Human capital

People are the foundation of Avusa’s business because their combined intellectual capital, experience and expertise are pivotal to our success in the media and entertainment sector. Accordingly, Avusa strives for human resources strategies and policies that acknowledge the unique requirements of its diverse business units to support group performance and growth, and to optimise the potential of every employee in the group.

The human resources team has concentrated on entrenching sound workplace relationships and confidence. At Avusa, we believe that a good work environment is built on fostering respect for people and their diverse views, instilling a climate of trust through open and honest communication and focusing on developing people. Properly implemented, this approach plays a major role in motivating, engaging and retaining knowledge workers and key talent.

Avusa’s strength and competitiveness lie in the company’s ability to continuously manage its employees effectively and differently in a changing workplace. In every workplace, managers play a significant role in setting the tone and anchoring company culture, and our investment in upskilling management and staff is reviewed every year.

Employee Development

Avusa’s people-development strategy is based on the corporate business strategy and aimed at enhancing skills in the group, while taking cognisance of national imperatives including the country’s skills development strategy, national qualifications framework and related legislation.

In addition to internal training, employees are encouraged to undertake external studies related to the group’s business using the Avusa education assistance scheme. This extends loans for tuition fees, and refunds successful candidates on completion of their courses to promote a culture of learning. Avusa also offers financial assistance and bursaries to the children of lower-income employees.

Among other initiatives, Avusa runs a virtual development programme, The Premier Management Development Programme, designed by the company in conjunction with a local educational institution.

Mentorship and coaching

To incrementally enhance management skills, we have considered the need to manage differently, gradually transforming the manager’s role to become an effective coach and mentor.

To date, 50 management members have volunteered to be part of Avusa’s coaching and mentorship academy, which aims to inculcate this philosophy through the group using tested principles, methods and applications of coaching and mentorship. Ultimately, Avusa managers will approach their jobs primarily as coaches and mentors – a paradigm shift – to develop our people more fully for the information age.

Talent management

Managing talent is a particular focus for Avusa, given the importance of intellectual capital in all our operations. Our low staff turnover rate reflects the success of talent management programmes across the group.

The existing talent management programme aims to retain key talent in the group by creating an environment that promotes employees’ individual professional goals and productivity potential, while strengthening the company’s brand leadership position.

Avusa’s talent management strategy emphasises key talent, identified in a systematic approach across the group. Our strategic focus on talent management has contributed significantly to building Avusa succession pools, while minimising vulnerability and risks.

Across the group, programmes are in place to maximise the potential of high-performing individuals, particularly those in strategic positions, to realise Avusa’s strategy. Individuals are assessed using a variety of tools, with customised development solutions designed to match key talent needs.

Employee relations

Avusa operates in a labour environment where freedom of association and speech, and employee rights, are respected in terms of the South African constitution and current labour legislation. Our corporate culture embraces participative management to promote full participation on issues affecting employees. Individual business units have employee structures in place that suit their particular circumstances.

Avusa is committed to:

• Fair treatment and non-discriminatory work practices
• Collective bargaining principles while respecting the individual’s right to freedom of association or dissociation
• Upward communication through existing structures and appropriate procedures to empower all employees
• Balancing rights and obligations within the legal framework and considering business realities.

Avusa’s sound relationships with employees and stakeholders reflect good leadership at shop-floor level and appropriate policies that guide business units. In addition, feedback from mandatory exit interviews is used constructively to enhance working conditions.

Substantive issues raised by employees are attended to before being elevated to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) or related bodies, if necessary.

The group policy on relationship building recognises the diverse nature of our employees and the need to consult with a broad representation of interest groups. The diversity of our people is recognised, among others, in terms of nature of work, religion, gender, age, race, level of seniority, unionised and non-unionised, nationality and language. Each company uses this wealth of diversity to the benefit of all stakeholders. Union membership constitutes an insignificant percentage of the total workforce.

Employee wellness

A healthy, productive workforce is a business imperative. Avusa’s employee assistance programme, underpinned by a group policy, provides the necessary support for all employees’ medical and psycho-social problems affecting their work performance and general well-being. The programme covers a range of issues, including financial planning, family problems, trauma, stress, general ill health, substance abuse, HIV and Aids.

Employee benefits

Full-time employees are entitled to a range of benefits designed to enhance their work life and retain their services. Benefits also comply with South African labour legislation. At present, standard employee benefits include:

• Leave (spanning annual, ill health, maternity,
family responsibility, study)
• Retirement funding
• Medical aid
• Employee assistance programme
• Study assistance
• Staff discounts
• Funeral cover
• Performance incentives.

Life-threatening illnesses

Avusa is committed to creating a supportive and non-discriminatory environment in which employees with life-threatening illnesses are able to continue working for as long as they are medically capable. The group policy on life-threatening diseases covers, among others, cancer, heart disease, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV/Aids. The policy clarifies Avusa’s views and commitment to:

• Assisting employees who may contract a life-threatening illness
• The provision of consistent guidelines to ensure fair treatment of all employees with life-threatening illnesses
• Inform employees of their rights and benefits
• Provide an education framework for HIV/Aids.

Avusa ensures that no employee suffering from any life- threatening illness is unfairly discriminated against in employment, or harassed or victimised because of their illness.

All employees and managers must respect the confidentiality of information on existing or potential employees with life-threatening illnesses. An employee or manager who divulges information without the employee’s written consent will be disciplined. In cases where employees may have genuine concerns about their own health and safety from working with someone with a life-threatening illness, these concerns are addressed by management.

Human rights

Avusa supports the basic principles on human rights set out in South Africa’s constitution, and is guided by international standards such as the UN Global Compact. Accordingly, guidelines aligned to these principles and governing respect for human rights and non-discrimination are in place. These are regularly reviewed and strictly enforced. Some of these policies, for example sexual harassment, include non-employees. During the year, there were no incidents of alleged discrimination. No operations have been identified in the Avusa group in which the right to exercise freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at significant risk. Equally, the Avusa group does not support child labour, or forced and compulsory labour.