SABPP-Newsletter-July-2014

HR VOICE . JULY 2014BOARD DESKWelcome toNational HRStandards Phase 3:First set of HR ProfessionalPractice StandardsReleased for CommentHR Standards• Publication of international HR textbook edited by ProfessorBruce Kaufman of Georgia State University on HR in 17countries, incorporating the South African HR standards.• First HR Auditors examined and ready for their first auditsagainst the National HR Standard• Draft HR Professional Practice Standards released forcomment• Good growth in SABPP social media uptakeSABPP Linked-in Discussion Group: 2456 membersSABPP twitter: 7623 tweets and 2817 followersWelcome to the third phase of the National HR StandardsDevelopment Initiative. Building on the successes of last year,this initiative has gone from strength to strength, exceedingall our expectations. I also want to thank the HR Professionalcommunity, the SABPP Board and staff members, and theacting CEO, Penny Abbott in particular for their support duringmy absence when I was writing the first set of HR Standardsbooks. I also appreciate the excellent HR Standards casestudies received for the book from top South African companiessuch as MTN, SABMiller, Primedia, Bidvest, Nedbank, FNB,Metropolitan and Exxaro. Without your support and capacityto stand in for me, I would not have been able to produce thesemanuscripts during the three-month period.The last month was an eventful month for SABPP with sevenhighlights:• Launch of National HR Standards in the Free State• Presentation on HR Standards at the Office of the PublicService Commission• Alignment of Ethekwini Municipality HR Strategy to National@SABPP1JOIN THE DISCUSSIONSOn 14 May 2014, under the leadership of SABPP and HR Futuremagazine, HR professionals gathered in Mogale City to write thefirst set of HR Professional Practice Standards, supporting theNational HR Management System Standard developed in 2013.The HR Management System Standard was already very wellreceived throughout the country and sixteen other countries.BOARD DESK . PAGE 3

HR VOICE . JULY 2014The outputs of the groups have now been typed up and circulatedfor comment and further suggestions, first to the delegatesfrom the 14 May standards development groups, and then to awider group of HR managers and other interested parties. HRmanagers and members of the public are welcome to commenton the HR professional practice standards on the SABPP blogwww.hrtoday.me. The final version will be launched as part ofthe proceedings of the second annual HR Standards Conferenceon 28 August at the Sandton Convention Centre. This will be ourmajor event this year and we have arranged 650 seats for you.The key note speaker will be Dr Wilson Wong from the CharteredInstitute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK. Pleasedownload the programme from the SABPP website www.sabpp.co.za. Now that we are ready with a full audit against theNational HR Standard, please let us know if you are ready foran independent audit on the quality of your HR system. You aremost welcome to contact me on marius@sabpp.co.za or twitter@MariusSABPP for more information.However, there is another major milestone before 28 August,and that is the SABPP Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 24July. The Chairperson of SABPP, Siphiwe Moyo will tablethe SABPP annual report, and I will present our first annualHR Standards report, a summary of all the successes andchallenges in developing and rolling out the HR standardsover the last year. In addition, we will have a special guestspeaker, author and CEO Dr Frans Cronje of the SouthAfrican Institute of Race Relations who will provide us withscenarios on the future from his recently released book aTime Traveller’s Guide to our Next Ten Years. Please RSVP toexecutiveoffice@sabpp.co.zaXolani Mawande - Operations Manager, SABPPThe Exco of SABPP would also like to welcome XolaniMawande, new Operations Manager of SABPP. Xolani willstrengthen the SABPP team by focusing on service deliveryin meeting the needs of our HR professionals.Marius Meyer, CEO of SABPP. You can reach the SABPPExco on twitter @SABPP1 or via our website www.sabpp.co.za. Please join us for the Second Annual HR StandardsConference on 28 August at Sandton Convention Centre,contact executiveoffice@sabpp.co.zaHOW DIFFERENT WOULD YOUR LIFEBE IF SOMEONE DIDN’T TELL YOU ABOUTSABPP?Sadly, SABPP also lost a staff member this month, WinnieMonama after a tragic car accident in Limpopo. AlthoughWinnie worked at SABPP for only three weeks, she addedsignificant value during this short period. She enriched ourlives - we celebrate her legacy and we mourn her passing.In conclusion, the HR professional practice standards provideopportunities for HR professionals from all nine provinces tostandardise the quality of HR practices in order to achieve ahigher level of professionalism, excellence and consistencyin HR practice. Moreover, a national HR auditing frameworkhas been developed to ensure independent verification onthe consistency and quality of the HR management system oforganisations, including specific HR practices underpinningthe HR system. We look forward to receiving comments fromthe market and to launch the final version in August.REFER A FRIENDFOR PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONBOARD DESK . PAGE 6

