In keeping with the Icebolethu Group’s tradition to start every year by hosting staff annual general meetings (AGM), it has been the same for 2023. Icebolethu hosted staff AGMs from the 10 January to the 19 January 2023 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) and Hilton Garden Inn for the KwaZulu[1]Natal region, and The Maslow Hotel for the Gauteng region. The company uses the AGMs to review the previous year and communicate the vision and plans for the new year.
Icebolethu Group’s AGMs are one of the most vital events in the company’s events calendar as the management gets an opportunity to interact with all Icebolethu staff members. The staff are provided the opportunity to meet their leaders and ask important questions regarding the business direction, human resource matters or anything related to Icebolethu activities. For 2023, the AGMs were launched by a full day management committee (MANCO) session where Icebolethu executives and senior management congregated at the Hilton Hotel Umhlanga. MANCO is one of the official decision-making bodies within Icebolethu Group and consists of general managers, regional managers, executives and other channel heads.
The KwaZulu-Natal segments of the AGMs were hosted at the Durban ICC. Icebolethu employees who have been part of the organisation for several years took some time to reflect on the journey and transformation of these AGMs as they were first held in civic centres. The decision to host them at the ICC was brought about by the growth in terms of number of employees. Today Icebolethu boasts over 1 700 employees across KwaZulu[1]Natal, Gauteng, part of Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and the United Kingdom.
Icebolethu staff were organised through the following groups for the AGM
Week One
10 January: MANCO – Hilton Hotel, Umhlanga
11 January: Branch staff (Financial Services)
12 January: Second group of financial services staff; call centre and field consultants
Week Two
17 January: Icebolethu burials team and support staff
18 January: Non-permanent and casual staff
19 January: Gauteng staff at the Maslow Hotel, Sandton
The messages shared across these AGMs was specifically curated for each relevant channel. The business has set itself targets for each channel which are based on service excellence, customer[1]centric, being a caring employer, socially responsible and a profitable business.
Icebolethu Group CEO, Nomfundo Mcoyi spoke at all the AGMs where she shared the vision for the organisation and took the entire work force in confidence on the current standing of the business. Mcoyi communicated the business target to reach one million clients by 2025; she made it clear that through caring for their clients and sticking to the business ethos of zero-defect, this target would be made a reality. She gave an assuring message to non-permanent staff that they are part of the family and they must always represent the brand with pride. Mcoyi made a plea to human resources that the casual staff should always be made aware of vacancies within the organisation. She also re-emphasised her vison to re-position Icebolethu as a Christian organisation and launched a pledge that was read at all AGM sessions.
Icebolethu managers that spoke at all the AGMs include the;
Managing Executive for Core Business
Group HR Manager
Group Risk Manager
Group Marketing Manager
Other senior managers such as the general manager burials, field manager, general manager business development and call centre manager each spoke on their respective channel days.
Some of the sessions were facilitated by business coach Paul Nzimande, with businessman and Pastor Sthembiso Mtshali being the guest speaker for most of these sessions. All the sessions were blessed by spiritual leaders including; Apostle KT Mkhize, Pastor Senzo Myeni, Bishop Dlomo and Pastor Chris Mathebula.
At these AGMs, the organisation communicated the addition of two new executives, namely the new Chief Financial Officer, Nqobile Khumalo, and the new Chief Operations Officer, Webster Chikengezha.
Icebolethu Group is set to be one of Africa’s most reputable brands and the management ensured that everyone of their team understand the vision and is part of their journey.