An overwhelming majority of employers (84 per cent) believe they had to make too many redundancies during the GFC and many now lack the resources needed to grow their businesses, according to extensive research released this week by Hudson, the leading provider of integrated talent solutions.
The research findings, part of the Hudson 20:20 Series Report: Positioning for Growth – Building a Dynamic Workforce in a New Economic Era, reveal that almost two-thirds of employers and employees alike (59 per cent) reported that their teams are under-resourced. Many businesses (57 per cent of those surveyed) are already feeling the skills pinch, up from 44 per cent last year. While 54 per cent of employees say the team they work in is now weaker.
Simon Moylan, executive general manager at Hudson Talent Management, said: "During the downturn many organisations 'cut the fat' but these results suggest that many also 'cut into the muscle'. Employers desperately need to bolster not only the size, but also the strength of their teams to bring their businesses back to a place where they can compete effectively in their markets and establish a solid foundation for sustainable, long-term growth."
Overall, 11 per cent of the workforce was lost through voluntary redundancy, enforced redundancy or staff leaving of their own accord and employers say that 23 per cent of workforce losses were high performers.
Accurately anticipating demand helps combat understaffing and improves overall workforce productivity. To facilitate better staff utilisation while keeping operating costs as low as possible, the Mitrefinch Time Management System (TMS) ensures that you have the right staff are on hand to serve your customers, and that you are in compliance with necessary employee legislation and health and safety requirements.
TMS is fully-adaptable to your workforce management requirements - staff can be assigned to shifts according to necessary skills/training, and contracted hours. Staff can also be scheduled to mirror forecasted customer numbers over a given period, or ‘on-the-fly’ to meet emergency requirements.
For more information contact Mitrefinch Sales on 1300 884 831 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The future of Australia’s industrial relations and paid parental leave policy hangs in the balance
Following the weekend’s hung parliament, HR professionals eagerly await the news of a potential new Government, which is likely to impact on both IR laws and also the much-debated paid parental leave scheme.
However, constitutional law experts have advised that negotiations over the next Federal Government could drag on until the end of November.
Professor Donald Rothwell from the Australian National University's College of Law, said parliament must meet within 30 days of electoral officials confirming the names of each candidate elected but the commission had until October 27 to do this.
"This could allow Prime Minister Gillard to convene the House of Representatives as late as 26 November 2010, thereby allowing for as long as three months for agreements to be reached with the independents," he said.
Rothwell advised that Gillard could remain as caretaker prime minister until then.
Prior to the election, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Labor would offer new fathers two weeks parental leave if re-elected, in a bid to win over undecided working families. Labor's full parental leave scheme now offers mothers 18 weeks leave at minimum wage. However for working families this still appears less attractive than the Coalition's scheme which offers 26 weeks at the mother's real wage, up to a cap of $150,000.
Australia waits....
However, constitutional law experts have advised that negotiations over the next Federal Government could drag on until the end of November.
Professor Donald Rothwell from the Australian National University's College of Law, said parliament must meet within 30 days of electoral officials confirming the names of each candidate elected but the commission had until October 27 to do this.
"This could allow Prime Minister Gillard to convene the House of Representatives as late as 26 November 2010, thereby allowing for as long as three months for agreements to be reached with the independents," he said.
Rothwell advised that Gillard could remain as caretaker prime minister until then.
Prior to the election, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Labor would offer new fathers two weeks parental leave if re-elected, in a bid to win over undecided working families. Labor's full parental leave scheme now offers mothers 18 weeks leave at minimum wage. However for working families this still appears less attractive than the Coalition's scheme which offers 26 weeks at the mother's real wage, up to a cap of $150,000.
Australia waits....
Monday, August 23, 2010
Employees turn to flexible working to boost employee performance
Randstad’s 2010 World of Work Report has found that the need to improve employee productivity and performance remains a major challenge in the minds of employers for 2010.
Budget constraints and cautious finance departments, are driving management to look at ways to increase productivity and performance of those already employed by the organisation rather than increasing headcount.
The Report, based on a survey of more than 3,000 HR professionals, business managers and CEOs across the Asia pacific region, found that the top motivators for employees to perform well were:
Budget constraints and cautious finance departments, are driving management to look at ways to increase productivity and performance of those already employed by the organisation rather than increasing headcount.
