not go out and Please make time for SABPP and your profession.
look for a successful personality and duplicate it. Start from
the root of your being and ask, how can I be me?’ Therefore it Our success is SABPP success. SABPP’s success is the HR
is ‘confidence in our bodies , minds and spirits that allows us profession success. The HR profession success is your suc-
to keep looking for new adventures’ (Oprah Winfrey) cess. Your success is your company success. Your company
success is the economy success. The economy success is our
Having learned from great stars of the HR Profession we in- success. Therefore let’s join hands and do it for all of us.
tend to continue striving for excellence in the HR profession
BOARD DESK · PAGE 9
HR VOICE JUNE 2019
COO’s DESK
HR YOUTH COUNCIL
Elsabé Bell: MHRP
Our commitment to nurture our students continue to flourish
as we see our students excelling in all that they do. On the
14th and 15th of May 2019, students from all walks of life met
on their second annual session that took place at 26 Degrees
Bush Boho, to elect a new committee and develop a strategy
for the year 2019/2020.
Our guest speaker, Neo Mpele from Letshalo HR Services pre-
sented on work expectation.
Her presentations focused on key things to look out for in the
work environment as an employee as well as the employer.
She encouraged entrepreneurship and our students were in-
spired by her as she is an entrepreneur herself.
We also had team building activities to encourage communi-
cation, build trust and create a healthy working environment.
These activities include but not limited to hiking, egg racing,
blind folding as well as in door activities.
COO’s DESK· PAGE 10HR VOICE JUNE 2019
MEMBER PROFILE
BIOGRAPHY:
Dr. Mpho Dennis Magau,
Registered Chartered
HR Professional with the SABPP
PERSONAL LIFE AND EDUCATION
Born in Soweto, 1978, Mpho was raised in a family grounded
on Christianity, discipline and respect for human dignity. He
is married to Zandile and they are blessed with three children;
Inga, Kamogelo and Keamogela. Mpho completed his Matric
in 1995 before joining West Driefontein Gold Mine as a General
Clerk in 1996. He began his tertiary education in 1998 studying
towards a National Diploma in Human Resource Management
(HRM) at Technikon Southern Africa (TSA) and progressed to
achieve a PhD. in Leadership in Performance and Change at
the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in 2019. Amongst his
other qualifications, Mpho completed B-Tech Degrees in HRM
related fields at UNISA between 2005 and 2007, a BCom Hon-
ours Degree in Strategic Management and Master’s Degree
in Leadership in Performance and Change in 2007 and 2010
respectively at UJ. In 2006, and as part of his BCom Honours
Degree studies, Mpho was designated a World-Class Manager
for operating a company successfully in a global competitive
market setting by the Business Strategy Game (BSG Online)
which is administered by McGraw-Hill Education in the U.S.
OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY
Despite the economic and labour market volatilities between
1998 and 2010, Mpho had a successful career which saw him
climb the corporate ladder in a short space of time where he
ultimately became the Human Resource Manager at Anglo-
Gold Ashanti in the year 2010 before joining UJ in 2011 as a
Lecturer. A few steps back, he worked for Gold Fields Lim-
ited, Boart Longyear and McDonalds South Africa between
1996 and 2006 in various HR roles specialising in employee
relations for maintaining industrial peace. During his time
at Gold Fields Limited, Mpho served in the Council of the
Association of the Mining Industry Human Resources Prac-
titioners (AMIHRP) between 2007 to 2010. Now overseeing
the growth of the HRM programme in the Department of In-
dustrial Psychology and People Management (IPPM) at UJ,
Mpho is currently responsible for the academic leadership
of numerous undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.
At the moment, he lectures the Employee Relations modules
and leads the Human Capital Measurement (HCM) research
programme. As a researcher, he supervises postgraduate re-
search projects, publishes scientific journal articles and con-
ference proceedings in the areas of HCM, Employee Relations
and Performance Management. After 20 years of HRM expe-
rience spanning between 1996 to date, Mpho has developed
technical HR competencies which not only serve him well as
COO’s DESK· PAGE 11HR VOICE JUNE 2019
an academic but enable him to execute private consulting
projects effectively through strategic partnerships. He aims to
become a successful academic and business consultant with
the ability to forge networks for creating socio-economic de-
velopment opportunities. He presented six TV episodes about
HR practices on SABC 2 in 2013. Through his HR stewardship,
Mpho was recently included in a team of experts by the South
African Board for People Practices (SABPP) for rolling out the
National Human Capital Confidence Index (HCCI) which seeks
to improve the level of confidence investors have about human
capital contribution towards business success. He is a regis-
tered Chartered HR Professional with the SABPP.
