Navigating cultural fit & strategic headhunting to accelerate female NED Placements
Accelerating female non-executive director (NED) placements in South Africa requires a tactical shift away from traditional executive networks.
How to hire the right staff members for your SME
By Vanessa Rogers In the delicate scaling phase of a small to medium-sized business, the entrepreneur at the helm needs to surrender to the reality that it is no longer possible to continue doing everything alone. But is it possible to hire a team that will keep you rising up the ranks? It is, and here’s how to go about it. Employing a significant portion of the South African workforce and contributing substantially towards the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are pulling out many of the stops that our economy currently needs. According to Business Partners, a leading business loan provider for global SMEs, local small businesses “employ an estimated 50 to 60 percent of the workforce”. Considering the country’s alarming unemployment rate of 31.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, it is evident that “small businesses play a crucial role in job creation. By providing millions of South Africans with the means to support their families, small businesses therefore also help to alleviate poverty.” Furthermore, SMMEs “contribute between 34 and 40 percent of South Africa’s GDP” according to the financial analysts at Krutham, a capital market practice based in Johannesburg. In their thought leadership article titled ‘Enabling and unlocking the job creation potential of SMEs and the township economy’ Krutham revealed that while formal jobs declined by 128 000 in the last quarter of 2023, informal jobs increased by 124 000 during the same period. Unfortunately, 50% of SMEs fail within the first 24 months, and 70% to 80% fail within the first five years of operation, making it essential in the scaling phase to attract and take on the best possible talent. This can achieved by: Charles Edelstein, director at job portal Executive Placements, advises that while an SME owner busies themselves with matters of sales and revenue growth, increasing profit margins, and attending to cash flow forecasting, any new team members will need to be able to hit the ground running by taking an entrepreneurial approach to their job description. “While it is important to provide a clearly defined job spec during the hiring process, you will also want to look out for an individual who tends to do more and thinks more broadly than the average employee out there. “Offer coaching and training in general business areas, from marketing and sales to basic accounting and team building, because this shows that you are making an investment in your new staff member. In return, you’ll want to be able to benefit from their strong analytical skills. For example, do they come to you with clever insights that you may not have considered yourself? This is a win-win for your company’s future potential and ultimate success.” The ideal candidate for an SME is a team player, he says. “He or she is able to network at industry functions and will help you to gain a sustainable advantage over the competition – because, at a certain point, you really cannot be everywhere and do everything any longer.” Yes, there is an ideal list of personality characteristics for an SME employee, advises Edelstein. Ask yourself during the initial interview, and in the day or so afterwards: Authors of a recent paper in the International Journal of Human Resource Management titled ‘Advancing understanding of HRM in SMEs: critical questions and future prospects’ say it best: “Employees working in SMEs [should] expect to work across multiple roles and tasks, and have an ability to directly shape the key value-added activities of the business, in addition to finding engagement through regular interactions with management. These factors … can lead to intrinsic motivation, discretionary effort, and [the] greater engagement of employees working in an SME context, even in the absence of sophisticated HR practices”.
Battle for the best talent: Wellness as your winning card
By Sue Ramauthar In today’s fiercely competitive talent landscape, a fundamental truth is emerging for companies: a great company culture is no longer just a desirable add-on; it’s a critical strategic imperative. At the heart of this evolving culture lies employee wellness. Forward-thinking organisations are now integrating comprehensive wellness programmes into their core culture, recognising that prioritising their people’s wellbeing – understanding their multifaceted roles and building resilience strategies that focus on mind, body, and soul – is the secret to attracting, engaging, and retaining the very best talent. For years, wellness initiatives often felt like afterthoughts – perhaps a token fruit basket or an occasional yoga class. While any effort is better than none, the modern approach to workplace wellness is far more holistic and deeply ingrained. It encompasses physical, mental, emotional, social, and even financial wellbeing. Companies are now beginning to understand that when their people are truly well, they perform better, are happier, and are more likely to stay. The job market is a battleground, and skilled professionals have more choices than ever. So, what truly makes your company stand out? More often, it’s not just the salary or the standard benefits package. Top talent actively seeks workplaces that genuinely care about their employees. Consider a robust wellness programme as a powerful magnet for job seekers. Surveys consistently show that potential hires highly value health and wellness benefits. Companies renowned for prioritising employee wellbeing simply feel more wholesome. This translates into more interest in your roles, a larger pool of qualified candidates, and quicker hires. Furthermore, investing in wellness creates a more enticing employer brand. It communicates to the world that you are a supportive, caring, and progressive place to work. This positive perception not only draws in new recruits but also