Flexibility. To many business owners this may sound like a swear word. The prospect of having employees who are not working in the office or not available during work hours on certain days could appear to be more of a hindrance than a help. But if entrepreneurs and small business owners want to attract and […]
Recognition, reward and opportunity; these are the three key staples in the diet of an engaged and motivated employee. Yet – delivering the right balance of these ‘dietary requirements’ can be one of the biggest challenges businesses face. When they don’t get it right, a disengaged workforce and low morale ensues. With 20 years’ experience […]
So your business has expanded and you are considering employing your first member of staff. However, you are not sure whether to employee a full time, contract or even a casual worker. Before you go ahead start recruiting, here are some important legal issues to consider when hiring staff: Contractor vs Employee In law, there […]
Of all the negative influences that can hamper a business from realising its full potential from its employees, ‘otherness’ is perhaps the most subtle – and, in many ways, the most insidious – of all. It’s so difficult for organisations to grapple with, because it is so difficult to pin down in the first instance. […]
It’s not uncommon these days to have a wide age gap between your employees. Many businesses these days have an employee age range which spans across three generations – the Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y (or the Millennials). While each generation brings a distinct set of values, insights and expertise to the workplace, […]
If you’re a business owner who was driven to the start-up scene by the prospect of independence and a better work-life balance, then the question you have to ask yourself is this: would you wish for your own employees – the life-blood of your business – to view entrepreneurialism as the ultimate ‘escape hatch’ from […]
For as long as there is entrepreneurship, people who have taken upon themselves to do this job have searched for the recipe for what makes a successful business, and the answers they found and brought into conversation were sometimes quite extraordinary. Some of them, however, made a huge mistake, and, in spite of having the […]
One of the biggest HR issues most businesses face is attracting and retaining skilled staff. When an estimated 25 per cent of employees leave their jobs after just three months, you know it’s time to address the reasons why, and stop it from happening to you. After all, staff turnover can cost your business tens of […]
As the job market becomes increasingly competitive for university graduates, many students and young professionals are willing to take on unpaid internships to gain experience in their chosen industry. This practice is widespread in the United States, where a laissez faire approach to workplace relations means businesses can benefit from taking on unpaid workers. But […]
Have you started noticing strange, odd behaviours from an employee? This may be occurring over time and can include the employee being too aggressive, too intimidating or just plain bizarre. If you’re the owner of an SME, you have the right to terminate an employee; however, you may be quite reluctant to dismiss the employee […]