DOCTORAL STUDY
His Ph.D. research focused on the critical examination of how
the disclosure of human capital (HC) as a dimension of intel-
lectual capital (IC) can predict the expected future earnings of
the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies by
considering the mediating effect of HR Risk and moderating
effect of the Board Effectiveness. In doing so, Mpho developed
a Disclosure Index containing 81 items with a 7-point scoring
system to extract data from the annual reports of 150 JSE list-
ed companies for the reporting period of 2015. The findings
yielded a positive impact of IC on predicting the expected fu-
ture returns of the listed companies. HR Risk was found to
mediate this relationship, except for the individual dimensions
of IC, namely HC, structural capital (SC) and relational capital
(RC). Lastly, gender was found to have a statistically signifi-
cant relationship with SC and RC, but not with HC. The out-
come of this research can help improve integrated reporting
through human capital disclosure.
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
In terms of hobbies, Mpho is interested in soccer, swimming,
tennis, rugby, cooking and hope to venture into golf in the
near future. In fact, and particularly with regard to soccer, he
played for Kaizer Chiefs junior divisions in the early 90s before
launching his HR career in the mining industry. Mpho is a big
fan of Kaizer Chiefs, Manchester United and Real Madrid.
COO’s DESK· PAGE 12HR VOICE JUNE 2019
FEATURED
EXPLORING
THE MYTH OF
GRADUATE
Danny Tuckwood
Over the past several years, you may have noticed an increase ‘systemic’ rather than as a series of formalised programs.
in generational tension among employees, most often focused
on the attitudes and behaviours of ‘Millennial’, ‘Gen-Y’ and In today’s rapidly changing environment, there is an imperative
more recently ‘Gen-Z’ groups (including graduates). Whilst to actively build leaders through “leadership experiences” –
relational issues between generations have been evident since letting them lead (making and recognising mistakes along
the advent of the ‘teenager’ in the 1950’s, they have rarely the way) sooner. Whilst tenure, experience, and wisdom are
risen to the current level of priority demanding leadership always important, companies now need to rapidly promote
intervention. Millennials (and those that come after) to help build their
skills whilst understanding that the person may not stay with
Traditionally, some leaders hoped that the issues would the organisation for the long term.
resolve themselves as these younger employees settled
in and learned that they had to demonstrate ‘conforming’ This changing dynamic creates an additional challenge which
behaviours to be successful in the workplace. However, this most organisations are not yet ready for: teaching seniors
is not the case (if it ever was) and, as the boomer generation (and even senior leaders) to work for and with more junior
has begun its exodus from the workplace, organizations are executives. This means a change in the nature of performance
increasingly having to look to younger staff as a solution to management - from an annual or bi-annual formality to an
workplace manpower transition rather than as a leadership ‘in-the-moment’ series of conversations. In turn, this means
challenge. inculcating coaching and mentoring practices which are hard
wired into the organisational culture, behaviours, reward
The problem is that we don’t yet really know how best to lead structures and development programs.
such a diverse, multigenerational workforce. Companies are
far too attached to old models of leadership, long development To succeed with graduates in their Brave New World requires a
times, slow progression, and traditional high-potential (HiPo) continuous set of strategies, development programs, rewards,
programs. coaching programs, assessments, competency, models and
behaviours that can build leaders at all hierarchical levels.
A new model of leadership is emerging; leaders who are
empowered not by age, experience or position, but more It also requires a change in thinking for those who are
by their “followership” - their ability to set an example and tasked with nurturing this talent to someone who can look at
empower others and in doing so drive change, alignment, and behavioural economics, neuroscience, organizational network
inspiration. Today, high-performing companies promote young analysis, analytics and the power of teams and can then move
leaders at an accelerated rate and enable them to learn on the forward with a more agile, integrated, culture-driven approach
job. These organisations have recognised leadership as being that can also cater for individual career mobility needs.
FEATURED· PAGE 13HR VOICE JUNE 2019
WHY EMPLOY GRADUATES?
Theo Tshanga:
contribute new, innovative and fresh ideas. Also, they are
likely in tune with industry trends and will inject young,
fresh voice into the organisation, this increases diversity
in the workplace.
3. They come at a lower salary – Of course we are not
talking about cheap labour here, but with little or no
experience, the salary expectation is not high.
