PD 6 2011 June

PeopleDynamics

June

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Journal of the South African Institute of People Management www.ipm.co.za

65th Anniversary Edition

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49

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER 2

65TH HERITAGE EDITION 3

Over 65 years of Heritage 3By Rre Elijah Litheko

The future is not what it used to be … the ever evolving role of HR 4By David Aikins

The early years (1945 - 1995) 5By Ronald Legg

Thirty rewarding and enriching years 8By Dr Willem de Villers

The history of the Pretoria Branch 10By Marius Pheiffer

65 years of heritage – dedicated to the HR profession 11By Dr Phasoane Mokgobu

IPM Johannesburg Branch 12

IPM Durban coastal branch - seven years in the lead! 13

LEADERSHIP 14

How to lead from your values and lead with impact By Nene Molef

65th HERITAGE EDITION 16

The coming of age of human resources in AfricaBy Yendor Felgate and Raun Smythe

LEADERSHIP 17

The virtue of virtualBy Dave Duarte

SURVEY 18

Global WorkPlace Solutions Flexible Working Survey: Flexible working declines after years of growth

By Dr Marie Puybaraud

LEGISLATION 20

Healing the wounded organisationBy Ken Blanchard

MENTOR MATTERS 21

In God we trustBy Gary Taylor

HR MANAGEMENT 22

Successful, sustainable HR management means keeping it simpleBy Grant Lloyd

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING 23

Disabled South Africans have few freedoms to celebrate By John Botha

HR IN BRIEF 24

News and reviews

TALENT DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM 25

AIF Symposium

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 27

Simple truths – but essential onesBy Immo Böhm

GABRIEL’S HORN 28

Voting to the smell of bacon

FORTHCOMING ISSUES FEATURES

JULY 2011 – Special Feature-Pensions Update

AUGUST 2011 – Women in business, recruitment,

training, coaching and mentoring

EditorialAlex Bouche E-mail: [email protected] BookingsHelen BennettsTel: 011 326 0303 Fax: 011 501 2878E-mail: [email protected] Eagle Publishing CompanyTel: 011 326 0303 Fax: 011 501 2878E-mail: [email protected] FurneyTel: 011 326 0303 Fax: 011 501 2878E-mail: [email protected] ProudlockTel: 011 326 0303 Fax: 011 501 2878E-mail: [email protected] Carter Tel: 011 326 0303E-mail: [email protected] Central Office287 Kent & Harley Street, Randburg PO Box 3436, Randburg 2125Switchboard: 011 329 3760Keith PietersenTel: 011 329 3760 Fax: 011 329 3765e-mail:[email protected]

People Dynamics is the monthly journal of the South Africa Institute of People Management (IPM). The IPM is dedicated to the effective development of human potential.

In terms of fast emerging global challenges, it is critical to champion the strategic role of human resources and to acknowledge that both development and management are catalysts for growth.

In the spirit of progress and support, the IPM provides members with effective leadership and access to appropriate knowledge, information and the opportunity to network with key local and international players.

People Dynamics provide a forum for debate and discussion on all issues affecting people managers in South Africa, the African continent and beyond.

People Dynamics is distributed to all members of the South African Institute of People Management (IPM), and to other key decision-makers in the industry. To receive People Dynamics regularly and enjoy additional benefits, including discounts on HR-related services, professional networking events and HR vacancy postings on the IPM web-site, contact the membership manager of the IPM.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written approval from the IPM.

INTERNATIONALFEDERATION OF TRAINING

AND DEVELOPMENTORGANISATIONS

ISSN 0261-2399The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the values of the IPM.

WORLD FEDERATION OF PERSONNELMANAGEMENTASSOCIATIONS

EDITOR’S LETTER

They say good leaders are made and not born, I think that this is true in many respects. Leadership qualities can be inherent and become evident at a young age, some kids like to lead and some like to follow but it doesn’t mean that the followers won’t become leaders later on. This happens through hard work, continuous self-improvement and motivation.

People in leadership positions in the offi ce are not always good leaders, sometimes they are just bossy. Yes, they make their subordinates do the job but they do not motivate them to do a better job and aspire to something greater. There are many untraditional leadership positions too, such as being a parent. You may be a natural follower but being a parent means you have to be a good leader too – it can be very confusing. How do you inspire your children to reach for greater heights and stay motivated when it is not your goal? On the other hand sometimes all you want to do is be bossy and get the job done. I guess that is why we are not all equal. If leaders were born and not made there would be nothing to aspire to and no motivation to change your position in life, we would just wait and see what happens.

The IPM has become a leader in the human resources fi eld. As you will see from the following pages, this was not achieved without hard work, great internal leaders and continuous self-improvement. I would like to congratulate them on their 65th Anniversary and wish them well as they strive towards their goals.

June 2011 People Dynamics 3

Over 65 years of HeritageBy Rre Elijah Litheko, Chief Executive Offi cer, IPM

A milestone to treasure2010 was a special year to the Institute of People Management (IPM). We celebrated IPM’s 65th year of existence! During these years the IPM brand has been kept alive and active by men and women of extraordinary vision, courage and commitment. It is through them that we have the opportunity and privilege to publish this celebratory edition of People Dynamics. These heroes and heroines include the following: Members who have supported the Institute through thick and thin. Successive Boards who worked relentlessly to keep IPM relevant

throughout different periods of its existence. Sponsors and Exhibitors that have contributed immensely over the

years to ensure that IPM Events, particularly the IPM Annual Convention, remain at the cutting edge.

Partners, Associates and Speakers both local and international that have been gracious enough to share their knowledge and expertise at IPM events in a superlative manner.

IPM operational committees (Convention, Awards, Editorial, Branch, etc.) whose unique contributions have been to ensure that IPM offerings are of a strategic and tactical nature.

A long and rich historyAs we celebrate this historic milestone, it is gratifying to know that IPM has pioneered and been at the forefront of People Development in South Africa and neighbouring countries since its inception. The Institute was established in 1945 at the beginning of the period of baby boomers, as a networking and capacity building forum, for HR professionals by Professor Isobel HB White and has since evolved into an HR professional association.

Through its focus on capacity building, IPM produced thousands of human resource professionals who have very competently managed the evolution of the HR profession in South Africa, with the majority of South African organisations making the IPM Diploma an essential requirement in their recruitment and selection processes during the time when the IPM diploma was still current.

IPM becomes secretariat and treasury offi ce for African Federation of Human Resource Management Associations (AFHRMA), an af-fi liate of the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA)Throughout its years of existence, IPM has been a professional home for HR professionals of all persuasions, including people managers at all levels of the hierarchy and it is strategically positioned and connected to continue fulfi lling this unique role. This role is enhanced by the fact that IPM was invited to the role of secretariat and to hold the treasury offi ce for the African Federation of Human Resource Management Associations (AFHRMA), which is an affi liate of the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA). Read more about the World Federation and their work here: www.wfpma.com With this rich history and background a decision was taken to celebrate this remarkable milestone by cutting the 65th year birthday cake at the IPM gala dinner where past presidents and the current CEO joined hands in a celebratory mood to the excitement of all the delegates and other key dignitaries. It is greatly fulfi lling to confi rm that all the delegates and dignitaries who attended this gala dinner vowed to support initiatives leading towards the centenary celebration of the Institute.

Supporting the profession into the futureThe Institute of People Management continually strives to be at the forefront of people management and development. Over the past year we have been working hard at IPM to understand the opportunities and challenges facing business in South Africa, and the impact the HR profession can have on these challenges. We are intent on supporting and building the HR profession and business community for both today and tomorrow and we would be delighted if you could partner with us on this journey.

It is a pleasure to introduce you to the ways in which we are doing this, tapping into the needs of business and our profession. These initiatives which will evolve over time include:

The implementation of an IPM Mentorship programme whose primary objective is to facilitate and support effective mentoring relationships between experienced HR leaders and aspiring practitioners. The programme is intended to open up and expand networks for career and professional development and to build the talent pipeline in HR.

The redirection of the IPM HR Directors Network to provide HR and senior business executives with a forum where strategic issues are explored and analysed for competitive advantage.

Reenergizing of the knowledge exchange/peer groups to encourage sharing of best practice and performance excellence using online media.

Partnering with thought leaders to present programmes of world class standard for the benefi t of delegates and their organisations.

Rejuvenation of the IPM Excellence Awards whose aim is to promote and recognise outstanding performance within the HR profession and the business community.

The maintenance of the IPM Annual Convention as a fl agship programme designed to ensure that private and public sector executives are exposed to strategies and growth options that would enable them to keep their organisations at a globally competitive level.

The repositioning of the IPM monthly magazine (People Dynamics) as a thought leadership journal on people management issues.

The reintroduction of the IPM Diploma that would cater for the interest of foundational, professional and executive level HR practitioners.

Participating in the global Human Resource Competency Study (HRCS), the most prolifi c study on HR competencies in the world, conducted jointly by the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and the RBL Group with co-operation from regional partners of which IPM is the representative for Africa. (http://rbl.net/index.php/hrcs/regional-partners)

Preparing for the possible hosting of the 2014 WFPMA World Congress in South Africa in association with WFPMA and AFRHMA. This World Congress will be attended by human resource professionals from across the world. The scale and magnitude of this event is similar to that of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

The history of IPM which is worth celebrating has brought the words of Henry Ford – US Industrialist and Automotive Pioneer to life: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”.

As we move forward to the centenary celebration, it is wise for all of us, both HR professionals and business executives at all levels, to keep these words in mind.

65TH HERITAGE EDITION

I have the dubious quality of now reaching an age when most of my peer HR professionals are

considerably younger than I. While this isn’t an issue in itself, it does give me the benefi t of having seen and lived through many changes in the expected role of HR, especially here in South Africa, where we have compounded the challenges of good HR management with very serious socio/political issues in our labour force environment.

But let me just focus on a couple of observations which have led to the ever changing face of HR and its relevance to the world of work.

From the very beginning of employer/ employee relationships there has been a desire to document and record the legal framework of these relationships. It is this underlying legal imperative which drove the bulk of HR’s role until the advent of computers and the ability to ‘manipulate’ copious amounts of data to produce trend analysis and ‘actionable’ management information. All of a sudden, it was no longer simply good enough to track all these contracts and records, and keep them confi dential, but there grew an expectation that HR must now also draw meaningful strategic interpretations from this body of information and use it to predict and infl uence the effect on the business. This essentially was the technology enabled impetus, which has propelled the HR practitioner into centre stage in many organisations.

I suppose the fi rst phase could be termed the era of the Personnel Department where the prime concern was for the safe keeping of all confi dential written records on the workforce.

But with the application of computers and custom designed software programmes, this soon morphed into the era of the HR Department which was increasingly required to become the business partner of individual business unit managers as they sought to more effectively lead and manage the areas under their accountability. Unfortunately, there still are many who are even grappling to come to terms with this stage of evolution, but I have to alert you to the fact that this is not the end game for HR. In reality it is just the beginning. You see, now that technology has empowered us to become the business partner, the traditional number crunching aspect has become a relatively minor side show, which can be outsourced and

produced with relative ease. This is not to say that it is unimportant, just that it has become ‘commoditised’ and can be achieved relatively easily.

