Email etiquette

When the use of email became common in the early 90’s the business world changed, email now takes up a significant portion of our workday. People receive so many emails each day and many end up making embarrassing mistakes that could be detrimental in a professional interaction. For example, you can easily miss a spelling error while typing out an email, or you may come off as too casual or unprofessional in tone or content.

While we try to work faster and more efficiently, we must not forget the social rules that accompany any form of communication. Here are a few tips on email etiquette;

* Include a clear, direct subject line

People often decide on whether to open an email based on the subject line. Choose one that lets readers know you are addressing their concerns or business issues.

* Think twice before hitting “reply all”

With many people getting notifications of new messages on their smartphones or distracting pop-up messages on their computer screens. Refrain from hitting "reply all" unless you really think everyone on the list needs to receive the email.

* Use professional salutations

The relaxed nature of our writings should not affect the salutation in an email. Laid back colloquial expressions like ‘hey’ will not be appropriate, use ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ instead.

* Be cautious with humor

Humor can easily get lost in translation without the right tone or facial expressions. In a professional exchange, it's better to leave humor out of emails unless you know the recipient well.

* Proofread every message

Don't rely on spell-checkers. Read and re-read your email a few times, preferably aloud, before sending it off.

* Add the email address last

You don't want to send an email accidentally before you have finished writing and proofing the message. Even when you are replying to a message, it's a good precaution to delete the recipient's address and insert it only when you are sure the message is ready to be sent.


Health tips in the office

On average, a person spends at least 8 hours in the office and it is best that a healthy lifestyle is maintained. Most, if not all of these office hours are spent sitting and looking at the computer which causes strain. We may not be able to control the amount of work or the work environment but we certainly can change the way we live by being healthy. As Jim Rohn rightfully puts it “Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live in”. Follow the link below and find out how you can stay healthy in the office at Zimnat.

https://www.bustle.com/articles/179775-11-ways-to-stay-healthy-at-the-office-because-your-habits-matter


Upclose with Workmore Chimweta

NAME: WORKMORE

SURNAME: CHIMWETA

POSITION: LIFE MANAGING DIRECTOR

DATE OF BIRTH:  4 MAY 1977

WHO YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF WORK: Workmore is a husband to Cynthia and a father to three children - Tana, Tanya and Tate. He is a lover of the outdoors, preferring to spend quiet time in the garden tending to his plants and domestic animals amongst which are chickens, ducks, and rabbits. He is particularly fond of his 4 dogs and is constantly mindful of the need to make sure the dogs (Boerboels and German Shepherds) do not eat any of the other pets. It's a tricky balance. Workmore, being a passionate creative at heart loves to sketch and paint as well as to have a go at writing.

VALUES AND HOW THEY INFORM YOUR CAREER GROWTH AND DIRECTION: Workmore believes in the value of leadership starting with leading the self. He believes in the first instance that the greatest human need is to be led, whilst at the same time believing that the first and most consistent leader one has is the self. One has to first lead themselves before they can be led or lead others. Leadership is the "miracle spectacles" of life which gives clarity and vividness to what we all aspire for, what we can achieve and how we can achieve it in a fulfilling manner. When leadership fails, many a time it is the failure of one to lead themselves, to have a vision, a personal goal, a plan and many times, even with these, it is a failure to execute on them diligently and persistently. Because of this view of life, Workmore's style in life and in the workplace is to seek opportunities to collaborate with colleagues to lead each other towards iconic goals. Leadership, in his eyes is not defined by title nor by rank. It is a state of mind which everyone and anyone can manifest if they so choose.

YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER COLLEAGUES: A word of encouragement from Workmore is to confidently dream big, boldly set audacious goals and enthusiastically take action, because "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams".


Zimnat assists Hatcliffe centre for children with disability

On the 6th of December 2018, the Zimnat Group handed over goods worth more than $7 000 to St Christopher’s Children with Disability Centre in Hatcliffe, a centre that provides services for children with disabilities. The goods, included a storage container, bed linen, and an examination bed.

St Christopher’s Children with Disability Centre’s provides various types of therapy, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, aimed at improving or restoring children’s lost functions or compensating for them through the provision of various aids.

It also offers activities to help children with disabilities cope with daily living and improve their quality of life and that of their families. Support and counselling services are also offered to the children and their families.

Zimnat Group Marketing Executive Angela Mpala said Zimnat, which aims to make life better for others, was happy to be able to partner St Christopher’s Centre in making life better for disabled children.