4. They are keen to learn, progress and they are highly
competitive – If you’re new to both a job and work
environment, you are bound to do your best. Younger
graduates give it their all at work and do their best. They
are primed to learn more in order to succeed. Graduates
are also competitive as they have realised that having a
Degree alone is not enough, so they are building up their
extra-curricular portfolio in order to stand out from the
rest. They are well vest in multi- tasking.
What happens then after you as an organisation have recruited
Often organisations are faced with the challenge of whether a graduate, how do you nurture a graduate?
to recruit a graduate or an experienced resource. Of course
there are many pros and cons to consider upon making a Graduates need the right combination of skills and attributes
recruitment decision, however I must say from my experience to thrive in a modern business environment. It is not
that there are a number of advantages of recruiting a graduate. enough for graduates to have academic and not practical
No matter what the business needs are, giving a graduate an experience. Organisations should be creating a conducive
employment opportunity has been proven to be an extremely culture for graduates to thrive. Programmes such as
wise long term business decisions. Graduate Training Programmes, Internships and Workplace
Readiness Programme play a huge role in closing the skills
Some of the advantages of recruiting a graduate: gap and moulding graduates in preparing them as leaders for
tomorrow.
1. Adapt to new technology – New graduates, especially
millennials will be more comfortable with technology and Organisations such as Shell, SARB and Unilever have for the
this is because of the ubiquity of technology in their time. past years implemented Graduate Training Programmes. This
Millennials are quite adaptive and flexible to change. programme is meant to bridge the skills gaps and is designed
This means when an organisation is introducing new to build business leaders. This programme normally includes
technologies, the may not be any resistance to change. rotations within and across functions of the business, learning
2. They bring new perspective – Younger generations engagements, mentorship, formal training and professional
have different perspective on life and they will be able to development.
FEATURED· PAGE 14HR VOICE JUNE 2019
Workplace Readiness Programme is also a critical
It’s difficult to find an organisation today that would open-
programme to have in order to nurture graduates. As we know
that workplace readiness can often be a major challenge for
first-time entrants into the workplace. This often results
How different would
ly reject innovation. This buzzword has become the mantra
of every company seeking to provide the latest and greatest
in additional pressure for employers and employees alike
when embarking on a skills development or empowerment
your life be if someone
solutions to its industry’s problems. But if a company hopes to
produce a steady flow of new and creative ideas, it must first
didn’t tell you about
realize that innovation is more complex than forging ahead
programme. A lack of exposure, limited knowledge of the
with the first decent suggestion that comes along.
business environment and the underdeveloped interpersonal
SABPP?
or soft skills of many young entrants (especially those from
“Innovation requires continual evolution,” said Scott Jewett,
disadvantaged backgrounds) are just some of the challenges
CEO and founder of research and development solutions pro-
facing previously unemployed candidates.
vider Element-Y. “An innovative company can have an advan-
Bridging the gap into the working world is thus a critical first
tage in the marketplace, but it must also balance the invest-
step in addressing the need for larger talent pools within
ment and cost with the potential outcome. The problem is that
?
business and industry, and certainly a step that corporate
most companies focus on building an innovative infrastruc-
South Africa can actively participate in. Workplace readiness
ture rather than on teaching their team a structured way of
programmes offer a great means for organisations to prepare
thinking that delivers great results.”
first-time entrants into the workplace, as they aim to develop
critical soft skills that provide a sound basis to a successful
An innovative workplace requires a leader who can provide the
career.
right combination of people, processes and focus. Leadership
experts offered their tips for finding and harnessing innova-
It is unfortunate that many graduates/ learners struggle with
tion in any company or industry. [How to Cultivate Innovation
employment after graduating. Although graduates/ learners
in Real Time]
typically have academic or technical skills, they often lack
basic workplace skills, also referred to as employability skills.
Hire the right people
One of the greatest challenges for graduates/ learners is to
All leaders strive to bring the best talent into their organisa-
acquire employability skills needed in the workplace while
tions, but hiring employees for their innovative abilities can
one of the greatest challenges facing organizations is the
be a particularly challenging task. The key is to recognize
amount of personal development still required by graduates/
personality traits in candidates that correlate with innova-
learners when they enter the job market.
tion, said Rod Pyle, author of “Innovation the NASA Way” (Mc-
Graw-Hill, 2014).
The employers tend to expect graduates/ learners to be
“Finding individuals who embody the characteristics needed
ready to run with their new jobs while graduates/ learners
for true innovation — imagination, inspiration, knowledge,
expect employers to show them the ropes - this leads to an
boldness, persistence and, occasionally, a contrarian mind-
expectations gap which can clearly create work stress and
set — has become essential,” Pyle told Business News Daily.
tension.