transforms your current employees into your most enthusiastic advocates, spreading the word about the positive experience of working for you. Beyond attracting new talent, wellness programmes are proving to be an absolute game-changer or retaining your existing team and enhancing productivity. High employee turnover is a significant challenge – it’s expensive, disruptive, and drains energy and the bottom line. When your team feels genuinely supported in their wellbeing, their job satisfaction soars, sparking significantly higher levels of engagement. This leads to a more committed and invested workforce, and happy, engaged employees are far less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Research indicates that employees who feel cared for are significantly more likely to remain with their current employer. It’s clear that healthy employees simply take fewer sick days. Comprehensive wellness programmes, by emphasising preventative care and stress reduction, decrease absenteeism. They also combat “presenteeism” – the state where employees are physically present but mentally disengaged due to stress, burnout, or persistent health issues. A healthier team means more focused, energised, and productive individuals. Wellness initiatives also cultivate an excellent work environment, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Think group fitness challenges, mental health workshops, or team activities centred around wellbeing. These can significantly strengthen bonds among colleagues and boost overall morale. When people feel valued and supported, they are happier, more motivated, and contribute positively to the entire company’s atmosphere. And this holistic commitment isn’t exclusive to the corporate world; its profound impact resonates across various vital sectors, including healthcare. In our physiotherapy practice, for instance, we’ve witnessed firsthand how investing in a patient’s holistic wellness journey revolutionises outcomes, creating deeper buy-in and accountability. Just as a corporate gym perk alone won’t suffice, a narrow focus on a patient’s immediate injury, without considering their broader lifestyle, stress levels, sleep patterns, or emotional wellbeing, can limit their recovery. By empowering patients with a comprehensive understanding of their health – offering resources on exercise, stress management, discussing sleep hygiene, or connecting them to other wellness professionals – we help them become active participants, not just passive recipients, in their healing. This shared ownership is what truly drives adherence to treatment plans and builds long-term resilience, transforming individuals who are not just recovering from an injury but are better equipped to maintain their health and prevent future issues. This approach fosters loyalty that mirrors employee retention; when patients feel truly seen and supported in their entire wellness journey, they become powerful advocates for our practice. For wellness to truly function as a culture strategy, it cannot be a mere collection of segmented programmes. It must be deeply embedded into the very fabric of the organisation, championed from the top down. In a world where securing the right talent is paramount, prioritising employee wellness is no longer merely an option; it’s a smart, strategic imperative. It is the new culture strategy that will not only attract the brightest minds but also ensure they remain healthy, happy, and fully contributing to your organisation’s long-term success. Sue Ramauthar is a corporate wellness practitioner and physiotherapist at SuedeWellness
What to look for when recruiting
By Juanita Vorster Business leaders across the globe worry about attracting and retaining top talent, especially as remote and hybrid workforces are becoming the norm. In their responses to surveys they often list it as a main inhibitor of profitable growth into the future! Despite this, most business leaders and managers prioritise other tasks over recruitment and talent selection rather than seeing it as a vital part of their jobs. In addition, many business leaders and managers do not have the skills required to ensure that the right people are found and placed in the right jobs. Statistically, using traditional recruitment methods has a 60% failure rate, resulting in an enormous waste of time and money. Getting recruiting right is therefore something that can’t be left to an HR department or line manager alone; business leaders have to get personally involved. Getting the right people for the right jobs as a four-stage process with each step being of equal importance: Specify Before advertising a vacancy, business leaders must be crystal clear about the job specification as well as the attitudes and behaviours of the person needed for the job. This, in turn, needs to align with the purpose, vision and values of the company. The best talent has a choice these days and will simply not work for an organisation whose values they don’t share; another reason why leadership needs to be actively involved in recruitment. These specifications should be written down and be clear enough for anyone to understand. This will help to prevent two common recruitment mistakes: deciding what the job specifications are based on the available talent or hiring based on chemistry rather than true fit. The popular saying “hire for attitude, train for skill” is very noble in its intent, but business owners and leaders adhering strictly to this sentiment might run the risk of not achieving the optimal mix of behavioural competencies needed for peak performance. Find Owners and leaders of smaller organisations often fall into the trap of thinking that they won’t be able to attract top talent, so they approach the vacancy listing process with a timid attitude. Top talent isn’t always the most expensive people or the most qualified. Instead, they are the people who are the absolute best fit for a specific role in a specific organisation. It is therefore of utmost importance that a vacancy listing is not just a list of required skills and experience; to attract the appropriate talent, the