Our Labour Specialist Provides Insights
Do You need a HR Manager in South Africa?
Martilize van Kradenburg
Martilize holds a BA Honors (Psych.) and is the Principal Partner at LabourExcel for Durbanville. With more than 15 years’ experience in Human Resources, Martilize puts the “human” in Human Resources by guiding Employers to follow a “human approach” whilst maintaining professionalism and discipline. Martilize has two little girls and loves movie nights, especially if it is a true crime or a docuseries.
Author: Martilize van Kradenburg
Martilize holds a BA Honors (Psych.) and is the Principal Partner at LabourExcel for Durbanville. With more than 15 years’ experience in Human Resources, Martilize puts the “human” in Human Resources by guiding Employers to follow a “human approach” whilst maintaining professionalism and discipline. Martilize has two little girls and loves movie nights, especially if it is a true crime or a docuseries.
Do you need a HR Manager in South Africa for your business?
As a business grows, so do the complexities of ensuring operations run smoothly and company compliance with labour laws are above board. Knowing how Human Resources can impact your business and when it is time to bring in a Human Resources expert can hugely lower an employer’s risk
There is a misconception that Human Resources is just about hiring and administration, but a HR professional can influence a company by ensuring clear workplace standards, providing support to maintain the set standards, and making sure everyone understands what is expected of them.
Also, consider reading more about the difference between a Labour Lawyer and HR Manager.
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The Broader Role of HR in Your Business
Employee issues aside, HR Management brings an abundance of benefits to a growing business, including consistency, compliance, and capacity. Here are other ways an HR professional can contribute to your business:
- Establish a Positive Culture in the Workplace – Company policies and procedures can promote fairness, ensure employees are engaged and feel included. HR Managers implement policies and procedures unique to a business which will contribute to a positive culture which boosts morale and increase retention.
- Compliance with Labour Laws – Being compliant with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Labour Relations Act and even to health and safety regulations will prevent costly legal issues and fines. HR Managers help businesses stay compliant and minimise risk.
- HR as a Strategic Partner – HR can be more than just operational. HR Practices can be aligned with business goals keeping up with company changes and growth.
Human Resource Management creates the foundation for your business, making sure people processes are in place for your team to excel.
When is it Critical to Bring in HR Management?
- Persistent Performance Issues – An HR Manager can create explicit guidelines on performance and the processes to follow. This will improve any poor performance and iron out any misunderstandings about job expectations.
- Complexity in Handling Employee Concerns – An HR expert can manage issues like misconduct or performance capacity fairly and legally. Navigating these issues can be taxing on managers and team leaders.
- Smooth Sailing – An HR professional is a process implementer. Having structured processes for hiring, onboarding, and training in place sets a tone for a positive culture. This cuts out and minimizes miscommunication and misunderstandings.
One way to establish if you need an HR professional
One way to establish if you need an HR professional is to look at the role of an HR Manager in Performance Management
When an employee is not performing up to the standards set by the organization an HR expert will be able to determine whether to look at it as a case of misconduct (when an employee is negligent or purposefully not fulfilling his responsibilities) or incapacity due to lack of skills, knowledge or competency.
Consider a scenario: An employee consistently fails to meet performance standards.
Here’s where HR expertise is essential:
Assessing the Root Cause
An HR Manager investigates to understand if underperformance is intentional (misconduct) or due to lack of skill (incapacity).
Defining the Right Process:
- If its misconduct, disciplinary procedures apply. For incapacity, a structured performance improvement plan (PIP) is put in place. This process ensures fair treatment and compliance with employment laws, reducing risk for the business.
Why Having HR Advice on Hand Matters
The working environment as we know it today is complex. Having access to HR expertise is more than just a need, it’s essential. An HR expert can be the guide to stop the escalation of issues, and sometimes stop problems even before they arise.
From managing poor performance, treating everyone fairly, or cultivating a supportive culture, HR expertise protects your business and enhances your team’s experience.
When should HR be involved?
Most employment-related issues can be resolved without involving a labour lawyer. HR managers are equipped to handle many day-to-day matters, which can be resolved internally without obtaining legal counsel.
HR Managers are well versed to manage underperformance and assist managers with implementing performance improvement processes, training, and regular counselling. They often assume the role of a coach to assist and guide management on addressing unmet expectations when it comes to employee performance.
HR managers monitor the policy surrounding discipline management and oversee disciplinary procedures for minor misconduct. They make sure that company policies are followed, and corrective actions are implemented before considering dismissal.
HR Managers are equipped to deal with internal grievances. They monitor and advise on the appropriate process and often lead grievance discussions in the early stages of a grievance.
HR managers monitor adherence to, and the relevance of company policies. They make sure that policies are updated in line with South African labour laws while also align with the culture and values of an organisation.
Why Choose LabourExcel?
By addressing performance issues accurately and fairly, HR Managers protect both the employee and the company, creating a more supportive work environment.
You have peace of mind that our advice and guidance are grounded in significant experience in dealing with labour law across industries.
As a client in our around Durbanville, Cape Town, you will essentially have access to not only Martilize but an entire team of HR and labour law experts.
Safeguard your business and contact us for a free first consultation (terms and conditions apply).
Consider acquiring the services of LabourExcel and our labour law experts.