Rewarding and recognising your staff can be as simple as a pat on the back to a more structured salary review process. What is important is that your employees feel valued and know they are recognised for the contribution they make to your business. While it is true that people often do not move jobs for money alone, the remuneration on offer can play a significant role, both in attracting a candidate to join your firm, or leading a current employee to “look around”. Here we look at the salary review process.....
Why do a salary review
You can keep your salary review and performance review separate but it does make sense to bring the two together and allows you to reward your high performing staff. If you are managing both processes it is best practice for the salary review to happen immediately after the performance appraisals. For those who manage these processes they believe that being paid appropriately is a form of recognition and sends a message to staff regarding how much they are valued. Whilst money is by no means the sole motivating factor at work, if you underpay, it is a definite de-motivator, and in this employment market this is likely to lead to staff moving to firms who will pay them the recognition they feel they deserve.
In general, salary reviews are about two things:
How the employee performs their job.
Where that employee fits relative to the external job market.
Getting the right information for your salary review
It’s important when managing a salary review to look at what the market is paying. You can get information from contacts in your network, from industry information gained through salary surveys from various organisations and from Human Resource and recruitment professionals. Finding out what it would cost to replace an employee in the current market is revealing and valuable information.
Salary reviews are an important process and require care and preparation in order to meet your employees’ expectations and ensure that the review is a valuable process. It is also important that full explanations are offered as to the reasons and criteria behind why salaries are reviewed. Not everyone may receive a salary increase or at least an increase at the level they were expecting, so it is important that their expectations are managed correctly by fully justifying and preparing prior to undertaking the review. Likewise, you may be in a position to offer someone a pay increase at a higher level than they were expecting. Here, it is important that you fully utilise this situation by praising and congratulating on excellent performance or contribution.
Although companies have different approaches to reviewing and remunerating employees, simple considerations can help you make the process become more effective:
Tips for your salary review process
Have a good understanding of the objectives of your performance and salary review processes prior to beginning e.g. to align your business and employee goals, to recognise and reward well performing employees etc
The process should be carefully planned and documented from beginning to end
Ensure all your Managers are trained in the process being used and understand how the review should be conducted. Have template documents that are used so that employees are all treated in the same way and so fairly
Ensure feedback and decisions are objective and based on your benchmarking criteria and that they are clear and easily understood by your Managers and employees
Make sure your rating system is fair and easy for employees to understand. Have each rating translate into what the raise in salary will be (if performance unsatisfactory then there would not be a raise)
Ensure pay is reviewed in line with the Modern Award rates of pay
Is this something that could be an issue at your place? Inspire Success is all about implementing practical solutions that help create high performing workplaces which are customer focussed and free of conflict - no matter what size your business is. Contact Rae Phillips at Inspire Success for further information raephillips@inspire-success.com
In recent newsletters we have discussed the importance of finding and employing the right employees, their induction and their probationary period. Hiring employees is just a start to creating a strong work force. Next, you have to keep them. High employee turnover costs you in time and productivity. Here we discuss ways to reward and retain those employees, the importance of showing employees why they should stay working for you and also how it can improve your reputation with future employees. Salary increases and bonuses are ways to reward and retain employees but in this article we will focus on non monetary ways for retaining that key talent in your business......
Why put so much effort into keeping them?
Retaining employees is a good measure of how healthy your business is. If you are losing key employees chances are that other employees are looking also.
There are a lot of benefits to retaining your employees and these include:-
Cost savings – the cost of staff turnover is very expensive as well as time consuming
Improved productivity – continued work efficiency and customer service. It also ensures a reliable knowledge base about your business processes, policies and procedures
Positive staff morale
Happy clients – clients have continued relationship with same staff members
Allows employees to build on their knowledge base and make career development
Positive culture for your business which is good for current employees and new recruits
Ways to reward and retain employees
It is important for your business to keep your employees motivated and engaged and in return retain them. As the saying goes; “A happy worker is a productive worker”.
Salary is not the only way to motivate staff. There are a number of non monetary ways to help your staff feel important and rewarded and keep them motivated and happy. These include:-
Incentivise your employees – there are low and no-cost incentives you can use to make your staff feel valued e.g. an afternoon off, cinema tickets, breakfast morning etc
Meet your employees regularly to talk about their work, what motivates them, their professional development and discussing the long term vision for them with your business
Good quality supervision of employees – supervisors have an important role in the retention of employees. Its very important the supervisor does not make the employee feel undervalued. Examples of good supervision include providing feedback about performance, having regular meetings and being clear about work expectations.
