Home topics workplace human-resources-blogs HR HR How to get the best from your staff Edward Mallett February 11, 2013 Employees are a business’s greatest asset, but this is only true when you are getting the best out of them. If not, they are just a cost – eating away at your bottom line. So, how do you get the best out of your staff ? Not a simple question and one that runs the risk of producing the type of fluffy HR speak that drives SME owners barmy. I have attempted to look at the issue more pragmatically, focussing on simple ways to help increase the productivity of your team, making sure that at very least you are getting out of them what you are spending. Doing this is like building a house: you need to start with the foundations (this is as fluffy as I will get, I promise!). As a starting point, it is imperative that you get the basics right. That means checking that you are paying the right wages and penalty rates under awards, providing the correct amount of leave and ensuring that all other basic rights are being dealt with. The National Employment Standards provide the legal floor that you need to comply with. Have a look at them to see whether you are doing the right thing. If you are cutting corners, the likelihood is that you will get found out. The Fair Work Ombudsman audits over 30,000 businesses each year to check for