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Many of the companies we work with value the role of our regional network drivers. As trusted technical experts, we help them navigate areas where local knowledge is highly valued by identifying those that best suit their companies’ specific logistic needs. 

Generally, it is regarded that the interaction of innovative drivers within a local network increases the stock of regional knowledge, which leads to comparative advantages across the value chain.

“The amateurs discuss tactics: the professionals discuss logistics” Napoleon Bonaparte.

Every stakeholder in the supply chain system has a vital role in adding value to the logistics sector. In the transportation, freight and logistics sectors, the overall goal of the provider and any other stakeholder should be to add value to the customer needing to distribute their goods and to the end-user of the product. Value is defined as the outcomes important to the customer relative to the logistic costs of achieving those outcomes. 

This article discusses the value of regional networks in the transportation and logistics sector. If you are looking for a solution to your driving needs, contact MASA to connect with the leading driving specialists in your region.

Extensive Network of Specialist Drivers – Greater Service Levels

Using regional networks can lead to greater service levels whilst potentially expanding the pool of drivers. MASA has set up four regional offices to take advantage of these local drivers, thus assisting companies with an end-to-end solution to solve localised issues. Our regional offices are based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth – giving companies a nationwide network to leverage for operations.

Improved Comparison of Rates, Availability and Services

MASA builds distribution networks considering all critical services in the value chain. One of the main factors is the driver cost includes the sourcing and hiring process expenses. The existing regional distribution network provides simplicity and efficiency. It increases the availability of products (geographically), which reduces the costs and problems associated with the required time and capital needed to offer a high-quality service.

Rates of drivers based on a regional basis can provide ease of measurement and assist with assessing profitability as figures are comparable based on differing geographical information. Truck drivers in your larger metropolitan areas earn slightly more than those outside these areas. For example, a heavyweight (9 001kg – 16 000kg) truck driver in Johannesburg would make R5 535.62 compared to a driver outside this area who would earn R5 264.60.

Understanding and reducing these logistical costs could reduce the cost burden faced by consumers.

Improved Deliveries with Faster Last-Mile Delivery Options

Peak-hour traffic congestion in almost all large and growing metropolitan regions, including Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, is here to stay. A company having access to local drivers could be the difference of goods arriving on time or missing the scheduled drop-off. 

Drivers who understand the traffic congestion problems in local areas are better equipped at ensuring that the necessary targets are met by having insight into these problematic areas. With more than 80% of South African goods transported by road, the country must have sound infrastructure. It is vital for drivers to understand the small nuances to navigate these roads, where regional knowledge comes in handy.

Access to a Larger Pool of Drivers

With companies moving towards a more digital-based approach, building a database of local drivers is essential. Companies will have access to readily available and predictable capacity over the long term and which is accessible on-demand. Knowing where drivers are based is crucial for making critical recruitment decisions.

Value chains with high levels of extra-regional trade have more potential to be reduced than already localised ones. In addition, manufacturers should consider the capacity of local delivery services, which may rely on a pool of drivers. With a larger talent pool, it becomes even more important for recruiters to better understand the talent profiles beyond the resume to ensure the right driver fills the position.

Tailored Customer Experiences

Building a functioning regional distribution network increases customer satisfaction and offers better feedback. When determining the structure of a regional distribution network, important factors include product requests, customer service quality, product variety and availability, response time and the overall return on investment.

MASA’s Specialist Drivers Division focuses on providing our clients with a bespoke solution that caters to various industries looking to improve their operations by creating value using our extensive network of drivers.

MASA has nationwide offices and a regional network in each major province

Our national footprint and wealth of expertise allow us to deliver the finest temporary workers for any industry or sector. We have supplied numerous companies with world-class drivers over the past 40 years. With such a widespread network of regional offices, we can efficiently operate when meeting our client’s needs. Having a more extensive network of drivers leads to logistics efficiency, and maintaining these levels of efficiency can make the difference during times of market uncertainty.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new employees for your company.

If you require assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in a range of industries, be sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA with a strong presence in the driving sector.

Check out our article on How to Survive and Thrive in South Africa’s Truck Driver Shortage to learn more about this topic.

How to Minimize Strike Action Effect through Labour-based Staffing Solutions

Over the years, South Africa has experienced a barrage of labour strike action across various sectors. Many businesses have felt the effects of worker protests in the country, including the warehousing, transport, logistics and manufacturing industries.

