Question NW2429 to the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity

Reply:

(a) and (b)

Relationships in the workplace are a responsibility of everyone - employees, supervisors, managers, executives, and trade union relationships. The Recognition Agreement signed with trade unions governs these relations and management programmes driven from Human Resources (HR) are in place to ensure that there is an engaged workforce in a harmonious and safe working environment. We continue to do everything to achieve this and below is a detailed account of the initiatives deployed to repair the relationship with labour, employees and between executives:

Eskom has an approved employee engagement programme geared towards enabling our employees to connect with each other and with the organisation. It is a 10 Platform programme that involves all stakeholders ranging from labour, bargaining level, managerial and executive employees, with strategic engagements with trade union leadership of the three recognised trade unions - NUMSA, NUM and Solidarity.

a) Eskom Executive messaging and communication platforms are leveraged to continuously engage leadership and employees to promote a sense of connection to the business and one another. This also includes organisation-wide publications, such as The Guardian, which promote a deeper sense of connection, engagement and relationship building amongst employees.

b) Eskom provides the infrastructure for various employee platforms, committees, and networks to strengthen communities of practice, enabling employees to keep on the pulse of the latest developments – this is a concerted effort made to ensure that wherever possible, employees hear news about Eskom from internal communication channels first and not external media. It is acknowledged that more can be done to strengthen the integration between internal and external communication efforts.

c) Eskom implemented two new talent development programmes to strengthen talent pools, build and retain leadership skills, and improve succession planning and leadership continuity. The top talent programme is focused on general and executive management positions, while the millennial talent programme is aimed at middle and senior management positions. The programmes commenced in October 2022 and will run until March 2024, whereafter the next cohorts will be selected. These programmes support and enrich relationships among Eskom’s leaders. In addition, Eskom rolled out the Management Development Programme (MDP) for 2022-2024 to supervisors, managers, and senior managers to equip leaders in their role to manage employees effectively.

d) Through its Employee Value Proposition (EVP) programme called “More for Me” that provides Eskom employees with over 1200 psychosocial resources which is available online 24/7 and serves as an additional tool to promote employee wellbeing, the Eskom Nkanyezi Programme which is an employee rewards/loyalty programme that offers employees discounts on various products and services through external service providers.

e) The Eskom launched the 1:1:6:10 Eskom Culture Transformation Programme, which is a key enabler for delivering a high-performance ethical culture as we drive the turnaround plan and power growth sustainably. This is backed by a Change Agent Network (CAN), appointing several change agents and champions (approximately 150 individuals). Eskom’s CAN serves as a critical connection/bridge between employees and leaders on all aspects related to Change Management and Culture Transformation.

f) The annual Eskom Human Capital Organisational Effectiveness (HC OE) Survey and other pulse surveys have been rolled out to assess employee views on several key dimensions of Employee Engagement, Employee Value Proposition and Organisational Culture and Change. Action planning within divisions to address survey gaps raised by employees also serves to strengthen relationships and drive enhanced morale.

g) The health and wellbeing of our people are important. Eskom has rolled out several health and wellness programmes that are intended to empower employees to make healthy and safe choices through prevention, treatment, care and support, education, and partnership. Of note to mention, Eskom’s COVID-19 response strategy was anchored in intense employee engagement and change management to drive performance and behaviour modification and was widely welcomed and appreciated by employees.

h) The employee assistance programme (EAP) continues to add value through counselling and psychosocial support programmes. This initiative is a contributing factor to help repair relationships as employees and management receive professional intervention and support in managing related challenges. Over the past year, mental health was identified as the most common problem affecting employees who contacted the EAP. In response, Eskom launched a digital application, LiveWell, in March 2023 to aid employees in dealing with mental health and stress-related challenges.

i) Events related to celebration, recognition and acknowledgement of excellence have been implemented to create unique employee experiences, which positively impacts employee relationships and morale.

j) Enhanced employee engagements, visible felt leadership, Gemba walks, engagements, Boots-on-the-floor site visits etc. have been conducted across various Eskom business areas. A Gemba Walk is a workplace walkthrough which aims to observe employees, ask about their tasks, and identify productivity gains. Hence, concerted efforts have been made to encourage executives to get out of the office and into the field, engaging employees and fostering improved relationships.

k) Employees at all levels of the organisation have undergone their annual declaration of interest submissions thus ensuring adherence to Eskom’s desired business conduct and ethical requirements. This, together with other related initiatives and associated training, builds trust and confidence amongst employees that Eskom is serious about eradicating corruption whilst simultaneously promoting ethics and integrity.

l) Successful conclusion of the Central Bargaining Forum (CBF) negotiations in June 2023 which resulted in a three-year collective agreement between Eskom and the three recognised trade unions on basic salary increases and improved Conditions of Service for Bargaining Unit employees. It bears noting that this is the first time in more than a decade that the parties have reached a collective agreement within the CBF process. This is a testament to the strengthening partnership with the trade unions. Relationships fostered during this process, will no doubt work towards the best interests of Eskom and the country.

m) Moderated (once per round) communication during the 2023 CBF process to allow all parties adequate time to engage their members/key stakeholders. This moderated (once per round) communication approach differed from the previous approach of daily Group Chief Executive messages to all employees and served to enhance the negotiation process. It also demonstrated respect for the views of Organised Labour, who had requested a more moderated approach to CBF GCE messaging and employee communication.

n) Employee and labour engagement initiatives continue to be delivered through various platforms, including leadership employee and executive engagement, organised labour, and Eskom leadership engagements through for a such as the strategic forum, leadership site visits, executive and staff interviews, and employee communiques and events to promote recognition and the celebration of success in the business. To continue in building a harmonious working relationship with trade unions, several initiatives were deployed from Human Resources, and they are:

• • An internal and an external expert disciplinary tribunal to supplement the current management of discipline processes to alleviate the backlog of cases. This will expedite the cases and improve fairness thereby building trust among organisational stakeholders. This will expedite disciplinary matters and create an easier process to manage conflict.

• • During the 2023 wage negotiations, Eskom reviewed the Disciplinary Procedure and Grievance Procedure with trade unions to ensure inclusivity and everyone giving an input, and these were implemented on the 1 July 2023.

• • We facilitate masterclasses on various topical issues to educate, empower and create awareness on labour relations and the management thereof across the company.
  • Other labour participative structures throughout all levels of the organisation are healthy and running well. These include the Central Consultative Forum, divisional forums, and business unit forums. The parties have agreed to reflect on their behaviours and submit proposals on how to improve the functioning of the structure and these will be rolled out continuously.

• • We had a third party facilitated discussion on how we can improve our relationships and how to apply our Recognition Agreement. Recently a Health and Safety Committee meeting consisting of top management and trade unions was held chaired by the Acting Group Chief Executive focusing on health and safety and the commitment of all parties to create a safe working environment.

• • We have introduced new courses to create an understanding of our policies and procedures. Further, we build capacity by conducting train-the-trainer courses that includes part-time shop stewards.