Allow employees to offer ideas, have open communication and give feedback – let employees feel comfortable doing this and encourage their involvement
Having a fair and equitable company – treating employees equally is very important in retaining them
Giving employees the opportunities to learn and grow in their knowledge, skills and career - coaching employees by Managers, attending seminars, training, conferences etc
Promoting from within whenever possible, having clear paths of advancement for employees
To retain staff you must make them feel rewarded, recognised and appreciated. It is good to be creative in (non monetary) ways of keeping employees happy and choose whatever works best for your business, even the simple act of saying “thank you” can go a long way…….
Is this something that could be an issue at your place? Inspire Success is all about implementing practical solutions that help create high performing workplaces which are customer focussed and free of conflict - no matter what size your business is. Contact Rae Phillips at Inspire Success for further information raephillips@inspire-success.com
It seems that absenteeism is causing a
lot of stress for many of us – not only because employees who are
consistently absent or late to work cause headaches, but they also
impact on our bottom line!
Here are our top 5 tips for reducing absenteeism at your place:
1. Set standards of attendance
Start right at the start –your induction and your leave policy should
outline what you expect if they are going to be late or are not able to
get to work. For example employees should;
tell their manager they will be absent;
phone their manager within a
certain time-frame to advise why they are unable to make it to work, the
nature of their illness and when they expect to return;
know that they will be contacted if you haven’t heard from them about why they are absent; and
provide certain evidence that they
are unfit for work i.e. a medical certificate or statutory declaration,
in a certain way and within a certain time-frame.
2. Keep an eye on why people are absent
Collect information on patterns of absence, regardless of how many
employees you have. Only with these statistics are you going to know if
you have an issue in your workplace. Keeping an eye on these trends can
assist you to:
identify if you have a problem with absence at your workplace;
determine what type of absence
usually occurs in your workplace i.e. is it mainly Monday morning
’sickies’ or cases of longer-term sickness?; and
highlight patterns in absence
levels. For example, are absence levels higher in one particular team or
at a specific time of year?
3. Conduct return to work interviews
For longer term absences, a return to work interview allows you to
determine whether the employee is able to return to their duties and if
modifications to their duties are required. It also assists you to
determine if there is enough reason for disciplinary action. The focus
on their absence gives notice to the employee that it hasn’t been
noticed. Of course this will depend on the employee’s absence record,
and any patterns.
4. Promote opportunities for flexible work
We know it is a legislated requirement, but why not be a trail blazer
and help employees achieve a balance between their work, family and
lifestyle commitments? There are lots of statistics that show that
work-life balance reduces absenteeism. Just looking at your workplace
and the roles differently might unearth a few opportunities to work
flexibly that you didn’t know existed.
5. Make the job as good as it can be
Research suggests our people spend only 20%, or one day each week, doing
tasks for which they have a genuine aptitude. Of course they are busy
all the time. You can add real value and unearth strategies to engage
and fulfil your staff by identifying roadblocks and helping remove them.
In your informal discussions ask, "How can I help make your job more
fulfilling, engaging and productive?"
These conversations with your people have economic benefits. All investments yield a return. How can you get your staff to work?
As business owners we are operating in one of the most challenging times ever. Many of us have had to change the structure of our business, lay off staff and rethink our priorities.
We have people in our organisations that we trust with the vision for our business and we are working hard to maintain productivity levels and customer satisfaction results. What can we do to make sure we keep our people fired up and excited?
These 5 key elements to effective performance reviews are presented to give you a head start when you are managing the performance of your people.
1. Be consistent;
2. Train everyone;
3. Keep good records;
4. Set expectations early;
5. Follow up.
It is our intention that with knowledge and focus, you will set your people up for success and improve individual and team performance and productivity! Good luck – let us know how you go!
1. Be Consistent
Implement a consistent method of reviewing performance at your place. This could mean having a 6 weekly mid probation review; meeting for 30 minutes every 3 months; a six monthly catch up or anniversary reviews. Always use self assessments and let people know what will happen after the meeting.
