Skills that women bring to the table, once called soft skills, are now recognised as both profitable and essential. It is critical, then, to consider the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on women in the workplace.

An article by Forbes, The Pressure Is Real For Working Mothers, states that “43% of highly qualified women opt out or off-ramp on their way back to work post-baby.” 

This week Ivan Israelstam explains the process an exployer should adopt if a retrenchment of employees is contemplated. He explains what the steps are to be followed, to ensure that the employer complies with the requirements of the Labour Relations Act for what is an operational requirements dismissal.

South African business has a serious diversity problem - only 3.3% of listed companies have female CEOs and 85% of CEOs are white, despite an increase from 2018.

What is a transfer of a business, and what are the implications for the new owner of the business? This week Ivan Israelstam uses examples of cases to explain the expensive consequences for a business owner, who does not follow the requirements of the Labour Relations Act. 

As we begin National Women’s Month in South Africa, I have taken some time to reflect on the interactions I have had with strong successful women during the past seven years of training and coaching.

Minister in the Presidency for Women, youth and people with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has made a call for an action under the hashtag #WhatWomenWant, noting that “we all know what women want”.

With three women dying at the hands of their partners every day in South Africa, turning the tide on a national crisis of gender-based violence will take more than slogans and summits, and cannot be fully effective without data and performance monitoring to measure the impact of government interventions.

When may an employee reasonably refuse an instruction? When will a refusal to carry out an instruction be insubordination? Important questions for an employer to be clear about - to avoid launching into disciplinary action that will be unfair.

The year so far has been a good one for South African companies on the gender transformation front, with statistics seemingly moving in the right direction for the first time in recent history

What are the policies that an employer should have in place to deal with allegations by an employee of sexual harassment? What steps should the employer take if they receive an allegation, and is dismissal always the correct disciplinary action? This week Ivan Israelstam provides guidance for employers.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government will this year continue to pursue the investment drive which was announced last year, and that the money will be directed to programmes that will create jobs.

I was recently asked by Russia Today to share my thoughts on the interaction between world leaders at the G20 Summit.

As we celebrate Mandela Day tomorrow, South Africans are reminded to always play their role in making society a better place for all. 

Once a recruitment decision is made, the next step is to conclude an employment contract. Has employment started and does the new employee have rights from the date of signing the contract? What is the guidance of the labour courts? 

As technology advances and travel opportunities become available to a larger percentage of the growing population, the world is becoming increasingly integrated.

Employees may be hired on a variety of different forms of contract. This week Ivan Israelstam explains what the implications of the various contracts are, when employers are not happy with employee performance and seek to terminate the contract. 

There are a number of ways that employers attempt to avoid agreeing permanent contracts with employees, for example: the use of fixed term contracts, or contracting with labour brokers to provide workers. Ivan Israelstam suggests that these actions are a reaction to difficulties in the ability of employers to dismiss permanent employees. He quotes cases to illustrate this point. 

Research shows that having women in leadership roles helps companies perform better financially, and companies in Africa have certainly adopted this approach. 

No country can flourish by neglecting the potential of its women workforce. With economic liberalisation and globalisation, the number of women entrepreneurs is increasing globally.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says after Denel announced that employees would only receive 85% of their salaries due to financial constraints, a lender has come to the entity’s aid to ensure it pays staff their full salaries.

When is a dismissal justified - and what circumstances need to be taken into account before an employer decides to dismiss an employee? Various courts have confirmed that the circumstances do matter. So it is not possible to simply state X action requires dismissal. Ivan Israelstam provides examples to illustrate how an employer should consider all the circumstances before coming to a decision.  

In a speech delivered at a time of great economic difficulty, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced seven priorities that will fast track South Africa’s path to prosperity.