Modern HR - Issue 2

ModernHR

JENNIFER LOPEZ

Inspiring Us To Take Risks That Lead To The Life We Want

Why it is so impor tant for employees to take leave Sydney’s

Top 10 Lunch Time Workouts

HOW TO REWARD YOUR STAFF WITHOUT COSTING m o d e r n hITr m a g a z i n eA . c FORTUNE om 1

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CONTENTS BALANCING HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN 9 THE CORPORATE WORLD WITH TERESA BOYCE

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EDITOR IN CHIEF NATALIE MARTIN'S FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS

17 JENNIFER LOPEZ: WINNING THE WAR ON TALENT 20 THE ROLE OF HR: SMALL REWARD, BIG RESULT HANSEN: THE NEUROSCIENCE

23 KRISTEN OF LEADERSHIP

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INSIDE GOOGLE WORKPLACE: FUELLING PRODUCTIVITY

30 TAKING LEAVE THE PAY EQUATION: CAN YOU 32 PAY EMPLOYEES TOO MUCH? 35 10 HR ONLINE INFLUENCERS YOU MUST FOLLOW ModernHR Advertising Enquiries

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Natalie Martin Editor in Chief Modern HR

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elcome to Modern HR magazine!

We are excited to share our second issue with you.

Our philosophy at Modern HR is to help you in your work life. To be a helping hand, a guiding light and sometimes the kick in the pants you might need to live your best life!

The editorial team and I will strive with every issue to deliver you the right mix of tips and guidance. So when you pick up our magazine, you’ll know we have your back and we understand your journey.

In this issue, we are very excited to have Kristen Hansen contributing in this edition.

Kristen’s business, EnHansen Performance empowers leaders and employees with the latest brain research to effectively lead themselves and others through change and to high performance. You can benefit from her unique and practical neuroscience approach.

Take some time to read her article, The 4

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Editor In Chief Neuroscience Of Leadership - it won’t be a waste of your time!

Other great info included in this issue is...

Jennifer Lopez: Winning The War On Talent Balancing Health And Wellbeing In The Corporate World With Teresa Boyce Inside Google Workplace: Fuelling Productivity The Pay Equation: Can You Pay Employees Too Much?

We hope you love reading our second issue as much as we have loved putting it together for you!

Thanks for taking the time to read it!

Natalie Martin

co n t r i b u to r s Teresa Boyce Teresa Boyce is a qualified registered nutritionist specialising in a unique blend of clinical and corporate nutrition. Teresa has 10 years clinical experience and is the founder of The Health Whisperer.

Teresa consults over a range of health concerns including stress and anxiety, obesity, weight loss, sports and performance nutrition. Teresa is also an experienced workshop facilitator and keynote speaker.

Kristen Hansen Kristen Hansen empowers leaders and employees with the latest brain research to effectively lead themselves and others through change and to high performance.

Kristen is a pioneer in the field of the neuroleadership through executive coaching, training, keynote presentations and blended and digital learning. Kristen’s business, EnHansen Performance focusses on “transforming managers into agile leaders of change and performance” through programmes such as Coaching for Managers, Resilient Leaders, Leading Change, High Performance Teams and Managers to Leaders.

Drawn from her NeuroTREAD model, over 15,000 managers throughout Australasia and the US have benefited from her unique and practical neuroscience approach. She has worked with executives from Google, Telstra, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Bank, The Prime Ministers Office, Goodmans, NRMA, IAG, the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Defence Force. Kristen’s first book is TRACTION – The Neuroscience of Leadership and Performance.

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BALANCING HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN THE CORPORATE WORLD 6

WI T H T ER E S A B OY C E

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e all know how important adequate nutrition, exercise and rest is for our health and wellbeing, but in an effort to balance the demands of a busy job and family commitments, finding time for ourselves often goes by the wayside.

