The companies which helped HR lead the way
The HR Pulse team, in association with CareerWeb, spent the first three days of last week at the IPM Convention in Sun City. (Have a look at our Facebook profile for pictures of the event.) The event had three major themes and sub-themes:
- HR Leading the Way: This involves HR taking a leadership position relating to people management and business issues;
- HR Building Capacity: This includes both organisational and individual capacity to ensure the organisation can respond appropriately to issues of global competitiveness and business sustainability; and
- HR Delivering Results: This confirms HR’s role as a strategic business partner through delivering results that meet multiple stakeholders’ expectations.
These themes were chosen because, in their latest research, the University of Michigan and the RBL Group identified the following four points as the purpose of HR:
1. HR professionals must be equal partners with line executives to accomplish the organisation’s purposes;
2. HR needs to be responsible for both the talent agenda and the organisation agenda;
3. HR can and should contribute substantially to revenue growth; and
4. HR needs to sustain economic intangibles that are valued and rewarded by capital markets.
I attended the lectures at the convention and I can definitely say that each and every one of the speakers showed how, as Rre Elijah Litheko said in his welcoming message to delegates: “… HR professionals can achieve these ideals and position HR as a strategic leader and change champion.”
But a conference just wouldn’t be a conference without the networking gatherings…
… And boy did IPM really go to town with these gatherings!
- On Sunday 11 November, Absa heartily welcomed delegates and exhibitors with an array of welcome cocktails. Absa is one of South Africa’s largest financial services groups. The group conducts its business primarily in South Africa but also has equity holdings in banks across Africa.
- On Monday 12 November, Eskom, silver sponsor of the IPM Convention, sponsored the networking cocktail function. Eskom generates approximately 95% of the electricity used in South Africa and approximately 45% of the electricity used in Africa. Eskom generates, transmits and distributes electricity to industrial, mining, commercial, agricultural and residential customers and redistributors.
- BHPBilliton, the event’s platinum sponsor, sponsored the gala dinner. This was on Tuesday evening, 13 November, and guests were treated to sumptuous cuisine and relaxed to the sounds of Patta Patta and the like. BHPBilliton is among the world’s top producers of major commodities, including aluminium, energy coal, metallurgical coal, copper, manganese, iron ore, uranium, nickel, silver and titanium minerals. They have substantial interests in oil and gas.
Sasol was the bronze sponsor for the event. Sasol is an international integrated energy and chemical company that leverages the talent and expertise of their more than 34 000 people working in 38 countries. They develop and produce a range of product streams, including liquid fuels, chemicals and electricity.
It was a fantastic event – we got to meet a lot of people and network with key players in the HR space. I, on behalf of the HR Pulse and CareerWeb teams, would like to thank the IPM for the opportunity of attending this prestigious conference and we look forward to next year!
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Lia Marus is the editor of HR Pulse. She has a BA in French, Italian and Linguistics from UCT, an MA in translation from Wits and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Wits Business School. She is currently studying towards her LLB through Unisa. Lia started her career off in corporate communications, where she worked as a sub-editor, researcher and marketing coordinator. She then heeded the call of the publishing world and went into the business-to-business publishing field. She worked as a sub-editor as well as a chief sub-editor. Before joining ITWeb, she managed an HR guidebook at a leading international publishing company. |