HR VOICE . JULY 2014MEMBER PROFILEMichelle Meyinternational level. Her areas of interest include ethics, talentmanagement and women in leadership.An initiative brought about since she has become director ofthe school is that the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University(NMMU) is to replace its Labour Relations Unit with a morerelevant Unit for Positive Organisations. This unit is placed withinthe School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resourceswhich offers diplomas and degrees to undergraduate and postgraduatestudents.The new research and engagement unit within the School ofIndustrial Psychology and Human Resources was announcedin June when a Memorandum of Association between theuniversity, University of Michigan and the Nelson MandelaBay Business Chamber (NMBBC) was signed. The unit will beofficially launched later this year.Dr Michelle Mey is the Director of the School for IndustrialPsychology and Human Resources at the Nelson MandelaMetropolitan University. She began her career at Spoornet asa generalist in human resources. She has lectured and trainedin all aspects of human resources and has worked in thefield of human resource management and, more specificallytraining and development for 20 years. She has presented andpublished research papers and articles at a local, national andAccording to the Director of the School, Dr Michelle Mey, the newunit will focus on research and engagement that is in line withlocal and international business challenges and opportunities.It will be structured around a number of themes includingRewards and Remuneration, Ethics and Positive OrganisationalScholarship which will be championed by different members ofthe school.“Positive Organisational Scholarship (POS) recognises thepositive aspects of an organisation and its employees. Researchindicates that this leads to greater organisational success. Theunit will take this positive approach too,” says Dr Mey.HR TODAYSA BOARD FOR PEOPLE PRACTICES DAILY NEWSFOLLOW OUR BLOGwww.hrtoday.meMEMBER PROFILE . PAGE 7

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Disciplinaryhearings:preparation isthe keyThere are many reasons why parties lose dismissal cases at theCCMA. Mistakes that have been made by the parties include:• The employee assumed that, because the labour lawprotects them so strongly the employer will not be able todismiss them. This lulls them into a false sense of securityand they fail to prepare properly for the disciplinary hearing• The employer took disciplinary action for personal reasonsrather than for failing to comply with the employer’s rulesor performance standards• There was insufficient evidence against the accused tomerit a guilty finding or to justify a dismissal• There was sufficient evidence but the employer failed to:• present all of it at the disciplinary and/or arbitrationhearing• present the evidence in a proper manner to enable thechairperson/arbitrator to find in the employer’s favourThe basic reason for poor presentation of evidence is thefailure of the employer or employee to prepare properly for thedisciplinary hearing or arbitration hearing. The reasons for thisfailure include:• The employer or employee does not want to spend the timenecessary to carry out proper preparations for the hearingand• The parties do not know how to prepare properly for adisciplinary and/or arbitration hearing.the alleged incidents of misconduct• Evaluating the evidence gathered in the investigation toestablish whether it constitutes proof or not• Formulating the charges to be brought against the accusedat the disciplinary hearing• Establishing who will present the evidence at the disciplinaryor arbitration hearing• Deciding which witnesses and other evidence will be used• Preparing questions to be used in order to cross-examinethe evidence brought by the accused• Preparing a draft closing statement.In the case of NUM and others vs RSA Geological Services, adivision of De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited (2004 1 BALR1) the employer dismissed all the employees of its laboratorybecause a large quantity of kimberlite sample was found hiddenon the premises. It was believed that the employees did this inorder to falsely enhance their sorting rate and thus qualify fora performance bonus.While the employer was able to prove that three of theemployees had been involved in the scam there was insufficientevidence presented to merit the dismissal of several others.The employer relied on evidence that the latter employees hadrefused to undergo a polygraph test but no direct evidence oftheir guilt was brought against them. The employees weretherefore reinstated by the arbitrator.Had the employer prepared properly for the hearing and hadit brought sufficient evidence that all employees had beeninvolved in the deception it would have been unlikely to havehad to reinstate the dismissed employees.This indicates the crucial need for expert preparation for andpresentation of evidence at a disciplinary hearing.BY Ivan Israelstam, Chief Executive of Labour LawManagement Consulting. ivan@labourlawadvice.co.za. Go to:www.labourlawadvice.co.za.This article first appeared in TheStar.However, where the manager responsible for bringing the caseon behalf of the employer fails to do so properly the likelihoodis that the CCMA arbitrator’s decision will go against theemployer. This is because the employer has the full onus ofproving that the employee was guilty and that the misconductmerited dismissal as opposed to less drastic and morecorrective disciplinary step.For this reason it is vital that all managers and other staffresponsible for discipline acquire a full understanding of howto prepare for and how to present a case at a disciplinary orarbitration hearing. The steps for preparing a case include:• Assessing the allegations to establish whether they havebeen brought in good faith or whether the accuser has ahidden agenda• Investigating the circumstances of the alleged incident(s)• Assessing the circumstances leading up to and surroundingFACEBOOK/SABPPLIKE OUR PAGEPROFESSIONAL SERVICES . PAGE 10