Nutritionist Teresa Boyce works with corporate clients all over the country to help them find simple, manageable strategies to

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become happier, healthier versions of themselves, despite the massive time constraints and stressful careers they juggle every day. “I never really thought I’d branch into the corporate domain, however, I have realised that my corporate clients probably need me the most. This fast paced, stressful lifestyle many of us are living can quickly start to impact health and wellness,

“When it comes to food, it doesn’t take hours to cook a healthy meal.

For example, grilled chicken, steamed greens and cauliflower rice is my go-to dinner, it takes 15 minutes from start to finish. For lunch and snacks, raw veggies and hummus or protein smoothies are my favourite quick and easy options,” she said.

To help you out on those busy weekdays, take some time on the weekend to ensure you have a fridge full of healthy ingredients and meal prep for the coming days. Pre-cut salads are a great option, or create your own stir-fry mix to throw in the pan when you get home late. Aim for three cups of veggies and three serves of protein each day.

stress needs to be balanced with recovery, optimal nutrition and exercise,” she said.

Many of us use the excuse that we simply don’t have time to take care of ourselves properly, instead skipping the gym workout of grabbing lunch on the go. In an effort to combat this, Teresa recommends planning ahead and being smart about how you factor in exercise. Lock in your food preparation and exercise sessions in your diary and be committed and accountable.

Exercise. When you are exhausted after a long day, or a long week, the last thing you feel like doing is changing into your activewear.

However, it doesn’t have to be too difficult. Teresa recommends HITT type training to get bang for your buck, as an effective session can be completed in just 30 minutes and there are many home-based options now available. Alternatively, commit to clocking up 4,000 steps before work by going for a brisk walk. Again, this only takes around 30 minutes and will set your mind and body up for a great, productive day ahead.

“Don’t look at exercise as a luxury, it’s a necessity. Blood flow boosts physically energy and mental capacity. If you want to be switched on at work, you need to move everyday,” she said.

For those needing a little extra help with stress, Teresa often recommends a B complex and magnesium powder modernhrmagazine.com

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supplement. However, before taking any complementary medicine, speak to your qualified health practitioner.

Once you have taken stock of your nutrition and exercise needs, Teresa also stresses the importance of switching off, sleep and recovery.

“The magic happens in recovery.

Make sleep a priority, 7 to 8 hours is ideal, and take time out in the day away from your desk and off your phone,” she advises.

“Look into a technology detox, go off the grid for a few days and reconnect with friends and family, you will be amazed the difference this makes to your mental and physical health.”

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Teresa’s final tip for managing your wellbeing while balancing a corporate job is to take ownership of your own health and make yourself a priority. No one else can do this for you.

“Be honest with yourself, stop with the excuses and simply do it. We all have valid (and invalid) excuses; it comes down to how bad you want to change.”

For more on Teresa and her work, visit www.thehealthwhisperer.com.au

E d i t o r I n C h i e f N at a l i e M a r t i n ’ s

FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS FOR CEO’S

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While a swim up bar at a Bali hotel might seem like the perfect getaway for some, when it comes to CEO’s getaways, their holidays are in a whole new league of their own. Of course, good wifi, high quality work facilities and an even higher quality cocktail list are a necessity for most CEO’s. Take a peek inside the lifestyle choices of the rich and successful with our CEO vacation guide.

Morocco

Horse drawn carriages aren’t just for princesses and fairytales, but for suitable for CEO’s too!

The picturesque sand dunes and charming markets make Morocco a popular holiday destination for CEO’s according to David Rusenko, co-founder of Weebly.

“Imagine the drive from Marrakech over the Atlas Mountains to Dades. Spend the night, wake up early, and drive until you hit the dunes and can’t drive any more. Then, jump on camels, and trek three hours into the distance, where a small sand dune on the horizon slowly reveals itself to be several hundred feet tall.

Behind this dune, set up camp in a natural oasis with palm trees and small

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patches of water. Then, climb to the top of the dune, which is easier said than done, and watch the sunset over the Sahara Desert, with sand dunes floating on as far as the eye can see.

Huddle around the campfire and eat a meal prepared by local Bedouins, and after, gaze at the brightest stars and most brilliant night sky you will ever see.”

