Believe it or not we don’t sit in our offices all day dreaming up ways to give you more work or ruin your life.
HR is one of those business functions that people just “don’t get”. They either have this really narrow view of what HR is to business, or they think we are evil b*tches.
The latter is usually because they’ve had some dodgy manager that has allowed them to believe that some decision has been made because of HR.
“I don’t want to do this but HR is making me”
Then, there’s nothing like a manager who doesn’t want to have the tough conversations and puts it back on HR, setting them up as the bad guy.
So, are we all evil b*tches? Well, misconceptions come from somewhere, and absolutely there are some HR people out there doing our sector dirty. Sometime the function itself is outdated and there is no desire to move forward into the new era (or decade) of work, it can have too much red tape and it can all just be a bit too stuffy.
This isn’t how HR should look and feel. And it’s not how we operate.
Let’s unpack some common misconceptions about HR
HR is about protecting the company – HR has a responsibility to minimise risk, sometimes protecting employees is the best way to minimise risk and sometimes it’s protecting the interests of the company. HR’s job is to be a neutral voice of reason, we are there to help leaders and employees navigate doing the right thing.
Yep, a lot of HR people are anti-employee, but this isn’t what HR is, or should be. Sometimes this sentiment is driven by the leaders – if the company you are working for is anti-employee you should probably go find another job
All HR does is hire & fire – Unless you are a dedicated recruiter this is about 10% of what HR is. HR is involved in the hiring and firing process to ensure it is a good process (and a legal process), but we don’t initiate it and it is nowhere near how we spend our days.
HR is easy and anyone can do it – Ok, so we don’t just organise Christmas parties and answer employees questions. A large part of HR is strategising things that may or may not happen in the future, we look at organisational design and ensure you will have the right people to take the organisation forward. We develop initiatives to drive the right culture and build the capacity of your people We manage ego & politics and we need to be able to manage our own emotions when we need to flip from ending someones employment to celebrating someone else’s promotion. HR is full of “big feelings” and you need to be a skilled enough operator to juggle all of that in amongst the day to day & technical aspects of the work.
They are always on our back – If you’re a manager and you aren’t completing a component of your job such as effectively leading your team, then yeah, we are going to be on your back. You know the stakes, if something is part of your job you need to do it. You can’t blame HR for the repercussions of you not doing your job.
Want to learn more about what quality HR is? Click HERE
The People & Culture Office supports HR teams and SMEs Australia-wide to take a fresh approach towards their people and culture function.
With 20-plus years in the HR game behind them, Tiahanna & Simone build capacity and culture in the workplace to drive the achievement of your operational goals and give you an edge in a talent-led economy.
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of us having coffee at our regular haunts and / or our dogs & cats disrupting our work day.
THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE IS A KALGOORLIE BASED HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) CONSULTING COMPANY THAT SPECIALISES IN DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES. WE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH EMPLOYEE INITIATIVES.
CONTACT US TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO DRIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL GOALS.
AT THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE YOU ONLY PAY FOR THE WORK WE UNDERTAKE FOR YOU; NO ANNUAL OR MONTHLY FEES; NO CONTRACTS; JUST QUALITY, LOCAL, SERVICE.
When it boils down to it recruitment is ALL about psychology, right from the moment a job vacancy arises through to the candidate starting and being retained, psychology impacts every step of the way
Before you commence the journey towards recruitment success you need to be able to answer the following 2 questions. What is the primary motivator for jobseekers and exactly WHO are you looking for?
Who are you looking for?
You can’t recruit effectively if you don’t understand the brief. What are the ideal skills and capabilities? What behaviours will best suit your ideal culture? (remember you are recruiting for the culture you want, not the culture you have). Are the skills required scarce?
Think about: Soft Skills – What soft skills does a candidate need to thrive in this role?; Culture and values – From a culture perspective, what are the necessary soft skills/values needed for this role?; Top performer – Who at our company is a high achiever in the same role?; Technical knowledge – What technical knowledge and/or qualifications are needed for the role?
A framework such as our Key Behavioural Capability Framework identifies the capabilities required to achieve organisation and team objectives. It guides the recruitment of suitably qualified staff. Through the use of the Framework your recruitment practices can be adapted to ask behavioural questions that will quickly identify candidates who possess the skills, behaviours and values to drive achievement of your operational outcomes.
