Browsing by Author "Schlechter, Anton F"

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    Open Access
    Employment equity transformation within various levels of management in selected South African mines
    (2019) Kekana, Ludwick Tebatso; Schlechter, Anton F
    Background There has been slow employment equity (EE) transformation in the South African mining industry, particularly within middle and executive management levels. The number of black Africans in management positions remains low and more needs to be done to bring about the desired levels of representation. If meaningful progress is to be made, it is imperative for the Government and mining companies to implement policies and strategies that aim to improve the representation of EE candidates within management levels. In the present study, management teams were chosen as the focus because they constitute the strategic leadership of the mining companies and are also the individuals that have the positional authority to design, initiate and manage transformation policies and strategies. It is argued that if management teams embrace and champion EE transformation, organisations are most likely to achieve EE targets. When the EE statistics of mines in the South African mining industry are compared with one another, it is apparent that certain mines have been more successful in bringing about equity transformation within their middle and executive management teams, than others. The reasons for their success, however, are not apparent and present an opportunity for mining companies to learn from those that have been able to achieve more desired levels of equity representation. Aim of the study The aim of the present research study was to investigate mines that have been successful in bringing about equity transformation within their middle- and executive management teams (success cases) to identify possible reasons that explain their success, while also investigating mines that have not been able to bring about meaningful transformation (non-success cases) to so understand what the barriers were that they experience. Method An exploratory research design and a qualitative approach to data collection, was utilised for the purposes of the present study. Purposive non-probability or judgement sampling was used to identify nine mining organisations and their EE statistics obtained from the Employment Equity Report (2015/2016). The nine mines were ranked according to equity representation at management levels, using a weighted average. The three success cases, in other words the three mines that had achieved the highest weighted average and three non-success cases (that achieved the lowest weighted averages) constituted a convenient sample of six mines. The human resources (HR) managers for each of these six mines were contacted and asked to participate in the research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the six human resources practitioners. The focus of the interviews with the HR managers from the success case mines was to identify reasons or factors that they believe explain why their mines were able to bring about greater levels of equity in their management teams. In the interviews with the three HR managers from the non-success mines, the focus was on identifying what they believed to be the barriers that are hampering them from achieving there EE targets. Results It was found that leadership played the single most important role in promoting and achieving successful EE transformation within management levels. Leaders provide strategic leadership and are able to align transformation to the strategic objectives of the organisation; design and successfully implement change management process; ensure compliance with labour laws; and put EE monitoring and evaluation systems in place. Within the success cases HR practices, including recruitment and selection, training and development, job rotation, mentoring and coaching, succession planning and talent management policies and practices were effectively implemented and managed. There was further strategic (vertical) alignment between HR practices and policies and the business strategy, as well as horizontal alignment between the HR functions. Although non-success cases had implemented some of the HR policies and practices stated above, the findings revealed that they were less effective and various obstacles that impeded the attainment of EE targets were present, including a lack of effective change management processes, poor recruitment practices, lack of qualified and experienced human resource practitioners, nepotism and favouritism, an ineffective EE committee, poor monitoring and evaluation of transformation, a lack of succession planning, no or small graduate programmes, lack of job rotation, poor facilities, weak retention and/or performance management, no leadership development programmes, and an organisational culture that does not support transformation. Contribution The findings of the present study hopefully provided new insights on the success factors that cause some mines to have success cases of EE representation within management levels, as well as identifying the barriers to effective implementation of EE reforms in non-success mines. Managers in non-success mines are expected to learn about ways to stimulate substantial change to achieve EE targets. Hopefully by effectively implementing the critical success factors these managers will yield better EE targets. It is imperative for managers and EE consultants to adopt suitable measures such as 1) adopting EE reforms as corporate strategy embrace by the entire organisation; 2) providing effective and committed leadership to champion the implementation of the EE strategy; 3) establishing an EE committee with a mandate to develop a clear EE plan, monitor and oversee the effective implementation of the plan; 4) intertwining the EE plan and employment policies and practices; and 5) providing tangible incentives aligned to the EE targets to ensure success of EE reforms.
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    An exploratory study of attractors and detractors in Black graduates' choice of an academic career in a South African higher education institution
    (2017) Oghenetega, Timothy Oghenefega; Schlechter, Anton F
    This study explored the factors that most determine black graduates' career choice and aimed to better understand how these factors impact the career choice/decision to specifically pursue a career in academia in South Africa, bearing in mind that factors that attract and retain are not the same. Based on a total sample of 204 students from a South African university, the research findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between the influence of a role model and black graduates' intention to apply for an academic job. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.
