Your company is embroiled in a reputational crisis of such magnitude it could bring down the business and with it your previously stellar career as a senior executive… what do you do to protect your own good name?

It’s no idle question. Some huge organisations – from BP to Ford to Volkswagen to KPMG – have recently been in the reputational crosshairs and in the era of non-stop communication, whistle-blower hotlines and tighter regulation more will follow.US estimates indicate 19 out of 20 US companies are unprepared or under-prepared for the management of reputational crisis.

Even the PR kingpins at Bell Pottinger appeared totally taken aback when scandal erupted on their own doorstep.We can therefore assume most local firms are at least under-prepared and so are their top executives.However, some lessons have been learned over the years and broad guidelines put in place; though they generally relate to corporate rather than individual executive responses.In many instances, however, advice to corporates can be reworked into advice for individuals.Among tips for corporates is to anticipate crises, conduct an audit of ‘vulnerabilities’, have a plan in place ahead of time along with agreed procedures, nominate approved spokes-people, brief them on what may or may not be said, and try to appear helpful and ready to communicate rather than go to ground.Individuals can follow a similar strategy.Personal vulnerabilities are shaped by executive roles and divisional responsibilities.

So, if you are CFO, make sure you are exceptionally well informed on hot financial media issues (e.g. transfer pricing or base erosion profit shifting across borders).If your division engages in activities that might cause pollution, make sure you are on top of all environmental developments, while insisting on rigorous controls.Prudent personal preparation includes reinforcement of your own reputation for ethical dealing.Don’t simply talk the talk. Walk the walk. Make good ethical practice an integral part of your approach to your work and personal conduct.Involve yourself with initiatives undertaken buy professional and industry bodies to strengthen ethical standards. Include in your personal network any industry figures, academics or professionals known as good governance champions.

Tap these ethical gurus for updates on latest practice.Speak on ethical issues on industry occasions, though this just might boomerang if your company is caught red handed.Remember, if you are on the Exco, you are accountable. Senior executives are frontline PR people, like it or not.If you are confronted by difficult questions (from media or staff) don’t become defensive.

‘No comment’ is code for ‘We’ve something to hide’.You could perhaps say the issue is under review and nothing can be said until enquiries are complete.Maintain communication with staff, suppliers and associates, even if you can only generalise and request patience.

Refusing to take calls does not help.When communicating – even privately or via social media – never impugn your own organisation.You can say you share public concern and indicate sympathy for those affected by the alleged lapse in standards, but joining the chorus of criticism strikes the wrong note and positions the executive as a turncoat.As the crisis unfolds, the executive has to face a critical question: Do I resign or stay? The answer depends on the nature of the scandal, the degree of perceived involvement, the reactions of corporate and industry peers, and perhaps professional and legal advice.If an individual is well known as a fair, honest and ethical professional, damage limitation is possible, though even totally innocent parties can be tainted by association to some degree.Individuals may face extra scrutiny from their peers, investors and prospective employers.

A well-prepared executive with a sound personal reputation should be able to withstand the scrutiny, though living with the aftermath of scandal can make huge demands on those concerned.Executives who cope best are those who know their consciences are clear and did everything possible to uphold ethical standards.

By Gusti Coetzer, director at Signium Africa (previously Talent Africa)

Future-spotting is a key strategic challenge for senior management. For those taking a forward-view, a new priority has emerged … how to react to the rise of the robots.Science fiction is fast becoming reality in manufacturing and service industries in the developed world. Businesses in Africa will have to follow suit if they hope to become competitive.

A 2016 study by the International Federation of Robotics says the number of robots sold globally with double to 400 000 units by 2018, with 70% of the demand coming from China, Japan, USA, South Korea and Germany.World Bank research says Africa has two industrial robots per 100 000 manufacturing workers and massively lags the developed world, but cannot ignore the trend.Jobs are a major focus point.

A widely quoted 2016 study by Daron Acemoglu (MIT) and Pascal Restrepo (Boston University) suggested bots would merely trigger the creation of new, better jobs.This year, they finished the first quantitative survey of job losses using real-world data. This less positive study shows bots cost 670 000 US manufacturing jobs between 1990 and 2007. In one local economy the academics scrutinised, each bot cut 6.2 jobs per 1000 workers.Acemoglu and Restrepo say US bot sales are expected to quadruple, so job losses could mount.Yet many companies that invest in robotics say they are hiring more as higher productivity drives company growth. People move to tasks with high value creation. Job losses at less automated competitors are hard to assess, however.Should executives worry? As blue-collar jobs decline, will executive numbers be decimated by machines gunning for top jobs?