“Innovation is rarely easy, and these traits provide the tenacity
to excel.”
So ultimately, the need of building workplace readiness prior
to seeking or securing employment is of utmost importance.
Seeking diverse candidates who are aligned with a common
In the current economic climate, it is essential that graduates/
mission is also extremely important in fostering an innovative
learners are prepared to enter the workplace, possessing key
environment.
employability skills which will enable them to compete in
today’s job market.
“An organisation’s mission, clearly defined and articulated,
supports the inspiration that precedes innovation and in-
Mentorship and Coaching is also another form of nurturing
vention,” Pyle said. “As NASA and other organisations have
graduates. As structured mentorship and coaching
learned, diversity in hiring provides different viewpoints that,
programme custom made for graduates will be beneficial in
when combined with other cultural backgrounds, can provide
accelerating the career growth of the graduates.
a rich basis for this innovative thinking.”
These programmes thus assist in nurturing graduates in the
Have a structured thought process for innovation
workplace, however organisations have to ensure that they
A common misconception is that structure is the enemy of
create a conducive environment for the graduates to thrive.
creative thinking. Jewett disagreed, noting that only through a
This is a win- win situation for both employers and graduates.
structured thought process can you measure tangible results.
He outlined
SABPPfour concrete
A VOICE FORsteps to the
THE HR innovative process: De-
PROFESSION
fine the essence of the problem; embrace constraints; gener-
REFER HR PROFESSIONALS
ate, quick-test and select ideas; and execute.
FOR REGISTRATION!
“You must do steps 1 and 2 before you start having idea fun
professional@sabpp.co.za
FEATURED· PAGE 15HR VOICE JUNE 2019
NURTURING GRADUATES IS A CRITICAL
DUTY TO SOCIETY
Maphutha Diaz: MHRP
Head of Standards, HR Candidate Programme and Projects: SABPP
The above reality requires various strategies and serious
commitment from the government and its social partners at
preferably, the level of the National Economic Development
and Labour Council (NEDLAC). However, this does not in any
way replace HR’s role and duty to society.
2. The Role of HR in Addressing Youth Unemployment
The SABPP regards duty to society as one of the 4 Pillars of
our profession and defines it as delivering high quality HR
work that has an impact on society and being custodians
for good people practices in organisations, ensuring that
people are treated fairly and with respect and dignity, driving
transformation, skills development and sustainability.
For purposes of this article, three relevant outputs of this
competency (duty to society) are:
• HR work and betterment of society are clearly linked
• Achievement of organisational transformation and
employment equity
• Personal community service
The above role towards society is in line with one of the
fundamental principles of the King Code on corporate
governance, namely the triple-bottom line: A framework or
theory that recommends that companies commit to focus on
social and environmental matters concerning business, just
as they would on profits.
1. Introduction
One way of addressing the above-mentioned youth
During the first quarter of 2019, there were approximately unemployment is through nurturing the unemployed youth
10,3 million persons in the 15–24 age category. Furthermore, through formal exposure of these in workplaces: For this
between the fourth quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of very reason, the SABPP has developed the HR Candidate
2019, the percentage of young persons in the 15–24 years age Programme.
category who were not in employment, education or training
(NEET) increased by 2,1 percentage points to a shocking 33,2% 3. The SABPP HR Candidate Programme
(3,4 million). Even more alarming is that , of the 20,3 million
young people in the age group 15-34 years, 40,7% of these were The purpose of the HR Candidate Programme (the Programme)
not in employment, education or training (NEET), translating is to develop the skills of HR Candidates in line with the
to an increase of 1,8 percentage points in comparison with the South African National HR Competency Model (the Model)
fourth quarter of 2018 (http://www.statssa.gov.za/p=12121, against the 4 Pillars; the 5 core competencies; and the 5 HR
accessed 14 May 2019). Capabilities. The Programme allows Candidates to translate
previously obtained theoretical and academic knowledge
The shocking statistics above provides a gloomy picture about into activities related to various professional practices under
the future of our youth: The International Labour Organization the guidance of a registered SABPP Supervisor in order to
(ILO) states that globally, approximately 71 million youth in the obtain registration on the SABPP professional ladder as
15–24-year age group were unemployed in 2017, with many an HR Technician/ Associate/ Professional, depending on
of them facing the reality of long-term unemployment. From qualifications and performance against the identified HR
a South African perspective, we regard those in the age group Competencies, Capabilities and Pillars as reflected in the
15–34 years as youth. Model on the next page.
