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How to Stay Above Nursing Shortages and Strikes in South Africa

How to Stay Above Nursing Shortages and Strikes in South Africa

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Nursing services in South Africa are hampered by a declining number of new nurses, a shortage of specialised nurses and an ageing workforce distributed unevenly between the public and private health sectors, coupled with an uneven spread across urban and rural areas.

Excessive workload has contributed significantly to the dissatisfaction of public and private sector nurses in South Africa. This overwhelming work environment has led to an increase in strikes across the country.

“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any painter or sculptor’s work.” Florence Nightingale

The overall result is a decline in the quality of patient care and deterioration in the mental health of these nurses who feel they have no choice but to look for alternative employment options in different sectors.

If nurses are not allowed to subsidise insufficient income and are not provided with any solutions, many will be forced to leave nursing or try to leave the public sector, which will cause an even bigger problem. Institutional support is required to soften these blows, which negatively impact the healthcare sector.

Read on to learn more about challenges in the healthcare sector and how to overcome them. If you’re in need of a more immediate solution, contact Greys Nursing Services to connect with a trusted leader in the medical sector.

Medical Facilities are struggling to fill posts

South Africa has lost many nurses to developed countries. At the same time, employers expect the remaining nurses in health facilities to provide quality professional care in line with the necessary nursing standards.

Nurses who remain may become more disheartened and are left feeling disillusioned both internally and externally if their needs are not met. Factors such as lack of personal growth, safety in the workplace, lack of resources, and high prevalence of HIV/AIDS cause strike action to occur.

Both private and public sector entities can assist with handling the nurse shortage crisis that the country is facing by taking several steps to help mitigate the issues by aligning their human resource practices to the Department of Healthcare’s 2030 Human Resources for Health Strategy. The framework prescribes a few key areas where healthcare institutions can focus on helping curb the current nursing services problems.

Still, it requires the buy-in from different stakeholders at a governmental level, private sector involvement, and ground-level from nurses involved in the industry.

Increased Training

According to the South African Nurse Council, in 2020, there were 280 000 registered nurses, which was a slight increase compared to earlier years. However, based on the number of nurses required, the total number is far from the critical numbers needed. The Department of Health has prioritised the training of more nurses as part of their 2030 Human Resources for Health Strategy, with a strong focus on improving the selection and recruitment of healthcare students to grow the industry.

One of the significant challenges faced by the industry is that medical skills were omitted from the critical skills list, which was published earlier in March. With the world having gone through a global pandemic, starting in March 2020, this is a sign of concern. With more outbreaks predicted in the future, South Africa must emphasise growing the healthcare sector through upskilling and improving the training available to those entering the medical field.

Government and other critical stakeholders could encourage or incentivise institutions to continuously upskill staff members by implementing personal development programmes, workshops and mentorship programmes.

Improved Retention Strategies

Retaining nurses during these times is paramount to the success of the industry. South Africa’s healthcare system could collapse if critical stakeholders do not implement strategies for retaining and keeping nurses invested in the field. The shortage of nurses is not only limited to South Africa but is a global phenomenon that is a deepening crisis.

Entities should be focusing and improving a retention culture by creating favourable working environments where they value nurses and healthcare staff for their vital contributions to society. Creating an environment where nurses are valued will enhance the healthcare services offered to patients.

The nursing workforce faces a different challenge: the current multigenerational group of nurses who all display different types of characteristics when it comes to how individuals address work, their values, and needs. Retention strategies tailored to accommodate these sorts of differences will become important in the future when it comes to reducing strikes.

Improve Human Resource Data Collection

The Department of Healthcare has identified the collection and analysis of human resource data within the nursing industry as a key strategic objective in their strategy towards 2030. Healthcare institutions, both private and public, should allocate resources to improve their ability to process and analyse data within their entities.

Additionally, big data can enable HR to identify employee patterns and trends and develop programs to improve retention and reduce expenditure. Analysing HR data can promote a more diverse and inclusive culture by monitoring parameters such as the diversity of new hires and the level of pay equity among nurses.

This data, in turn, can be used to advise and support managers on where nurses can be developed, supported, and engaged, thus creating an environment where there are more minor strikes and more nurses remaining in the industry. Human resource analytics enables institutions to be more informed and, in turn, more strategic.

High-Quality Nursing Services

We can help you make the most of your healthcare staffing needs by providing flexible, quality services that work within your budget. We offer a comprehensive range of nursing services with an excellent standard of service excellence that we know will empower you to achieve success.

Visit our website to learn more about the Greys Nursing Services and contact us today about our labour-hire and recruitment solutions.

Nursing organisations can take advantage of using flexible and permanent healthcare staffing. You can access talented nursing staff by outsourcing your nursing services through an industry leader like Greys Nursing Services. Our company provides our clients with nursing services and access to qualified nursing staff to provide high-quality care.

Check out our article on Why Healthcare Providers are Outsourcing Their Nursing to learn more about nursing services.

Top HR Trends in 2022 and How They Affect Your Business

Top HR Trends in 2023 and How They Affect Your Business

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One way to keep up with trends in our industry is to research and understand trends in industries that share similarities. With new trends emerging almost daily, it’s essential to keep your HR department up to date with the latest innovations and best practices.

Curiosity increases your ability to spot those early signs or “weak signals” of the next big trend in business. Being curious, staying on the cutting edge, searching for new trends and sourcing the latest news is extremely important to discover fresh opportunities for your company. We at MASA are forward-thinking and look to these industry trends to guide our staffing solutions.

“Follow sound business trends, not fashion trends.” Janice Dickinson

By keeping up with what’s happening in your industry, you can keep up with the times and grow your business. Technological innovations are changing faster than any organisation can handle, and staying relevant in competitive business environments could come down to the slimmest of margins.

Let us explore the top human resources (HR) trends in 2023 and beyond! If you’re looking for a way to stay ahead of the competition, contact MASA today to leverage cutting-edge staffing solutions.

Industrial Relations are an integral part of the South African economy

Businesses and industries are undergoing massive infrastructure changes to keep pace with progress and constantly strive to provide their customers with the most advanced approaches. The following list highlights some of the top trends the human resource sector is currently seeing and how they may impact your staffing solutions and industrial relations.

1) AI and Machine Learning

As companies adapt to new norms, technology solutions across different departments within organisations will become more of a need. More and more employees are using artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily activities, a trend that will continue to grow in HR in 2022.

Technological advancements in HR will change the way departments run. As a business investment, this makes AI-driven HR solutions an attractive choice. The implementation of AI in HR can improve every aspect of today’s workforce, from hiring and training to increased employee engagement and retention. Some of the main ways AI will make HR decisions smarter in 2022 include the following:

  • Improved employee-employer interactions
  • More efficient recruitment strategies
  • Greater information exchange
  • Increased talent acquisition
  • Facilitating learning and development programmes

2) Skills-based Recruitments

Skills-based recruitment is the practice of finding and selecting candidates based on the combination of specific and cross-cutting skills required to perform the job rather than focusing on experience and qualifications. The focus is on building teams of workers with different skills that drive business results with an outcome-based approach.

Skill-based hiring gives employees a chance to be seen and drive innovation within their teams and the company. With new technologies in the workplace and increased domestic needs, 2022 is a crucial year for skills development in South Africa. In 2021, LinkedIn recently launched Skills Path, a skills-based hiring framework that aims to connect employers and people in the job market by identifying critical competencies for vacant positions.

3) Calls for Hybrid Environments

Global research shows that 72% of business leaders plan to offer a hybrid model. Work still takes place around the physical office, allowing businesses to stay informed and initiated, but employees can work from home for a certain number of days per week.