Whats the motivator?
According to the Australian HR Institute 2019 Turnover and Retention Report, the top 5 reasons for leaving a job are: lack of career progression opportunities; better pay elsewhere; poor workplace culture; lack of training & development and poor work life balance.
It makes sense then when composing our advertising we touch on these motivators to appeal to those who place a high priority on them.
For the purpose of writing the remainder of this blog a quick Google search has pulled up some Core Values of a random organisation, and I’m going to pretend I’m looking for an Administration Coordinator.
Our Key Behaviours & Capabilities for the position – Welcome new challenges and persist in raising and working through novel and difficult issues; Promote a culture of integrity and professionalism within the organisation; Liaise with stakeholders on key issues and provide expert and influential advice; Build a culture of respect and understanding across the organisation; Drive a culture of achievement and acknowledge input of others; Exercise due diligence to ensure work health and safety risks are addressed; Comprehend the wider contexts in developing long term goals and determine strategies and actions required to achieve such goals; Encourage others to challenge “the way we’ve always done things” to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
The psychology behind the job ad
Your job ad needs to consist of more than a list of duties followed by a list of skills. Remember you are attempting to make a connection with the jobseeker, you want to use language that creates the ability for the jobseeker to imagine what it is like to work for you. Bullet points don’t convey the same amount of impact as taking the candidate on a journey with you.
Employ tactics that excite and engage
“The People & Culture Office is seeking an experienced Administration Coordinator to join our dynamic team.
A key role in our organisation, the Administration Coordinator drives the achievement of our strategic goals through leading a team of administration and finance professionals.
To succeed in this role you will require demonstrated experience in a similar role, including the ability to effectively lead and mentor high performance teams; you will require excellent time management and communication skills coupled with the ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
But what is really important to us is you, we recognise that our people build our organisations success and our values guide everything we do, including who we recruit. We value employees who embrace a culture of respect, integrity and achievement. Who have a safety focus and who exercise due diligence in all that they do; who strive to achieve because we know when you do well, we do well.
In return we will offer excellent compensation and benefits, personal development opportunities and a great place to work”
The psychology in the interview process
Asking behavioural questions is a good way to spot candidates who’ll excel. Behavioural based interviewing is the understanding that past behaviours determine future behaviours, by asking scenario based questions you can analyse candidate responses to measure their suitability for the role in question.
For example adaptability is essential for thriving in a rapidly changing work environment. Given that 54% of employees may require significant Employees who are adaptable are more likely to achieve better outcomes as priorities shift or setbacks occur, since they’re already comfortable making strategic adjustments. or upskilling over the next few years to keep pace with new technology and evolving business needs, adaptability is essential. You may want to ask questions such as:
Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something you had never done before. How did you react? What did you learn? Listen for: Excitement about tackling new challenges and willingness to leave their comfort zone, knowing they’ll learn something valuable from the experience.
Describe a situation in which you embraced a new system, process, technology, or idea at work that was a major departure from the old way of doing things. Listen for: Eagerness to explore new ways of working and improve based on what they learn; if they discovered a better way; whether they embraced the change.
Interview for culture fit. Companies with inclusive talent practices generate up to 30% higher revenue per employee. Employees should be fundamentally aligned with your company’s mission and core values. But finding the right person for the job doesn’t mean finding someone who’s exactly like everyone else. Ideally look for someone who not only “fits” your ideal culture but can also enhance it. Weed the top performers out by asking:
What are the three things that are most important to you in a job? Listen for: Alignment between what’s most important to them and what the role and company have to offer.
Tell me about a time in the last week when you’ve been satisfied, energised, and productive at work. What were you doing? Listen for: An indication that the work environment and day-to-day responsibilities are right for them.
65% of candidates say a bad interview experience makes them lose interest in the job
Its all about them, not you
The whole point to the interview process is to get to know the candidate so you are able to get an accurate insight into how they will fit within your team. All candidates feel nerves but an overly formal, stuffy recruitment process does little to put those nerves at ease. The goal is put the candidate at ease so they relax enough so their personality shines through.
