What P&C Looks Like When You Build It Around People

At first glance, digital transformation might sound like a systems update. But at Dis-Chem, it’s a mindset shift, and Nomfundo Vilakazi is leading it from the inside out.

As People & Culture Director, Nomfundo is talking more than just automation and dashboards – she’s focused on empathy, trust, and building a people function that’s fully embedded in how the business runs.

“We’re giving time back to the business,” she explains. “A lot of our processes are still manual. So, this transformation is about unlocking efficiency, yes – but more than that, it’s about freeing up our teams to actually think, to lead, to build.”

From Bottlenecks to Building Blocks

The shift is already underway. And it’s bigger than tech. It’s a realignment of culture, leadership, and capability – a necessary evolution for a P&C team expected to move at the pace of a fast-growing healthcare business like ours.

“We’ve redefined what it means to manage and lead people at Dis-Chem,” she says. “We’re building a new manager profile. One that’s purpose-driven, people-first, and aligned with how our business is growing.”

That growth – driven by our property strategy that will deliver increased healthcare demand and access requires agility, adaptability, and leaders who understand what it means to build people while building the business.

Part of this #shift to People & Culture is making sure we’re not just structured differently, but also skilled differently.

We’re kicking off our own capability journey, starting with a deep dive into our current skills and knowledge baseline. From there, we’ll sharpen our focus on the capabilities we need to truly service the business. This will all feed into our very own P&C Skills Bank, a living blueprint for how each function, role, and individual will learn, grow, and contribute.

I’m intentionally investing in this team, building one that leads with heart, serves with pride, and is confident in the tools it holds.

Data With a Pulse

For a company serving millions of South Africans, data can’t just live in systems. It needs to live in the decisions, the conversations, the culture.

And that’s where Nomfundo’s team is placing its focus next.

“Analytics play a big role in this. It’s how we spot trends, identify gaps, and translate insights into action,” she explains. “But it also helps us measure impact – like how quickly we’re hiring, how well we’re onboarding, and where we can improve.”

It’s not digital for the sake of digital. It’s digital with a purpose: to strengthen the connection between people and progress.

Balancing Tech and Humanity

The tension between digital tools and human connection is real. But Nomfundo’s stance is clear: one shouldn’t replace the other; it should make space for it.

“Too often, people teams are caught up in manual admin, and that limits their capacity to focus on people,” she says. “If we can automate, we can elevate. We get to bring more empathy into business. And no system will ever replace that.”

This belief in people – in their individuality, diversity, and potential – sits at the foundation of Dis-Chem’s P&C transformation. And it’s visible in how the team is shifting from a compliance-driven function to a capability-building engine.

“Diversity isn’t just race or gender,” she adds. “It’s also about mindset, thought, and lived experience. We’re creating an ecosystem where different kinds of people can thrive – not just the ones who look or think the same.”

The Compass Forward

For a department tasked with steering the culture of a growing company, direction matters. That’s why Nomfundo started with clarity.

“We didn’t have a clear people compass,” she says. “Im spending most of my time crafting a strategy that makes sense to our teams. Now, we’ve got purpose, vision, mission, and alignment.”

It’s not just P&C speak. It’s a roadmap. And for Nomfundo, success in the next 12 months will mean seeing her team shift into trusted advisors, co-creators of value, and advocates for a more connected employee experience.

At the end of the day, transformation isn’t just digital. It’s deeply human. And at Dis-Chem, it starts with the people leading the change.