Authored by: Dr Mark Bussin, Exco Member of the South African Reward Association (SARA) 

December 9th is International Anti-Corruption Day, an annual event created by the United Nations in 2003 to raise awareness about corruption and how to fight it.

Dr. Mark Bussin, Master Reward Specialist and Executive Committee Member at the South African Reward Association (SARA) and Chair of 21st Century, says reward practitioners are duty-bound to combat corruption along with the rest of society. “In fact,” he states, “their efforts are even more significant because they are responsible for a key area of public concern, that is, the fair and equitable remuneration of employees and executives.”

Transparency International defines corruption generally as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain". At a more fundamental level, something is considered to be corrupted when it is intentionally or unintentionally reduced from a desired state to an undesirable one.

According to Dr. Bussin, the only true way to negate this effect is through moral reflection. “Corruption is not always an immediate condition but can be a weakening of principles and boundaries over time,” he says. “Reward practitioners must therefore have the courage to introspect themselves, their work and their organisation’s ethical posture, and decide to take corrective action where necessary.”

Personal review
It’s easy to become corrupted by small compromises, maybe for fear of losing a client or having one’s career sidelined. Every reward practitioner must regularly and honestly re-evaluate their conduct against their profession’s ethical standards, and recommit themselves to honour those codes if they have slipped.
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Programme review
Likewise, reward programmes may seem ideal during conception. But always be willing to audit them after implementation to make sure they remain fair, equitable and ethical as the enterprise evolves.

Organisational review
Good governance considers not what is governed but the manner in which it is governed. This suggests that something can be successfully managed, though not in a responsible or ethical way. Does your organisation continue to adhere to good governance principles and practices, especially in terms of rewards, or has it devolved into lip service?

Continuous professional development
To ensure the best conduct from oneself and one’s organisation, ethics and good governance must be reviewed frequently, lest they be forgotten. So they should be a central component of the rewards practitioner’s commitment to lifelong learning.

Whistleblowing
Every organisation should have a formal whistleblowing process in place that assures anonymity and protection. Reward practitioners can promote this as part of their reward programmes, equal to wellness or location incentives, to attract desirable job candidates. After all, who wouldn’t want to work for a company that holds itself accountable?

An incorruptible culture
In some instances, corruption becomes the new norm among those conspiring to reap undeserved benefits, making it seem acceptable - even desirable - to conform. Reward practitioners can help develop a workplace culture where corruption is never tolerable but is readily exposed.

On International Anti-Corruption Day, reward practitioners at all levels should take the time to reflect on ways to reduce corruption in their areas of responsibility and organisation. “It is the ideal opportunity to reconnect with our highest values,” concludes Dr. Bussin.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, 060 995 6277, [email protected], www.atthatpoint.co.za
For more information on SARA please visit:
Website: www.sara.co.za
Twitter: @SA_reward
LinkedIn: South African Reward Association
Facebook: SARA – South African Reward Association

Authored by: Deon Smit & Muhammed Goolab, South African Reward Association

Your employees are your company’s most important asset. They are the ones tasked with serving your customers, implementing strategies and driving your teams forward to achieve their goals. According to 2018 Gallup research, however, 85% of the workforce is disengaged.

What is a ‘disengaged employee’?
They are mentally ‘checked out’ and sleepwalking through their workday without passion and energy. These workers withdraw themselves mentally and emotionally from their jobs.

The economic consequences of lost productivity due to disengaged workers is estimated to be around $7-trillion per year, but many of the costs are difficult to quantify because these costs are often intangible and untracked.

Disengaged employees often have higher rates of absenteeism, resulting in more sick days taken, and they are more likely to be actively seeking other employment.This increases the associated costs of recruitments because these employees often need to be replaced at higher rates.

Employee engagement is generally measured or defined by a number of factors, including the extent to which an employee feels that his or her contribution is important and is recognized and how inspired the employee feels about the organization and the extent to which the organization can cultivate this inspiration.

Whether the employee perceives a workforce within the organization, and the extent to which an employee believes that he or she is paid fairly and equitably for the jobs they do, are also things that can be tracked to measure how engaged an employee is.

Turning disengaged employees into engaged employees in 3 steps
Engaged employees are natural brand ambassadors and companies who want to turn their disengaged staff into engaged workers need to focus on three things: the organization’s culture, communication and rewards.

Employee engagement starts at the top and leaders need to invest in a culture of engagement and growth. Employees will be looking to their line managers for leadership, so these executives need to have the right leadership skills to actively engage the people that report to them and focus on reinforcing a positive work environment.

Secondly, companies also need to effectively communicate their objectives while at the same time taking employees along on the journey with them.

Employees need to know and understand how their contributions make a difference in achieving the company’s greater vision, so their role and importance in the business needs to be clearly communicated to them.Communication allows the organization to be held accountable in driving engagement and deliver against what they have committed to.

Thirdly, the success and contribution of employees must be celebrated and recognized. This recognition must be done in a meaningful and consistent manner.

Organizations should focus on the individual by creating clear career paths, growth, and development programs, as well as career advancement planning. Although monetary rewards are not seen as a driver of engagement, employees will become disengaged as soon as payment is perceived to be unfair. Money is a reinforcement for achievements, so use this reward wisely.

The importance of an engaged workforce can’t be overstated. Reduce staff turnover, improve productivity, retain more customers and increase your bottom line by connecting with your employees in ways that count.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, 060 995 6277, [email protected], www.atthatpoint.co.za

For more information on SARA please visit:
Website: www.sara.co.za
Twitter: @SA_reward
LinkedIn: South African Reward Association
Facebook: SARA – South African Reward Association