Build rapport by centering the conversation around them. The goal is to solidify trust and uncover their wants, needs, and strengths. Stay genuinely curious. Be authentic. Don’t fool yourself into thinking tricky questions, formal / big panel style interview processes makes you appear professional.
To jobseekers, the recruitment team’s style offers a glance into life after hire. And for your organisation, it’s an opportunity to differentiate yourself from competitors chasing the same talent. Hiring is an intimate process. Make candidates feel welcome, and they’ll be far more likely to see it through to the very end – the start of their journey with your business.
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of me having coffee at my regular haunts and / or my dog & cat disrupting my work day
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It’s time for HR to move beyond policies, practices and processes, HR’s value proposition to business is to ensure HR professionals and their practices’ produce positive outcomes for key stakeholders, employees, line managers, customers and investors.
THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE IS A KALGOORLIE BASED HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) CONSULTING COMPANY THAT SPECIALISES IN DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES. WE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH EMPLOYEE INITIATIVES.
CONTACT US TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO DRIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL GOALS.
AT THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE YOU ONLY PAY FOR THE WORK WE UNDERTAKE FOR YOU; NO ANNUAL OR MONTHLY FEES; NO CONTRACTS; JUST QUALITY, LOCAL, SERVICE.
“No matter how much you’ve done, or how successful you’ve been, there’s always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve” Barack Obama
One of my favourite questions to ask of potential new employees is “what is something in your area expertise would you’d like to learn more about”
When looking to future employees I’m looking for not only someone who can, and, is willing to learn something new, but someone with enough self awareness to understand there is ALWAYS something to learn.
I’m about to bang on now about how the workforce is changing and how entrenching a culture of continuous learning is a must for attracting and retaining not just younger employees (16 – 37 year old demographic), but any employee who values their position within an organisation and wants to bring as much value as they can to their role. In other words, the type of employee you’d be lucky to score.
So lets start with my favourite subject – the changing landscape of the workplace
Learning is no longer just for students or apprentices & trainees. Technological advances, such as AI and automation, are creating an environment of almost constant change – not just at work, in every aspect of our lives. Businesses that don’t encourage and enable their employees to adapt to the changes will lose their competitive edge.
Traditional employee learning and development strategies are based on a stable and predictable environment. That, for better or worse, no longer exists.
On a small scale we are talking about minor changes to internal processes; ie: the requirement for handover notes or incident reports to be completed online meaning all employees need some level of computer competency, for a big picture example, thanks to technology a multitude of businesses can now operate in a digital & global space that just wasn’t conceivable for them 20 years ago.
It’s also no longer enough to employ someone and expect them to remain stagnant in their nominated field of work. Deloitte’s ‘2017 Global Human Capital Trends’ report found 42 per cent of millennials are likely to leave their organisations because they’re not learning fast enough. That number is astounding, especially when 75 per cent of the workforce will be made up of millennials by 2025.
What’s needed for organisations to survive and thrive in this new world is education; creating a culture of continuous learning that helps older staff shift into this new, fast changing era, and to satisfy the younger workforce’s desire to learn.
It requires a change in mindset, but the rewards are positive. Leaders who embrace the concept of a learning culture understand that learning is a natural process, that people yearn to grow. These organisations cultivate employee potential through learning opportunities and experiences.
And now onto my next point – thanks to technology workplace learning is now easier than ever.
Thanks to applications such as Zoom & Skype workplaces can access coaching, webinars and structured training right from their desks.
TAFE’s around Australia have been delivering course content 100% online for some years now.
Depending on your industry, there may be an industry specific LMS system available for you to join in order to access learning modules for your employees.
And finally the *most* important factor in building a culture of continuous learning within your organisation – senior employees & leaders who possess the skills to coach employees.
Most people within a leadership position was probably bought up through the ranks by what’s known as a “Command & Control” leader, defined by traits such as; I’m the manager, so I make the rules; Your job is to do what I say; If you mess up, I’ll let you know about it; If you don’t hear from me, that means you’re doing fine; You’d better be careful not to make a mistake, or cross me!; I make the policies, and you follow them.
