How can organizations embrace digital innovation without losing the human touch? This was the central question explored at the Institute of People Management (IPM) Eswatini Annual Convention 2025, where Dr. Terence Sibiya, Group Managing Executive for Nedbank Africa Regions, urged human resource professionals to ensure that technology enhances, rather than erases, humanity in the workplace.
The two-day convention, held in Ezulwini under the theme “The Future of HR is Now: Power Up, Inspire Change and Lead Forward,” brought together HR executives, corporate leaders, and practitioners to examine how digital transformation is reshaping the world of work. Sponsored by Nedbank Eswatini, Swazimed, Lidwala Insurance, Eswatini Royal Insurance Corporation, and Eswatini Air, the gathering focused on redefining performance, wellbeing, and culture in a rapidly evolving environment.
“Our responsibility as leaders is to ensure that technology enhances the human experience and not erase it,” Dr. Sibiya said. “AI can never replace the power of human connection. It cannot feel what a client is feeling, demonstrate courage when a team is under pressure, or imagine new possibilities that inspire belief and conviction.”
Reflecting on the evolution of human resource management, from “manpower development” to “people and transformation officers”, Dr. Sibiya said the HR profession must continue to adapt to the realities of the digital age without losing sight of its human foundation.
“Technology will power our progress, but people give us purpose,” he said. “Our people are not just part of the journey; they are the journey.”
He explained that Nedbank’s approach to digital transformation is purpose-centred, ensuring that progress remains human-focused and aligned with societal needs. “Purpose,” he added, “keeps us grounded in people’s needs even as the world accelerates.”
Dr. Sibiya described artificial intelligence as a partner rather than a threat, emphasizing that automation should be used to eliminate repetitive work and free employees to focus on creativity, empathy, and problem-solving.
“AI should be a peer on the path, helping people contribute more meaningfully and collaborate more effectively,” he said. “Our focus must be on building cultures where trust, empathy, and fairness grow stronger, not weaker, as technology evolves.”
He warned, however, that if technology is not implemented with ethics and inclusivity at its core, it risks deepening inequality and eroding trust within organizations.
To build resilient, human-centered workplaces, Dr. Sibiya outlined four priorities: dignity in performance, well-being, development of future skills, and flexibility that preserves human connection.
He said well-being should no longer be treated as a corporate perk but as a strategic pillar of performance and ethical leadership, especially in a time when burnout has become one of the most pressing workplace issues.
“Caring for people has become the most strategic decision we can make,” he said. “Flexibility is now an expression of respect for the whole person. Employees are asking for balance, autonomy, and psychological safety, and our role is to demonstrate that trust through action.”
Dr. Sibiya highlighted inclusion and youth empowerment as key components of humanizing the future of work. He said Africa’s youthful population represents a global competitive advantage, but only if organizations create clear pathways from talent to opportunity.
“True inclusion means removing barriers and never losing sight of the individual behind the job title,” he added. “We must build organizations where people don’t need to earn the right to belong.”
According to Dr. Sibiya, building a people-first organization begins with trust and ethical leadership. Culture, he noted, should not exist as slogans on paper but in daily actions that reflect empathy, fairness, and accountability.
“Culture should not be what we say, but what we choose to do every day,” he said. “Without trust, there are no resilient men or women in this room. Ethics must remain at the centre of every design choice, because when trust is broken, no amount of technology can repair it.”
He concluded by calling on leaders to design with empathy, lead with courage, and keep humanity at the heart of digital transformation.
“We are not only preparing for the future,” Dr. Sibiya concluded. “We are creating a future worth working for, and a society worth working for.”