People-management solutions to optimise employment relationships.

If you are like us and appreciate the importance of your human capital, we would like to work with you.

what are we about?

Workplace Strategies aims to enable our clients' success by helping them get the most from their employment relationships.

Some of the ways we do this include:

Ensuring rights, obligations and entitlements are understood by both sides of the employment relationship by implementing employment contracts and workplace policies.

Driving great performance and achievement through establishing a performance management program.

Supporting an organisation when relationships have soured via fair and compliant legal processes.

Assisting with the skills and knowledge of line managers via our workplace training programs

Our values and promises

  • We approach the opportunity to assist our clients with positivity and humility and an absolute desire to provide better-than-the-rest service
  • Accuracy and thoroughness are at the heart of what we do
  • Our advice and solutions are practical, commercial and consider risks
  • Our uncommon offering is an insistence on simplistic solutions with a tech flavour

Our brand promise is to be present when needed, with pragmatic and considered advice and solutions to our client’s employment challenges. 

Our uncommon offering is to deliver solutions with a passion for plain English and in a tech-savvy manner.

Our Featured Services

Workplace Strategies offers a range of services that address most aspects of the employment life-cycle – from beginning to end.

Labour Law Advice

Helping organisations to comply with complex, ever-changing labour laws.

Employee Documentation

Employment documents to drive employee performance and address business risk.

Workplace Training

In-house training courses up-skilling managers to meet workplace challenges.

Employment Equity

Facilitating employment equity training, planning and reporting initiatives.

Strategic Human Resources

Strategic human resource solutions that optimise employment relationships.

Workplace Strategies specialises in conflict resolution.

Conflict Resolution

Chairnersons for employee hearings; mediations and preparation for CCMA.

Clients we've worked with

Latest Insights

Labour Inspections on the Rise (Big Time!)

One of the common criticisms of government in South Africa is that they pass well-intentioned legislation but lack the resources or...

When Sick Leave Turns Suspicious: The Woolworths Case

The case of Woolworths v El Shadaai Workers Union of South Africa (“EWUSA”) serves as a critical reminder for employers to...

Cannabis use at home – Labour Appeal Court defines Limits of Zero Tolerance Policies

The case of Enever v Barloworld Equipment South Africa highlights that an employment zero-tolerance policy primarily serves to inform employees that...

What our clients have to say...

We have worked with Workplace Strategies for the last few years and it has been an excellent experience! They are passionate about team development and performance management. We have found them to be great to work with, have a wide range of skills and knowledge and have assisted with growing the Avansa team. 

Darian Liprini

Managing Director
Avansa Business Solutions

WorkNow!, as a non-profit organisation, have benefitted greatly from the labour law advice provided by Workplace Strategies. They have implemented employment contracts and offered advice on staffing issues. More recently we went through a disciplinary process and subsequent CCMA claim; this was carried out with courtesy, sensitivity and respect for both employee and employer.

Julie Sanders

Project Manager
Work Now!

Workplace Strategies have been managing our labour law and industrial relations issues for a number of years.   Their expertise has helped us navigate around the many challenges associated with a large workforce and they have enabled us to avoid costly unfair dismissal payouts.   I could not recommend their service more highly.

Nick Cosgreave

Owner
Coscon Construction CC

Workplace Strategies has been providing industrial relations and human resource advice to Ultra Liquors since 2010.   They have also been conducting internal labour relations training programs for managers in each of our 35 stores.  We have always received well-considered, sound and commercial advice from them.    Their workplace training programs are interactive, well-structured and the participants have gained invaluable knowledge from a field expert who has given them extra confidence in their ability to manage employee issues.

Craig Robinson

Co-Chief Executive Officer             
Robinson Liquors (Pty) Ltd t/a Ultra Liquors

We at Branduka Group Services have used Workplace Strategies since 2017 and they remain very much a part of our HR/legal team. They have drafted a number of different labour related agreements and company policies for us. Their turnaround is excellent, always delivering on time. We made use of Workplace Strategies exclusively during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to do so. Their expertise and care for our business has been invaluable and made a real difference. We often just pick up the phone to have an issue discussed. If it cannot be resolved immediately they get back to us in no time at all. We find all their staff to be extremely knowledgeable and professional, going out of their way to assist.

Ronnie Abro

Legal & Risk
Branduka Group Services

The team from Workplace Strategies has been a key pillar of legal and HR support for us over the years. They have provided excellent service, through team workshops and direct consultation, and we have recommended then to many of our own business customers.

