Skills Audit Report Presentation to the Communications Portfolio Committee

Skills Audit Report

Presentation to the Communications Portfolio CommitteeBy Human Capital Services

4 February 2014

PwC/Vutivi and LTS

Content1. Background and Context

2. Methodology and Approach

3. High Level Findings and Recommendations – Skills Audit

4. High Level Findings and Recommendations – Qualification Authentication

5. High Level Findings and Recommendations – Executive and Senior Management Competency based Assessments

6. High Level Recommendations and Way Forward

7. Questions

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Background and Context

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Background and Context

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The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) undertook a Skills Audit project which aims to ensure that the entity is effectively and efficiently aligned in terms of skills and competencies and organisational change. PwC in partnership with Vutivi and LTS was appointed via tender number 7911. This project commenced in April 2013 and was completed in July 2013.

The envisaged outcomes of Skills Assessment Project were the following:

• List of critical and scarce skills for the SABC and workforce segment;

• Development of personal development plans (PDPs);

• Organisational training plan to address the skills gaps identified for digitisation and current needs;

• Skills and competency assessment report for the entire organisation; and

• Qualifications verification report based on current records database.

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Background and Context (Cont..)• Project Challenges• The primary challenge experienced during the Workforce Study and

Skills Assessment 2013 project centred on access and integrity of information:

• • Poor quality and lack of information available in personnel files

• • Lack of job specifications and associated tasks not standardised

• • Core business processes not mapped• • Reluctance of executive and senior managers to honour

scheduled assessment appointments• • Lack of and inaccurate job profiles• The initial intention in relation to the skills audit was that the scope

of the project would cover 180 degree assessment with individuals plus their respective managers’ assessments. The challenge of inaccurate or no job profiles meant that the project team had to validate technical competencies across 444 job families with respective line managers. Given the time constraints, the scope in relation to the skills audit was then limited to 90 degree assessments.

• The consortium, however, has analysed the outcomes of the self-assessments and have made deductions in relation to the skills requirements of all participating individuals and conclusions do not detract from the quality and depth and breadth of skills findings.

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Structure of the Report

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Methodology and Approach

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Background and Context (Cont..)

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Methodology

The methodology for this Skills Audit was designed and tailored specifically for the SABC environment. Our approach aimed to achieve an organisation wide view, within a limited timeframe and build on recent work addressing the SABC’s skills requirements in the broadcasting industry. In order to provide an organisation wide view required that the SABC be first defined and the definition applied is one which covers the SABC and broadcasting industry segments and identifies the functions which are carried out in the industry.

Four parallel streams of work were undertaken to provide a preliminary view of the SABC skills requirements and gaps as well as the critical skills segments that exist within the organisation.

WorkstreamWorkstream Snapshot of our Methodology and ApproachSnapshot of our Methodology and Approach

1. Qualification Authentication

As part of the project it was required to authenticate at least a Senior Certificate and one other relevant qualification for all SABC permanent employees to ensure that SABC permanent employees meet the minimum requirements.

Determining the authenticity of a qualification is a vital step in the assessment of the individual’s profile pertaining not only to competency but it also provides insight into the candidate’s integrity.

2. Executive and Senior Management Competency and Integrity Assessment

The assessment process was designed to assess the demands placed on SABC Executives and Senior Management in strategic leadership roles within the organisation.

Our approach included thoroughly researched competencies and competency models, which has resulted in the development of a comprehensive competency dictionary. Competencies are defined according to their applicability at different organisational levels. The assessment batteries used are registered as Psychological tests with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, and in all instances South African norm groups were used when generating the assessment results.

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Background and Context (Cont..)

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WorkstreamWorkstream Snapshot of our Methodology and ApproachSnapshot of our Methodology and Approach

3. Skills Audit As part of the SABC’s journey to migrate from analogue to digital, a skills audit was initiated to:

Identify and verify organisational skills requirements;Identify employee skills levels; andPinpoint the skills gaps in an effort to address them through various integrated skills development initiatives/interventions.

In order to achieve the above, the following three-phased approach was followed: Data Collection, Data Capturing and Data Analysis.

