Wellness

Nerisha Kistan, HR director at Canon South Africa, shares that corporate culture often asks people to leave their personal struggles at the door, but there is a recognition that employees navigate complex socio-economic pressures and family responsibilities every single day.

In a time when the lines between personal and professional life can become increasingly blurred, TransUnion GCC Africa HR head Shivani Ramsaroop shares the thinking behind their holistic wellness approach, and why co-creating with employees has made all the difference.

Taegan Devar, industrial psychologist and managing director of PeopleSmart, argues that while employee assistance programmes (EAPs) offer support, they’re just one piece of the puzzle.

A new year often means a new start and a new way of doing things. This is as applicable in the C-suite as it is within the rest of the organisation. And, while CHROs often consider EAPs and wellness programmes for their teams and the wider organisation, executive health is also an important focus area.

In part two of this two-part article, Old Mutual Corporate’s Kim-Lee Wentzel-Ricketts, Nabeela Noorani and Samantha Jagdessi share five ways to mitigate the shock of retirement and bring the reality closer to expectations.

Leading HR executives got together to discuss some red hot topics currently dominating the people agenda within their organisations.

Many retirees face a massive gap between their retirement dream and their lived retirement reality. In part one of this two-part article, Old Mutual Corporate’s Kim-Lee Wentzel-Ricketts, Nabeela Noorani and Samantha Jagdessi share which assumptions often go awry and how behaviours as well as expectations can be shifted.

Empathy and prioritising people will no doubt continue to be top of mind for the people agenda for 2025.

Ignoring workplace bullying can have a detrimental impact on productivity and work performance. CHROs Boniwe Dunster, Palesa Matoli, Bess Kankolongo, Dr Ngao Motsei and Tantaswa Fubu talk about practical ways to eradicate bullying from the workplace and how best to create psychologically safe work spaces.

Men’s health awareness month highlights more than physical wellbeing – it’s a reminder to prioritise mental resilience for a balanced, fulfilling life, writes international performance coach Alvin Govender. 

Founder of The Human Touch Maggie Mojapelo gives insight into how she spent over five decades gathering knowledge, getting experience and making an impact in organisations worldwide with transformative HR.

Flexibility, employee benefits and a workplace culture that prioritises mental health have become critical in attracting and retaining talent, writes Kirsty Phaal, senior vice president of HR at NTT DATA: Middle East and East Africa.

Now more than ever, we should prioritise mental health in the workplace, writes Matimba Mbungela, CHRO at Vodacom Group, as the world commemorated World Mental Health Day on 10 October .

Atlas Finance human capital partner and team lead Barry Dell gives insight into how the shaping of people and culture is at the core of Atlas Finance’s 30-year success.

Integrity costs nothing, but when you lose it, you lose everything, writes Charissa Bloomberg, celebrity psychologist, international speaker and integrity leadership specialist.

Lisa Korol, regional HR manager for MEA at Axis Communications, suggests ways to cultivate a vibrant workplace culture.

As the country observes Suicide Prevention Month, Nicole Sorrell, co-founder and director at Lumina Learning Global, says mental health has to be an inside-out job for organisations.

Gender-based violence (GBV) plagues workplaces, impacting safety, dignity and equality. Itumeleng Mokhele, senior change consultant at The Actuate Group, shares how leaders can foster supportive environments.

WorkplaceFundi chief fundi Andrew Mason tells CHRO South Africa community why they need to be more aware of the impact of their employees’ physical workspaces.

In part two of this article, Lana Hindmarch, organisational wellbeing strategist and co-founder and CEO of BREATHE, delves deeper on how best organisations can adopt ubuntu's philosophy of collective responsibility to foster workplace wellbeing and prevent burnout.

Blessing Utete, managing executive of Old Mutual Corporate Consultants, emphasises the need for thorough preparation and enhanced financial literacy initiatives to ensure a successful transition to the new system.

With this past week being observed as Corporate Wellness Week in South Africa, CHRO South Africa explores how programmes are emerging as crucial tools for addressing a range of workforce challenges, from reducing absenteeism to boosting morale and productivity.