If this was your boss how willing do you think you’d be to try something new? Not very; you’d be terrified of getting in trouble.
Growth and innovation comes from trying new things; stepping outside of your comfort zone; not being afraid to fail. It requires a collaborative and innovative leader.
When people think of coaching employees to learn something new, they think in terms of just showing them what to do. “First we do this” “If this happens you need to do that”
Coaching is about providing your employees the tools and capacity to discover the solutions for themselves as opposed to the how and when to complete a task. The leader still makes decisions but the conversation in getting there is two way.
It’s about developing your employees by providing regular support & feedback to allow their careers to progress to where they aspire to be. The ongoing dialogue of coaching communication guarantees that employees know what is expected of them and how their work fits into a larger vision or strategy of the organisation.
The unfortunate reality is most people in leadership roles do not coach or develop their employees — ever.
Organisations with neglected learning cultures experience high talent turnover, struggle to keep customers, and ultimately fall behind competitors. These organisations may be profitable in the short term, but they ultimately fail.
On a scale of thriving to failure, where would you rather be?
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of me having coffee at my regular haunts and / or my dog & cat disrupting my work day
IT’S TIME FOR HR TO MOVE BEYOND POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCESSES. THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH PEOPLE & CULTURE INITIATIVES CONTACT US TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO DRIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
In 2013 when this most recent downturn hit I was made redundant from my job (the joys of working in a support service – you aren’t seen as an income generator so off you go).
I am passionate about youth employment and an opportunity arose for me to work in the apprenticeships & traineeships space.
What I become to learn (and alarmingly so) was that because of the down turn apprentice numbers took a sharp turn south. Companies that had in the previous years taken on a dozen or so new apprentices were only taking on 1 or 2 – or none.
These were for trades that once we come out the other side of the downturn (as past history would show we always do), would be in high demand. These were trades that up until the down turn businesses were recruiting from the eastern states and paying for existing employees to undertake trade upgrades.
Had companies maintained their apprenticeship program, by 2017 they would have had a bunch of tradies finishing their time and ready to work within their businesses, and most importantly, with a skill set tailored specifically to that business.
Apprentices & trainees should be seen by business as a way to bring fresh new talent into the business, to support their succession planning and growth aspirations and to minimise any negative impacts from current or future skills shortages.
And what a better way to have have a workforce trained to your specific business requirements than to grow your own talent. Apprenticeships and traineeships offer you the opportunity to train your up & coming employees in the areas that your business needs the most, providing your business with the skills it needs the most.
You want to know what else is great about employing youth into these roles? They bring a fresh approach & energy into a business which can have a knock on effect to other employees. A company that is willing to invest in people by supporting apprenticeships is showing a positive approach to corporate social responsibility, which is good for attracting both customers and future quality staff. It builds a positive employer brand which in turn will increase your profile as an employer that people want to work for.
And now to address the elephant in the room, I often hear business owners and older employees lament about the younger generation in the workplace; they are lazy, you have to hold their hand every step of the way, they are always on their phones.
Hands up who left school and started their first job and knew EXACTLY what to do? ……… anyone ……… anyone? Nobody can start a new job without some sort of training – ranging from “this is my first job ever and I don’t know how to conduct myself” through to “where do these documents get saved”. If you want your employees to not just exceed, but to excel, you need to spend time with them.
So if I hear “they are lazy” my response is did you asked them why they are sitting around not working; if you are telling me you have to hold their hand every step of the way I would suggest you try alternative ways to communicate, because your current method may not suit their learning style, and if I hear they are always on their phones I’m more interested in understanding why you haven’t told them to get off of it.
Depending on the industry & qualifications employers of apprentices and trainees can attract some great financial incentives with commencement, midpoint & completion payments available as well as well as additional incentives for priority areas and subsidised payroll tax for the bigger employers.
With the new financial year WA businesses can take advantage of the Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive. The great thing about this incentive is it is also available for school based trainees, which means you can gain a financial incentive to select and nurture your future employees from upper high school right through to the completion of their apprenticeship or traineeship. There’s a potential $8,500 in incentives on offer for a 4 year trade and $4,250 for a 2 year traineeship – woah!
