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CHAPTER 6
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
CONTENTS
Introduction

82

Developmental Areas

82

Professional Functional Development

82

Leadership/Management and Command Development

83

Human Resource Development Goals

Policy Guidelines

83
83

Human Resource Development (HRD) Process

84

Management of Personnel

87

Conclusion

87

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CHAPTER 6
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
The importance of the human resource in having a credible navy was highlighted in
Chapter 1 of the Doctrine. In order to give justice to the use of the equipment, the
personnel are to be motivated and are to have a high morale. In addition, they are to be
functionally well-trained and are to have good leadership and managerial qualities when in
those positions. The SA Navy is, therefore, committed to the focused training and
development of its members in its pursuit of World Class Performance standards. A
focused approach is necessary to identify the knowledge, skills and abilities members
require to achieve the SA Navys mission. It is vital that the human resources in the SA
Navy be capacitated through a well co-ordinated continuous learning process that
allows for professional and personal development, rooted in professional military
education and leadership. This continuous learning should not only focus on the needs
of the SA Navy, it should also prepare the individual to exit the organisation with skills
and qualifications that would allow for employment outside the SA Navy.
The SA Navy aspires to have all the training institutions accredited to ensure that
members that are trained, receive accreditation for their qualifications and that the
qualifications are recognised outside the SANDF. This is also the SA Navys
contribution to the Military Strategic Objective of providing Support to the People of
South Africa, by providing qualified persons to the private sector.
DEVELOPMENTAL AREAS
The following two major areas of development have been identified for constant
attention. Combined, they create a holistic
approach to the professional and personal
development of members in the SA Navy,
throughout their careers.
Professional Functional Development.
This includes any platform or combat
specific training. The development and
training are aligned with civilian standards
(where possible) to ensure members of the
SA Navy are not only employed, but also
employable. Personal Development
involves general military training, as well as

Learners practicing fire fighting skills

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training in subjects such as financial planning and management. The development
includes required tertiary educational programmes, which forms the foundation of
further professional/functional development.
Leadership/Management and
Command Development.
Leadership development is focused on
ensuring the members critical thinking
skills have been developed to ensure
healthy interaction between people in
the organisation, linked to the mission
articulated by higher authority.

Doing gun-run competitions

during training develops
leadership skills and promotes
the understanding of
teamwork, which is important
in the naval environment

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The SA Navy is committed to Education, Training and Development (ETD), in order to
effectively achieve its strategic objectives. It ensures that appropriate personnel are
available for appointment to positions requiring certain skills. It also enables individuals to
function optimally in their posts, as well as equipping them to fulfill their career aspirations
in the context of organisational needs or when they exit the organisation.
Policy Guidelines
In order to do so, the SA Navy has adopted the following guidelines:

All training and development activities are directed by a systematic needs

analysis and are aimed at the improvement of performance towards clearly
defined competency standards.

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Primary
responsibility
for
self-development rests with the
individual and line management;
functional specialists play a
facilitative role.

Talent is systematically identified,

developed and mentored in
accordance with individual and
organisational needs.

Managers are accountable for the

extent to which they enable their
subordinates
to
fulfil
their
development objectives.

Leadership
and
employee
development must be costeffective. The most effective way
to co-ordinate the provision of
development opportunities needs
to be identified and established.

Participating in sport is important

in developing self-discipline,
teamwork, leadership skills and a
competitive spirit. All these traits
ensure a well-rounded sailor

Skills Development is co-ordinated

by a Review Committee. This committee receives regular inputs and bases its
decisions on leadership and operating strengths and weaknesses (of both
individuals and teams) and development actions undertaken, and the
outcomes of the development actions. The Review Committee confirms and
defines the Human Resource requirements of the SA Navy, which is then
managed by the Human Resource Division in the SA Navy.

HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Human Resource Development is a systematic process to ensure that the SA Navy has
the effective and efficient leaders and skilled employees it requires to meet present and
future organisational needs.
The SA Navy uses a model that integrates its leadership and skills formation
requirements (present and projected), with individual and team aspirations (with their
variety of needs). The model integrates the following four elements:

organisational leadership and operational skills requirements;

career planning and succession plans;

individualised and team needs analyses; and

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individual and team development plans divided into inputs and outputs (see
diagram below).

The approach to Human Resource Development is aimed at ensuring a link between

the inputs, ie individual profiles, needs analyses, and the staffing (core
skills) requirements of the SA Navy; and

the outputs.

The link is made possible through development activities and skills formation. These
development activities are based on succession plans, which are the result of a
systematic and regular review of leadership and core operating skills. The said review
provides the SA Navy with a synopsis of:

strategic and operational manning needs, and

the aspirations of individual employees.

