HR plays an important role in shaping and reinforcing company values by influencing engagement, performance management, and overall workplace culture. However, Thelma Steinman – Weskus Distrik’s Senior Manager: HR – believes that an organisation’s values can never be owned by a department as it is an enterprise-wide belief system which both leaders and
employees must embrace.
Take a much-used organisational value of “trust” as an example.
“Residents trust us to conduct our business according to the various Acts and regulations which protect their interests; they trust us to find innovative ways to deliver services; they trust us to deliver on time and within budget, and they trust us to look beyond the present and anticipate their future needs”.
“Only when you apply a value to the expectations and needs of your community does it become meaningful”, says Thelma.
Dr Hugo Brand – Executive in the Municipal Manager’s Office with an extensive track record in HR – believes that Weskus Distrik has enough supporting evidence to suggest that ‘trust’ is an enduring value in Weskus Distrik.
- 14 consecutive clean audits which not only measures governance and compliance, but also service delivery.
- Solid steps towards smart city technology, building a region geared for the future.
- The Innovation Hub, making it easier for the private sector to bring innovative solutions to Weskus.
- Continuous development of employees, complimented by attracting young talent through the unique Intern Programme.
- The consolidation of emergency and disaster management, SAPS and municipal law enforcement response units into one centre.
“A value such as ‘trust’ must be earned through demonstrated and repeated actions. HR can influence organisational values, but it must be driven by leadership and staff throughout an organisation”.
Dr Hugo Brand
Executive in the Municipal Manager’s Office.
Thelma Steinman: Senior Manager: HR.
