HR managers played a critical, but often unrecognized, role during South Africa's transition to democracy in managing strikes, negotiations, and adapting workplaces to new circumstances. Now, new challenges require HR managers to step up again. However, many current HR practitioners lack proper skills and experience. To address this, the South African Board for Personnel Practice (SABPP) defined HR standards and competencies to encourage the development of strategic, skilled HR management. Implementing these standards through training and accreditation can help HR professionals live up to Nelson Mandela's vision and better serve their organizations and country.

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Let’s carry Madiba’s baton
Support the SABPP/HR Future initiative to practise HR according to recognised and
consistent standards. This article was published in HR Future, May 2014.
By Bruno Bruniquel
Now that some time has passed, we have had time to reflect on the loss of one of the
greatest leaders of all time, former President Nelson Mandela, who is rightly accredited
as being the major driving figure in the transformation of South Africa to a democracy.
He was himself, however, quick to say that he did not do it alone. There were many
unsung heroes in the process.
One such group which played a critical part was the HR Managers at the time of the
struggle. In the 1970s, Personnel Managers (as they were then known) played a largely
low key administrative role in bigger companies. Smaller businesses did not employ
them.
Then suddenly apartheid imploded. Strikes, protest marches and stayaways were
followed by the Weihahn Commission, and the emergence of trade unions changed the
workplace overnight. Who had to manage all of this? HR Managers – who were
suddenly escalated in status and influence.
Most of the HR Managers at the time handled strikes and became experts in negotiation
and handling conflict. They had to. They developed systems and training to assist line
managers to adapt to the new circumstances. HR Managers also influenced top
management to put pressure on the Nationalist government to modify its hard-line
approach. Business leaders eventually met with the ANC in exile.
After the political changes came new labour legislation – the LRA, EEA and SDA –
bringing widespread changes with them. Again, it was HR Managers who had to manage
the process.
New challenges
Now we have new challenges. Growing dissatisfaction with the leadership of the
governing party is translating itself into adversarial relationships in the workplace,
leading to strikes, many of which have been violent and tragic.
If we are to live Madiba’s dream of becoming a truly democratic, fair society which cares
for ALL its people, HR Managers will once again have to step up and take the initiative.
There is however a major problem: the public service has mushroomed and businesses
have grown so fast that there is a dearth of knowledge, skills and experience in people
who have been appointed to HR positions.

2. Copyright 2014 © HR Future magazine, www.hrfuture.net
This fact became abundantly clear in the facilitated conversations at the first HR Future
SolutionsFest in 2012. Stemming from this, the SA Board for Personnel Practice
(SABPP) did a magnificent job in defining HR Standards and Competencies for HR
practitioners at all levels. These Standards cover the whole spectrum of HR
management
Great promise for the future
The HR Standards initiative by the SABPP and its strategic partner HR Future is a world
first.
It holds great promise for South Africa by encouraging government departments and
business to develop and implement:
• HR and IR strategies aligned to business strategy so as to ensure service delivery.
This also includes preparing and implementing appropriate HR policies and
procedures and strike contingency plans;
• Talent management systems to develop people, especially previously disadvantaged
groups and young people entering the workplace;
• HR risk management to ensure that critical shortages and risks such as corruption
are identified and addressed so that appropriate preventative controls can be put in
place;
• Workforce planning to ensure that the vagrancies of the economy, population growth,
employment equity and problems in the education system are addressed;
• Learning/training and development initiatives to properly identify training needs and
ensure that training interventions are fit for purpose;
• Performance management systems, particularly in the public service where there
seems to be no consequences for the lack of service delivery;
• Recognition and reward is afforded to people on the basis of a fair day’s pay for a fair
day’s work;
• Employee wellness is properly managed, especially absenteeism which has spiralled
out of control in the public sector and in many businesses;
• Employee/industrial relations is properly managed so as to develop a collaborative
system of negotiations to ensure win-win outcomes, reduced conflict and improved
productivity;
• Organisation development to ensure that workplaces are organised in the best and
most efficient ways to ensure service delivery;
• Balanced scorecards are developed to measure HR departments on the services
they provide to line management;
• HR metrics and technologies are put in place to measure and manage people within
the public and private sectors; and
• Independent audits of HR departments are done to ensure service delivery and that
HR practitioners keep on top of their game by continuous professional development
and ensuring ethical behaviour at all times.
The SABPP and HR Future have rolled out the Standards through workshops in
Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and East London. Employers now need to come to
the party by:

3. Copyright 2014 © HR Future magazine, www.hrfuture.net
• implementing the Standards;
• enabling the assessment of the knowledge and skills of HR practitioners;
• establishing training needs; and
• ensuring that appropriate training and workplace experience is provided to upskill
HR practitioners.
The next step will be the requirement that HR practitioners become registered and
accredited with the SABPP. They will also have to ensure that their conduct is ethical
and in keeping with the Standards in much the same way as is required of chartered
accountants and medical practitioners.
This is certainly one way in which we as HR professionals can carry Madiba’s baton,
serve our country and make him proud!
Bruno Bruniquel is the head of HR, IR and training consultants Bruniquel and Associates
(Pty) Ltd, www.bruniquel.co.za.