SA’s got talent: Turning the tide on the country’s ‘brain drain’

A Career Junction report indicated that 69% of local job seekers were willing to relocate for a job, particularly younger professionals aged 21 to 30 years.

To date, almost one million professionals have left South Africa for countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, the USA and Canada. This exodus has led to lower productivity and higher costs for companies as they struggle to find and train replacements. The loss of talent in key sectors stifles development, severely impacting the economy.

When organisations lose top talent, it’s not just expertise and potential contributions that are lost. Economic progress is stunted at industry levels and national efforts toward sustainable development are undermined. The consequences of the brain drain extend beyond the immediate shrinking talent pool. These highly educated and skilled individuals are typically the drivers of innovation and entrepreneurial advances.

Some of the considerations for emigrating include South Africa’s high crime rate, the inability to find suitable employment, and the possibility of better work conditions and study opportunities abroad.

Countries like Ireland are aggressively recruiting SA professionals to address their own skills gaps in industries like healthcare, engineering and tech. They are offering annual compensation packages of up to R1,5 million.

1. Create a people-first environment
2. Create a workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, work-life balance, and professional growth. A people-centric culture fosters open communication, opportunities for career development, and recognition for achievements.
3. Focus on employee benefits
4. Attractive employee benefits are more than just competitive compensation; benefits should improve the personal and professional lives of employees.
5. Consider hiring independent contractors
6. The introduction of independent contractors can enhance knowledge and capabilities, and they also tend to have a more entrepreneurial mindset which can spread and improve on the rate of innovation within an organisation.