Not likely …Any review of the literature confirms that humans always outscore machines when it comes to thinking, planning and decision-making. We can think ahead.

They can’t, however today artificial intelligence needs to be taken into account. It is arguably a “which came first, the chicken or the egg”?One commentator noted: “We can map out a series of steps that can lead us to a certain goal. This is what robots cannot do. They lack the ability to plan ahead of time.”Machines are faster, more precise, more consistent and more productive. Pressure on repetitive manufacturing jobs is already evident. But service sectors are not immune.One robotics application now flips burgers to consistent quality levels, with big implications for college dropouts who assume they can always get a job flipping burgers.The lesson is simple.

A good education and skills are essential for humans.In a paper to the International Management Conference in Bucharest, D.M. Florian noted: “Studies suggest robots are increasing our wages, not stealing our jobs, though there has been a decrease in the number of positions at some companies. However, the need for more qualified positions has gone up…“Technology has been proved to make humans smarter… A machine has no ability to assess situations and cannot look at a set of transactions and provide an overall picture of what they could mean.”Florian concluded: “Robots will only be able to support the problem-solving structure. They cannot replace it.”Many experts say man-versus-machine simplification is off the mark.

Man with machine is more probable. Growing sales of collaborative robots or cobots are reported worldwide.Here, one area of development is wearable robotics or exoskeletons that augment human capabilities with technology. ABI Research says about 40 R&D groups currently work in the field – the basis for a “$2-billion global market by 2025”.Military and healthcare applications are focus areas. So are industrial uses. Many firms are in the market for “motorised muscles” for heavy lifting or for sensor-actuated exoskeleton suits that “protect and serve” humans during dangerous work.In all cases, a trained and skilled person is needed to operate the wearables, hinting at a future in which humans work with cobots in many areas.Unskilled employment may therefore fall. You need skills to get the best out of cobots or “smart overalls” representing a big capex investment.The highly trained, well-educated cobot co-worker will become a major contributor to productivity and profit.

Executives will still find ‘man’ management is a key part of their task, but a new managerial style may be needed in this high-skill, high-knowledge environment.A very human, empathetic approach will be more appropriate than ‘command and control’. Ironically, the cobots could bring out our human side.

Website: www.signium.com

The 3rd annual Future of HR Awards has announced its 2017 awards category finalists - and Mindful Revolution has been designated a finalist for the Best Health & Wellbeing Strategy Award. The Future of HR, in association with Careers24, is unique in recognising and promoting the leading lights in the Human Capital industry - every year, entrants raise the bar higher.  

The awards, and the accompanying Future of HR Summit, will once again draw together a host of Human Capital leaders from CEO’s to those pioneering HR technology, over two days of shared knowledge and recognition.  

This year’s Future of HR Award winners will be announced on 20 July 2017 at the highly anticipated awards ceremony to be held at the Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg.

Sponsors on board include Arcelor Mittal, Alexander Forbes, Nissan, Sun International, Schneider-Electric and CEB for the Summit, and Public Sector Manager and Thomas International for the Awards. Association partners include, South African Institute of Management (SAIM), Employee Assistance Professionals Association of SA (EAPA-SA) and the South African Organisational Development Network (SAODN).  

Becoming a finalist is considered an achievement in itself, as the entries are judged by a community of influential judges from within the HR sphere.

Click here to see this year’s notable judges and full list of finalists.

About us:

Mindful Revolution is a human-focused company offering mindfulness training in the workplace. Mindfulness is the intrinsic capacity to approach all aspects of life with awareness. In a fast-paced world, people have lost their innate capacity to approach life with mindfulness. Through our science based experiential training, participants will be reminded to adopt mindfulness as a way of being.  We aim to increase attention and focus, enhance creativity, encourage innovative thinking and teach emotionally intelligent leadership skills.

To connect with Mindful Revolution, please contact Clinton Stebbing | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 076 657 4139

Honesty is the best policy – except, it seems, when it comes to your CV and that coveted job you’re after. The recent spate of high profile CV fraud cases in the media has highlighted the degree of subjectivity around what constitutes a lie and ultimately qualifications fraud.  