HR VOICE . JULY 2014DisputeResolution:The Use of Mediation in theWorkplaceIt all started with gossip and rumour mongering between twoteam members in a department about a third team membervia an e-mail that was accidentally copied to all the eight teammembers!Within minutes of the team members reading the e-mail, therewas uproar from firstly the person who was being directlygossiped about in the e-mail. Then other team members alsogot swallowed in the whole fracas as cliques immediatelysprouted, then the cliques took sides and serious ructions inthe team developed as team members viciously defended orattacked each other covertly or subtly. The team members wenton tearing each other apart for a while before their Supervisornoticed that there was something amiss in the team. It dawnedon him at some stage that there were problems emerging inthe team and during team meetings he developed a feeling thatsome cliques were ganging up on him, as there was negativetalk and grumbling in the corridors. The situation eventuallyspiralled out of control when the three members involved in theconflict launched formal grievances and counter-grievancesagainst each other and the Supervisor also got indirectly suckedinto the grievance procedure as well. Some team membersvoluntarily joined the grievance procedure as a show of supportfor their colleagues who were also their friends. Battle lineswere drawn.At some stage, six team members, Unions and Managementended up being directly involved in the grievance processwhich took forever to be resolved as the grievances wentback and forth until the process was temporarily suspended.This was to allow the parties to take in some air and seek adifferent approach to the problem! How the conflict is managedinternally in the organisation has an influence on the externalprocess and ultimately the outcome of the dispute.This team had been working together for five years, andgenerally they worked quite well. At this distressful point theSupervisor decided to engage the services of a WorkplaceMediator from Restorative Justice Centre to assist withMediation.Unfortunately disputes or conflict in business are an inevitablereality. Disputes within workplaces and between businessesresult in enormous direct and indirect losses to the businesses,and that is bad for business. Labour analysts are agreed thatSouth African workplaces are generally more fraught andantagonistic and that the Labour Relations Act has failed inits main intention of nurturing a cooperative approach in theworkplace.Despite South Africa having a reasonably well-developedalternative dispute resolution (ADR) system, it is currentlynot working well. This is evidenced by the fact that conflictresolution services (particularly mediation) are not well utilizedand formal systems such as disciplinary hearings, labourtribunals (CCMA) and the Labour Courts are overburdened. TheLabour Relations Act of (1995): Chapter VI makes provisionsfor the use of informal, quick and cost-effective methods ofdispute resolution such as mediation in the workplace.Businesses have a very simple and straight-forward approachto resolving disputes. They need disputes resolved quickly andefficiently. This is not always possible because of the legal andprocedural complexities surrounding formal dispute resolution.In SA, while there has never been a study to ascertain the cost ofconflict, disputes and litigation to the economy and businesses,it is thought to be significantly high.NOT AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF YOURPROFESSION?REGISTER NOW!professional@sabpp.co.zaPROFESSIONAL SERVICES . PAGE 11

HR VOICE . JULY 2014The religious adherence to formal rules and procedures bymanagers or HR can lead to complications. It gives the groundupon which organizational members then come to “take sides”to make judgments or ascribe blame. Should the partiesdecide to litigate at this stage the process will be almostentirely out of the hands of the disputants and is prosecutedand defended by lawyers on the basis of evidence submitted tocourt and of subsequent argument that are then adjudicatedby the Judge. This is a public, adversarial and binding process.Such interventions inevitably create some drawbacks, in thatin their nature they are highly adversarial, blame-based andconsequently generate “winners and losers”to get their informed consent about the process, explained howthe process of mediation worked (full details of when and howthis process works will be explained in the next edition!) and tounderstand each team member’s perspective of the problemsaffecting the team. This team had a total of 18 burning issuesoutside of the e-mail saga that had been compounding over along period of time. These issues included among many otherspoor communication, mistrust, accusations of racism as it wasa multi-racial team, scape-goating, lack of responsibility forproblems in the team and lack of respect for authority.Mediation falls under the spectrum of Alternative DisputeResolution (ADR) and its broad goal is to improve the businessdispute resolution environment by providing an informalbusiness-friendly dispute resolution mechanism. The mediatorwho is called upon to intervene in a workplace conflict/disputesituation serves a neutral third-party, uses facilitative andtransformative skills and techniques to assist the disputantsto work through their issues and reach an agreement on theirown.Harmonious workplace relationships are essential to optimumbusiness efficiency. Even minor problems can develop intogrievances or disputes if they’re not dealt with quickly andeffectively. This is true of issues involving individuals or groups(including trade unions or other representatives). Althoughhaving suitable policies and procedures to resolve workplaceproblems is essential, in many cases a positive result can beachieved through early and informal intervention.The Art and Science ofMediationMediation is both a science and an art. The science of mediationconsists of many academic disciplines, such as: legal theory,game theory, economics, and psychology. For the end users ofmediation – parties to the dispute – mediation is largely aboutthe art of effectively and efficiently resolving their conflicts.Therefore, ADR and particularly mediation should serve astools for behavioural changes of the parties to help them moreeffectively resolve their disputes.Mediation is highly cost-effective in terms of the immediaterenewal of performance and the restoration of workingrelationships and job satisfaction. It is also financiallyadvantageous when compared to the time and financial timebased involvement that attaches to legal action of resolvingdisputes. Finally and overall, mediation offers uniquely themost significant chance of multiple win-win outcomes for allthe disputants, as well as for their business or organization.Mediation can be said to give disputants the opportunity fortheir real needs to be met. As such, it contributes to the moraleand emotional health of any organizations that choose to give itpride or place in their conflict resolution culture.Methuseli Dube is a full-time Consultant and ADR Specialist atthe Restorative Justice Centremethuseli@rjc.co.zaMediation is often regarded as a better option than the moreconventional mechanisms for the settlement of labour disputes,because of the lower cost and greater speed involved. Becauseit normally requires the consent, and thus the commitment, ofthe parties involved, it has the potential of presenting a moresuccessful and sustainable solution to labour disputes.In the conflict situation at the beginning of the article, a trainedand skilled mediator met with each team member individuallyPROFESSIONAL SERVICES . PAGE 12