Companies turning a blind eye to these in-demand working strategies will find that employee turnover will continue to rise as hybrid and remote work becomes the norm for knowledge workers as they seek employers who offer these arrangements.

Many executives are unfamiliar with managing a decentralised team of people working in various ways, such as office-based, hybrid, telecommuting, and remote sales. Finding a solution that caters for your specific business needs is essential.

To maintain a business, a hybrid office needs to keep the following in mind:

  • Implement a ‘hot desk’ system
  • Create spaces for face-to-face meetings
  • Keeping hours open

4) Mental Health a Key Driver

In 2022, elements such as work-life balance, well-being, connection, and collaboration will be critical to employee satisfaction. A key focus will be ensuring the physical and mental health of the workforce. If the COVID pandemic has taught organisations anything, it is that people are resilient. However, they remain people susceptible to the external stresses of global pandemics and, more recently, the threats of World Wars caused by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The role of HR includes protecting the health of an organisation’s employees, which is why one of the enduring trends for HR managers is investing in mental health and wellness programs. With the ‘Great Resignation’ making headlines, companies may feel the need to invest and start supporting the mental health of their workers by introducing mental health awareness into the company culture.

5) Shorter Work Weeks

A few countries have recently been testing the implementation of shorter workweeks.  The general theory behind the shorter week is that happier and more satisfied employees are more focused on their work. UK companies are also experimenting with a four-day week, hoping to get the same level of production in fewer hours.

Certain industries might not find it ideal to move towards a four-day working week, such as the manufacturing sector, where success is often measured by what they produce each day or for teachers. There have been noticeable benefits such as reducing companies’ carbon footprints as less travelling into the office is required.

South African companies have yet to explore a reduction in working hours. Still, with other countries testing the concept, it might not be long before larger corporates may jump onto the bandwagon.

6) Welcome the Chief Purpose Officer

C-Suite executives might be introducing a new position in the coming 12-months, with many global companies becoming more focused on creating purpose-driven cultures. Companies could implement this new position called the Chief Purpose Officer to demonstrate a company’s role in society and the environment. Companies typically spread these elements across HR, Legal and Communications and CSI managers.

53% of South African millennials say they have changed their relationship with a company because of a product or service’s environmental or social impact.

The Chief Purpose Officer will need to ensure that people, both internally and externally, are communicated with on a deeper level. Companies will assess their current impact to determine if the need exists to create a position of this nature.

Authentic purpose could drive future staffing solutions

As businesses move forward in new and exciting times, the pandemic has left companies with plenty to think about. What is certain is that established trends leave behind a trail of data that can be assessed and used to make informed future decisions; it will help you respond to new trends.

MASA strives to be an industry leader with all its human resource solutions.

We have identified these trends; you need to figure out the relative value of these trends to your business needs. Trends originating in one sector often migrate to other industries or between disciplines within the same industry. At MASA, we look at providing our clients with a competitive advantage by delivering specialised, industry-specific knowledge, expertise and tailored staffing solutions.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in a range of industries, be sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA.

Check out our article on The ‘Great Resignation’: Why Staffing Solutions are the Future of Business to learn more about this topic.

10 benefits of outsourcing staff during peak season

Being Flexible in Business Brings Success – Here’s 9 reasons why!

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One of the major benefits of working with a staffing agency is the flexibility it provides your business in its hiring process. How does working with a staffing solutions agency deliver that?

Well, their expert recruiters will handle most tasks in the recruitment process on your behalf. This can include conducting research to learn about your open roles, identifying qualified candidates, checking their references, qualifying their skills and abilities, and ultimately presenting short-listed candidates to you — you will then meet with these candidates to conduct further interviews.

Your recruitment agency partner can then provide support and insights to help guide you through selecting a final candidate.

Ultimately, staffing agencies offer a highly flexible solution that can bring immeasurable value to your company, and this article explores nine reasons why companies work with them.

If you would like to connect with a leading staffing agency in South Africa, contact MASA today for a truly personalised solution tailored to fit your needs.

Why Companies Use Staffing Agencies

Deciding whether leveraging professional recruiting services is right for your business will be based on a variety of factors, such as:

  • Company preferences
  • Urgency
  • Budget
  • Hiring needs
  • In-house capabilities (just to name a few).

After weighing the pros and cons of recruiting agencies, many companies identify that outsourcing staffing services is the most strategic and cost-effective move. This could be for various reasons, such as not having the resources for in-house recruiting or simply feeling that the advantages of using a recruiting firm outweigh the benefits of doing it on their own.

However, staffing agencies are more than just recruitment businesses. Over the years, these companies have evolved to provide their clients with access to a wide range of workforce solutions that can help them increase productivity without hiring new staff members or outsourcing some aspects of their business operations.

This flexibility is one of the leading benefits companies can enjoy when working with a staffing solutions agency. Here are some other benefits of working with a staffing solutions agency:

Staffing solutions are scalable

Meaning that if your company’s specific needs change, then the agency can quickly adopt these changes and help you meet them with ease.

Staffing agencies offer personalised hiring solutions

Working with a staffing agency that considers each client’s unique needs and goals is advantageous as this ultimately leads to overall happiness and success for each client.

Staffing agencies train their employees

Specifically for each client so that their employees can contribute to its vision and goals as quickly as possible. Staffing agencies excel in providing temporary workers on-demand for companies of all sizes, meaning that they will always meet your staffing needs with ease throughout each contract period.

Recruiting experience and expertise

Head hunters in a professional staffing agency are likely to have experience working with clients of various sizes operating in multiple industries. After interacting with a large volume and wide variety of clients and candidates, they’ve gained insights to help you identify and achieve your strategic workforce goals.

Guidance in forming your hiring strategy

Should you be looking for a contract-to-hire or direct hire candidate? How many employees should you be adding to your team to meet your workforce growth goals next year? What kinds of skills and personality traits should you be looking for in a particular role? If you’re not confident in your answers to these questions, a staffing agency can be a valuable tool for forming your future hiring strategy.

A wider pool of qualified candidates

One of the most incredible benefits of staffing agencies is their access to an enormous and ever-growing pool of candidates. A high-quality staffing agency attracts top-tier talent, with recruiters constantly expanding their professional networks.

At MASA, we often source and screen hundreds of candidates’ resumes for a single job opening to find the ideal fit, whereas a job posted by an in-house recruiting team may not get nearly the same volume of applications.

More free time

When you have to spend countless hours on tasks such as posting job openings, sourcing candidates, and screening resumes, your time and energy are taken away from other day-to-day responsibilities.

One advantage of employment agencies is that they handle most front-end recruiting processes, allowing in-house employees to focus on higher-return ventures for your business.

Expedited hiring process and faster candidate placement

A successful recruiting agency can help you get talent up and running more quickly through an expedited and streamlined hiring process. At MASA, our goal is to have a fully screened and qualified candidate for non-leadership roles as fast as possible.

With our optimised hiring process that places candidates faster, your new hire can be onboarded on a shorter timeline — meaning they can start producing value for your business sooner!

Reduced risk of new hire turnover

New hire turnover can be quite expensive. There are many hidden costs of a vacant position, especially the time and resources it takes to hire and train a new employee — and if they don’t work out, you have to do it all over again with their replacement.

When a staffing agency with a successful track record steps in to help you place the best candidates in the right roles the first time around, it increases retention rates and decreases turnover costs.