Greg Brown, Director of Governance, Risk & Compliance at LexisNexis South Africa, provider of solutions including the Refcheck Advanced pre-employment screening tool, said fraud cases were not always as straightforward and as clear cut as they may seem.  

"A lie doesn't necessarily have to be an outright false statement. Omissions can be just as dishonest. And if an employee did lie, how their employer responded to it is often just as important in upholding the integrity of the organisation,” he said.  

"An employer has a responsibility to carry out proper checks and balances before offering employment. But applicants should also not be mistaken: if you misrepresent information on your CV it is lying, it is fraud – and most importantly, it is illegal," advised Brown.  

Common Misrepresentations  

Brown said the most common CV misrepresentations, according to Refcheck Advanced data, are found in the education section of the CV.   Common embellishments include non-existent matric certificates, inflated education, unfinished degrees and even fake degree certificates.  

Refcheck Advanced data showed that in 2014 a quarter of all matric certificates checked through this online verification tool could not be confirmed and there was no record of the candidates having matriculated. One in 15 tertiary qualifications could not be confirmed due to invalid data, incomplete courses or no record of candidate. A third of all global qualifications checked through Refcheck Advanced could not be verified.  

Other misrepresentations include fake employment certificates, providing incorrect past roles and responsibilities, inflated job titles, not disclosing criminal records, providing false reasons for changing jobs and inflating previous salary figures.   “There are instances where one might feel that it is acceptable to get a little creative with their CV because they feel they can actually do the job. They feel they should not be discounted because their skills are still on par with others who have the paperwork in place,” says Brown.  

Serious Consequences  

“But while an untruth or omission about your academic or professional qualifications may seem innocuous in the grand scheme of things, it's a high risk strategy that can backfire badly,” cautions Brown.  

Individuals often have to create more lies to cover the initial one, as co-workers ask questions about their background and they have to perpetuate the false information.   

There is also a chance they would have difficulty meeting the expectations set out in the new position if they are not adequately qualified or experienced.  

“There's no getting away from the fact that people in South Africa are applying for and getting jobs that they aren't qualified for, at the expense of those who are,” says Brown.   This becomes even more prevalent the further away from graduation you get. Recruiters assume previous employers would have made the checks and that experience and skills, as demonstrated by an exemplary work track record, carry more weight.  

“The employee/employer relationship is one that's built upon trust and from an employer's point of view it can be seen as a serious character flaw if an employee lied about something small. The employer may also seek out more information at a later date, especially if they feel the employee is not meeting expectations,” said Brown.  

He adds: “A simple lie could have career-long reputational consequences. You can pretty much wave your employment references goodbye if you're found to have provided false information on your CV. Employees who have lied on their CV also generally have no legal recourse against their former employers.”  

Avoiding the Pitfalls  

Employers must therefore ensure that an Employment Agreement is drawn up which includes a well drafted clause stating that if an employee was found to misrepresent themselves, and this misrepresentation had a material impact on the offer of employment, then that employee can be dismissed.   Certain industries and job functions also require ongoing screening of staff and this should also be considered as a part of the company’s standard policies.  

“I would urge businesses to dig a little deeper, not to take CVs at face value, and to realise that many times the standard practice of three checks per candidate is simply not enough to detect fraudulent documents,” said Brown.  

“Technology based platforms can be instrumental in reducing risk and protecting businesses against qualifications fraud. Make automated and fully managed pre-employment screening part of your standard HR policy, regardless of the seniority or credibility of the applicant,” he said.  

RefCheck currently services thousands of clients via an online consent driven platform. Its services include verification of tertiary and secondary academic qualifications held by the individual from registered local and international institutions; identity and South African citizenship validation; fraud history checks via the South African Fraud Prevention Services; credit history checks through detailed TransUnion and Experian credit bureau reports; criminal history check via AFISwitch (electronic fingerprint collection and processing); verification of local and international employment history and professional association membership; verification of drivers’ licence status; and matching of bank account against an identity number or registration number.

As the pace of digital transformation increases, so does the frequency of high profile security incidents and information leaks. This often prompts complex and costly responses, as those who have suffered security breaches – and those who are trying to avoid them – seek ways to manage their exposures and comply with a plethora of industry standards, best practices and government regulations.

Joint silver sponsors at the 6th IT Leaders Africa Summit, SLVA and Ubusha will explore the mechanisms you could use to ensure a secure information-processing environment during their workshop presented by Kris Budnik, Managing Director for SLVA Information Security.