Encinitas, California The sleepy beach town of Encinitas on the Californian coast makes for the perfect place for CEO’s to recharge and relax. It has all the first world features that big bosses require like the new 5G mobile coverage and top of the line work faculties, but it also envelopes a slow, relaxing vibe which is perfect for a vacation.

“I love Encinitas, California. It’s one of the last old-school beach towns and has great owner-operated restaurants and retail,” shares Craig Demarko, founder of Upward Projects.

Tulum, Mexico Though a lot of big bosses do require fast internet connections and good

“Plus, the beaches are great and never crowded. I recharge there by surfing, surfing and more surfing.”

mobile signals, sometimes these people want the exact opposite so that they can take a break from the fast paced office life for a bit. The latter type of CEO’s love Mexico for this reason, it gives them a chance to actually take time off from work and spend time relaxing, taking yoga classes and immersing themselves in the culture.

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“Tulum is magical and unspoiled, and you need only pack one pair of sandals. I have never experienced anything as intensely detoxifying or renewing as a Mayan Temescal ceremony - it’s spectacular,” raves Erin Sykes, founder of the online wellness, fitness, and coaching community Mission 360.

ensure that you feel amazing yet indulged. Night caps under the jungle canopy at Gitano make you pinch yourself in awe.”

A multitude of yoga spots, cave dives, and a lack of cell service combine for an active, uninterrupted holiday.

Fresh fish and greens from Posada Margherita - and a perhaps a little shopping at their adorable boutique

Barcelona, Spain Siesta and Sangria are just two elements that make Spain such a great getaway spot. Boasting beautiful weather year round and friendly locals, as well as a vibrant night life, Spain’s capital Barcelona makes it easy to slip out of office mode and into holiday modewhich is why many CEO’s love it.

“Barcelona possesses the perfect balance of Mediterranean chill with a unique culture. The relaxed Spanish lifestyle is galvanised with the powerful architecture of Gaudi,” says Cody 12

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Disch, co-founder of the men’s accessories brand rooted in American made socks, Ace and Everett.

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– SORTING THE FACT FROM THE FICTION

WINNING THE War on Talent 14

Jennifer Lopez Recruiting talent can be a challenging process, relying very much on first impressions. In most cases, this comes by way of an application letter and resume that neatly and conveniently outlines a person’s entire education and professional history in the most succinct, positive way possible.

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However, how accurate are these ‘first impressions’, and how much does that accuracy actually matter? Some may argue that no cover letter or resume is ever completely true. The whole idea is for a prospective employee to build themselves up, be seen above the competition and get noticed – at least enough for an interview!

From an employers perspective, the role of HR is to sort the fact from the fiction, and then determine how much the discrepancies impact on the business and job prospects of the person in question. It has been estimated in one study that between 25 and 40 per cent of job applicants lie or make blatant exaggerated claims on their resumes. Another study reported on by CNBC indicated that figure is closer to 75 per cent. Most of the time, these are little falsities such as claiming a more senior role in a project, adding a few months to experiences, or boosting previous sales or profit figures. In these cases, there isn’t too much long term impact on the company they begin working with, but inflation over and above the little white lie is another story.

While manufacturing credentials for the sake of landing a new job cannot be condoned (and can result in firing or even prosecution), it may be surprising to know that there are positives to consider should this issue arise.

To explore this notion further we are heading to Hollywood; the home of fakery and inflated promises.

In Jennifer Lopez’s latest film, Second Act, she plays Maya, an overworked, middle-aged woman trying to make the most of her professional career. When she is passed over for a promotion in favour of a younger, more book-

learned man, she decides it is time to make some major changes.

So, she completely reinvents herself and lands a new job. The catch – this new career is based on a brand new ‘creative’ profile and resume. While this movie is certainly ‘Hollywood’, there are some real-life truths to how and why her character came to find success from fakery. The interesting thing is that she took a risk, and it paid off, not just for her but for the business she began working for.