Ian Meaker

Director
Creative CFO Pty Ltd

Workplace Strategies has advised our business on labour law matters for the past couple of years. In that time, we have tremendously valued the calm and clear advice received. Their approach is considered and pragmatic.   They are always available and friendly – whether acting as a sounding board to talk through a knotty question or providing us with advice. We have referred friends and colleagues to Workplace Strategies and would be happy to continue to do so.

Chris Botha

Director
Get Closure Pty Ltd

Workplace Strategies has been a great partner to us in helping tackling our clients’ HR legal challenges. They have been highly responsive and have always gone above and beyond to ensure both our company and our clients get the help they need. We really appreciate all the help they have given us and we would have no hesitation in recommending Workplace Strategies to others.

Peter Magner

Sales and Marketing Director
Iridium Business Solutions

Workplace Strategies have been our labour law and HR consultants over the last two years. During this time they have added invaluable assistance in developing our systems and protocol requirements. The service level has been meticulous and they are always accessible to us. All the contribution they have made has been extremely professional while still tailoring to our organisation’s specific needs.

Lian Anstey

Operations Manager and Chief of Staff
A4 Arts Foundation

We have been working with the team at Workplace Strategies for about eight years. They have advised us on a very broad range of employment and labour law issues over the years ranging from policies, employee relations issues, disciplinary matters and dispute resolution. I always thoroughly enjoy working with Paul and highly value is input. His knowledge is extensive, his advice is always pragmatic but most importantly, he treats everyone with fairness and respect. I would highly recommend the services of Workplace Strategies.

Laurene Cuff

HR Manager
Elkanah House (Independent School)

We have been working with Workplace Strategies, and Paul Cooley in particular, for the past eight years. I am not sure what we would do without their service. Paul makes it easy to deal with human resource issues that arise and having him as an external party gives our staff an assurance that their issues are being dealt with professionally and objectively. Our staff know that their terms and conditions are regulated by up-to-date employment contracts and as an employer, we have a sense of comfort knowing that our labour law and human resource issues are being properly managed. We firmly believe that Paul’s service has contributed to a dynamic and happy workplace.

Tom Williams

Chief Operating Officer
SafariNow.Com (Pty) Ltd

Typically dealing with employment issues is an incredibly stressful time, Paul and Workplace Strategies were approachable and willing to assist right from our first point of contact. They used their experience and knowledge and guided us through the process with great support and comfort along the way. We received invaluable advice, great personalised service and we were extremely satisfied with the outcome. We recommend Workplace Strategies to anyone looking for support in the labour law arena.

Deborah Kolnik

Operations Manager
Jawitz Properties Agency

In 2012 Workplace Strategies implemented a performance management program at Pernod Ricard South Africa. The company and its 270 employees were highly receptive to the solutions implemented and it redefined the way we manage and develop our people. The project was such a success that parts of it have been used by countries forming part of Pernod Ricard Europe, as well as Pernod Ricard Sub Sahara African countries.

Andre Muller

Head of Human Resources
Pernod Ricard South Africa (Pty) Ltd

We have worked with Workplace Strategies on a number of different employment law matters.   We worked together on simplifying our workplace discipline process and, unfortunately, we then needed to use it.   At this point we really appreciated their pragmatic and fair approach to a disciplinary process and how he understood our business realities and requirements while staying firmly committed to doing the right thing.   Most recently, Workplace Strategies have redrafted our employment contracts in plain language and in a way that we can use it as a tool to welcome high calibre people into our organisation and build our brand. They have also competently steered us through our employment equity initiatives.   We look forward to working with Workplace Strategies for many years to come.”

Kerry Horsley

Head of Rise and Compliance
Prudential SA Pty Ltd

I have only had good experiences working with the team at Workplace Strategies. They’re efficient, professional and importantly they always take the time to understand our business and culture before providing practical advice and solutions in the labour law / human resources space.

Jared Davies-Coleman

Finance Director
Nona Digital Pty Ltd

We have used the services of Workplace Strategies for a number of employment related matters over the last couple of years. Among other things, they have prepared new employment contracts for us and more recently, facilitated our employment equity forum and assisted us in drawing up an employment equity plan.   I have always found them to be very knowledgeable and professional, as have all the other staff here that have been in contact with them.   More recently, we have relied on their expertise to address our COVID-19 responsibilities.  We will continue to use Workplace Strategies in future for all labour related matters and I would not hesitate to recommend their services to others. 

Sarah Davies

Head of Finance
CIT Holdings (Pty) Ltd

It has been an absolute pleasure working with Workplace Strategies. I found their calm approach, advice and professionalism very reassuring.  Thanks to their assistance, I am confident in moving forward with my business knowing that all my staffing procedures are in order.

Catherine Bondesio

Owner
Afrikat Design CC