The relationship between employer and employee is always in flux. Changing technologies, rights, perspectives and expectations have seen dramatic changes in how companies manage and reward their people. It wasn鈥檛 that long ago that hiring children was considered best practice for certain professions, and women were not allowed to be hired at all.

In the 1970s, staying with a company for life was standard practice, but the recession of the 1980s saw layoffs of well-trained professionals and laid the foundations for the gig economy. While the freelance model wasn鈥檛 new, it gained traction. Then the demand in the 鈥�90s on profit over people drove a wedge between the trust engendered between the employer and the employee 鈥� one that remains very much in place today. The 2020 pandemic brought about perhaps the most significant change in the dynamic. A few weeks out of the office turned into months, in some cases years, and employees discovered they liked having a work/ life balance.

When companies pushed for people to come back, people left. In the Great Resignation, employees decided they wanted to be treated with respect and get paid at the same time. The new generations also played a role 鈥� millennials and up-and-coming Gen Z are less likely to fall under the 鈥�80s work hard, work harder cosh.

鈥淲e share the results publicly, but participation is anonymous. We then build trust by changing the areas where our people have concerns.鈥�

Ghouwah Emandien, iOCO

There鈥檚 a lot of talk about how employees are the lifeblood of the business and it鈥檚 important to build a culture that fosters wellness and inclusion. But workplace wellness aside, ultimately, companies want employees to come to work, do their best and produce results. Employees want to work for a company that lets them get the job done without draconian controls or Orwellian monitoring of their behaviour in hybrid or remote environments.

Human capital management (HCM) can be used to achieve a happy middle ground for companies wanting to balance culture with a strong work ethic. Of course, it can also be used to handhold and monitor employees excessively. The use case comes down to the company.

Edward Snell & Co, an independent spirits group in South Africa, is using Payspace to improve its payroll processes. Juliette Bourne, head of human resources at Edward Snell & Co, explains: 鈥淲e wanted user-friendly, with some light and fluff. It was non-negotiable that our user experience was improved. It also had to be cloud-based, meet our ISO 27001 IT security聽standards and be accessible across multiple channels. Our office, field, production and warehousing staff had to access and interact with the solution.鈥�

The platform is used to manage monthly payroll, provide employees with selfservice tools, and support HR by reducing the burden of day-to-day queries. The goal, says Bourne, is to improve employee interactivity in a system that鈥檚 easy to use.

It鈥檚 a similar metric that drives the use of HCM at KPMG. The company has a mix of platforms designed to manage local and international employees and process employee data, payroll, leave applications, and performance. Candice Hartley, chief people officer, says it uses Oracle eBusiness Suite for processing payroll and 51风流modules to manage performance, learning and development. 鈥淥ur business is centred around continued professional development so we have controls around risk management, indemnities and independent training managed within the 51风流SuccessFactors,鈥� she says.

Also offering self-service tools, the KPMG platform is designed to increase collaboration between staff and the company. It provides a level of autonomy but balances this, says Hartley, with ensuring the right controls are in place to ensure the company is meeting global and local regulatory requirements around processing employee data聽and implementing qualitative and quantitative metrics.

鈥淲e use the data provided by our HCM platform to measure factors such as turnover, attrition, and extended absenteeism,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hese are important for data analysis as we can use the information to make informed management decisions.鈥�

At iOCO, the HCM platform is used to support the company with wellness and enablement, and uses data to support the business and employee performance. Ghouwah Emandien, manager: people and culture, says it captures KPIs in the employee performance management system and the information is used to help managers have conversations with their staff. 鈥淲e also focus on upskilling and reskilling as well as on inclusion and diversity within our platform,鈥� she says. The system is designed to help everyone work towards a common goal.

These metrics are great for the business, but how do they affect employee trust? Do the self-service tools and system visibility make the granular visibility into employee data an easier pill to swallow? HCM systems can be used to build connections with employees and the data can benefit both sides of the coin, but often, HR systems are perceived as the enemy and more on the side of the company than the employee.