What emerged from her bold move was a newfound confidence and empowerment that allowed her genuine success. She discovered she did, in fact, have the capabilities to carry out the job and learnt to trust herself in the process. She didn’t have the ‘book smarts’, but her wealth of life experience and abundance of common sense enabled her to do a job no one would have thought she was capable of, including herself. In the movie, Maya’s friend Joan tells her; “A lie got you in the door, but you got yourself the job, baby.”

She was able to rise above the challenges life threw her way and forge her own path forward with conviction and determination.

The story is close to Lopez’s heart, as ‘Jenny from the block’ she has had to work incredibly hard to achieve the success she now owns. Just like her character and many other professionals in the real world, she has suffered at the hands of doubters, modernhrmagazine.com

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setbacks and the feeling of not quite being good enough. At a panel to promote the movie, Lopez spoke on how she personally made her dreams reality; “I just kept going. You ask me what I did? Despite the hurt and the pain, I just kept going. I couldn’t allow myself to let that become who I was. It’s like, ‘No, I’m going to make another record; I’m going to make another song; I’m going to make another movie and I did.

And that’s all I did…I kept going.”

“I started believing in the fact that I wasn’t an impostor, that I wasn’t a fake, that there was a reason I kept doing this and people kept hiring me.”

While manufacturing a resume is not a recommended practice in any professional circle, what it can show is a prospective employee’s willingness to go that extra mile. To spend the time, effort and creative thinking required to pull together a new life on paper shows how much they want the job, what lengths they are willing to go to, and the ability to think strategically and creatively. ‘Too good on paper’ may be just that, but you never know until you take that next step and start the conversations.

With all this to consider, what becomes clear is that winning the war on talent is no easy feat, but keeping an open mind might just land you that Jenny from the block who has the passion, determination and strength of character to take your business to the next level.

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THE ROLE OF HR SMALL REWARD, BIG RESULT The cost of living keeps growing in Australia, but it’s clear that salaries are not increasing at the same rate.

Employees can feel overworked and undervalued, all while managing the stresses of rising personal and family expenses. But many companies are not in a position to throw cash at the problem, despite desperately wanting to retain talent.

In a time when pay rises and performance bonuses can be scarce, managers need to get creative about rewarding and incentivising

employees. Such activity can be initiated or supported by HR to provide streamlined processes and consistency across the business.

There are many ways to make employees feel valued and appreciated without the bureaucracy or expense of a formal bonus scheme. While every employee would be glad to see an extra zero on their pay cheque, it’s not only money that talks. Being singled out for praise can be a reward in itself, and especially when teamed with a thoughtful gift. modernhrmagazine.com

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1. A handwritten note from their

manager, specifying the positive performance or behaviour being rewarded

2. Being selected to represent

the team at a broader company event

3. Time off, without the danger of a backlog of work to come back to

10 ideas for low cost ways to show your appreciation of individual staff members

4. Voucher for an event, activity or store personally selected for the recipient (which may require some research!)

5. One-on-one time with the CEO or other inspiring leader of their choice

6. Public recognition at team or company meetings

7. Public mention on

the company’s internal communications system

8. Flowers, balloons etc. on the recipient’s desk

9. A certificate or trophy at the

recipient’s desk (e.g. Employee of the Month)

10. Vouchers for lunch or coffee at local cafes.

While these can be informally organised and executed by managers, HR can play a vital role in embedding such reward strategies into the wider company culture and providing tools to aid managers in selecting and rewarding employees efficiently and effectively. This may reach as far as 18

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an online voting tool for employees to nominate and vote for colleagues in a structured “employee of the month” or “Above and Beyond” type scheme.

For a reward program that applies across the business, a generic gift such as a retail voucher may

be appropriate, helping larger businesses to give out small rewards frequently and equitably.

But often the value from the employee’s perspective is in being singled out for praise – the handwritten note, the specific feedback, and selecting an appropriate gift (e.g. knowing the employee is a ballet enthusiast, or their favourite team, or whether they will be uncomfortable being publicly acknowledged). So where possible, take the personal route, or take time to personalise the generic gift.

