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both emotionally and financially , and providing support where possible and appropriate .
An environment of trust is one of psychological safety where employees feel cared for , trusted and valued . Without this foundation , employers will find it difficult to implement new benefits offerings simply because they will not expect them to succeed and therefore will not achieve their desired results or potential .
Allowing employees to work from home is one way of displaying trust .
Organisations can also consider more flexible working times . Employees are undoubtedly working longer hours , so they need more frequent breaks . A quarter-day or half-day leave offering would allow them to take care of personal priorities and needs . This is also a good opportunity to experiment with shorter work weeks .
Parents may need to drop their children at school , so scheduling meetings after 09:00 and before 14:00 would respect that constraint .
On the more practical side , a canteen on premises ensures that employees do not need to leave the building to eat . Complementing this with a play-room or relaxation room will ensure they are more comfortable being at work .
However , the best way to develop new rewards is for employers to leverage the trust environment they create . Instead of designing one-size-fits-all reward packages , they should realise that workers have different needs based on their specific life stage .
By communicating with each staff member , they can individualise rewards that will evoke the best performance from their people . For example , should a retirement fund be mandatory or should they have the option to contribute to benefits that best suit their immediate needs ?
Whatever the final outcome , leaders must motivate their employees to perform like never before , and this will require them to try new , innovative and creative approaches to keep rewards relevant .
INNOVATION IMPROVES STOCKPILE CALCULATIONS
By Matthew Bester , from geospatial technology specialist GeoSLAM
GeoSLAM
Measuring stockpiles in mines and quarries is hazardous and time-consuming if you do not have the right equipment .
Innovations in mobile scanning systems can help African mine operators calculate stockpile masses and make time-critical decisions , without compromising safety or disrupting operations .
Any volatility in either African mining or commodity prices over the past year has not stopped investors from around the world seeking new opportunities across the continent .
Every day , it seems , there are fresh reasons to be optimistic about the future of the industry . For a start , West Africa has been hailed as the ‘ hottest ticket ’ in gold mining , thanks to its untapped and shallow deposits , which are relatively easy and cost-effective to excavate .
Meanwhile , Nigeria ’ s minister for mines and steel development , Olamilekan Adegbite recently predicted ‘ exponential growth ’ in the country ’ s mining industry because of demand not just for gold , but other key minerals including lead and zinc . Such is the strength of
34 • African
Mining • February 2021 the market , mining is expected to account for three per cent of the country ’ s GDP within five years , up from the current 0.3 %.
Demand for consumer electronics will no doubt strengthen the global mining market further over the coming years , as could the popularity of gold , diamonds , and palladium as an investment option . Coal is another likely growth area , as mining the huge untapped reserves of Botswana steps up .
There is clearly no shortage of opportunities for investors – but there are plenty of challenges to navigate too . A report from PwC points to the legal and tax issues operators may face , as well as other considerations such as political and social stability in a country , and the quality of its infrastructure .
The challenges do not stop there , of course . Geo-political events , high operating costs , currency fluctuations and the availability of
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