Click on the image below to enlarge
NBL’s vision, to be the most progressive and inspiring company, is closely linked to the employment experience of its 740 employees. NBL is committed to providing exceptional employment experiences by promoting a progressive and inspiring workplace culture which ensures employees are valued and have opportunities to grow.
NBL contributed to O&L Group awards, which recognised its strategic partnerships with employees
- O&L was awarded first place in the Deloitte Best Company To Work For survey in the large business category for the South African Development Community for three consecutive years, and received the same award for Namibia for four consecutive years up to 2014.
- NBL was also recognised as a leader in the promotion of employment equity in Namibia and awarded Overall Top Performer in the Workplace category at the annual Employment Equity Commission Awards in November 2015.
Human capital policies and systems are centralised in the O&L Group, but employee programmes and engagements are adapted for each company according to their needs. NBL’s 740 employees are spread over the country – from the head office and manufacturing plant in Windhoek to six depots and a distribution centre.
In the past year NBL improved its communication processes across the business with the emphasis on highlighting excellent employee experiences and achievements. This is driven by line managers who own, build and drive engagement in their departments. An employee engagement plan was rolled out to create a platform for different departments to engage with each other, thereby creating alignment, understanding each other’s worlds and thus driving behaviour that furthers the attainment of targets.
During the year the Managing Director personally spearheaded a cultural initiative to assist management and employees to understand their individual purpose and how this aligns to the Group purpose. The Group also runs a Value Star programme which identifies specific people who display behaviours associated with the Group’s values, with an annual award ceremony and incentives. A monthly NBL Value Star is chosen with one overall winner selected from the 12 NBL employees. The annual winner joins the other subsidiary winners for an incentive trip.
The performance management process is also under review, and in the process of changing from a biannual evaluation to more regular feedback sessions. Similarly, the learning and development strategy is being adapted to consist of a proposed blended approach with 70% on-the-job training, 20% social learning and coaching and 10% formal teaching.
NBL has strategic partnerships with a range of training and education institutions to ensure a sustainable supply of skills. This includes leadership development, middle management development programmes and technical training with partners such as the Cape Town University of Technology and the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology.
Brewmaster training entails a commitment of several years which includes training and mentoring by NBL’s senior brewers, a six-month vocational training course in Ulm, Germany and completion of a brewers’ exam conducted by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. This ensures that NBL has access to internationally accredited brewers for the future.
NBL’s relationship with its recognised union, the Namibia Food and Allied Workers’ Union (NAFAU) remains strong and co-operative, with no strikes in nearly 30 years. At the end of the financial year, negotiations were underway to sign a further two-year agreement. 53% of employees form part of the bargaining unit, of which 51% are members of NAFAU. 28% of bargaining unit employees are members of the Namibia Wholesale and Retail Workers’ Union (NWRWU) – lower than the
required level for a formalised relationship.
Employee turnover remains well below 8% and absenteeism is tracked on a monthly basis to ensure NBL delivers on internal targets. This is further supported by the on-site clinic in Windhoek, offering occupational and primary health care services. Health and safety, and wellness programmes all reinforce a safety culture to ensure a healthy workforce and increase productivity. Employee induction programmes also emphasise the risks of working in an environment characterised by moving machinery, chemical handling, forklift and truck operations as well as ventilation and lighting demands.
NBL remains committed to the O&L Group vision of being an Employer of Choice. The Group did not participate in the Deloitte Best Company To Work For survey for 2016 as it is in the process of exploring new opportunities to measure its employee experience within a global context.