This applies to team rewards too.

Rather than opting for the obvious activities like dinner or bowling, get the team involved in researching options and choosing the activity.

Give them a budget and see how far they can make it stretch. They may opt to blow it all on one lunch or a day of activities, or they might ask for pizza every Friday for a month.

You won’t know what motivates them without asking! To combine a team reward with individual award, give the individual the power to choose the team activity, and make sure you acknowledge their moment of glory at the event.

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The neuroscience of

leadership

An Interview with Kristen Hansen 20

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our brain is more powerful than you give it credit for. By understanding how it works, we are better equipped to reach our full potential in every aspect of our lives, including leadership and workplace performance.

Kristen Hansen of EnHansen Performance specialises in coaching and training leaders and entrepreneurs in neuroscience-based principles to help them reach not only their personal peak, but that of their teams. Kristen began her leadership career as a sales manager and was fascinated by performance optimisation methods for herself and her team. She later trained as an executive coach, facilitator and keynote speaker and completed further studies in neuroscience of leadership to utilise as a powerful and practical, evidence-based approach.

“Neuroscience gives leaders the understanding firstly of why things happen like they do. It is an evidencebased approach to leadership not guesswork or theory. It explains things at a fundamental level, from decisionmaking and insights, to emotion and stress experience and management, to engagement, to habit formation, mental performance as well as learning and development conversations.”

“Neuroscience also provides proven strategies that a manager can implement easily to improve cognitive and creative function, build resilience, create high performing workplace conditions, lead through change and

empower staff to perform at higher levels.”

Kristen first realised how the scientific approach to performance could benefit leaders when working with those from a technical background. While this group of people had incredible skills in their selected industries, they were not so natural when it came to the more personal side of leadership.

“Language of positive leadership, empathy and emotional intelligence was not a language that resonated with more technical managers. When I realised that the brain science behind performance was so evidence based, I saw quickly how scientific approach appealed and helped this audience of managers in particular,” she said.

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confronted by a sabre tooth tiger.

Kristen explains; “When we are put in a stressful position at work for example from a tight deadline, a challenging expectation, work overload, an unexpected email, a presentation or dealing with a conflict, our survival instinct kicks in. Our amygdala experiences the ‘threat’ and triggers the fight, flight, freeze response. This may mean we respond negatively or overreact, don’t say anything or avoid the situation all together. to impact positive change for every leader, no matter the industry, experience or individual qualifications.

By understanding the intricacies of how our brain works opens the door to a fresh approach that will benefit each player as well as the organisation as a whole.

“It has broad appeal as everyone is fascinated to learn how their brain works and to understand ways to improve ourselves personally and professionally.”

An example of how neuroscience can help us all understand and overcome obstacles to peak performance is the fight or flight response. This survival instinct hails from our days hunting for food, but in this new-age hightech world of stressful jobs and 24/7 connectivity, we are triggered to run by an email in the same way as being 22

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To overcome this, Kristen recommends a 30-second circuit breaker to recognise this response and re-engage our prefrontal cortex, or ‘thinking brain’.

We need to breathe, label, and reappraise.

Breathe deeply (calming your heart rate and adding oxygen to your system), Label it by giving the emotion a name, such as overwhelmed, annoyed, frustrated Reappraise the situation: how else can I look at this? How can I put it into perspective? What can I learn from this? What is a positive from this?

By taking these 30 seconds, we can harness the power of neuroscience to enable us to instantly perform better and move forward, rather than get stuck in overwhelm or miss opportunities because of perceived difficulties.

The notion of ‘emotional contagion’ is also important when looking at how everyday neuroscientific principles affect us in our day-today work. This refers to the idea that one person’s emotions or mood is often automatically and non-consciously transferred to another. For example, if one person is feeling excited, passionate and happy, morale will be up and everyone else will also likely be in a positive mood. Conversely, if one person is having a bad day and is unable to shift their mood, this will negatively impact those around them.