Nicole Goldsworthy from Apprenticeship Support Australia is a valuable resource for employers within the Goldfields region and can answer your queries, sign your apprentices and trainees up and assist with sourcing reputable registered training organisations. You can email Nicole here.
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of me having coffee at my regular haunts and / or my dog & cat disrupting my work day
IT’S TIME FOR HR TO MOVE BEYOND POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCESSES. THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH PEOPLE & CULTURE INITIATIVES CONTACT US TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO DRIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
Ahhhhhh procrastination, one minute you are focussed on work & what needs to be done, next, your 12 quizzes deep on Buzzfeed trying to find out which Teletubbie you are (I’m Tinky Winky BTW).
We’re all human so we all experience periods of procrastination, it’s just the depth & length of time that varies. I’m generally pretty focussed, but working from home you have no-one sitting just over from you to bounce ideas off, so when you need to stop and think it’s easy to just stop. You’re also pretty aware that a nice hot cuppa, the lounge & Netflix are just a few paces away, hence I quite often find myself like this.
In my defence I’m often thinking of work 😳
Given my extensive experience on the subject, I feel I’m well placed to offer up some tips on dealing with procrastination.
Make a to-do list & use planners – I am obsessed with using lists and filling my planner, the pure enjoyment of writing things down and crossing off tasks as I complete them. It’s a visual of your achievements & goals. You can better manage your time if you plan out your day on paper, it keeps you accountable & serves as a reminder of how much you still have to do (so get off Facebook & get back to work)
Put away your distractions – ….. you know what’s up – PUT DOWN YOUR DAMN PHONE we are all guilty of falling down the rabbit hole with our phones at work, they are time sucking devices with no reward. Think about the frequency you open your phone without being influenced ie: without the phone ringing or getting a message. Get your fix then put it away until you’ve taken care of what needs to be taken care of.
Create deadlines & establish goals – another way of keeping yourself accountable and motivated. I don’t know about you but I work best when working towards a deadline, I switch it up a knotch and I’m completely focused until I’m done.
Don’t multitask – focus 100% of your attention on one task at a time, I used to be a multitasker but as I progressed in my career into more intense jobs with high work loads I couldn’t sustain it, I would miss things, I felt scatter brained and all over the place; something had to change. And this brings me to………..
It’s ok to take breaks – this is a must & includes getting a good nights sleep and switching off when you leave work. Exhaustion & productivity do not go hand in hand & never will. Burnout is a real thing and results in reduced productivity and a major lack of motivation. If you feel yourself losing focus take 5 to clear your head and recharge; go sit on the loo, get a drink, go outside and catch some rays, you’ll feel infinitely better.
Reward yo self – The more you reward yourself for small achievements, the less you will feel like you are missing out or being deprived, hence you will procrastinate less. I don’t mean pulling the credit card out and treating yourself, I mean get up, go outside & appreciate the view, have some T2 in your draw to use for moments just like this or have a playlist of your favourite bangers to listen to for the rest of the day.
Obviously this isn’t going to work 100% of the time (something, something, only human), nor will you just adapt your work style for change straight away. It takes 66 days to form a habit so just refer back to these tips when you find yourself getting a bit lost and with time it will become second nature.
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of me having coffee at my regular haunts and / or my dog & cat disrupting my work day
IT’S TIME FOR HR TO MOVE BEYOND POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCESSES. THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH PEOPLE & CULTURE INITIATIVES CONTACT US TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO DRIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
As a business you want to be as successful, and as sustainable as possible, a large contributing factor to achieving this is ensuring you attract and retain quality employees. Salary Packaging is fast becoming one of the key components of an employees total remuneration package, giving participating employers an added advantage over their industry peers.
In the video below, I give a brief explanation of the core component of salary packaging, and the financial benefit it can provide.
Another cinematic masterpiece, bought to you by The People & Culture Office
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of me having coffee at my regular haunts and / or my dog & cat disrupting my work day
IT’S TIME FOR HR TO MOVE BEYOND POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCESSES. THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH PEOPLE & CULTURE INITIATIVES CONTACT US TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO DRIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
I was asked this week by a client this week if I stand in the shower coming up with ideas……. yes, yes I do.
