Why it’s key to understand the needs of the female workforce.
Women in today’s workforce juggle caregiving, career growth and often being the primary breadwinner, which strains their mental health. In observance of International Women’s Day in March, it’s crucial to address this. Research from SADAG reveals 61% of employed South Africans would quit their jobs if they could afford to, citing stress as the main reason. This aligns to Remchannel’s Salary and Wage Movements survey published in October 2024 which indicated that 46.9% of turnover was due to resignation for better career prospects and higher salaries.
The report by SADAG highlights the challenges South Africans workers face, which are compounded by rigid work arrangements and insufficient support for mental health, ultimately increasing the risk of disengagement and burnout. Today’s employees need more than just a salary—they require authentic support for their well-being and a sustainable work-life balance in return for optimal performance. Employers who overlook this risk especially losing their top women talent to organisations that truly prioritise mental health and flexibility to ensure a productive workforce.
Without addressing disengagement and mental well-being, companies especially in sectors looking to attract more women, risk high costs associated with low productivity, eventual resignations and replacement recruiting effort and cost.
Beyond pay, flexibility, choice and a greater emphasis on well-being have emerged as top priorities for the modern workforce. What we’re finding is that flexibility is a key motivator for talent. One of the major drivers behind resignations is employees’ desire for work arrangements that support their financial wellbeing, career goals and personal lives.
The shifting landscape of work models
The Remchannel Benefits Guide published in December 2023 revealed that 83% of companies offer hybrid or flexible work models. Some companies have, however, recently mandated across the board full-time office returns. This rigid approach is hurting morale, especially for employees who thrived on pandemic-era flexibility and whose jobs can be performed remotely.
Speaking on a panel at the Old Mutual Thought Leadership Forum in August 2024, Samad Masood from the Infosys Knowledge Institute supports this trend. “I think it’s fair to say if you take responsibility for taking care of kids, you prefer flexible working. If you don’t, then you don’t seek it,” he said.
But moreover, the Infosys research findings reveal that while many companies rely on remote work options to retain staff, it is the much broader integrated support for mental health, financial wellness, and career growth that truly strengthens employee engagement and loyalty.
Relooking employee value propositions
To bridge the gap in South Africa between employees’ needs and current workplace practices, companies need to prioritise building employee value propositions around the values and priorities of their workforce, including their women talent.
To achieve this, it’s essential to start by understanding what women truly need and want by asking them directly. Tools like ‘stay interviews’ help companies identify areas for improvement and proactively address employee concerns, helping to build a basket of pay and flexible benefits that encourage engagement, prevent burnout and reduce high turnover rates.
Flexible pay structures that allow employees to manage their remuneration in line with both short-term and long-term needs are essential for addressing financial and other root causes of stress and mental health issues. Initiatives focused on fair and competitive pay, proactive mental support, and incentivised physical health can address many issues that often lead to stress, underperformance, absenteeism, and staff turnover.
Other initiatives to improve workplace culture, such as promoting diversity and inclusion, are both cost-effective and essential for fostering a sense of belonging and human connection.
In a climate where employees are increasingly driven by well-being and adaptability, South African companies that fail to evolve risk losing top women talent to more progressive workplaces. Meeting the growing demand for personalised benefits isn’t just a nicety; for companies intent on sustainable growth and resilience, it’s an essential strategy.
Attracting and retaining top women talent would be your organsaiton’s top priority.
Watch this video to see Lindiwe Sebesho, Managing Director at Remchannel, explain how employers can participate and leverage insights from the company’s Salary and Wage Movement Survey to make informed salary increase decisions. Learn how to retain top talent, address critical skills gaps, and make fair, competitive pay decisions – all backed by reliable data. Plus, how these data-driven insights can help organisations plan strategically, remain competitive, and create the human-centric employee value propositions needed to retain critical skills in the workforce today.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE SALARY AND WAGE MOVEMENT SURVEY SUMMARY HERE.
Lindiwe Sebesho is the Managing Director at Remchannel.