The Report, based on a survey of more than 3,000 HR professionals, business managers and CEOs across the Asia pacific region, found that the top motivators for employees to perform well were:
- Having a strong understanding of their role in achieving organisational goals (25% cite this as their 1st motivator to perform well, with 18% citing it as their 2nd motivator)
- Good relationship with immediate manager (17% cite this as their 2nd motivator, 3rd motivator for 20% of respondents)
- A competitive remuneration package (3rd motivator for 21% of respondents).
This would indicate that improving staff retention and performance should no longer be solely centred on increasing the employee’s pay packet, but more about creating a work/life balance.
As a result, many organisations are now turning to flexible working and other creative and tangible benefits to foster employee retention and boost overall employee performance. These include:
- Paid Parental Leave
- Additional Annual Leave
- 4.5 day working weeks
- Salary sacrificing
- Paid Study Leave
Similarly, “Managing Tomorrow’s People”, a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the UK, has revealed that flexible working is the most prized benefit for employees, ahead of performance-related bonuses. Of the 1,167 professionals surveyed, 47% rated ‘flexible working arrangements’ as their most important benefit, compared with 19% who opted for bonuses.
To facilitate flexible working practices, Mitrefinch’s automated Time and Attendance System, TMS, can be customised to match an organisation’s specific working patterns and legislation, supporting flexi-time and shift work across multiple sites and pay centres, while seamlessly integrating with other business, HR and Payroll systems.
For more information contact Mitrefinch Australia on sales@mitrefinch.com.au or 1300 884 831
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Australian Business one step ahead of the Paid Parental Leave Debate
An article on ninemsn reports that while the major political parties battle over paid parental leave policies in the run up to Saturday's election, Australian employers are already offering some form of paid parental leave.
According to the Paid Parental Leave Pulse Survey conducted by Hewitt Associates last month, 71 percent of the organisations surveyed already offer fairly generous paid parental leave, with 36 percent given 12 or more weeks.
However, some are not yet sure how to address this issue, with over half (57 percent) of the respondents undecided about what changes they will make to their paid parental leave policies.
Tim Powell, Hewitt Associates Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, said: “As the major political parties battle-it-out on paid parental leave policy, a third of companies are waiting for the election outcome before they commit to implementing company policy”.
Nevertheless, Powell advises that Hewitt’s research has found that on the whole, Australian businesses lead the way in recognising the role paid parental leave plays in retaining an experienced and motivated workforce.
“This survey has found that irrespective of federal policies and politics, the majority of Australian corporates are already offering paid parental leave; seeing it as a competitive advantage to attract and retain talent in an increasingly tight labour market”.
“However, with different timeframes being thrown around by the Coalition, Labor and the Greens, some organisations are unsure of what best practice is and how to implement it.”
“Depending on the outcome of the coming election, we expect these companies will review paid parental leave policies and payments, to maintain this as a differentiator beyond what will be required under federal legislation.”
For more information on Hewitt Associates or to access their reports see: http://www.hewittassociates.com/Intl/AP/en-AU/Default.aspx
Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance system is a powerful tool for analysing and managing employee time and the associated costs. Record unplanned absences, holidays and paid parental leave, building a yearly absence profile for further analysis. A built-in current and projected manpower planner allows management to act or plan work schedules according to available resources, skills sets etc...
For more information contact Mitrefinch on 1300 884 831, sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit us online at http://www.mitrefinch.com.au/
According to the Paid Parental Leave Pulse Survey conducted by Hewitt Associates last month, 71 percent of the organisations surveyed already offer fairly generous paid parental leave, with 36 percent given 12 or more weeks.
However, some are not yet sure how to address this issue, with over half (57 percent) of the respondents undecided about what changes they will make to their paid parental leave policies.
Tim Powell, Hewitt Associates Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, said: “As the major political parties battle-it-out on paid parental leave policy, a third of companies are waiting for the election outcome before they commit to implementing company policy”.
Nevertheless, Powell advises that Hewitt’s research has found that on the whole, Australian businesses lead the way in recognising the role paid parental leave plays in retaining an experienced and motivated workforce.
“This survey has found that irrespective of federal policies and politics, the majority of Australian corporates are already offering paid parental leave; seeing it as a competitive advantage to attract and retain talent in an increasingly tight labour market”.
“However, with different timeframes being thrown around by the Coalition, Labor and the Greens, some organisations are unsure of what best practice is and how to implement it.”
“Depending on the outcome of the coming election, we expect these companies will review paid parental leave policies and payments, to maintain this as a differentiator beyond what will be required under federal legislation.”
