Our Capitals
Our human capital - empowering SANBS’ people, advancing purpose
Our Capitals
Our human capital - empowering SANBS’ people, advancing purpose
Can you share your career journey at SANBS, where you started and the role you hold today?
Safaa Aarendse, Organisational Development Officer - Reflections on my journey as the first industrial psychologist intern at SANBS
As the first Industrial Psychology intern at SANBS, my journey began as part of a pioneering initiative to professionalise and build internal capability within Human Capital Management (HCM). My internship followed the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) framework and was structured to expose me to key areas of industrial psychology, including organisational and personnel psychology, career counselling, assessments, employee wellbeing, and professional ethics.
My growth was supported through departmental rotations, mentorship from an external supervisor at Lumenii, guidance from my university supervisor, and unwavering support from the SANBS HCM team.
What support or development opportunities at SANBS helped you progress in your career?
I was fortunate to be involved in diverse, impactful projects across the company. These included facilitating team effectiveness sessions, gaining exposure in employee relations activities such as disciplinary cases and CCMA hearings, conducting competency profiling, and contributing to strategic initiatives like the Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) project.
I am also playing a role in shaping the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), developed and administered diagnostic surveys, conducted data analysis, and contributed to the leadership development framework. These experiences strengthened my technical, behavioural, and consultative skills. The structured mentorship, open access to organisational projects, and cross-functional collaboration created an ideal environment for learning and growth.
What advice would you give to fellow SANBS employees who are eager to grow within the company?
Be proactive in your learning, but also set clear expectations upfront, especially when navigating structured development programmes. One of the challenges I faced was managing expectations around the strict time-logging requirements of the HPCSA internship. At times, this created pressure when I committed to tasks outside of my internship scope.
This experience taught me the importance of assertiveness and professional boundary-setting. I would also recommend co-creating a formalised framework for any new role or internship to align priorities from the outset. SANBS thrives on collaboration, so take advantage of mentorship and peer support to make your development journey meaningful and sustainable.
Looking back, what achievement or moment in your SANBS journey are you most proud of?
I am most proud of contributing to SANBS’ long-term talent strategy by designing the foundation for what can become a formalised, HPCSA-aligned internship programme. Through this journey, I was able to apply psychological science to real-world challenges and co-create impactful, people-centred solutions. Knowing that my internship experience can serve as a blueprint for future Industrial Psychology interns, and support SANBS in developing its own assessment and development capabilities, is incredibly fulfilling.
What excites or inspires you most about your future at SANBS?
I am excited by the potential to help SANBS further embed psychology-based practices in its talent development and workforce planning strategies. There is a real opportunity to scale this internship model and build internal capability in areas like psychometric assessment, change management, and employee engagement. Contributing to the growth of a future-fit, people-centred SANBS is both a personal and professional aspiration, and I am inspired by the company’s willingness to innovate and lead in this space.