It is hard to emphasise how highly Impahla regards the entire employee team. Impahla’s success is entirely dependent on the e?orts of each function performing in a tightly choreographed set of processes. Through the expansion, the same regard for the sta? has been instilled in the operating environment at both the Elsies River and Epping plants. Impahla takes the sta? management seriously, as small errors, minor sta? dissention and poor plant management, are often the cause of steadily declining businesses
This report has already dealt with a number of key issues relating to how Impahla treats its employees and how it creates the best environment for the most e?cient production. Apart from the aforementioned, this section will report on four key issues: ●Employee engagement ●Skills and career development ●Absenteeism and late arrivals ●Health and safety
Employee engagementUnion representationNon-management employees are members of the dominant relevant trade union in the garment manufacturing industry, the South African Clothing and Textiles Worker Union (SACTWU). Over the year, no strikes or industrial actions occurred, and no days were lost due to union action. The true value of this relates both to Impahla’s productivity and pro?tability. Furthermore, the fact that 367 employees or 93% of the workforce is unionised makes the absence of industrial action a truly representative proxy for employee satisfaction. Impahla’s relationship with SACTWU is a positive one, where the union has been a useful partner in campaigns against HIV and Aids, TB and substance abuse. They implement ongoing HIV/Aids testing including poster campaigns and information sessions at Impahla’s operations.
Direct employee engagementImpahla’s employees know that the ?ve executive directors of the business are available for discussion on any subject at any time. Each director is highly visible on the ?oor and their o?ce doors are kept open to encourage easy communication. Impahla has a suggestion box at each facility and this does attract suggestions and issues from time to time. Management responds through consultation and discussion, followed by a written note on the notice board recording the company’s decision. Impahla has not devised or implemented a formal employee engagement mechanism as yet. The company still uses a proxy measure, in the form of employee turnover, to gauge overall employee satisfaction. A number of issues were raised by employees in the past:Delay clocking out – Employees raised a concern that delays in the clocking out process could result in some not catching their transport home in the evenings. Response – Scrutiny of the clocking out process showed that the total delay of ?ve minutes could be reduced through introducing an orderly clocking out procedure. Employees now take turns to clock out ?rst, by rotation of production lines. This issue has been further resolved by adding another clock.Selling food on the premises – Employees could not see why people couldn’t sell eatables at tea time and lunch time. Response – Theft is a threat to the company. Considering losses from theft in previous years, Impahla has controlled access to its production areas. Unauthorised employees cannot be allowed to enter production facilities where they do not work. Employees can sell products to fellow employees, but must do so only outside the premises.Why can’t operators do their own repairs? – If repairs are corrected by another person, then the operator will not learn from her mistakes.Response – If a repair is picked up while the garment is still on the line, then the person concerned must ?x it. If the garments are already o? the line, the supervisor arranges for one or two people to make the repairs without penalty.
iving a post to a newcomer – Some employees were concerned that a post was given to a newcomer, instead of appointing someone who has come a long way with the company.Response – Impahla has always invited employees to apply for new posts. Unfortunately, the new post in question required speci?c skills and education not available in the company at the time. Skills and career development Investment in training and skills development is a priority for Impahla Clothing. As such, the company has increased the amount of ‘in kind’ contributions for training to the value of R41 000. Impahla has supplemented this with an additional R78 786 in actual spending (up 40% from 2011/2012), creating an equivalent amount of R119 786 for skills and career development for 2002/2013. Consequently, per capita spending has increased by 25% or R60 per person. Impahla acknowledges the fact that the expenditure is on the low side. The reason for this is that the company does not train just for the sake of training. Impahla believes that spending on training needs to contribute to the bottom line of the ?rm.The strategic training goal for 2012/2013 was to enable supervisors to come to terms with, and better manage, the expanding