Head of transformation, people, and culture at MiWay Insurance, Nomvula “Nomie” Nxumalo’s outspoken nature has helped her transform her career and influence change for other professionals across multiple industries.

Burnout may be enemy number one in the global workforce. Of the many interventions to curb it, psychological safety emerges as the most promising ingredient, write Tyler Phillips, head of research and content and Dr Etienne van der Walt, CEO and co-founder, both at Neurozone.

New parents will soon legally have the right to decide how to divide the four months of parental leave. Lindiwe Sebesho, managing director of Remchannel, and Blessing Utete, managing executive of Old Mutual Corporate consultants, provide their views on whether workplace policies and culture are ready for this gender shift.

Attendees at CHRO Day heard that despite mental health stigma, small changes can make a big difference.

South African over-indebtedness is severe, with quick salary depletion, leading to short-term loans and worsening debt. Bayport's solution offers debt relief and financial education, reducing debt and improving financial stability for employees writes Alfred Ramosedi, CEO of Bayport Financial Services.

Navigating menopause in the boardroom is a crucial factor in gender diversity efforts, writes Lauren Fischer, CEO and co-founder of Embrace.

The HR community delves into practical ways to eradicate bullying from the workplaces and how best to create psychologically safe workspaces.

Nomaswazi Ngwane, human capital executive at Old Mutual’s mass & foundation cluster, believes in the power of nurturing people so that they can help build a company and contribute towards its success in an ever-changing time.

Breathe CEO Lana Hindmarch unpacks why the HR wellbeing strategy needs a data-driven overhaul.

In this exclusive CHRO thought leadership piece, Kea Hammond, CPO at new-age solutions and systems integrator +Onex, explains why navigating the hybrid work landscape requires a fine balancing act.

Genevieve Koolen, HR director at SAP Africa, shares how SAP is navigating the workplace journey with neurodiverse employees.

Turn the recruitment lens inwards, as there is a hidden power in internal recruitment marketing strategies, writes Employee Branding Africa MD Celeste Sirin.

Embracing radical openness and generational differences proves to be beneficial for businesses worldwide, writes Anja van Beek, talent strategist, leadership and HR expert, and executive coach.

Nelly Mohale, head of human capital at Decusatio, and Ginen Moodley, founder of Moodley Attorneys, explain how sexual harassment in the workplace doesn’t only have financial implications, but also leads to emotional and reputational damage for both the parties and the organisation.

Incoming HR head at Kukhanya Energy Services Nokukhanya Mkhize plans to illuminate lives through HR leadership.

Workplace bullying jeopardises not only individual wellbeing, but also organisational effectiveness, writes HR professional and MD of Paradigm Management Consulting, Grant Saptoe.

Old Mutual’s Humphrey Mkwebu says employees face multi-faceted financial pressures.

At an open-mic session at the recent Community Conversation, CHROs took time to reflect on topical issues.

Lessons from Dimension Data SVP on shaping a culture of inclusivity and talent retention.

Awarding HR professionals who elevate organisational success is worth celebrating, says the organisation.

Strength, bravery and authenticity were some of the overwhelmingly positive adjectives used by HR execs to describe the South African workforce.

HR used to only keep the workforce happy, but now it’s a change agent with greater responsibility.

Nutun CHRO Dineo Sekwele discusses leading the wellness movement in HR.

Breathe CEO Lana Hindmarch unpacks why employees are struggling more now than they did during the pandemic.

Leaders need to take charge in improving workplace mental health writes Sundrie Naidoo

CHRO at SACO CFR Beverly Kirstein prioritises fostering a culture of empathy and flexibility in the workplace.

John says the group will introduce AI as part of its larger recruitment strategy.

The classical methodology of assessing health risks in executives is outdated, says Dr Jedd Myers.

Firms must create mental health strategies to raise awareness and reduce stigma

Vitality kicks off another practical, science-based strategy to address and improve its teams’ wellbeing.