So, what can businesses do to try and minimise this risk in a country that experiences economic volatility from strikes and industrial action? Well, partnering with an expert staffing agency may be the right solution.

Hiring labour staff through a staffing agency ensures that companies can focus on their core business functions while ensuring that industrial action does not impact vital operations. It only makes sense to outsource labour, and slowly, companies are becoming more aware of this fact.

This article explores the effects of strike action on businesses and their employees and how your company can rise above the challenges through staffing solutions.

If you would like to learn more about leveraging expert staffing solutions, contact MASA today and connect with a leading staffing agency and labour broker in South Africa and beyond.

The effects of strikes on businesses and employees

Strikes in South Africa are becoming more common, affecting the local economy and businesses and employees alike. Strikes by unhappy workers could further strain employment relationships between both parties and affect the overall teamwork and profitability of the company.

Companies can also suffer from production and financial losses, negatively impacting consumer confidence and trust. What effect does this have on the employers?

Effects on employers

Whether a strike is legal or illegal, it will affect the business. Therefore, it is imperative for employers to know their rights and keep up to date with current labour laws and legislation.

Some businesses may hire workers to replace the striking employees and perhaps increase shifts if the strike continues for an extended period. It is essential that part-time/temporary workers have a contract by law.

The employer does not have to pay striking workers for days not worked. If the strike is illegal, this could constitute a fair dismissal.

Effects on employees

Striking employees belonging to a union may be obligated to strike when the union determines. They could be at risk of losing not only wages but benefits such as medical aid insurance and sick and holiday pay if the strike drags on for an extended period.

If an employee is a union member and does not want to partake in the strike, they could be at risk of being intimidated by union members. Members belonging to a union in a legal strike are generally protected from dismissal.

Effects on the economy

The economy will feel the effects of striking in the immediate and long term future as strikes are appearing to re-occur in some sectors and, in some cases, have become violent. The South African economy is vulnerable at this point, and striking season could harm the country’s investment reputation internationally.

Economists agree that it is difficult to calculate the effect of strikes on the economy, but it is clear that they are adetrimental to the country and its workers. GDP growth will be affected, and the consequences of higher wages in specific sectors would inevitably lead to higher inflation.

To minimise your risk of industrial action, you should consider partnering with a staffing solutions agency that ensures well-vetted potential employees and can assist in the process of employment to allow you to focus on your core business functions.

Labour outsourcing provides a smooth process of employment from recruitment to placement.

Labour Outsourcing & Labour Broking are not to be confused

Many don’t understand that labour broking and labour outsourcing are different. Here are the key differences:

• Labour broking – temporary employees are provided work for a fixed contract period. Labour broking includes no extra benefits for the employee, and they are no longer employed when the contract ends.
• Labour outsourcing – outsourced employees are added to your active workforce with all the perks of a permanent employee. Even if there is a fixed-term contract in place, the employee is simply deployed to another business or project once it expires. Alternatively, the company can decide to renew the contract with that specific employee.

It’s all about Focusing on Your Core Business Functions

It’s highly beneficial to outsource labour to a trusted staffing agency with experience and a working understanding of the complexities and legalities of human resources. Key role players in the business are then able to focus on growing their core business while enjoying the support benefits of an HR team that’s effective and efficient.

There’s absolutely no reason to believe that outsourcing labour to a staffing specialist means losing control over the business.

Staffing issues, activities, administrative tasks, and various other HR functions don’t generate profits for the business, but they do take time. By outsourcing labour, companies can save time and money.

A company that handles its staffing in-house often has to struggle with poor fits, underperforming, and even those that don’t fit in with the culture and values of the business.

When labour is outsourced, the staffing agency will be responsible for replacing workers that don’t perform or fit in. They will also handle all HR and employment-related matters of the staff members they provide.

The outsourced staff members are bound by the terms of their private contract with the outsourcing firm and are less likely to be involved in strike action.

The MASA Services Difference

At MASA Services, we take our labour outsourcing function seriously. We understand just how important it is to work with staff members that are right for the job. Contact us today if you want assistance with labour outsourcing or similar matters!

Also, if you would like to learn more about our expert staffing solutions and labour outsourcing expertise, check out our article on How to Cut Down Labour Costs Through Temporary Staffing.

Companies depend on human resources services to provide talented workers who can meet a wide range of needs. Staffing agencies can play a vital role in helping companies find, retain, and further develop talent.

