| OPINION/ ANALYSIS
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Human resources face important BEE challenges
July 5, 2009
 By Vuyo Jack
Continuing from last week's exploration of the broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE) elements from all points of view, we shall look at the rest of the elements. The element of human resources development is the most critical because it affects the majority of the beneficiaries of broad-based BEE.
For companies employment equity is the area where scoring is really low compared with other elements of broad-based BEE despite the fact that legislation has been in place for more than 10 years.
Complaints about the lack of availability of people at senior and middle management levels are heard all the time from companies. Furthermore, the complainers say, once black people are appointed they never stay in the same job for a long time.
There are questions companies should be ask about this lack of progress: Are we committed to a diverse workforce that closely resembles the demographics of the country in order to drive the company's fundamental growth and sustainability? Is our culture welcoming enough to include other cultures as well or do we force our culture and way of life onto our employees without regard for how they fit in? Do we appoint black people to restructured jobs that lack authority, have downscaled budgets and fewer people reporting to them?
These are just the basic questions that help in seeking the source of the problem.
For black people, the questions they could ask themselves are: Do I intend to use this job to grow my skills and apply them to challenging situations that add value to the bottom line of the company? Do I see this job as a stepping stone for a higher salary in my next job regardless of the skills I have or the value I have brought to my current job?
There are situations where people have high sounding titles but the substance of what they deliver leaves a lot to be desired. There are situations where people are paid high salaries but the value they add to the business is minimal, almost to the point of the employer working for the employee.
It is costly to keep the person within the business due to the low morale it brings, the opportunity cost and the related salary costs, however on the other hand it is also costly to fire the person as the company will inevitably end up at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and the company's BEE score will go down which could affect future business.
The skills shortage is a problem in this country. One realisation is that being qualified is just one aspect complemented by applied skills. You find people who are highly qualified but they tend to be full of theoretical know how, which, on its own, is not enough for business. This is why skills development becomes important for both graduate and non-graduate employees.
On the other hand, you have people without any academic qualifications but who have worked in their jobs for years and have practical experience. Academic qualifications have to complement the practical experience for employees to be highly competent and competitive.
There is also a mismatch of skills. There is an abundance of social sciences skills available in the market but a lot less related to the scientific and business areas. Even when skills are properly matched there is an element of soft skills that have to be developed for all new employees regardless of race and gender.
The Achilles heel of human resources is the perception we hold about both black and white people in the workplace. These perceptions cloud the reality about people.
For example, when people get told there is a new head of department who happens to be black, there are a variety of views from "Oh no, he is an affirmative action appointment who will not do much work!" to "At least there is somebody we can identify with at the top."
Contrast this with a white person's appointment: "There is a competent person who knows what he is doing." to "A lost opportunity to transform the organisation."
Unfortunately these stories and perceptions determine how we deal with people. So long as human resource development is clouded by them there won't be progress.
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