The Focused Approach to an integrated Human Resource Development Model can be

depicted as follows:
Figure 10: The SA Navy HRD Skills Formulation Planning Model
Inputs

Outcomes

1. Organisational Needs

2. Skills Development Plan

Leadership succession
requirements
Projected structure and staffing
needs, as derived from operational
+ strategic plans
Career paths per discipline

Summarises the candidates

availability and readiness in
relation to projected skills
requirements
Plans for skills shortages and
surpluses

Review
Committee

3. Individual Needs
Candidate data:
biographical
career interest
development needs
strengths + weaknesses
potential

4. Individual Development
Individual Development Plans
Specific formal actions:
CBT
Planned exposure
Extension exercises (projects)

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The model moves away from the premise that Human Resource Development is the
responsibility of Human Resource Managers only. It emphasises a systemic approach to
Human Resource Development that requires the involvement of the entire organisation.
The traditional Human Resource Planning, Management, Administration and
Development subdivisions can only function in an environment where the organisation as
a whole participates in the focused approach to ensure that the people in the organisation
can deliver on the mandate of the organisation. The model consist of four (4) segments
ie, Inputs: Organisational Needs, Inputs: Individual Needs, Outcomes: Skills Development
Plan and Outcomes: Individual Development.
Input: Organisational Needs. The operational and leadership requirements of the SA
Navy must be defined on a regular basis. In this process, the demand for skilled
personnel is described in relation to

the defined core skills required for World Class performance;

the career paths (technical and leadership positions); and

pre-requisites for appointment to succeeding levels of work in the organisation

Note: The defined requirements are in terms of the skills and knowledge requirements,
stated in terms of outcomes required at succeeding levels of work. Requirements are
thus not described in terms of positions in a hierarchy, rather in terms of what the people
in the positions must know, and do.
Input: Individual Needs. The needs and aspiration of individuals must also be defined.
This process matches information about the individual's career aspirations, with a
description of his/her strengths and weaknesses. The said description is derived from
subjective and objective assessments.

Subjective assessments of the individual's performance, ie the outcomes of

performance appraisals and development interviews; and

Objective assessments of individual performance and potential by means of

Outcomes-based Assessment, Assessment Centres, and Trainability Testing.

Outcome: Skills Development Plan. All development of Human Resources results in a

formal planning process. The planning is recorded in the SA Navys Workplace Skills
Plan. The Annual Training Report encapsulates the degree to which the planned skills
development was achieved. Skills shortages or foreseen shortages are addressed
through recruiting Human Resources with the required skills from the labour market. The
Workplace Skills Plan is intertwined with the career planning and development process
in the SA Navy. The said career planning and development process aims to reconcile
the career aspirations of the individual with the operational objectives of the
organisation.

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The needs of the organisation are depicted in the organisational structure,
establishment table, promotion policies, service systems and requirement for
qualifications.
The need of the individual is reflected in his/her selection for officer/rating, mustering,
contract type and as stated in his/her career questionnaire.
Outcome: Individual Development. The individualised development is recorded and
reported. The outcomes of the assessment processes describe the development actions
that should, ideally, be provided for growing the individual. The parameters governing
who will be developed for what and when, depend on the outcomes of the analysis of the
SA Navys requirements and as described in the Skills Formation and Succession
Planning.
MANAGEMENT OF PERSONNEL
Divisional System. Within a unit, much emphasis is placed on the management of its
personnel by enforcing the use of the traditional Divisional System. Sailors and officers
are trained on the use of the divisional system during basic training. A publication, the
Divisional Officers Guide is produced for use by all divisional officers.
Use of Reserve Force Personnel. To ensure that the expertise of personnel leaving the
SA Navy is not lost, the members leaving (short term contract period is completed,
resignations or retirement) the SA Navy can join the Reserve Force. This component of
the SA Navy will be utilised when certain expertise in the regular component is not
available to carry out certain functions and when additional forces are required where the
Regular Force cannot meet the demand. There are also specific billets allocated to the
ships to be occupied by Reserve Force personnel.
CONCLUSION
By applying the above process, the Human Resource component of the SA
be trained and skilled to be capable of operating equipment in the SA Navys
in an efficient manner in order to provide combat ready and supported Force
Elements to Chief of Joint Operations for employment in pursuit of achieving
Military Strategic Objectives.

Navy will
inventory
Structure
the three

In addition, the use of good management principles and the divisional system will
ensure that the morale component of the SA Navy remains high
The above actions will further achieve the following:

Adequate resourcing and utilisation of the Regular and Reserve Force.

Improved Human Resource service delivery.

The retention of the required operational and functional expertise.