However, the next big challenge for HR evolution is something quite different, and it’s all got to do with driving future sustainability. It’s become passé to simply do the here and now number crunching. What an effective HR function has to do is forecast what the organisation’s future customers are going to require and demand of the organisation. This opens up the whole arena of shifts in social norms and expectations. It’s no longer coffee discussion to joke about the youth of today in the X and Y generation mindset of wanting everything their way. HR needs to infl uence and gear up organisations to realise that X and Y expectations are not for a specifi c age group, they are for all future customers who will want to be serviced in a very different way from the way we currently service them. Technology advancements are going to spoil them by making so much available in exactly the format they want it, when they want it, and where they want it.

So HR needs to drive current employee behaviour change in readiness to deal with these customer shift demands. This is not easy, as many within organisations will not understand or appreciate why certain changes are needed, but if the attitudinal mindset isn’t refocused for future customer needs, the organisation will lose the battle for sustainability over time. The impact of continuous technology advances will translate into changes many of us could not have dreamt possible a mere couple of years ago – and this change is not abating – if anything it is on a geometric progression of acceleration.

If you doubt this, just watch the next generation of new cars and the extensive connectivity they will have covering a vast array of information needs.

So HR practitioners, buckle up, we are about to go into warp speed…I’ll see you over the horizon, where only the really good HR professionals will be focused. The future of HR is not what it used to be...

David Aikins, Partner EMA Partners South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Past Chairperson of IPM Durban Coastal Branch (2006 & 2007), [email protected]


The future is not what it used to be… the ever evolving role of HRBy David Aikins

Emergence Growth Human Capital is a Pan-African Human Capital consultancy, which, together with our international partner, Birches Group, has a footprint in over 50 African countries and over 150 countries globally. We tailor “End-to-End” Human Capital solutions to meet the specific requirements of our clients. Relationships and superior service form the cornerstone of Emergence Growth. We cover end to end human capital – from strategy to job

descriptions.


The early years (1945 - 1995)by Ronald Legg


This review focuses on the IPM’s contribution to the process of the professionalisation of human resource management in South

Africa during its fi rst fi fty years. It selects some of the more important IPM decisions and activities that contributed to that objective. Other institutions participated in their own way to the development of human resource management as a profession.

IPM establishes itself: 1945 - 1972The IPM was launched in August 1945 in Port Elizabeth. It owes its beginning to a remarkable lady. Isobel White, wife of the Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Rhodes, was a researcher in the Personnel Research Section of the Leather Industries Research Institute in Grahamstown. Through her initiative in 1943 the university introduced South Africa’s fi rst post-graduate diploma course in Welfare and Personnel Management.

White identifi ed the need for a forum where welfare/personnel practitioners could, through meeting, discussions and presentations improve their contribution to their companies. This led her to propose the establishment in Port Elizabeth of what became the fi rst branch of the British Institute of Personnel Management in South Africa. She was a member of the British IPM. As the fi rst chairperson she managed a round trip each month of 270 kms to attend meetings.

She arranged branch affi liation to the British IPM believing this was important to ensuring the highest standards of personnel practice within SA. White wanted South Africans to be seen as professional practitioners using the same standards as applied in the UK. She envisaged other independent IPM branches in the main centres of the country each affi liated to the British IPM.

The Johannesburg branch was established in 1946 with Dr Francis “Pinky” Hill as Chairman.

The committee included Dr Errol Drummond, future Executive Director of Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (SEIFSA). The branch launched a quarterly journal entitled Personnel Management. In the same year a branch was established in Cape Town and another in Durban in 1947. In 1964 these branches were unifi ed into the SA Institute of Personnel Management (SAIPM).

In the same year government proposed including the qualifi cations and functions of personnel offi cers onto a professional register under the same category as social welfare offi cers. The SAIPM wanted a separate register for professional personnel managers and offi cers in keeping with the recognition of other identifi able professions, such as doctors and accountants. They wanted their own formal independent professional recognition. In 1966 Dick Sutton, then president of the SAIPM, called for appropriate levels of education and training and a code of behaviour for personnel practitioners (PPs). He believed the SAIPM was the “logical organisation through which professional status will be achieved”.

In 1969 then president B Mattison took the concept of professionalism further and called for the appointment of a National Director. Dave Jackson was appointed in 1969. In 1971 the National IPM Diploma in Personnel and Training Management was launched and Mickey Bebb appointed Education Director in 1972. The fi rst fi ve students graduated in 1975 ( the author being one). The diploma assisted in better qualifying the

growing number of persons moving into the fi eld of personnel practice.At the time of unifi cation in 1964 the IPM had 530 members. By

1969 this had grown 62% to 890 which indicates the growing need and acceptance of personnel management at the time.

From 1957 annual national conventions were held on the basis of a loose federation of branches.

But in 1964 the fi rst unifi ed National Convention was held.

New challenges: 1973-1983The socio-political-economic events in South Africa in this period impacted signifi cantly on the practice of personnel management and the IPM. The Durban strikes in 1973 signalled the reentry of black trade unions into the industrial relations equation. Militant unionism became a dominant infl uence as is observed from the attention given to IR issues at the annual conventions. This growth is noted also by the launch of the monthly SA Labour Bulletin, a new journal representing labour activities and academic level discussions.

The SOWETO youth revolt in 1976 was a symptom of growing black unrest in SA. It added fervour to the militancy of the growing black labour movement. This build up resulted in 1977 in the establishment of the Wiehahn Commission. Its fi ndings forced the government to introduce in 1981 signifi cant changes in labour law and the recognition of black trade unions.

New demands on personnel practitioners led to a new breed of industrial relations specialists.

With it came the intensifi ed drive to professionalise personnel management. Prior to this period personnel management mostly had been a junior partner in company management. Now they were required to play a more key role in companies. The IPM leadership continued to enjoy the support and leadership of numerous experienced practitioners.

African Personnel Offi cersAt this time African Personnel Offi cers (APO) began to emerge as important players assisting companies to adjust to the need for improved internal communication and selecting better quality black labour. In the 1960s they played an important role in assisting African workers faced with stringent government controls on their movement and employment. Black graduates were increasingly employed as APOs. In 1970 over 20

6 People Dynamics June 2011


of SA’s leading APOs were invited to the fi rst annual two week training course at Fort Hare University College organised by Professor W Backer.

A side effect from this gathering was the forming of the Non-European Personnel Training and Development Association of SA (NEPTDASA) which mutated into the Personnel Management Association (PMA) a small black version of the IPM. They came from a powerful black faction within the IPM wanting to establish a separate “Non-White” institute for black personnel practitioners. Their frustration with their second class status within the personnel function may be gauged from an article in 1972 by Ben Mokoatle in the Personnel Management journal. It refl ected resentment at their inferior role. Some of the problem arose with IPM not seeing its role as pressurising government to change its race policies which were destructive to sound work place relations. At the same time there was a growing number of personnel managers removing symbols of race separation within their companies by applying the new codes of Practice. This occurred within numerous multinationals who now were bound by one or other of the new codes.

The PMA membership grew. But in 1977 after discussions between the IPM and the PMA, Wells Ntuli, its fi rst President and at the time an executive member of the PMA, accepted a portfolio in the IPM. This resulted in the dissolution of the PMA in the Transvaal. Prior to this in 1976 the Black Management Forum (BMF) had been launched providing an independent forum for black business people.

IPM responds to new demandsIn July 1973 IPM launched a new journal “People and Profi ts” which title refl ects the demands on PPs to contribute to the company bottom line. This trend had been going on for some years but indicates the IPM’s awareness of its need to provide focus on new pressures emerging within the business community. This meant in-company training of staff had to be brought into line to meet new demands and was refl ected in the journal. An analysis of 495 articles from 1973 -1978 show that 20% were focussed on training and development (T&D). To help meet the need IPM in 1973 created an Education and Training Division under the chairmanship of John Dickson an experienced training specialist. A further indication of this call resulted in a group of training specialists establishing the SA Society for Training and Development (SASTD) as there was a perception that the IPM had a more diverse focus and was not suffi ciently concentrated on T&D.

IPM Annual Convention themes is another indicator of its awareness

of the need to help develop leadership to meet new trends. The title in 1974 was “Interface: The Challenge of Black/White Labour Relations in SA”. Black speakers were included for the fi rst time. Dave Jackson in his closing summary took the government to task for its labour policies which led to reactions among the more conservative members who believed the IPM was becoming “pink”. But under Jackson’s leadership the IPM began to enjoy an enhanced status. An indication of this was Jackson’s pioneering three minute SABC morning radio talks on industrial relations and personnel issues.

The 1977 theme was “Quo Vadis? Where are you going”? with a record of over 500 delegates.

It suggested personnel management had come of age and prompted delegates to consider what was to be the contribution of the personnel practitioner in the changing dynamics of the apartheid state. Among these was the renewed call for Personnel Managers to play their role in contributing to company results as an integral part of their professional role. They were no longer welfare offi cers and personnel administrators.

Attempts at obtaining Statutory RecognitionIn 1977 an “Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Recognition for Personnel Practitioners” was created during Gary Whyte’s presidency. He led the IPM efforts to obtain statutory recognition.

By 1980 after many attempts to obtain statutory recognition it was clear the government was not in favour because the IPM wanted a non-racial register. The IPM decided then to go it alone and established the SA Board of Personnel Practice (SABPP) which was inaugurated in 1981 and the registration of practitioners began in 1983. By year end 1000 practitioners had been accepted and registered.

Professionalisation in a period of Transition in SA: 1984 - 1995This period is noted for increased organised political and industrial unrest with a high level of strike activity. It resulted in human resource practitioners (HRPs) being called on to play an even more essential role within their organisations.

The 1980s saw a new emphasis emerging where the concept of “human resource management” began replacing traditional “personnel management”. The replacement of “personnel” with “human resources” was symptomatic of the change. The closer identifi cation of HRM practice with corporate goals took place in the 1980s and by 1990 the concept of “strategic human resource management” (SHRM) had emerged to


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dominate thinking within HRM circles. The integration of HRM goals with corporate goals became required practice in keeping with global trends.

When the government started detaining trade unionists the IPM in1986, despite some dissent, sent a formal protest to the Minister of Law and Order calling for charge or release of detainees.

