Most employers already have policies in place, but it’s not about the policy. What counts is the day-to-day execution by employees, which comes down to the individual manager interpreting policy.
Your job as leader is to develop a way to deploy your policies throughout the business.  It’s the employees job to read, understand and make the necessary changes to comply.   In effect you need a system of making sure things get done.    There are three main building blocks of execution:-

 1. The Essentials

·         Know your people and understanding their ability to cope with change in your business processes.  Create a sense of urgency so that everyone understands why the changes, the policies are vital.

·         Set priorities and clear goals: insist on realism by ensuring they are SMART: specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and time framed.

·         Follow up and follow through.  Provide feedback, and correct poor procedure or bad behavior immediately.

·         Reward the doers actively look …

Taking time away from work for a new baby is a common part of working life. Paid Parental Leave will help parents spend more time at home with a new baby, and help employers keep skilled and valuable staff.The Paid Parental Leave scheme was passed by Parliament in June 2010, and will be introduced from 1 January 2011.  

v  Here is a summary on the changes :- 

·  The scheme will provide up to 18 weeks Parental Leave pay at the National Minimum Wage ($570 a week before tax from 1 July 2010) for eligible parents of children born or adopted on or after 1 January 2011.

 ·  From the 1 October 2010 claims can be lodged by parents (up to three months in advance of the expected birth or adoption).

 ·  As  of the 1 July 2011: Employers will be responsible for providing Parental Leave pay to their long term employees (i.e. those with 12 months service with their employer).  

v  Parents may be eligible if they:   

·         Are the mother of a newborn child or are the initial primary …

The word feedback in the workplace is often perceived as a negative, Managers also tend to hesitate to provide feedback when it’s performance review time. Let me clarify, feedback is one of the most powerful tools in a business, if carried out constructively it can produce a sharp increase in productivity, and consequently a brighter outlook for sales and profit.

Here are some tips for making the conversation easier: 

1. Describe the behavior that is concerning you objectively

2. Express how you feel about it

3. Specify the behavior you want

4. State the consequences

Some more hints include:

Timing is important - say what you want to say when it is an issue, but consider whether the other person is best able to receive the information.
Always start with a positive comment if you can. Most people immediately go on the defensive (and stop listening) if you start on a negative or critical note.
Be mindful of what you are saying.
Describe behaviour in neutral terms - avoid emotionally loaded words like “appalling, disgraceful”.
Feelings should be expressed as ‘/’, not ‘you’. Keep it simple
Specify what changes you want rather than negatives or criticisms
Consequences can be negative or positive, be positive wherever possible. Negative consequences are often threats.
Avoid statements that are impossible or unenforceable.

Are you paying  your staff correctly?  From 1 July 2010 the national minimum wage has increased.  Here is the overview:

The national minimum wage replaces the Federal Minimum Wage.

From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2010 the national minimum wage is $569.90 per week (before tax), or $15 per hour (as rounded to the nearest 10 cents).

Before the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2010, employees covered by the national minimum wage are entitled to be paid at least the previous Federal Minimum Wage rate of $543.78 per week or $14.31 per hour (before tax).

Casual employees who are entitled to the national minimum wage are also entitled to a casual loading. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2010 the minimum casual loading for these employees is 21%.

Make sure your on top of your obligations and call us on 1300 624 654 for any assistance.

A number of workers in Sydney’s western suburbs have been reimbursed more than $170,000 after recent routine audits and investigations by the Fair Work Ombudsman found they were underpaid.

The largest recovery was $25,000 for a Leppington storeman who was underpaid his minimum hourly rate, pay in lieu of notice and annual leave entitlements.  In a separate case, a Blacktown tradesman has been reimbursed $17,000 after he was underpaid his minimum hourly rate, penalty rates for overtime and tool and travel allowances.

Further similar cases were reported in Bella Vista, Granville, Paramatta, Blacktown, Harris Park, Blacktown, Engadine, St Mary’s, Breakfast Point, Enfield, Guildford, Oakhurst and Rouse Hill. Fair Work inspectors discovered the underpayments through a combination of routine audits and investigations into complaints from workers.

Common non-compliance issues encountered by inspectors include underpayment of workers’ minimum hourly rates, penalty rates and failure to pay full entitlements to workers on termination of their employment.

These cases are becomming more and more frequent and certainly highlight the lack of understanding of the detail in awards.  Don’t get caught out with potentially huge bills to pay and stay on top of your obligations. For help, contact HR Help Desk Australia on 1300 624 654.

In a recent survey conducted by HR Help Desk Australia, a division of Benchstrength, business leaders in NSW expressed varied levels of optimism when asked about the outlook for their businesses this year.

One hundred NSW small and mid-sized businesses from a cross section of industries were invited to participate in the online survey, with thirty providing us with feedback. 

Interestingly, approximately one third of those that completed the survey were expecting substantial improvement in their businesses performance, with another third expecting some improvement.  The remaining third were either expecting no change when compared to the past year or expressed a gloomy outlook that this year would actually be tougher.