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High Level Findings:

Skills Audit

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High Level Findings: Skills Audit

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Digitisation will increase the technical content of the SABC’s processes, products and services and as a result, the demand for the following technical skills will increase: Expert metadata skills Broadcast/IP network skills Re-versioning and repurposing skills Digital broadcast architecture and digital equipment skills Digital signal distribution skills Ingest skills Post-production of news content

Future RequirementsFuture Requirements High Level Findings

Increase in the demand for technical skillsIncrease in the demand for technical skills

Demand for skills to operate and maintain digital equipment and technology

Demand for skills to operate and maintain digital equipment and technology

Demand for digital software skillsDemand for digital software skills

Demand for digital archivist skillsDemand for digital archivist skills

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Skills will be required to perform the following using digital equipment and technology: Convert content from analogue to digital Compression technologies and skills Playback content in digital format Distribute audio and visual content in digital format to the transmitter

station(s)

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3 Digital software will require re-skilling and up-skilling in the following areas: Ingest digital files into the SABC archive system Manage digital content Advanced coding techniques Advanced modulation techniques

4 Digitisation will have a significant impact on the SABC’s archive system and the ability to archive and retrieve digital content. This will revolutionise the workflows of the SABC. However, since the requirements for the digital archive system have not been established yet, the exact impact cannot be determined at this stage.

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High Level Findings: Skills Audit (continue)

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The SABC will initially require a hybrid of analogue and digital skills while it gradually phases out analogue content. This will demand multi-skilling – individuals will have to understand both analogue and digital platforms and their impact on content development and workflow.

Future RequirementsFuture Requirements High Level Findings

Requirements for multi-skillingRequirements for multi-skilling

Scarce and critical skills need to be addressed through a combination of skills programmes and short courses

Scarce and critical skills need to be addressed through a combination of skills programmes and short courses

Strategies such as bursaries, learnerships and especially internships are needed to attract and retain individuals in scarce and critical occupations

Strategies such as bursaries, learnerships and especially internships are needed to attract and retain individuals in scarce and critical occupations

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The following have been selected as the most scarce and critical skills: Communication skills Time management Strategic thinking Broadcast engineering Budgeting skills Creative writing and scripting skills Business managementIn comparison, the most scarce and critical skills across all subsectors of

MICT include sales skills, technical skills, IT and software skills, oral and written communication, customer handling skills, team working skills, problem solving skills, planning and organising skills, and strategic management skills.

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7 The following list represents the top twelve scarce occupations in the broadcasting industry in the next two to three years: Author and writer Radio and television journalists Director Camera operator Continuity person Sound technician Radio station operator Accountant and financial manager Broadcast transmitter operator Film and video editor Graphic designer Programme and project manager

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Skills gaps and priorities

A skills gap – in the context of this study – is defined as the difference between an employee’s actual level of proficiency and the level of proficiency required in the job, based on benchmarking.

The following pending decisions will impact on the skills gaps and priorities in the SABC:

• While it is envisaged that the SABC will be launching additional channels, the skills required will be determined by whether the new channels will be prepared/packaged in-house, or whether this function will be outsourced. If the new channels are outsourced, then the jobs and skills will be with the independent sector. The information in this section is based on the assumption that at least two channels – a News and Sport Channel – will be packaged in-house by the SABC.

• The SABC’s requirements of the digital archive system will determine how workflows and skills will be impacted. At this stage, these requirements have not been finalised.

The stages of content production that will be impacted most by digital broadcasting are Post-production and Distribution.

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The following table shows how the SABC’s skills levels in Post-production, Distribution and Digital Equipment compare to the MICT benchmark

Basic Level Competent Level Advanced Level Expert Level

Post-production 10% 18% 36% 37%

Distribution 8% 21% 37% 34%

Digital Equipment 11% 40% 35% 14%

MICT Benchmark 1% 28% 57% 14%

• Majority of Post-production and Distribution employees are at an advanced and expert level of proficiency; and • Majority of Digital Equipment employees are at a competent and advanced level of proficiency.

Compared to the MICT benchmark:

• A higher percentage of employees are at a basic and expert level of proficiency; and • A lower percentage of employees are at an advanced level of proficiency.

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The following graph indicates the skills gaps in Post-production, Distribution and Digital Equipment

Compared to the MICT benchmark, the following skills gaps are present:

•Metadata skills•Broadcast/IP network skills•Re-versioning and repurposing skills

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The following table presents a summary of development needs/priorities in Post-production, Distribution and Digital Equipment

The technical skills gaps and priorities as outlined in the skills audit results can be addressed by any of the following types of interventions:•Increased training activity;•Increase in trainee programmes;•More performance reviews and feedback;•A mentorship programme;•A change in work practices;•Better job-matching or deployment;•Better utilisation of skills; and•Increase in recruitment practices.

