How leadership creates and kills productivity
In any professional environment, the pursuit of efficiency and productivity often encounters two silent but potent obstacles: bottlenecks and micromanagement. Both issues emerge subtly yet deliver significant damage. They slow progress, frustrate teams and weaken the goals organisations work hard to achieve.
BusinessBrief December/January 2025/26 edition is now available!
Read our exclusive cover story titled The keeper test - when “good enough” isn’t enough? by Carl Ranger, Head of Training, CEO SA, plus a host of other topical management articles written by professionals, consultants and academics.
When the search hurts – senior hiring is more than a...
Senior appointments demand something different. They require depth, judgment, insight and the ability to read both a candidate and an organisation at a strategic level. Every organisation faces moments that shape the next decade. These moments may include a major acquisition, a bold new strategy or a cultural shift.
Post-retirement age dismissals – understanding workplace fairness
Section 187(2)(b) of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) provides that a dismissal may be fair if the employee has reached the normal or agreed retirement age. This means termination based on the employee’s age might not constitute unfair discrimination if the employee has reached retirement age.This distinction is important. It is crucial when considering dismissals that occur after an employee has passed retirement age.
Finding skilled workers with experience is getting harder
Amid the global race for critical skills, South Africa’s economic growth hinges on its ability to attract and retain top talent. Companies increasingly report challenges in finding these professionals locally, with the added difficulty of sourcing skilled workers with the right combination of work experience and qualifications.
Parental leave equality – understanding the workplace implications
The Constitutional Court’s ruling on parental leave marks a significant and transformative step toward greater workplace equality. For the first time, all parents - regardless of their gender or how they became parents - now share equal entitlement to parental leave.
Contractor or employee? Consequences clarified by the LAC
When you run your work as a business, invoice for your services, and elect to skip the obligations that come with being an employee, you cannot turn around and claim employee protection when the relationship ends.
Strike dismissal inconsistency – a costly lesson in proving fairness
Unprotected strikes will often merit dismissal where the employer has not provoked them. However, even where there has been no provocation, such dismissal can be found to be unfair.
Grief in the workplace – supporting teams through loss
Grief walks into the workplace quietly. It doesn’t clock in. It doesn’t announce itself in the Monday meeting. It shows up in missed deadlines, glazed-over eyes, unexpected outbursts and the sudden silence of someone who once brought the team to life. And here’s the truth many leaders miss. Grief isn’t only emotional but also neurological and physical. It’s human.
Mentorship empowers female leaders to drive transformation
Mentorship is one of the most powerful ways businesses can close the gender gap in business leadership. Despite steady progress in gender representation, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles. While companies may employ more women than before, it is not enough. Senior leaders, in my view, are obligated to offer better support to women in the workforce. One way to do that is through mentoring.