FEATURED· PAGE 16HR VOICE JUNE 2019
and do not otherwise qualify for registration on the
professional ladder but must be currently working in an
HR related role.
3.1.2 Role and Responsibility of Candidate
This is a learner-driven process, and therefore, the onus
is on the Candidates to complete their given Development
Guidelines within the time frames agreed with their
Supervisors. Candidates need to ensure that the service they
provide to their current employer or the diligence applied to
their current studies does not deteriorate as a result of their
participation in the Programme.
In addition, candidates need to ensure that they attend all
Programme workshops / meetings during their candidacy;
and need to ensure that all work produced for evaluation is of
a high standard and authentic (their own work).
3.1.3 Role and Responsibility of Supervisor
Each Candidate is allocated a Supervisor who should support
3.1. The Various Aspects of the HR Candidate Programme and guide a Candidate through the Programme, but they (he/
she) is also responsible for assessing competence as the
3.1.1 Candidate Entry Points Programme progresses.
For purposes of the programme, a Candidate is someone who
has an HR qualification but does not otherwise qualify for
registration on the SABPP professional ladder, due to lack of The criteria for the role of Candidate Supervisor are as fol-
enough experience as required for the different levels on the lows:
ladder as reflected below:
Skills and Qualifications Behavioural Dimensions
• Registered with • Attention to Detail
the SABPP at HR • Emotional Maturity
Professional level or • Judgement – objective
above as a Generalist and fair
(Supervisors with a • Empathetic & Supportive
Specialist registra- • Skilled Networker
tion may assist with
Candidates wanting to
register for the same
specialisation)
• Assessor Qualification
(Assessor Registra-
tion preferred)
• Experience in Coach-
ing & Supervising
The Programme also makes provision for other categories of
people who may enrol in the Candidate programme such as: 3.1.4 Role and Responsibility of the Company
• Unemployed youth graduates, provided they can be The Company commits to providing the Candidate with work
placed in a workplace in HR, for training purposes. exposure and opportunities as stipulated in the relevant de-
• Candidates who are currently registered at HR velopment guideline within a reasonable timeframe; to pro-
Professional or below as specialists, but who wish to viding the Candidate with regular performance and develop-
obtain generalist skills. ment feedback; and sign off the Employer’s Agreement which
• Candidates who are currently studying part-time towards includes the above points.
an appropriate qualification with a registered institution
FEATURED· PAGE 17HR VOICE JUNE 2019
3.1.5 Development and Evaluation Process each level of the HR professional ladder. Development guide-
The Supervisor and Candidate will have an initial meeting to lines have been produced for each element of the Competency
plan the development process, which will depend to what ex- Model aligned to the appropriate level of work. A 360-degree
tent the Candidate has already acquired some of the target assessment will be conducted at the commencement of the
competencies. Thereafter, the Candidates will meet in group Programme and again at the completion of the Programme to
sessions 3 times a year for development sessions. The groups ensure that the Pillars and the Core Competencies have been
will be assembled by the Professional Services Department of embraced and applied by the Candidate. The Table below pro-
the SABPP, in consultation with the Supervisors. vides an overview of the content of the Candidate Programme
as well as the suggested time frames. It is important that the
3.1.6 Candidate Programme Content Candidate receives an equal amount of exposure in all the el-
The SA HR Competency Model forms the basis of the skills ements of the Candidate Programme.
that HR practitioners need to have mastered to progress at
Programme Element Suggested
360º survey 2
Meeting with Supervisor 1
1. Pillar 1 – Duty to Society 4
2. Pillar 2 – Ethics 2
3. Pillar 3 – Professionalism 2
4. Pillar 4 – HR & Business Knowledge 3
5. Core Competency 1 – Leadership & Personal Credibility 2
6. Core Competency 2 – Architect of Organisational Capability 3
7. Core Competency 3 – Solution Creation and Implementation 2
8. Core Competency 4 – Interpersonal and Communication 2
9. Core Competency 5 – Citizenship for the Future 2
10. HR Capability 1 – Strategy 3
11. HR Capability 2 – Talent Management 3
12. HR Capability 3 – Governance, Risk & Compliance 4
13. HR Capability 4 – Analytics & Measurement 2
14. HR Capability 5 – HR Service Delivery 4
15. HR Function 1 – Workforce Planning & Staffing 4
16. HR Function 2 – Learning & Development 4
17. HR Function 3 – Performance Improvement & Management 3
18. HR Function 4 – Rewards Management 6
19. HR Function 5 - Wellness 4
4. Partnerships with Companies
The nurturing of particularly unemployed HR graduates
is a value adding duty to society and an imperative of HR
professionals and companies. We call upon companies and our
members to join efforts and partner with the SABPP in order
to address the critical and dire situation of the unemployed
youth presented above.
