Human Capital

In South Africa's shifting labour landscape, union representation is being tested and pushed to new limits. The case of AFGRI Animal Feeds (A Division of PhilAfrica Foods (Pty) Limited) v National Union of Metalworkers South Africa (NUMSA) and Others (CCT 188/22) [2024] ZACC 13 has sparked a significant debate challenging the traditional scope of union activities and raising critical questions about legal jurisdiction and worker representation. This case serves as a pivotal moment in understanding the complexities of union eligibility across diverse industries.

The solution to youth unemployment and the skills crisis lies in upskilling and empowering youth with future digital skills. Relevant digital skills should be developed before they enter the workplace. ICT certifications alone are not enough to meet the rate of change in the workplace. They also cannot secure sustainable job creation. South African companies hiring young people with practical skills will succeed. These skills should meet current and future business demands.

Clients today recognise that while convenience is easily replicable, delivering exceptional Customer eXperience (CX) through a genuine understanding of their unique business needs is irreplaceable. Client interaction and project management strategies are shifting dramatically toward hyper-personalisation, and businesses in the B2B space risk consistently falling short of meeting client expectations and client experiences, if they do not empower their teams effectively.

The standardisation of port-of-entry visa requirements heralds positive change at Home Affairs. We encouraged by the work being done by Minister Leon Schreiber and his team at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). This includes the launch of the remote working visa scheme (officially gazetted on 9 October) and the new immigration directives. These changes bring welcome reforms to the country's immigration policy.

While the position of Company Secretary has always been important within an organisation, especially from an administrative perspective, the Company Secretary’s role and scope of responsibility has grown over the years from an ‘efficient administrator’ to a ‘governance leader’.

It is vital for employees to understand how to conduct themselves during dawn raids or interactions with regulators. Failure to do so may result in significant consequences for the employer. The European Commission recently fined a European company after a senior employee deleted private WhatsApp messages during a dawn raid pertaining to a competition law violation.

On a Curriculum Vitae (CV), a person’s personal statement or objective is one of the first things any recruiter will notice. First impressions count and mastering this introductory section is critical to capitalise on any potential job opportunities.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising global payroll management, making it more efficient and accurate – not only for businesses but also payroll professionals. AI isn’t replacing payroll professionals; it’s empowering them. The technology acts as a powerful partner, augmenting payroll professionals’ capabilities, enhancing their productivity and allowing them to play a more integral role in the organisation’s success.

With remote work firmly entrenched in our reality, employee self-service systems have become a game-changer, digitising and automating critical tasks to ease the administrative load on payroll and HR teams. These web or mobile-based platforms offer employees direct access to their personal HR information, enabling them to manage various aspects of their employment independently.

In a world saturated with scripted chats and automated responses, Intelligent Assistants emerge as the crucial bridge between digital bots and their human users. While chatbots have become ubiquitous, their evolution over the last few years has been nothing short of spectacular.