“As a leader, we set the emotional tone of the workplace. As people are more likely to have insights, be connected to others, be solutionoriented when we are feeling positive emotions, a leader’s ability to regulate their own emotions and share positive emotion contagion can make a significant difference to performance.”

While the words ‘management’ and ‘leadership’ are often used interchangeably, there are important differences. Where management

is overseeing a task, role or project and coordinating the resource effort, usually telling or explaining what needs doing, leadership takes this to the next level and demonstrates positive role modelling, emotional intelligence, offers encouragement and guidance, and supports people to solve their own challenges.

“Understanding the difference at a scientific level between a manager and a leader helps managers identify where being more of a leader will help them improve performance personally and from their team. We need more leadership displayed at all levels of management and unlocking some specific and practical strategies to do this helps create better leaders,” she said.

“Leaders need to be flexible in their approach yet strong in their communication and vision, they need to communicate through story and lead change through both the heart and the head. We need leaders who foster an environment of well-being and positive culture.

Overall we need to shift at every level of organisations to have more leadership approach and less management (or at least a balanced approach).”

To read more about Kristen’s work, visit: enhansenperformance.com.au

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INSIDE GOOGLE WORKSPAC E S 24

A N D E X A C T LY WHY THEY FUEL PRODUCTIVITY Since 2011, Google has been named the best workplace in the world a huge eight times. While this doesn’t come as a surprise - after all, Google work perks are known about worldwide, the strategic reason behind their employee friendly features is a lot lesser known. Here we look into what it is that makes Google such a good place to work, and why these things fuel Google employee’s productivity.

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MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

G

oogle headquarters provides an on-site GP, nurses and a health care facility, as well as providing health insurance for all of their employees. This Google perk not only keeps employees happy and healthy, but it also delivers the message that the company cares about the wellbeing of their employees.

ThIs message helps create better morale and makes the employees feel appreciated, ultimately leading to increased productivity.

PROPER PARENTHOOD SUPPORT Google appreciates that the transition into parenthood is a hugely important one, and takes steps to help its employees who are entering this new chapter of their lives. As well as the standard maternity leave for new mums, Google also offers 12 weeks paid leave for the dad too! Google also schedules one on one discussions with new mums to answer and questions and help the schedule things like day care arrangements, and gives them $500 to use towards the on-site child care centres. Because parenthood is obviously a huge deal for new parents, support like this makes employees feel recognised and appreciated, boosting their morale and happiness at the company, which increases productivity.

OPE N SPAC E WORKING

a productivity booster. They incorporated a rule that no workspace should be more than 150 feet from food - whether it’s a restaurant, cafeteria or snack bar, you’ll never be far from food at Google HQ. This is done to keep up energy levels of their employees, but also to encourage communication and ‘snack bar chats’ which can ultimately result in new, inspirational ideas.

IT’S IN THE DETAILS As they say, the little things are the big things, and Google truly takes this mantra onboard. At the company’s headquarters, all of the following services are provided free of charge; On-site car wash, oil change, bike repair, dry cleaning, gym, massage therapy and a hair stylist. So, whether it’s your bike or back that needs some tweaking, you can get it all fixed in your office without paying a penny!

Studies have proven that by having a team sit together, productivity will skyrocket.

In fact, the studies showed that within a workplace that encourages collaborative working, that productivity increases by 15%. This means removing the hierarchy of having a senior sitting on a different floor in an office, and combining the whole team to work together. This is something that Google has harnessed very well and have created large open spaces so that teams can work together smoothly and not feel inferior to colleagues.

150 FEET FROM FOOD A giant spread of delicious, fresh and healthy foods is something that most people enjoy so Google took them on board and used it as

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Why Audit Management Strengths?

When facing a challenging times, many Business Owners and HR Directors would benefit from understanding the strengths of their team:

Which management/staff could take on more challenges?

Which people could be let go with no disruption to the business?

Who are the future stars to nurture and grow?