TOP TIP: As you bring on a new employee, schedule the review meetings in your diary so you are prepared and don’t miss any.
2. Train Everyone
Have you ever felt like you were ‘pulling teeth’ when meeting with your staff? This was probably because they were unsure of the reason for the meeting and what their role was. Make sure you not only train the staff who are conducting the performance reviews, but also those who are being assessed. You will get MUCH BETTER results if everyone understands the objectives and the best ways to participate.
TOP TIP: Give out an FAQ sheet with the review forms so that the reviewer and reviewed can benefit from previous experience and plan for their meeting.
3. Keep Good Records
Keep good records so you can refer back to the meeting content, justify your performance ratings and follow up. Always bring a copy of the position description, any previous reviews, any notes on file and your semi completed review form to the meeting. It is critical that you base the review on the typical performance for the entire period.
TOP TIP: If you can, have someone else making the notes and get everyone to read them and sign off at the
end.
4. Set Expectations Early
Prospective employees should know during the recruitment stage that you have a performance management process – don’t make it a secret! Make sure that performance is assessed against the information in the position description and only refer to tasks, skills levels, experiences that are required to carry out the duties of the role. Let them know what the expectations are for improvement. Who is responsible, when will the change need to occur?
TOP TIP: Your position descriptions are a practical tool that can be used from recruitment, to Onboarding, training and reviewing performance gaps – make sure they are reviewed before each vacancy is filled.
5. Follow Up
Is the change required skills based or attitudinal? Is it more related to continuing development? It is imperative that you do what you say you will – when you said you would! If it is your responsibility to arrange training or a buddy, get it done straight after the meeting so you don’t forget!
TOP TIP: Schedule appointments for follow up discussions and invite the right people as soon as possible so you don’t get side tracked and end up weeks overdue for a critical performance discussion.
Did you know that the first 4 weeks of employment are when our new starters are deciding whether they are staying or not? This is the time to make sure we set them up for success and make the most of the money we have already spent on recruitment.
If you include at least these 3 steps to your induction, we believe you are on your way to building a positive employment relationship with your new starter and will have a much better level of engagement (read higher productivity, less conflict, less complaints, easier work for you!):
1. Deliver on what you promised
2. Set the standards up front
3. Follow up at regular intervals
Setting employees up for success in a new role requires planning and action. There are times that things won’t go according to the plan, but the system should be flexible enough to allow for this, and help it get back on track.
1. Deliver on what you promised.
Your recruitment systems should help here – what did you agree to in the interview? The letter of offer needs to be clear on what the job role is, what the pay is, when they start and how it will be reviewed.
Try to have this set up before the new starter arrives – it shows organisation in the business if their tools and workspace are ready, there is a name-badge and PPE, a handbook ready and an email address all sorted.
If you can, send the letter of engagement, personal details form, super and tax forms out in advance (we call this the starter pack). If this is completed at home and sent back in, you can set them up in payroll in advance and ensure there are no issues in getting that first pay. And if you pay monthly and they just miss the pay run – show them some flexibility by organising an end of month manual pay so they don’t have to wait 6 weeks! TOP TIP: Have a checklist that you use to prepare for new starters, but that doubles as their checklist during Induction.
2. Set the standards up front.
You should have a standard checklist that is used by you or your key personnel so that you know every new employee gets exactly the same information. This checklist should include information on the company history and your service expectations, the focus of the division or department (this helps them understand how their position fits into the big picture) and very specific details like hours of work, where to park, uniforms, safety, timesheets, calling in sick etc.
Make certain that the checklist has a link to the position description so that the key personnel can work through the PD, letting the new starter know exactly what is expected of them and how their performance will be evaluated. Maintaining high standards during the Onboarding period will ensure that they continue.
By involving team members in establishing high standards of performance, you will build their pride and self-confidence. It has been shown time and again that setting high standards at the start improves staff retention and customer feedback. TOP TIP: Your position description should be general enough that the employees understand the scope of their work, but specific enough that you can explain the standards (quality, quantity and time) you expect.
3. Follow up at regular intervals.
Specify on your checklist that there will be a weekly catch up, with a 6 weekly performance review mid probation. These catch ups should be casual, but structured, using the checklists as a guide.
Ask lots of questions, go over the information they have learned, ‘test’ that they have understood it and check to see where there are still gaps. During this time you should be listening for underlying problems with what the employees expected and what they are experiencing.
