Strategies to reduce the emigration of engineering professionals in the South African petroleum refining industry=Amasu okunciphisa ukufuduka koNjiniyela embonini yokuColisisa iPhethroliyamu eNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

The South African refining companies have been losing experienced engineers, due to emigration, which has negatively impacted the refinery Operations. This study aimed to explore the factors that affect the emigration of engineers working in the South African petroleum refining industry. The study used a mixed method approach combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques using structured, in-depth interviews and an electronic survey questionnaire. The study participants were refinery engineers with a formal engineering diploma or degree from a recognized University or University of Technology. The findings revealed that more than half of the engineers had a positive emigration potential and were actively applying for jobs overseas (56% for interviews and 52% for the surveys). The preferred emigration destinations were the Middle East and Europe for a duration of 5 years. The engineers were Millennials, aged between 31-36 years with 5-15 years’ work experience. The emigration drivers were a rapidly deteriorating macroeconomic climate resulting in a higher cost of living and unhappiness at work due to poor career advancement, poor work-life balance, and a perceived inaccurate and unreliable performance appraisal system where promotions and recognition awards were affected by manager bias. Some recommendations were to have clear career progression paths incorporating job redesign strategies, reduce appraiser bias in the performance appraisal process, incorporate appraisee feedback, and review company benefits to ensure they meet the work-life balance needs of a changing workforce. The study has contributed to the body knowledge by developing a method to measure the emigration potential of petrochemical refining engineers and plot it on an emigration potential matrix. As well as to better understand the critical factors that lead to a positive emigration potential and propose strategies to reduce it by implementing the developed emigration potential reduction framework.

Iqoqa

Izinkampani zokucolisisa eNingizimu Afrika zilahlekelwa onjiniyela abanohlonze ngenxa yokufuduka, okunomthelela omubi ezimbonini zokucolisisa. Lolu cwaningo lwaluhlose ukubhekisisa izinto ezithinta ukufuduka konjiniyela abasebenza ezimbonini zokucolisisa uwoyela eNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa indlelakwenza engxube ebandakanya amasu ocwaningo lobunjalonto nenanikubala kusetshenziswa inhlwayalwazi ehlelekile kanye nohlumibuzo oluyisaveyi lwezobuchwepheshe. Ababambiqhaza kwaba onjiniyela kwezokucolisisa abanediploma noma iziqu zedegree zasenyuvesi noma enyuvesi yezobuchwepheshe.6 Imiphumela yocwaningo yaveza ukuthi bangaphezulu kukahhafu onjiniyela okungenzeka bafuduke kanti basembhidlangweni wokufaka izicelo zokuyosebenza phesheya kwezilwandle (56% abenhlwayalwazi kanye nama-52% abesaveyi). Izindawo zokufudukela ezithandwayo yiMiddle East kanye neYurophu lapho besebenza khona iminyaka emihlanu. Onjiniyela laba baphakathi kweminyaka engama-31 kuya ema-36 kanti banolwazi lomsebenzi lweminyaka ephakathi kwemi-5 kuya kweyi-15. Okuyimbangela yofuduko yisimo somnotho esiya ngokuya sintengantenga esidala impilo ibize kakhulu, ukungajabuli emsebenzini ngenxa yokuncipha kwamathuba okukhushulwa, ukungazinzi phakathi kwempilo nomsebenzi, uhlelo lokubheka ukuthi umuntu usebenze kanjani olunganembi futhi olungathembekile kanye nokuklonyeliswa kokwenza kahle emsebenzini okuncike ekuchemeni kwezimenenja. Ezinye zezincomo zibandakanya ukuqinisekisa ukuba khona kwendlela ecacile yokuqhubekela phambili emsebenzini ezobandakanya amasu okuhlela kabusha umsebenzi, ukuncipha kokuchema uma kuhlolwa ukuthi abantu basebenze kanjani, ukufaka nokuthi angathuthuka kanjani okade ehlolwa, nokubhekisisa izinzuzo enkampanini ukuqinisekisa ukuthi ziyahambisana nezidingo zabasebenzi abashintshashintshayo. Lolu cwaningo lunikelile emthamweni wolwazi ngokuqhamuka nendlela yokukala umuzwa wokufuduka konjiniyela embonini yokucolisisa uwoyela nokuyibumba ihambisane nesimo somnyombo wokufuduka. Ucwaningo luphinde lwanikela ngokuqondisiseka kabanzi kwezinto ezibalulekile eziholela ekufiseni ukufuduka kanti luphinde lwaphakamisa namasu angasetshenziswa ekunciphiseni lokhu ngokusebenzisa uhlaka lokunciphisa ukufuduka osekubunjiwe.