A company is the sum of its people: they have relationships with partners and customers; they keep operations running smoothly; and they create the culture that underpins the organisation’s values.
Rectron recognised that if it wanted to create a winning, innovative and forward-looking company it needed to look after the most important asset it has: its people.
Kutlwano Rawana joined the company in June 2021 as chief of people, with a seat on the exco, to look after the human resources and human capital management at Rectron.
She came from a retail background, having worked at Ster-Kinekor Theatres, Spar Group and Edcon prior to Rectron.
Her appointment marked a turning point in Rectron’s journey, Rawana says. For the first time, Rectron was treating HR as a strategic business partner with a voice at the decision-making echelons of the company.
“This was part of the company’s aim and vision to position its talent in a way that will enable the year-on-year business growth it is aiming for. To achieve that goal, we need to attract, develop and maintain the right talent. Rectron must be the place that people want to work and partner with.”
With this ambitious goal in mind, Rawana first streamlined the HR department, and polled employees and senior management about their perceptions of HR and the people journey at Rectron. She then put together a six-pillar HR strategy which focuses on the following:
- Talent attraction – through branding Rectron as an employer; and the identification of external talent and skills for future needs.
- Enablement– including skills development for current & future skills and leadership coaching.
- Transformation – includes our B-BBEE strategy as a business, which also links skills development; addressing Employment Equity gaps; and community outreach program.
- Talent management – embedding the right performance and talent management framework, policies and procedures; career pathing, succession planning
- Culture and climate – embedding values and recognising value-driven behaviour; and streamlines industrial relations processes.
- HR governance – embedding sound HR practices governance, processes, and procedures.
The male-dominated IT industry can be a hostile environment for women leaders, but Rawana says gender has never been an issue for her at Rectron.
“However, I am the only woman on the exco, and a novice in an industry where all my peers have had years of experience. I quickly realised that, to do what I need to do, I had to make sure the people I work with have confidence in in the HR ability within the HR team, partnering skills, and the engagement we provide. They have to be confident that I am supporting them in their people and leadership journey.
“And, to do that, I needed to show HR value add to the business.”
Uplifting the next generation
One of Rawana’s pet projects is education, and Rectron’s revamped CSI flagship program PEU (Progressive Educational Upliftment) focuses on the improvement of, and increased exposure to, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills within the schooling environment through the donation of fully-equipped Technolabs and beneficiary partneships.
So far, the company has donated four Technolabs in the KZN, Gauteng and Free State provinces, with more on the cards.
Rectron’s core values
As an ICT distributor, Rectron brings in products from trusted partners to improve the lives of its partners, customers and staff.
It does this by building on a foundation of five core principles:
- Trust – everything must be done for mutual benefit, in a reliable and trustworthy way, with integrity and transparency.
- Responsible – taking accountability and responsibility; being proactive and committed.
- Respect – displaying compassion, honesty, fairness and inclusion.
- Partnership – teamwork and aligned goals that empower with equality.
- Improving life – through sustainability, growth, recognition and rewards, and fun.
Making a career at Recton
Liezl Beneke, Rectron’s Bloemfontein branch manager, has made her career with the organisation.
She celebrated her 20th anniversary with Rectron this April, having worked her way from receptionist through the warehouse, accounts, operations and sales to operational manager and now, her present position, leading the branch.
“I studied IT, and knew what I wanted to do; which is why I took the job as receptionist at Rectron to get my foot in the door,” she explains. “And coming up through the company this way means I have a very thorough knowledge of the business, and understanding of all the issues.”
With 16 people in the team, the Bloemfontein branch is a fully-fledged office with stockholding, sales and repairs.
There are some challenges, Beneke says. “Perhaps the biggest challenge is hiring and retaining the right employees, finding the right talent for specific roles.
“In addition, this is a very fast-paced environment, so you have to make sure you and the team are always up-to-date with the latest technology trends.”
The rewards make the job worthwhile, she adds. “I just love what I do. I love working with customers and with staff – mentoring them and watching them grow is the best thing.”
While being a woman in the male-dominated ICT industry can be awkward at times, Beneke is quick to point out that Rectron does everything possible to promote an inclusive and empowering environment.
“Working at Rectron has only been a good experience: the environment is inclusive and there are plenty of opportunities.”
Beneke hopes she can help to motivate young women to make a career in IT. “I would have liked to have more women as role models when I was younger, and believe I can play a role in enabling positive change.”
From teacher to mentor
One-time teacher Nereina Naicker took a circuitous route to her present position of Durban branch manager at Rectron.
“I studied to teach technology using Lego, then taught at Randfontein High School before returning home to Durban,” she says. “I first worked for a reseller, and that’s how I met Rectron. I joined as a sales consultant 16 years ago and have built my career at Rectron from there.”
With 34 staff members, the Durban branch fulfils all the function of the main office: warehousing, sales, repairs and more.
Naicker’s biggest challenges are ensuring that all staff members are on board with the same company vision – and ensuring that staff are happy in their jobs.
Seeing staff grow is the most satisfying part of the job, she adds. “I’ve seen a driver become a service consultant; a cleaner move into the receptionist role; a gardener progress to technical support.
“And the brand itself has grown. We have got a strong team and are consistently one of the top-performing branches.”
Gender has never been an issue at Rectron, Naicker says. “It has always been a pleasure to work here; they are encouraging and accepting of women in the industry. The company runs programmes to promote women in the organisation and the industry as a whole.”
Importantly, Recton pays its staff on a job grading scale, so women and men earn exactly the same for the same skills, experience and work.
The industry as a whole is not always so inclusive, though. “There is still a ‘bro culture’ in IT, so women have to work harder to prove themselves.”
Naicker sees herself as a role model, demonstrating that women can be all roles: mother, daughter, sister and leader. “We can do all those things without having to feel intimidated.
“I’d like to motivate women to do more in the IT industry.”