This heralded another change in the IPM approach to national political issues. It became a turning point in the IPM’s credibility both at home and abroad. The call refl ected the growing concern for the deteriorating IR climate within companies and its effect on company performance. The call was taken further by the then Executive Director, Wilhelm Crous in 1987 when the “IPM Employment Code and Guidelines” was launched. Although it died a quiet death it confi rmed the new direction calling for a more pro-active role in facing up to issues created by government policies. In 1987 the IPM’s Personnel Services Division proposed changing their name to Human Resources Division in keeping with the new title of HRPs

It is signifi cant that the Personnel Practitioners Association (PPA), the successor to the PMA, opposed the IPM’s attempts to obtain international recognition. The PPA however, never really got going as the IPM moved signifi cantly to include black practitioners in its leadership. In 1987 the IPM council appointed to the IPM Publications Board, Lot Ndlovu, Reuel Khoza and Eric Mafuna. J B Magwaza, a senior executive of the Tongaat Hulett Group based in Natal, was early identifi ed as a future president and he and Martin Seshego were asked to serve on an expanded executive committee. In 1993 Magwaza was appointed vice-president to Ivan Latti with Lot Ndlovu and Dawn Mokhobo two senior HR practitioners being invited to serve on the executive.

A feature of this period was the growing emphasis on company social responsibility programmes. which the IPM encouraged. The 1980s and early 1990s was dominated by industrial relations issues but social policy concerns led HRPs to become more involved in corporate social responsibility issues (CSR)

With the changing emphases in HRM from 1985 the IPM Diploma was restructured creating three options for students, Personnel Services Management, Industrial Relations Management and Training Management as major subjects for specialisation with a range of supporting subjects.

A signifi cant 192 page strategic planning document was put together in 1990 after much debate entitled HR 2000. Through it the IPM placed itself in a position to play a role in the coming dynamic political reconstruction of SA. It believed HRPs would have an important role to play in this process and further stated the document “Will assist SA to become a leading player in the international business community during the early part of the 21st century.” The level of this positive and ambitious stance had not been observed before.

In 1993 Magwaza was chosen to become the fi rst black president of the IPM. The fi rst annual convention led by a black president followed the successful fi rst national democratic elections where Nelson Mandela became the fi rst black President. The theme of the IPM convention was “Forward IPM, Phambili, Be Relevant”. At the 1995 convention Tony Frost a past president made a formal apology on behalf of white members. Although not supported by all members it helped the process of reconciliation within the membership. It was a moving moment which Magwaza accepted calling on members now to move forward.

By the end of 1995 the IPM had become a signifi cant institute with 7322 individual members and 772 corporate members. Financially it had grown with an income of R9.5 million and an expenditure of R9.3 million.

Alongside these developments the SABPP, initially launched by the IPM had progressed quietly laying the foundation for formal recognition in 2000 as the Education and Training Quality Assurer ((ETQA) for HR practice in SA. This recognition allowed the SABPP to formally accredit HRM training in SA.

The IPM’s fi rst fi fty years is a commentary on the socio-political-economic challenges faced by the country and how human resource management and the IPM in its turn responded to meet new demands by becoming increasingly professional in fulfi lling its role.

Ronald L Legg. (BA, MDiv, MA, PhD, IPM Dipl)


I was appointed as Junior Lecturer in Industrial Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch in April 1967. Some of my colleagues and I became

aware of the activities of the Western Province Branch of the Institute of Personnel Management and started to attend their events. Round about this time (1968) it was announced that a full-time executive director with an offi ce in Johannesburg had been appointed. This was Mr Dave Jackson.

Early in the seventies, the Boland branch of the IPM was established, with Mr Matie Swart (then head of personnel at Sanlam) as chairman (he later was elected president of the IPM). At some stage I became a member of the management committee and what followed was an involvement with the IPM for close on thirty years. Initially this involvement implied organising monthly events and ensuring that they were attended by our postgraduate students. We also made a point of going to the annual convention, which meant driving to Johannesburg in a 1967 model Volkswagen Kombi, on more than one occasion.

I was elected branch chairman in 1977 and member of the executive committee in 1979. By this time Dave Jackson had left and so had his successor, Peter Berry. Ralph Cawood was the executive director with Armand Kruger in the position of “co-director.” It soon became evident that all was not “rosy in the garden” Administrative systems were not in place, the fi nancial situation not very sound and the magazine, previously called the ”IPM Journal” but then known as “ People and Profi ts,” was running at a loss.

Mr Piet Rossouw, Personnel Director of the then Stellenbosch Farmers Winery, was president at that stage. At a meeting of the executive, held at the Southern Sun Airport Hotel, it was decided to take the risk of appointing a young and very energetic person who had recently joined the IPM as a training offi cer, as executive director, with the brief of “ turning the IPM around.” This young and energetic person was Wilhelm Crous, a former student of Industrial Psychology at Stellenbosch University.

Under Wilhelm’s management the IPM became one of the most successful associations in the country. The IPM Diploma was upgraded and became a sought after qualifi cation. Membership increased. Workshops were being presented.The annual convention became a huge event with an expo, international speakers, record numbers of delegates (many of them senior practitioners at organisations in the private and public sectors) and sponsors like the Sunday Times and Rapport. Overseas study tours were organised. International recognition was obtained and the IPM became an affi liated member of the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations (WFPMA) and The International Federation of Training and Development Organisations (IFTDO). The fi nancial situation improved and the annual budget ran into millions.

Of course there were ups and downs. In the seventies the government had, for some or other reason, a rather negative view of the IPM. However, through people like Piet Rossouw, we managed to develop a healthy working relationship with later ministers of manpower (as they were known) and their director generals. Some people saw the IPM as an elite Johannesburg-based group of people that did little for members in the rest of the country. Some regarded the IPM as an organisation that had become infi ltrated by the Broederbond! The increase in black membership was not to our satisfaction, but then, again, we became one of the fi rst associations of its kind to have a black president (JB Mgwasa). We met with the ANC shadow cabinet at the Sunnyside Park hotel long before they came into power.

30 rewarding and enriching yearsBy Dr Willem de Villers


One ideal that evaded us was the establishment of an African Federation of Personnel Management Associations. At one stage we had gathered all the role players at the Sandton Convention Centre but it became evident that the Sub Saharan countries especially, did not have well-organised associations and that, at the end of the day, the IPM(SA) would have to carry the cost involved. And yes, we travelled all the way to Butterworth to establish a branch of the IPM in the then Transkei. There were a lot of speeches, even one by Mr Bantu Holomisa and a nice dinner at the Holiday Inn. Within a year nothing was happening and the start-up money that we had donated was gone.

The name change issue cropped up from time to time – especially when the American Society of Personnel Management Associations (ASPA) changed its name to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). It was not until round about 1993, however, that the IPM became the Institute of People Management.

Another issue that was a topic of debate from time to time was the relationship between the IPM and the South African Board for Personnel Practice (SARPP). A number of people did not see any necessity for two different bodies. To a large extent, this problem has been put to bed. People now understand that the IPM is a society providing a number of services to its members, whilst the SARPP is responsible for quality control and maintaining certain standards. You are a member of the IPM but you register with the SARPP, should you meet the relevant requirements. This particular model is applicable in the case of most disciplines.

From a personal point of view I want to emphasise that the thirty years during which I had the privilege to be involved with the IPM were most rewarding and enriching. It made me realise the important link between theory and practice. It provided me with the opportunity to meet and network, not only with academics, practitioners, specialists, executives, authors and government offi cials, but with people from all walks of life, locally and internationally. Space does not allow a complete list, but names like Frederick Herzberg, Gordon Lippit, Edward Lawler, Ken Blanchard, Wayne Cascio, Jac Fitz-Enz and Dave Ulrich spring to mind. Closer to home one remembers the IPM staff (Barbara, Karen and all the others), people like Val Mickleburgh, Gary Whyte, Bernie Chalmers, Selby Bagwa, Wells Ntuli, Piet Rossouw, Prof Hennie Reynders, Dr Piet van der Merwe, Prof Johan Gouws, Mike Burgess, Martin Birt, Malcolm Calf, Japs Jacobs, Theo Pegel, Tony Frost and J B Mgwasa. And then there were larger than life characters like Ron Marsden, Dennis Lehmann and John Poppleton. Who will forget one day when Ron arrived late for a council meeting. As he entered the boardroom, wearing dark glasses and smoking a cigar, Peter Berry commented: “Hi Ron, just fl own in from Vegas or the East Rand?” Dennis and John had a hard time during strategic planning sessions. At one of these, at the Wigwam near Rustenburg, they had to share a room. The next morning Dennis came up to us and told us that John was a seriously ill person. The noises John made during the night apparently were such that he could not sleep a wink. Later the same morning John asked to speak to us privately. He then said that he was very concerned about Dennis’s health as the noise coming from that side of the room the previous night was such that he could not sleep at all.

It is sad knowing that many of these people are not with us anymore. It is now more than forty years later. The Boland branch of the IPM does

not exist any more; they amalgamated with the Western Cape branch. I am still a member of the IPM and have attended the odd IPM event. I have retired however, and must admit that I prefer not driving at night. It is sad to know that the IPM does not have its own building anymore, that the archives are gone and that even the framed photographs of all the past presidents appear to be lost. How could this have happened?

On a more positive note – The IPM has been there for 65 years and it still has an important role to play in providing an excellent service to its members, and in contributing to the professionalism of human resource management.Willem de Villiers: Branch chairman 1977-1980, 1992-1994, Regional Chairman 1992-1994, Executive Board member 1979-1994, President 1984

Dr WS de Villiers, Tel: +27 21 886 5433, Fax: 086 673 3513, Cell:+27 82 393 0647, E-mail: [email protected]

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The Pretoria Branch of the IPM (at that stage the Institute for Personnel Management) was established as the Northern Transvaal Branch in the mid 70’s but become dormant after the resignation of the Chair.

In 1980 the Branch was re-established and a new Branch Committee elected after a properly constituted AGM.

In the early days the practice was that a prospective member had to apply for membership but had to be vouched for by 2 registered IPM members before being accepted.

The Branch grew from strength to strength and has a number of milestones of which they can be justifi ably proud of, such as: A membership elected Branch Committee with succession planning

for the leadership roles. Having representation from HR practitioners, academics and

consultants (almost always in equal numbers). Their positive contribution in the growth of the Branch membership

to 800 registered and paid-up individual members but also the growth of the IPM to approximately 8 000 members in 4-5 regions.

The establishment of branches through its own and/or its regional efforts by establishing branches in Polokwane, Nelspruit, Secunda, Middelburg, Brits, etc.

Various forums which were established for different interest groups such as industries, HR Executive Forum, students, geographical areas and even the President’s Offi ce (post 1994).It established special links with tertiary institutions such as the

University of Pretoria and Pretoria Technikon (now Tshwane University

of Technology) and hosted an annual student one day event which attracted students from as far afi eld as Venda and Polokwane who were transported to Pretoria by bus and entertained with speakers and refreshments provided by the branch

The branch developed the idea of a 1 day mini-convention for those that could not afford to attend the annual IPM convention at Sun City, and ran this for a number of years.

In the early 1980’s an Industrial Relations Course was developed by the University of Pretoria in conjunction with the branch and successfully conducted for a number of years. Its members contributed signifi cantly to the re-engineering of the IPM Diploma as compilers of material, examiners, etc.

