by Nicolene De Villiers (HR Advisor @ SkillsGro)
There’s a knock at your office door, and who waits impatiently? An inspector from the Department of Labour. Surprise! He wants to see your employment equity files, minutes, agendas—everything. The list feels endless and overwhelming. You’re missing some of the paperwork, so what now? The inspector warns you sternly: if you don’t comply, your company will face some heavy fines.
Experienced this before? Welcome to the club. This scenario is nothing new, and many companies have received such unwanted visits over the last few months.
For that reason, understanding the Employment Equity Act (EEA)—and its purpose—is a must for every business owner, managing director, and human resources manager in South Africa.
According to the Employment Equity Act, the purpose of the legislation is to “achieve equity in the workplace, by
a) promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination; and
b) implementing affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups, to ensure their equitable representation in all occupational categories and levels in the workforce.”
Two main drivers of company growth include implementing employment equity and understanding the real purpose at its core. Not only is it a strategic imperative to boost the human capital of any company, but it’s also a key contribution to the economic good of our country.
Implementing employment equity is a fairly easy and painless process, but this holds true only when the management and employees of a company pull together and communicate effectively.
Understanding the EEA’s intended objectives is a great starting point. Employees need to be made aware of the act, its significance, and the company’s compliance strategies. Consultation and awareness-training sessions achieve these objectives effortlessly.
Another important vehicle that drives employment equity strategies is the democratic election of a committee that represents the race, gender, and occupational levels in the company. Ultimately, electing such a committee will help eliminate any barriers to equity that might exist within the company.
After establishing an Employment Equity Committee, the next step is devising a transformation plan—one based on analysis at all levels of the organisation and on communication received from all employees. This Employment Equity Plan should then serve as a founding document from which the company could identify areas for improvement and on which it could build a stronger and more engaging workforce.
Once that committee is well established, functions optimally, and completes all legally required documentation, the company will be ready to submit the EEA reports to the Department of Labour—done and dusted!
As with any legislative compliance matter, there may be issues along the way: employees who don’t believe in the process, managers who are unwilling to change, or even people who struggle to work together. But as soon as a company reaches a point where it embraces the spirit of the Employment Equity Act, the people in it will start to understand that inclusivity forges a stronger strategic future.
