Kedibone Letsika, people & culture director at JTI, points to the subtle, everyday shifts that can signal when workplace stress is starting to affect performance, from changes in energy and behaviour to dips in engagement that are easy to overlook.
In a Q&A with CHRO South Africa, Kedibone explains the importance of embedding wellbeing into everyday work, creating space for open conversations, and using employee feedback to support both people and performance.
Q: How do you spot when workplace stress is quietly affecting performance, and what do you do about it?
Workplace stress rarely presents itself directly. It shows up in small but meaningful shifts in behaviour, energy and engagement. At JTI, we encourage leaders to start with people, to stay close to their teams, notice these changes early and approach them with empathy.
Creating a safe space where employees feel comfortable speaking up is critical. When something doesn’t feel right, we lean into open conversations, listen actively and respond with care. That might mean re-prioritising work, offering additional support, or simply creating room to reset. Ultimately, it’s about making every interaction count and addressing challenges early so our people can continue to perform at their best.
Q: In your role, how do you integrate wellbeing into everyday culture rather than treating it as just an initiative?
Wellbeing is not a standalone initiative, it’s part of how we work every day. It lives in how we lead, how we collaborate and how we support one another. We bring our human best by embedding wellbeing into leadership expectations, encouraging flexibility and fostering environments where people feel safe, valued and able to contribute fully. Leaders play a key role in shaping this culture by modelling balance, openness and accountability. By making wellbeing part of everyday decisions and behaviours, we ensure it is not something extra, it’s simply “Our Way.”
Q: How do you balance business goals with the human side of work without compromising either?
We don’t see this as a trade-off. When people feel supported, trusted and energised, they are better able to deliver sustainable results. At JTI, we focus on clarity, ownership and prioritisation, ensuring our teams understand what matters most and are empowered to deliver on it. At the same time, we create an environment where people feel safe to speak up if workloads become unsustainable. By focusing on value and encouraging open dialogue, we’re able to deliver strong business outcomes while staying true to our commitment to people.
Q: What’s the biggest misconception about employee wellbeing that you’ve challenged as CHRO?
A common misconception is that wellbeing is about programmes or perks. In reality, it’s about how people experience work every day. We’ve challenged this by shifting the focus to leadership, ways of working and psychological safety. It’s about creating an environment where people feel heard, respected and empowered to contribute. Wellbeing is not something we add on, it’s something we build into the way we operate, ensuring our people can thrive and grow together.
Q: How do you use employee feedback to shape wellbeing strategies that actually stick?
Listening is only the starting point. What matters is what you do next. We actively seek feedback through multiple channels and, importantly, create space for honest dialogue. We invite challenges, recognising that diverse perspectives help us improve and grow.
Transparency is key. When employees see that their input leads to real change, it builds trust and encourages ongoing engagement. Involving employees in shaping solutions also ensures that what we implement is relevant and meaningful.
Q: What risks should CHROs avoid when creating a culture of wellbeing?
One of the biggest pitfalls is treating wellbeing as separate from the business. If it’s not embedded into leadership behaviours and daily ways of working, it won’t be sustainable.
Another is not creating a truly safe space for employees to speak up. Without openness and trust, even the best-designed initiatives will fall short. Finally, inconsistency can undermine progress. Leaders need to take ownership and model the behaviours they expect because culture is shaped by what we do every day, not just what we say.