The Branch has received the Branch of the Year Award on a number of occasions.

Over the years and until the late 1990’s the branch grew and became the 3rd largest branch of the IPM in South Africa [after the Johannesburg Branch (2 000 members) and the East Rand Branch (1 000 members)]

The Branch was very proud to enthusiastically participate in the fi rst real attempt to make the IPM SA part of the global community and create an African federation when colleagues and organisations from Africa and abroad were invited to South Africa and the IPM Annual Convention under the Presidency of JB Makwaza and Zora Ebrahim.

Some of the branch members participated in the production of the video on “Transformation”, which was, enthusiastically received locally and by our international visitors.

The Pretoria Branch has always been at the forefront of having its worthy members nominated for fellowship status to recognise and honour their contribution to the IPM and profession until the late 1990’s.

In the late 1990’s the IPM SA changed from a “Society” to a Section 21 Company and at the same time changed its name to “Institute for People Management” and introduced a corporate membership category alongside the existing individual membership category.

During this transformation process the branches’ name was changed from Northern Transvaal to Pretoria Branch.

The branch however fi rmly believes in its role as a facilitator and networking organisation for HR practitioners and is gradually growing its membership numbers to previous levels.

The branch is dependent on HR practitioners to volunteer and participate in building on its mission to build networks and capacity by sharing knowledge and experience on all levels of the profession.

Marius Pheiffer, Fellow of the IPM (1986), Honorary Fellow of the IPM (1996)


The history of the Pretoria BranchBy Marius Pheiffer

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The IPM Pretoria Branch is proud to be part of the celebration of the IPM’s 65 years in the HR profession in South Africa.

The branch was established in the mid 1970’s and was later relaunched in 1980. It has witnessed the shift of national democratic change and was at the forefront of championing the transformation agenda in the early 1990’s. The branch also contributed immensely to the broader IPM strategic direction by ensuring alignment with the national offi ce and its vision. The branch is committed to becoming the portal for leadership in people management and providing appropriate, relevant knowledge and information on effective human resources leadership and people management to professionals and management in general.

IPM Pretoria Branch acknowledges these accomplishments and to this end thanks the HR professionals in the Tshwane area for their patronage and affi rms to serve them with the best HR services. Going forward, based on our accumulated experiences and expertise, the branch aims to be a human resources partner to the industry that understands and leads the successes of the profession and maps the future HR landscape.

The branch is led by volunteer committee members who serve tirelessly, with passion and dedication, to the HR development and leadership in people management in our communities, organisations and businesses around Tshwane.

Key to the branch’s sustainability and survival is to play a pivotal role in providing knowledge and tools for strategic people management, development and leadership, which will contribute to growth, profi tability and sustainability of businesses around Tshwane.

The relationship between the Branch and academic institutions around Tshwane, particularly the University of Pretoria, is a basis for constructive engagement and mutual understanding for supporting HR students who perform well during the year and those who undertake and produce good quality HR research projects.

Consequently contemporary South Africa realities dictate a quest for a cohesive human resources professional body with a common vision and purpose which is able to represent the interests of the profession. This unambiguous quest imposes innovative thinking on the IPM branches and other human resources professional bodies to map out a future strategy that will endure with a unity of purpose and advance the course for human resources partnership across all sectors. These partnerships must address the HR challenges beyond the next IPM centenary.

On behalf of the past and present Pretoria Branch committees I wish to congratulate the IPM on its 65th year of being at the forefront of people development in Africa. I thank the current committee members for their support and guidance which was crucial for the successful maintenance of the branch. The branch is indebted to the IPM Board, CEO, National Offi ce and the management staff of IPM for their hard work which has been invaluable in ensuring the Branch remains steadfast. We look forward to the future with hope.

Dr Phasoane Mokgobu , Chairperson, IPM Pretoria Branch

65 years of heritage – dedicated to the HR professionBy Dr Phasoane Mokgobu


IPM Johannesburg branch is one of the vehicles that allow the IPM Corporate offi ce to pursue and achieve its objectives within Gauteng, Johannesburg in particular. The branch operates within the section of the country that has a number of activities which occupies the targeted group time and interest (HR professionals and people occupying decision making positions in business). Those are people who are expected to take part as knowledge management contributors and help grow the IPM through its branch. Since the branch is at the hub of the economy, this presents few challenges and benefi ts. This has resulted in the branch having to differentiate itself and present a value proposition to its target market. In raising its profi le and ensuring that the branch is relevant, its executive committee followed a well thought out process which culminated in the branch having defi ned strategic intent. The intent necessitated clear philosophy that is aligned to the IPM Corporate strategy and objectives yet maintains its values. Our Vision, Mission and Values have been defi ned as “Providing members with easy access to the latest information, knowledge, expertise, training and development, systems and processes, and networks in people management for the benefi t of the HR profession and business within Johannesburg and its surroundings” which is linked to what the IPM corporate stands for at large. In the pursuit of our strategic intent of creating a sustainable, vibrant branch, that appeals to HR professionals at all levels and businesses within Johannesburg, we agreed on an operational plan. Specifi c topics were identifi ed and a high level plan was drawn up and put into action. To date, two very vibrant networking sessions addressing some of the topics were conducted.

The topics were Talent and You, the main presenter was the IPM CEO Rre Litheko as well as the Labour Amendment Bill, main speaker being Mr Cameroon Morajane who is the SNR CCMA Commissioner. PSG Consulting was the event sponsor and was proud to be associated with IPM through its Johannesburg branch.

Delegates who attended appreciated sharing information and indicated that they were looking forward to other events planned for the year.

The branch is continuing to implement its plan and pursuing its objectives, there is an evening networking session scheduled for 15 June 2011. The topic coincides with Youth month. It is geared towards supporting the employment of youth schemes presented by our Minister of Finance Honorable Pravin Gordan. It is a given that any organisation will have its set of challenges that stand in the way of seamless achievement of its objectives.

The branch identifi ed the following as its challenges: Voluntary participation to execute the branch plan (i.e) the availability

of funds and people, since this is a voluntary structure. Value creation for members (i.e.) ensuring that our foot prints cover

as many HR professionals, HR service providers and decision makers in business and government sectors.

Ensuring that strategic programmes that enhance knowledge and skills are advanced.

Remain relevant for the target market in changing times. Getting subject matter experts to volunteer their services for identifi ed

topics and programmes to ensure professional and quality service provision.

Date Event Synopsis

15 June Branch evening networking session- Attracting young minds

An integrated strategic approaching to how companies can access the planned tax relief as set out in the budget speech

28 July Branch Event- women’s day event

Details to be decided and communicated

25 August Case study presentation – sick leave management

Exploring case studies of lessons learned & sharing strategies

22September

Main event –Topic to be decided

Our year end event for members

24 October Branch evening networking event- Topic to be decided

TBA

25 November Year end function- Recognise JHB members, partners and individuals

Acknowledge and recognise positive contributors to the success of JHB

Identifi ed Months

Electronic Articles to Members and posting of articles to IPM website

Appraise members of topical issues that affect HR and Business

The branch is looking forward to pursuing its objective in the interest of its members. In commemorating the IPM’s 65th Anniversary, we would like to thank the institute for contributing positively to each of the committee members. The organisation gave us great exposure and depth as HR professionals. As the Chairperson of the IPM Johannesburg branch I take pride in being associated with IPM through the branch.

A special thanks to previous JHB committee members and current members.

Should you have an interest to be part of this team and benefi t from its planned activities, contribute and take an active role, please contact the branch through its dedicated e-mail at [email protected] or Keith on 011 329 3760.

IPM Johannesburg Branch65TH HERITAGE EDITION

IPM CEO Presenting a gift to the main speaker Mr Camaroon Morajane

Mr Samson Vilakazi IPM JHB chairperson giving a presentation to delegates

Mr Zogan Operman, program Director guiding proceedings

Delegates about to receive the main presentation

Below are the pictures giving a preview of what took place in the two events mentioned above.



Branch of the year from 2004 to 2010 has been no mean feat for IPM’s Durban Coastal Branch. This dynamic team or “Dream

Team” as it likes to be called, has led the fi eld for seven years as a result of its enthusiasm, close co-operation and the knack of giving HR professionals and practitioners what they really want in the way of information and networking opportunities.

The highlight of their annual calendar has always been the IPM Women’s Convention which has been sponsored by partners such as First National Bank, Trade & Investment KZN, Sara Lee (Radox), Easy Holidays, Vodacom, McCarthy Motor Group and Old Mutual.

Strategic partnerships have played an important role and IPM Durban’s links with TIKZN, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and the University of KZN as well as the KZN Provincial Government and eThekwini Municipality have helped in placing it fi rmly on the HR and leadership development map in Durban and KZN with more organisations seeking partnerships.

In the international arena, Durban committee members have played an active role in participating in the International HRM Conferences in Mumbai and London. Committee members, Raj Seeparsad and Mxolisi Zwane were both honoured with global HR Leadership Awards at the Mumbai Conferences in 2009 and 2011. Raj Seeparsad, who is IPM’s Vice-President: Stakeholder Relations was also invited to chair a session at the 2011 Conference in February 2011.

Raj Seeparsad Mxolisi Zwane

Another Durban committee member who has made an impact on the world this year is Iris Francis. She had the honour of being invited by the United Nations in New York to present her life story, which was used as a basis for an important study. Iris was then approached by them to turn her life story into a television documentary which was aired on our screens shortly after and which will be used as a research paper for the UN on African women. This documentary was viewed by the UNDP in New York and she was invited to present the documentary and share her life’s learnings in person at the conference to other UN global offi ces. It was the fi rst time that the UN had used a real ‘life story’ approach and it was concluded that a similar study should be carried out across Africa; such was the emotive response to the visual aspect of the documentary.

Last year, IPM and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined forces in mounting a very successful conference on “Courageous Engagement in Transformation”. Previous joint ventures included an Annual HR Conference with the Chamber and an Annual Business Conference with NKR.

The youth and their progress into the business mainstream have always been of specifi c interest to IPM Durban which offers special rates for students to attend seminars and presentations. More work is in progress to assist in the concept of internships and in-service training. IPM’s links with tertiary institutions and in particular DUT will help to achieve better productivity and effi ciency in the workplace and, thereby, a better trained workforce.

On the administration of the branch, Durban has always kept tight control of its fi nances and kept the branch buoyant even in diffi cult times. As a Section 21 Company not for gain, the IPM relies heavily on the generosity of sponsors and its ability to provide events with topics of interest to the HR and general business community, and this has been achieved with success by the branch. In fact, Durban Coastal Branch has won the IPM Branch of the Year Award for seven consecutive years – 2004 to 2010, a record they are extremely proud of.

Durban is proud to be a part of IPM in its 65 year history and they congratulate all those who have been able to maintain and sustain this dynamic organisation over the years. They are confi dent that it will continue to thrive and serve the business community in its quest for dynamic people management for many years to come.

