Holding on to black talent

Bruce Whitfield:
So often you talk to executives and you say to them what is one of the biggest challenges that you face in doing your business on a day to day basis. And among the challenges include issues like BEE, and the other is acquisition and retention of black talent.

And many, many of the charters that exist at the moment, black talent is one of those issued that companies strive to ascertain. Now Moses Ngobeni is a member of the Consumer Insight Agency Research Team that has conducted some research into this particular topic.

And many people, Moses, will tell you that the reason why it is so difficult to keep and retain black talent, if we can be slightly divisive this evening, is because basically people poach them because they get paid lots of money. Is that in fact the outcome of your research? Does it support that particular hypothesis?

Moses Ngobeni:
No, not really, I think what I need to mention is that money is definitely important, but there are other factors that influence people’s decisions to leave their corporates. And I think now with the advent of the black empowerment and all that, that has now brought another spin into the whole way that the young black talent is thinking. I think currently as you know, the whole thing round entrepreneurship is that it is very big, it is right on top of mind and most young employees want to go out there and start their own business, be their own boss and all that. So it is that what is driving the whole issue around retaining black talent.

Bruce Whitfield:
That is interesting because the suggestions from the research is that the reasons that so many young black people leave corporate life is because they want to start their own business and I suppose that is in part also, a spin off from BEE, because so many people are looking to do empowerment deals. It is a lot more lucrative to do an empowerment deal than get a salary cheque every month potentially.

Moses Ngobeni:
Yes absolutely. I think it is like an entrepreneurship that goes beyond that. It is also around the issue of lifestyle that people want to have an opportunity to live the lifestyles that they want. So, by obviously the prospect of BEE empowerment and entrepreneurship obviously gives you that room to be able to create that lifestyle that you want and it is beyond the issue of money.

Bruce Whitfield:
There was some new research done recently by Unilever, the Unilever Institute at UCT and if found that 65 percent of black employees changes their jobs at least once within the last three years. Now, I find that interesting, because my impression also is generally, young people of all walks of life are changing their jobs a lot more regularly than they perhaps did about ten, 15, 20 years ago.

Moses Ngobeni:
I think the international standard was guys would normally stay for a period of five to ten years and I think that it is important that employers do understand those drivers that influence these types of decisions. Because for now, it is actually three and it is coming closer to two years. So I think the more we understand that issue and that side of things, the better it will be for employment and the better we can deal with retaining the black employees.

Bruce Whitfield:
Any insights in this research which suggests for employers how to better retain, especially the source after black talent which is moving jobs perhaps a little more quickly than employers would like.

Moses Ngobeni:
I think the one thing we can look at, if we find out from the researchers a lot around calling the shop, so I think that appeals to the thing that, give me some autonomy, let me be able to make my own decision and let me be able to take risks. So I think what one needs to do, or what employers can do is to create a spirit of entrepreneurship.

Bruce Whitfield:
Doesn’t that go across all race groups in the South African economy? Everybody would like a bit more autonomy. Everybody would like to have a fair go at making a success of their lives and why does that particularly apply to black candidates for example?

Moses Ngobeni:
I agree with that. I think some of the things that came from our discussion in the research was that rather make your employ a desirable place to work at, but at the same time, one has to look right now, the opportunities make black employees much more mobile, much more hungry and that is where the talent is rife. I think for now in terms of white employees quite comfortable where they are and quite able to sit and relax, but especially more for the black employees, hence the drive to want to go and call your own shots and do your own thing.

Bruce Whitfield:
Moses Ngobeni, I am not sure about sit and relax, but thank you very much indeed. Member of the Consumer Agency Research Team. Interesting stuff, it does highlight some new trends within the employment sector.

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