Tag: dignity

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.

In South Africa, the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to public sanitation has proven inadequate in addressing the unique needs of informal settlements. Informal settlements continue to grow, and residents are increasingly seeking in-house sanitation solutions that provide privacy and dignity.

After a little more than a year into my role as Chief Marketing Officer, I have started to think very differently about death and the business of death. Coming from an FMCG environment, I found the transition to the services sector, specifically funeral and life insurance, significant. However, I also discovered that there are similarities between the two sectors.

South Africa’s unemployment figures are not abstract statistics. They are the lived reality of millions of parents unable to provide, of young people whose talents lie dormant, and of communities yearning for hope. We must move beyond analysis to action.

Wanatu's language policy requirement for proficiency in the Afrikaans language is central to their business model, and has sparked significant debate. Wanatu operates in Centurion and Pretoria. One of Wanatu’s key value propositions, as stated on its website, is “Restoring dignity in our communities' jobs in Afrikaans” (direct translation from the website).

Revenge porn and legislation have become critical issues, as victims face complex legal challenges in seeking justice and protection. The internet and digital platforms have significantly impacted privacy rights and the legal landscape. Social media, blogs, and other online forums have created a complex cyber landscape.

There is a complex relationship between privacy and freedom of expression. Both rights are enshrined in the South African Constitution and are essential to a democratic society. The right to privacy safeguards personal autonomy by protecting individuals from undue intrusions into their private lives. Freedom of expression, on the other hand, promotes open debate and the sharing of information, which are vital for democracy.

Employers and managers have the prerogative to set workplace rules and standards, including performance standards. Oftentimes, managers come across as being harsh, bullish, dismissive, or overly critical when attempting to enforce certain workplace standards.

Workplace bullying transcends mere professional misconduct; it is a violation of human rights that undermines employee dignity and wellbeing. Bullying manifests in various forms - verbal, emotional, psychological and even through passive-aggressive behaviours such as exclusion and gossip. In South Africa, the implications of workplace bullying extend beyond moral concerns, as it infringes on constitutional rights.

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.