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    Investigating retention in the South African Police Service
    (2019) Zethu, Nolitha Happiness Thando; Schlechter, Anton F
    Background In order for the South African Police Service to fulfil its mandate of creating a safe and secure environment, various human, financial, and technological resources are required. Hence, the availability of adequately trained human resources is considered critical in ensuring that the South African Police Service is able to fulfil its roles and responsibilities. Without the efforts, knowledge, capabilities, and committed behaviour of its police officers, the organisation would not be able to achieve its objectives and deliver on its mandated duties. However, recent data published by the South African Police Service revealed an increase in employee turnover, particularly at senior levels within the organisation and among highly skilled/specialist staff. Due to the stringent requirements of law-enforcement positions, the recruitment and selection of police officers is a lengthy, costly and often complex process. This is even more applicable to those in senior and highly skilled and/or specialist positions. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that an effective retention strategy is put in place to curb voluntary employee turnover and thus ensure the retention of scarce skills within the police force. Aim of the Study Being able to retain and engage police officers, a scarce resource, is vital for the South African Police Service in ensuring that it is able to fulfil its legislated mandate. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify the push and pull factors and/or the reasons that are most commonly related to voluntary turnover among the employees of the organisation. Identification of these factors would make it possible to present recommendations and/or to propose strategies, policies and practices that could be implemented to increase the retention of skilled senior staff. Method A descriptive research design was utilised. To address the research question, copies of archived exit-interview questionnaires were obtained from the South African Police Service. When an employee tenders his/her resignation, an exit interview is conducted by a trained interviewer (typically a social worker, psychologist or chaplain). During this meeting, an exit-interview questionnaire is completed and archived. This questionnaire consists of both closed-ended and open-ended semi-structured questions. A sample of exit-interview questionnaires (n=91) that comprised questionnaires from employees who held the rank of Sergeant, Warrant Officer or Captain and who had voluntarily resigned from the Western Cape South African Police Service during the 2016/17 fiscal year was obtained. Both qualitative and quantitative data obtained from the exit-interview questionnaires were analysed. Findings The findings suggested that overall, the South African Police Service was considered a good employer. The most prevalent reason for employee turnover was found to be related to the perceived safety of individuals and the risk to employees’ lives in carrying out their duties. The reasons given for resigning from the organisation were divided into two categories, namely individual factors (i.e., related to the person) and organisational factors (i.e., related to the organisation). Individual factor variables provided by respondents as reasons to leave included health, relocation, further studies, family time, rest, long service, and age. Organisational factors included better career opportunities; business opportunities; unfair treatment; lack of recognition, promotion or advancement opportunities; undesirable working hours; and issues with leadership/management. Recommendations Based on the findings, it is recommended that an effective retention strategy is implemented within the South African Police Service that includes career development, health and wellness, reward and recognition, work-life balance, and leadership. This recommended retention strategy should value transparency and empowerment and should aim to create a workplace that is conducive to good working conditions through enhancing team cohesion; creating opportunities for learning; and improving service delivery, the quality of work life, and work-life balance.
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    Investigating the relationship between personality dimensions, level of self-efficacy and perceived performance appraisal satisfaction: a case for individualised performance appraisals
    (2019) Milosevich, Jodi; Schlechter, Anton F
    Orientation: For decades, organisations have implemented performance management systems in order to promote an environment focused on performance enhancement and employee development. Performance appraisals have consistently been at the centre of performance management systems. However, they are often perceived as being ineffective or unsatisfactory, resulting in dissatisfaction and contributing to financial and time losses. Performance Appraisal Satisfaction (PAS) amongst employees is, therefore, vital if organisations want to achieve desired outcomes. Limited research was found that explained or described methods which organisations can utilise to increase PAS amongst employees. Research rationale and objectives: As organisations become more global, innovative and employee-focused, the need to cater to individual needs and desires has significantly increased. This study aimed to investigate ways in which PAS can be increased through the individualisation of three performance appraisal aspects namely; number of raters; method of feedback and frequency of feedback. In terms of the individualisation factors, this study has focused on; level of perceived self-efficacy and the Big Five personality dimensions. Research approach: Given the limited pre-existing literature on this topic, the present study used an exploratory research approach to engage with the results in an in-depth manner. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from employees and Human Resource practitioners in order to establish performance appraisal preferences and the viability of implementing individualised performance appraisals. Composite questionnaires consisting of Likert-type questions, choice-based conjoint tasks and open-ended questions, were distributed utilising a convenient and snowball methodology. Completed questionnaires were analysed by means of descriptive and inferential and statistics, conjoint analysis, as well as by means of a thematic analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Human Resource practitioners and analysed using a thematic analysis. Main findings: Results from the descriptive and inferential statistics indicate that the level of self-efficacy and personality-type are significant in predicting certain performance appraisal preferences. For example, respondents with increased levels of perceived self-efficacy significantly preferred face-to-face feedback from a manager (p < .05) while respondents with low levels of perceived self-efficacy significantly preferred impersonal feedback (p < .05). Results from the composite questionnaire’s open-ended items indicated that employees prefer performance appraisals which considered their personality type and level of self-efficacy. However, the thematic analysis conducted on the HR practitioner interviews revealed that HR practitioners are hesitant to implement a novel performance appraisal system for reasons including; gaining top-management support and the additional time and administrative burden it would likely impose on the HR practitioners themselves.
