Tag: absenteeism

As disability or incapacity consultants, we are exposed to many individuals with physical and mental conditions, which impede their quality of life. In most cases, it is often an accumulation of factors that lead to an individual being plagued by illness.

In a South African context, ‘dignity’ is a word that is often supercharged, laden with meaning and emotion. Given our dark history where apartheid stripped whole groups of people of their dignity – and because of the prevailing gap between rich and poor, with South Africa having the highest Gini coefficient in the world – we not only have to believe in dignity, we must also strive to uphold it across all aspects of society.

Ever since the pandemic, ‘organisational wellbeing’ has gone from a quirky idea that many thought was a bit of fluff, to a business imperative. Now more than ever, companies are seeing the value in having a coherent employee wellness strategy.

Globally, there has been a significant uptick in the prevalence of depression and anxiety post the COVID-19 pandemic. In South Africa, it is estimated that one in six people suffer from anxiety, depression, or substance abuse and more than half of the population is possibly dealing with some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. Another study estimated that a third of people suffer from a mental illness and of that figure, 75% won’t receive any treatment.

In the modern era of corporate travel, companies are investing heavily in ensuring the well-being of their employees on the move. From ergonomic travel tools to nutritious meals on the go, the focus has shifted from merely reaching a destination to ensuring the holistic wellbeing of the traveller. But as businesses lean heavily into this trend, a pertinent question emerges: Are we taking it too far?

Breast milk has long been acknowledged as nature’s perfect food for infants. Its unique properties continue to benefit children long after their mothers have stopped breastfeeding. For working women, breastfeeding is easy and convenient to do while they are on maternity leave, but it becomes significantly more challenging when they return to work.

At the current rate of progress, the World Economic Forum says it will take 102 years to close the gender gap in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is therefore vital to ensure girls have equal opportunities not only in the workplace but in school to accelerate closing the gender gap.

A recent equal education report found that 80% of schools in South Africa are dysfunctional with endemic poverty, violence and a shortage of school materials plaguing these schools.

Financial stress. Lower productivity. Poorer profitability. It’s a slippery slope that South African employers have to manage. The inaugural 2022 State of Employee Wellbeing Barometer says the impact of financial stress on business profitability is a slippery slope that South African employers have to manage.

Media publications around the world are buzzing with anecdotal evidence of what has been called The Great Resignation – the COVID-19 lockdown-driven reassessment by individuals of the meaning of work in their lives. 2022 is shaping up to be a year of reckoning where employees and organisations both determine what is important for them and how they can continue to work together.