The 6 weekly probation review is a formal opportunity to provide feedback on their take-up of the new role, where they are going well and where there are performance issues. Document this discussion using a review form that you can go back to if necessary. TOP TIP: These follow ups will work best if they are two way discussions. Ask the employee how things are going, listen to their response and then give your feedback. Resist the urge to jump in first.
Everyone is motivated by different needs but generally when people feel good about themselves, the work they do, and the organisation they work for, it is much easier to gain their cooperation. As a manager or owner, you have a fantastic opportunity to make a difference to how your people see their work with your business.
Here are my
Top 10 Ways to Motivate your People
– which will lead to improved performance, productivity and profit for your business.
1. Outline the job responsibilities and expectations
2. Ask what your people want from their work
3. Consider each employees situation
4. Treat them as individuals – but always recognise the team
5. Use flexibility wisely
6. Put money in its place
7. Involve staff in the decision making process
8. Get involved in their development
9. Make the hard calls
10. Recognise that motivation isn’t always the answer
Almost all employees want to do interesting work, secure a good salary and earn recognition for their contributions. But motivating employees takes more than money and an occasional “thank-you.” It requires a strategy tailored to each worker’s needs.
1. Outline job responsibilities and expectations. Make certain that team members know exactly what is expected of them and how their performance will be evaluated. Maintain high standards. By involving team members in establishing high standards of performance, you will build their pride and self-confidence. It has been shown time and again that setting high standards at the start improves staff retention and customer feedback.
TOP TIP: set up a comprehensive and practical induction process so that their Onboarding experience is positive. Check back after one week and one month to make sure that all is still okay.
2. Ask what they want out of work. Just knowing that their boss is interested in their goals will make them feel better about their jobs. It can be difficult to get a quick and accurate answer to this question, however. Some workers may say that they want to work on a prestigious project, for example, only to discover once they have been assigned to the project that it isn’t what they expected. Maintain an 'open-door' policy. Be approachable, available, and interested, not distant.
TOP TIP: have a communications system that allows you to sit formally with your people every 3 months for just 30 minutes. Give them opportunity to tell you why they are still with you, what needs to change and you should give feedback on what is working well and where the development needs are.
3. Consider each employee’s situation (age and career / life stage). There are exceptions to every generalization, of course, but workers nearing the end of their careers are often less focused on the next promotion than those who are just starting to climb the corporate ladder. Younger workers may also be less accustomed than older ones to waiting patiently in a job they don’t find interesting. Engineers are likely to be motivated by working on cutting-edge projects. On the other hand, sales professionals tend to use money as a way to measure how well they’re doing.
TOP TIP: your communications system is key here. Find out what is important to them and where you can, tailor their remuneration or recognition to suit them. Take their ideas on board and make changes where you can.
4. Treat them as individuals – but always recognise the team. Always treat people with respect. Be thoughtful and considerate of the person you are dealing with. Pinpoint each employee’s personality. Give recognition. Give appropriate praise and recognition for a job well done. Some people love public praise; others are mortified by it and would much prefer a sincere, in-person “thank-you.” Make sure you take this into account if you are planning a ceremony to give awards or other recognition. Be aware of the morale level of your team. Be sensitive to changes in morale. Know when and why it goes up or down. Develop a caring attitude. A good manager trains, develops, counsels, guides, and supports their team and be sure to listen. Always listen to and try to understand what people are really saying.
TOP TIP: use your 30 minutes every 3 months to provide feedback on their performance. Give very specific examples of where things are going well, or where a customer has made a positive comment and then also show examples of where improvement is required – comparing to the standards.
5. Use flexibility wisely. Allowing employees to telecommute some of the time or to set their own office hours can have big benefits. It makes employees’ lives more manageable — and it shows them that they are trusted. Still, as with other motivators, one size does not fit all. Some jobs simply can’t be done effectively outside the office. And some workers actually like going in to the office to escape the distractions of home or to preserve a line between home and work. Ask for suggestions. Be sure to invite new ideas from team members concerning work. Be willing to put good ideas into action by making changes.
TOP TIP: have standards set on how people work from home, or remotely. Conduct a ‘home office’ check to show your people how important safety is and that working from home is ‘still working’. Ensure that all equipment is signed off on a register and there are policies for use of equipment.