About 7 weeks ago after struggling to secure candidates for 2 clients for an ongoing period (and who in the Goldfields isn’t experiencing this right now) I wondered if I could put together an Employee Benefits Program like I had for previous employers – except on this occasion it would need to suit multiple employers, a diverse range of industries from not for profit to mining contractors, not have the “buying power” of a large employee base and I would have the unenviable task of trying to convince fellow small businesses in Kalgoorlie, most doing it tough in retail, why supplying a discount on purchases or services is actually a marketing business driver as opposed to a business negative.
And so the seed for pulling together an Employee Benefits Program to benefit my clients and their employees was sown 🌱
The Employee Benefit Program is absolutely FREE 😱 to my clients and is strategically designed to assist with attracting new employees, retaining existing ones and building a positive workplace culture & employee brand. The strategies can assist with not just saving money by reducing turnover but makes the business more sustainable, every time an employee walks out the door they’re taking their organisational knowledge with them. And in an era where everyone is a subject matter expert in something, that puts most businesses in a precarious position.
What I was hearing & seeing from clients was the lack of ability to compete against the bigger employers in town with their deep, deep pockets. And quite often the salary on offer was comparable, if not equal to the big companies, but the the lack of capacity, for whatever reason, to match the additional extras hit their efforts hard.
So I’ve taken the guess work, and hard work, out of getting a program in place, and taking a proven, proactive measure against the hiring difficulties for small – medium businesses in the Goldfields.
The program is essentially a win / win for local business, my clients & their employees gain access to the program and it’s benefits, while participating retailers can improve the spend & repeat business of residents through a proven marketing method, all the while supporting fellow small businesses in town.
So what does the program offer?
Salary Packaging – Eligible employees can salary package their housing costs as remote area employees and / or a novated lease. Not sure how it all works? As we are based in a remote area as classified by the ATO, employees are able to claim Remote Area Benefits on items such as Remote Area Mortgage Interest, Remote Area Rent, Remote Area Fuel (gas & electricity) and Remote Area Travel. Normally tax is taken from your salary before you spend it. You then pay all your expenses and are left with the remainder. With salary packaging, the employer pays the same salary – but instead of paying all your expenses after you’re taxed, you pay for selected expenses, such as your mortgage or rent before you’re taxed. You reduce the tax you pay and are left with more spending money in the kitty. Normally salary packaging providers will only conduct business with individual employers with > 40 employees, after an Australia wide hunt I managed to track down a provider able to service small business needs
Corporate Gym Membership – Snap Fitness Kalgoorlie have come on board to supply corporate membership to the program. Encouragement of a fit & healthy workforce by way of corporate gym memberships can assist with a reduction in absence due to illness and a reduction of injuries, both at work and away, due to poor functional capacity.
A host of discounts on products & services – Because I have such a diverse range of clients I need to have a diverse range of offers to make the program a success. As much as I can, I have tried to keep the program 100% local, but, and this is a very big but, I work for my clients first and foremost and this program needs to be as diverse as my client base for it to have a chance at success. For that reason I will continue to try and build on the initial dozen or so participants by engaging with national franchises to encourage them to get on board, a discount program without any businesses willing to supply a discount just isn’t going to work.
So whats in it for you Simone? Total honesty? I’d love for Goldfields businesses to have the chance to experience the full scope of what contemporary HR can do for their business. I honestly believe that some of the staffing issues felt by employers can by directly traced back to a lack of, or poor, processes involving employees and the leadership team (whoa! big call). Yep, we are definitely experiencing a skills shortage with trades & operator positions and yep Kalgoorlie is experiencing a liveability crisis that is being reflected in the high number of FIFO employees and a general reluctance of people to uproot their lives and give living in the Goldfields a chance. But, not everyone starting a new job here is a newbie to town, they are an existing resident who has left a local employer, and happy employees don’t leave great workplaces unless they really have to. So in summary, what that means is I’d love to be able to build my business by being able to share strategies that will also help you build yours.
I’ve put hours and hours of work into this and I receive absolutely no financial incentive off it, I don’t charge clients to participate, I don’t receive kick backs from program suppliers – ZILCH.
