The telecommunications operator Safaricom received the Top Employer certification for the first time in 2022 and has retained it for three consecutive years. This certification comes just a few months after the company was ranked the third-best employer in Africa by the American economic magazine Forbes.
Safaricom : An example of professional success in Africa
Kenya’s leading telecommunications company, Safaricom PLC, has been recognized as one of the top employers in the country and Africa for the third consecutive year. The latest certification for 2024, awarded by the Top Employers Institute (TEI), highlights the company’s human resources policies and practices as a listed company on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
The TEI program certifies organizations based on their participation and results in a comprehensive survey of HR best practices covering 20 topics in six HR domains. These domains include HR strategy, the work environment, talent acquisition, learning, diversity and inclusion, as well as employee well-being.
To date, the program has certified and recognized over 2,300 top employers in 122 countries across five continents. In response to this recognition, Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom PLC, expressed his satisfaction at being recognized alongside some of Africa’s most significant companies. He emphasized the company’s intention to seize this opportunity to benchmark the world’s leading employers.
« This award is a validation of the best employer brand that Safaricom has cultivated over the years by providing an agile work environment and numerous opportunities for employees to grow in areas of their choice », said Peter Ndegwa.
Safaricom recognized for its commitment to employee well-being
For his part, David Plink, CEO of the Top Employers Institute, highlighted that extraordinary moments bring out the best in individuals and organizations. « These employers have consistently demonstrated their commitment to the development and well-being of their employees. In doing so, they collectively enrich the world of work », he emphasized.
The telecommunications company has implemented a comprehensive set of value propositions for employees. This framework includes talent and career development initiatives, competitive compensation and benefits, employee health, safety, and well-being, as well as hybrid working methods providing greater flexibility.
According to CEO Peter Ndegwa, the company also provides facilities such as mother’s rooms, daycare centers, gyms, and prayer rooms for employees. « We are constantly aiming to attract the employees of the future by rethinking and enhancing traditional workplace functions with an overall increase in AI. Through this approach, we offer our collaborators the opportunity to innovate both rapidly and on a large scale. We actively listen to employees and take responsive measures to ensure a personalized value proposition for employees », he explained.
Safaricom trails behind South African groups Absa and Standard Bank in Forbes’ annual list of the world’s best places to work, ranking 164th among 700 multinationals from 43 countries.
Largest employer in Africa
The considerations for the ranking include its profitability, as it is the most profitable in the region. It is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The company has over 5,500 employees. Recognized as the most lucrative, the company reported a net profit of 34.2 billion shillings (223.97 million USD) for the half year ended in September 2023. In a survey of 500 publicly traded companies in 60 countries, Forbes Business magazine crowned Safaricom the largest employer in Africa and the 67th global employer in 2022.
In this list, Naspers ranked 224th internationally, closely followed by First Rand (432) and Sanlam (457), both based in South Africa. For the year ending in March, Safaricom hired 675 new employees, with the majority joining its Ethiopian subsidiary, which became fully operational during the period.
A 2022 LinkedIn report also recognized Safaricom among the top 25 preferred companies to work for. According to LinkedIn, Safaricom excelled in skills such as financial statement auditing, external auditing, and telecommunications.
The most common job titles at the company were customer service representative, software engineer, and customer service representative, with key functions centered around sales, engineering, and support. The Top Employers Institute (TEI) is recognized as the world’s leading authority in identifying superior human resources practices. Organizations participating in the program can achieve validation, certification, and recognition as employers of choice through the Top Employers Institute certification program.
Telco’s key services: data, voice and money transfer
Safaricom offers a diverse range of services and solutions, including mobile voice, messaging, data, financial services, and digital services that enable both business and consumer platforms, along with ecosystem partnerships.
One of its notable initiatives, DigiFarm, operates as an integrated mobile platform providing farmers with convenient access to a range of information and financial services, including loans and insurance. Additionally, the company offers M-PESA, a mobile money transfer service, payment solutions, and a microfinance services platform.