A stress management intervention was developed and integrated into the services provided by one of the nation's largest outplacement consultants. The purpose of the intervention was to aid outplacement clients in the management and resolution of stress associated with job loss and career transition. Based on the results of this study, the intervention had the effect of helping treatment participants maintain their levels of effective coping when compared to nonparticipants. This study supports the hypothesis that stress management training can be helpful for unemployed individuals and may impact their emotional well-being as they go through the job search process.

A Dissertation submitted to the Psychology Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the course of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with Masters in Industrial Psychology. / The aim of this research was to, firstly, explore the relationship between psychological contract breach and organisational commitment, and to examine the extent to which trust mediates this relationship. Secondly, the research aimed to develop and validate a scale to measure psychological contract breach. Data was collected from a large organisation that had completed nation-wide retrenchments. The quantitative sample population consisted of 84 employees in the organisation, while 10 members of the organisation were interviewed to obtain qualitative information. A cross-sectional design was used and data was collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. The process of triangulation was used to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship being assessed. The psychological contract breach scale was analysed by means of a factor analysis and was found to be valid, and the reliability was found to be satisfactory. The results of the study showed that there is a negative relationship between psychological contract breach and organisational commitment and that trust does not appear to mediate this relationship. Explanations for the findings are offered, and the theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. Finally, limitations of this study and directions for future research are presented. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Laws)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This dissertation presents a legal analysis of the effectiveness of arbitration process in unfair dismissal dispute with a particular emphasis on South Africa. The use of arbitration process in resolving unfair dismissal dispute is influenced by its efficiency, accessibility and flexibility. In South Africa, arbitration process is employed by the CCMA that was established to encourage effective labour dispute. A central problem that the CCMA encounter which affects its effectiveness is the high number of unfair dismissal disputes referred for arbitration process. According to the legal research offered in this dissertation, the number of unjust dismissal disputes brought to arbitration process continue to rise every year. As a result, the CCMA is swamped by these referrals, which affects its effectiveness. According to the findings, the arbitration process is now widely used around the world to resolve unfair dismissal disputes. The extent to which the arbitration process is adopted to resolve unfair dismissal dispute varies from country to country and is guided by legislation. As a result, it has been discovered that the CCMA may benefit from the ACAS’s arbitration process strengths from the United Kingdom as well as Namibia’s arbitration process strengths. The United Kingdom results show that ACAS is able to resolve a higher proportion of unfair dismissal dispute through conciliation rather than arbitration, which reduces the number of referrals from the arbitration process. In Namibia, if parties to unfair dismissal dispute want to refer an unfair dismissal dispute for arbitration process it must be done by mutual agreement between the parties except in exceptional circumstances. All this mode of operation between United Kingdom and Namibia when resolving unfair dismissal disputes hinder high referral rate from the arbitration process. This dissertation concludes with recommendations arising from policy making that promotes the effectiveness of the arbitration process and limiting the abuse of the process.