Other solutions that staffing agencies can provide are:

  • Recruitment services
  • HR services
  • Payroll services
  • Training and development services
  • Technology solutions

An outsourcing agency can tailor each of these solutions to meet your company’s specific needs. This means that you can get the most value for your money by working with a staffing solutions agency.

Experience the Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency Aligned with Your Needs

We’ve outlined just a few of the significant benefits of working with a staffing agency — but you won’t see success utilising a third-party recruitment firm if you aren’t working with the one that is the right fit for your business.

That’s where MASA comes in. We’ve continually ranked among the top staffing agencies in South Africa.

We hope outlining some of the major advantages of employment agencies helped you identify your hiring needs and if a staffing agency can help you accomplish them.

To learn more about the benefits of working with a staffing agency and what a relationship with MASA would look like for your business, contact us to connect with our team of experts and build your flexible staffing solution!

The Four Main Roles in Industrial Relations

The Four Main Roles in Industrial Relations

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One of the critical elements of a business that most people often overlook is employees’ internal relationships and communication with employers.

Companies cannot underestimate the importance of internal communication in a business: it ensures that your most valuable internal stakeholders – your employees – are kept informed. That information is presented in a way that keeps your most valuable external stakeholders such as the government and trade unions involved.

Industrial relations involve exchanging information between people who work in a team or organisation to achieve a common set of goals and objectives. It is very profitable to direct the company’s energy to customers and internal relations and communication between employees and other stakeholders.

The renowned author and former business executive, Seth Godin, said: “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.”

When used accordingly, strong labour relations can help prevent strikes and employee protests, provide a healthy work environment, increase productivity, and lead to improved industry growth. Industrial progress is impossible without labour cooperation and harmonious relations that can help benefit the entire economy.

Industrial Relations are an integral part of the South African economy

An industrial world is needed to increase production and ensure healthy relations between workers, employers, and trade unions through the effective implementation of policies from the government.

A leading staffing agency and labour broker like MASA offers a range of services, including managing collective bargaining, trade union liaison, strike management, disciplinaries & CCMA representation.

Expert labour brokers can facilitate collaborative consultation between employees, management and trade unions, which paves the way for industrial democracy and promotes organisational growth. Ultimately, this collaboration creates favourable conditions for positive negotiations and discussions on a reciprocal basis.

The structure of industrial relations

Samuel Gompers, an American and key labour union member in the late 1880s, suggested that three parties – employers, unions and government – are essential players in the modern industrial relations structures. With employees playing a vital role as well.

1) Employers

Employment relations broadly refers to the relationship between employer and employees and, as such, encompasses functions such as human resource management and union management. Adhering to best labour practices helps create a framework to manage employees better.

Many businesses invest more resources in building relationships with employees and keeping their workplaces healthy. Several studies have linked a company’s performance to the internal environments created in an organisation. The net result is improved revenues, higher efficiency, and greater productivity.

Employers must be willing to improve how they communicate with employees to provide a good employee experience. They can achieve this by maintaining strong relationships. An employer should treat employees fairly and value their efforts by creating a healthy work experience where employees feel empowered.

Employers must create a work environment that is free from jokes, comments, innuendo, and sexual conduct that may embarrass or offend employees. The objective is to bring comfortability and good relations into the workplace, allowing everyone to thrive.

2) Employees

Industrial Relations emphasises building employee confidence and boosting their morale to perform better than before. An employee’s perception may differ from how the employer sees them, so employee relationship management can help balance any views towards a more positive relationship between the two parties.

Employees must maintain a courteous relationship with their employer for these reasons. This positive relationship leads to an improved understanding of each other’s needs and expectations and creates harmony in the workplace.

Many employees struggle with social isolation, communication, and a sense of belonging. Internal communications can help bridge the transparency gap and empower employees to trust and work towards our shared corporate values ​​and mission. Respecting company policies should be at the forefront of every employee as these guide how to conduct oneself in a business setting.

3) Government

The government assumes the role of guarantor of employment and economic planning.  One can view the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) as the government’s contribution to managing employer-employee relationships. It is one of several policies and acts drafted as part of their contribution to maximise and provide the fair management of industrial relations.

Essentially, government benefits from industrial relations as a safe working environment helps to increase employee and employer satisfaction. The South African government has implemented other policies, including the Employment Equality Act, The Skills Development Act, and the Labour Relations Act.

This legislation, coupled with other employee relations programmes which vary by company size, location, industry, culture, and many other factors, can help strengthen the South African workforce and reduce unemployment levels in the country.

4) Trade Unions

Trade unions oppose the exploitation of workers and represent the interests of workers in labour relations by creating fair and equal bargaining powers between all parties concerned.

The various organised trade union movements in South Africa have engaged in a series of campaigns challenging the government on economic inequality, inadequate social security, and food and energy prices. Today, unions remain a significant force in South Africa, with 3.11 million members or 25.3% of the formal workforce; however, there is a global trend of declining union membership globally.

Unions can also help with other aspects of work-life, such as accompanying employees to disciplinary hearings and representing individuals and those part of bargaining councils in disputes with one’s employer. Some unions organise training, career development and social events. A necessary condition for unions to assume partnership responsibilities is that governments and employers recognise the right of workers to be represented by unions of their free choice.

Business is all about people and relationships

Industrial relations are designed to ensure mutual trust and good relations between employers and their employees and other related bodies. Collectively, these four role-players need to play their part to achieve fair and holistic industrial relationships.

These role players are responsible for ensuring that the country can face the triple threat problems of unemployment, poverty, and inequality. As the business climate changes, employee expectations change, and new technologies permeate the organisation, internal communication becomes a vital connecting factor. 

MASA can assist with a range of industrial relations solutions as we have done so for the past 40 years.

We provide industrial relation solutions across South Africa, with a network of regional offices spread across the country. We structure our services to maximise our client’s return on investment, ensuring you receive a high-quality service that takes your business to the next level.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in various industries, be sure to contact MASA today. You can gain an experienced staffing agency and labour broker on your side, allowing you to leverage the top employment and outsourcing services in South Africa

Check out our article on HR and IR: Why Blue-Chip Companies Prefer to Outsource if you want to learn more about this topic.

5 Ways to Boost Your Operations Using Temporary Drivers

MASA Specialist Drivers: The Value of Regional Networks

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Many of the companies we work with value the role of our regional network drivers. As trusted technical experts, we help them navigate areas where local knowledge is highly valued by identifying those that best suit their companies’ specific logistic needs. 

Generally, it is regarded that the interaction of innovative drivers within a local network increases the stock of regional knowledge, which leads to comparative advantages across the value chain.

“The amateurs discuss tactics: the professionals discuss logistics” Napoleon Bonaparte.

Every stakeholder in the supply chain system has a vital role in adding value to the logistics sector. In the transportation, freight and logistics sectors, the overall goal of the provider and any other stakeholder should be to add value to the customer needing to distribute their goods and to the end-user of the product. Value is defined as the outcomes important to the customer relative to the logistic costs of achieving those outcomes. 

This article discusses the value of regional networks in the transportation and logistics sector. If you are looking for a solution to your driving needs, contact MASA to connect with the leading driving specialists in your region.

 

Extensive Network of Specialist Drivers – Greater Service Levels

Using regional networks can lead to greater service levels whilst potentially expanding the pool of drivers. MASA has set up four regional offices to take advantage of these local drivers, thus assisting companies with an end-to-end solution to solve localised issues. Our regional offices are based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth – giving companies a nationwide network to leverage for operations.