HR VOICE . JULY 2014LEARNING AND QUALITYASSURANCETalking to MSC College – PretoriaBranch HR Students.On 28th May we were hosting students from MSC College on various topics rangingfrom what is SABPP’s role, what we’ve done in the past 3 years, products that wehave developed to help the HR industry, and what are the benefits of registering asprofessional member.Later on we did a short presentation on what are current challenges and what are thecareer pathways within the Human Resources field.We addressed some of the concerns and opportunities. We spoke about Job Bandsand Pay structure within different levels and expertise.Talking to students on HumanResources career.SABPP was invited by Jeppe College to speak to approximately 220 matric and currentHR students on 30th May to discuss challenges, the role of HR in the world of workand career path.This discussion was supported by industry, union and Commission for Conciliation,Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) Commissioner Molefe. Naren from SABPPfacilitated a panel discussion on current strikes, the role of CCMA and commonscenarios (misconduct, sexual harassment, unfair labour practices and challengesthey face with small organisations that are mediated between employee andemployers.BEING UP TO DATE WITH THE TIMESALWAYS WINS!REGISTER NOW!professional@sabpp.co.zaLEARNING & QUALITY ASSURANCE .PAGE 13

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Outsourcing Monitoring Visit andExternal Moderation function.On 10th June a team of registered Professional members and industry experts visitedSABPP to discuss the criteria and elements that are important when performingmonitoring visits and external moderation (commonly known as verification in SETAterms) at all accredited training providers. Mr Naren Vassan, Head of Learning andQuality Assurance mentioned that they should adopt a development approach whenperforming this function.This team will design various templates to help and support training providerstowards preparation for external moderation and monitoring visits.This team will perform an outsourcing role as from August 2014. Furthercommunication will be send to all its training providers by end of June 2014.We will expand this team once we expand our scope of qualifications and offerings.Accreditation visit by the HigherEducation Committee at CentralUniversity of Technology – Free StateWe have selected a panel that comprised of academics from Vaal University ofTechnology, University of the Free State and 3 from North West University – VaalCampus and HR Managers from Sibanye Gold, and the District Municipality ofLejweleputswa.Standing: Linda Coetzee, Rajan Naidoo, CeciliaCronje, Ronel Coetzee, Daphne ElsSeated: Jody Noris, Robin StoutjesdykAbsent: Aasifah Omar, Marista Grewe, Bianca Molland Dr Linda MeyerStanding: Linda Coetzee, Rajan Naidoo, CeciliaCronje, Ronel Coetzee, Daphne ElsSeated: Jody Noris, Robin StoutjesdykAbsent: Aasifah Omar, Marista Grewe, Bianca Molland Dr Linda MeyerThe chair was impressed with facilities and support structures for learners. This accreditation site visite took 2 days from 21 - 22May 2014.We will keep you informed of the outcome.We are performing accreditation site visit at UNISA on the 2 – 4 July 2014, update on these visits will be shared in the August issueof HR Voice.Accreditation of TrainingProviders:Both the committees (Learning and Quality Assurance andSABPP Board) met in May 2014 and they have approved 14training providers accreditations (renewal/extension of scope/learning programme approval/ new accreditation).The following qualifications were covered:• National Certificate: Productivity ID: 49793 NQF Level 5• FET Certificate: HR Management and Practices SupportID: 49691 NQF Level 4 Credits 140 (Learning ProgrammeRecorded against ID: 67463)• FET Certificate: Business Administration Services ID: 67595NQF Level 4, 140 Credits (Learning Programme Approvalagainst ID: 93568) – Employee Wellness• National Diploma: HR Management and Practices ID: 49692NQF Level 5 Credits 249 (Learning Programme Recordedagainst ID: 61592)Planning ahead regardingoccupational qualificationsSABPP has applied for the following occupationalqualifications with QCTO:• HR Clerk – 441601- Specialisation in - Employee Relation;Payroll Services; Training and Development; and EmployeeWellness• HR Advisor/Officer – 242303 – Specialization in - HumanResource Management; Human Resource Development;Organisational Development and Industrial Relations• HR/Personnel Manager – 121201 – Specialisation in -Employee Relations and Generic Practitioner• Industrial Relation Advisor/Consultant – 242304 - DisputeResolution; Manage industrial activities• Change Management Facilitator / OrganisationalPerformance Improvement Manager – 242102Further updates will be provided once QCTO sharescommunication with the board.LEARNING & QUALITY ASSURANCE . PAGE 14

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Short CourseSABPP to approve - Non-Credit Bearing trainingAll courses must be outcome based, and consist of handsonpracticals (work integrated learning). This training canbe called “Just-in-time” and ‘just enough’ learning to meet aspecific need in workplace environments.Therefore, it is considered a viable and common method foroptimal workplace functioning in all contexts and greatlyfacilitates access to learning in a manageable manner in termsof cost, time, energy and resources, for both the employer andemployee.SABPP can approve the following types of interventions:• Seminars;• One-day workshops;• Programmes where less than 1 credit (less than 10 hours)can be awarded;• Programmes where less than 1 unit standard can beawarded;• Refresher programmes; and/or learning towards personalachievement;• Product/equipment specific training• Update learners on new developments and insights in theirprofessions;• Upgrade foundational knowledge for successful completionof a chosen field of learning;The short learning programme is too short in terms of notionalhours to meet the minimum requirements for 1 unit standard;for example, a one-day seminar where an attendance certificateis issued.Contact Kathleen / Naren on 011-482-8595 (kathleen@sabpp.co.za / naren@sabpp.co.za for further information)The Continuing Professional Development (CPD)Extract from CPD Policy: SABPP CPD Requirements.SABPP members will earn 1 CPD point for every 4 hours of learning. The learning requirements are as follows:SABPP Professional registrationlevelMinimum hours of learning in any 3year rolling cycleMinimum hours of learning in eachyearHR Professional, Chartered HRProfessional, Master HR Professional120 (30 points) 20 (5 points)HR Associate 80 (20 points) 16 (4 points)HR Technician 60 (15 points) 12 (3 points)At least half of the above hours (points) must be verifiable inaccordance with the requirements below.At least 1 point per annum must be earned from Ethicsdevelopment. Initially each member should attend an SABPPEthics in HRM workshop (2 points if the post-workshopassignment is completed).New SABPP members should attend an Ethics in HRM workshoppreferably in the first year and definitely within the first 3 yearsof their registration. Members who register with SABPP duringa year (January to December) should accumulate a pro-ratanumber of CPD points for that year.In the next issue we will share further information on CPDPolicy.LEARNING & QUALITY ASSURANCE . PAGE 15

