Service is a labour of love
2005/07/20
What does your company do?
Labour Assist is a subsidiary of mega call centre enterprise, Europ Assistance South Africa. We recently teamed up with Scientia Financial Services who have acquired a 3% shareholding. They bring health care services, a brokerage for medical aid schemes and short-term and life-insurance products. They also provide services in employee benefits and provident schemes and funds.
How will this impact on you?
With Scientia's involvement, the intention is to expand our existing service-offering which currently includes human resource outsourcing, employment law outsourcing and payroll outsourcing. Scientia will have the opportunity of acquiring a bigger share of Labour Assist over time by introducing new business and using commissions to grow their share.
What is your target market?
Labour Assist's target market includes employers and corporates. These are primarily small to medium-sized companies who either do not have dedicated staff or who prefer to outsource their human resources and or industrial relations services.
We handle the complete HR function for our clients which includes drafting of employment documents including policies and procedures; chairing of enquiries; CCMA representation; mediation; assistance with restructuring; mergers and acquisitions; training of line managers in respect of the various labour legislation; written legal opinions; complete facilitation of their employment equity compliance; assistance with BEE compliance; and basically everything relating to employment issues. Our labour laws are an overkill to small and medium-sized businesses and by using our expertise, they save considerably in terms of time, efficiency and cost.
Outsourcing is the way many companies are moving as it not only makes financial sense, but it also frees up management to concentrate on their core business without the hassle of dealing with potentially sticky staff issues which are also often a nuisance.
What are your goals?
Our goal for 2005 is to double the company's turnover. We are looking for strategic relationships with the likes of recruitment agencies and other like-minded businesses. We will also look at prospects for acquisitions to help grow the business.
What are your BEE plans?
Our board is keen to find BEE partners that will be an accurate match of our business, not just BEE for BEE's sake. We are looking for added value in all growth decisions we take. We will be looking at all the services Europ Assistance SA provides through our call centre business and include legal and medical services and offer packages to include our business.
What qualifications do you need and what advice would you give to someone wishing to enter this field?
A legal qualification helps but some qualification in human resources is a useful way to get started. On-the-job training is vital too, of course. The challenges are enormous but the personal rewards are worth the effort. Be good at handling pressure.
|