Improved Comparison of Rates, Availability and Services

MASA builds distribution networks considering all critical services in the value chain. One of the main factors is the driver cost includes the sourcing and hiring process expenses. The existing regional distribution network provides simplicity and efficiency. It increases the availability of products (geographically), which reduces the costs and problems associated with the required time and capital needed to offer a high-quality service.

Rates of drivers based on a regional basis can provide ease of measurement and assist with assessing profitability as figures are comparable based on differing geographical information. Truck drivers in your larger metropolitan areas earn slightly more than those outside these areas. For example, a heavyweight (9 001kg – 16 000kg) truck driver in Johannesburg would make R5 535.62 compared to a driver outside this area who would earn R5 264.60.

Understanding and reducing these logistical costs could reduce the cost burden faced by consumers.

Improved Deliveries with Faster Last-Mile Delivery Options

Peak-hour traffic congestion in almost all large and growing metropolitan regions, including Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, is here to stay. A company having access to local drivers could be the difference of goods arriving on time or missing the scheduled drop-off. 

Drivers who understand the traffic congestion problems in local areas are better equipped at ensuring that the necessary targets are met by having insight into these problematic areas. With more than 80% of South African goods transported by road, the country must have sound infrastructure. It is vital for drivers to understand the small nuances to navigate these roads, where regional knowledge comes in handy.

Access to a Larger Pool of Drivers

With companies moving towards a more digital-based approach, building a database of local drivers is essential. Companies will have access to readily available and predictable capacity over the long term and which is accessible on-demand. Knowing where drivers are based is crucial for making critical recruitment decisions.

Value chains with high levels of extra-regional trade have more potential to be reduced than already localised ones. In addition, manufacturers should consider the capacity of local delivery services, which may rely on a pool of drivers. With a larger talent pool, it becomes even more important for recruiters to better understand the talent profiles beyond the resume to ensure the right driver fills the position.

Tailored Customer Experiences

Building a functioning regional distribution network increases customer satisfaction and offers better feedback. When determining the structure of a regional distribution network, important factors include product requests, customer service quality, product variety and availability, response time and the overall return on investment.

MASA’s Specialist Drivers Division focuses on providing our clients with a bespoke solution that caters to various industries looking to improve their operations by creating value using our extensive network of drivers.

MASA has nationwide offices and a regional network in each major province

Our national footprint and wealth of expertise allow us to deliver the finest temporary workers for any industry or sector. We have supplied numerous companies with world-class drivers over the past 40 years. With such a widespread network of regional offices, we can efficiently operate when meeting our client’s needs. Having a more extensive network of drivers leads to logistics efficiency, and maintaining these levels of efficiency can make the difference during times of market uncertainty.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new employees for your company.

If you require assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in a range of industries, be sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA with a strong presence in the driving sector.

Check out our article on How to Survive and Thrive in South Africa’s Truck Driver Shortage to learn more about this topic.

demed employment: what companies should know before outsourcing staff

The Rise of Fake Staffing Agencies in South Africa

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Hiring is usually a two-way process between the potential employee and the employer. However, it is becoming popular to outsource the recruitment function to third-party recruitment agencies. With this comes the rise of the fake staffing agencies – scammers who look to take advantage of unsuspecting victims seeking employment in the South African job market.

MASA has been offering recruitment services for over 40 years and has built up a credible track record with clients who rely on these specialised outsourced services. We see how scams negatively impact recruiting agencies and the employment industry as companies and job seekers become less trusting in these services.

“Most scams are absurd – so absurd that one wonders how anyone falls for them at all; yet if no one falls for them, how do the scammers make money?” James Veitch

South Africans face an uphill battle with these sorts of scams. Given the nature of the high unemployment rate, scammers are targeting more people who are desperately looking for work, thus making them easy targets.

This article explores the rise of fake staffing agencies in South Africa and what companies and job seekers can do to stay above these scams. 

If you are looking for a credible solution for your employment needs, contact MASA to partner with a trusted staffing agency with over 40 years of industry experience.

Sugar looks like salt, don’t trust everything if you see

Just because something is perceived as one way does not always mean that it is. Sometimes the need to question authenticity is required; if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. More and more fake staffing agencies have been popping up, and those seeking out employment services need to be more vigilant than ever before.

Typical scams to look out for inclusion are not limited to the following, as scammers are continuously coming up with new ways to take advantage of people and companies. With social media platforms becoming more and more popular ways for people to connect, scammers are using these large networks of people to share information at the click of a button.

We all, at some point, know of someone looking for a job with a rising urgency and desperation. Fictitious recruitment companies operate by reaching out to as many people as possible, and it takes one professional-looking email or message to get involved with one of them. Many victims will invest irreplaceable time, energy and money before realising what is happening, and it often takes the authorities even longer to shut down these scam operations.

Fake Job Applications and Interviews

In some workplace scams, the fake staffing agency sends an initial job offer or links to factitious job advertisements. Fraudsters target job seekers by listing non-existent jobs in the hope of getting money or personal details to use in identity theft. One should be slightly wary if the application is overly simple or if you are offered a job immediately without providing much information about yourself or your career history.

An employment agency without testimonials, referrals or verifiable reviews is an easy red flag to spot. Job seekers should always be wary of such details before they input personal information on any platform, especially in today’s digital age.

Sign Up for Trial Periods

Fake recruitment agencies tell applicants they have been shortlisted as two possible candidates who potentially will have an opportunity to work for the company after completing a trial period for a specific time. The company’s name and website seem legitimate, but it is a ploy for scammers to obtain the candidates’ personal information.

The POPIA Act in South Africa has made this more difficult. However, it is still vital for job seekers to actively check and verify if the process is legitimate before passing on sensitive personal information such as ID numbers, personal addresses, and banking details.

Pay for Item Scams

Popular employment scams are when scammers ask job seekers to make an upfront payment in the form of an “administration fee” for job placement. Asking about any aspect of the service, including general terms and conditions and the total cost, is essential to distinguish whether the offered service is legitimate.

If a company wants to get a cash advance from you in exchange for a job, it’s illegal in South Africa and most likely a scam. It is a popular way for people to be duped out of some money, as they believe they are receiving assistance to find a job. In Mpumalanga back in 2017, 75 unemployed youth paid up to R610 000.00 after being offered positions to work for the Department of Health after enrolling at a nurse training college.

Outlandish Job Offers

These specific scams tend to focus on job descriptions and pay scales that seem far better than what the market is currently offering for the advertised role. The most obvious thing to look for is the market-related salary. Conducting some research is vital to know what companies are paying other people in a similar field for the same work.

Other potential indicators are high-paying incomes with part-time hours. These jobs are advertised as potential “get rich quick” opportunities that should raise red flags.

How to Spot a Scam

Scams have created mistrust in the industry, and it is crucial for companies and people to work with accredited agencies verified as legitimate businesses. One way to do this is to do a thorough background check on the company before using its services. This check could include visiting their website, asking, and contacting references.

Using legitimate platforms where employers and recruiters need to pay to advertise for positions is a good indicator to look out for as there is some credibility. However, this is not always the case. Some scammers can be challenging to spot as those posting the jobs often use information from legitimate companies and use details they find online, making it difficult to spot a fake.

Fightback against scammers

Both companies and potential candidates should remain wary of potential scams that might be going on. Stats SA fell victim to one such agency and sent out a warning message via its website for people to remain vigilant for such antics. Coca-Cola has recently undergone employment fraud, indicating that even the most prominent brands are potential targets to these organised criminals.

It is important to report incidents of such nature to the relevant parties or the police. MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new employees for your company.

If you require assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in a range of industries, be sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA.