HR VOICE . JULY 2014EVENTSDATE SPEAKER TOPIC8-9 July 2014 Dr Michael Robbins Auditing Workshop28 August 2014 Dr Wilson Wong (CIPD) 2nd Annual HR Standards ConferenceINDUSTRY NEWSWant loyalty?Get a dog!Let’s face it; employee loyalty is not what it used to be. Whereour parents and our grandparents were more likely to remainwith the same company for 10 years or more, these days thetrend is the exact opposite.US-based PayScale, creator of the largest database of individualcompensation profiles in the world, surveyed more than 250000 employees at Fortune 500 companies last year and foundthat employees are increasingly leaving their jobs for greenerpastures. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company hadthe highest turnover rate with an average employee tenure ofjust nine months, followed closely by online giants Amazon andGoogle, where employees jumped ship on average, after oneyear.Global studies show that employee loyalty is currently at recordlows, and the PayScale survey reflected this: less than 10 firmson the list had employees with tenures of 10 years or more. Thesurvey found that companies with the highest staff turnoverwere mostly in the retail and information technology industries.This supports the findings of our 2013 IT Skills Survey ofEVENTS | INDUSTRY NEWS . PAGE 16

HR VOICE . JULY 2014the South African IT industry, which showed that 62% ofrespondents were currently considering leaving their jobs, and– if they were to resign – only 23% of all respondents wouldconsider a counter offer out of loyalty to their employer. A mere18% of IT professionals surveyed had ever accepted a counteroffer from their employers.The situation is not expected to improve any time soon. A newstudy from global management consultancy, Hay Group, showsthat worldwide employee turnover is set to top 161.7 millionpeople this year and 192 million in 2018.So what’s driving employees to call it quits at their currentemployers? Our IT Skills Survey revealed that salary (87%)was the strongest motivator influencing respondents to resign,followed by the career growth offered and location (74%) andemployee benefits (58%).This is corroborated by the Hay Group’s analysis of itsopinion database of 5.5 million employees around the world,which listed confidence in leadership, opportunity for careerdevelopment, autonomy, supportive work environmentand appropriate compensation as the top most consistentpredictors of employee engagement and commitment.The other factor responsible for the current high turnoverfigures is the return of economic stability. As markets begin togrow again and employment prospects increase, so employeesare actively looking for new opportunities.As odd as it sounds, low employee loyalty isn’t necessarily abad thing. In today’s rapidly changing, sometimes cutthroatbusiness environment that demands critical thinkers, visionaryleaders and high performing individuals, it’s unrealistic foremployees to remain loyal to their employers for many, manyyears and vice versa.For employers, new staff coming in represents an opportunityfor fresh talent, new eyes and new ways of thinking and doingbusiness. For employees, it’s a chance to grow, challengethemselves and ensure they (and their careers) don’t stagnate.But loyalty isn’t measured only in the length of time a personstays at a company; it’s also demonstrated through employees’everyday behaviour and their personal contribution to thecompany. This includes doing their job to the best of theirability; taking pride in their work; demonstrating integrity (asopposed to blind obedience); initiating constructive discussionsand debates; constantly wanting to learn more and grow;praising their colleagues; speaking up and being honest; andyes, knowing when it’s time to leave.Because ultimately, employee loyalty is about doing what’sbest for the company; what will help it maintain its competitiveedge. And that includes employees bowing out when they’vegiven their best and it’s time to move on.Niteske Marshall is MD of Network Recruitment – a leadingrecruitment solutions provider in the local IT, finance andengineering sectors.lauren@protactic.co.za or elyse@protactic.co.zaThe truth hurtsWhy you didn’t get the job.Career advice articles litter the Internet; how to write a coverletter, how to write a CV, how to interview well, how to sellyourself, how to get your dream job etc. etc.Most articles repeat the same-old, same-old sage advice thatquite frankly, as a serious career seeker, you should alreadyknow. Some try to get creative with clever intros and themes butmost simply skim the surface of what is a really a very deep anddesperate issue. They tiptoe around the truth with euphemisms,politically correct phrases, positive reinforcement and softsensitively-written advice.Well, at the risk of being rude, we think it’s time for somecold hard truth; a harsh reality check. Instead of more ‘howto’advice, Quest tells us why so many career seekers suck atgetting a call back, never mind a job!You fooled yourself, butyou can’t fool us• You do not have the qualifications and skills required forthe job. “No amount of smooth talking or charm can hidethe fact that you do not meet the minimum requirementsof the job, especially in an interview or when assessmentsare conducted,” says Kay Vittee, CEO of Quest StaffingSolutions, Africa’s leading staffing solutions company in thewhite collar recruitment industry.• Your references were either not available or unsuitable;nominating a colleague, friend or family member as areference holds no merit, references need to be individualswho are able to give an unbiased and accurate account ofyour skills and behaviour, ideally direct management or inpositions of authority.• Unexplained big gaps in your employment record will nevergo unnoticed. Provide honest reasons as to why you wereor are out of work and be prepared to discuss these in aninterview.INDUSTRY NEWS . PAGE 17

