Black Rock Mine Communication Projects, South Africa

Effective engagement results in a well-informed, happy workforce.

Client

Black Rock Mine Operations (BRMO)

Project date

2018

Black Rock Mine Operations (BRMO) sought to revise their monthly performance incentive scheme to make it more inclusive, easier to understand, and motivating for all employees, particularly shift workers. Given the size of the workforce and the logistical challenges of engaging employees before shifts, a creative and practical approach was required.

The opportunity

BRMO appointed Zutari to assist in updating the incentive scheme. The goal was to collaborate with management, unions, and a sample of workers to redesign the scheme and communicate it effectively to all employees. A key challenge was the lack of access to internet and social media, which meant face-to-face engagement was essential.

What we did

To meet the challenge, Zutari worked closely with BRMO’s continuous improvement and HR teams to facilitate underground engagement sessions. Our approach included:

  • Conducting workshops with mine leaders, unions, and employees to co-design the updated scheme.

  • Creating visual messages and a game to explain the new scheme, and pilot testing the communication strategy.

  • Hosting engagement sessions across the mine’s three complexes (Gloria, Nchwaning II, and Nchwaning III), as well as the Black Rock support services offices and underground locations.

  • Packaging and transporting printed materials to remote sites to ensure successful communication.


Respecting the workers’ time and the nature of their work, and bringing clear engagement agendas to meetings, were crucial to the project’s success.
Through our innovative techniques and commitment to the client’s vision, we were able to communicate a new scheme that will benefit the mine’s employees for years to come.

The outcome

The updated incentive scheme proved to be a strong example of how meaningful engagement with employees can lead to positive results. Queries related to the scheme have dropped to virtually zero, and employees now have a clear understanding of how their bonuses are calculated.

“The updated incentive scheme was a great example of where engagement with employees yields the desired results. Our incentive scheme-related queries have dropped to virtually zero. The way that we involved employees and ensured they understood the changes to the policy, as well as the way their bonuses are calculated, resulted in an informed, happy workforce.”

Yogesh Ramjattan

BRMO Manager – Business Improvement

Related projects

Co-creating globally impactful projects that drive sustainable growth and reframe what’s possible.