Check out our article on 5 Reasons Why South African Companies Need Top Staffing Solutions to learn more.

minimising the impact of strike action through labour based staffing solutions

Minimising the Impact of Strike Action Through Labour-based Staffing Solutions

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How to Minimize Strike Action Effect through Labour-based Staffing Solutions

 

Over the years, South Africa has experienced a barrage of labour strike action across various sectors. Many businesses have felt the effects of worker protests in the country, including the warehousing, transport, logistics and manufacturing industries.

So, what can businesses do to try and minimise this risk in a country that experiences economic volatility from strikes and industrial action? Well, partnering with an expert staffing agency may be the right solution.

Hiring labour staff through a staffing agency ensures that companies can focus on their core business functions while ensuring that industrial action does not impact vital operations. It only makes sense to outsource labour, and slowly, companies are becoming more aware of this fact.

This article explores the effects of strike action on businesses and their employees and how your company can rise above the challenges through staffing solutions.

If you would like to learn more about leveraging expert staffing solutions, contact MASA today and connect with a leading staffing agency and labour broker in South Africa and beyond.

The effects of strikes on businesses and employees

Strikes in South Africa are becoming more common, affecting the local economy and businesses and employees alike. Strikes by unhappy workers could further strain employment relationships between both parties and affect the overall teamwork and profitability of the company.

Companies can also suffer from production and financial losses, negatively impacting consumer confidence and trust. What effect does this have on the employers?

Effects on employers

Whether a strike is legal or illegal, it will affect the business. Therefore, it is imperative for employers to know their rights and keep up to date with current labour laws and legislation.

Some businesses may hire workers to replace the striking employees and perhaps increase shifts if the strike continues for an extended period. It is essential that part-time/temporary workers have a contract by law.

The employer does not have to pay striking workers for days not worked. If the strike is illegal, this could constitute a fair dismissal.

Effects on employees

Striking employees belonging to a union may be obligated to strike when the union determines. They could be at risk of losing not only wages but benefits such as medical aid insurance and sick and holiday pay if the strike drags on for an extended period.

If an employee is a union member and does not want to partake in the strike, they could be at risk of being intimidated by union members. Members belonging to a union in a legal strike are generally protected from dismissal.

Effects on the economy

The economy will feel the effects of striking in the immediate and long term future as strikes are appearing to re-occur in some sectors and, in some cases, have become violent. The South African economy is vulnerable at this point, and striking season could harm the country’s investment reputation internationally.

Economists agree that it is difficult to calculate the effect of strikes on the economy, but it is clear that they are adetrimental to the country and its workers. GDP growth will be affected, and the consequences of higher wages in specific sectors would inevitably lead to higher inflation.

To minimise your risk of industrial action, you should consider partnering with a staffing solutions agency that ensures well-vetted potential employees and can assist in the process of employment to allow you to focus on your core business functions.

Labour outsourcing provides a smooth process of employment from recruitment to placement.

Labour Outsourcing & Labour Broking are not to be confused

Many don’t understand that labour broking and labour outsourcing are different. Here are the key differences:

  • Labour broking – temporary employees are provided work for a fixed contract period. Labour broking includes no extra benefits for the employee, and they are no longer employed when the contract ends.
  • Labour outsourcing – outsourced employees are added to your active workforce with all the perks of a permanent employee. Even if there is a fixed-term contract in place, the employee is simply deployed to another business or project once it expires. Alternatively, the company can decide to renew the contract with that specific employee.

It’s all about Focusing on Your Core Business Functions

It’s highly beneficial to outsource labour to a trusted staffing agency with experience and a working understanding of the complexities and legalities of human resources. Key role players in the business are then able to focus on growing their core business while enjoying the support benefits of an HR team that’s effective and efficient.

There’s absolutely no reason to believe that outsourcing labour to a staffing specialist means losing control over the business.

Staffing issues, activities, administrative tasks, and various other HR functions don’t generate profits for the business, but they do take time. By outsourcing labour, companies can save time and money.

A company that handles its staffing in-house often has to struggle with poor fits, underperforming, and even those that don’t fit in with the culture and values of the business.

When labour is outsourced, the staffing agency will be responsible for replacing workers that don’t perform or fit in. They will also handle all HR and employment-related matters of the staff members they provide.

The outsourced staff members are bound by the terms of their private contract with the outsourcing firm and are less likely to be involved in strike action.

The MASA Services Difference

At MASA Services, we take our labour outsourcing function seriously. We understand just how important it is to work with staff members that are right for the job. Contact us today if you want assistance with labour outsourcing or similar matters!

Also, if you would like to learn more about our expert staffing solutions and labour outsourcing expertise, check out our article on How to Cut Down Labour Costs Through Temporary Staffing.

How to Nail Your Payroll in 2022 | 8 Advantages of Outsourced Human Resources

How to Nail Your Payroll in 2022

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Whether you’re thinking about expanding your business or simply scaling it, payroll processing might be giving you headaches. It’s a complex and time-consuming process, and there’s no room for mistakes. Fees, taxes, and employee compensation are way too much for one person to handle, or even a few people, if your business is on a larger scale.

 

So, what could be the right solution to your troubles?

 

Doing payroll in-house may not be possible for small business owners because their budget is limited, and they can’t hire full-time employees to take care of it. And if you’re going global, opening a local entity is also out of the question since it’s too costly and time-consuming.

 

How about outsourcing your payroll, then?

 

In this article, you’ll learn why outsourcing your payroll can be a powerful idea for your business in 2022 as well as how to nail your payroll in 2022. If you would like to get more immediate assistance with your payroll needs this year, contact MASA today for specialised payroll services.

 

What is a payroll services company?

 

Although some employers have an in-house payroll department and process payroll through manual bookkeeping or software, some companies prefer to outsource payroll services to a third-party company specialising in payroll management.

Payroll specialists like the MASA Payroll Services division typically use expert software solutions to streamline and automate your payroll process and make it error-free. Their tasks include more than simply making payments to your employees.

 

Here’s what payroll providers do:

  • Process direct deposits to your employees’ accounts
  • Ensure that payroll taxes and deductions are calculated accurately in compliance with local tax regulations
  • Track employee attendance and hours spent working so they can calculate correct paychecks and wages
  • Keep records of your payroll
  • Process wage garnishments
  • Implement your employee benefit plan

 

Payroll service providers can take a lot off your HR department’s plate, and this is only one of the benefits that outsourcing payroll services can have for your business.

Here’s a detailed overview of how outsourcing your payroll can optimise your internal processes and help your company thrive in 2022.

 

It’s cost-effective

 

Outsourcing payroll functions can dramatically reduce the costs of running payroll. How so?

Here’s an example. Unless you’re a developer, you’d need a lot of time to learn how to build a website and maintain it, pay for hosting and other software you may need, and you may still end up with a malfunctioning website and having spent a lot of money for nothing.

The same goes for handling payroll. If you choose to do it yourself, you need to pay the person in charge, cover software licenses and renewals, and more. But if you delegate this part of your business to the right payroll provider, paying for their services can turn out to be cost-saving in reality.

 

It saves time

 

As a business owner, you need to focus on what’s required to grow your business. However, payroll is not one of the core functions of your business. You don’t need to spend hours and days calculating employee pay and benefits when you can easily outsource this service to professionals who can do it in less time and still bring you a good ROI.

Time savings are invaluable when you’re on tight deadlines and have no substantial knowledge of processing payroll. By using an outsourced payroll provider, you’ll make more time to spend doing what a CEO is supposed to do.