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Your online reputationpreceded youLet’s be honest here, every recruiter or potentialemployer will search your name on Facebook, Twitter,LinkedIn and similar. Not necessarily to dig up dirt butto look at how highly you regard your own image andreputation and therefore how respectfully you will lookafter theirs.“Ensure that your privacy settings are set on your socialmedia profiles and be careful about what you makepublic, and remember what goes online, stays online,”says Vittee.• You were too familiar too soon. A professional greeting is soimportant. ‘Hi’, ‘howzit’, ‘what’s up’ and a fist bump do notqualify.• Your body language was all-wrong. “So much can be saidwithout words,” says Vittee. “Arms folded, wonderingeyes, fidgeting, tapping foot etc. all send out unspokenmessages.” Be sure to present yourself confidently,positively and honestly.• You badmouthed your previous employer and this is anabsolute no-no! You were unprepared.• You did not do your homework on the company and yoursilly questions revealed that. Find out all you can about yourpotential employer.• You had nothing to ask. “This not only shows that you arenot taking this opportunity seriously, it shows that you arenot taking your career seriously. Prepare questions thatdemonstrate that you did your research and that you havesome knowledge and insight into the business, the industryand how well you can contribute to both,” advises Vittee.You were too money hungry• You asked about salary too soon. Let the interviewer be thefirst to raise the subject of remuneration, and only if theydon’t, do you.• Your salary expectations were unrealistic. “Look at salarysurveys and industry reports on what the average salaryfor your job type and seniority is, this will give you soundsupport for your expectations,” says Vittee. You didn’t saythank you.You did not send an email to the interviewer saying thankyou for his or her time. This is also a great way to remindhim or her of you and ensure they have your correct contactinformation right at hand.You were rude• You arrived late for your interview. Even a few minutes lateis not on. Very often the interviewer has other interviewsscheduled before and after yours and your poor timekeepingmesses with theirs.• You dressed inappropriately. Poor attire and lack of carefor how you look shows disrespect and can make the worstkind of first impression.Then there are some reasons that have nothing to do withyou and in these cases you should not take the rejectionpersonally, but in all other cases, do – it’s your career after all:• The job was cancelled because of budget or organisationalissues• The job was filled internally• You are not a cultural match to the organisationAs much as the truth hurts, it empowers. Now go get that job!KC MakhubeleManaging ExecutiveQuest Staffing SolutionsINDUSTRY NEWS . PAGE 18

HR VOICE . JULY 2014View from DrKaren Deller(Chartall Business College)on 2014 ASTD Summit inWashington DC - USAI was fortunate enough to attend the recent ASTD conferenceand exposition in Washington at the beginning of May. It’s areally grand affair with over 9 000 delegates from over 80countries attending over 10 different ‘streams’ including onesfor higher education, government, careers, e-learning andleadership training. Apparently there were over 300 workshopsessions delivered over the three day event so it is no wonderthey bill this conference as the “premier event for trainingand development professionals”. During the conferencethe executive of the ASTD also announced that they werechanging their name from the American Society for Training &Development to the Association for Talent Development (ATD).show no rise since 2009”. Seems learners exiting schools inthe USA are battling with reading, writing and maths skills,and this is apparently after decades of input to rectify thesituation. The article stated: “in math, only 26% of seniorsscored high enough to be considered proficient or better”.The writer went on to call for a ‘redesign’ of high schools.• A few speakers spoke of the need for companies to clearlydefine the competencies required for each job so thattraining could be more targeted to the exact skills that wereneeded. (Maybe they need an NQF!)For me this name change also reflected a subtle shift in theway the international community is viewing the trainingand development specialist – it is becoming more about thedevelopment of the whole person (not just job competencies)and there was a huge emphasis on the work/home balance forbetter productivity and adaptability.Key trends that I observed:• E-leaning and gamification featured on a big scale, withmany speakers emphasising the influx of generation Yinto the workplace and the impact that this would have ontraditional training and classroom methodology;• Need for companies and employees to be more adaptablebecause the business environment is changing so rapidlyin an unpredictable fashion. To counter this speakers wereplacing a greater emphasis on employee wellness andongoing training;• A return to just-in-time training, that is short (apparently90 minutes is optimal for the shorter Gen Y attentionspan), focused and repetitive (especially where retention iscritical);• An emphasis on methodologies to increase retention oftraining (they refer to the “retention curve”);• A need for literacy and numeracy training, with manyspeakers lamenting the poor use of grammar and spellingin general. (As an aside, while I was in Washington, therewas a long article in the Washington Post with the headline“12th grade results in US exam stagnant: average scoresINDUSTRY NEWS . PAGE 19