vacancy listing must reflect the true culture and values of the business and what it’s like to be part of the team. To access the top talent pool, business leaders must involve those who are experts in selling the benefits of the company in creating the vacancy listing. Marketing people are often a better choice for this task than an HR department or even recruitment agencies. That is the best for a business to attract top talent – that might be currently employed – rather than limit itself to a talent pool of despondent job seekers. During the interview process of shortlisted candidates, top talent will most likely ask questions to help them determine whether the values of the business align with their own values. If they can’t get a clear idea of what the values are or how the business practically lives those values, or they feel that their values do not align with those of the business, they’ll go look for employment somewhere else. Assess It is astonishing that many companies around the world still rely on an impressive CV with one or two interviews as the only activities to recruit talent. Even references can’t be guaranteed as a mark of quality as they can be influenced by litigation around labour disputes. True top talent will be able to prove that they are the best during an assessment that must form part of the recruitment process. The difficulty of the assessment will of course differ depending on the job level recruited for, and businesses must never abuse the assessment process to gain free insights or labour. Assessments may appear to be time-consuming and costly, but the cost of getting recruitment wrong has been estimated as about four or even five times the employee’s annual salary! It’s therefore much less expensive to use assessments than to recruit and train an employee who was never right for the job or whose aspirations conflicted with those of the business. Negotiate The final stage in the recruitment process should be a discussion and negotiation between the selected candidate and their potential direct manager on the exact details of the role and remuneration package. People can truly make or break a business – irrespective of its size or shape. With economic pressure rising and an increase in leadership burnout, no business leader can afford to stand back and allow mediocre talent to come on board. Juanita Vorster is a successful entrepreneur with a knack for turning complex business concepts into simplified, practical advice.
Tailoring your workspace to retain and attract talent
By Andile Mgudlwa, Managing Director of Facilities Management Division at Empact Group There is very little doubt that dealing with the global pandemic resulted in a significant shift in how we perceive our workplaces. Whilst society as a whole seems to have gone back to how things were before March 2020, the workforce and the businesses they are employed by seem to be divided on how best to move forward. Employers are on a drive to get people back to the office for better corporate culture and face-to-face collaboration. Workers on the other hand seem to be torn between the flexibility that comes with working remotely (and the resultant savings on transport costs) and missing the in-person interaction they have with their colleagues when they are at the office. Hybrid working arrangements seem to be the solution that more employers are adopting to address these different needs. Most companies have put policies and incentives in place to entice people to spend some time at the office with the option of working from home on selected days. Some of these initiatives are starting to produce the desired result, however a large part of the working population has found it difficult to abandon the comfort of their home offices. For a significant shift to happen there needs to be a re-think in how the office is currently perceived. Insisting on keeping the office set up the way it has always been, is not an option anymore. In order to attract and retain key talent, employers need to come up with innovative ways to address the needs of the increasingly young workforce. More and more companies are now looking towards facility managers to support them develop workspaces that will provide the required balance and keep people engaged. This has resulted in a shift in the traditional role of a facilities manager, a shift referred to as “basement-to-boardroom”. Facilities management is now seen as one of the levers that employers can utilise to drive this strategy and deliver the required results. Facilities managers who used to focus only on maintenance and the provision of services are now spending more time thinking about enhancing the experience of people working and visiting their facilities. Companies now look to facilities managers to understand the needs of their employees as well as clients and tailor the workplace environment to meet their combined needs. In order to remain competitive in the current talent war, a company’s employee value proposition needs to stand out above the competition. Facilities managers together with their clients need to constantly keep asking themselves what the future of working in an office building looks like. Facilities managers have a number of tools available in their toolbox to support an organisation in meeting its strategic goals. Some these tools include: Deciding which is the best tool to reach the strategic goal will depend on the company’s specific requirements at the time and these requirements will evolve as the company’s strategy evolves. Facility managers and facilities management providers therefore need to keep their fingers on the pulse to ensure that the experience is in line with the company’s requirements. The real-time data that comes from the CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) and IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System) technologies will ensure that decisions made are informed and data driven. That way the facility managers will always support the organisation by enhancing the workplace experience to meet the ever-changing requirements of the workforce.