“St Christopher’s Centre is providing much needed assistance to children with disabilities. Apart from the various forms of therapy it offers, its efforts to combat and eliminate discrimination against children with disabilities and their families is very much in line with our own motto of making life better for others,” she said.

“We fully identify with their goal of working towards a society in which children with disabilities participate fully and enjoy the fundamental rights that we are all entitled to.

“The different forms of therapy provided at St Christopher’s Centre are important in helping children with disabilities overcome the challenges they face as a result of their disabilities.

“We are happy to be able to partner the centre and support its work through the donation of bed linen, an examination bed and a storage container, all of which the centre identified as among its major needs,” Ms Mpala said.


Cebisani Ndlovhu Zimnat Charity Marathon

Cebisani Ndlovu undergoes surgery with Zimnat help

Cebisani Ndlovu, the Bulawayo gentleman for whom Zimnat organised a fund-raising marathon last November, is recovering at home after undergoing spinal surgery at Mater Dei Hospital last month.

Speaking from his home in Bulawayo’s Ntumbane suburb, Mr Ndlovu expressed his appreciation of the assistance Zimnat had given him and the support of the 740 people who took part in the half-marathon that Zimnat organised in Harare to raise funds for his surgery.

The marathon raised almost $7 000, including donations from well-wishers unable to participate in the run themselves. Zimnat added to this to meet the nearly $9 000 eventually required for the surgery and related costs.

Mr Ndlovu said he had been trying in vain to raise funds for his surgery for some time before he approached Zimnat.

“I am really grateful to Zimnat for making my life better and to the hundreds of people who participated in the fund-raising marathon that Zimnat organised,” he said.

A nurse aide is looking after him at home, while he recovers from the operation. With the help of physiotherapy he is gradually recovering the use of his limbs following the operation.

Prior to the operation, Mr Ndlovu had difficulty walking, even with the aid of crutches, due to a spinal cord bone growth. He hopes to be able to walk normally once he has fully recovered from his operation.


Zimnat jar of money

Zimbabwe Economic Outlook – Fourth Quarter

With the 2018 Zimbabwe harmonised elections out of the way, rebuilding a struggling economy was the first and possibly the most difficult task for the new president Emmerson Mnangagwa. The appointment of ex-bankers Professor Mthuli Ncube and George Guvamatanga as Finance Minister and Permanent Secretary in the Finance and Economic Development Ministry was met with optimism and excitement by the larger populace of Zimbabwe.

To kick-start economic recovery, the Finance Minister launched an economic blueprint dubbed Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), set to run from October 2018 to December 2020. The programmes’ main focus was to stabilise the macro economy and financial sector, to introduce policy and institutional reforms, to address infrastructure gaps and to launch quick wins to stimulate growth.

The International Financial Institutions, which include the African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank endorsed the TSP, whilst reiterating the need to have a thoughtful implementation of measures outlined in it.

The International Monetary Fund further adjusted the economic growth forecast to 3.6% from the 2.4% earlier projected in the beginning of the year. This however was contrary to a government adjustment of the same metric to 6.3% from 4.5% mentioned earlier in spite of the economy showing a number of visible challenges.

The biggest challenge the economy was facing was foreign currency shortages, a high budget and current account deficit, inflation pressures and infrastructure deficiencies.

As a measure to deal with the monetary and foreign currency challenges, the governor of Zimbabwe’s central bank the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr John Mangudya, in his mid-term monetary statement announced that Zimbabwe was going to bring into effect again foreign currency accounts above the normal accounts. This move he said, was meant to increase hard cash deposits, to get rid parallel currency markets and to stabilize prices. Although the move saw people disposing off the local bond notes through hording of basic commodities, it led to a rise in prices of most essential consumer goods. The rise in prices of commodities however was caused by the adjusting of the economy to new policies according to the finance minister.

In an unorthodox approach, Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube added to the monetary statement with controversial fiscal reforms which the president of Zimbabwe said were a “necessary pain”. Perhaps the most debated part of the reform was the introduction of a 2 cents per every dollar tax on every electronic money transfer which was introduced in order to restore fiscal equilibrium. Some economist have categorised the tax as a quick win under the TSP. Others have also mentioned that the tax would increase the collection base of the Government in the informal sector.

The question everyone would want answered in this uncertain period, is what’s next for the economy of Zimbabwe? My answer would be even in our uncertain periods we have always risen above and created opportunities, a good example would be arguably the use of digital banking as a necessity more than a want.