HR VOICE . JULY 2014PARTNERSHIPSPublic SectorEthics OfficerCertificationProgramme28 JULY - 1 AUGUST 2014The Public Service Integrity Management Frameworkrequires all government departments to have ethicscommittees, ethics champions and ethics officers. Thiscourse will provide participants with practical, skillsbasedknowledge to enable them to fulfil their ethicsofficer responsibilities.The EOCP initially had a slant towards the private sector. Withthe advent of the Integrity Management Framework it hashowever become clear that a programme catering specificallyto the needs of public service ethics officers has becomeessential.The course has beenadapted in the followingways for this purpose:• References to Boards of Directors, Social and EthicsCommittees and CEO’s are changed to public sectorequivalents.• Besides being aligned to King III, it is also aligned to theIntegrity Management Framework and Anti-corruptionRequirements.• It includes a section on public sector regulations, legislationand other requirements of which ethics officers in thepublic sector should have knowledge.• Sections such as conflicts of interest management arespecifically aligned to public sector requirements andpractices.• Case studies have been adapted to the public sectorenvironment.While the course is adaptedto the public sectorenvironment, the essenceremains the same.LINKEDIN/SABPPJOIN THE DISCUSSIONS• The course is structured in line with the same ethicsmanagement framework.• The same practicum is used for the assessment of bothcourses, each participant will merely apply the knowledgein their own sector.• The same high standard of assessment is used and thesame certification (by USB-ED) applies. The certificate doesnot distinguish between the public and the private sectorethics officers.PARTNERSHIPS . PAGE 20

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Who should attend?• Prospective ethics officers;• Current ethics officers;• HR managers;• Governance related functions such as:• Anti-corruption managers• Internal Auditors and• Risk managers.Why should you attend?• Increased ethics and compliance managementeffectiveness and efficiency;• Increased trust in the ethics function by employeesand other stakeholders;• Reduced risk of ethical misconduct and violation oflaws and regulation; and• Increased trust in public service departments.WHEN 28 July - 1 August 2014Participants have 90 days to completethe practicumWHERE Leriba Lodge, 245 End Avenue.Clubview, CenturionCOST Non-members: R27 085 incl. VATEthicsSA member: R21 670 incl. VAT(IIASA, ACFE, SAICA, IRMSA, SAIPA,FPI, SABPP and IoD members qualifyfor the EthicsSA member rate)For a course brochure, click hereTo register for the course click herePARTNERSHIPS . PAGE 21

“PARTNERING FOR PERFORMANCE”HR VOICE . JULY 201416th Annual SIOPSA Conference21 - 23 July 2014, CSIR, PretoriaREGISTRATION FEES:ALL VAT INCLUSIVE: NORMAL RATE EARLY-BIRD RATEOne of the major annual events which brings together newknowledge, ideas and interesting people, is the Annual SIOPSAConference, which is being held from 21 – 23 July 2014 at theCSIR in Pretoria. In support of the growth of our members, and theprofession in general, the Annual SIOPSA Conference’s theme willbe announced during the week of 20th January 2014.The Conference flow will be structured through facilitated paneldiscussions on the three main themes, individual presentationsfrom subject matter experts, posters, workshops on relevanttopics and a keynote address every day. Abstracts will be reviewedby two panels: (1) Abstract Review Committee - consisting ofnational and international practitioners, academics and scientistsand (2) Scientific Review Board - consisting of subject matterexperts with international credibility and applied scientific integrity.Our invited guest speakers will share their expertise in topicsrelated to South African and Global Best Practices for Individual,Team and Organizational Growth through Credible Leadership andEntrepreneurship. There will be specific focus areas which willinvolve our emerging psychologists and students.This SIOPSAConference will apply the practice of a social responsibility projectduring the Conference.For more information please visit the SIOPSA website atwww.siopsa.org.za24 CEU’s of which 6 will be towards EthicsDate: 21 - 23 July 2014Venue: CSIR, PretoriaIMPORTANT OFFEREarly-Bird Registration (all delegates)At SIOPSA, we understand that the past years have been filled withunprecedented challenges for you and your organisations. We wouldlike to accommodate financial burden, and hence we are offeringan Early-Bird Conference registration rate - meaning that SIOPSAmembers can register for the full Conference at a substantialdiscount.Note: This special gratification applies to registration and fullpayment of the Conference fees, before 31 March 2014.Should payment not be received by the due date, normalconference fees will apply.FULL THREE (3) - DAY CONFERENCESIOPSA Member* R 6 800 R 6 100SIOPSA Student Member R 1 700 R 1 500Guest non-member R 9 000 R 8 100TWO (2) - DAY CONFERENCESIOPSA Member* R 5 000 R 4 500SIOPSA Student Member R 1 100 R 1 000Guest non-member R 6 800 R 6 100WORKSHOPS DAY (1 DAY) orANY OTHER ONE (1) DAY ONLYSIOPSA Member* R 2 800 R 2 500SIOPSA Student Member R 900 R 800Guest non-member R 3 900 R 3 500SPECIALS FOR SIOPSA MEMBERS:* Pensioners who are Full SIOPSA members are welcometo enquire about our special discount at the SIOPSA office.* “Book 5 delegates and the 6th delegate comes for free”(SIOPSA Members only).Please note that you do not need to be a member of SIOPSAto register for this Conference.Attend the Conference as a GUEST, or even better -we invite you to sign up for MEMBERSHIP!Click here to find out more about joining our Society.REGISTER NOW! Go to www.siopsa.org.zaSPACE IS LIMITED SO PLEASE SECUREYOUR BOOKING BEFORE 14 JUNE 2014Your invoice will be generated from the SIOPSA website - EFT andcredit card payment facilities are available. Your registration willonly be confirmed upon proof of payment. Delegates who arrive onthe evening without proof of payment or booking will be expected tocomplete a registration form and sign the signature list.*** NO SHOWS WILL NOT BE REFUNDED -AND PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF OUR 72 HOURCANCELLATION POLICY***We look forward to seeing you soon!Best Regards,CONFERENCE COMMITTEESociety for Industrial and Organisational Psychology ofSouth AfricaPAGE 22tel: 0860 SIOPSA (746 772) fax: 086 558 4097email: info@siopsa.org.za www.siopsa.org.za