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    Investigating the Relationship between Virtuous Leadership, New War Practices and Military Performance
    (2020) Mahlelehlele, Tumelo Clement; Schlechter, Anton F
    Background The world of work is rapidly changing, and military organisations are no exception. Military organisations are increasingly subject to political and public scrutiny. At the same time, various treaties and codes of conduct have placed greater accountability on soldiers and military leaders for their actions during times of peace and combat. The transformation of the roles which military organisations fulfil, as well as the way in which soldiers and military leaders are to conduct themselves, led to the relatively recent introduction of the term ‘New Wars'. The new war construct encapsulates models, theories and approaches which stand in stark contrast to those of traditional warfare and has not yet received much attention from scholars in the field of leadership. In an attempt to respond to the various contextual factors encompassing a modern approach to warfare, military leaders need to adopt new, i.e. more contextually relevant, approaches and strategies in order to accomplish the desired outcomes of various crucial missions within a changed context. Aim of the research study The aim of the present research study was, therefore, to identify a new leadership theory, model and/or approach, which will be better suited to a changing military landscape. In order to achieve this aim, a novel view on leadership, i.e. virtuous leadership, was suggested. It is argued here that virtuous leadership will enhance military performance within a modern operational environment. In the present study, the direct and indirect relationship between virtuous leadership, new war practices and military performance was investigated. Research design and method Given the dearth of literature in this field of study, an exploratory research design was employed to gain insights pertaining to the proposed relationship between Virtuous Leadership, New Wars and Military Performance. A composite questionnaire consisting of items responded to on Likert-type response scales, and open-ended questions were designed to measure the constructs under investigation. Qualitative data from open-ended questions, as well as quantitative data from close-ended questions, was, therefore, collected, i.e. a mixed-method approach was employed to collect data. The data was further collected crosssectionally, i.e. at a given point in time from a convenient or non-probable sample of military personnel (n=138). Data analysis Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were calculated to summarise sample statistics and determine the strength and direction of the relationship between variables of interest, respectively. The PROCESS procedure (Hayes, 2018) was further employed to estimate the mediating effect of new war practices on the relationship between virtuous leadership and military performance. Results The statistical analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between virtuous leadership and military performance; virtuous leadership and new war practices; as well as between new war practices and military performance. The results further revealed a statistically significant direct and indirect, i.e. a partially mediated, relationship, i.e. that new war practices significantly mediated the relationship between virtuous leadership and military performance. Findings Virtuous leadership is positively attributed to positive organisational outcomes. These research findings suggest that military organisations could enhance desired organisational outcomes by incorporating virtuousness with other leadership approaches for optimum military performance. Contribution Based on these findings of the current study, the military leadership theory has hopefully been enriched with new construct and insights. It is therefore recommended that virtuous leadership should be part of leadership training from the junior level in order to shape desired military conduct within and beyond the organisational premises. Qualitative insights suggested that military leaders demonstrated outstanding communication skills, military professionalism, compassion and exemplary leadership throughout peacekeeping deployment. However, most soldiers cited competence, emotional intelligence, courage and fairness as attributes that require further development to enhance leadership effectiveness in a new war context.