 

It gives you access to expertise

 

Payroll experts keep tabs on the latest trends, new software solutions, and best practices in payroll management, so you can know for sure that your payroll system is optimised at any given moment.

They can also conduct regular checks to confirm that the data is accurate and up-to-date and your documentation is compliant. That way, your company won’t raise any red flags with tax authorities or call for a needless audit from them.

 

It helps you take care of tax filing

 

Taxes can be a tiresome task on your to-do list, especially if you’re expanding your business and hiring from countries around the world. It would take a lot of time and effort to study all the different legislations you have to comply with regarding mandatory employee benefits for each country, tax deadlines, workers’ compensation, and more.

Not to mention the fines and IRS penalties you may face if you make a payroll mistake and miscalculate the taxes. However, this is a responsibility an outsourced payroll provider can quickly take over for you and make sure your global payroll is entirely compliant.

 

It gives you peace of mind

 

Whether they’re in charge of a start-up or a corporation, business owners inevitably have to deal with a lot of stress. You need to make dozens of critical business decisions daily, so having a reliable payroll partner can give you peace of mind, at least regarding employee salaries, taxes, compliance, and related matters.

Reduced risk in this aspect of a business enables you to redirect your energy to core activities and business planning, where your role is crucial.

 

It improves employee experience

 

Payroll errors commonly occur when the person handling your payroll is not an expert or has too many responsibilities to approach them with the necessary diligence. These mistakes can result in inaccurate or late payments to the employees, affecting their overall employee experience in a great measure.

A good payroll provider can contribute tremendously to your employee retention strategy, even if you run huge teams where everyone has different contracts, wages, pay periods, etc. This point is especially valid for global companies, where managers need to work hard to retain talent: payments made timely and correctly are the least you can offer to your workforce.

 

It sets free your HR and finance department, employees

 

Different businesses have different structures, but in most of them, HR or financial department workers are in charge of payroll.

However, processing payroll is a time-consuming task and may stop you from using the full potential your employees in these positions have. By outsourcing payroll services and automating most payroll-related procedures, you allow them to focus more on planning, optimising processes, and increasing their productivity as individuals and teams.

And you’ll decrease the risk of losing your best employees because they feel overworked!

 

It eliminates unnecessary paperwork

 

When running payroll manually, or even if you use software solutions, you typically need to collect and keep a lot of documentation. That seems to work fine when you have a small team, but what happens when you scale your business? 

You get buried under a ton of paperwork, and it becomes easy to lose track of tax forms, contracts, and other vital documents.

Switching to an outsourced payroll provider can solve this issue since they’re in charge of managing your documentation and keeping your payroll records organised and accessible whenever you need them.

 

It provides exceptional data security

 

As third-party payroll providers have to handle plenty of outsourced data, they also need to ensure high security for their clients. Note that this could be one of the primary questions to ask when looking for the right payroll company – how do they keep employee information safe and prevent leakage or hackers getting into their databases?

Another point is outsourcing this type of service due to a reduced risk of embezzlement and identity theft. In companies with in-house payroll processing, employees in the payroll department have access to employee data on the company level, which increases the chances of someone tampering with it.

 

Nail your payroll in 2022

 

Now that you have a fresh perspective on payroll, you can effortlessly solve your payroll challenges with careful planning and defining your business needs in advance.

Take your time to explore the available options that we offer and allow MASA Payroll Services to help you choose the right deal for your business needs.

You can visit our webpage for more information, or if you want to learn more about payroll, check out our article on the Essential Functions of Outsourced Payroll Operations.

 

5 reasons why south african companies need top staffing solution

5 Reasons Why South African Companies Need Top Staffing Solutions

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Companies depend on human resources services to provide talented workers who can meet a wide range of needs. Staffing agencies can play a vital role in helping companies find, retain, and further develop talent.

A specialised staffing agency that provides a complete staffing solution is needed when you need to expand your full-time roster quickly. Staffing agencies can also help minimise the risk and cost of replacing employees with MASA’s temporary-to-full-time hiring solutions.

The main reasons people go to recruiting agencies are the lack of talent and the inability of the company to achieve the expected growth. In the current economic situation, companies face many challenges, hence the need for staffing solutions to cater to different needs.

Before finding quality employees, you need to choose a staffing agency that suits your business. Consider a staffing agency as a wholesale business – you will get rid of all the extra packaging that your company would hire by hiring a recruitment agency, HR agency and human resources specialists to employ employees.

“Hire Character. Train Skill.” Peter Schutz

It All Starts with a Staffing Solution

South African companies currently face the reality of several staffing issues that they could solve with the correct implementation of a robust staffing solution that aligns with its strategic objectives.

1) Rising Resignation Rates

The ‘Great Resignation’ trend is moving across the globe, leaving no industry or sector unturned. The term describes the unprecedented number of quitters last year, linked to workers breaking out of burnout, finding more meaning in their jobs, and finding employment in healthier places.

Employees are becoming more aware of what makes them tick and want to feel valued in the workplace. Companies are currently being left with record turnover rates as employees break away from the norms and focus on areas they believe are essential to their overall well-being.

2) Talent Flight

Employees are looking at alternative employment options outside of the South African borders, with more and more people exploring opportunities in foreign countries. Given the mobility of today’s youth and the desire to make an immediate impact, full employment of top talent is becoming critical to employee retention.

With a growing gig economy, younger generations are taking greater risks and prefer to work freelance, allowing for greater freedom and more effortless movement between different countries. While money is often one of the reasons employees leave a company, it’s often not the only reason.

With stronger foreign currencies and higher potential earning opportunities, moving to another country is becoming an attractive option. Many companies seem to be encouraging talent flight without giving employees enough reason to stay.

They are also seconding employees to foreign branches and have not been able to retain employees at the end of their contracts. Creating incentive programmes to return to South Africa’s shores to transfer valuable skills learnt during these periods could potentially solve the talent flight problem.

3) Shortage of Skilled Workers

South Africa is currently experiencing a surplus of unskilled labour rather than a severe shortage of skilled workers. 30% of South African employers cited a lack of industry qualifications or certificates for skilled trades as a problem. The shortage of skills is directly related to the fact that the labour force cannot meet the demand for employment in the economy; this can also be called a “labour shortage.”

Compared to the country’s financial capital status, the lack of skills means it is challenging to develop the economy because it does not have the capital (in terms of skilled workers) to grow. There is an extensive debate around the different stakeholders that the chronic skills shortage and the inability of the education and training system to meet the current and future needs of the economy.

One area identified as problematic is the number of students at higher institutions who are not directly involved in the critical STEM areas of study, including science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The growing skills shortage has prompted employers to look for innovative ways to address the skills problem, starting with implementing at a Basic Education level.

4) Fake Staffing Agencies

Over the years, there have been several different scams where con artists try to convince both companies and individuals to use their services. Scams have included fake job applications, sign up for trial periods, and pay for item scams. These scams have created mistrust within the industry, emphasising why it is crucial to work with verified and accredited agencies.

Scammers often advertise that they can guarantee job applicants. Technically, all the average agency can do is consider you for potential jobs, refer you to clients, and hopefully get you interviews where you can sell yourself. In some recruitment scams, the fake staffing agency sends an initial job offer or links to fictitious job advertisements. Watching out for outlandish job offers is one way to test the validity of such opportunities.

According to South African law, a candidate should not pay for employment in any position. The most alarming red flag of scammers at work is asking a candidate for money upfront. In other cases, fake recruitment agencies may ask you to pay a registration fee so they can process your application or ask you to pay a certain amount of money to get a job. Stats SA fell victim to one such agency and sent out a warning message via its website for people to remain vigilant for such antics.