A specialised staffing agency that provides a complete staffing solution is needed when you need to expand your full-time roster quickly. Staffing agencies can also help minimise the risk and cost of replacing employees with MASA’s temporary-to-full-time hiring solutions.

The main reasons people go to recruiting agencies are the lack of talent and the inability of the company to achieve the expected growth. In the current economic situation, companies face many challenges, hence the need for staffing solutions to cater to different needs.

Before finding quality employees, you need to choose a staffing agency that suits your business. Consider a staffing agency as a wholesale business – you will get rid of all the extra packaging that your company would hire by hiring a recruitment agency, HR agency and human resources specialists to employ employees.

“Hire Character. Train Skill.” Peter Schutz

It All Starts with a Staffing Solution

South African companies currently face the reality of several staffing issues that they could solve with the correct implementation of a robust staffing solution that aligns with its strategic objectives.

1) Rising Resignation Rates

The ‘Great Resignation’ trend is moving across the globe, leaving no industry or sector unturned. The term describes the unprecedented number of quitters last year, linked to workers breaking out of burnout, finding more meaning in their jobs, and finding employment in healthier places.

Employees are becoming more aware of what makes them tick and want to feel valued in the workplace. Companies are currently being left with record turnover rates as employees break away from the norms and focus on areas they believe are essential to their overall well-being.

2) Talent Flight

Employees are looking at alternative employment options outside of the South African borders, with more and more people exploring opportunities in foreign countries. Given the mobility of today’s youth and the desire to make an immediate impact, full employment of top talent is becoming critical to employee retention.

With a growing gig economy, younger generations are taking greater risks and prefer to work freelance, allowing for greater freedom and more effortless movement between different countries. While money is often one of the reasons employees leave a company, it’s often not the only reason.

With stronger foreign currencies and higher potential earning opportunities, moving to another country is becoming an attractive option. Many companies seem to be encouraging talent flight without giving employees enough reason to stay.

They are also seconding employees to foreign branches and have not been able to retain employees at the end of their contracts. Creating incentive programmes to return to South Africa’s shores to transfer valuable skills learnt during these periods could potentially solve the talent flight problem.

3) Shortage of Skilled Workers

South Africa is currently experiencing a surplus of unskilled labour rather than a severe shortage of skilled workers. 30% of South African employers cited a lack of industry qualifications or certificates for skilled trades as a problem. The shortage of skills is directly related to the fact that the labour force cannot meet the demand for employment in the economy; this can also be called a “labour shortage.”

Compared to the country’s financial capital status, the lack of skills means it is challenging to develop the economy because it does not have the capital (in terms of skilled workers) to grow. There is an extensive debate around the different stakeholders that the chronic skills shortage and the inability of the education and training system to meet the current and future needs of the economy.

One area identified as problematic is the number of students at higher institutions who are not directly involved in the critical STEM areas of study, including science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The growing skills shortage has prompted employers to look for innovative ways to address the skills problem, starting with implementing at a Basic Education level.

4) Fake Staffing Agencies

Over the years, there have been several different scams where con artists try to convince both companies and individuals to use their services. Scams have included fake job applications, sign up for trial periods, and pay for item scams. These scams have created mistrust within the industry, emphasising why it is crucial to work with verified and accredited agencies.

Scammers often advertise that they can guarantee job applicants. Technically, all the average agency can do is consider you for potential jobs, refer you to clients, and hopefully get you interviews where you can sell yourself. In some recruitment scams, the fake staffing agency sends an initial job offer or links to fictitious job advertisements. Watching out for outlandish job offers is one way to test the validity of such opportunities.

According to South African law, a candidate should not pay for employment in any position. The most alarming red flag of scammers at work is asking a candidate for money upfront. In other cases, fake recruitment agencies may ask you to pay a registration fee so they can process your application or ask you to pay a certain amount of money to get a job. Stats SA fell victim to one such agency and sent out a warning message via its website for people to remain vigilant for such antics.

5) Foreign Worker Quotas

Local is lekker is a term South Africans have become accustomed to when it comes to buying local products, but the same could be said for the employment and development of the local workforce. In a country where the unemployment rate is touching 35%, developing local talent is becoming a necessity as the brain drain of skilled workers is becoming critical.

South Africa plans to introduce job quotas for foreign nationals as the government grapples with record unemployment and a resurgence in anti-immigrant sentiment. These quotas are meant to ensure that more jobs are reserved for South Africans to reduce the climbing unemployment rate.