Procrastinators who are “busy” instead of “productive” may need help to move forward

Book in a Free Strategy/Consult Session by Clicking Here and let CACCIA RECRUITMENT take you through a real case study on their own business of how they increase productivity in their business leading to increase revenue.

cacciaconsulting.lpages.co/teamstrengthsaudit/

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TAKING

L E AV E Having one or two employees with large accumulated leave balances may be a result of personal habits or circumstances, but if a significant number of your employees are not taking leave, it could be a reflection on company culture.

While it is a manager’s role to ensure all team members are given an opportunity to take leave, the HR team can play a critical role in ensuring consistent policy, processes and practices across the company, as well as providing regular data to managers to monitor leave balances.

WHY IS I T SO IMPOR TANT F OR EMPLOYEE S TO TAKE LEAVE?

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hen it comes to taking annual leave there are two types of employees – those who take it, and those who don’t!

Some employees meticulously plan long overseas holidays while others pore over the school calendar, just waiting for the annual allocation to reset, maybe even lingering into ‘negative leave’ territory by the end of the year. Other employees may sit on balances that have accumulated over several years, despite HR policies encouraging its use.

First and foremost, everyone needs a break.

While we have a relatively generous number of public holidays in Australia, full time permanent employment contracts allow for an additional 20 days of annual leave (or equivalent). This allows employees to take long or short breaks to recharge their batteries or manage personal commitments.

Without these breaks, employees are at risk of burn out, stress and poor health. These can lead to broader implications for employee and employer, potentially leading to sick leave, performance issues, or resignation.

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Secondly, teams need to share the workload.

That means covering for each other when they are away. Managers and HR professionals can use this rotation of roles to identify and develop talent. It can also build a greater sense of camaraderie and understanding between team members.

The last key reason is financial. Having employees build up accumulated leave is a future cost to the business, as it will be paid out once the employee leaves. Each time the employee receives a pay rise, that future obligation keeps increasing, especially important in cash-strapped businesses.

WHY DON’T EMPLOYEE S TAKE LEAVE? 1. C OMPANY C ULT URE

Employees may not feel able to book leave if they see their boss or other senior leaders working long hours and never taking breaks.

2. FEAR OF BEING INDI SPE NSABLE

Employees with a niche role that may not be easily covered by a colleague may feel that everything will fall apart if they go away.

3. SOME EMPLOYEE S MAY FEEL THE C OST OUT WEIGHS THE BE NEFI T OF TAKING LEAVE

Employees often have to work extra hard to clear their tasks before heading away, then come back to a huge backlog.

4. FEAR OF BEING REPLAC ED

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Some employees may get the feeling that if they take leave, they will either be replaced or their role will be absorbed by co-workers and they won’t be needed on return.

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THE PAY

EQUATION

can you pay employees too much?

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ou’re not likely to hear an employee say that they are being paid too much, but could you be overpaying for experience and loyalty?

In a time when real wage rises are a rarity, a longstanding employee may continue to receive small increases every year, to the point their pay is outside of the regular pay band for the role.

Remuneration structures tend to be built on the assumption that each individual stays in a role for a period of time, learns to exceed the requirements and moves on to a new role demanding more expertise, and offering more pay. But what happens

when an employee stays in the same role for 5, 10, 15 years?

Let’s look at an example.

Ken has worked in the company for 30 years. He has worked in his current role for 15 years and is a strong performer. Some of the tasks of his role have been replaced with technology over time. He has been at the top of the pay band for several years, receiving CPI increases. He is a loyal employee and very knowledgeable about the company. He’s been encouraged to apply for internal promotions but says he doesn’t want the stress of a more senior role. He is being paid 20-30% above the median for the role. There are more junior

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employees who could be promoted into this role, with some development.

So what should you do with Ken? And is a loyal high performing employee worth an extra 20% pay?

Well that will depend on the specific circumstances, and particularly the impact on other employees. Is Ken blocking the career path of others? Is there resentment about his pay/workload? What is the turnover in the team, would we replace Ken only to find we have constant turnover and disruption in that role afterwards?