5) Foreign Worker Quotas

Local is lekker is a term South Africans have become accustomed to when it comes to buying local products, but the same could be said for the employment and development of the local workforce. In a country where the unemployment rate is touching 35%, developing local talent is becoming a necessity as the brain drain of skilled workers is becoming critical.

South Africa plans to introduce job quotas for foreign nationals as the government grapples with record unemployment and a resurgence in anti-immigrant sentiment. These quotas are meant to ensure that more jobs are reserved for South Africans to reduce the climbing unemployment rate.

There is a wide range of opinions regarding the matter. Economist Dowie Rudt was quoted as saying, “There was no point in expelling foreigners in an attempt to create jobs for South Africans.”

The policy gives the Director-General of Labour the power to seek a fine of up to R100,000 from the Labour Court for any business whose foreign employee appointment does not meet the newly introduced quota. South Africa will also impose various obligations on employers and foreigners to impart skills to residents.

Staffing Solutions – It’s not a one size fits all solution

People are your company’s biggest asset and can give your business a competitive edge. We will provide a one-stop solution for all staffing solution needs. At MASA, we understand our clients and are determined to give you the best possible solution to your problem.

The overall value of building a solid working relationship with a reputable company is that you have access to HR professionals who will help you find the right mix of talent to achieve your business goals and save you time and money.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new drivers for your transport and logistics company.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in a range of industries, be sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA.

Check out our article “What Does Your Ideal Staffing Solution Look Like?” to learn more about leveraging the right staffing solutions in South Africa and beyond.

how to excel in the south african goods transportation sector

How to Excel in the South African Goods Transportation Sector

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Transport systems in South Africa form the backbone of socio-economic activities. In 2020, the South African transport, storage, and communication sector contributed roughly 231,9 billion rands towards the gross domestic product. In 2021, South Africa shipped close to 100 million tons of cargo. 

One of the goals of the transport system is to create a fully integrated transport and information system that ensures smooth, efficient, and transparent passenger and cargo logistics in South Africa, regionally and globally.

The International Growth Centre based in London reported that African companies could spend up to twice as much for road transportation costs as their counterparts in Southeast Asia and where landlocked countries experience even higher costs. This is caused by several problems, including potholed roads, paramilitary checkpoints, and additional hours spent at border posts which are inefficiently managed.

South Africa plays a significant role in transporting goods within its own borders and provides a gateway for many other countries south of the equator. This creates a need for freight and logistic companies across South Africa to develop innovative, cost-saving mechanisms to decrease the cost of transporting goods. 

One key area to look at would include the reviewal of staffing solutions within the industry, which could increase the efficiency of the business and lead to companies excelling within the sector.

‘“Professionally trained drivers are in high demand as the industry aims to regain the losses suffered under the various lockdown levels and stifled economy.” – Arnoux Maré, Innovative Learning Solutions.

This article explores how staffing solutions can help companies excel in the goods transportation sector. Contact MASA to leverage specialist drivers in your industry if you’re looking for a solution to your transportation and logistics needs.

Staffing Solutions that can help you succeed in the freight industry

Transportation costs are an essential component of overall supply chain costs. Supply chain and logistics managers must harness the potential of transport in terms of cost reduction opportunities. The value of integrations to improve efficiency should only increase as demand for transportation increases and companies pay more attention to improving the overall supply chain.

Freight forwarders need to understand how the state of the logistics industry will affect operations and why high-quality reporting, both internal and external, is essential for proper forecasting and planning. As technology continues to propel the industry forward at an ever-faster pace, more transport companies create their own specialised digital tools to meet their specific needs to excel within the sector.

However, as technology drives the industry forward, one of the critical element remains the person behind the wheel. According to Business Insider, South Africa in 2021 was experiencing a shortfall of about 3000 qualified truck drivers in the country. This shortfall was due to various factors, including several early retirements due to COVID-19 and the lack of access to quality training for new drivers to get licensed. With COVID having a significant negative impact on many industries, the transportation sector has been no different.

South Africa is often plagued with driver protests which sometimes lead to striking and violence. One of the major complaints is local drivers claiming that they are losing work to foreign nationals.  

Often companies, who play too close to the edge, look to use foreign nationals as a means or way to bypass the strict regulations in place and pay lower salaries resulting in fewer labour tensions. This has resulted in unhappy South African drivers; the government and private institutions are finding ways to improve the situation and make South African drivers more desirable to hire.

Training and Skills Development

Nearly every sector could be affected if the lack of drivers continued. They transport essential items such as coal, food, fuel and hospital equipment, and national supply chains cannot do without them. Companies looking to grow and excel in the sector should be investing heavily in the training of drivers to reduce the skills gap.

The training of drivers plays a vital role in the efficiency of deliveries. Companies could look at improving their drivers’ training and skills development, which would strengthen the overall talent pool of drivers within the industry. According to Arnoux Maré, training plays a vital role in the development of drivers. However, the focus should be on the technical skills of drivers and soft skills, including improved communications resulting in improved customer interactions.

Recruit Talented Drivers

The logistics market is competitive due to the presence of national and international transport and logistics companies. Recruiting the right drivers becomes a critical component as companies look to hire talented and competent drivers who are reliable, which improves overall productivity and positively influences the bottom line. Finding drivers who have the necessary skillsets to drive in different conditions will bring in the talent required to fill vacant driving positions.

 

One of the main ways transportation companies can improve the recruitment of truck drivers is through solid compensation packages. In February 2022, South Africa improved the national wages of drivers, and inexperienced drivers are likely to earn R5000.00 per month. In contrast, drivers with more experience are set to make between R10 000.00 and R15 000.00 per month.

Outsourced Logistics Departments

Outsourcing your logistics department, including fleet and drivers, becomes a cost-effective solution. Fortunately, the flexibility also allows fleet owners to gradually outsource and increase the number of outsourced functions as the business and fleet grow. These outsourced services will enable one to use their equipment and driver pool better. 

Many companies in the United States have been utilising this methodology to improve their overall operations for a significant period, often looking at taking across talented drivers from South Africa.

Outsourcing the recruitment process could improve overall productivity

At MASA, we exceed customer expectations with flawless recruiting and outsourced HR solutions. Our goal is to become a leading provider of personnel providing the best strategic solutions for our clients in a range of different industries. Our experienced operations team and driver staff allow us the flexibility to serve a diverse client base.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new drivers for your transport and logistics company.

The benefit of outsourcing your HR function is that it can help your strategies and improve your employee compensation plan. Outsourcing HR functions to a trusted vendor like MASA can help business owners understand and comply with these laws and regulations.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees, be sure to contact MASA. We are experts in the transportation industry allowing your company to leverage the leading staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA. 

 

Check out our article on How to Survive and Thrive in South Africa’s Truck Driver Shortage if you would like to learn more about navigating transportation and logistics driving in South Africa.

navigating hr and high employee turnover

Navigating HR and High Employee Turnover

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Employee turnover is a significant problem for many companies, as replacing staff and training new employees can cost companies thousands or even millions of rands. When your company experiences high employee turnover, it can impact the morale of the remaining employees. Turnover drains time, energy and essential resources, which your company could put to better use.

By focusing your energy on employee engagement, you can create a positive work environment that makes employees proud and encourages people to stay while avoiding the harmful effects of mass turnover. To grow your business effectively, you need to promote and reward the best results.

Understanding high employee turnover

 

Industries such as nursing, truck driving, and manufacturing face tough challenges in balancing happy employees within a competitive job market. Disengaged employees are not thinking about the outcomes of their work and succumb to complacency.