IPM Durban coastal branch - seven years in the lead!

Durban’s Chairperson, Elaine Boulton, and Vice-Chairperson, Mxolisi Zwane, proudly displaying the IPM 2010 Branch of the Year trophy, which was presented at the IPM National Convention in Sun City in November, 2010.

Iris Francis


LEADERSHIP

South Africa’s great leaders like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and others are taking less and less public

platform as they enjoy their well-deserved retirement. We seem to be running short of elders and leaders who can transcend individual issues and lead with broader significance as opposed to leading only for personal success. Our country needs that right now. Whenever a word like ‘Ubuntu’ is mentioned around the world, people think of South Africa, but this is increasingly becoming a concept even foreign to us – more so to our children.

How do we balance the need to make a success of our lives and to guard selfishly the state of our country and the values portrayed by leaders in society today? People, in far greater numbers than before, have choices. Along with this freedom of choice comes responsibility and the need for people to manage themselves.

Values-driven leadership requires one to be grounded, to be centered by something much greater than material gain or fame. When we consider our careers and lives, we are forced to consider our meaning, what it is that we were born at this time in history to do?

As we consider the world around us, the turmoil and conflict is ubiquitous at all levels of society, in all spheres of life. We need leaders who understand that their business is a part of society and a part of the environment. We need leaders who do not only seek to be the best in the world but want to be the best for the world. We need leaders who no longer think “I” but “we”.

To recognise their significance and their purpose, leaders need to explore their past – their beliefs and values and where these come from. You may want to define your personal mission and value statement so that you have a clear idea of your reason for being and how to live out your purpose.

Define your vision for the future – what is it you seek to achieve and why? In order to manage yourself, you first need to understand your “inner being”. By looking at your relationships, spiritual and religious beliefs, achievements and personal growth, you can discover your rationale in life. This brings confidence and control – the ability to tap into the passion and enthusiasm within you.

This introspection may result in the need to reposition yourself, change direction and even start a new career. In fact, many great leaders have changed their direction, even late in life. Renowned author, Jim

Collins moved from teaching at Stanford, to consulting at McKinsey to opening a rock climbing school.

With the retirement of some of the greatest visionary leaders our country has produced, it is time that we as adults pause and seek to understand the youth and their challenges, their perspectives on things. It is also imperative for

the youth to pause and seek to understand the wisdom of those who have experienced life before them. Our task is not only to lead the youth but to lead with the youth in developing the next generation of leaders.

Visionary leaders lead from their values and don’t conform to stereotypes. They are secure in their identity, their purpose and make their own trails. They also have an innate peace and sense of fulfilment. They do not stand still but are forever evolving and breaking new ground. Values are like a ship’s compass. Leaders in touch with their compass know in which direction to move.

True leadership is about finding a way of holding and managing

complexities, duality and multiple perspectives in the quest to finding a workable solution. The ability to hold

complexity requires a solid foundation of values, where a leader understands

that they are part of the equation and not just a bystander in the events unfolding.

You cannot lead others without taking time to ‘hold up” the mirror and see who is standing in front of you. During difficult times, where ambiguity seem to be the only thing that is “clear”, leaders are often faced with challenging decisions and it is

then that their core values as leaders will guide them. It is in your being not in your saying that your true character is revealed.

Beautiful words have been said by many a leader but it is the impact and difference we make in society that matters. Without a true understanding of ourselves and what drives us, we cannot truly seek to lead others. In order to become leaders of signifi cance, we need to lead from a place where we are most compelling. Understand our passion and then use it to change the world. Like the Ethopian Journalist and International Journalism Fellow at Stanford Abebe

Gellaw puts it ,”We are the leaders we have been waiting for”. Let us stand up and be counted.

How to lead from your values and lead with impact By Nene Molefi


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DEVELOPING LEADERS FOR OUR TIME


The recent global fi nancial services crisis has inadvertently focused attention on the unfolding Africa growth story. Africa’s 50-plus

economies are growing at a rapid rate, almost comparable with China, when relating foreign direct investment to GDP1. In fact, UN-DESA (2011) predicts that Africa will achieve a growth rate of 5%, far in excess of developed countries, in 2011.

Entrepreneurs across bordersBusiness has not been slow to appreciate such opportunity. Predictably global multi-nationals continue to invest, though this has been bolstered by African business moving cross border in search of opportunities. It is not just South African companies that are on the move. African companies are also seeking opportunities and are moving south rapidly.

Mobility of skillsMirroring the movement of business is the continued mobility of skills. Whilst the African Diaspora continues to grow, there is an increasing sense of people returning as opportunities present themselves. However, this is only part of the story – African skills are also moving in Africa.

Melting potOur view is that an entrepreneurial melting pot will be created as African business becomes more mobile. This has the potential to bring us closer together, making historical differences less important, and may even contribute to a bottom up de facto creation of a form of African Union.

HR using their seat at the tableWhether your business is cross border or not, it will be impacted by globalisation and changes in Africa. This is more than just getting the ‘handshake’ right. It is about embedding global practice with local knowledge in the performance DNA of your organisation.

One size fi ts all approaches will make way for more fl exible approaches based on local dynamics. This will challenge HR to deal with real time people complexities in different contexts.

Relationships and KnowledgeIn order for HR to lead the way, we need to develop deep African IP.

1 Mckinsey Quarterly

Successful talent brokers for example, will be those HR folk who have both the relationship and the knowledge of skills in Africa.

Technical CompetenceThe high need for relationship credibility means that the experience of engagement is far more important than it would be in a market such as South Africa, making an employee value proposition and technical capability more important.

A good example of the need for engagement, knowledge and proposition to come together is the often vexed question of remuneration. Strategic resourcing is almost impossible without access to such data as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Exciting FutureBecoming part of the African community offers exciting possibilities for HR. By moving into new social and entrepreneurial spaces, HR can become an enabler of business expansion.

Yendor Felgate, Chief Executive Offi cer and Raun Smythe, Managing Director – Human Capital, Emergence Growth


The coming of age of human resources in AfricaBy Yendor Felgate and Raun Smythe


From the US Government to Swiss bank Julius Baer, the lessons of Wikileaks have left many a leader shuddering at the prospect of

their secrets being exposed to the world.If the string of indiscretions fi nding their way onto the internet has

taught us anything it’s that relegating digital communication culture to the corner of the company where the techies twitch and the marketers mumble is no longer an option. If it doesn’t form an integral part of any organisation then that organisation is at risk. The corner has become the corner stone.

Tom Olson, Director of U.S. Issues & Crisis Practice called it “the new reality of ‘involuntary transparency’. And one better learn to be a visionary in this space.

For leaders in the workplace, that means self upgrading; it means understanding what new cultural practices are being driven by these technologies, how these affect transparency and ethical practice, how they change the nature of the work environment and those that operate in it, as well as the huge opportunities they also bring.

We all know that digitization of information and communication has given rise to changes in culture, changes in how people communicate, how they work. We now live in a super connected networked village. Business leaders need to take a strategic approach to all digital communication and everything it brings: more mobility, social networking, marketing possibilities, business-client engagement, and improved organisational intelligence. And this strategy has to acknowledge that the future will be more digitised.

This year, according to the Telkom Trends IN Africa 2010 report released by World Wide Worx and Database 360, there will be an internet revolution in South Africa. South African internet users are now nearing the 6 million mark with most of them accessing the net through their phones. The First National Bank Mobility 2011 research project found that 39% urban and 27% rural South Africans browse the internet on their phones, and with the rise of the smartphone and mobile email there is a suggestion that the workforce is becoming more nomadic.

The implications for this are that the structures are changing and work no longer only takes place at work, in fact it can take place anywhere anytime. A report can be typed at a local coffee shop, or creative ideas can be generated while taking walks in the mountains and immediately be sent via a cell phone to a team that could be spread around the world. The benefi ts to business and innovation are obvious.

Social networking applications for instance can be used within the new operational environment to monitor projects, improve collaboration, enhance communication and increase productivity. Unrestricted access to the internet can give offi ce bound employees a sense of freedom leading to increased productivity and creativity and greater transparency and better communication channels can give customers more satisfaction leading to a greater sense of loyalty.

However it is not a free for all. Leaders need to be switched on to make sure that they understand the implications of what technology can do. To simply and thoughtlessly adopt technology is to create a fools paradise. If there is no harmony between the technology and those that use it and the work at hand, there could be trouble.

On one hand, increased access to information makes it easier for disgruntled employees to harm their employer.

One in fi ve of all UK corporate data loss incidents reported in the fi rst half of 2010 was caused by employees, according to a recent survey by KPMG reported in Information Age magazine. The professional services provider’s Data Loss Barometer report found that the frequency of such ‘malicious insider’ incidents has increased

from 4% in 2007 to 21% in 2010. It is now the single largest cause of data loss, the study says.

Burn out is another dangerous by-product of the digital age. There are concerns about the affect of too much mobile usage on sleep patterns and attention span and the distractive characteristics of communication technology – Facebook at work, not to mention email apnoea and information overload. These affect productivity. What’s the point of running a super connected super charged organisation that suffers from a drowsy technology overdose? Business leaders need to take a sober approach to these innovations as some lesser considered issues start to take the foreground.

Marshal McLuhan, in his famous book Understanding Media: The extension of man, argued that there comes a point where the extension leads to an amputation. And so as communication is extended by digital technology, we should not allow it to ‘amputate’ our tongues or our ability to interact face to face. And as the technology extends the workplace and workforce we should not allow it to distract us from ourselves and our goals, nor allow it to make us obsolete.

Thorstein Vebler, the great technological determinist, believes technology is a force basically out of our control but the right leaders, those that endeavour to fi nd calm in the chaos and work at harmonising the new environment as it rapidly changes, internally as well as externally, can harness it rather than be swept along by it.

If companies want to avoid Julian Assange’s “reputational tax” while at the same time creating more empowered, motivated employees and customers, they must recognise that digital communications technology is a powerful, cultural, strategic element in the game now.

Dave Duarte, Programme Director and Lecturer, UCT Graduate School of Business

LEADERSHIP

The virtue of virtualBy Dave Duarte


SURVEY

Being in the offi ce has become more of a priority for white-collar workers, reveals a survey by Johnson

Controls Global WorkPlace Innovation. The 2010 Global WorkPlace Solutions Flexible Working Survey, developed in partnership with the London-based offi ce Productivity Network, shows that fl exible working has declined to 2003 levels, reversing years of growth. The research also shows a signifi cant reduction in the amount of time that employees choose to work from home or as “mobile workers”.

In each of the six Flexible Working Surveys that we have conducted since 2002, we have seen an increase in fl exible and mobile working, coupled with a decline in people choosing to work from the offi ce. This latest study is signifi cant because it shows that between 2007 and 2010, this trend reversed.