Attendees will hear how they can maximise existing capabilities and leverage the emerging wave of enterprise security technologies that tip the balance away from cyber-criminals and dishonest employees.

SLVA and Ubusha’s holistic response to minimising information security risks requires the ability to:

-Understand and manage who has access to information and systems within your environment and what they are able to do with such access

-Track and have the capability to influence the way that data is accessed, processed and shared within your environment

-Maintain oversight over that environment – ensuring that it remains reliable and free from vulnerabilities which may be exploited to bypass your access control and data governance policies  

Please note that the cut off date for applications to present a workshop at the IT Leaders Africa Summit is the 27th of February 2015.  

During these 60 minute educational workshops, leading industry vendors present their solutions and services in case study format to attending CIOs and IT Heads. Each session is limited to 15 delegates in order to encourage debate and discussion. The workshops are scheduled in advance as the topics are marketed to CIOs and business leaders during the build up to the Summit.  

For IT Leaders Africa Summit brochure advertising opportunities, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   The 6th IT Leaders Africa Summit takes place on 18 & 19 March 2015 at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Share Incentives analysis: How can employee share plans affect the attitude and performance of staff? Jonathan Fletcher Rogers of Abbiss Cadres highlights that, if deployed correctly, share plans can act as a catalyst for greater employee engagement. Fletcher Rogers is a contributing author on the recently released Practical Guidance In-house Adviser solution from LexisNexis South Africa, for which content was authored in the United Kingdom and specifically tailored to the South African market by local authors.    

What is the link between share plans and engagement?

JFR:     The traditional view of employee share plans is that they contribute to increased productivity in two main ways:   they assist in the recruitment and retention of the best people (by making it financially beneficial for them to stay); and they motivate employees by aligning employee interests with those of management and shareholders – in the case of executive plans, this is commonly achieved through the use of performance measures. However, research suggests that although share plans may influence employees' attitudes – for example, by making them feel more positive about the business, and more loyal and committed – the impact on employee behaviour (in terms of increased productivity) is less clear. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that only organisations that are majority employee-owned (such as the “John Lewis” ownership model) show any significant behavioural change as a result of share ownership. The evidence for behavioural change among organisations with mainstream employee share plans (such as save as you earn plans and share incentive plans) is limited. If employee engagement requires positive attitudes and behaviours, but research suggests that the impact of share plans is broadly limited to attitudinal change, it raises the question of how share plans can affect employee engagement.  

How can a company maximise employee engagement through the use of employee share plans?

JFR:     Although the evidence indicates that share plans on their own may not lead to higher employee engagement, share plans can be used as a catalyst that creates the conditions for engagement. Research has highlighted four key “enablers” of engagement which are common across businesses with highly engaged employees:   a strong strategic narrative; engaging managers; employee voice; and organisational integrity. As share plans are closely connected with the performance of the business, companies have the opportunity to maximise the use of these enablers through share plan communications. For many companies, share plan communications will just involve describing how the plan works and some of the potential benefits that employees may enjoy. However, for companies to make the most effective use of their share plans, the launch of the plan should be the start of an ongoing conversation with employees. By making the link between reward and business performance, share plans provide the opportunity to discuss business goals and performance in a context that is personal to the employee.  

What are the potential benefits for a company of communicating its employee share plans effectively, and what are the downsides if it fails to do so?

JFR:     Share plans present companies with an excellent opportunity to engage with their employees. Companies will sometimes spend a lot of time and money implementing a share plan. However, without an effective communications strategy it can be a wasted expense. If companies can use their share plans to increase employee engagement, the benefits that may arise include higher levels of retention, innovation and customer service and reduced absenteeism. Engaged employees are more likely to recommend their organisation to others, thus building the “virtuous circle” of benefits previously mentioned. In most cases, a poor communications strategy is just an opportunity lost for the business. However, there can also be a damaging effect on employee engagement where employees participate in a share plan and the expected benefits do not materialise (due to a downturn in business performance, for example). An effective communications strategy can reduce this damage by involving employees in ongoing discussions about business performance. In addition, employees will better understand the challenges facing the business and be motivated to support the business in tackling them. In the absence of any ongoing dialogue about business performance, a downturn can actually lead to a vicious circle of lower morale and lower productivity.  

What approach do you recommend a company should take when communicating its employee share incentives?

