Sadly life in South Africa can be tough and not everyone has the skills or ability to live at cause, many people live in victim mode. As an employer I believe we need to help those who work for us with the situation.
A recent global survey showed that the three biggest concerns employees have are:
• Lack of compensation
• Fear of job loss
• Fear of work overload
Other issues are just as relevant:
• Fear of harassment
• Fear of discrimination
In South Africa we can add the criminal element we deal with on a daily basis as well.
I am not sure that all employers or managers have a true understanding of the concerns of their employees and what they deal with on a day to day basis but these fears and issues could lead to the following happening in the work place.
• Distracted staff
• Lower levels of productivity
• Increased stress levels – Employee mental health issues cost twice as much as other medical ailments
• Constant complaining to other staff and customers
What can be done to assist in this area:
• Arrange financial literacy training
• Have an employee wellness programme that employees trust and can interact with
• Run an Employee Satisfaction Survey via an independent company to understand the real needs and how best to address them
Contact iFacts on info@ifacts.co.za should you have any further questions or concerns.