Employee benefits & policies in South Africa

With so many employee benefits options in South Africa, how do you choose the right benefits for your team?

Ben character at his computer

Employee benefits & policies in South Africa

We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and created a handy guide to employee benefits in the South Africa.

To help you choose the perfect package for your team, we’ve outlined what counts as a:

  • statutory requirement
  • standard benefit
  • great benefit
Question mark
Benefits policies - company policies that involve employee benefits e.g., holidays, flexible working, maternity/paternity, etc.
πŸ“
Statutory
β˜‘οΈ
Market Standard
🌟
Great

Holidays

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

15 days paid

12 public holidays

πŸ‘
Competitive

30 days paid

12 Public holidays

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Unlimited

Flexible Working

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive

Employees value flexibilie work arrangments highly, and this is a great way to reduce employees’ overall stress and improve well-being

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Sick Leave

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

30 days after first 6 mos

πŸ‘
Competitive

2 months

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

3 months

Paternity Pay

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

10 unpaid days

πŸ‘
Competitive

20 days paid leave

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

3 months paid in full

Maternity Pay

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

4 months unpaid; 60% salary from UIF for first 121 days

πŸ‘
Competitive

4 months paid leave

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

4 months paid in full

Other

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive
πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Volunteer Days

Sabbatical

Question mark
Core benefits - Β traditional employer-paid benefits products e.g., insurances (health/life) and pension with core coverage
πŸ“
Statutory
β˜‘οΈ
Market Standard
🌟
Great

Medical

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

Public health care

πŸ‘
Competitive

Private group plan

Private health plan stipend

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

International private medical insurance

Other Health

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

Basic dental covered by government subsidised healthcare

πŸ‘
Competitive

Private dental and vision insurance plan

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Comprehensive medical plan which includes dental and vision

Pension

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive

Employers contribution 9-13% of annual salary

Employee contribution 5-10% annual salary

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Individual private defined contribution pension plan

Life Insurance

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive

Group insurance combines life, disability and death protection

3x salary

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Private life insurance plan which includes, funeral benefit, disease benefit

4-6x salary

Income Protection

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

Contribution to UIF

πŸ‘
Competitive

Group insurance combines life, disability and death protection

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Private income protection plan

Question mark
Supplemental benefits - contemporary benefits to give your benefits package an edge e.g., flex allowances & salary sacrifice options
πŸ“
Statutory
β˜‘οΈ
Market Standard
🌟
Great

Wellbeing

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive

Employee Assistance Program

Subsidised gym membership

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Access to mental health programs or apps

Wellness programs

Learning and Development

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

1% SDL contribution by employer

πŸ‘
Competitive

E-learning platform access

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

L&D monthly budget

Salary Sacrifice & Other

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive

Transport allowance

Discounts on technology

Nursery stipend

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Housing stipend

Savings and Investment plans

Charitable giving

Stock options

Financial education or assistance

Food & Drink

πŸ“
Statutory

Not applicable

πŸ‘
Competitive

In office snacks

Happy hours/socials

πŸ‘
Above & Beyond

Meal allowance

Free breakfast/lunch

In office snacks and beverages

Weekly happy hours/socials

What are the tax implications of employee benefits & policies in South Africa

Tax is a tricky one - especially with a global team to manage. Our tax guide simplifies the tax implications of various employee benefits in South Africa for you.

We’ve narrowed down how employee benefits affect:

  • Tax reporting
  • Employer tax
  • Employee tax
Question mark
Benefits policies - company policies that involve employee benefits e.g., holidays, flexible working, maternity/paternity, etc.
πŸ“
Tax Reporting
πŸ‘©β€πŸ’Ό
Employer Tax
πŸ‘«
‍Employee Tax
No items found.
Question mark
Core benefits - Β traditional employer-paid benefits products e.g., insurances (health/life) and pension with core coverage
πŸ“
Tax Reporting
πŸ‘©β€πŸ’Ό
Employer Tax
πŸ‘«
Employee Tax
No items found.
Question mark
Supplemental benefits - contemporary benefits to give your benefits package an edge e.g., flex allowances & salary sacrifice options
πŸ“
Tax Reporting
πŸ‘©β€πŸ’Ό
Employer Tax
πŸ‘«
Employee Tax
No items found.

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