There is a wide range of opinions regarding the matter. Economist Dowie Rudt was quoted as saying, “There was no point in expelling foreigners in an attempt to create jobs for South Africans.”

The policy gives the Director-General of Labour the power to seek a fine of up to R100,000 from the Labour Court for any business whose foreign employee appointment does not meet the newly introduced quota. South Africa will also impose various obligations on employers and foreigners to impart skills to residents.

Staffing Solutions – It’s not a one size fits all solution

People are your company’s biggest asset and can give your business a competitive edge. We will provide a one-stop solution for all staffing solution needs. At MASA, we understand our clients and are determined to give you the best possible solution to your problem.

The overall value of building a solid working relationship with a reputable company is that you have access to HR professionals who will help you find the right mix of talent to achieve your business goals and save you time and money.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new drivers for your transport and logistics company.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees in a range of industries, be sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA.

Check out our article “What Does Your Ideal Staffing Solution Look Like?” to learn more about leveraging the right staffing solutions in South Africa and beyond.

Employee turnover is a significant problem for many companies, as replacing staff and training new employees can cost companies thousands or even millions of rands. When your company experiences high employee turnover, it can impact the morale of the remaining employees. Turnover drains time, energy and essential resources, which your company could put to better use.

By focusing your energy on employee engagement, you can create a positive work environment that makes employees proud and encourages people to stay while avoiding the harmful effects of mass turnover. To grow your business effectively, you need to promote and reward the best results.

Understanding high employee turnover

Industries such as nursing, truck driving, and manufacturing face tough challenges in balancing happy employees within a competitive job market. Disengaged employees are not thinking about the outcomes of their work and succumb to complacency.

High employee turnover usually means that your employees are dissatisfied or unhappy with your company or teamwork. Once you find out that your company has a high employee turnover, you may find it difficult for your HR department to find valuable employees, thus highlighting the need to improve staff satisfaction. You can achieve this by using multiple strategies.

‘“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek

Research on employee turnover attempts to understand why individuals decide to leave an organisation. High employee satisfaction scores lead to increased employee retention, morale, engagement, and productivity, significantly contributing to the organisation’s financial performance.  

How to deal with it

When employee turnover gets too high, it becomes a significant issue that needs to be addressed, especially when high-level employees leave your company. Remaining focused on the business goals is crucial to assessing and overcoming challenges that any HR department faces.

Research has shown that companies with better time control and flexibility reduce employee turnover. When revenue is low, and engagement is high, it is easier for companies to attract the right talent for the job. In addition to the internal factors that make employees want to leave or stay, external factors can affect employee turnover.

When assessing whether your company’s turnover is high or low, consider your industry; for example, employee turnover in hotels is often much higher than in government jobs. Staffing solutions in different sectors require unique approaches to solving the problem. Ways to increase workplace engagement include:

• creating a conducive work environment
• respecting employees
• providing opportunities for advancement
• providing education and training. 

Research in nursing and other social services shows that revenues put financial pressure on organisations to hire and train new employees because hiring and training are more expensive than training existing staff (Shaw, Duffy, Johnson, and Lockhart, 2005). High employee turnover can hurt your company’s morale, delay essential projects, and beat your company to more than twice the average employee salary to find and train replacements.

Creating a positive employee experience can help reduce the amount of revenue by making people want to stay. The benefit of focusing on employee retention—in terms of boosting productivity, employee morale and job quality, and reducing both revenue and employee-related issues—is well worth the time and financial investment. 

When employees are happy and satisfied with the management and work culture, they go above and beyond to ensure the success of any business or organisation.

Investing in positive employee experiences has a direct impact on staff turnover rates. A company must develop programs to recognise and reward the best results for a job well done. Potential solutions to improve employee satisfaction includes promotion from within that keeps employees engaged in their work and often leads to an improvement in morale, which can help increase productivity.

Find your ideal solution to improve staff satisfaction and reduce turnover 

When it comes to employee turnover in your company, you can implement several effective strategies to reduce employee turnover. Don’t let turnover become a headache. At MASA, we have a range of staffing solutions for your needs. With MASA staff solutions, we aim to help companies navigate these challenges as we provide a holistic HR compass that can help overcome these situations.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new employees in your company.

The benefit of outsourcing your HR function is that it can help your strategies and improve your employee compensation plan. Outsourcing HR functions to a trusted vendor like MASA can help business owners understand and comply with these laws and regulations.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees, make sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA. 

