HR and IR support for South Africa's scaling companies and SMEs.
From disciplinary hearings and CCMA representation to recruitment, HR systems and organisational change, Bsmart gives you qualified people support without the cost of a full HR department.
Time to talk if
- A CCMA referral has landed on your desk
- Contracts and policies are out of date
- Managers are struggling with conflict
- Your Employment Equity plan is not ready
- You are hiring faster than your HR can handle
- Your structure is not keeping up with growth
Who we help
Businesses at every stage, and the people inside them.
Companies and SMEs
Established companies, scaling businesses and SMEs that need dependable HR.
HR & IR consultingFinance and fintech
Regional and local teams that need strategic, business-aware HR.
HR & IR consultingGlobal companies entering South Africa
International businesses starting up and investing in South Africa, with compliant HR and labour practice from day one.
HR & IR consultingInstitutions and their managers
Leadership and conflict-resolution training for people managers.
Training & coachingIndividuals
Employees and employers who need a strong advocate in an ER or IR matter.
Get help with your matterPractical solutions for every stage of growth.
HR & IR Consulting
Clear, pragmatic guidance for complex people matters.
- Chairing of disciplinary hearings, grievances and mediation
- CCMA and bargaining council representation
- General advice on day-to-day HR and ER issues
- Drafting of policies, contracts, handbooks and job profiles
- Drafting of HR templates and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Retrenchments, unions and collective agreements
- HR strategy, workforce planning and performance management
- Employment Equity, B-BBEE, WSP and ATR
Training & Coaching
Capability-building programmes with lasting impact.
- Individual and team coaching
- Leadership and people management
- Disciplinary enquiry training for managers
- Performance management training
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- PAIA and POPIA training
Recruitment & Selection
Thoughtful recruitment support that fits your business.
- Permanent and contract placements across industries
- Headhunting, Boolean search and network-led sourcing
- Interviewing, screening and selection
- Reference checks
- Advertising
Project Management
End-to-end delivery of complex HR initiatives: structured, governed and aligned to business outcomes.
What we deliver
- Large-scale recruitment drivesHigh-volume hiring delivered on time, on target.
- HRIS implementationRequirements to go-live, scope controlled.
- Time and attendance rolloutsMulti-site, multi-shift, payroll-ready.
- Performance management systemsFrameworks managers actually use.
- System integrationHRIS, time and attendance, payroll and PMS connected end to end.
- Mergers and acquisitionsThe people side of bringing organisations together.
- Restructures and S189/S189A processesRun in line with sections 189 and 189A of the LRA.
- Strategic alignmentProjects mapped to business priorities and the business case.
- Stakeholder engagementGovernance, cadence and alignment that stick.
- End-to-end deliveryA single point of accountability across workstreams.
- War-room supportStructured command for go-lives and critical delivery.
- Post-implementation reviewPost-mortems, benefits realisation and lessons learned.
Organisational Design & Change Management
We design structures that fit your strategy, built to scale without the growing pains.
What we deliver
- Organisational designStructures, roles and reporting lines aligned to business strategy, built to scale without negative impact.
- Operating model designHow work flows across teams, functions and systems.
- Role design and job architectureClear role profiles, grading and career pathways.
- Span of control and layer analysisRight-sized structures, reduced complexity.
- Workforce planningRight skills, right place, right time.
- Change impact assessmentWho is affected and how, using a range of methodologies.
- Change strategy and roadmapA phased plan from current to future state.
- Stakeholder and communication plansBuy-in built, resistance managed.
- Training and capability buildingPreparing people for the new way of working.
- Change readiness and adoption trackingMeasure readiness, track adoption, course-correct.
- Culture alignmentBehaviours and ways of working aligned to the new design.
- Post-change reviewEmbed, sustain and learn.
Not sure which fits? Tell us what is happening and we will point you the right way.
Book a 20-minute intro callTrusted support, in our clients' words.
Devina is a seasoned and strategic HR professional with a comprehensive understanding of the full HR spectrum and how it aligns to broader business strategy. Her strong business acumen and ability to navigate complex people matters make her a trusted and impactful HR provider.
Right from the start of our company's journey, Devina gave us invaluable HR guidance and support. Her practical advice and genuine understanding of what we needed really helped us feel confident as we built the business.
We have made use of Devina Bowers for our HR related matters on several occasions and have found her to be both professional and very knowledgable within her field. I would happily recommend her services.
Devina delivers exceptional service, combining professionalism, efficiency, and a genuine passion for what she does. She has coached me personally and supported my business on numerous occasions, with her extensive HR knowledge and legal expertise making every process seamless. She is always approachable, responsive, and provides sound, practical advice. I have also referred her to my clients, all of whom she has assisted successfully. I recommend her services without hesitation!
Bsmart Consultancy are true experts in their field. They give commercially-focused advice which is tailored absolutely for me and my business needs. They don’t do ‘tick box’ consultancy, but get to know your business and your aspirations, then they ensure that you have the people management strategies in place to make it all happen. I wholeheartedly recommend them.
My case was held professionally and with the utmost integrity. She fought all the way and always referred to the legal aspects of the case. Her knowledge of case law was above reproach.