JFR:     How a company communicates its share plan will differ from one organisation to the next. To be successful, the communication should build on existing channels and protocols to ensure the medium used is appropriate and accessible for the audience. For example, while electronic communications (eg intranet, e-mail, text, etc) may be the most effective method for some businesses, in other cases more traditional methods may still be the best way of communicating (eg posters, group presentations and hard copy brochures).  The communications approach should also be business-focused and endorsed by management, clearly showing how the plan fits with overall business strategy. This will create the conditions for the ongoing business conversations that are essential for employee engagement.  

Once the share plan has been launched, are there further steps that the company should take in order to maximise employee engagement in the future?

JFR:     The launch of the share plan should be just the beginning of an ongoing conversation with employees relating to both the share plan and the overall business. While the launch communication is important for ensuring that all legal requirements of the plan are fulfilled, the ongoing communication is likely to have a greater impact on the successful achievement of the plan's aims (ie improved motivation and engagement).  Although the share plan launch may well be handled by the HR team, who will have the necessary experience and resource for such communication, the responsibility for communications around the share plan going forward should lie with management.  Enabling staff to talk about business performance (using share price as a catalyst), managers can help teams and individuals to see how what they do at work directly links to the bottom line. This direct “line of sight” between individual, team and business performance is a key output of share plan communication. Team meetings, appraisals and goal setting all provide opportunities for these conversations and a regular communication schedule, for example built around quarterly results, will ensure that the plan is kept “live”.

Interviewed by Nicola Laver.

Over the past year South African labour law has undergone its most radical change since 1995. A new publication from LexisNexis South Africa, a leading provider of content and technology solutions, aims to guide students and practitioners through these significant new acts and amendments, including the Employment Equity Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Act, the Labour Relations Amendment Act and the new Employment Services Act.   

Labour Relations Law - A Comprehensive Guide 6th Edition is the indispensable labour law update launched on 18 February 2015. This major update on the previous edition covers the legislative and case law developments that have altered the landscape of labour law in South Africa in recent months.  

“The legislative process took longer than anyone had expected, with the much-debated Labour Relations Amendment Act taking effect on 1 January 2015.  The three Amendment Acts and the Employment Services Act have introduced the most extensive changes to our labour law dispensation since its original enactment,” said Darcy Du Toit, Managing Editor of the book.  

“There has been a vast amount of new case law and landmark decisions, such as Sidumo, which have changed the course of labour law theory as well as practice. In addition, there has been a vigorous re-emergence of common law in the form of claims based on contract rather than statutory rights which, after some divergent judgments, was eventually harmonised with the legislative framework by the Supreme Court of Appeal,” added Du Toit.  

Labour Relations Law: A Comprehensive Guide 6th Edition references several landmark decisions by the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal and the Labour Appeal Court which have clarified the law in areas ranging from the review of arbitration awards to the status of affirmative action measures. It also treats issues in more depth, not only in terms of black-letter law, but with regard to the socio-legal context, which is important in the context of purposive interpretation.  

The edition also provides a systematic treatment of the role of common law and the interface between the contract of employment and labour legislation, which has taken on importance since 2006.  

“The book has an extensive bibliography providing a basis for further research using specialist publications, not only for academics but for practitioners preparing on complex questions,” added Professor Du Toit.  

Labour Relations Law: A Comprehensive Guide 6th Edition is available through the LexisNexis online bookstore at a cost of R855.00 (including VAT, excluding delivery), ISBN: 9780409048360. An account is not required to make a purchase in the online bookstore.

Over R240 billion equivalent to 10% of the country’s GDP is the amount of money the country loses due to alcohol abuse annually. This is according to a study carried out by the South African Medical Journal in 2009. This enormous figure represents the estimate sum of all the different dimensions through which alcohol abuse deducts from us. From workplace incidents that cost and maim lives, to absenteeism, fraudulent leave and reduced productivity. Yet even with this mammoth loss, most employees would gladly not take any alcohol and illicit substance tests in their places of work.

The amount of money that alcohol and substance abuse costs South African businesses and their respective employees is huge and could otherwise have been better spent. Over and above this R240 billion loss, the emotional scars that alcohol imprints on families and loved ones are even more horrific. Breadwinners and spouses die or get maimed as a result of the effects of alcohol abuse in the workplace on a daily to weekly basis. For this reason alone one would expect that the behaviour of employees would change.