If Ken is going to stay with the company, we need to find ways to maximise our value for money, without having a detrimental impact on other employees.

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reduce the company’s future liability, while ensuring higher utilisation.

The first step is to have a candid conversation with Ken about his future goals and his current workload. Let’s say Ken admits he’s not 100% fully utilised, but wants to stay in his current role.

He does tell you he plans to retire in around five years.

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Would Ken be interested in mentoring others? This is a great way to acknowledge and benefit from Ken’s experience, utilise his time efficiently, and start to form a transition plan for when Ken retires. It also ensures other team members are given the chance to develop through hands-on training and given more challenging work, with potential for promotion later.

This gives you some options to work with Ken to rebalance the pay/value equation.

1

Would Ken be interested in reducing his hours (and therefore his pay) by 10% or 20%? The company receives the same outcome at a salary closer to the role’s benchmark.

2

Would Ken be interested in taking on some additional work? This wouldn’t need to resemble a different role or involve stress, but may solve a business solution in reassigning work that isn’t currently being completed satisfactorily, or allowing another staff member to reduce their hours.

3

Does Ken have a large annual leave balance that he might want to start taking? Even a couple of days a month would help

A stepped process may be appropriate when working with an employee approaching retirement as they may need time to mentally adjust to the change ahead, as well as organising personal finances.

In this situation Ken might be encouraged to stay on full time and take on a mentoring role to fill his spare capacity. As his mentees develop he may start to take a step back and form a review role over their work, transition to part time hours and eventually to retirement, leaving well-trained replacements as his legacy.

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10

HR ONLINE INFLUENCERS

YOU MUST FOLLOW

When we think human resources, we see an endless office filled with desks, papers and ringing phones. Basically, nothing that makes us jump with joy.

towards it and thankfully with many influences representing the industry and a healthy touch of humour, HR has come a long way.

Yet HR is a constantly evolving department of business admins for big and small companies all over the world. As HR changes, so do the views

Influences, bloggers and authors have written so many blogs, articles and advice pages surrounding HR, yet there are so many topics to cover.

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1. When I Work wheniwork.com An awesome page filled with rundowns, which are based on HR for anyone who is looking for a touch of humour on the topic.

2. Fistful Of Talent fistfuloftalent.com This blog is perfect for anyone wanting to keep up with HR trends, insights and opinions. With constant blogging and updating, Fistful of Talent is the best website for up-to date reports of HR management across the world.

3. Hrringleader hrringleader.com An amazing blog surrounding women working in HR and business and sharing their stories, blogs and life updates for the world to see.

This blog is great for anyone but specifically women who might feel a bit left out in the world of business.

4. True Faith HR truefaithhr.blogspot.com True Faith HR is a friendly, open and creative blog that discussed real world issues surrounding HR and also

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giving a tweak of humour on the side. A blog specifically for those who have issues to discuss surrounding the work of management and business.

5. BamBoo HR

training which is exactly what anyone who is interested in working in HR Management needs.

8. The Cynical Girl thecynicalgirl.com

bamboohr.com BamBoo HR provides a basic rundown of HR in general.

This blog is perfect for anyone starting off and want’s to learn about HR, or for anyone who wants a further understanding of the reasoning behind it.

6. Monster @monster

9. Take It Personally

This channel helps share job opportunities for people who are willing to put in the effort.

This is perfect for anyone looking for a career change or a new beginning, and it is made easy, thanks to Monster who connects people to opportunities.

A great blog page for easy access to specific topics and blogs surrounding the interconnection of business and personal life for those who are struggling to find the answers.

7. TLNT tlnt.com This blog carries through basic to advanced topics surrounding HR recruiting, legal needs and management

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There is always that funny, ambitious and relatable blog, this is the one. This blog is for anyone who needs simple yet effective guidance. The Cynical Girl provides easy and relatable blog posts to those who are a little less serious.

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takeitpersonelly.com

10. HR Bartender hrbartender.com HR Bartender is a blog written by a HR professional that covers the many topics of workplace issues, personal drive and reality checks for those who desire more.

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