VKB Group’s chief people officer isn’t just nurturing future leaders as a part-time university lecturer. He’s also cultivating talent in the agricultural space, assisting in growing his company’s own impressive crop of people.
Francois Sieberhagen, CPO at VKB Group, holds a master’s in industrial psychology. He’s as old-school as one would get.. Having cut his teeth as an intern for SA Truck Bodies (Route Holdings), he had to sort through CVs manually – the kind of work modern-day HR executives would consider their worst nightmare.
He later joined Roadmac Surfacing (part of the Raubex Group) as an HR Manager and was soon promoted to divisional head for Raubex construction division. After a fruitful tenure with the Raubex Group, Francois then made a swift transition into the agricultural sector.
“I joined the VKB Group in 2016 as the divisional head for VKB Agri Processors. I’ve been the group’s CPO for the last two years,” he adds.
“While I’m very grateful for the career I’ve had in HR so far, it was a dream come true when I received a call from the University of Free State for a guest lecture spot as an adjunct associate professor. I always tell my students about the career lifecycle. First, you learn, then you earn and finally, you return! That’s exactly what happened to me,” Francois notes.
He describes the opportunity to return to learning as a blessing. “That’s why I love academics, it puts you in a position where you have to keep up-to-date with the world of work locally and globally.”
From lecture halls to Agri
According to Francois, VKB Group has a large national footprint, with ambitions to expand its global footprint meticulously. With deep roots in agriculture, the VKB Group’s primary focus is to support producers with the necessary resources to produce food and to develop and sustain the food value chain, including processing, logistics and the creation of market channels to the consumer.
What Francois enjoys most about his job is being part of a diverse network that puts food on people’s tables – that’s when he’s managing a 7,500-person workforce in the people function.
“My biggest role is a strategic one of driving the people agenda and ensuring that the culture aligns with the organisational strategy,” he says.
“When you get to the CPO role, you need to be able to strike a balance between the day-to-day things and making strategic decisions – being 80 percent strategic and 20 percent hands-on.
Donned in his Springbok jacket (it was Bok Friday when he spoke to CHRO South Africa), Francois uses a sports analogy, explaining that he needs to ensure the team (VKB Group) has enough players (23 key role players) to achieve the company’s strategic goals (securing the ‘trophy’). “I need to make sure that the people strategy complements the group strategy and that HR makes a meaningful contribution towards the overall group strategy,” he adds.
Feels like home
Part of the VKB Group’s outlook is that ‘You’re Home’, and for Francois, that means ensuring psychological safety for its workforce. “At home, you have the freedom of expressing yourself without the fear of being judged and being supported by your family and loved ones. My role is to ensure that the work environment at VKB feels exactly like that, feels like home,” he points out.
“I never want our people to feel like they are in the wrong place. I want our people to reach their full potential because when they do, they are emotionally committed to the VKB Group, which tells me that the chances of the company delivering on its strategy are very high,” Francois adds.
Part of taking care of your employees involves providing them with opportunities to learn and develop. Francois does this through VKB’s employee assistance programmes (EAP). “We also run regular EVP programmes to gain a good assessment of the company culture, and for me, engagement really lies in the intangible things like people’s emotions,” he says. “If an employee is emotionally committed, they will be more productive and efficient.”
“For me, creating an overall great employee culture starts at exco level. Our group legacy, that ties well with VKB’s purpose and values, ‘For the Love of the Land’, encapsulates the company’s deep commitment to responsible agriculture, but more so the country as a whole.”
To achieve this, Francois and his team rely heavily on communication, which in turn provides clarity and a sense of belonging for the company’s employees.
Making agriculture captivating
The agriculture sector offers numerous opportunities for young professionals. As such, Francois and his team use strong messaging that emphasises not only the diverse and exciting career opportunities at the VKB Group offers but also the great working experience that comes with it. “We use LinkedIn to our advantage and also leverage the relationships we have with schools and universities to attract talent,” he says.
According to Francois, the talent war continues and for organisations to stand out, they need to think outside of the box and reinvent or revitalise everything they do within human capital.
“Gone are the days of traditional job ads with flat job descriptions, my approach is to seek out people who are already living the VKB values,” he explains. “For example, are they humble, hungry (work ethic and hard working), smart (emotional intelligence), bold and a team player? And if so, they should apply for a job with us.”
As a family man, Francois finds his greatest joy in spending time with his wife and two children. When he's not with them, you’ll likely find him somewhere on a gravel road riding his mountain bike, soaking up nature, scanning the landscape and thinking about ways to think differently about the world of work.
