“Obtain unique skills that will allow you to add value to the culture of an organisation”. These immortal words were spoken by Exxaro’s Executive Head of Human Resources, Vanisha Balgobind. She is now looking forward to implementing Exxaro’s 2026 strategy of following a cultural journey to success.

This includes, but is not limited to, exercising diversity and inclusivity of employees at the company.

“Diversity and inclusivity will allow us to move forward and have a diverse culture where we bring different minds and skills together. People who possess unique skills can add value to their respective departments and the company as a whole. Going forward, we are looking at people who have valuable skills and can assist with solving problems by being innovative and collaborative to enhance value creation for us,” said Balgobind.

Exxaro welcomes new workforce generations of all ages, cultures, religions and ethnicity.

The attributes of the Exxaro culture of success include diversity, being open and connected, responsibility, taking ownership of o‌ne’s career and perfo‌rmance and being adaptable.

“Culture is not static, but rather an outcome of your behaviour and the action you take within the organisation. We believe that these attributes will go a long way towards achieving our 2026 strategy,” said Balgobind.

In the same vein, the Exxaro head office in Pretoria will be moving to a new office soon. Balgobind believes the new office, featuring open-plan workspaces, will enhance the Exxaro culture in terms of new ways of working.

“Inclusivity is important in the sense that it allows people to speak their minds and bring new thoughts and ideas to the table. By means of constructive conversations and collaboration and a conducive environment, the organisation will o‌nly move forward. With the new office, people will be encouraged to adapt to new ways of working. We’ve created the workplace to encourage collaborative behaviour and teamwork,” said Balgobind.

She believes o‌ne has to be adaptable to obtain results and business solutions. Exxaro runs many programmes at all levels in the company to assist with just that. “Currently, we are running digitisation training programmes so that people can enhance their understanding of how technology can make their jobs more efficient. Another interesting programme is Biomimicry, which allows us to solve complex human problems by adopting systems, processes and elements of nature patterns,” said Balgobind.

An important part of being adaptable is being aware of your own paradigms and frame of reference. “This will allow you to understand the person next to you and engage effectively. If you understand yourself, you will be able to see diversity in a positive light versus seeing it as a fo‌rm of resistance,” said Balgobind.

Thus far, the various training programmes implemented by the organisation have been hugely successful. It is no wonder that the company has such a low turnover of employees.

In conclusion, Balgobind says she is a big believer in the power of positivity.

“I truly believe that employees should feel a sense of purpose, appreciation and belonging. People want to be recognised for their value and perfo‌rmance and if you choose to believe this, they will continue to surprise you and soar to new heights time and time again,” said Balgobind.