High employee turnover usually means that your employees are dissatisfied or unhappy with your company or teamwork. Once you find out that your company has a high employee turnover, you may find it difficult for your HR department to find valuable employees, thus highlighting the need to improve staff satisfaction. You can achieve this by using multiple strategies.

‘“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek

Research on employee turnover attempts to understand why individuals decide to leave an organisation. High employee satisfaction scores lead to increased employee retention, morale, engagement, and productivity, significantly contributing to the organisation’s financial performance.  

How to deal with it

When employee turnover gets too high, it becomes a significant issue that needs to be addressed, especially when high-level employees leave your company. Remaining focused on the business goals is crucial to assessing and overcoming challenges that any HR department faces.

Research has shown that companies with better time control and flexibility reduce employee turnover. When revenue is low, and engagement is high, it is easier for companies to attract the right talent for the job. In addition to the internal factors that make employees want to leave or stay, external factors can affect employee turnover.

When assessing whether your company’s turnover is high or low, consider your industry; for example, employee turnover in hotels is often much higher than in government jobs. Staffing solutions in different sectors require unique approaches to solving the problem. Ways to increase workplace engagement include:

  • creating a conducive work environment
  • respecting employees
  • providing opportunities for advancement
  • providing education and training. 

Research in nursing and other social services shows that revenues put financial pressure on organisations to hire and train new employees because hiring and training are more expensive than training existing staff (Shaw, Duffy, Johnson, and Lockhart, 2005). High employee turnover can hurt your company’s morale, delay essential projects, and beat your company to more than twice the average employee salary to find and train replacements.

Creating a positive employee experience can help reduce the amount of revenue by making people want to stay. The benefit of focusing on employee retention—in terms of boosting productivity, employee morale and job quality, and reducing both revenue and employee-related issues—is well worth the time and financial investment. 

When employees are happy and satisfied with the management and work culture, they go above and beyond to ensure the success of any business or organisation.

Investing in positive employee experiences has a direct impact on staff turnover rates. A company must develop programs to recognise and reward the best results for a job well done. Potential solutions to improve employee satisfaction includes promotion from within that keeps employees engaged in their work and often leads to an improvement in morale, which can help increase productivity.

Find your ideal solution to improve staff satisfaction and reduce turnover 

When it comes to employee turnover in your company, you can implement several effective strategies to reduce employee turnover. Don’t let turnover become a headache. At MASA, we have a range of staffing solutions for your needs. With MASA staff solutions, we aim to help companies navigate these challenges as we provide a holistic HR compass that can help overcome these situations.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new employees in your company.

The benefit of outsourcing your HR function is that it can help your strategies and improve your employee compensation plan. Outsourcing HR functions to a trusted vendor like MASA can help business owners understand and comply with these laws and regulations.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees, make sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA. 

Check out our article on the https://measuredability.com/office-admin-recruitment-3-strategies-we-use-to-hire-the-best/

the great resignation, why staffing solutions are the future of business

The ‘Great Resignation’: Why Staffing Solutions are the Future of Business

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The so-called great resignation’ is in full swing, with millions of people worldwide quitting their jobs. The pandemic has caused widespread panic and social upheaval, resulting in mass resignations.

But what are companies to do when they need staff but don’t want to risk hiring someone who might leave soon? Outsourced staffing solutions may be the answer.

Partnering with an experienced staffing agency can give companies the security and quality they need through outsourced staff. Current trends show that forward-think companies are outsourcing key business processes and finding ways to adapt to the new normal.

Staffing solutions are the future of business, and the rising resignation rate will only make that more apparent.

This article explores why this statement is true and how companies can benefit from partnering with a staffing agency. If you would like to learn more about the optimal staffing solutions for your business, contact MASA today to consult with trusted experts in the employment industry.

What is ‘the great resignation’ and how does it impact your business?

The term ‘the great resignation’ may seem exaggerated. However, Microsoft surveyed more than 31,000 workers worldwide and found that 41 percent of people are thinking of quitting their jobs. That is nearly half the global workforce.

With such a devastating epidemic, people’s priorities have changed, which has resulted in a record number of people quitting their jobs.

South Africa has a record-high unemployment rate of 34.9 percent in the third quarter of 2021, but specific sectors still lack the necessary skills to recover fully. These gaps in the job market suggest that well-trained South Africans can and will be more selective about the work they pursue following the pandemic.

Many workers feel overwhelmed and are resigning due to several reasons:

  • Burnout and stress
  • Seeking a sense of freedom from masks and other Covid regulations
  • Difficulty balancing the increase in work and home responsibilities
  • Toxic workplace cultures

According to the latest research by reward-management system Remchannel, this worldwide “great resignation” movement that has emerged in other regions of the globe, where workers voluntarily leave their jobs, is also happening in South Africa.

Here are a few ways that the rising resignation rates can affect your business:

  • You will lose staff with essential skills and talents that are hard to replace
  • Widespread resignations can affect your company’s productivity and customer service
  • Employee morale can also decline since everyone else has to work harder on fewer employees
  • If you have a high resignation rate, it may signify dissatisfaction within your business. It could also be a sign that your company is not doing well.

Ultimately, the goal is to keep your best employees and find a way to fill the gaps left by those who have resigned. If you can do this effectively and efficiently, you will be well on your way to success.

What can you do to prevent or mitigate the effects of the great resignation?

One of the most empowering solutions is partnering with an experienced staffing agency that can provide outsourced staff when you need them the most.

Outsourcing specific processes, such as staffing, can help you reduce the risk of high resignation rates and maintain business continuity during a global crisis like Covid-19.

That’s why staffing solutions are the future of business, and outsourcing is becoming more popular among companies.

Partnering with a staffing agency can help reduce the financial strain on your business, particularly in times of crisis and economic downturn. You won’t need to worry about hiring staff or additional training costs when working with an experienced staffing solutions partner like MASA.

Staffing agencies have the resources and expertise to help you find quality staff quickly and easily. They can also provide you with the support and guidance you need to maintain a productive and efficient workforce during times of social and economic turbulence.

For example, MASA’s clients are leading organisations constantly looking to outsource staffing solutions. They know that we share their values and have the experience, skills and resources needed to provide them with top talent every time.

An effective solution

When vacancies arise, the MASA team goes to work and contacts our database of qualified candidates at lightning speed. We know that your time is valuable, so we always aim to fill vacancies as quickly as possible without compromising quality.

MASA’s staffing solutions are also in line with Covid-19 safety protocols, which allows us to provide you with staff who are fully compliant with all health and safety measures.

An experienced staffing agency also makes it easier for you to scale up and down, which means you only pay for the staff services you need. This flexibility makes outsourced staffing solutions the more cost-effective option for most businesses.

If your business begins to experience a high resignation rate, staffing solutions can help keep your company productive during this challenging social and economic crisis.

The Great Recovery?

The COVID-19 pandemic may have brought serious challenges for businesses in South Africa and across the globe. Still, the companies focused on recovery can bounce back with renewed energy through the right staffing solution.

The bottom line is that outsourcing your staffing solutions can help you to reduce the risk of high resignation rates, maintain business continuity during a global crisis, and save money in the long run.

Consider outsourced staffing solutions. The future of your business may depend on it.

If you’re looking for a reliable partner who can provide you with quality staff when you need them the most, MASA is here to help. Contact us today to find out about our staffing solutions and how we can help you secure the future of your business.

Check out our article on 3 Powerful Benefits of an Expert Staffing Solution to learn more!