People Smartz Blog

Recently People Smartz launched a new one on one workshop called "Mutual Success".

These workshops are built on the premise that employers and employees working together can achieve success on a business and individual level.  We've called this "Mutual Success".  Really, its all about building busienesses through stong connections between all members of a business's "Team".

The workshops take a whole of business approach to managing people in a business.  They begin with seeking the needs of the business owner and identifying those areas of the business which may be effecting the achievement of "Mutual Success".

This begins with the basics - is the business providing their team members with all their entitlements, is the business complaint with Australia's new industrial relations laws and what behaviours are effecting the achievement of success.

We then move on to talking about how the business can move someway towards achieving "Mutual Success" and putting in place a plan to start them on their way.

Having completed a small number of these workshops, I have found that the results are incredible.  Not only are businesses finding new ways towards success, they are also covering off on important areas of compliance.  For thoses businesses, managing people has become a factor in their success!  One comment made by a workshop participant was "this has changed the whole way I look at my staff.  They are part of my competitive edge - not just a cost on the business".

At People Smartz, we strongly believe the development of "Mutual Success" is essential to the success of small to medium sized businesses.  In fact, we believe so strongly in this concept that we have decided to offer the "Mutual Success" workshops to small and medium sized business for free for the next 3 months!

Businesses taking part in the workshops come away with

• A new awareness of what may be challenging your business in regards to staff within your business
• Identify 3 things you can do now to improve productivity, staff retention and staff costs in your business
• A 3 month “Getting the Basics Right” Smartz Plan individualized for your business that you can begin work on straight away!

Visit our booking page to find out more today!

Happy New Year!

Listening to the news last night here in Brisbane, the reports were on many new laws/changes being introduced in the new year.  Bus Fares were going up, politicians were going to be paid more etc.

But there was not one mention of some of the most wide spread changes to the working lives of Australians.  Effective today, Australia's new system of modern awards and the National Employment Standards (NES) will now govern the way businesses employ and manage their staff.

Over the past 6-8 months, I (and many others) have been seeking to raise awareness of these changes and urging businesses to prepare.

Today, the time for preparation is over - from today it is time to act......

If you haven't already identified your new award, it is time to do it.

If you haven't looked at the New Employment Standards (NES), it is time to do it.

If you haven't already identified the changes to your employment practices that will need to be made, it is time to do it.

If you haven't already put in place policies and procedures to protect your business, it is time to do it.

If you haven't already ensured your employment agreements are consistent with the new laws, awards and standards, it is time to do it.

If you haven't got appropriate processes in place to mitigate risk in areas such as harassment, discrimination, Health and Safety etc, it is time to do it.

If you haven't got a engagement plan for the unions relevant to your business, it is time to do it.

If you haven't got a plan for "good faith bargaining" and consulting with your staff, it is time to do it.

If you haven't looked into how to introduce flexibility into your business through "individual flexibility agreements", it is time to do it.

Not a bad list is it?  And this is only the start! 

For more information, visit the members section of our website today!

It should come as no surprise that the latest research is indicating that Australian businesses are "under threat due to the increasing complex economic and labour market".

The latest white paper released by the HR Coach Research Institute talks to the maturation in professional services to Australian businesses in most professional areas (for example legal, accounting, sales and IT).  Titled "The Business of the HR Crisis", it discusses the effect a lack of effective people management practices is having over an estimated 651,000 businesses.

Some of the conclusions in the white paper include:

• The effects of uncertainty on the confidence of employers and strategic direction;
• The increasing management fatigue beginning to be seen due to down-sizing of workplaces
• The effect on small businesses of not being able to attract or retain employees
• The effect of struggling with paperwork and compliance
• The compounding effect of industrial relations and Health and Safety legislation changes.

The cost of labour is the biggest cost on most businesses.  This cost is exacerbated by the inability for business to have access to effect people management advice and solutions.  This white paper discusses this in detail and delivers a conclusion which is not only interesting but in line with our People Smartz philosophy that "People Drive Results".

I highly recommend downloading the full white paper and would be interested in hearing your comments through our forum. If you don't have a membership (it's free), please register.

> Download the White Paper

> The People Smartz Forum

Is recruiting simply a matter of picking the a person and filling a number in your business?

I have been working with a number of clients over the last couple of weeks helping them recruit for a new team member.  On each occasion, their initial request has been "we need to recruit a admin person (or sales person, or account manager or whatever).

When working with these businesses my first question is a simple one - "what opportunities does this vacancy present for you?".

A vacancy in a business is an opportunity to improve your business.  You have the opportunity:
 

• to look at your current practices to see if you can improve them,
• to look at your team and correct any weaknesses that may exist,
• to look at your structure and perhaps redefine the role to improve business development; and
• to revitalise your business through the introduction of new and different experience and attitudes.

One client I have been working with has a number of sales people in his team.  Over time the sales team has been performing well but there has been a drop off in lead generation.  My clients initial thought was to replace the sales person who is leaving with another sales person.  After I had worked with him for a period, he realised that he could replace the sales person with a person (or person's) who could concentrate on the marketing and lead generation aspects of the sales process.  The opportunity was there to correct what could have been a serious concern going forward and provide an avenue for further growth.

The above situation doesn't apply to every business.  In businesses with high turnover (such as hospitality) we are basically looking at a numbers game, but this doesn't mean an opportunity does not exist to improve your business!   Another client took advantage of the opportunity created by a vacancy to upskill her existing team and improve their overall ability to service the customer.  The overall effect was cost neutral but had a significant effect on return customers - a win for the business, the team members and the customer!

So next time you are looking at filling a vacancy in your business, turn the question around from one about numbers to one about opportunity - it could have some very positive effects.

As always if People Smartz can help you - let us know!

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