The Sunday Mail
…our workers, our heroes
Philip Mataranyika
While early political economists such as Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Karl Marx correctly identified land, labour and capital as the three foremost critical factors of production, it is not in doubt that labour carries far more weight than the other two, which is why renowned artist Ralph Ransom had this to say: “Before the reward, there must be labour. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy.”
Many times, I have been asked to explain the secret behind Nyaradzo’s run-away success and my response has always been, “it is due to many factors, central of which is our workforce”.
Because of their diligence, hard work and commitment to duty, we are able to maintain the quality of service we provide to our customers, all year round regardless of who they are and at whichever touch point they come into contact with the brand.
This success is hinged neither on the group’s brick and mortar buildings that have transformed landscapes in various towns and cities nor our fleet of service vehicles that ply the country’s roads in their hundreds daily.
Undertakers have been exposed to Covid-19 in much the same way as other frontline workers such as doctors and nurses
Even as we acknowledge the importance of these enablers in getting us to deliver quality service to our customers, our workers stand out as the main reason we have been able to consistently deliver to our clients, 24/7.
Our dedicated and hardworking staff tirelessly and proudly carry the Nyaradzo flag wherever they go.
Along with our customers these cheerful men and women define who we are, and are the reason Nyaradzo has grown phenomenally from a no-name brand in March 2001 – when we opened our doors to the public – to a household name that now has a global presence, with offices in Zimbabwe, South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK) and still counting.
It is for this reason that as the country joins the rest of the world in celebrating Workers Day – otherwise referred to as May Day, we at Nyaradzo would like to celebrate our staff for continually making us proud despite the many challenges they face as they go about executing their duties.
One of the biggest challenges to emerge globally since the turn of the new millennium has been the Covid-19 pandemic whose reported cases now stand at a staggering 513 million people globally, of which over six million have succumbed to this respiratory disease since it bared its fangs in early 2019.
Here in Zimbabwe, cumulative Covid-19 cases stood at a cumulative 247 875 people as at April 30 2022, with 5469 deaths.
No doubt, the various lockdowns that were put in place by authorities worldwide in efforts to contain the spread of the virus ever since it broke out in Wuhan, China, before spreading across the world, have affected businesses in a very big way, resulting in organisations tweaking their models and strategies to outlast the pandemic as it continued to ravage nations.
Our staff have been exposed to Covid-19 in much the same way as other frontline workers such as doctors and nurses, making them one of the most resilient groups.
Regardless, they have continued to offer excellent service in that kind of environment, whilst religiously and diligently following Covid-19 regulations and guidelines put in place by the authorities from time to time.
This year’s Workers’ Day is also coming at a time when the world is going through both exciting and challenging times.
On the one hand, there is a growing trend, especially amongst the millennials, whereby work is now inclined towards flexible hours, which has been enabled by rapid technological advancements making it possible for us to work remotely.
On the other, these rapid technological advancements are making a number of jobs redundant rendering large numbers of workers jobless.
According to a recent publication by Gravitas Plus, this new trend is commonly referred to as Gig working.
It has meant that employees are turning into their own bosses, with the ability to choose when, how and where they want to work.
Gravitas Plus says that this trend is here to stay and the earlier we adapt to it the better.
By its strictest definition, Gig working means a single performance by any talent, be it a journalist, an architect, a lawyer, or a taxi driver etc.
In the United States of America alone, an estimated 51 million citizens are said to be working Gigs. Indications are that Gig workers could account for 50 percent of the American economy by 2027.
Statistics from the same Gravitas Plus publication, show that about 15 million people are working as Gigs in India while the size of Gig workers in the UK is also growing at a fast pace.
Worldwide, the population of Gig workers has doubled, amid indications that the gig economy could be worth US$455 billion by 2023.
While this type of economy has its pros and cons, it is an inescapable reality that today’s working population and employers should seriously ponder and position themselves accordingly by being agile.
On the other hand, today’s working environment is characterised by an incessant rise in the price of fuel due to the dynamics that are playing out at the global stage which have caused a spiral effect as the cost of other goods and services has also gone up.
Transport costs, medicines, school fees as well as uniforms, among other services, have also seen upward adjustments.
However, our staff have shown unparalleled resilience in the face of so many challenges over the years.
If anything, Nyaradzo staff have grown into a great team, which always coalesces around the organisation’s shared vision and mission.
As a result, Nyaradzo has an indelible footprint in all the sectors within which we operate, which footprint is the quality service the group is known for dating from when we first came to the market.
This gives us enough reason to celebrate our staff.
Nyaradzo’s growth has been a product of this exciting team behind the brand and the shared vision.
That our staff enjoy collective ownership of the Nyaradzo brand, which they are proud to be associated with, is another reason we value our employees because we know without them, the remarkable success we have registered thus far as a corporate, would not have come at all.
Today, Nyaradzo stands out as the service provider of choice in funeral services, life assurance, wood products, bureau de change, asset and events management services, with the widest branch network in the country and beyond.
We owe our phenomenal growth in both the local and global markets to our dedicated staff and other key stakeholders including our supportive clients with whom we have been all the way since the organization’s birth in 2001.
As we celebrate Workers’ Day, we are mindful of the fact that this day was set aside to recognise the contribution all workers of the world make towards the growth and development of their respective economies.
As such, we take this opportunity to celebrate them too for their sterling contribution to a better world. Their value cannot be underestimated.
This day gives us time to rest and spend quality time with friends and family, for those who can.
As stated by Ovid, a prolific Roman poet whose ancient work straddled the golden and silver ages of Latin literature, “a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”
Happy Workers Day to all workers of the world!
*Philip Mataranyika is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nyaradzo Group of Companies