No abstract available / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / Werknemers is benewens sekere hoogs uitsonderlike gevalle altyd voor ontslag op substantiewe - en prosessuele billikheid geregtig, hetsy in 'n individuele ofkollektiewe verband. Prosessuele billikheid in besonder het 'n inherente waarde, o.a. omdat die uiteinde van 'n proses nie voorspel kan word nie. Die werkgewer word ook daardeur in staat gestel om die feite te bekom, en arbeidsvrede word daardeur gehandhaaf. Van verdere belang vir prosessuele billikheid is die nakoming van eie of ooreengekome prosedures, die beskikbaarstelling van genoegsame inligting, voorafkennisgewing en bona fide optrede deur die werkgewer. Die primere remedie in die geval van 'n onbillike ontslag is herindiensstelling, alhoewel herindiensstelling nie in die geval van 'n prosessuele onbillike ontslag beveel behoort te word nie. Die riglyne soos in die verlede deur die howe en arbiters ontwikkel is grootliks in die Konsepwet op Arbeids= verhoudinge, soos bevestig in die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge, 1995, gekodifiseer. / Prior to dismissal employees are always entitled to substantive - and procedural fairness, be it in an individual or a collective context, subject to highly exceptional circumstances. Procedural fairness in particular has an inherent value, inter alia because the outcome of a process cannot be predicted. The employer also thereby establishes the facts and by conducting a process, labour peace is promoted. Also of importance for procedural fairness is adherance to own or agreed procedures, providing the employee with sufficient information, prior notification and bona fide conduct by the employer. The primary remedy in the case of an unfair dismissal is reinstatement, though reinstatement should not follow in the case of a dismissal which is (only) procedurally unfair. The guidelines as developed by the courts and arbitrators have largely been codified in the Draft Labour Relations Bill, as subsequently confirmed in the Labour Relations Act, 1995. / Mercentile Law / LL. M.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Excessive shrinkage threatens the viability of retailers, especially grocery retailers because they operate on low profit margins. One possibility is for retailers to dismiss employees who are perceived to be responsible for excessive shrinkage, but South African law generally requires that the employer prove individual culpability or poor performance to justify a dismissal. In most cases, retailers are not able to identify the exact causes of shrinkage or those employees who may be responsible for the shrinkage. Pep Stores has developed a novel group dismissal model, using a poor performance process, in terms of which a store's entire staff complement is dismissed on the basis of collective responsibility for failing to avoid excessive shrinkage. The Pep model is attractive to retailers because it overcomes the retailer's inability to produce evidence relating to excessive shrinkage. This Study Project seeks to determine whether collective responsibility for shrinkage may be introduced in owner-managed grocery stores and, if not, whether adaptation of the model or new technology might facilitate its introduction. A further objective is to determine whether the applicability of the Pep model correlates to factors such as the size, activity level and complexity of retail stores. Three barriers to the application of the Pep model in grocery retail stores were identified: firstly, the determination of an "acceptable level of shrinkage" that is reasonably attainable; secondly, the conducting of sufficiently accurate stock takes to support dismissals and, thirdly, the existence or creation of circumstances allowing the implementation of collective responsibility for shrinkage. Grocery retailers have no difficulty in identifying an attainable "acceptable level of shrinkage" or in conducting highly accurate stock takes and stock counts. Circumstances allowing the imposition of collective responsibility for shrinkage were, however, clearly not present. Collective responsibility was precluded by the specialised nature of the employees' tasks and a lack of co-responsibility arising from employees' inability to directly observe each other. However, an adapted Pep model is applicable in grocery retail stores at departmental level if the departments are insulated from fraud or error by receiving clerks and cashiers. This insulation may be achieved by implementing joint receiving procedures that involve each department in receiving departmental stock and an increase in cashier monitoring. The introduction of Radio Frequency Identification Technology will ultimately facilitate the implementation of the Pep model through the enhanced insulation of departments. This enhanced insulation is achieved through the ability to track the movement of individual items in stores and the reduction of receiving and cashier error and fraud as a result of the automation of aspects of these functions. This technology, however, is unlikely to be implemented in the short term given the significant cost of RFID tags and the technical and organisational constraints to adoption. Perceptions on the applicability of the Pep model are correlated in smaller stores to total store floor areas, while the applicability of the model in larger stores is correlated to the size of staff complements. This suggests that the model may be ideally applicable in smaller stores, where the total store floor area is relatively smaller and in larger stores, where the staff complements are relatively larger. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oormatige voorraadverlies bedreig die lewensvatbaarheid van kleinhandelaars, veral kruidenierswarehandelaars, omdat hulle met klein winsmarges werk. Een moontlikheid is dat kleinhandelaars werknemers ontslaan wat gesien word as die verantwoordelikes vir oormatige voorraadverlies, maar die Suid-Afrikaanse reg vereis oor die algemeen dat die werkgewer indiwiduele skuld of swak prestasie bewys om ontslag te regverdig. In die meeste gevalle is kleinhandelaars nie in staat om die presiese oorsake van voorraadverlies, of die werknemers wat vir die voorraadverlies verantwoordelik mag wees, te identifiseer nie. Pep Stores het 'n vindingryke groep-ontslagmodel ontwikkel, met gebruik van 'n swakprestasieproses, ingevolge waarvan 'n winkel se hele personeel ontslaan word op grond van kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid weens versuim om oormatige voorraadverlies te vermy. Die Pep-model is aantreklik vir kleinhandelaars, want dit oorkom die kleinhandelaar se onvermoë om bewys te lewer in verband met oormatige voorraadverlies. Hierdie navorsingsprojek probeer vasstel of kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid vir voorraadverlies ingestel kan word in eienaarbestuurde kruidenierswinkels en, indien nie, of aanpassing van die model, of nuwe tegnologie, die invoer daarvan sou kon fasiliteer. 'n Verdere doelstelling is om vas te stel of die toepaslikheid van die Pepmodel korreleer met faktore soos die grootte, bedrywigheidsvlak en kompleksiteit van kleinhandelwinkels. Drie struikelblokke vir toepassing van die Pep-model in kleinhandelkruidenierswinkels is geidentifiseer: eerstens, die bepaal van 'n "aanvaarbare voorraadverliesvlak" wat redelik haalbaar is; tweedens, die uitvoer van voldoende akkurate voorraadopnames om ontslag te steun en derdens die bestaan of skep van omstandighede wat die implementering van kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid vir voorraadverlies moontlik sal maak. Kruidenierskleinhandelaars ondervind geen probleme met die identifisering van haalbare "aanvaarbare voorraadverliesvlakke" of met die uitvoer van hoogs akkurate voorraadopnames en - tellings nie. Omstandighede wat die oplê van kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid vir voorraadverlies moontlik maak, was egter duidelik nie aanwesig nie. Kllektiewe verantwoordelikheid is uitgesluit weens die gespesialiseerde aard van die werknemers se take en 'n gebrek aan mede-verantwoordelikheid weens werknemers se onvermoë am mekaar direk waar te neem. 'n Aangepaste Pep-model is egter toepasbaar in kruidenierskleinhandelwinkels op departementele vlak indien die departemente van bedrog of foute deur ontvangsklerke en kassiere afgeskerm word. Die afskerming kan bereik word deur die implementering van gesamentlike ontvangsprosedures wat elke departement betrek by die ontvangs van departementele voorraad en verskerpte kassiermonitering. Die invoer van Radiofrekwensie-identifikasietegnologie sal uiteindelik die implementering van die Pep-model fassiliteer deur die verhoogde afskerming van departemente. Hierdie verhoogde afskerming word bereik deur die vermoë om die beweging van indiwiduele items in winkels na te speur en die vermindering van ontvangs- en kassierfoute en -bedrog as gevolg van die outomatisering van aspekte van die funksies. Hierdie tegnologie sal egter waarskynlik nie oor die korttermyn toegepas word nie weens die aansienlike koste van RFIO-etikette en die tegniese en organisatoriese beperkings op die invoer daarvan. Persepsies oor die toepasbaarheid van die Pep-model word in kleiner winkels gekorreleer met die totale winkelvloeroppervlak, terwyl die toepasbaarheid van die model in groter winkels gekorreleer word met die grootte van die personeelkorps. Dit suggereer dat die model ideaal toepasbaar mag wees in kleiner winkels waar die totale winkelvloeroppervlak relatief kleiner is en in groter winkels waar die personeelkorps relatief groter is.