Compared to the last Global WorkPlace Solutions Flexible Working Survey, conducted prior to the global recession, working from the offi ce more than doubled from 18 percent in 2007 to 45 percent in 2010. This ‘fl ight to the offi ce’ by workers has been at the expense of fl exible and mobile working which had grown in popularity since 2002. Just 20 percent of those surveyed in 2010 worked from home regularly compared to 36 percent in 2007. Similarly, those working on the move, known as ‘mobile workers’, fell from 46 percent in 2007 to 35 percent in 2010 – the lowest level since 2003.

The principal reason that respondents gave for going to the offi ce was to meet people (75 percent), followed by to collaborate (11 percent) and interact with others (4 percent). In addition the majority of our respondents (64 percent) believe that going to the offi ce is important to extremely important

The survey provides indirect evidence of the impact that the global recession had on employee working patterns. There has been a very clear return to the offi ce by workers following the global recession. The downturn and threat of job loss led to a lot of insecurity in the workplace, so another reason behind this trend could be that employees want to be seen at work as a way

of demonstrating their worth to their managers.

Collaborative technologies are readily available and

there is no evidence that companies have driven this trend to work in the offi ce, so this appears to be an employee behavioural response to tough times and uncertainty. As the global recovery continues we should see

that more people work fl exibly. Organisations

should continue to adopt emerging technologies and

policies that will support a tech-savvy workforce and globalised

teams. Paul Bartlett, Chairman of Offi ce

Productivity Network, said: “There is a fascinating paradox in that there has

been a return to the offi ce by once-mobile workers, but there is still the recognition

that business agility, such as that provided by fl exible working, is vital for the success of many organisations. Although it has reduced, the culture of fl exibility is well established and has provided many companies with the

ability to respond to adversity. It could also be behind the much lower levels of job losses than many forecasters were expecting.”

About the survey The Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions Flexible

Working Survey uncovers key trends on fl exible working and mobility. The survey has tracked the working trends of a core of respondents and was performed in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2010 – all under

the direction of Dr. Marie Puybaraud. The 2010 Global WorkPlace Solutions Flexible Working Survey had 479 respondents from a number of countries the vast majority of whom had taken it in previous years.

Dr Marie Puybaraud, Study author and director of Global WorkPlace Innovation for Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions

Global WorkPlace Solutions Flexible Working Survey: Flexible working declines after years of growth By Dr Marie Puybaraud


WR9

456E

STQ

BPM


The global recession hasn’t just damaged businesses because profi ts have taken a nose-dive, but because employees’ morale has taken

a battering too. Colleagues and friends have been laid off, teams re-shaped, and everyone is being asked to do more with less. People feel battered, bruised, and fearful, so how do you nurse them, and your organisation, back to health?

What would you fear most in your business: a fi re that wipes out all your facilities, or all your people quitting and walking out at the same time? Most people would choose the former, because having to fi nd good people all over again would take a lot more effort. Yet in the last couple of years many companies have been forced to choose between people and profi ts, and this has either fi guratively or literally driven people out of organisations. Even those who still have jobs are fearful of the future, and trust, morale, and commitment is on the wane. Companies may still have their buildings and their infrastructure intact, but their people are not quite as present as they were before; they are too busy watching their leaders to see whether they can spot signs that they are planning the next round of redundancies.

The fi rst secret to healing wounded organisations lies in creating a new, vibrant, optimistic vision. A vision isn’t just about making money; organisations that only think they’re in business to make money don’t focus hard enough on their people or their customers, so they lose both. A good vision states what business you’re in, what you stand for, and what your values are.

Great organisations have a deep, noble and signifi cant purpose that inspires excitement and commitment, so people really want to work for them, because meaningful work unleashes energy and boosts morale. Senior leaders in wounded organisations need to create a compelling vision that defi nes or redefi nes business, puts a clear focus on the customer, and gives everyone something to aim for.

Healing a wounded organisation also means re-building trust. This can’t be done instantly, can’t be addressed directly, and is a real challenge. Trust is a by-product of how people perceive your actions and intentions over time.

Treating everyone in your organisation as if they were your business partner is a great way to build or re-build trust. When we were looking at 20% profi t fall in 2009, we shared this information with our staff, and told everyone we needed their help. The next month, when we were celebrating

our 30th anniversary, we asked everyone how they thought we could cut costs and increase revenue. It was our staff who suggested salary cuts, not us. And, at the end of that year, our profi ts pulled up, and we didn’t lay anyone off.

If you respect people, you will face them and involve them in problem solving. If you don’t involve them, they won’t trust you, and your good people will vanish in a nanosecond.

One-on-one meetings are a great way to build up partnership relationships with your people. I believe every manager should meet one-on-one with their people every two weeks for 15-30 minutes each time. Managers should set up the meeting, but their direct reports should set the agenda. They can talk about anything – how they’re doing on their business goals, whether they’re worried about a child who is sick, anything. If you had 26 one-on-one meetings with your people every year, you would know them well, they would trust you, and they would know that you are their partner. This policy works - every organisation we’ve worked with that has implemented this kind of system has seen their business just come alive.

If you want to really heal a wounded organisation, or keep a great organisation going, you have to be a barrel of hope, be clear on your vision, what business you’re in, where you’re going, and make sure you really are a business partner with your people. When everyone in the organisation is working together to live according to the values and accomplish the goals, then you have a great human organisation that is focused on both results and people. It’s a strategy that has real healing power.

The Ken Blanchard Companies provides leadership training programmes such as Situational Leadership® II - the world’s most-widely taught leadership programme - executive coaching, change management consulting, and team-building solutions in more than 30 countries worldwide. A Situational Leadership® II workshop will be held in Johannesburg 27-28 June, with special reduced rates for IPM members. For more information email [email protected] or call 0800 980 814.Web www.kenblanchard.com, Social Media Links: Twitter @kenblanchard; www.facebook.com/kenblanchard, Blog: www.HowWeLead.org, Business and Management forum: www.leaderchat.org. © The Ken Blanchard Companies, 2011

Healing the wounded organisationBy Ken Blanchard

LEGISLATION


MENTOR MATTERS

Headlines rang out “Hallelujah” in Britain’s Daily Mail earlier this year, when 64 year old Colin Atkinson won the right to display a

cross in his company electrician’s van after an 18 month battle with his employer. He was about to be dismissed under rules (issued, ironically, on Christmas Eve last year) outlawing the display of religious insignia – this after a company-designed burka had already been allowed. His Christian defense was supported by Hindu, Muslim & Sikh clerics in the community.

Although religion remains taboo with most employers, some companies are now allowing workers to embrace their spiritual beliefs while on the job. So, in the spirit (so to speak) of open investigation, let’s examine whether HR should be reconsidering the secular approach to the workplace which we have so carefully crafted over the last few decades.

Working in a country governed by Sharia Law, I have now gotten used to people leaving their work stations for prayer breaks, paid leave for Hajj pilgrimage, and all employees forbidden from eating or drinking during daylight hours throughout the month of Ramadan. Now, that’s one model of religion in the workplace.

But, for most countries, HR has secularized the work environment primarily because of the contentious nature of religion, and wanting to avoid any possibility of confl ict along religious lines at work. “Practice your religion at home” we say, assuming that most employees regard their faith as something to be parked outside the offi ce block, even though the best atheist knows that religious people of any persuasion regard their faith as a way of life. So much for our cultural sensitivity.

The real reason for our aversion to the subject is that we’re as sensitive as hell (pun intended) that any outward expression of religious affi liation at work will lead to a repeat of that nasty incident we had a few years back, remember? Of course, ignoring it does not make faith issues go away, nor does it prevent incidences from cropping up. But, are there mainstream employers who are actually doing something different?

Tyson Foods in the USA puts their new recruits through the same kind of orientation as the rest of us, but they also get to hear from one of the company’s 120 chaplains, explaining why the company’s mission was rewritten to include the term “faith-friendly”. Tyson Foods has nurses to take care of their physical needs, and chaplains to assist with the spiritual component of people’s lives. Hmmm.

“We’re not about religion; it’s not about Christianity or Islam,” says Richard McKinnie, head chaplain at Tysons (P.S. imagine grading his job?) “This may surprise some but, in the course of my day, I can’t think of a time I’ve ever uttered a word of scripture from the Bible.”

While chaplains are probably an extreme example, usually confi ned to the military (you wonder why), it can be argued that spiritual affi liations – similar to race & gender issues before them – are an increasingly important part of today’s diverse workplace. “Religion is the next big frontier in which companies will have to shape policies that engage the whole person” claims David Miller, director of the Faith & Work Initiative at Princeton University.

What was private is becoming public, and the personal is becoming professional. “In the old business model, you were at your job to work. In the new model, people want to balance their whole life” he says. Wow, is this what HR had in mind when we advocated work-life balance? This is a whole lot deeper (or is it higher?) than just an EAP issue.

Some employers are saying that religious diversity is not only acceptable, but even welcome in the workplace. According to magazine DiversityInc’s 2011 Top 50 employers, 28% report that they have faith-based employee resource groups, up from just 10% in 2006. At the Ford Motor company, the Ford Interfaith Network has its own intranet serving over 4000 staff, and supports all groups. American Airlines even uses its employees’ faiths to help understand its diverse consumers.

Convinced yet, or is it too much of a risk to open these pearly gates in your workplace? Are progressive HR professionals going to respond to emerging religious issues like we did in the early days of the HIV challenge? “Let’s pretend it’s not there, because it’s controversial”. For the reluctant Industrial Relations practitioners reading this, could a workplace Interfaith Network not actually be a viable alternate dispute resolution facilitator in the cases of those awkward workplace disputes which involve religion?

Dealing with spirituality at work need not just be about avoiding discrimination claims or imposing burka-bans. It could be an important component of employee engagement. Risky, but probably worth walking down the road.

Pray about it.

In God we trustBy Gary Taylor

Gary Taylor has written several articles for People Dynamics over the years. His Mentor Matters is a regular column in which he addresses topical HR issues from the perspective of a career HR practitioner (and mentor) and offers some new perspectives on regular issues that HR practitioners face daily.

Gary has been in HR for 25 years, in National Mutual and Unilever, HR director at Medscheme for 14 years, and three years as Executive Director: HR at Wits University. Two years ago, he was appointed to start up HR for a new university in Saudi Arabia, where he is now Director of the Policy Offi ce. He is registered as a Master HR Practitioner and Mentor with the SABPP, served as vice president for the IPM for two years, and received the IPM President’s Award in 2008. He has written a chapter for an HR book, been published in People Dynamics and HR Future, and was the SA correspondent for the UK magazine, People Management, for a year.

HR MANAGEMENT

The benefi ts of good Human Resource Management (HRM) are hugely signifi cant but it requires a change in beliefs. In particular

the idea that using software to strategically manage human resources merely creates administrative red tape that hampers company performance. Perceptions have to change to bring the best out of employees and achieve sustainable HRM.

This can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, if the focus is shifted away from inputs and administration to concentrate on outputs and the information that the HR system makes available to management, the benefi ts are invariably signifi cant.

