“I don’t believe in traditional HR”: How Aneka Botha is reimagining the people experience at IPT

For Aneka Botha, HR at IPT is not about policies, paper trails, or outdated processes. It is about people and the systems that support them.

As HR manager at IPT, a leading cybersecurity and managed services provider in South Africa, Botha has shaped her role to challenge convention.

“I don’t believe in traditional HR,” she says. “Not the disjointed systems. Not the control-focused approach. And definitely not the micromanagement. For me, HR is about building an experience, not managing a function.”

Replacing policy with behaviour

Rather than defaulting to rigid frameworks, Botha has embedded HR into the rhythms of how IPT operates. Instead of being reactive, her HR processes are built around behaviour.

“At IPT, we’ve made space for monthly one-on-ones between employees and their managers. These are real conversations: What’s blocking you? What are you trying to improve? How can your manager help you?”

These touchpoints ensure no one gets lost in the system. Every team member gets time dedicated just for them, and that consistency builds trust, transparency, and alignment across the business.

A Microsoft-powered HR stack

IPT is an innovation-led company, and that spirit extends into how Botha has retooled HR from the ground up using Microsoft’s ecosystem.

“I use Microsoft the way others use an HR platform,” she says. “SharePoint, OneNote, Outlook, Power Automate, Planner, and Teams are my go-to tools. I build what I need from scratch, in a way that works for us.”

Onboarding and exits are documented and automated through SharePoint. Checklists, welcome videos, and process flows are stored and delivered in a structured way. One-on-ones and performance reviews are documented via OneNote and Teams, creating a living, shared record that is both human and scalable.

“Our HR files and policies live in SharePoint Sites that I built myself. There’s no red tape. It’s transparent, up-to-date, and accessible.”

This approach removes unnecessary complexity. Admin is automated, with the focus staying on people.

Intelligent assistance

To make HR support more accessible, IPT introduced Jenny, an internal avatar used to deliver important updates in a quick, engaging format. Instead of relying on long emails or dense how-to documents, Botha creates short AI-powered videos that explain policies, processes, and announcements in a way that’s easy to absorb and simple to revisit. For a glimpse of how this works, check out Jenny’s public counterpart, Henry, on YouTube.

“This approach takes the pressure off our people. The information is still there when they need it, but it’s delivered in a way that fits how they actually work,” she says.

Creating moments that matter

Beyond systems and structure, Botha believes that HR must create space for celebration and connection. Work anniversaries, five-, ten-, and twenty-year milestones are recognised as journeys worth celebrating.

“These are the moments that matter. We don’t automate the human connection. We show up for it.”

For Botha, the future of HR is people-focused.

“The goal isn’t to replace HR with tech. It’s to remove what’s redundant, so we can focus on what’s real. HR doesn’t need to be traditional to be effective. It just needs to be intentional.”

That intention shows up across IPT as a culture built on systems that make people feel seen, heard, and supported.