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012

No abstract available / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

The focus of this study was to investigate the employment difficulties faced by individuals who had been retrenched from the insurance industry during the years 2000 to 2013 in order to develop an understanding of the continuity in the specialist type of work after their retrenchment. The study also aimed to investigate the actual and perceived barriers that need to be addressed in the South African small business environment and the specific soft skills and business skills of small business owners and non-small business owners. The research design of this exploratory study entailed a positivist research philosophy using a deductive research approach. This quantitative research was conducted by means of a survey questionnaire. A questionnaire was designed and used to determine the level of importance and the level of own skills for small business owners and non-small business owners respectively in terms of predetermined soft and business management skills. The answers provided on these questions were then analysed to determine whether there was a gap between the level of importance assigned to these skills and their own skill ratings. This research determined the barriers faced by small businesses in South Africa as well as the level of agreement regarding the predetermined actual and perceived barriers pertaining to the small business environment. Notable findings of this study include that there was a distinct lack of continuity in the specialist type of work by the small business owner respondents in the insurance industry. There was a marked difference between the level of portance and own skill ratings assigned to the predetermined soft skills and business management skills with non-small business owner respondents mostly rating themselves as better skilled than small business owners did. However, the fact that these non-small business owner respondents did not start their own small businesses points towards higher risk aversion. This study also found that small businesses in South Africa are facing pronounced barriers within the small business environment. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Text in Afrikaans / Werknemers is benewens sekere hoogs uitsonderlike gevalle altyd voor ontslag op substantiewe - en prosessuele billikheid geregtig, hetsy in 'n individuele ofkollektiewe verband. Prosessuele billikheid in besonder het 'n inherente waarde, o.a. omdat die uiteinde van 'n proses nie voorspel kan word nie. Die werkgewer word ook daardeur in staat gestel om die feite te bekom, en arbeidsvrede word daardeur gehandhaaf. Van verdere belang vir prosessuele billikheid is die nakoming van eie of ooreengekome prosedures, die beskikbaarstelling van genoegsame inligting, voorafkennisgewing en bona fide optrede deur die werkgewer. Die primere remedie in die geval van 'n onbillike ontslag is herindiensstelling, alhoewel herindiensstelling nie in die geval van 'n prosessuele onbillike ontslag beveel behoort te word nie. Die riglyne soos in die verlede deur die howe en arbiters ontwikkel is grootliks in die Konsepwet op Arbeids= verhoudinge, soos bevestig in die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge, 1995, gekodifiseer. / Prior to dismissal employees are always entitled to substantive - and procedural fairness, be it in an individual or a collective context, subject to highly exceptional circumstances. Procedural fairness in particular has an inherent value, inter alia because the outcome of a process cannot be predicted. The employer also thereby establishes the facts and by conducting a process, labour peace is promoted. Also of importance for procedural fairness is adherance to own or agreed procedures, providing the employee with sufficient information, prior notification and bona fide conduct by the employer. The primary remedy in the case of an unfair dismissal is reinstatement, though reinstatement should not follow in the case of a dismissal which is (only) procedurally unfair. The guidelines as developed by the courts and arbitrators have largely been codified in the Draft Labour Relations Bill, as subsequently confirmed in the Labour Relations Act, 1995. / Mercentile Law / LL. M.