Hartley says monitoring staff is the purpose of these solutions. 鈥淭he question is whether or not these solutions are enabling them to deliver what they were employed to do. We live in a world where everything is digitised and, in the workplace, you want that seamless digital experience. Employees need to trust that the organisation has selected the right technology that ensures they are rewarded for doing their job.鈥�

鈥淓mployees need to trust that the organisation has selected the right technology that ensures they are rewarded for doing their job.鈥�

Candice Hartley, KPMG

She adds that trust isn鈥檛 just in how an employee鈥檚 data is used, but in how it is protected. 鈥淲hen you trust a company with your data, ID,

This is echoed by Bourne, who says it was important that its solution was developed with the security and privacy of employee information in mind.

At iOCO, Emandien believes that HCM needs to be structured in a way that avoids making people feel like just another number. 鈥淵ou have to take the time to sit down with people and have a conversation. One metric we use to measure our employee value proposition, or HCM solution, is through a survey we鈥檝e been running for four years. We share the results publicly, but participation is anonymous. We then build trust by changing the areas where our people have concerns.鈥�

Trust, metrics, management, visibility, and control: these are the foundations that an HCM platform should stand on if it wants to respect the needs of the business alongside the personal space of the employee. Nobody expects to walk into an office and avoid the admin, KPIs and performance assessments, but equally, they do expect these to be managed in a way that respects their autonomy. Finding this balance depends ultimately on leadership, not technology.

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The US and other developed markets are facing a more obvious foe 鈥� 鈥渢he great resignation鈥� as it has been dubbed. Post pandemic, many people are taking stock of their lives and realising that in the relentless pursuit of career success, they have lost perspective on what really matters. Hours spent behind laptops and steering wheels on long commutes have required sacrifices in other areas of their lives 鈥� family, friends, fitness, hobbies, and happiness.

The forced pause in the frenetic day to day activity created by the lockdowns gave people time to reflect and to see a different possibility for their lives. This, combined with a reality check on their own mortality, led many people to say: 鈥渋t鈥檚 not worth it鈥�. Afterall, a missed school prize-giving ceremony or a significant birthday too busy to celebrate, are moments that can not be recaptured. Throwing caution to the wind, many have simply resigned from seemingly good jobs in the pursuit of something more meaningful, leaving employers with a void they are finding difficult to fill.

In Africa, I believe the situation is different, driven mainly by our enormous unemployment rates and a significant slowdown in economic growth. While people may have shared the same reflections as their counterparts in the developed world, they simply do not have the luxury of throwing caution to the wind. A sense of security is keeping them anchored in their jobs. However, the work flexibility forced by the lockdowns, has set a new expectation amongst employees – one that is not easily reversible.

I view this as the silent war or the rise of the so-called 鈥榪uiet quitting鈥�. In many respects it is a more dangerous foe 鈥� stealthy and destructive. Employees, many exhausted by the long-term effects of the pandemic and often having given more than double the time commitment to their demanding jobs, are also saying: 鈥渋t鈥檚 not worth it鈥�. However, they are voicing this sentiment more subtly 鈥� in the reluctance to come back to the office even part time, and in the reluctance to take on more responsibility than defined by their job scope.

鈥淨uiet quitters鈥� are plodding through their day jobs and, by and large, delivering on expectations. However, they are often disengaged and disconnected from the organisation and its shared purpose. At first glance this may appear relatively harmless, but the long-term effects are disastrous for organisations and for employees.

One of the hallmarks of highly competitive businesses is the dedication of employees to perform their tasks and go above and beyond by meeting additional demands and driving innovation. Companies with a strong workplace culture rely on employees to step up at important moments and bring projects to a successful close. This drives competitiveness and growth. It is also a two-way street with employees having opportunities to shine, to take on stretch assignments, to learn and grow, to build social capital within the organisation.

History has shown us that there are no true winners in war. The only way to successfully navigate through the new normal, and find a win-win solution, is collaboratively. First, leaders need to acknowledge that there is no blueprint for success. The answers lie somewhere between the very real needs of employers and the equally real desires of employees. Success in 2023 and beyond will rely on strong leaders who encourage open dialogue, build trust, collaborate and are willing to fail fast and try again. The successful new world of work will be co-created by employers and employees. It will be one that balances productivity and innovation with enabling employees to thrive in all facets of their lives.

