HR Insider’s Eye

Letter from the Director

When a new year starts, we like to pay attention to the trends that will be shaping the Employee Experience at a global scale and how this will impact the SA landscape in order to prepare and implement strategies aligned with a global standard.

It isn’t only about listening to what is happening out there in order to replicate; we discern and apply a rigorous thought process to understand what is beneficial and makes sense for our clients.

At times, we become trendsetters by challenging the status quo and creating new ways to approach HR.

Take our product Pulse as an example; we challenged the traditional way Performance Management was performed because it was not serving our clients or catering to their needs.

We see the knock-on effect this has on the full Employee Experience: the new channels of communication opened, the new dynamics of ownership and accountability it creates, and the possibility to craft careers in a personalised way.

For 2024, we invite all HR departments to take a deep look at the practices they carry out, question what serves their companies, and determine what needs to change to stay lean and agile. A fit HR department can make a massive difference in the way an organization operates.

Enjoy the read,

Rose Elcock

1. HR numbers

Company Culture and Bad management were identified as the main reasons that taint the Employee Experience and why people would consider moving to a different job according to a Korn Ferry study.

We understand cultivating a positve cultural environment could pose challenges for certain organisations. If you are not happy with the culture instilled in your business, it is imperative that you work on this if you want to stay relevant and competitive in your market.

Working on your company culture may sound daunting, foreign to you, abstract, or unstructured. But let’s demystify this for you; it all starts with very easy but essential steps:

- Contracts in place

- Policies set

- Regular feedback sessions

- Addressing misalignment through objective legal proceedings

- Internal recruitment in place

- Addressing your full staff compliment to give business updates regularly

We believe that if you get that right, you would have build a strong foundation for your company culture to flourish, and to consider next steps in creating a thriving work environment.

On the flip side, when companies address misalignment with their employees, it primarily involves addressing individuals' performance pitfalls according to our research conducted in 2023.

Did you know that if you initiate a legal proceeding (of any nature), there is a 65% chance you will end up parting ways with that particular individual? What this tells us is that HR performs a reactive function as opposed to a proactive one, costing the company further recruitment exercises and training downtime.

In a nutshell, it is expensive for a company to misalign with an employee. The way to reverse this is by implementing a proactive feedback mechanism where you can address misalignment early on before it becomes an issue.

In a LinkedIn poll released in February 2024, we see a similar trend unfolding this year: people leaving work because they don’t align with their leaders.

The main reason why people misalign is due to a lack of communication. Managers tend to withdraw from providing feedback, both praising good work and giving constructive feedback. When this happens, employees are left in the dark about how they fit into the bigger picture and how to improve and fulfill their aspirational goals. Consequently, team members will entertain the idea of leaving their company.

What can you do to mitigate the risk of a team member leaving your company due to their relationship with their leads?

Include HR in the performance conversation; a third and objective party will help drive a fair process and ensure actionable feedback is given.

When the need arises to recruit for a new role, always advertise internally first and consider internal promotions; this keeps people motivated to grow within your company.

Consider reviewing salaries twice a year; smaller increases with higher frequency make people feel acknowledged and rewarded.

Provide business updates to the full team on a frequent basis; this helps keep leaders accountable for their role in growing the business.

2. New tech in HR

No HR department can function optimally without some software support, and this too affects the Employee Experience. A hub for team members to see their contracts, payslips, help the recruitment process, action on performance management, apply for leave, read official communication is recommended.

From day-to-day workforce management to value-adding touchpoints, HR software can support virtually every step of the Employee Experience while streamlining administration and ensuring compliance.

And while no one argues the crucial role software plays in the efficient running of an HR function, finding the right software for your business can be time-consuming and confusing as you navigate the many options available.

If you are just starting on this journey or if you are currently reviewing your tech partners, there are two main aspects that you need to consider before launching your software search: deciding between a full solution and a specialised product. If you are on the lookout for HR tech, click here to read the full article and understand your options.

3. Join the conversation

Continuing with our newsletter theme on Employee Experience and how to build a positive work culture, we invite you to watch this episode of the HR Insider’s Eye series. In this episode, Rose is joined by Timothy Germond, the Labour Attorney who takes care of all legal proceedings at VHRS.

While this episode delves into the many different legal proceedings you need to consider in the SA legal framework, you will hear the underlying thread that keeps coming up as they speak about each of them: procedural fairness, objective measures, addressing issues proactively.

When these practices are done to the standard required, they not only ensure compliance but also provide the best foundation for a company to create a thriving working culture and set the tone for a positive Employee Experience.

Check out the video here

4. What people are saying

There is one trend identified by Korn Ferry that we would like to shed some light on as part of shaping your Employee Experience this year, specifically if your company has a remote working policy in place, or branches around the world working on different time zones.

“Hybrid working has brought a new level of flexibility to where we work. The latest trend, chronoworking, is set to revolutionize the conventional nine-to-five routine by empowering individuals to align their working hours with their natural body rhythms”

What are your thoughts on this new way of work? We have embraced this trend not only to align with body rhythms, but also life rhythms, such as fitting in a dentist appointment or picking up kids from school, and attending your favorite gym class during working hours.

Can work be as effective, and can companies produce the required outcomes if team members benefit from a chronoworking policy?

If you enjoyed the content of this newsletter and are interested in shaping your Employee Experience further, please feel free to reach out directly to Rose via WhatsApp on +27845260067