From managers who attended our training
“Very liberating in terms of conflict resolution, management versus leadership and how important empathy is.”
“Eye opening. It gave me a lot of insight into the systems in place in my organisation.”
“It kept me involved and interested all the time. I would recommend other managers to attend.”
“Devina has a wealth of knowledge and expertise which allows for engaging, robust conversations during training.”
A journey map for your business, not a one-size package.
- Step 1
Understand your business
We start with a conversation about where you are, what is at stake and what you want to achieve.
- Step 2
Tailor the package
You get a package built around your needs, so you pay for the support you actually use.
- Step 3
Partner for sustainable growth
We act as your people partner, aligning HR with your business objectives as you grow.
Terms and conditions apply.
Getting the process right costs far less than fixing it after a dispute.
referrals to the CCMA in 2024/25. 51% were unfair dismissal disputes.
is all an employee has to refer a dismissal dispute to the CCMA. Your paperwork needs to be ready before that.
of pay is the cap on compensation for an unfair dismissal. It rises to 24 months if the dismissal is automatically unfair.
or 2% of turnover, whichever is greater, is the fine the Labour Court can impose for a first contravention on employers with 50 or more staff who miss Employment Equity targets without valid justification.
When does the 30-day referral window close?
Enter the date of dismissal and we will count 30 calendar days from it.
See a CCMA dismissal dispute, step by step
- 01Referral
The employee refers the dispute within 30 days of the dismissal.
- 02Conciliation
A first hearing where a commissioner tries to broker an agreement.
- 03Certificate
If there is no agreement, the commissioner issues a certificate.
- 04Arbitration
Requested within three months. Formal, with evidence and witnesses.
- 05Award
Final and binding, issued within 14 days.
We prepare you for every stage, from the first review of your records to representation on the day.
Employment Equity is live now. The reporting window runs from 1 September to 15 January every year, with employers assessed against sector targets. The regulations remain in force: the Constitutional Court refused leave to appeal an urgent bid to suspend them, and a non-urgent review of parts of the Act is still pending.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Sources: Business Day · CCMA · Moonstone · IOL · Labour Relations Act s194
Disruption with purpose.
Envision, Empower & Achieve
We optimise businesses by positively impacting the human capital space. Our approach brings practical HR solutions and strategic partnership together to create sustainable growth.
- SABPP HR Professional
- Large workforces of 3,500+ employees
- Executive and board-level partner
- Unionised and high-growth environments
“Your attitude determines your actions, which will determine your accomplishment.”
Devina Bowers
An accomplished human capital professional with 20+ years of progressive experience delivering integrated strategic and operational people solutions in complex, unionised and high-growth environments. Devina partners with executive leadership and boards to turn business strategy into scalable people strategies that drive organisational performance, workforce optimisation and culture transformation. Her approach is disciplined yet adaptable, combining commercial acumen with hands-on execution.
- Qualifications
- NDHM, majoring in Law, Finance and Management · HR Diploma · Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDBM) · HR Professional, registered with SABPP
- Industry experience
-
- Retail
- Logistics
- Hospitality
- Finance
- Fintech
- IT
- Engineering
- Food production
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Sales and marketing
- NPOs and NGOs
- Large-scale delivery
-
- 2000ICC AIDS Conference and NAM Convention: liaison with heads of state and more than 20,000 meals served
- 2003/04Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge: staffing
- 2004Presidential Inauguration: provision of about 1,500 staff at different levels
- 2007Caltex shutdown
To create a journey map for every business to achieve sustainable success in a competitive market.
To provide high-quality HR solutions that align people strategy with business objectives.
What we stand for
- IntegrityBeing real, ethical and fair
- HonestyTruthful in what we say and do
- CollaborationWorking with you to reach your goals
- PassionThe driving force of what we do
- RespectConsiderate of people and their well-being
- DiversityInclusive, because diverse views allow change
- TransformationSustainable change for business success
A CCMA referral just arrived. What should I do?
Do not ignore it. Dismissal disputes must be referred within 30 days, and the CCMA will schedule a first hearing, usually conciliation. Contact us early so we can review your records and prepare. We represent clients at the CCMA and bargaining councils.
Do you help with Employment Equity plans?
Yes. We support EE planning and reporting, along with B-BBEE, WSP and ATR. Employers with 50 or more employees are designated employers under the Act.
How are your services packaged?
Packages are tailor-made around your needs, so you pay for the support you actually use. Terms and conditions apply. Tell us about your business and we will propose a package.
Do you work with SMEs and larger companies?
Yes. We support established companies, scaling businesses and SMEs. A global fintech worked with us from the start of its journey in South Africa.
What happens on the intro call?
It takes 20 minutes. Tell us what is happening in your business and we will tell you honestly whether and how we can help.
Do you help individual employees?
Yes. We act as a strong advocate for employees and employers in ER and IR matters, including representation at the CCMA and bargaining councils.
Let's make your people strategy work harder.
Book a 20-minute intro call. Tell us what is happening in your business and we will tell you honestly whether and how we can help.