The breadth and depth of the SABC’s re-skilling and up-skilling will be determined by the scale of its digital transformation, e.g. its hasnot yet been decided whether new channels will be prepared/packagedin-house.

We recommend the 70-20-10 principle for skilling of employees – 70% of resources invested in on-the-job training, 20% in coaching/mentoring and 10% in classroom training.

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Finding Findings of gap analysis

(Meeting minimum skill requirements)

Recommendation

1

The most scarce and critical skills are ‘soft skills’, e.g. communication, time management and strategic thinking. Data from the skills audit indicate that participants have generally rated their level of proficiency against these skills – the behavioural competencies – as high, i.e. advanced to expert.

The following scarce and critical skills should be addressed through a combination of skills programmes and short courses:•Communication;•Time management;•Strategic thinking;•Budgeting;•Creative writing and scripting; and•Business management.

2 The following list represents the top twelve scarce occupations in the broadcasting industry in the next two to three years:•Author and writer•Radio and television journalists•Director•Camera operator•Continuity person•Sound technician•Radio station operator•Financial accountant and manager•Broadcast transmitter operator•Film and video editor•Graphic designer•Programme and project manager

The SABC should implement strategies such as bursaries, learnerships and especially internships to attract and retain individuals in the scarce occupations.

High Low

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3The SABC will initially require a hybrid of analogue and digital skills while the SABC gradually phases out analogue content. This will demand multi-skilling – individuals who will have to understand both analogue and digital platforms and their impact on content development and workflow.

Work flows and processes must enable employees to combine their expertise in their own area with some degree of skilling in other areas and then applying their specialist expertise across those areas in teams.Multi-skilling should be encouraged, but not at the expense of reducing the pool of specialists the SABC has in some disciplines.

4 Digitisation will have a significant impact on the SABC’s archive system and the ability to archive and retrieve digital content. The requirements for the digital archive system have however not been established yet and therefore, the exact impact cannot be determined at this stage.

It is important to finalise the requirements for the SABC’s digital archive system as soon as possible, to ascertain the exact impact on workflow and skills needs in this area.

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Digitisation will require specific equipment, technology and software, which would impact on skills requirements: •Digital equipment and technology will be needed to (a) convert content from analogue to digital, (b) playback content in digital format, and (c) distribute audio and visual content in digital format to the transmitter station(s); and •Digital software will be required to ingest digital content files into the SABC archive system and to manage digital content.

Digital equipment, technology and specialised software will require the re-skilling and up-skilling of people in areas such as:•Compression technologies/skills;•Converting and playback of digital content;•Distribution of digital content;•Advanced coding techniques; and•Advanced modulation techniques. It is important that individuals understand the digital platforms and required skills. The breadth and depth of the SABC’s re-skilling and up-skilling will be determined by the scale of its digital transformation, e.g. it has not yet been decided whether new channels will be prepared/packaged in-house.

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The demand for the following technical skills will increase as a result of the SABC’s migration to digitisation:•Expert metadata skills, so that metadata can be built into the digital content;•Broadcast/IP network skills;•Re-versioning and repurposing skills;•Digital broadcast architecture and digital equipment skills;•Digital signal distribution skills;•Ingest skills; and•Skills in post-production of digital news content.

The technical skills gaps and priorities as outlined in the skills audit results can be addressed by any of the following types of interventions:•Increased training activity;•Increase in trainee programmes;•More performance reviews and feedback;•A mentorship programme;•A change in work practices;•Better job-matching or deployment;•Better utilisation of skills; and•Increase in recruitment practices.We recommend the 70-20-10 principle for skilling of employees – 70% of resources invested in on-the-job training, 20% in coaching/mentoring and 10% in classroom training.

High Low

High Low

High Low

High Low

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Qualification Authentication

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High Level Findings: Qualification Authentication

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The following summary table provides a concise and high level overview of the findings identified during the authentication process of qualifications for all permanent SABC employees.