In South Africa employees are the primary beneficiaries of legislation that provides for health and safety standards in the workplace. The Law that governs general workplace safety is the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 (OHSA) and in the Mining Industry, safety is governed by the Mine Health and Safety Act. Although the OHSA was poorly written and has often been misinterpreted, it is the Law that we have to work with and it has been in effect for over two decades.

The OHSA directs how safety is enforced and over time, as with all legislation, the act has been amended to suit the needs of evolving workplaces. In short, its objective is to “provide for the health and safety of persons at work.” The act empowers employers to formulate policies that will ensure that employees work in safe conditions that do not threaten their health in any way. These policies are the available instruments that all employees should be able to openly discuss with their employers on a continuous basis. The policies may deal with and include issues like substance abuse, alcohol testing, safety resources, training and frameworks for action in response to substance abuse, intervention and counselling.

Whoever the employer is in whatever industry, the company policies relating to health and safety must always have the same goal – to create a safe and healthy work place. Whatever the situation, the welfare of employees is of paramount importance and how an employer and employee interact, negotiate and agree on policies can ultimately make the difference between life and death. Through it all, the policies of companies and the legislation it is formulated under and a number of constitutional statutes all have to be observed faultlessly.

Some company policies provide for voluntary alcohol testing, while other companies test all employees entering their place of work. In industries which include mining, manufacturing plants that use heavy machinery, maritime and the transport space, alcohol testing is often mandatory. As a prerequisite to the operation of machinery, all employees must be sober and tested. For these industries testing is usually done at the entry point at the mine shaft or plant or factory using an automated AlcoScan Entrance Breathalyzer System (EBS).

AlcoScan Entrance Breathalyzer Systems can be connected to turnstiles where a biometric scanner, data logger and a camera can work hand in hand to identify an employee, capture a test result and log it against their record in the time and attendance database. If the EBS detects alcohol in your breath, you are automatically prevented from entering the premises. From this point, the company policies will then direct proceedings, whether it calls for a second confirmatory test or suspends the employee for the day without payment or calls for disciplinary action. In all instances, there is a zero tolerance of alcohol which when defied will be met with stringent disciplinary action as being under the influence of alcohol in the work place will threaten the lives of others as well as of that individual.

An innovative method to curb alcohol consumption within the workplace is to also ensure that employees are tested on their way out of the company premises. There have been a number of instances I have dealt with where employees have passed the breathalyser test when entering, but have then consumed alcohol during the day and beer cans have been found within the operating environment. Generally when employees leave work, there are no measures put in place to detect if there is alcohol in their breath. Testing for alcohol on the way out ensures that those that smuggle alcohol into premises are dealt with to preserve the safety of others. The barrier of outbound testing using the very same EBS used for inbound testing acts as a deterrent for all those who think they will be able to consume alcohol on site and get away with it.

For the transport industry, companies can opt for a breathalyzer to be installed for drivers to test before they start the vehicle. These Alco-Interlocks are connected to the ignition such that the vehicle will only start when the breathalyzer registers a pass confirming no alcohol has been detected in the breath. These breathalyzers may also be connected to a remote logging system and database that registers the test against the driver’s name. Together with the breathalyzer in the truck, a camera and ID tagging system can be installed to ensure that the test result registered is for the correct individual and not a passenger.

The importance of training and education about substance and alcohol abuse in the workplace cannot be emphasized enough. Unless adequate training and education is performed about substance abuse and why being under the influence of alcohol should never be mixed with heavy machines, employees will continue to operate vehicles and machines under the influence of alcohol.

It is also important to note that alcohol abuse puts more than just one person at risk. In a work environment, alcohol abuse affects a cluster, a department and the entire company negatively. An inebriated crane operator could make one wrong move due to impaired judgment as a result of being under the influence of alcohol and it can result in the maiming or death of team members he or she may be working with. A prime example: the recent and untimely death of Total CEO Christophe de Margerie by plane crash in Moscow was reportedly blamed on a drunk snow plough operator.

Misfortunes resulting from alcohol abuse and misuse do not distinguish who is affected and can cost the life of anyone from the ground up to the CEO. Therefore, it is imperative to keep in mind that alcohol abuse and misuse in the workplace is nothing less than a deathly wish that can be completely averted. If not for families and loved ones, then for the good of the business and ultimately the economy of our country. 