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The 51风流Africa CFO reveals why women shouldn鈥檛 leave their jobs anytime soon.

The Great Resignation at workplaces all over the world is led by women. In addition, a report released by Deloitte in May 2022 shows that a large number of professional women plan to leave their jobs over the next two years. If this is you 鈥� you may want to think again.

Professional women polled in many surveys across the globe say they are tired, unhappy, overworked and not motivated to stay in their jobs. In South Africa, a country with high unemployment figures, the situation looks a little different, but there are significant similarities.

Here, it is the higher-skilled and better-paid professionals that are leaving 鈥� some to seek better opportunities abroad, to go freelance, or to work as consultants. But the grass may only look greener on the other side: reality can be something completely different.

As professional women at the top, we face a lot of pressure, there鈥檚 no doubt about that. But sometimes, in our search for personal fulfilment and a release from insane deadlines, we overlook the opportunities these situations present to us in terms of personal development. To any woman thinking of quitting her job, I want to say, consider three things first.

Could your mindset do with a change?

This may not be easy to hear, but sometimes you have to stick it out. I started working at 51风流17 years ago, and looking back, I can say that while I enjoyed many of the roles I had over the years, I definitely did not love my first year at the company. I had to be patient and prove myself and eventually, my job expanded and I learned to function within my role and make the most of it. Then I went on to other positions within the company. This year, I was appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Africa Cluster 鈥� a career highlight.

But it would not have been possible without a change of mindset. This means changing your thoughts, which may focus on the negative, like 鈥淚 can鈥檛 take this anymore,鈥� to a more positive: 鈥淗ow can I change this situation in my favour?鈥�

Stanford University psychiatrist Dr Jacob Towery in one article explains how people often cling to mindsets that helped them at one point in their life 鈥� not realising it is holding them back later. If you, for instance, were betrayed by parents or caregivers in your youth, you may have developed coping mechanisms that later stop you from trusting others. A rigid mindset is more likely to focus on seeing failures and mistakes, instead of growth opportunities and lessons for success.

Improve your job options

One study that gives a lot of insight into the situation South African women face, is from a survey by infoQuest, a South African online research company. It found women鈥檚 top priorities were having enough money for groceries, savings and providing for children鈥檚 education. Most interesting is that half of those surveyed wanted to upskill themselves to have better job options in the future.

Doing my MBA in 2021 at Henley Business School Africa was definitely a career-changing move for me. While it took a great deal of commitment and sacrifice, the qualification was instrumental in getting me up the career ladder and into my current executive position.

For those women looking for the perfect time to undertake such an endeavour, let me assure you 鈥� there isn鈥檛 one! Many of my fellow students were working full-time or were women with babies, even single mothers. The best time is right now.

My advice is look for an institution that is family-friendly and flexible and part-time. And be prepared for the truth that success often does not look pretty in the home. The kitchen may not be tidy and your laundry washed, but your assignment is done. Score!

Challenge yourself

A big part of my life is travel and new adventures. Before taking on a major professional move from finance to sales, I went on an Everest Base Camp trek. Moving from the relative safety of a back office finance role to the cut-throat world of sales, where your salary depends on commissions, was scary. But being able to finish the Everest Base Camp trek 鈥� a two-week hike at over 5,000m elevation, surrounded by the highest mountains in the world 鈥� showed me that if I could do this, I could do anything.

You need to find your mountain, whatever that looks like for you. People need to be challenged, inspired and motivated. Dr Mark Orpen-Lyall, an organisational psychologist who runs a course on resilience at Henley Africa, believes stress in itself is not a bad thing. 鈥淥ften, the magic happens in the boundaries, when we are pushing ourselves 鈥� running a half marathon, raising children, studying for a degree,鈥� he says.

US psychiatrist and author Dr Georgia Witkin puts it this way, “The truth is that stress goes up because women add all their new roles to their old roles without crossing anything off their list.鈥� My advice to overwhelmed professional women? Cross laundry from the list before you think about quitting your job. You can always wear another pair of socks, but the opportunity to make something of your life may only come around once.

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