Level 3643 Red Amber Green

Incorrect or irrelevant qualifica-tion

on file

No personnel

file

No 1st Qualifica-tion (Senior Certificate)

No 2nd Qualifica-tion(Tertiary)

No 3rd Qualifi-cation

100

1st Qualification (Senior Certificate)

0 42 101 1 350

2nd Qualification 0 40 187 270

3rd Qualification 0 5 21 0 0 515

200 & 300


6 54 155 4 393

2nd Qualification 1 68 180 363

3rd Qualification 0 8 2 600

400


18 146 721 19 124 1509

2nd Qualification 2 184 496 0 1728

3rd Qualification 0 3 5 2528

Total 27 550 1868 24 124 2252 2361 3643

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Finding Findings of gap analysis (Meeting minimum Legislative and Best Practice Standards)

Recommendation

1 A total of 1868 (25%) qualifications are authentic.• Qualification verification should be part of a holistic

recruitment process.

2124 (3%) employee personnel files could not be produced by the Central Hub and there was no audit trail available to track movement of the file.

• The verification of qualifications of all new applicants should be the norm, and integrated in relevant policies and procedure;

• Standardisation and alignment of personnel record keeping

practices. Employee relations are governed by a variety of legislation, including the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Labour Relations Act;

• The Basic Conditions of Employment Act No. 75 of 1997 states

that various documents relating to employees that should be kept for future purposes.

3242 (6%) Senior Certificates lacked sufficient information or the copy quality resulted in difficulty to verify with the relevant institution.

• Concerted efforts required to ensure that standardisation of personnel record keeping practices is implemented within the SABC.

4292 (6.2%) Tertiary Qualifications (1st Degree) lacked sufficient information or the copy quality of the qualification resulted in difficulty to verify authentication with the relevant institution.


524 (1%) had non related qualification on file. e.g.: finance administrator had a diploma for beauty and health on file.


62252 (62%) of the employee personnel files had no proof of a Senior Certificate on file.

• Concerted efforts to be implemented to ensure that all employee files are updated with certified copies of the minimum required qualifications.

Comply Non-Compliance






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72361 (65%) of the employee personnel files had no proof of a tertiary qualification on file.

• Concerted efforts to be implemented to ensure that all employee files are updated with certified copies of the tertiary qualifications.

824 (1%) fraudulent or non-compliant Senior Certificates and Grade 10 Certificates.

• The SABC to implement corrective action and commence with further investigations.

9 3 (0.0008%) fraudulent or non-compliant Tertiary Qualifications.• The SABC to implement corrective action and commence with

further investigations.

10Lack of information, outdated information on personnel files, incorrectly filed information not aligned to best practice or legislative requirements for record keeping.

Concerted efforts required to standardise the record keeping standards for the SABC. This needs to be aligned to legislative requirements and best practice. The automation of record keeping should be considered.Employees’ files should have the following information (extracted from best practice)•Job description for the position;•Job application and/or resume;•Certified copies of qualifications;•Offer of employment;•SARS documentation;•UIF documentation;•Receipt or signed acknowledgment of employee handbook;•Performance evaluations;•Forms relating to employee benefits;•Forms providing next of kin and emergency contacts;•Records of attendance or completion of training programs;•Warnings and/or other disciplinary actions;•Employment contract, written agreement, receipt, or acknowledgment between the employee and the employer; •Documents relating to the employee's departure from the company.





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Executive and Senior Management Competency Based Assessments

522

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High Level Findings: Executive and Senior Management Competency Based Assessments

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High Level Findings Executive and Senior Management Competency and Integrity Assessments:

The following summary graph provides a concise and high level overview of the findings extracted from the respective results of the Competency and Integrity assessments.

The assessment process was designed to assess the demands placed on the SABC’s Executives and Senior Management in strategic leadership roles within the organisation. The results is alarming and indicate that the SABC’s Executive and Senior Management do not meet the minimum competency requirements.

Legend DescriptionDoes not meet

11% (7) demonstrated no evidence of the required competency.

Does not meet +

36% (24) The results indicated major developmental needs: the participants demonstrated very limited aspects of competence; high risk factors identified which could inhibit performance.

Meets -

21% (14) The results indicated significant development needs: participants demonstrated some aspects of competence, but not consistently at the level required for an executive level position; significant risk factors identified which could inhibit performance.

Meets

17% (11) The results indicated minor development needs: still some aspects which require enhancement for executive level position, competency not demonstrated at a competent level consistently across all exercises; minor risk factors identified which could inhibit consistent performance.

Meets +12% (8) The results indicated that participants met the competency requirements, demonstrates aspects relating to enhanced requirements in some exercises.

Exceeds

3% (2) The results indicated that these participants demonstrate significant areas of strength, exceed competency requirements in all exercises; no risk factors identified which could inhibit performance.

