After 26 years with the same organisation, Salwa Albertyn has become more than just the group HR executive at Empact Group – she is one of the pillars holding it together, evolving alongside it, and driving its HR heartbeat.
Transitioning from administrator to payroll manager and then overseeing payroll across South African branches, Salwa describes her entry into HR as almost seamless as her work in payroll had always kept her closely connected with the people.
“My journey started in the finance space,” she says. “I started an internship at the company about 26 years ago and ever since then, I’ve moved into different roles, mostly in the finance payroll space.”
“I was very close with HR all the years. Then the opportunity came along to branch out into HR while still managing the payroll department. I love people but numbers are also my passion so I decided to give it a go.”
In an era where job-hopping is the norm, Salwa has remained with one employer her entire career. Speaking about what has kept her, she says, “You need to be happy where you are, and I never felt unhappy where I was, so why would I want to change that.”
She also credits her growth to the leaders who believed in her potential, gave her opportunities to study and supported her through personal and professional challenges. She admits that her rise hasn’t been without challenges, especially early on.
Keeping the human touch
“If you know me, you’ll see I’m small in stature. At the beginning of my career, I had to work extra hard to prove I could do the job. People didn’t believe I could be a manager. When I started out, apartheid was still fresh so people would question whether a coloured girl could really do this. It was hard at the beginning to constantly prove that you can move to another level but I overcame it and my work spoke for itself. When I started, everything was manual. Getting to the point now where everything is basically automated is a big accomplishment.”
But even as she embraces automation, she’s careful not to lose the human touch.
“You need to have that face-to-face element. Some things require a personal interaction. You learn over time what needs an email and what needs a conversation.”
She also emphasises that every employee must understand their value. “Our people are the face of our company. They must see the link between service delivery, client satisfaction and their own livelihoods.”
Their motto, and what they strongly believe in, is a simple message she repeats constantly: we care, doing right by you. “HR plays a pivotal role in ensuring that our staff are in place, and cared for. That is our core function, ensuring that our staff have a safe working environment, they have the tools to do their job, and they're happy with what they do. That’s something that we really drive in HR – ensuring that we care by doing right by people. If someone has a concern, they must be able to speak up. If they’re happy, if they’re not happy, that door must always be open.”
On the move
When she’s not overseeing HR operations, Salwa is on the move, literally. “I’m a runner. I’m addicted to running,” she beams. “I’m also a director at Parkrun South Africa and at an athletics club. That’s my weekend job.”
She also loves to travel, and her recent pilgrimage to Mecca left a deep mark. “It was a spiritual trip. Quiet, peaceful, it gave me clarity and helped me recharge. I usually go to a different country every year, but now I want to go back.”
Salwa also shares that she grew up in Eldorado Park, and though she’s moved away, her heart has never left. She highlights how her background shaped her view on work and life. “I’ve seen the struggle of people. I know what it’s like when there’s no food in the house. My parents did charity work. I do charity work. Giving back is a huge part of who I am.”
That same ethos extends into her corporate mission, particularly for lower-income employees.
“We as executives should constantly be ensuring that our people are earning a living wage. We need to care about those people and see how we can help bridge the gap. I’m looking at things with fresh eyes. I want to understand the gaps and see how I can fill them effectively. For now, I’m building and making sure we have the right balance in HR.”
