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Author: admin

27 Aug

Posted at 11:11h in News

The HR function has evolved since the introduction of social media.  Social media posts are no longer just a way of expressing one’s personal views.  It also gives great insight into the professional conduct and character of a prospective employee.  The recruitment process no longer starts with just reviewing a CV, it has also expanded to viewing social media and LinkedIn profiles.  It is at this point where employers can already gage whether prospective employees will fit in with the company’s culture, share the same values and have a professional network that will benefit the company.  The individual responsibility when posting online is therefore not just personal but also professional. Online recruiting is all about finding quality candidates and connecting with them.  Social media is where people hang out online to express ideas and interact with each other. Employers however need to tread carefully when using social profiles for background checks.  The...

22 Aug

Posted at 09:17h in News

We summarise an outline of a practical competence profile which can be adopted and used for appointment, development and evaluation of overall committee effectiveness. There is an appreciation that REMCO members might not have all the competences and experience, but as a collective would complement one another.[1] For an effective competence profile the REMCO position paper 8 recommended that broad categories as recorded in the table below be used: CATEGORY KEY CONSIDERATIONS KNOWLEDGE What people know – technical and/or professional information needed to perform job activities EXPERIENCE What people have done – practical application of knowledge COMPETENCES What people can do – a cluster of technical and behavioural competences required PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES What people are – personal dispositions and motivations that relate to job satisfaction, job success or failure KNOWLEDGE: This would include and not limited to the following: Internal and external challenges experienced and how they can be used to the advantage of the organisation. Governance matters and including King IV recommendations. ...

04 Jul

Posted at 08:51h in News

Retention efforts must start on the employee's first day of work which means having a good Orientation Plan. The purpose of Orientation is to make sure that employees know what to do and how to do it.  The objectives of Orientation are therefore: To reduce anxiety: Introduce employees to their new work environment and colleagues. Help understand the organisation and its culture: Share the organisation’s background, values and strategic overview and key policies. Share basic Information/Work Behaviour: Working hours, Dress Code, Initial meetings with management. Convey what is expected from the job: Discuss job descriptions, roles and expectations, outline objectives of personal performance management plan including 90-day review. Tips to Retain Your Best Employees:   Select the right person, for the right job as the starting point. Offer an attractive, competitive, benefits package with components such as pension –and medical aid contribution. Provide opportunities for people to share their ideas and knowledge via...

19 Feb

Posted at 22:43h in News

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act has been amended to include the insertion of Section 25A, 25B and 25C relating to the introduction of the following new Leave Types: Parental Leave:  If the Bill is passed, parental leave would allow for an employee who is the parent of the child to be entitled to a minimum of 10 consecutive days of parental leave. The employee would be entitled to take leave days for the birth of the child; the day the adoption order is granted; as well as when the child has been placed in the care of the adoptive parent by court order. The Bill also stipulates that the employee has to notify the employer in writing a month prior to commencing leave, also indicating when the employee will commence leave and when the employee intends on returning to work. In cases where it is not practically reasonable to provide...

19 Feb

Posted at 22:39h in News

The three principles that underpin the VMMC work of JPS Africa (JPSA) is a person centred approach to improve health seeking behaviour and informed decision making of adolescent boys and men, gender discourse to reflect and address the health of men and the impact on women’s health, and collaborative partnerships to facilitate linkage to care and services across sectors and structures. With these principles in mind JPSA enthusiastically continued the journey within the MMC programme. Our values of hard work, quality and safe clinical practice soon contributed to unusual discomfort amongst VMMC partners and other role players. JPSA is perceived as a “disruptor” in the VMMC space in SA. If so, our intent is to disrupt in a positive way. We are not afraid of tension and complexity in the VMMC space. Disruption happens in any competitive environment, thus in the VMMC space too but does present challenges as role players...

28 Dec

Posted at 12:00h in Blog

Healthy relationships require equal decision-making practices, which includes decisions about safe sexual practices and protecting one another from the transmission of HIV and STIs. This can include choices about condom use and other forms of contraception, as well as the sexual practices that each partner is willing to engage in. Each person has the right to make decisions about their own sexual health that can be beneficial for both them and their future sexual partners.   Historically, men have been positioned as the head of their households, and as providers for their families. Whilst gender norms are shifting and more equitable gender roles are becoming more common, men are still role models for their families and communities by making decisions with the entire family in mind. Making these choices with a partner only makes them easier.   One of these decisions that men can make is the choice to undergo voluntary male medical circumcision...

23 Dec

Posted at 12:00h in Blog, Uncategorized

Traditional circumcision rituals are part of the rites of passage for many young boys into manhood. Traditional rites of passage are practices by various cultures in South Africa. In South Africa, thousands of young boys are circumcised in traditional initiation schools each year. Not all initiation schools practice the same circumcision procedure, with some schools only performing a partial circumcision. A number of risks are incorporated with this journey to manhood. Sadly, many young boys die each year from botched or non-sterile circumcisions or dehydration during the circumcision ritual because they are denied water. There is no health screening before initiation takes, hence placing ill initiates, or those with chronic conditions, at risk of adverse events. Some initiates suffer genital mutilation or penile amputation as a result of untrained practitioners. In addition, where circumcisers use the same non-sterilised blade on all initiates these young men are placed at risk of contracting...

19 Dec

Posted at 12:00h in Blog

With the country covering some 1.221 million square kilometres in total, the task of reaching everyone in South Africa with health services is no small feat. South Africa is home to just over 58 million people, of which an estimated 35% live in rural areas. Many rural areas in South Africa have a high rate of HIV prevalence. This can be explained by a number of factors including: Prevailing high-risk sexual practices Poverty, which can result in risky transactional sexual practices The vulnerability of women because of high levels of gender-based violence and patriarchal norms that limit women’s ability to negotiate safe sex The lack of universally available ART, and the historical imbalances in its provision Poor education systems in rural areas that allow myths about HIV infection to flourish Migrant labour forces that are prevalent across the country Recent research has shown that the links between poverty and HIV are multidirectional....

15 Dec

Posted at 17:32h in Blog

South Africa has opted to promote voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) as part of the package of HIV prevention services, although a recent UN report suggests that there has been a decline in the number of VMMC procedures performed since 2014. In order to meet the target of 80 percent coverage in relation to reducing new infections and the spread of HIV, the number of circumcisions needs to double. This requires innovative strategies that target the barrier to uptake. VMMC ambassadors play an important role in raising awareness about the procedure and its health benefits, and in encouraging the uptake of the procedure. JPS Africa interviewed one such ambassador, Itumeleng Tema, a Clinical Associate, to get his insights into the challenges and opportunities within VMMC. Itumeleng lives in Nkangala, an area where traditional circumcision practices are part of the rites of passage to manhood. However, as with many traditional circumcision rituals across...

15 Dec

Posted at 09:51h in Blog

Since October 2011, JPS Africa, in partnership with the National Department of Health, has implemented Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) as the leading strategy for HIV/ AIDS prevention in South Africa. Since then, JPS Africa now boasts 34 sites that support VMMC all over South Africa, and has performed over 59000 VMMC procedures.     [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puN9gkbIofM[/embed]  ...