It is critical not to lose sight of employee’s wellbeing. What is really important for employees? Surely it is training, education, salary, benefi ts, incentives, career paths and performance criteria? HRM software highlights and encourages these aspects.

By implementing HRM and payroll software employers demonstrate that they are committed to the importance of the employer-employee relationship. Another myth is the idea that effective HRM systems come with an eye-watering price tag. HR software does not have to cost an unjustifi able amount to buy and implement. There are vendors who have successfully extended payroll functionality into the realm of HR, providing a simple, easy, and logical starting point for SME companies.

Sometimes small companies shy away from formalising their HR systems because they have a perception that it may result in issues over the treatment of staff. The reality is that HR software positively assists companies by establishing clear performance criteria for employees while nurturing employer fl exibility, creativity and discretion relating to employee recognition, incentives and rewards.

Because reward is clearly linked with desired performance and behaviour, promotion, succession management, training and various other

aspects of the employer-employee relationship are also clear-cut and transparent. The inevitable result is signifi cant improvement in the overall behaviour and motivation of the entire workforce.

Another positive is that the software ensures key performance areas and indicators are taken into account when employee

performance reviews are conducted.As a result of the information provided

by the HR software, reviews are undertaken with a more scientifi c

approach and are less prone to being infl uenced by relationships and social interaction. The focus

is therefore where it should be – on job performance, employee

commitment and business achievements.

Labour, tax and employment legislation,

the competitiveness of markets worldwide, increased

competition for skilled human resources and generation gaps have

an impact on employer-employee relationships.

In these circumstances most SME companies need to apply

sound HR strategies, coupled with fl exible, easy-to-use and extendable

software to support HR functions. Functional, effi cient HR systems are

no longer discretionary – they are essential.

HR software is also becoming an essential for effi cient monitoring and administration of employee

disciplinary processes, ensuring they are in line with the requirements

of the Basic Conditions of Employment and the Labour

Relations Acts.

Grant Lloyd, managing director, Softline Pastel Payroll, part of the Softline and Sage Group plc, www.pastelpayroll.co.za

Successful, sustainable HR management means keeping it simpleBy Grant Lloyd


DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

Disabled South Africans have few freedoms to celebrate By John Botha

South Africa may have come a long way since 1994 in terms of employment equity but disabled South Africans remain extremely

underrepresented and disadvantaged in the workplace. Public and private employers should, crucially, re-visit the true defi nition

of diversity and move beyond race and gender to embrace disability as well. South Africa is still failing to achieve the two percent employment target of people with disabilities. Furthermore, once in the workplace, disabled people – particularly those at semi- and unskilled levels – typically have limited opportunities for upward mobility to higher levels or senior management positions.

The true extent of disability in South Africa remains unknown. There are no reliable statistics available, since the defi nition of disability varies from act to act and from regulation to regulation. What we do know is that less than one percent of South Africa’s workforce is fi lled by persons with a disability; yet the percentage of disabled people amongst the economically active population (persons between the ages of 15 and 65) is at the very least four and, at most, as much as ten.

The code of good practice on key aspects of disability in the workplace recently published by the Ministry of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities was released for public comment. While acknowledging that South Africa has a world class code of good practice attached to the Employment Equity Act; disabled South Africans fi nd few opportunities for education, training and employment, and experience poverty and exclusion from mainstream society.

Private and public sector employers have approached disabled employees or prospective employees in the same way as they have able-bodied people. They have not been innovative and therefore have not been successful. A far more open-minded approach is needed to achieve the two percent employment target and to open up more opportunities for disabled South Africans. The code of good practice allows for the reasonable

accommodation of persons with disabilities. While this presents an opportunity for employers to creatively put in place supporting mechanisms, they tend to see it as a hindrance.

The ultimate goal of employers should be to economically mainstream a disabled employee. However, the route to full incorporation of the disabled person into the organisation depends directly on the nature of the disability. You cannot adopt a ‘one-size-fi ts-all’ approach, as there are many different kinds of disabilities and the variables for each are very specifi c. We need to start looking at the ability rather than the disability of the individual. Essential to this is a planned programme of progression, starting with a detailed assessment of the disabled person’s level on the National Qualifi cations Framework (NQF) and of what they are capable.

You cannot bring a disabled person into the world of work without any prior evaluation. When employers skip this route, barriers cannot be anticipated. It is when the disabled person is in the workstation that diffi culties arise, causing frustrating for both the employee and the employer.

The next phase is one of incubation and preparation, which may or may not take place on site, depending on the nature of the disability. From here, there are several options that can be pursued – such as learnerships, further study through an accredited institution or even enterprise development projects.

PMI offers employers dedicated resources designed to bring disabled people successfully into the workplace. The notion of job carving has proved most successful in this context. Job carving is a term we use to encourage organisations to be fl exible when appointing disabled individuals to existing positions. Particular elements of different jobs can be combined into a modifi ed job perfectly suited to the disabled employee, his/her abilities and career-path plans.

He outlines the beauty of a successful disability programme as one whereby all players experience great rewards:


DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

For a business, it drives BEE scores, mitigates risks around noncompliance of equity and skills regulations, and results in signifi cant tax rebates

The disabled employee’s contribution to the workplace is meaningful, while the isolation and fi nancial hardship many disabled people experience is largely eliminated

For the state, it decreases the burden on social securityFor the workforce, it demystifi es disability and encourages genuine

understanding and acceptance of disabled personsFor the nation, it provides just one more example of embracing disability

and creating genuine diversity in the workplace.Sadly, people with intellectual disabilities remain the most marginalised

of all. Intellectual disorders such as a learning disability, cognitive impairment or

Down’s syndrome, stem from brain malfunctions due to genetic deformities

or accidents. People with intellectual disabilities can be fully stabilised. Once they have been fully assessed and the relevant preparedness for the world of work takes place, these individuals make an incredible contribution in the workplace. Before a disabled person enters the workplace, other staff need to be fully briefed, sensitisation workshops held and workplace infrastructure and systems modifi ed.

PMI was recently awarded the Alec Rogoff Broad-based BEE Project of the Year Award for its James Smeeton Disability Incubator, a joint venture with the NGO called I Can!, providing consulting, therapy and support services for people with intellectual disabilities with a view to integrating them into the mainstream world of work.

John Botha, Executive Director: Strategy at Production Management Institute (PMI)

NEWS AND REVIEWS

Book review - merging ability and attitudeBritish billionaire and founder of the Virgin Group Ltd., Richard Branson is fond of saying, “The companies that look after their people are the companies that do really well”. His philosophy is simple: if your employees are happy, they will do a better job, therefore the customers are happy, business will thrive and shareholders will be rewarded.

South African entrepreneur Andre Grobler goes one step further by refi ning his management style to suit each employee: “Different people respond to different approaches and a single management approach will only work well for those best suited to it. If you manage large teams it is highly unlikely that every team member will respond in the same way. We all know that some people need constant management and supervision, whilst others perform best when left alone. The trick is to discover who needs to be managed and how”.

Andre Grobler is the founder and Chief Executive Offi cer of the Ngikwazi Group of Companies, an outsourced services group that specialise in the identifi cation, recruitment, training, management and control of people who perform a wide variety of tasks in-fi eld throughout South Africa. He is a successful entrepreneur with a fl air for dealing with people and an accomplished motivational speaker. He has written two books, Wheelbarrows have to be pushed and Attibility.

In his book, Wheelbarrows have to be pushed, Grobler highlights the common mistake that most business managers make, that is, hiring people with the necessary qualifi cations and experience, but without assessing their attitude, or how passionate they are about doing that particular job. Having been through trial and error himself and now running his own successful business for close to a decade, Grobler defi nes his road to success:

“Great workplace performance becomes a reality when we hire people who are able to do what is necessary and who have a positive attitude towards doing it. I call it Attibility.”

The second book, Attibility, explores the intangible concept of success and encapsulates the key principles that play a defi ning role in achieving it.

Both books are insightful guides on the combination of attitude and ability. ‘Wheelbarrows’ focuses on how to assess and manage staff members, so that each individual is working to his or her full potential, thereby ensuring that they achieve job satisfaction and that your business runs successfully. Attibility employs the same principles in managing one’s self. They are practical, encouraging and user-friendly and their simple principles can unlock the potential of the business of your dreams.

Published by The Wild dog Press and available nationwide in all good book stores for the price of R159, 95 each.

Business Connexion and First National Bank Sign Landmark HR/Payroll DealBusiness Connexion and First National Bank (FNB) have signed a deal that will see Business Connexion taking over FNB’s existing payroll and HR outsourcing division.

This division, which has been in existence for more than 25 years, provides payroll and HR services to about 450 FNB clients. Business Connexion has taken over this business as a going concern from beginning May 2011.

“For Business Connexion, this is really a landmark deal,” said Herman Venter, managing executive, Q Data Dynamique, a division of Business Connexion that specialises in supplying end-to-end human capital management solutions. “For us, it’s an opportunity to strengthen our position as a signifi cant player in the HR and payroll outsourcing space with an expert partner and an established client base. This deal also represents a signifi cant stream of annuity income into our business and this is defi nitely a positive for us.”

From FNB’s point of view, the deal also makes sound business sense. “Providing payroll and HR services is not our core business. This deal effectively brings a specialist IT and services outsourcing company on board to run the business. It leaves us free to focus on our core business of banking but the service remains as a great value add for our banking clients. And the fact that the business is now in the hands of a company for whom it is the core focus is obviously good news over the long term for our clients,” said Greg Illgner from FNB.

Initially, services to clients will continue to be delivered from the FNB data centre and will gradually be migrated to Business Connexion’s TierIV data centre based in Midrand, billed the most advanced outsourcing data centre in Africa. “Our greatest concern is to ensure that our clients experience no service fl uctuations,” said Venter. “We’ll only be doing the migration to our own data centre once we are confi dent we know the business very well.”

Business Connexion and FNB will also be actively marketing the service to new clients. “By enabling providers to offer a range of services from infrastructure and software to business processes and knowledge through the cloud, this model is revolutionising the way that companies are procuring these services,” says Venter.

Isaac Mophatlane, Chief Executive for Innovation Group at Business Connexion “Business Connexion is now in a position to offer clients a range of services relating to HR and payroll that moves from upfront capital investment to a predictable, monthly expense model. From this deal, an excess of 400 client contracts will be ceded to Business Connexion.

“In addition, the 30 years of experience that we will gain from this deal will add a tremendous amount of expertise to our existing knowledge-base. We will, in collaboration with FNB, also be developing new, value-added services to offer to the bank’s customers. And our data centre which is based on a Tier IV design will ensure that we provide FNB high availability services with capability to permit any planned activity without disruption.”

HR in brief

TALENT DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM

The Asian Institute of Finance held its inaugural Symposium: “Talent development - the

new paradigm” from 7 to 8 April 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The purpose of this annual symposium is to provide a platform for industry players to discuss crucial issues in human capital development for the fi nancial services industry. 18 nations were represented at the symposium.