6. Put money in its place. How well does money motivate workers? The answer isn’t simple. An employee who demands a raise might really be unhappy because his or her suggestions are being ignored, for example. And surveys and experts offer different answers about how important money is, depending on how the question is phrased. Money has been described as “a baseline”: too little of it can make workers feel unappreciated and resentful. You don’t want compensation working against you as a motivator - employees don’t want to feel like their boss is taking advantage of them. However, motivation to work hard rarely comes solely from money. If your employees are being paid fair salaries and still seem unwilling to go the extra mile, throwing more money at them is unlikely to be the answer.
TOP TIP: have a transparent salary review process – when salaries will be reviewed, how increases will be determined, what – if any connection there is with a performance review. Be consistent and don’t deviate!
7. Involve team members in the decision-making process. Give them a share in decision making. If not deciding what is to be done, then how it is to be done, or when or in what way, by whom. Let their participation increase over time. Keep them informed about changes that can directly affect them such as policy changes, procedure or rule changes, product information changes, and performance changes. As you become more confident that they are making decisions as you would, hand over a little more!
TOP TIP: be consistent in the way you make decisions. Your people will learn from how you handle situations and slowly but surely have the confidence and competence to take on more. Give them feedback on their progress – and never get emotional if they make a decision you wouldn’t have!
8. Get involved in their development. When you ask your people what kind of work they enjoy, also find out about what they’re hoping to do in the future. Giving them opportunities to build the skills and make the connections they need to get ahead in their careers will build loyalty and motivation. It can be very important to keep learning new skills on the job. With people changing jobs more often than they used to and companies no longer promising long-term employment, younger workers in particular realize that continuing to learn is the way to stay employable. With an aging population in Australia, we need to look for ways of tapping into the vast knowledge of older workers, in a way that inspires and excites them too.
TOP TIP: include personal and professional development in your 30 minutes every 3 months. This coupled with a clear training and professional development policy will reinforce what training is considered the employees responsibility and where the employer is prepared to help – in on the job training, with time off or with costs.
9. Make the hard calls. Leaving non performers in the team can be one of the easiest ways to get the rest of the team off side. Employees with a bad attitude, who waste time, who are not punctual and reliable cause huge issues for morale and productivity. Issues should not be bundled up and delivered all at once – poor performance or poor attitudes need to be addressed immediately. Have performance discussions without delay and set the staff up for success – if they take the lead and improve, or if you help them to leave, your team will see that you are decisive and have shown true leadership.
TOP TIP: having standards for every position allows you to give feedback when they are not being met. Your 30minutes every 3 months allows you to give this feedback very directly before it goes off the rails. Use a very clear performance management policy and grievance or dispute procedure to show all employees what happens when the standards are not met.
10. Recognize that motivation isn’t always the answer. If your motivation efforts aren’t working, it may not be your fault. Not everyone can be motivated for a particular job or at a specific time. If an employee would really rather be doing something else, it may be best to encourage him or her to pursue something new. Remember that we are all motivated by different factors; find out what these are for each of your team and you will be on the way to creating a environment within which they can do their best work.
TOP TIP: applying some or all of our Top Tips will get you well on the way to setting up a motivating environment. Employees must bring their own motivation, however, so knowing when to stop trying can save much time, effort and money.
Unlike other health hazards in the workplace, stress may not be easy to detect. Managers may see it as a potential problem but have so many other responsibilities they 'push it under the carpet'. This could be a major stressor for them!
Likewise staff may worry that they cant fix the problem or that it is a failure to cope on their part.
Either could lead to a breakdown in the communications vital to the support and maintenance of good teamwork, potentially setting your business up for accidents and injuries, workers compensation claims, complaints from customers and costs attributed to high staff turnover.
Be aware of these signs:
* An increase in overall sickness absence – especially frequent short absences
* Poor work performance – less output, lower quality of work, poor decision making, poor timekeeping, increased occurrence of accidents
* Relationships at work – poor relationships with colleagues and clients, bullying, harassment, conflict
* Employee attitude and behaviour – poor timekeeping, loss of motivation or commitment, working long hours but with decreasing effectiveness
While each individual’s response to stressors is unique, some common symptoms are obvious
Behavioural – withdrawal, hostility, eating disorders, increasing use of coffee, alcohol, drugs or tobacco, poor concentration, poor judgement, loss of creativity, making more mistakes, being too busy to relax, absenteeism;
Emotional – loss of confidence, lack of self esteem, anxiety, frustration, anger, apathy, worry or anxiety, depression;
Physical – difficulties in sleeping, frequent and unspecified aches and pains, digestive problems, exhaustion, nausea, lowered resistance to minor illnesses.