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    An investigation of factors that hinder and support the career progression of South African black female researchers within a research and development (R&D) environment
    (2016) Zama, Nokuthula; Schlechter, Anton F
    The challenges women face in progressing to senior ranking positions are widely acknowledged and have been investigated in numerous studies, both in South Africa and abroad. The present study sought to contribute to this body of knowledge by identifying factors that hinder, as well as support specifically black South African female researchers in progressing to senior ranking positions within a Research and Development or scientific organisation. Research and Development (R&D) organisations within the Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) sector, as is the case in most South African organisations, have seen an increase in the employment of female researchers, particularly at lower ranking positions. However, there seem to be factors that continually hinder black South African female researchers from being appointed into senior ranks, despite clear growth and development strategies and processes, training and development opportunities and increasing organisational support that is meant to bring about greater gender equity at the senior levels. As such, it proved imperative to undertake this study not only to understand the factors that support or hinder the progress of black South African women researchers into senior ranking positions, but also to ensure that organisations develop responsive and supportive interventions that facilitate the advancement of this cohort of researchers. A quantitative approach to addressing the research question was utilised. Following a literature review to identify both individual and organisational/structural level factors that have been shown to either support or hinder the career success of woman, an online questionnaire was developed and distributed to all the female researchers (of all race groups, career levels and age groups) employed in a South African R&D organisation (n=104). Data was obtained from a convenient sample of them (n=41). It was noted though that at the time the data was collected there were no black South African females employed in the highest scientific/researcher rank of the organisation. Whilst the organisation seems to deploy resources equally to all its' employees, black South African women continue to be under represented at the top ranks in the organisation. Arguably, R&D organisations seem to perpetuate a masculine culture that makes it increasingly difficult for women in general to progress to higher ranking positions. It seems that the situation is being further exasperated by career advancement requirements that do not take into account the different roles that women typically need to fulfil at work and at home, nor that support work-life balance for them. It was apparent that the organisation did provide them with organisational and supervisory support and that they are found to be loyal to the organisation, however, women particularly black South African researchers still fail to progress to senior ranking positions in the organisation. Organisations struggle to achieve gender equity at the senior ranking positions, and hopefully the present study will provide some insight into factors that negatively affect the career advancement of female equity candidates in the organisation, while also providing insight into factors that have proven to facilitate this process. The outcomes of the present study would potentially lead to more structured frameworks and strategic female development programmes that ensure that black female South African researchers do indeed advance through the different ranks and achieve the highest ranks within the SET sector of the economy.
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    Reward Optimisation: The case for employer branding
    (2018) Horn, Johan Andries; Schlechter, Anton F
    Orientation In competitive global markets, it is becoming ever-more challenging to attract and retain talented employees that possess scarce skills critical to the sustained success of an organisation. Technological advancement and the changing nature of the work has exponentially increased the demand for highly skilled knowledge workers, often referred to simply as talent. Imitating the products and processes of competitors has become easier to do than ever before and competitive advantage is increasingly being found in intangible assets, such as a reputable/desirable employer brand and having access to scarce intellectual and human capital. Reason for the Study A positive relationship between the level of remuneration and the perceived attractiveness of a job offer has consistently been found and is often the basis of determining reward offerings. The global economic recession of the recent past and the decreasing availability of financial resources has meant that organisations need to identify alternative (non-financial) strategies to attract, motivate and retain employees, colloquially referred to as the war for talent. Developing a desirable and attractive employer brand has become a promising non-financial strategy that has already proven to be effective in talent attraction and retention. In the present study, the notion that talented employees may accept a lower level of remuneration to be employed at an organisation that is perceived to have a reputable/desirable employer brand was investigated, in other words that a reputable/desirable employer brand may represent a remuneration discount for organisations. Given that remuneration or the salary bill is typically the largest expense for any organisation and provided the offers remain attractive to talented employees, any saving will represent a significant amount of money. Attracting talented employees, at a remuneration discount compared to their competitors, would enable organisations to further enhance their competitive advantage and increase their sustainability in an economy characterised by limited financial resources. Research Purpose In a similar manner as consumers are willing to pay a premium or inflated price for a product that has a desirable brand, it was argued in the present study that knowledge workers may accept a lower level of remuneration to be employed at an organisation that is perceived by them to have a reputable/desirable employer brand. The aim of the study was, therefore, to investigate if a reputable/desirable employer brand could result in a remuneration discount for organisations, while still achieving similar levels of job attractiveness amongst prospective employees. Research Design The present study employed a 2x2 or 22 full-factorial experimental design. Two independent variables were manipulated, namely remuneration well-above the industry norm (present or not present) and a reputable/desirable employer brand (present or not present) resulting in four distinct conditions. Perceived job attractiveness (the dependent variable) was measured after a respondent was exposed to one of the four stimulus conditions. The variables were manipulated by offering respondents one of four job advertisements, each being the same other than differing in terms of the manipulations. The job advertisements were used as a stimulus to determine the effect of remuneration and employer brand on perceived job attractiveness, as well as to investigate if any interaction effects were present. Furthermore, respondents were asked to estimate their expected salary per annum for the job advertisement (stimulus condition) they were exposed to. The expected salary that participants estimated when exposed to a job advertisement was considered a measure of brand equity. Respondents were additionally presented with an employer brand survey containing different brand images. Respondents were asked open-ended questions based on the brands they were exposed to. Examples of the questions included “Considering the brands illustrated above, which of them would you consider your dream job?” and “Would you be willing to accept a remuneration discount to work at your dream job?” A non-probability convenience sampling approach was employed to distribute an online survey to different organisations and individuals across South African organisations. Approximately 180 questionnaires were distributed, of which 161 questionnaires were returned. A realised sample (n = 121) was achieved once responses with more than 20% missing data were removed. As a snow-balling approach was further used, one is not able to calculate a response rate. Random assignment of respondents (i.e. randomisation) was achieved by setting the Qualtrics software to randomly assign each respondent to one of the four experimental conditions (i.e. one of the four job advertisements). This was done to ensure that the four sub-samples of respondents, in other words in each of the four conditions were similar and not different in any respect other than the stimulus they were exposed to, so ensuring the validity of the results. Data was analysed using Descriptive Statistics, Principal Components Analysis and a Full-Factorial ANOVA. Main Findings Results indicated that remuneration well-above the industry norm had a statistically significant (p < .05) main effect on job attractiveness. The results further indicated that a reputable/desirable employer brand had a statistically significant (p .05) interaction effects were found between remuneration well-above the industry norm and a reputable/desirable employer brand. In terms of expected salary, without offering remuneration well-above the industry norm, a difference in expected salary for Condition 1 (M=R550,833) and Condition 3 (M=R499,200), the presence of a reputable/desirable employer brand and not, respectively were found. Similarly, when offering remuneration well-above the industry norm, a difference in expected salary for Condition 2 (M=R467,407) and Condition 4 (M=455,840), the presence of a reputable/desirable employer brand and not, respectively was found. It was noted that if remuneration well-above the industry norm was offered, a desirable employer brand generates some brand equity. However, when remuneration well-above the industry norm was not offered (i.e. lower levels of remuneration), a reputable/desirable employer brand offers a sizable quantum of brand equity. These results, albeit in the opposite direction of brand equity were believed to support the notion of a remuneration discount, given the presence of a reputable/desirable employer brand. Respondents were further presented with a slide containing different well-known brand images and asked to indicate if any of them would be their dream job (in terms of working for any of the presented brands). Google was most frequently chosen by respondents as their dream job, followed by Apple, Woolworths, Mercedes-Benz and Coca-Cola (respectively). When asked, innovation and prioritising employee well-being were prominent themes in terms of reasons respondents provided for their choice of a dream job. Additionally, 75% of respondents revealed that they would be willing to accept a remuneration discount (i.e. lower level of remuneration) to be employed at their dream job. Contribution of the study Although the relationship between the level of remuneration and perceived job attractiveness is well established, limited research is available on the influence of a reputable/desirable employer brand on perceived job attractiveness. The results obtained in the present study indicated that a reputable/desirable employer brand has a statistically significant (p < .05) main effect on perceived job attractiveness. Furthermore, no literature could be found that investigated the causal effect of a reputable/desirable employer brand and remuneration wellabove the industry on perceived job attractiveness. The results from the current study showed that even in the absence of remuneration well-above the industry norm, organisations with a reputable/desirable employer brand are likely to have a positive effect on perceived job attractiveness. It was, therefore, established that organisations with reputable/desirable employer brands may remain attractive, even at a remuneration discount. In other words, organisations with reputable/desirable employer brands may not only be able to attract and retain talent, but also save relatively large amounts of money. Managerial Implications The notion of brand equity and the desirable outcomes thereof are well-established in Marketing. Organisations have adopted the same branding principles in an effort to achieve a reputable/desirable employer brand in the belief that it, similarly, will bring about positive outcomes. The findings of the present study positively contribute to this list of reasons and makes for an even more cogent, financially based, argument for organisations to make every effort to ensure they have a reputable/desirable employer brand in the market. The application of an experimental research design allowed for a causal assessment of the effect of remuneration well-above the industry norm and a reputable/desirable employer brand on the perceived attractiveness of a job offer. Given the current economic recession, organisations are under financial pressure and no longer able to offer exorbitant salary offers in an effort to attract the best talent. The results of the present study seem to suggest that organisations that have been able to establish a reputable/desirable employer brand may be able to make equally attractive yet financially more viable job offers when compared to organisations that offer remuneration well-above the industry norm, but do not have employer brands that are considered attractive. Simply put, there seems to be evidence for a remuneration discount for a reputable/desirable employer brand.
