From taking inspiration from her mother and grandmother on how to overcome adversity to better understanding the challenges of women in the workplace, Deloitte’s chief people officer, Lungile Mahluza, is determined to make a contribution that will outlive her.
Lungile Mahluza, chief people officer at Deloitte Africa, has been with the firm for 17 years, and has been able to grow her skill set in different ways to build a complementary set of skills and expand her career.
The starting ground for Lungile’s success was the influence of both her great-grandmother and grandmother who were pioneering women of their time. “I believe each of these women demonstrated how they exercised agency. They were pioneering in their own way and were not accepting of any limitations that might have been placed on them,” she explains.
Becoming CPO
Lungile started her career at World Vision Swaziland as an IT administrator after having graduated with a BSc in computer science and information systems. She moved to Deloitte as a consultant in human capital and worked her way up to become the chief of staff to the firm’s chief executive officer. In the role of chief of staff, Lungile led the firm’s Africa strategy unit until she assumed the role of CPO in June 2022.
A firm believer in putting her hand up for opportunities, she accepted the CPO role when it was offered to her.
She recalls making comments during an executive meeting where the discussion centred on talent models for the organisation. “This pivotal moment set me on the path to becoming CPO, as executives challenged me to bring my ideas to life and offered me the platform to do so.”
She adds that in professional services, one has to have a talent model in place that is dynamic and relevant to the multiple personas that exist within the organisation. “You need to identify these personas or talent segments, map out the career journey, and understand their personal values and what they want to achieve. Organisations need to consider the congruence between what they offer and what matters to people. The employee value proposition (EVP) needs to be customised or targeted to different people, because what matters to one individual may not matter to another,” she says.
Lungile says she has had to consider solutions around a number of matters: “The development of technologies such as generative AI, organisational constraints and the availability of skills, and shifting the focus from jobs to skills are some of the key matters top of mind. In shifting the focus to skills, it is also important to be cognisant of the fact that people aren’t just skills; people are whole beings who want to develop and grow well-rounded careers.”
She has also learnt a few lessons in her career, including the importance of empathy and the impact of leadership in a team. “We always need to remember that we are holistic human beings, as much as we might compartmentalise whatever is happening in someone’s life or how it plays out in how they show up.”
While most professionals describe their ambition in terms of titles, Lungile approaches career growth from a different perspective.
“I can describe the substantial impact I would like to have and the contributions I want to make. However, I cannot say that I want to be in a specific role or earn a particular title, because that’s not how my ambition works. My sense of ambition has always been about contributing to something that will hopefully outlive me,” she says.
“I believe it is okay to pivot and do different things, it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone looking from the outside in – it certainly isn’t a linear trajectory. Stay true to your goals. Your growth doesn’t have to be traditional with a final destination – people change, grow and evolve. Define success for yourself and, most importantly, stay curious and open to learning,” she adds.
Women in the workplace
Lungile, who’s passion for women in the workplace is indicative in her work, also touched on Deloitte’s recently released Women@Work report.
“There is a need to place data into practical use across different countries and industries. As important as it is to have the data, it is of more importance as to what we do with it. If you think of both the anecdotal and statistical evidence around the lack of data around minorities, around people of colour, and women in general, I think studies like these are really important and an important contribution, but that’s just the first step,” she explains.
The report, which seeks to understand the lived experiences of women of various ages, across multiple industries and factors outside of their work that impact their experience of work, analyses views from 5,000 women across 10 countries.
“It is about exploring what is critical and impacting women in the workplace, but beyond that, what are some of the societal factors that are playing into the experiences that women have,” she adds.
This year’s report also highlighted the continuous wage disparities between women and men, career stagnation, and the threat that women face in their professions during tough economic times. “What’s interesting in this year’s report in particular is that there is this underlying sense of stagnation,” Lungile says.
Furthermore, job loss is a big concern for South African women.
The report also noted the stigma around mental health and micro-aggressions, women’s reproductive health, and the impact of household chores on women’s careers.
According to the data, issues around mental health have not improved. “What we are seeing is that people are taking the time off, but they are not disclosing that they are taking the time off necessarily because it’s linked to a mental health issue,” Lungile says.
She hopes the report creates a more equitable working environment and a world in which young girls and women can thrive. “It’s important to acknowledge the unseen and undervalued work that women do. Women are in the workplace, but they are also at work in their homes carrying a disproportionate responsibility, whether that is for childcare for those with children, or increasingly caring for ageing parents as well.”