Displaying some of these symptoms does not automatically indicate that a person is experiencing stress, but they do point to such a possibility.
Employees look forward to the traditional work Christmas party, which is a wonderful way for a business to celebrate its wins for the year and to make employees feel appreciated, allowing them to relax, get to know each other and share the joys of the season. However all this merriment can offer the perfect environment for sexual harassment and workplace accidents to occur.
The combination of a social setting, a relaxed, party atmosphere and alcohol can create high spirits - which can quickly erode inhibitions and commonsense. Every year the various anti-discrimination tribunals receive complaints of sexual harassment at work Christmas parties and these can lead to costly claims for the employer. Whether it is a stolen kiss underneath the mistletoe, an overly enthusiastic dance partner, unwelcome or uninvited sexual advances, or a comment on someone's appearance, sexual harassment claims are often rife after Christmas parties.
To avoid potential workplace issues and litigation, it is important for you, as an employer, to be familiar with your legal responsibilities, the potential liabilities associated with hosting a business party and an understanding of how to be a responsible host. Under Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation, as an employer you have obligations to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all your employees while they are at work.
The Christmas party is considered a 'work activity' and intoxication is not a defence to sexual harassment laws. And this responsibility of care is not confined strictly to the workplace – it can be an off-site party and also includes the trip home.
So when organising your staff event, why not consider these key points:
Objective: what do you want to achieve? This should form the basis for all of your planning efforts.
Say thanks for a hard year;
Prepare for a challenging new year;
Give an update on the business;
Set the scene for changes;
Spend time together and relax;
Build team work and camaraderie;
Bring families into the workplace;
Wish everyone a merry Christmas
.
Audience: how can you match the company objectives with their expectations?
How old are they?
How long have they worked with us?
How many of them are there?
What are their previous experiences?
What is their work history?
Budget: how much can you spend?
Transport: public transport, cab charge or their own devices – this can be a strategic and moral decision.
A Christmas party should NOT be about:
Giving everything away;
Promoting a drinking culture;
Surprises – ethical and moral;
Going against company policy;
Promoting the religious aspect of ‘christmas’ party. (Unless that is your business!)
Some things to remember:
Some people find it hard to differentiate work and play when not in the workplace – BEWARE!
Watch the entertainment!
Set the ground rules covertly and overtly before the party:
Expectations of behaviour
Closing off the bar tab
Finishing of the Christmas party event
How they will get home.
Here are some ideas to host a seasonal shindig on a shoestring budget:
Hold a party in the office, eliminating venue hire costs, expensive bar tabs, tiresome queues for the toilet, oppressive bouncers and transport.
Deck the halls with handmade decorations – you’ll create a look that is cheap, cheerful and quirky.
While three-course sit-down dinners are a popular option for Christmas parties, cocktails and canapés provide more bang for your buck.
Visit venues offering all-inclusive packages that include extras such as lighting, theming and furniture.
Look out for specials on alcohol now – a number of great deals are available in the lead-up to Christmas, so stock up early for that festive toast!
Or consider having a cash bar instead of an unlimited drinks package.
Limit lavish extras – a great Christmas party doesn’t need to have a live band or magician.
Remember, staff want to have fun and celebrate the festive season with their colleagues.
Australia has the ideal climate to enjoy a Christmas party outdoors, so host a barbecue by the lake or at a nearby park.
When decorating the office:
Use a stepladder, not a swivel chair to put up decorations.
Don't hang the tinsel on computers or other sources of heat.
Don't decorate emergency exit signs.
Switch off tree lights before going home.
Ensure that Christmas trees are secure and won't be knocked over by people passing by or pulling cables.
Keep party food that spoils in a fridge before the party.
Use paper cups, not glasses.
Move computers out of range of possible spillages.
Before the Christmas party:
Send an email, or pin to the notice board, a reminder to staff of EEO and OHS policies and behavioural responsibilities.