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    The influence of digital distraction on cognitive load, attention conflict and meeting productivity
    (2019) Malan, Jacob Jacobus; Schlechter, Anton F
    Background Meetings are important for organisational functioning and the co-ordination of people, tasks and processes, and an everyday reality of organisational life. As mobile communication technology, such as smart phones, tablets and laptops gets smaller and more powerful, these devices have become more pervasive in every aspect of personal and work life. Increasingly, organisations allow mobile devices to be used during meetings in an effort to be more efficient and save time. However, for a meeting to achieve the desired meeting outcomes, those that participate in the meeting need be actively engaged and focused. It is widely accepted though that mobile communication technology is distracting and can easily draw away one’s focus. This begs the question then as to whether employees should in fact be able to use mobile devices in meetings, or not. Rationale for the research study Research into the effect of mobile communication technology as a source of digital distraction on meeting performance, given individual differences in cognitive processing, is limited. Moreover, no experimental studies could be found that have investigated these relationships. It is hoped that the results of the present study will address the gap that was identified in the literature, as well as provide a useful practical contribution for organisations. The findings of the present study may further be used to inform organisation policy and practice concerning the use of mobile communication technology in meetings. Aim of the research study The aim of the present study was to investigate if the presence of digital distraction in meetings, i.e. the presence of mobile communication technology or mobile devices significantly negatively influences selected cognitive processes (i.e. cognitive load and attention conflict) and ultimately meeting performance (assessed as the time it takes to make a decision; as well as the number and quality of decisions made). Research design and method A two-group post-test only, quasi-experimental research method was utilised to investigate the causal effect of the presence of digital distraction on selected aspects of cognitive processing and meeting performance. For an experiment to be valid, no systematic bias should exist in the comparison groups before the manipulation or intervention, otherwise, one would not be able to deduce that any difference that is observed after the manipulation or intervention was due to the manipulation or intervention. Therefore, to ensure that two equivalent treatment groups were available, individuals were randomly assigned to two meetings. The composition of the two groups was then assessed using the demographic variables that were collected and were not found to be significantly different from one another. The average level concentration performance or attentiveness was also measured and not found to be significantly different. This suggests that the average level of distractibility was the same for the two groups. Two equivalent meetings were held with only the availability of mobile communication technology being different between the meetings (i.e. mobile devices were present and used during the meeting or not). After the meetings were concluded, respondents were asked to complete an online questionnaire that consisted of closed- and openended questions designed to measure the concentration performance, cognitive load and attention conflict constructs. Meeting performance was further evaluated by two independent subject matter experts using a decision-rating scale. Sampling and sample As meetings in organisations was the focus, the study targeted employed individuals, a convenient sample of employees were obtained (n=15) that were randomly assigned to one of two participant groups in two separate meetings. Results The inferential data analyses revealed that cognitive load and attention conflict were both statistically significantly higher in the meeting in which the use of mobile devices were available and used, compared to the meeting in which mobile devices were not present. Moreover, it was found that meeting performance was lower in the meetingwhere mobile communication technology was present. The members of the two meetings made a similar number of decisions, which the independent assessors rated as being of similar quality, however, the group in which mobile communication technology was available took 30 per cent longer (120 versus 90 mins) to come to a similar outcome. Findings The results of the present research study suggest that the presence of digital distraction placed significant (additional) demands on the cognitive processing of individuals, who in meetings are required to fulfil cognitive decision-making tasks. As a direct or indirect result, the presence of digital distractions had a marked negative impact on meeting performance and productivity. Based on the findings, it is argued that restricting digital distractions in meetings can greatly reduce the time spent in meetings, while still achieving desired meetings outcomes. Meetings are essential to effective organisational management and coordination but are also resource intensive with managers spending substantial amounts of their available work time in meetings. Organisations operating in resource constrained environments need to be increasingly efficient in their use of scarce resources and, arguably, time is the most precious resource of all. Managerial Implications Based on the findings of the present study, it is recommended that unless mobile communication devices are required to achieve meeting outcomes, managers should declare meetings as technology free zones. Doing so may lead to shorter more productive meetings giving those that often attend meetings more time to attend to other matters.