EASTERN Cape-based Coega Development Corporation has been voted the “Best Company to Work For” in the South African public sector and utilities industry by global financial services group Deloitte.
It is the second employment accolade awarded to the investment promotion parastatal over the last two months. In August, the CDC won an international quality mark from research group CRF for commitment to human resources’ best practice.
Executive assistant in the office of the chief executive Ongama Mtimka said the company’s success rested on its ability to spot and nurture talent from the beginning.
“We pride ourselves on training to address the skills shortage within the company and the broader communities,” he said. “We believe funding people’s development will have a positive impact on the broader communities.”
Mtimka added that giving employees a sense of greater purpose and fulfilment by involving them in community development projects is rewarding to employees.
CDC’s Human Resources manager Bonginkosi Mthembu said the company tried to attract highly competent individuals “who are proud to be associated with the project and committed to continuously develop themselves so that they may continue to add value to the business”.
“In return, the company creates opportunities for people to achieve their goals whilst contributing to the achievement of corporate objectives.”
The CDC competed with six organisations in its category.
Deloitte principal David Conradie said HR best practice was just one of the 11 dimensions competing companies were judged on. Others include: Leadership; value and culture; relationships and trust; training and development; rewards; recognition and performance management; communication; change and transformation; and management style.
Asked how these dimensions impact on SA companies’ notoriously low productivity and poor service record, Conradie said: “Companies that excel across the full spectrum of dimensions covered by the survey typically report higher levels of staff productivity and performance, and improved reported levels of client and customer satisfaction.
“Employees in these companies demonstrate high levels of commitment and engagement and report higher levels of motivation.”
Conradie said the competition was aimed at making South Africa a better place to work.
“Whilst there is a clear competitive element to the survey, we believe that it has contributed significantly to both the standard and quality of people management practices in participating companies and has assisted them in building their brands as employers of choice, thereby enabling them to attract, motivate and retain the talent critical to the ongoing sustainability of their respective businesses.”
The annual competition is now in its seventh year. A random sample of employees from different levels of the corporate ladder is surveyed and the results determine how employees rate the company.