Remind staff that Kris Kringle/Secret Santa gifts should not be offensive or sexual in nature.
Designate someone to stay sober in order to monitor the party to ensure any issues are promptly and properly addressed.
Inspect the venue for possible hazards like slips and trips and make potential risk areas out of bounds.
Suggest a dress code for the party that keeps things professional.
Avoid indoor fireworks, barbeques, candles and the like.
At the Christmas party:
Alcohol, if served, should be done responsibly.
A voucher system may be a useful way to limit alcohol consumption.
Have a bartender dispense the alcoholic drinks.
Instruct them as to when to limit alcoholic service.
Sufficient food should be served with alcohol.
Have plentiful supply of low alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages available.
Buffets present a particularly high risk of food poisoning from foods such as cooked meats, eggs, mayonnaise and cooked rice.
It is recommended that food should not be left out at room temperature for more than 90 minutes and stored below 5°C.
Don't hang mistletoe. An innocent kiss may turn into a festive fling which could have repercussions in the workplace.
and Hey - have a great time!
Note: thanks to NSW Business Chamber for providing some of these hints.
What a challenge we have at the moment to keep working away in our businesses, providing excellent service to our customers; to be spending some strategic time looking at our product or service and determining what customers in this changing economy are looking to buy; AND trying to differentiate ourselves from other people in our market.
I think if you focus on the unique experience you provide for your people, they will do the rest for you. By building on employee confidence, they will become your raving fans, and sell to existing and potential customers. People coming to your business will feel the attitude and passion for your business and want to spend more time around you and your people. All of this equates to more dollars spent and more profit for your business.
Have you heard about the the approach that Woolworths Chief Michael Luscombe is taking? He has said that Woolworths’ view is “don’t believe in a recession and try your darndest to keep going. Now is the time to be positive. We’ve made a decision to stick to our guns and follow through with our strategy.” This gives the Woolies staff evidence that he is in control and that he has a plan for the future.
So what can you do to maximise your people as your competitive edge?
1. Provide a unique experience
× How are you different from all the other employers? Do you provide a different environment or philosophy? Maybe you have a unique approach to your people management?
× EVP – the employee value proposition is what they are interested in – what’s in it for them?
× Do you offer flexible work practices; can they start later or finish earlier to allow them to do the other things that are important to them?
× Are you involved in the local community, or do you have a charity-giving program? Do you only use green products or have a carbon neutral scheme? Generation Y employees especially see this as a real positive.
2. Forget your old paradigms!
× One of the hallmarks of a creative company is a willingness to listen to everyone within the business and pay close attention to their ideas and suggestions.
× Be flexible and open to new ways of thinking or doing things, your staff or customers can have the best way of doing things in this new environment. It might be a new product or service – keep your options open.
× Respect is not automatic. Gen Y staff wont give you the credit just because you are the boss – you have to earn their respect. Treat them as you want to be treated, enjoy them for who they are. (Oh – and get over it! They will soon be the majority of the workforce and it is you who must change the way you think for your business to benefit.)
3. Be open and honest!
× Front line employees in customer service, delivery, purchasing, operations, and sales often have powerful money saving or customer building ideas at their fingertips. Give them the forum to share them.
× One on one review’s should happen for 30minutes every 3 months. Your daily informal catch ups should not stop, but save some focused time for each of your people where you listen and tell them how much they mean to the success of the business.
× Make your staff and customer experience as good as it can be. Don’t just satisfy them – make them raving fans!
× Commit to a development plan, not just professional but also personal or fitness or spiritual – whatever is important to each of your people.
× If you need to reduce costs in your business, tell your people in advance. Consider some of the many options available before you reduce your head count. Don’t let this be a surprise, respect and support is borne from honesty.
× Lasting relationships are built in hard times – this is true for your staff and your customers.
Don’t underestimate the value of your people being your competitive edge. As always, your customers experience of your product or service is your best advertisement. Your people will be remembered long after the experience of buying your product or service.
Welcome to Inspire Success and a new way of looking at your people practices. Contact us now to see how we can help you gain a competitive edge through your people.
Inspire your people and get Success in your business!
Rae Phillips, founder and Director of Inspire Success shares tips, tricks and FREE articles on how to get the most from your biggest asset - your People!
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