HR VOICE . JULY 2014STUDENT CHAPTERWhat can youdo on MandelaDay as an HRprofessional?Why this initiative onMandela Day?There are many students who do not know how to conductthemselves during the time of searching for work. The aspectsof searching for job opportunities, CV writing and interviewskills, which are the cornerstone of searching for a job, need tobe taught continuously. At the moment not much is being donein this respect. Many students graduate without knowing thesebasics and that has contributed to their struggle to find work.The essence of marketing oneself, and professional conduct,are overlooked. This is why SABPP would like to spearheadon Mandela Day. We also want to take this initiative beyondthe day; to roll it out more in order to make impact within ourStudent Chapter.For more details contact:Malebo Maholo - malebo@sabpp.co.za011 482 8595As part of honouring the goodwill of the Nelson Mandela Day;the SABPP pledges to contribute to the day by providing the JobReadiness Workshops to students in higher educationinstitutions, with more emphasis on the 3rd and final yearstudents. We therefore calling our members to participate inthese workshops nationally.How?We have prepared presentations for Job Readiness and theyare available on request at SABPP head office by email.Members participating are requested to give names ofinstitutions and communities where they will be conductingthese workshops.Guide to avoidingplagiarismCompiled by ProfessorAdèle ThomasUniversity of JohannesburgJune 2014What is plagiarism?Plagiarism is passing off the ideas, writing, works or inventionsof others as your own intellectual work when they are, in fact, notyour own. This can include phrases, words, images, artefacts,sounds or other intellectual or artistic work. Plagiarism alsoincludes pretending that your own work, previously submittedfor assessment, is now a new and original contribution. Thiscan include work that has been submitted previously to anotheracademic institution or here at UJ, or work that has alreadyappeared in a public domain in some form. Plagiarism does nothave to be intentional. Unintentional plagiarism is consideredto be just as serious as intentional plagiarism.STUDENT CHAPTER . PAGE 23

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Plagiarism is intellectual theft as the plagiariser stands to gainsome benefit or unfair advantage over his or her classmates.The word ‘plagiarism’ comes from the Latin word ‘plagiarius’which means to kidnap. So plagiarists, in this sense, kidnapthe work of others and present it as their own. In this wayplagiarism makes a mockery of the five fundamental valuesof a university. It is not honest; is destroys the trust betweenteachers and their students and impacts respect in thatrelationship; is does not promote fairness in the way work isassessed; and students transgress the responsibility they haveto fairly portray their work and their abilities.GETSTARTEDTODAYREAD MOREAND GETACCESS TO THE BENEFITSOVER HEREJOIN NOWExamples of plagiarism• presenting the ideas, words or results of another personas your own, without acknowledging the original author, i.e.copying without citing your source;• using direct words in sentences, paragraphs or partsof articles and books without “quotation marks” and/orother appropriate acknowledgement (e.g. not citing a pagenumber) even if you acknowledge the source in the text orin the reference list;• formulating your words so closely to those of the originalauthor that it is obvious that you could not have writtenthem without having had the source next to you (i.e. yourparaphrasing of the author’s words is too close to the originalauthor’s use of the words) even if you did acknowledge yoursource in the text and in the reference list;• composing a paragraph by taking short phrases from anumber of sources and putting them together, perhapsalso including some words of your own, to make a coherentwhole, and then attributing the whole lot to one source orproviding no attribution at all;• providing misleading attribution by using the wordsof another but citing a more respectable source;SHDC.249/2014(5)• collaborating with others on work that you are required toundertake individually;• using your own work, previously submitted for assessment,or your work that is in the public arena, without citing it;• downloading sentences, paragraphs or sections of writingsfrom the Internet and using them without quotation marksand/or proper acknowledgement (you need to cite theauthor [even if it is a company] and provide a paragraphnumber for a direct web quotation).The above examples have been summarised by the Turnitin(2012) organisation:Keyword DescriptionClone Submitting someone else’s work, word for word,as your ownCTRL-C Writing something that contains substantialportions of text from a single source withoutalterationsFind-Replace Changing key words and phrases butkeeping the essential content (wording) of the sourceRemix Paraphrasing from other sources and makingthe content fit together seamlesslySTUDENT CHAPTER . PAGE 24

HR VOICE . JULY 2014Recycle Borrowing generously from your ownprevious work without acknowledging this work (selfplagiarism)Hybrid Combining perfectly cited sources withpassages that you’ve copied – without citation – in onepaperMashupMixing copied material from many different sourceswithout properly citing the sources404 ErrorIncluding citations to non-existent sources or providinginaccurate information about the sources you citeAggregatorProviding proper citation, but the paper containsalmost no original WorkRe-tweetIncluding proper citations but relying too closely onthe original wording of the text you are citing or on thestructure of that textSource: Adapted from Turnitin (2012, p. 4).References• Carroll, J. & Appelton, J. (2001). Plagiarism: A good practiceguide. Oxford: Oxford,• Brookes University.• Turnitin (2012). White paper:The plagiarism spectrum. Available athttp://pages.turnitin.com/plagiarism_spectrum.html(Accessed 10 February 2014)LOOKING AFTER YOUR BRANDFor all your digital media design requirementsinfo@landmancreative.co.za www.landmancreative.co.za 079 508 9244STUDENT CHAPTER . PAGE 25