When asked about top priorities for their business, 79% of respondents were focussed on sales, whilst 50% saw the need to improve processes and systems.  A large number of the sample wanted a better marketing plan and several business owners expressed a need to free up more time for themselves and to get their teams focussed on business goals.

As David Boyd, an expert strategic planner and director of Benchstrength, commented “It was pleasing to see business owners displaying a return to thinking about customers and how to generate more revenue instead of shedding costs as many were forced to do over the past 18 months.  Being in business is about enjoying the satisfaction of success which can only come from making the sales that generate profits.” “Improving systems and a better performing marketing plan is about finding new ways to be more productive and to exploit the opportunities out there in the market.  Tighten up your game, spend wisely, use sharper strategies, focus resources to improve service to your existing customers, and direct your marketing to gain new ones.   In short it’s time to pull out of the defensive mode and exploit weaknesses in the opposition.  It’s time to go on the attack.”

The survey was also interested in business owners’ attitudes towards people issues in the post-GFC climate.   The results indicated that the top ranked priorities were:

1.       Developing and training staff
2.       Putting policies and procedures in place
3….

Much has been written and reported recently about the “potential burden” of complying with the new Fair Work Act. And there is plenty of evidence if you don’t pay attention to the changes it could bite you hard. So there is absolutely no advantage in ignoring the changes but instead work out how to deliver them in a cost effective and productive manner for your business. Sure its complex, not only do you have to cope with new awards and in some cases dizzying conditions: new leave provisions, flexible working arrangements, new laws about unfair dismissal, new rules on redundancies, parental leave entitlements, bargaining obligations and rights of entry for the unions. Most of which is new and unknown territory for many business owners.  

What truly needs to be kept in perspective though is not to fear the changes but rather use them to tidy up some lazy and sloppy practices and at the same time build an HR system that can help you run your business.  It begins with a coherent and cohesive strategy however it is of little use if your people are ineffective in making it happen. The principles across large and small business in accomplishing great things starts with aligning your people to your goals, your strategy, your vision.  It is critical for all employees to understand their role, how they contribute and what they are being held responsible for. 

…

Not that type of execution…..actually getting things done……….that kind of execution! 

In order to continue to grow your business you need to have the right people, with the right skills and the right attitude in the right jobs.  It’s also true that your businesses performance is a direct result of how your staff act and behave.   We also know that in a labour market beginning to show the signs of returning to ‘full employment’, companies must work harder to attract and retain the best people.  So more that ever you must have a system of performance management that supports getting things done.  A system of feedback that is frequent, specific and simple.  And it should contain these four key elements.   

People need to know exactly what they are supposed to do.
People need to know ‘why’ and how they contribute
People need to know what behaviour gives the best results for all
People need to know how they are going.

Why?  Because you want to get a lot more out of your team – not just hours, but results.   A team who chooses to ‘give a damn’, will go that little bit extra, to perform to the highest standards, will think creatively about their work and be interested in seeing the company become successful: so they in turn can be successful.   Firstly who does what needs to be clearly spelled out: goals and objectives of each position, tasks, key performance indicators and a sense …

Benchstrength’s HR Help Desk Australia in conjunction with the Hills Shire Council are running a series of free HR seminars in Sydney for small and mid sized business leaders.  Register Now!

Practical solutions for navigating the Fair Work Act so you can stay focused on the real game!
8.30am, 1 June 2010.  The Hills Shire Council, Function Room, 129 Showground Rd, Castle Hill, 2154

How to get your team engaged so they deliver the kind of performance you really need!
6.00pm, 30 June 2010.  The Hills Shire Council, Function Room, 129 Showground Rd, Castle Hill, 2154

How to align your people with your business strategy
6.00pm, 27 July 2010.  The Hills Shire Council, Function Room, 129 Showground Rd, Castle Hill, 2154

Winning the war for talent!
8.30am, 18 August 2010.  The Hills Shire Council, Function Room, 129 Showground Rd, Castle Hill, 2154

A tradesman was dismissed after an onsite altercation with a number of the client’s employees who had entered the building site in an unsafe manner.   It was alleged the tradesman was abusive and used foul language and his employer sacked him for serious and wilful misconduct.  Fair Work Australia found that the tradesman was within his right to reprimand the client’s employees for not respecting the construction sites OH&S rules.  And that there was little evidence of abuse although everyone agreed that foul language was used.  The commissioner ruled that the circumstances and the use of foul language on a building site was not unusual and be seen against the backdrop of the safety breach.  The tradesman’s dismissal was found to have been harsh and it was ordered he be re-instated to the same job on the same site plus he was awarded back pay. 

In this case there is fault all around however a poor investigation without due care and attention to the circumstances resulted in a hasty and harsh dismissal.  Fair Work Australia has chosen to reinstate an employee into what must be an acrimonious atmosphere which could have been avoided with better procedures.