The attraction and development of talent for the fi nancial services industry is particularly challenging, due to factors like: An industry prone to fraud Up and downturn of economic cycles affect

resource needs drastically Over infl ated salary expectations Big egos Obscene bonuses Bonuses payable even when the company is

making losses Finance industry reputation is dented

internationally as a result of the 2008 fi nancial crises.

As a result of the above factors, the industry is experiencing: Tighter regulation than ever before Compliance focus, which stifl es creativity A talent gap, due to employees moving abroad

and also leaving the industry Poor customer service levels Training which focusses only on the technical

and compliance aspect of the job and not on human development

Where will the talent come from to support the fi nancial services industry of the future? Countries can be classifi ed as net suppliers and net consumers of talent. Those who are net suppliers will have a defi nite competitive advantage. Free riders (net consumers of talent) result in brain drain to other countries and talent poaching in local markets. We have to deepen the talent pool to reduce poaching. Economic success is the only long term remedy for brain drain. Malaysia’s Institute of Bankers introduced a ‘transfer fee’ when one bank recruits employees from another. The current fee is equal to six month’s salary. The effectiveness of such measures remains unproven.

Good quality human capital supply (from schools and universities) can signifi cantly reduce cost of development and turn a country from net consumer into a net supplier.

The integrity of leadership is the biggest challenge faced by the industry. Employment contracts favour management, even when they harm the profi ts of the organisation.

The employee life cycle in the fi nancial services industry have unique characteristics. You can be a “hero” in your twenty’s, but this is no guarantee for future success. The worst thing that can happen is that someone makes big money in the fi rst two years of their career. It is a human weakness to think that you are personally responsible for this success when it may be caused by specifi c market conditions, which may not occur again for decades. When employees are under pressure to repeat

AIF Symposium

i-Cap’s creative HR Solutionsrefreshing your ideas

InterMedia


2011 IPM ANNUAL CONVENTION

To acknowledge the support of our members and delegates for making an effort to register early for the 2011 IPM Annual Convention, IPM would like to make a substantial concession by allowing them to register on the 2011 early bird registration rates on condition that they

register and pay on or before the 30th June 2011. The convention committee has already started planning for the hosting of yet another intellectually stimulating convention. Some of the

issues that the convention committee has started deliberating on because of their impact on business and the economy in general are the following:

• The impact of the global economic environment on business operations locally.• People management issues emanating from both the presidential address and the budget speech.• Complexities of the South African labour market, including the shortage of critical skills and talent. In the same manner that global leaders both from public and private sectors converge under the umbrella of the World Economic Forum

to fi nd solutions to major global economic, political, and social problems, so is the tradition of HR professionals and business executives in South Africa and neighbouring countries to converge annually under the umbrella of IPM Annual Convention to fi nd growth oriented solutions confronting organisations locally.

In a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 2008, IPM Convention has been identifi ed as the conference that attracts most delegates compared to similar conferences globally. This is due to the fact that the IPM Convention Committee takes the job of organising and hosting the convention seriously and high quality speakers both locally and globally are always keen to participate in this premier HR and business leadership event.

Take advantage of the ‘early bird’ registration discount and act now.

Rre. Elijah LithekoChief Executive Offi [email protected]

their past successes under adverse market conditions, they may resort to unethical or even fraudulent behaviour.

A high level of ethics does not go hand-in-hand with a big ego. Companies should fi re individuals who do not behave in a way which is consistent with the company’s values and ethics, even if they are making good money for the company. We tend to forget our mistakes very quickly and then repeat them again.

How do we assess the ethical values of talent in the industry? Integrity should be at the heart of a company’s values. Greed causes a lack of integrity. Poorly designed incentive schemes can also cause a lack of integrity.

Performance management is the cause of many problems in the fi nancial services industry. Strong line managers are required to manage performance properly. The challenge for performance management is that the outcome of today’s actions is only measurable in the long term and not immediate or even tangible. Short term thinking and expectation are spreading to all markets, we want instant results. The industry needs to produce leaders with long term objectives and thinking abilities. The balance between short term gains and long term sustainability is not right at this point in time.

Line managers do not always know why they are developing their employees. The manager’s incentives are not aligned to mentoring and coaching employees.

Work/life balance is another major challenge for the industry. People who are clear about their personal goals do not have a problem with work/life balance.

The increasing cross border mobility of professionals in the fi nancial services industry allows the cream of talent to rise to the top. This trend is fueled by the changing shift in world GDP from west to east. China’s banks are now the biggest in the world.

Risk management is increasing in the industry to try and mitigate some of the challenges, but there are no long term solutions. In the long run we’re bound to repeat our own mistakes in spite of risk management efforts.

The relevance and role of rating agencies in the fi nancial sector is questionable. China is still rated below countries which are now bankrupt, like Portugal and Greece. This artifi cial rating causes perceptions which constrain growth. The industry now needs more cross border regulation to minimise risk of the next meltdown. Regulators are already collaborating and sharing information across country borders like never before.

Technology’s role in fi nancial services is critical. One killer app could wipe out whole sections of today’s fi nancial services. This would have major implications for employment and talent management.

Younger generations of employees bring new challenges to talent management in the industry. The attributes of generation x and y is changing the game. They may not respect corporate information protection measures – examples include websites where employees openly share their salary and benefi ts. Younger generations want total freedom to customise, compare and criticize. They will easily expose their own company. They want to be entertained, collaborate, expect speedy decisions and constant innovation.

Generation x and y employees easily leave an organisation, making retention critical. This is very diffi cult as they are not interested in the longer term benefi ts of remaining with one company. We need to create a different kind of working environment to support retention. Generation x and y employees want a tech savvy work environment which has all the functionality that they are already accustomed to in their personal lives.

In conclusion, we cannot take the success of talent management in the industry for granted. Intelligence, integrity and energy are the keys to success in the fi nancial services sector.


PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Simple truths – but essential onesBy Immo Böhm

Many organisations struggle with projects of all sorts, not only when implementing business software systems. That is quite understandable

since executing projects of any kind is a complex activity. If some simple truths are taken into account, bringing such initiatives to a successful conclusion is the likely outcome - rather than seeing them go down in fl ames.

Topping the list is the immutable fact that some things just have to take some time. While there is some leeway (which is literally bought – faster means more expensive), accept that nothing happens instantly, especially not an enterprise software project. In the ‘instant gratifi cation’ culture of the information age, this can be surprisingly diffi cult to accept – but know that rushing it will result in an even greater cost and longer time to success.

Closely related to the need to appropriately budget for time is the requirement for structure. Most projects must follow a certain sequence; there are no shortcuts and attempting to fi nd one will almost certainly end in disaster.

And if these maxims seem obvious, but satisfying to have in the open, consider this one: ‘Nothing is impossible for the person who doesn’t have to do it.’ That goes to the heart of what can often become a major stumbling block on a complex, time consuming project. Probably most importantly is how this applies to salespeople, who can seek sales by promising the impossible. Those promises can cost later, when the implementation team is saddled with a Herculean task. By the same token, the team leader has to accept that there are limitations to what people can do while bearing in mind the essential requirement for suffi cient time.

Bosses tend to demand the occasionally unreasonable – sometimes pushing back is critical to ensure project success. That takes us to the next truism: ‘You can con a sucker into committing to an impossible deadline, but you cannot con him into meeting it.’ Browbeating individuals or teams into

agreeing to a deadline doesn’t equal meeting the deadline. If enough time is not provided for, one of two things will happen: the work will be ‘completed’, but badly, or the project will simply overrun. The end result is likely to be a dissatisfi ed customer – and a broken team. Your reputation will take a knock, too; nobody wins.

Getting to grips with these truths has a common thread running through: that of communication. While some ERP projects run better than others, all are high intensity. Communication is one of the central factors and a truth in its own right behind ensuring project success.

Consider this: ‘I know that you believe that you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realise that what you heard is not what I meant.’

Did you look again? That’s exactly the point. What one says is not necessarily how the other one hears or understands it. And as more people are involved, the more complex it gets.

It is thus vital to maintain clear communications across a project. Structured meetings, minutes and a centralised system where all communication is stored are considered essential. Collaborate online, retain copies of communication, encourage questions and cross-checks to ensure understanding is reached. All communication about a project must be within the system, be it meetings, minutes, e-mails or even support calls. And remember the last truth, which goes a long way in providing protection: That which is not written down has not been said.’ Everything - but absolutely everything – must be documented. Or, more light heartedly, ‘When the weight of the project paperwork equals the weight of the project itself, the project can be considered complete!’

Immo Böhm, MD Afresh Consult.


GABRIEL’S HORN

I am sure all my readers know that I get a huge kick out of voting. Participating in the recent local elections was as satisfying as ever.The IEC, who have managed voting in this country for some years

now, really have got their act together. At my designated polling station things ran like clockwork. Because of intelligent alphabetical grouping of voters the whole process took less than 15 minutes - “in and out” . There were minimal queues and the charm and helpfulness of the IEC offi cials was very impressive.

Walking out of the station and into the autumn sunlight, my senses were quickly assailed by one of my favourite things – the smell of bacon being cooked. That glorious odour was also having an effect on my fellow voters who were quickly drawn to a group of clever entrepreneurs who had set up an immaculate outside braai area serving the most delicious breakfasts. Needless to say the queues for the delights of the braai area very quickly got longer than those for the ballot boxes.

What enterprise.And well done to the IEC as well.On the subject of elections I came across a pithy quote from a 19th

century American writer by the name of Hamilton Wright Mabie:“Don’t be afraid of opposition. Remember a kite rises against, not with the wind”.

Doesn’t that say it all.

Getting lost with technology Sometime ago I fi nally succumbed to the purchase of a GPS system for my car. When I eventually mastered its use, it proved to be an invaluable tool for not getting totally lost in the nether regions of places like the far east rand.

My love affair with the funny little device on my windscreen came

to an abrupt end when, on leaving the industrial heartland of Vanderbijlpark, it suddenly “dumped me”. No kind directions back to the familiar environs of Johannesburg, just a list of nearby police stations. Try as I might it steadfastly refused to return me to the screen that would send me, with pinpoint accuracy, back to my offi ce. It was insistent that I should know of the whereabouts of SAPS in the area. It even started phoning them.

Hoping that it was a temporary aberration, caused by a sunspot someone told me, I continued to use the GPS on my journeys. To my dismay it had become totally besotted with the whereabouts of police stations thus rendering it totally useless as a navigational tool.

I took the errant GPS to Cape Union Mart in Sandton City who then sent it onto the manufacturers – TomTom.

Despite all their best efforts the machine simply refused to ditch its on-going love for police stations.

Eventually it was decided to give me a completely new GPS at no charge whatsoever, even allowing for the fact that I had had the machine for over two years.

I really have to thank the guys at Cape Union Mart and TomTom for their co-operation.

They will be glad to know that my new machine has shown absolutely no interest in police stations.

See you next month,[email protected]

Voting to the smell of bacon

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