Tag: employee wellbeing

In today’s commercial landscape, businesses face a wide range of risks, from opportunistic theft to targeted break-ins and threats to staff safety. For organisations serious about protecting people, property and reputation, prioritising safety is no longer optional. It’s essential.

Incentive travel is making a strong comeback in South Africa, but not in the way it used to. Once defined by luxury and leisure, it is now being reimagined as a strategic business tool. This change aligns with employee well-being, sustainability and company culture.

For many of us, work is one of the most significant factors in our general health and mood. When it goes well, it can be excellent. Work can be creative, lucrative and sociable. But when it does not, we often feel overloaded and stressed. Post COVID-19, many companies are making an effort to show they care. They offer better hours, remote work options, and lunchtime yoga classes.

Workplace legislation continues to evolve. Currently, South African employers face significant new responsibilities introduced by the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA). They must also address the draft Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Return to Work Regulations.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work, celebrated on 28 April brings to attention the need for creating safe spaces in the workplace which include mental health and wellbeing. According to the South African Federation for Mental Health, about 13% of South African employees live with a diagnosed mental health condition. Interestingly, more than a third of working South Africans experience excessive daily stress. 

Two-thirds of professionals (63%) have admitted that one of the leading reasons for leaving a previous employer is that they did not have a ‘connection’ with their management or leadership team. A further 68% stated that their exit was due to ‘empty promises’ from management. Professionals feel that leaders who fail to act on commitments erode trust.

The experiences of frontline workers are reshaping how companies handle employee engagement, communication and empowerment in a time where work is becoming more dispersed.

Just as Generative Artificial Intelligence transforms customer experiences and revenue streams, it significantly impacts workforce strategies and employees. According to Slack research, executive urgency to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into business operations has grown sevenfold over the past six months.

The Harvard Business Review describes the secret of corporate success as "human magic". Unlocking employee potential is a culture where people thrive. This culture allows ambitions, passions and commitments to translate into productivity, results and shared growth.

It reads like a paragraph from a history book; first there was the Great Resignation, followed by the Great Renegotiation, all in span of three years. The pandemic led to millions of employees resigning their positions monthly.