Tag: #WorkplaceCulture

If there is one compliment South Africans hear more than any other, it is this: "South Africans are so resilient". We wear it almost as a badge of honour. We have endured economic uncertainty, political shifts, load shedding, global disruption and constant change. Furthermore, we adapt because we have to. But I often wonder whether we've misunderstood resilience.

When COVID-19 emptied offices in 2020, remote work wasn't a carefully designed workplace strategy. It was an emergency response. Kitchen tables became desks, meetings moved online, and businesses adapted faster than many thought possible. In the years that followed, flexibility became a defining feature of many workplaces. But for some, the pendulum is swinging back globally once again. Amazon introduced a five-day office expectation in January 2025.

From hot flushes in the boardroom to violence at home, some of the experiences affecting women’s working lives remain difficult to say out loud. We believe employers need to create workplaces where those conversations can happen without embarrassment, judgement or fear. I have seen how easily a woman can sit in a meeting when a hot flush begins.

There is a narrative building around artificial intelligence (AI) that deeply concerns me. It is a narrative rooted in fear. People fear being replaced. They fear being left behind. They fear not understanding the technology. They also fear experimenting and getting it wrong. Yet, from where I sit, AI is not something we can afford to fear from the sidelines. Instead, we need to engage with it. We need to learn from it, play with it, challenge it, shape it and adopt it.

Since the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace (Code) came into effect, harassment claims have increased. These include sexual harassment, racial discrimination and gender-based bullying. They also include harassment based on arbitrary or prohibited grounds.

Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is not a business book, yet its lessons resonate deeply in today’s workplaces. From fear-driven leadership to purpose-led performance, the story offers powerful insights for employers navigating trust, control and growth in an evolving world of work.

In South Africa’s diverse workforce, employees bring varied skills and experiences. They also bring different financial situations, family structures and personal priorities. Businesses should acknowledge this variety. However, the real opportunity lies in recognising that employee benefits are more than an HR function.

Leading 25,000 people across Southern Africa has taught me that authentic inclusion cannot be scheduled. Business leaders are challenged to move beyond performative diversity initiatives. I also question whether their commitment to South Africa's cultural richness extends beyond designated awareness days. At its core, this article interrogates the limits of calendar activism in driving real inclusion.

Most companies hide behind the warm fiction of being “a family.” Netflix didn’t. It called itself a team - and built a $300 billion powerhouse on that single, uncomfortable truth. Few workplace cultures are as controversial or as misunderstood, yet none are as clear about the price of greatness: average performance earns a generous severance package; excellence earns radical trust and total freedom.

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.