FEATURED· PAGE 18HR VOICE JUNE 2019
WHEN DESIGNING A GRADUATE PROGRAMME,
HAVE THE GRADUATE IN MIND
Malebo Maholo:HRA
HR Audit Officer
their Talent Strategy. The process of recruiting graduates
should not be a rushed process, it requires adequate planning
ensuring that the necessary structures and resources are
in place. This will help avoid overpromising graduates with
developmental interventions that the organisation does not
need nor have, or the possibility of exploiting graduates with
projects or work that does not relate to their field of study.
Year on year graduates successfully exit universities Graduates need to be assigned projects that are reasonably
embarking on a new quest to begin the application process. challenging and suitable for their level of work. Opportunities
Companies themselves are discovering ways to recruit, grow to rotate in various departments and acquire the practice of
and to retain graduates who are considered as the key to talent. the respective functions needs to be taken into consideration.
Developing graduate programmes that speak to the needs It cannot be that graduate programmes are designed to suit
of the graduate, the organisation and the field is of utmost all departments in all disciplines; however, it needs to be
importance. Emerging trends and researched developments tailormade if the departments are reliant on one another.
need to influence the way a graduate programme is structured, There is a growing need for mentors and facilitators in the
which could possibly attract graduates by offering career same discipline to ensure that graduates are responsible and
paths and developments that address where the graduates accountable for their own learning progress. The role of a
need and want to be. facilitator should be that of providing support, to talk through
any problems that surface and keeping track of the progress
The current youth of South Africa is made up of indivi- the graduates are making.
duals who already know where they would like to see
themselves, they are ambitious and aspire to become leaders Graduate programmes should ease entrants into the world
and gamechangers. Graduates need to have access to of work and provide the skills required to become part of
opportunities that are developmental to help them blossom the greater team, who knows, a new career path could arise
into renowned and credible professionals in their desired field through creative young minds. Organisations will then need
so that they can provide support and have an impact in the to ask themselves, have we done enough to groom graduates
organisation. into young competent professionals, because they will be
walking portfolios of evidence that reflect what organisations
To be fair to our graduates and line managers, HR need to have invested and instilled in them. With that in mind we will
design programmes that reflect their intent documented in have confidence in our future leaders.
FEATURED· PAGE 19HR VOICE JUNE 2019
NURTURING GRADUATES
Are graduates work-ready and can employer/mentor upskill them for work?
lead to accidents resulting in the loss of lives and damage to
company assets.
Having listed some of the aspects, we should also develop ac-
tion plans on how to give graduates an opportunity to work-
place experience. Job rotation plans that map proper learning
results should be considered. Companies should consider
plotting/recording platforms and processes to map the de-
velopment of these graduates. This information can then be
used in quarterly reviews where all affected stakeholders can
provide relevant feedback. The feedback obtained can then be
useful for further coaching.
The graduates need the following skills which can be provided
Naren Vassan: HRA by employers, mentors:
Head of Learning and Quality Assurance • networking skills,
• interpretation of data,
• public speaking,
Companies want industry-ready graduates who can contrib- • collaboration – working with customers, clients and dif-
ute quickly to their business. To act on various processes and ferent departments,
practices to be a meaningful contributor to the world of work. • having an opinion that allows knowledge sharing,
Five key aspects of developing industry readiness for gradu- • understand the value of management tools for decision
ates are: making such as reports, financial statement, information
1. to be able to solve real problems and make meaningful from relevant sources etc.,
decisions. • maintain focus so that if mistakes are made it will lead to
2. work with people and become customer focused, some form of learning,
3. to be output driven with the concept of doing thing correct • engaging in industry projects to gain relevant industry
and right first time (where possible). knowledge,
4. be ethical in their action, in-line with policies and compa- • cultural awareness,
ny code of conduct. • understanding financial concepts, as well as how busi-
5. giving them experience in a range of working environ- ness decision can impact the bottom line of the organi-
ments. sation.
