FREE TO READ | Playing the ‘people game’ properly

The human resources (HR)  field is an increasingly competitive one where new technologies, new work models and new approaches to old methods are all being leveraged to give businesses the edge in the “people game”. A good example is how, with competition for top talent intensifying, more and more SA companies are embracing recruitment marketing — a strategic approach that applies marketing tactics to attract, engage and nurture potential candidates.

We look at how this works, how employer branding, content creation, social media and data analytics are leveraged here, and whether this is a successful method of recruiting the top talent. We also address the ever-accelerating need to upskill employees in line with technological advances and global competition.

There is a global skills shortage in certain areas — we consider why certain skills remain in short supply, how to tackle these gaps and the role of the private and public sectors in providing access to these skills. Hybrid work has been with us for a few years now, but there is never a bad time to study best practices for rolling out remote/hybrid models, tactics to prevent “outsider syndrome” and methods for maintaining an effective corporate culture when teams are scattered.

We also study some of the issues around employment law, legal compliance and disciplinary processes, what the company and the employee’s legal rights might be in such a scenario and the important role that legal professionals play in certain HR processes, notably those relating to discipline.

Finally, we must never forget that employees can easily suffer burnout due to poor management, overwork, a toxic environment, ineffectual leadership or not being afforded a psychologically safe workspace.