Page 59 - SAPREF 50 year

Human Resources
The Human Resources department is essentially a consultancy responsible for the delivery of key human resource processes that facilitate the engagement, management development and leadership of SAPREF’s people.
Led by Lindiwe Khuzwayo, the Human Resources function is made up of a team of 27 people delivering and facilitating the following broad key human resources processes:
• Talent management;
• Learning and development;
• Employee relations;
• Remuneration and benefits (including
payroll);
• Policy; and
• Sustainable Development and Communication.
Explains Andrew McKay, Human Resources Operations Manager: “One of the most challenging aspects of our work is ensuring that human resources management happens
in the business. While our human resources professionals deliver human resources processes to the business and provide guidance and support around these processes, they
do not on the whole carry them out. This is different to the Personnel department at
SAPREF of earlier years, which was also mainly administrative in nature.”
Employee Relations
Probably more so than anywhere else in the business, the Human Resources Department has felt the brunt of social transformation in South Africa and has taken up the challenge
of aligning the business to the many changes that are necessary in the workplace as a result. These have been exciting times and there has been no sense over the past few years that
it is ‘business as usual’ ― every day brings a new challenge, whether it is a new piece of legislation or a shift in our business operating environment, or a change in approach that results from our ever-increasing engagement with our people and other stakeholders.
One of the areas that has seen much change is Employee Relations. Trade union activity at SAPREF began in 1985 with a recognition agreement being signed with the Chemical Workers Industrial Union (CWIU) in 1987. Negotiations and bargaining at the time
were at a localised level. During this period, agreements like Rate for the Job and the 12- hour shift were signed.
In 1995 a new Labour Relations Act (66
of 1995) was passed. It extended collective bargaining rights to almost all employees, including civil servants. In this period,
SAPREF, a founding member of the National Petroleum Employers Association (NPEA), became a founding member of the Bargaining Council, and so became involved in centralised bargaining after proposals by CEPPWAWU (the former CWIU) were agreed to. Centralised negotiations now take place in Johannesburg between all of the petroleum companies and their representative unions.
Remuneration and Benefits
Remuneration and Benefits is probably the section that is closest to employees’ hearts ― this is the team that ensures staff salaries are paid each month! The section does far more than pay salaries though. In addition to remuneration, the section also manages
The Human Resources department facilitates the development of SAPREF people to their fullest potential. Patrick Nduzi and Mhlaseli Mncwabe started at SAPREF as apprentice mechanical fitters in the 80s. They have risen through the ranks through robust development programmes and today are senior leaders in the organisation as area engineers.
COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
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