Communication and Employment Equity

Communication and Employment Equity

Developing a Communications Plan

The Employment Equity Act requires that an employer communicate with its employees and their representatives regarding Employment Equity.

It reinforces this duty to communicate with its employees by requiring an employer to: 

• Display a summary of the Act in all workplaces (Form EE3). Click here to purchase these posters online.  
• Provide employees with a copy of its employment equity plan (section 25(3));
• Consult ("communicate") with employee representatives, and thereby necessitating the nomination of employee representatives and
• introducing the process of obtaining mandates and giving feedback - natural consequences of the duty to consult.

Through these measures, the Employment Equity Act, to the extent that it is able to through regulatory practices, places great emphasis on the communication.  

In addition, the Code of Good Practice and guidelines produced by the Department of Labour makes various recommendations in respect of communicating information to employees regarding employment equity and the employment equity plan. Click here to access this code online.    

Any programme of communication should aim to create a climate of understanding, commitment and support that will contribute to the success and effectiveness of the organisation's employment equity plan and activities. The communication programme should:  

• keep employees informed;
• promote ownership and participation in the employment equity programme
• remind employees that the programme is ongoing and good for everyone, as well as the efficiency of the organisation;
• emphasize the organisation’s commitment to employment equity;
• be ongoing, communicating with employees at all stages of the development and implementation of the employment equity programme.

To ensure the success of its communication programme, an employer should develop a project brief or communications strategy. Such a strategy will include a number of components, each intended to achieve specific results.

For example, communications about the workforce survey are designed to achieve a high level of accurate response from employees. Communications about the employment equity plan may be intended to increase the expertise of managers with respect to employment equity implementation; to promote the effective implementation of the plan; to remind managers about their ongoing responsibilities; to recognize achievements; and to keep staff informed of progress.

 Click here for a FREE online communications plan template.

Legal duty to inform employees

In terms of section 25 of the Act, an employer must display the statutory summary of the Act in the workplace. An employer is also required to place in prominent places that are accessible to all employees:

• the most recent report submitted by that employer to the Director-General;
• any compliance order, arbitration award or order of the Labour Court concerning the provisions of this Act in relation to that employer; and any other
• document concerning this Act as may be prescribed.
• An employer who has an employment equity plan, must make a copy of the plan available to its employees for copying and consultation.

For more information regarding our Employment Equity Committee training - contact:

For more details contact:
Michelle du Toit
Tel: +27 (0)861 967 546(Office)
Fax: +27 (0)86 566 4094
Cell: +27 (0)83 232 2004
Email: michelle@workinfo.com