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High Level Findings: Executive and Senior Management Competency Based Assessments (cont..)

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Finding Findings of gap analysis * (Exceed/Do not meet the minimum

requirements and standards)

Recommendation

1 General findings: The current SABC leadership landscape demonstrates the following areas of Strengths: • Building strategic relationships; • Leading people; • Resilience; • Emotional intelligence; • Accepting responsibility; • Communication.

• The strengths as mentioned can be leveraged to develop accelerated training interventions to address the developmental areas.

2 General findings: The current SABC leadership landscape demonstrates the following areas of development: • Strategic thinking; • Problem solving; • Financial management/business acumen; • Change management.

• Implement a formal mentor and coaching programme for Executives and Senior Managers;

• We recommend that accelerated leadership development should be one of the priority areas in the SABC training strategy, with prioritised training intervention.

3

Findings: Cognitions and Managing Work • 60% of the group did not meet the minimum

requirements for Strategic Thinking at an executive level;

• 56% of the group were not able to demonstrate adequate levels in solving problems and making decisions;

• a further 15% only demonstrated marginal competence in Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving;

• This suggests that the majority of the group applies a reactive approach to solving problems (under-developed capacity to anticipate potential challenges), are not likely to consider all possible alternatives (or identify potential risks) or adequately consider long term implications of decisions;

• Need to adhere to policies, systems and procedures, rather than creating them as required in period of change;

• 35% of the group did not consider the financial information provided in the case study at all. 22% looked at the finances, but only at a superficial level;

• 41% did not meet the competency requirements for Change Management.

• The under-developed cognitive skills of the group present a challenge – particularly as the SABC enters a period of significant change. The Senior Managers and Executives will need to create new systems and processes to guide decision-making. Executive development should be one of the priority areas in the SABC’s training strategy;

• Concerted efforts are required for effective and measurable performance metrics to be implemented for the Senior Management and Executive Team, to drive performance;

• The culture at present appears to be reactive. The lower levels of long term and consequential thinking within the team means that there is insufficient focus on anticipating possible problems and implementing measures that will attempt to minimise possible risks. There needs to be more emphasis on PROACTIVE decision-making and long term planning, and holding individuals accountable when this is not done within their sphere of responsibility;

• We recommend that intense, goal directed coaching should run parallel to the above interventions;

• The programme implemented should focus on developing the following competencies:

• Financial Management and Business Acumen; • Strategic Thinking and Long Term Planning in

a business environment; • Problem Solving and Analysis – including risk

identification and proactive decision-making; • Change Management; • Managing Performance; • Achieving results.

Exceed Do not Meet

Exceed Do not Meet

Exceed Do not Meet

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High Level Recommendations and Way Forward

626

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High level recommended way forward

114

SABC JOURNEY MAP

SHORT TERM (1 – 6 MONTHS) MEDIUM TERM (6 – 18 MONTHS)

LONG TERM (18 -36 MONTHS)

Stra

tegy

& L

ead

ersh

ipSt

ruct

ure

Pro

cess

Talent Culture and Values

• Align Strategy to mandate

• Tactical Strategy to support DTT ramp up.

• Leadership alignment to strategy, high-performing culture and new ways of working.

• Balancing public broadcasting with revenue generation

• On the job coaching for Leadership to improve Leadership competency levels.

• Defining what is core

• And non core implications of co-sourcing and out-sourcing.

• Discuss , agree and approve organisation design principles.

• Workshop the Ideal and Interim Macro Structure and approve.

• Develop implementation plan for approved organisational structure.

• Implement Interim Macro Structure

• Implement Ideal Macro Structure

• Workshop and agree process priority areas

• Standardise, simplify, map, RACI and strengthen internal controls for pressure points.

• Define KPI’s to processes and link to performance management system.

• Training on processes

• Performance mngt system,.

• Standardise, simplify, map, RACI and strengthen internal controls for high value adding processes.

• Define the SABC talent management strategy and link to dual career pathing

• Establish a SABC Academy for the broadcasting industry to build a talent pipeline.

Implement effected reward and recognition schemes to foster skills transfer within SABC

• Moving from Strategy to execution

• Define and embed SABC values to sustain a high performing culture.

• Implement consequence management for not living the SABC values.

• Manage non-performance

• Implement workforce accountability towards process and SABC values

• All SABC employees to align to the “one-SABC-brand” with in depth understanding of the SABC sub Cultures

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THANK YOU

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