Inflexible remote working policies are driving a brain drain in South Africa, with companies at risk of losing their top talent and hindering their own competitiveness. As the country experienced a brain drain during the COVID-19 pandemic, many senior executives fast-tracked their retirement or chose to emigrate or ‘semigrate’ to coastal regions or other countries. The UN reported that close to a million South Africans had already left for destinations such as the UK, Australia, the US, New Zealand, Canada, and the UAE. Furthermore, a significant number of young people, including university graduates, are considering leaving due to a lack of faith in the country’s future. The desire for work-life balance and engagement in social activities are among the key reasons cited for semigration. To address this issue, companies must urgently review their remote working policies and embrace flexibility. This is particularly crucial in the tech sector, where a skills shortage is exacerbated by local talent choosing to work for foreign companies while enjoying the lifestyle in South Africa. To mitigate the brain drain, companies need to adopt flexible work practices, implement leadership programs that support the new world of work, enable effective technology usage, provide managers with the necessary tools and skills, and design people-centric employee propositions. Failure to adapt to flexible working arrangements may result in the loss of South Africa’s best talent to foreign organizations that offer greater flexibility and incentives.