Gender Empowerment
Nexia SAB&T believes every woman has a story to tell, although it is rarely heard in male-dominated workplaces.
Our innovative leadership practices at Nexia SAB&T is giving women a voice, squaring the boardroom and balancing the gender equality scales.
Our purpose, to highlight that Nexia SAB&T recognises that gender empowerment is an issue that has not been well addressed in South Africa and globally and make our audience aware of the fact that we have already taken significant steps to address it, which is why, despite being in a traditionally male dominated industry we have 60% female representation among our employees.
The benefits of gender empowerment are many and impact both men and women in the workplace, who reap the rewards of a business that is built on fairness – that is fair treatment of all its people. We benefit from the blend of vision and strategic imperatives that are the hallmark of inclusive direction and management of the organisation. This is more than unity in diversity; it is strength in diversity.
The topic is important because while transformation has been in the spotlight for a long time and is an issue that we have addressed since our inception 27 years ago. As such we recognise the social inequality of women and address it because that is what is fair and what makes business sense to us.
Gender empowerment is just one way we have been able to grow our business to a world-class service provider not just at the forefront of social issues, but also other issues facing our industry, be it disruption, technology or corporate governance.
Our commitment to gender empowerment provides a further reason to turn to Nexia SAB&T as a professional service provider of choice who demonstrates that we are truly part of the South African community.
For more information on this initiative please visit: https://herstory.africa/
HERstory
Our HERstory campaign is the culmination and bringing together of the firm’s policy and views surrounding gender empowerment and women in the workplace.
The campaign espouses the concept of gender empowerment being part of the fibre of the firm.
Gender Equality Redefined
This campaign was launched as a trailblazing gender equality campaign, “We are HERstory in the making”, which emphasised the state of gender equality and shattering the assumptions of male dominated industries and the status quo.
‘We are HERstory in the making’ is the narrative of gender equality driven by Nexia SAB&T directing the spotlight onto women and the pivotal role they play in organisations.
The campaign gained such momentum that we continued this focus by looking at the journey of our own Chairperson – Ayisha Ramasike: The Greatness in me….
Female Directors in Nexia SAB&T
Female directors
The Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill sets out a target of 50% representivity by women in decision-making roles. An insurmountable reality to achieve, for most without drastic action, as women fill only 44% of skilled positions despite making up half of the population.
Nexia SAB&T pride themselves on having met the above target, in stark contrast to the country’s norm of 32%. Presently, women account for 61% of the entire Nexia SAB&T staff compliment.
Nexia SAB&T’s commitment to gender empowerment in the workplace in creating an environment that nurtures and encourages women to achieve their full potential, is evident in the appointment of 94 employees in 2018 in which 60 of them were female, (64%) and from then on, our female intake has been in the forefront.
While it is not about accolades, Nexia SAB&T CEO, Bashier Adam has been recognised by Top Women Awards for driving gender empowerment in three consecutive years.
Talent Management
Recruitment
Our firm has adopted ‘market and best practices’ in its initiatives to attract and retain employees. We achieve this by retaining employees who see Nexia SAB&T as a great place to work in and is determined largely by the quality of leadership and good management practices, which entail:
- Remunerating employees well
- Rewarding exceptional performance
- Developing employees
- Communicating openly and sharing information
- Caring for their employees
- Recognizing achievement publicly and celebrating successes
- Not tolerating poor performance
- Developing and maintaining a reputation as being “an employer of choice” This reputation is often best promoted by own employees
Retention
Youth: Directors as at 31 May 2021
A collaborative process between Human Resources and Line Management is employed to identify candidates and attract and retain them.
Our attraction and retention initiatives include monetary and non‐monetary interventions, and we approach this objectively and holistically.
Team selection
We recruit strategically critical individuals whose attraction and retention are critical to ensure the achievement of key strategic goals. Although not mandatory, candidates in this group are likely to be senior decision makers. The identification of these key individuals is based on a set of guiding criteria which rests within the discretion of the Executive Management Team.
Talent (Performance) Management
While high performance and critical skills may be rewarded, poor performance must be adequately managed. Market leading practices thrive in a high-performance culture.
Youth: Managers as at 31 May 2021
Personnel & career development:
Personal and intellectual challenge rate as a top priority amongst skilled employees.
We are in a position to attract and retain the skills and key employees by providing:
- Formal training
- International; exposure/experience by means of projects, seminars and workshops
Quality of Life
Our firm boasts an environment that enhances the quality of life and provides facilities which include a safe office environment and a focus to their wellness.
Support Services
We provide quality support services including, Human Resources, Administration, Marketing, Payroll, Technical and Information Technology Support which reduces bureaucracy and enhances quality of life.
Managers receive constant coaching on management of subordinates as their behaviour is a key determinant of how people experience their immediate work lives. Managers take steps to promote a positive and enabling climate for performance to take place.
Recognition
Create a well-managed recognition programme that can contribute towards considerable contribution to the well-being of employees and the culture of the firm.
Youth : Assistant Managers as at 31 May 2021
Transformation
- To develop a climate and culture conducive to the process of transformation;
- To develop a plan whereby all barriers to employment and advancement of disadvantaged groups are eradicated by eliminating unfair discrimination in any employment policy or practice;
- To ensure that everyone in the organisation which includes employees from the designated groups as well as employees who are not from the designated groups and that they have direct involvement in developing and implementing a transformation programme;
- To develop employees from the three target groups in terms of skills, education and training;
- To ensure that the transformation measures implemented by Nexia SAB&T includes measures which will further encourage diversity in the workplace, based on equal dignity and respect of all people.
- To endure that procurement occurs on an equitable and fair basis.
Nexia SAB&T achieved its target of attaining Level 1 Contributor Status.
