Positioning HR As A Strategic Driver for HEI Workplace Program 28 November 2011

1. Positioning HR As AStrategic Driver for HEI Workplace Program28 November 2011 By Dr Ashraf Mohammed HOD HIV/AIDS Unit, CPUT & Ms Nazeema Mohamed Transformation Director, Wits University :

2. Objectives of Presentation • An overview of workplace programs in higher education; • HIV prevalence in participating higher education institutions; • Legislative Framework framing HIV/AIDS Management; • The key reasons for implementation failure; • Risk analysis for HE • Good Governance in the light of risk – King 3 • Corporate Accountability - JSE • Unpacking the implementation inertia • Recommendations

3. OVERVIEW OF HIV/AIDS WORKPLACE PROGRAMS IN HEIs • Workplace HIV/AIDS at HEI have NOT seriously gone beyond policies; • Some HEIs have some elements of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programs but NONE are comprehensive; • Treatment – the prevailing norm is that employees who are members of medical aid schemes may access private care and the rest must use state heath services or pay out of pocket; • HEIs have NOT shown committed leadership at all levels of the Institution which is critical to the success of an HIV/AIDS Workplace Program; • No HEIs had linked the responsibility of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programs to the performance contracts of managers

4. OVERVIEW OF HIV/AIDS WORKPLACE PROGRAMS IN HEIs • Many HEIs have functioning HICC – but most are within Student Services & don’t deal adequately with workplace issues; • Staff uptake of HCT at HEIs is less than 5% (exception of 1 HEI) • Absence of comprehensive workplace programmes in HEIs indicates a lack of engagement with national policy frameworks and the HEAIDS recommendations; • Many HEIs don’t have a dedicated budget for workplace & HIV/AIDS programs; • The majority of institutions still treat HIV and AIDS as only a health issue and have not mainstreamed HIV and AIDS issues into strategic/operational plans; • King II Report on Corporate Governance finds: “... Little evidence of measures to promote business sustainability in the face of the pandemic ...”

5. HIV prevalence of Participating HEIs(HEAIDS Sero-Prevalence Survey: 2008 – 2009)

6. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR HIV/AIDS PROGRAMS • Key Principles in mainstreaming HIV/AIDS at World of Work: • Alignment with HIV/AIDS/STI NSP 2012 – 2016 • South African Constitution • Labour Relations Act, No 66 of 1995 • Employment Equity Act, No 55 of 1998 • Occupational Health & Safety, No of1993 • Compensation for Occupational Injuries & Diseases Act, No 130, 1993 • Basic Conditions of Employment, Act, No 75 of 1997 • Medical Schemes Act, No 4 of 2000 • The Nursing Act, No 50 of 1978 • The Medicines & Relate Substances Control Amendment Act, 1997 • Medical Schemes Act, No 131 of 1998 • Promotion of Equity & Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, No 4 of 2000 • ILO Code of Best Practice on HIV/AIDS & the world of Work (Geneva 2001) • Labour Dept:Code of Good Practice -Key Aspect s of HIV/AIDS Employment • A Guide for Shop Stewards by COSATU (South Africa 2000) • South African Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (SABCOHA) • UNAIDS. HIV/AIDS Infection Information for UN Employees & Families • South African National Standard for HIV/AIDS Workplace Equality Managements System Standard (SANS 16001: 2007)

7. TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR HIV/AIDS PROGRAMS (Cont) • South African Constitution states: • All humans possess rights regardless of: • “ ... race, colour, sex, language, religion or other beliefs or • Social origins, disability, property, or birth, age or other status, • including real or perceived HIV status, whatever their political • economic or social system, states are under obligation to • protect and promote all fundamental rights ...”

8. KEY TO FAILURE OF IMPLEMENTATION • Key Failure for implementation of effective HIV/AIDS Workplace Programs at HEIs due to: • Leadership disengagement leading to implementation paralysis • Capacity Limitations – especially in terms of staffing & budgets • HEIs failure to allocate adequate budgets for workplace programs • Setting strategy towards sustainability • Failure to link HIV/AIDS as a KPA for managers at HEIs • The positioning of HIV/AIDS Unit in Student Affairs is problematic • HR & HEI management inadequately equipped/informed to address policy demands • 2. If HIV/AIDS Workplace at HEI is to succeed then their needs to be a • radical shift in the mindset of HEI top Management to the following: • HIV needs to be part of Corporate (HEI) Strategy • and NOT relegated as a HR Strategy

9. RISK ANALYSIS FOR HE

10. GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE LIGHT OF RISK King III Report on Corporate Governance recommends that every organisation should: • Assess the HIV and AIDS risk • Introduce measure to mitigate the risk • Measure and monitor the outcomes • Report on the above

11. Corporates and Risk The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listing requirements oblige a company to report on the following: • HIV and AIDS Policy • Overall strategy for managing risk • Measurement, monitoring and reporting • Involvement of stakeholders in policy development, strategy and implementation • Impact assessment: current and projected prevalence, costs and losses • Description of workplace and other counseling programs • management programs • Budget for management of HIV • Details of voluntary counseling and testing

12. WHY THE INERTIA IN HE WORKPLACE PROGRAMS A socio-political analysis • HE is still an elite system – HIV/AIDs not really impacting on academics therefore not high on priority list; • Population affected in HEIs – support and admin staff and outsourced workers – consistent with the national picture on VULNERABLE GROUPS • In a list of competing priorities – it is low down on the list BECAUSE HEI employees have medical benefits;

13. WHY THE INERTIA IN HE WORKPLACE PROGRAMS A competence analysis • HE managers/leaders still do not see the whole picture – HIV and AIDS is perceived to be a soft issue – if this was not the case, there would be a budget for workplace programs and a greater effort at integrating HIV AIDS into the curriculum; • HR training does not equip HR practitioners to deal with social justice issues; • In most HEIs social justice policies are poorly implemented

14. CONTINUING INERTIA Governance and Management analysis • Few champions at the executive level; Not in performance objectives THEREFORE no individual accountability; • HR Wellness and Student Wellness separated – no holistic/integrated vision; • In most of our institutions, we find advisors or coordinators of social justice policies reporting to Student Affairs e.g. sexual harassment, disability, discrimination and HIV/AIDS. These are often 1 person offices; • HR always found wanting when dealing with these policies - wellness programs are ad hoc and limited. HR does not have the capacity or competence to address social justice issues – result is IMPLEMENTATION FAILURE

15. INERTIA CONTINUED • Lines of accountability - absent from national down to institutional level; • At national level monitoring and evaluation systems are not functional in DHET, CHE/HEQC and HESA. Parliamentary Committee on HE also not playing its role; • At institutional level, statutory structures such as Council, Senate, Institutional Forum and the SRC are not equipped to lead, manage and monitor the HIV/AIDS strategy; • The concept transformation – too broad and nebulous – time to insert the HIV/AIDS agenda into transformation reporting and accountability; • Breaking the silos nationally and institutionally - HESA to play a more strategic and enabling role through its sub-committees e.g. HR Directors Forum and Transformation Directors Forum. HIV/AIDS coordinators should do the same • HICs to be energised through national support – communication, training, resources

16. THE WAY FOREWARD

17. Recommendations What is needed for the successful implementation of the HIV/AIDS Workplace Program? A holistic and integrated framework that addresses the peculiarities of HEIS Leadership and Accountability Effective Reporting Effective monitoring and evaluation systems A comprehensive and targeted training and development strategy A comprehensive and targeted communication strategy

18. Thank You for Listening World of HIV/AIDS/STI &TB No Place to Hide