The above can be implemented with relevant support, work- •
place coaching as well as collaboration from team mem- In my opinion graduates are the future workforce that will be
bers. The graduates must be made aware of consequences smarter, more technology savvy, promote good governance
for taking short-cuts and errors resulting in possible losses and be loyal to themselves, as long as they can grow and be-
both financially and productivity as well as mistakes that could come a leader within their horizon.
FEATURED· PAGE 20HR VOICE JUNE 2019
REVIEW
FEEDBACK ON THE SABPP 2nd ANNUAL
L&D CONFERENCE 2019
E – Pledge
Dustin Hogg: CHRP
Chair of L&D Committee
Objective electronic age, to enhance and simplify the way I learn as
The objective of the pledge was to highlight the important well as promote learning.
link Learning and Development has to business as well as to 4. Accelerate and support skills development and
have L&D professionals reignite their passion and purpose, by achievement of employment equity and organisational
taking this pledge. transformation, and limit the impact of skills shortages.
5. Provide and or source learning that will meet the needs
Pledge and demand of my clients and customers, using a
Goal - Learning and development is the practice of providing blended approach that can deliver products and services
occupationally directed and other learning activities that that significantly impact work-related output(s).
enables and enhances the knowledge, practical skills and 6. Support the notion of using Learning and Development
workplace experience as well as behaviour of individual and as a catalyst for continuous improvement, change and
teams, based on current and future occupational requirements innovation.
for optimal organisational performance and sustainability. 7. Focus Learning and Development plans and initiatives
on improving peoples ability to perform, to achieve
I pledge that I will: organisational objectives, and provide the means for
measuring the impact of such interventions.
1. Support the creation and development of an
occupationally competent and engaged workforce, which Digitally signed as a word cloud
builds organisational capability, providing employees with
opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills. The concept of having the delegates sign using an electronic
2. Promote and cultivate a culture of life long learning that platform speaks directly to the theme of the conference “the
enables optimal individual, team and organisational role of technology to enable learning”. 84 participants went
learning and growth in both competencies and behaviour. online and signed in real time to produce the wordcloud of
3. Embrace technology, the internet of things and the L&D professionals pledge as seen on the next page.
FEATURED· PAGE 21HR VOICE JUNE
DECEMBER
2019 2018
INDUSTRY NEWS
THE IMPORTANCE OF
CURIOSITY IN THE
DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION (ALSO
KNOWN AS THE
DIGITAL AGE).
Jerome Speckman: CHRP
A few weeks ago, I was having conversation with one of
my brothers who holds a Masters in Information Security
and Governance and Lectures at NMU (Nelson Mandela
University). He recollected to me on how shocked he was to
discover (during preparation for the 2019 academic year),
that some of the curriculum that they were taught at Honours THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF CURIOUS
level was now part of the First-Year curriculum. Therefore, INDIVIDUALS:
this almost renders his Undergraduate and Honours level
qualifications obsolete. 1. Joyous Exploration – Curiosity is founded on this
characteristic. Essentially individuals have a desire to forge
This got me thinking, how many of us within the corporate into the unknown, seeking new knowledge and information,
environment completed our degree(s) or qualification(s) many looking for opportunities to perform in critical unforeseen
moons ago and if so, is our knowledge of the latest concepts or circumstances. They find joy in learning and growing from the
requirements of Digital Industrial Revolution (Digital Age) just unknown.
as obsolete as our qualification(s)? What are the implications
on organizations and how can employees avoid becoming 2. Deprivation Senility – This characteristic has attributes of
unknowingly obsolete in the Digital Age? tension and a high level of anxiety. Curious people spend more
time trying to solve complex ideas and problems to eradicate
Let’s first look at how one can avoid becoming obsolete in the lacuna in knowledge existent in their current environment.
the Digital Age? I believe the answer to the above lies in the
simple yet complex construct of curiosity, and how this forms 3. Stress Tolerance – This is the ability of the individual to
part of our DNA. adjust to the anxiety, doubt and other forms of uncertainty
that creep up during the exploration of new innovative ideas.