Check out our article on the https://measuredability.com/office-admin-recruitment-3-strategies-we-use-to-hire-the-best/

One of the most valuable resources in any organisation is its human capital. By learning how to improve and maintain positive relationships with employees, you can create a healthy work environment. It’s not hard to see how healthy employee relationships can help improve and grow your business. Creating a healthy environment stimulates and leads to innovation.

 ‘’Client’s do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients.” Richard Branson

The importance of industrial relations lies in their role in developing a mutually beneficial relationship between employer and employee. When used properly, labour relations can help prevent strikes and employee protests, developing a healthy work environment, increase efficiency, boost productivity, and lead to overall industry growth.

2022 is the year of the employee. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind to maintaining good employee relations ensuring they feel valued and supported. 

If you are looking for a solution to your outsourced industrial relations needs, contact MASA today and connect with a leading staffing agency in South Africa.

1. Clear and Frequent Communications

Companies with better employee communication have been shown to have much higher levels of employee engagement. As the focus of employers shifts more and more from collective to individual relationships, employee engagement is becoming a key part of the employment relationship.

It has been shown that if there are adequate and strong relationships, even in the workplace, employees tend to be more productive as well as more efficient. To build and maintain relationships effective communication strategies need to be in place because when employees can openly share their views, employers can take the appropriate steps to ensure greater engagement both with internal and external stakeholders.

Employees should be encouraged to communicate about work or personal matters that may affect their work. Working together towards a common goal is an effective way to facilitate communication and increase comfort among employees.

2.  Employee Relationship Training

Employee Relations Training enables companies to proactively identify potential conflicts and resolve them before they escalate into difficult situations, as well as provide guidance and navigate the laws and regulations that govern discipline, labour, productivity, diversity, and behaviour management.

Not only is it beneficial for the company, but also for employees as it helps them better understand their jobs, which can increase job satisfaction. The best benefit you can offer your employees is the ability to upskill themselves which can lead to greater contributions in their work and help set the course of the company. 

According to a global study 86% of millennials would stay in their current job if they were offered some level of career development and training.

3. Looking at the Employee Experience from their Perspective

How you and your managers treat your employees directly affects their engagement and satisfaction with your business. Managers are also the first to address and raise issues of fairness and can make the difference between going on strike or solving employee problems together. Looking at the employee experience from their perspective, could create new and effective ways to re-engage with them resulting in better outputs.

Managers who are understanding and are aware of the challenges their employees face outside of work can affect not only the well-being of their employees, but also their overall image of the company. 

Positive employee relationships can only develop through an effective strategy based on trust, communication, managing perceptions and beliefs, defining clear expectations, and a robust conflict resolution process.

4. Draft an Employee Relations Policy

Aligning with your employees helps you avoid the dreaded “us versus them” scenario, by creating an environment which is a win-win situation for both parties and build a much stronger and more lasting employee-employer relationship.

Your HR team doesn’t have to be limited to talent management and payroll—they also help develop employee relationships and company-wide engagement. Building and drafting policies are an important element business practices, and MASA’s access to industry leaders can help smaller businesses gain access to insight from talented and highly skilled outsourced employees.

This includes considering all potential interactions within the company and implementing policies to manage the relationship between the organization and its employees through fair and transparent practices. With a clear employee relations policy, you can align your team with your culture, values, and mission from the start.

5. Focus on Company Vision, Mission and Values

Industrial relations are part of a human resource strategy designed specifically to ensure that human resources are used effectively to achieve the goals, mission, and vision of a business entity. By creating an atmosphere of respect and support, you can increase the number of engaged employees who believe in your vision.

Improving employee relationships can help team members understand the company’s vision and their role in achieving it, which can help them feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. 

According to a Harvard Business Review article written by Ron Carucci and Ludmila, more and more employees are tired of making moral compromises for the benefit of the companies for which they work for.

Like anything else, strong employee relationships also contribute to creating a stronger and better work culture. Employee experience in a value-based organization can build strong relationships and employee loyalty.

 Find your ideal Outsourced Industrial Relations Solution

The benefit of outsourcing your HR function is that it can help you strategies and improve your employee compensation plan. Outsourcing HR functions to a trusted vendor like MASA can help business owners understand and comply with these laws and regulations.

If you require professional assistance with hiring, onboarding, and training new employees, make sure to contact us so you can leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA. 

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new employees in your company.

Check out our article on the Outsourcing HR and Industrial Relations: 3 Questions Companies Should Answer