ENDSKey Words: Breathalyzer, Breathalyser, Alcohol Testing, Drug Testing, Substance Abuse 

For more information please contact Mr Angus MacArthur directly 

Angus MacArthur is the General Manager and co-owner of Alcohol Breathalysers CC and has been directly involved with the operations since inception in 2004. 

Tel: (011) 023 8955 /2
Mobile Phone: 072 747 6551
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.breathalysers.co.za
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BreathalyserGuy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreathalyserGuy

Companies are rapidly seeing the benefits of social media. In fact, social media is becoming indispensable for business, but with all the benefits come threats and risks as well for the workplace. Frost & Sullivan’s Global Workforce Study found that 64% of respondent companies limit employee access to social media through content filtering and website blocking technology, 51% restrict access by setting and enforcing policy and 25% have no restrictions on the use of social media by employees.  

Businesses should define clear social media usage policies, specifying who can access social media, what sites they can access, when they can access them, where they can access them and what devices they can use to access social media during work hours. There should be no room left for confusion. Policies should be clear, well defined and communicated to employees.  

Professionals who would benefit by attending include HR Managers, Digital Marketers, Chief Risk Officers, Social Media Strategists, Office Managers, Marketing Managers, HR Consultants, Employee Benefit Managers, Legal Advisors, Digital Projects Managers, e-Commerce Managers, Risk Managers to name a few...  

Rosalind Davey and Khomotso Makapane will facilitate the workshop, teaching all attendees how to understand and and mitigate the risks of social media in the workplace. Both of the facilitators are qualified attorneys from one of South Africa’s top law firms Bowman Gilfillan and specialise in employment law and Rosalind is one of the few attorneys specialising in social media law.  

During the half day workshop social media statistics, constitutional rights, RICA, freedom of expression and the law of defamation, liability for defamatory content on social media and vicarious liability, handling social media misconduct, loss of confidential information and contacts as well as mitigating the risks of social media will be addressed. View full agenda and download registration form at www.aoevents.co.za

Workshop registration fee: R800 pp. Groups of 3 or more receive 10% discount.

Email the completed registration form to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to secure your seat.

Pretoria, Gauteng - August 11th, 2014 - CSI Africa, in conjunction with Fides and iFacts, has launched myScreening - the online central verification system that lets HR personnel and other registered users conduct a variety of background checks using a single online interface.

myScreening, an online central verification system, provides a single interface from which a large list of background checks can be conducted by registered users. Some of the background checks available in myScreening include:

• Identity checks
• Criminal record checks
• Credit checks
• CIPC and directors verification
• Driver's licence verification
• CV verification
• Deeds

Background-checking and verification services have been available in South Africa for years, but involves a significant amount of red tape. Varying turnaround times and different result formats make it difficult to consolidate records for convenient access. Many organisations therefore find it hard to conduct efficient pre-employment screening programs to combat workplace crime which often includes internal theft and fraud.

The myScreening online central verification system boasts a direct connection to the Department of Home Affairs, and Afiswitch which interfaces with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to determine the criminal background status of a person.

Because of these direct connections, some results are available immediately.   Other screening results, such as criminal record checks and CV verification, are available in as little as 48 hours. All screening results are delivered in a convenient easy-to-read format to a registered user's inbox, and also stored in the secure myScreening vault for convenient future access.

Cost

The pricing is competitive and done on an invoice basis. Rates are per background check or verification.

Signing up

myScreening registration is free. To use the system the South African Police Service (SAPS) has mandated that registered users complete own identity verification within the myScreening interface. New users will also have to submit their own fingerprints. After verification, SAPS-mandated training is required before the myScreening system can be used.

HR personnel and other interested individuals can register at http://www.csinvestigate.co.sa/myscreening

About CSI Africa

Pretoria-based CSI Africa was established in 2002. We are driven to promote honesty and increased efficiency in the workplace by assisting companies and individuals with our in-house expertise and access to various intelligence systems. CSI Africa is a member of the Southern African Polygraph Federation (SAPFED), and is one of two companies awarded with a Certificate of Suitability at the Gauteng Gambling Board to verify criminal records of applicants. We are a registered reseller of the AFISWITCH product , designed to extract criminal records directly from the SAPS Database.

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For more information, please contact:

Name: Amelia Griesel

Address: 305 Braam Pretorius Street, Pretoria, 0129

Phone: 0861 274 911

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: http://www.csinvestigate.co.za