So how is this all sounding? Contact me on the link below if you’d like to set the wheels in motion to become a client, if you’d like more info click here to watch a vlog over on Facebook.
Like what you see? Click around and discover how partnering with us can give your business a competitive advantage by aligning strategy with people & culture, or, give us a like on Facebook for regular updates on industry trends, blog posts & photo’s of me having coffee at my regular haunts and / or my dog & cat disrupting my work day
It’s time for HR to move beyond policies, practices and processes. The People & Culture Office can partner with you to gain a competitive advantage through people & culture initiatives Contact Us to arrange an appointment to discuss what solutions we can put in place to drive achievement of your strategic goals.
Let’s pretend you are looking for a new job, you’ve just been for 2 interviews for comparable jobs. Both jobs are great, the companies appear great, your potential new boss come across as great – everything was great. Great, great, great.
Employer A discussed salary and benefits; flexibility with hours – yep sure it’s 12 hour shifts and the work is dictated by the client but if you want a few extra days off here and there to go away it’s no drama, they understand you want a life. They also offer salary packaging, discounts on everyday items like gym membership and a monthly lunchtime BBQ if you’re in the workshop. HECK YEAH!
Employer B only offers a salary, don’t get me wrong it’s a very, very competitive salary so you ask a few questions to try and get an idea of how they stack up against Employer A. “You mentioned that quite often you work 14 shifts on 2 shifts off, can you request extra unpaid days off to have a better break” “Only if you book it as annual leave well in advance because we can’t really afford to not have people at work” hmmmmm, “Do you offer any extra benefits at all?” “No” End of conversation.
Which job would you choose?
The dynamic of the workforce is changing, the days are long gone when employees expected very little from their employers except for their wages at the end of the week.
These days, increasing numbers of skilled employees expect a lot more from the companies that they work for. With many companies offering impressive perks and benefits for their workers, the pressure is on for businesses of all sizes to up their game and to offer something more to their staff than simply the satisfaction of a job well done.
In-fact, millennials, more so than any other group, prioritise access to additional benefits as a driving factor towards choice of employer, and before you chalk this up to yet another reason for you to (unjustifiably) hate on millennials consider this – millennials make up 50% of the workforce. You can no longer bury your head in the sand. The workforce is changing, you either change with it or ring the bell and get off the bus.
In Australia, employment opportunities remain strong and employers are grappling with a talent shortage, Australian workers enjoy a high degree of choice of employer. Quite often business owners & leaders can overestimate the loyalty of their employees, and their ability to source new ones if and when required, with a significant gap in perceptions of the employer – employee relationship.
Numerous Australian studies reveal employees prioritise workplaces that offer benefits over higher salaries that trade off against additional perks. Big ticket items are a healthy balance to life; favourable working conditions & health & wellness benefits. Financial savings; discounts on everyday items, access to wealth creation strategies. And career development opportunities; access to relevant workshops / seminars / training and / or acting or promotional opportunities.
And now comes the sell, you may have received one of these babies in the past fortnight or saw it plastered it all over social media.
I am working on pulling together an Employee Benefit Program to assist my clients with the attraction and the retention of employees. What I was hearing & seeing from clients was the lack of ability to compete against the bigger employers in town with their deep, deep pockets. And quite often the salary on offer was comparable, if not equal to the big companies, but the the lack of capacity, for whatever reason, to match the additional extras hit their efforts hard.
So I’ve taken the guess work, and hard work, out of getting a program in place, and taking a proven, proactive measure against the hiring difficulties for small – medium businesses in the Goldfields.
I mean, after this who wouldn’t want to be my client!! 🤣 But seriously, the ability to participate in this program is reliant on you being an ongoing client of mine, so engaging me to implement your HR framework or implement a performance management program, a comparatively small cost for a potentially large return on investment.
If you are a retailer or service provider and you haven’t received the flyer as yet, and you love to join to have another avenue to drive sales to your business please contact me today! The more diversity & variety the program can offer the greater the chance of it being a success.
It’s time for HR to move beyond policies, practices and processes. The People & Culture Office can partner with you to gain a competitive advantage through people & culture initiatives Contact Us to arrange an appointment to discus what solutions we can put in place to drive achievement of your strategic goals.
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