Zimnat Asset Management

The Importance Of Customization In Managing Funds

Zimnat Asset Management provides carefully constructed, individually customized and separately managed accounts. These discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios allow clients to define their own parameters for returns and liquidity based on their risk tolerance, cash flow needs and investment horizon.

The research team holds detailed discussions with prospective clients to establish the desired investment objective, performance benchmark and expected risk/return characteristics, among other requirements.

Critical elements of our separately managed accounts include:

  • Risk management: robust analysis of cash flows, debt and corporate governance of the companies underlying the bonds, equities and private equity we are invested in.
  • Strong structure, thorough set-up and documentation process.
  • Adaptability to changing inflation rates and interest rates that are characteristic of the local economic environment given the changing policies.

Our strategy seeks to deliver consistent returns, preserve principal and provide liquidity. How is this achieved:

  • The research team regularly meets to discuss our fundamental outlook for the economy, focusing on factors such as GDP growth, unemployment and interest rates. Data from a range of internal and external economic sources are compiled and debated by the team, and a consensus view is established. This view is then translated into investment strategies, which guide portfolio decisions.
  • Periodic reviews of the portfolio and investment guidelines ensure that the portfolio remains relevant for the client’s investment objectives.
  • Scenario analysis is used to evaluate portfolio performance in different environments to help determine optimal portfolio positioning across different investment sectors.
  • Investment classes include: government bonds, corporate bonds, listed equities and private equity.

ZAM provides an integrated approach to client servicing for separately managed accounts. Each client has access to a client service team consisting of the client advisor who also acts as the portfolio manager, the Risk and Compliance Officer and a client account manager.

  • The client advisor serves as the key point of contact for the client and manages the overall client relationship. He provides strategic advice reflecting industry perspective and presents insights on investment allocation.
  • The client advisor is supported by a team of research analysts who continuously assess the economic environment and the portfolio’s performance in line with the market outlook.
  • The client account manager sets up the client’s account on ZAM’s accounting and client information systems. They also respond to day-to-day queries regarding deposits, withdrawals, current account balances and updated statements.
  • The Risk and Compliance Officer handles all contractual, legal and regulatory issues.
  • A crucial component in the risk management of separately managed accounts is the role of the custodian. A custodian works alongside the asset manager and is tasked with the settlement, safekeeping and reporting of all investments made.

Managed funds are especially valuable for large investors who have the goal but not the ability or resources to expertly manage their risks and returns.


Innovation Meetings Zimnat

Innovation Meetings

The business recently launched an innovation forum which holds meetings fortnightly. Participants are from all SBUs across the business and the teams come together to discuss proposed solutions for services products and processes for the business.

Presentation of the best solutions will be presented at the end of the year.


Zimnat Golf Day 2018

Zimnat Holds Golf Day At Borrowdale Brooke

Zimnat held its annual golf day at Borrowdale Brooke Golf Course in the month of August. Participants included clients from all four of its businesses units, namely Zimnat General Insurance, Zimnat Life Assurance, Zimnat Financial Services and Zimnat Asset Management. Prospective clients and business partners were also in attendance.

The day on the greens proved to be an excellent platform for Zimnat managers, staff and clients to not only play some challenging rounds of golf but also to interact with one another in an informal setting and discuss business opportunities and the services and products Zimnat offers.

The first tee off was at  11am with a four ball alliance format being played , loads of exciting  prizes were won and the day ended with a relaxing cocktail in the golf course lounge . The first four ball alliance that scooped the number one prize comprised of Doctor Simbarashe Mazonde, Irimayi Madyambudzi, Artwell Marimira and Ngoni Nomatter Makiwa.

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Cebisani Ndlovhu Zimnat Charity Marathon

Zimnat Runs Charity Marathon

Zimnat will hold its first ever Charity Marathon on the 10th of November 2018 at Barclays Sports Club Harare. The marathon is being held to assist 30 year old Cebisani Ndhlovu from Bulawayo who needs to undergo spinal code surgery at Mater dei Hospital Bulawayo. In order to undergo the surgery, Cebisani needs $7 500. He holds a BCom Honours Degree in Risk Management and Insurance.

The marathon is open to everyone willing to participate and contribute to this worthy cause. The distances to be run starting from 6am, include 5, 10 and 21km. With those running the 5km attract $5 and the others attracting $10 as registration fees.

Please visit the Charity Marathon website to register.