Curiosity is defined as “The behavior or emotion of being Curious people develop a mechanism to compromise with
curious, in regard to the desire to gain knowledge or stress in order to achieve their goals.
information.” (Keller, H., Schneider, K., Henderson, B.Eds. ;
1994) 4. Social Curiosity – Curious individuals try to find out what
Curiosity as a behavior and emotion is attributed over millennia other people are thinking about. They are observant and
as the driving force behind not only human development, but look for signs to seek information from, in this manner
developments in science, language, and industry. Curiosity is they increase their chances of finding innovative ways of
heavily associated with all aspects of human development, in completing tasks.
which derives the process of learning and desire to acquire
knowledge and skill. (Keller, H., Schneider, K., Henderson, 5. Thrill Seeking – Curious people are thrill seeking and
B.Eds. ; 1994) look for physical, social, and financial risks to acquire varied,
INDUSTRY NEWS· PAGE 22HR VOICE JUNE 2019
complex, and intense experiences. They hardly remain idle at making new friends, going to new places and exploring
and are always ready to take on tougher challenges in their new tastes are more than likely to bind with a dynamic
desire for innovation. They generally take more risks than organizational culture. They tend to be more innovative and
other individuals in the organization. (Kashdan, 2018) joyful in a changing environment, do not follow a set pattern
and always look to make processes better. (mikerenahan,
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS ON ORGANISATIONS: 2018)
Over the last three decades, competition in the business arena THE “NATURE OF WORK” IN THE DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL
has taken a totally different turn from competing for dominance REVOLUTION
in market share and profitability to having a competitive edge
through innovation and the use of technology. The challenge Klaus Schwab the founder and executive chairman of the
with this innovation however is that it is borne through people World Economic Forum describes an industrial revolution
(employees). as the appearance of “new technologies and novel ways
of perceiving the world [that] trigger a profound change in
It is therefore imperative for any organisations’ survival in economic and social structures.”
the Digital Age that they have a healthy balance of curious
individuals in the organization, who harness their curiosity The Digital Industrial Revolution (DIR) or Digital Age will
and develop this into multiple ideas and innovations the profoundly shape the way we experience the world around
organization is able to exploit. us and how we live and work in an integrated society with
computers, networks, machines and physical surroundings.
The biggest risk organizations have today is the risk of going Unlike the early Industrial Revolutions where a large
out of business because of the failure to innovate and adapt to proponent of effort has been placed on the physical nature of
the ever-changing landscape of businesses. work. This involved people engaging in physical activities in
performing their work alongside the use of machinery. There
The essence of business success today is through constant was a higher requirement for unskilled/semi-skilled labour.
change and innovation. These are the exact assets that curious
employees bring to the table for a company. (Gino, 2018) We have however seen a steady decline through the various
Industrial Revolutions in the physical effort and nature of how
TRAITS OF A CURIOUS EMPLOYEE work is performed, and a higher requirement for more skilled
labour to manage the machines that now perform a large
When an organization looks at hiring employees who are component of the physical work. Most skilled labour roles in
curious, they should look at the following traits: previous Industrial Revolutions was entrusted mainly to a few
roles within the organization (often leadership type roles).
1. Accepts Challenges – A person who accepts new
challenges and looks at them as opportunities. With the kind An interesting fact through all Industrial Revolutions is that
of dynamism that has shaped corporations of different shapes unskilled labour has always worked longer hours and in more
and sizes, it is imperative for candidates to show a will to work hazardous work environments (the same still stands true
in challenging and unforeseen conditions. today). The proportion of unskilled labour to skilled labour
within the organization has however significantly shifted in the
2. Ability to take Risks – The potential incumbent should different Industrial Revolutions.
have the ability to take risks. He/She should not be afraid of
trying out things, even if that means risking a potential loss The Digital Age unbundles this traditional organization of
to the organization, the candidate must have the courage to roles and will prove to be the most difficult era where a large
implement new initiatives in order to make processes more component of the working population will for the first time
efficient. be required to transition from gregarious labour intensive,
unskilled or semi-skilled workforce to a skilled workforce
3. Drive to innovate and Experiment – The person must have capable of understanding and operating in the complexities
an urge to learn and implement new techniques. He/She must of the Digital Era.
be accustomed to bringing in his/her touch of innovation to a
learned task or behavior. This will therefore be the most challenging Industrial
Revolution for human-being’s, as they will need to acquire
4. Welcome Change and Dynamism – The ideal incumbent new skills and transition at the rapid pace that information
would be a great fit for the organization if he/she is able and change flows at within the Digital Age.
to easily adapt to changes in operations or organizational
structure. Change is the name of the modern world and For South Africa, the Digital Age poses substantial challenges
employees who are able to accept change and innovate with and offers perhaps fewer immediately clear-cut opportunities
time stand to gain the most. for the domestic economy. (DTI, 2019). Based on our history,
specifically during the “Apartheid Era”, there has been
5. Happy to Socialize – People who are more accustomed significant challenges around education and skilled labour.
Unless we take definitive steps both at a micro and macro-
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