After working from home and collaborating at a distance, the importance of the workplace and all that it offers has become clear: An office is more than just a place to work and while some people have adapted to WFH, many people miss the office, perhaps even surprising themselves.
A pandemic was sweeping the globe well before a bat-infected pangolin passed on Covid-19 to its first human host. A pandemic of authoritarian leadership; the cult of the strong man.
Ensuring worker safety is one of the most important duties of HR. However, providing a safe workplace isn’t as straightforward as it should be. These days, you’re battling an unprecedented global pandemic and a meteoric rise in public protests.
“Employees are our most important asset,” or, “We want to be the employer of choice,” are the common refrains used by managers but, underneath these expressions, workers are simply regarded as costs that must be managed to the bone. According to a study conducted by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) in partnership with Hexor and Lundbeck, one in four workers in the country is suffering from depression.