For more information on Hewitt Associates or to access their reports see: http://www.hewittassociates.com/Intl/AP/en-AU/Default.aspx
Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance system is a powerful tool for analysing and managing employee time and the associated costs. Record unplanned absences, holidays and paid parental leave, building a yearly absence profile for further analysis. A built-in current and projected manpower planner allows management to act or plan work schedules according to available resources, skills sets etc...
For more information contact Mitrefinch on 1300 884 831, sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit us online at http://www.mitrefinch.com.au/
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Biometric Time and Attendance Technology for the Real World
The benefits of biometric Time and Attendance systems have been well documented and the biometrics field has made considerable advancements in recent years.
Despite this there are still common environmental and demographic issues that represent significant challenges for the biometrics industry and, as a result, have limited widespread adoption of the technology for employee management purposes.
The true test of a biometric Time and Attendance system is how it performs under real world conditions. This article examines some of the environmental issues that can cause a major headache for System Administrators and how the next wave of biometric technology can help address the problem.
Damp or Cold Environments
Most biometric systems are relatively reliable in sheltered, enclosed environments. However, the reality is that many Time and Attendance systems are often required to perform outdoors or in cold, refrigerated areas. In particular, conventional biometric fingerprint sensors can struggle in damp conditions as excess moisture obscures fingerprint ridges, resulting in images of puddles, rather than fingerprints. Sweaty hands can cause a similar problem.
Dry Hands
Standard biometric readers rely on a firm and complete contact between fingertip and sensor, in order to capture accurate and reliable images. Unfortunately, the common problem of dry hands, caused by anything from climate conditions or natural skin characteristics to frequent hand-washing or air travel, means that this is not always possible.
Rough Conditions
In the rough and tumble of daily life, our hands can become worn, torn and dirty. Especially in the Manufacturing and Construction sector, it is common for employees to be working with greasy, rough or dirty hands. This in turn means that workers’ fingerprints can be difficult to pick up by conventional biometric readers that rely on quality, clean contact between the finger and the sensor.
How multi-spectral imaging can help
The core problem with conventional technologies is that they rely on clear and complete contact between the fingerprint and the sensor, a condition that is elusive in the real world.
Multispectral imaging is a sophisticated technology that was developed by Lumidigm*, a world leader in pioneering biometric solutions, to overcome the fingerprint capture problems conventional imaging systems have in less-than-ideal conditions.
Multi-spectral imaging combines multiple spectrums of light and advanced polarisation techniques to extract unique fingerprint characteristics from both the surface and subsurface of the skin which is unaffected by surface wear and other environmental factors.
This enhanced data capture capability overcomes the fingerprint capture problems conventional imaging systems encounter, as when the fingerprint ridges on the surface are marred by an injury, dirt or moisture, the subsurface information remains intact, and the multi-spectral sensors can collect it.
Mitrefinch Australia are now incorporating Lumidigm’s award winning technology into their new biometric Time and Attendance terminals. The robustness of Lumidigm’s technology will allow Mitrefinch customers to have a biometric solution in environments where standard fingerprint readers were not previously feasible.
If you would like to find out more about Mitrefinch Biometric Time and Attendance solutions contact 1300 884 831 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au. Mitrefinch Consultants are on hand to provide online and onsite demonstrations of their biometric terminals in action and can also run small pilot programs to ensure that the technology will work for your organisation.
* Lumidigm’s technology advantage is protected by numerous US and International PCT patents. They provide identity management solutions for civil ID, point-of-sale, time and attendance, physical and logical access, and portable electronic device applications.
Despite this there are still common environmental and demographic issues that represent significant challenges for the biometrics industry and, as a result, have limited widespread adoption of the technology for employee management purposes.
The true test of a biometric Time and Attendance system is how it performs under real world conditions. This article examines some of the environmental issues that can cause a major headache for System Administrators and how the next wave of biometric technology can help address the problem.
Damp or Cold Environments
Most biometric systems are relatively reliable in sheltered, enclosed environments. However, the reality is that many Time and Attendance systems are often required to perform outdoors or in cold, refrigerated areas. In particular, conventional biometric fingerprint sensors can struggle in damp conditions as excess moisture obscures fingerprint ridges, resulting in images of puddles, rather than fingerprints. Sweaty hands can cause a similar problem.
Dry Hands
Standard biometric readers rely on a firm and complete contact between fingertip and sensor, in order to capture accurate and reliable images. Unfortunately, the common problem of dry hands, caused by anything from climate conditions or natural skin characteristics to frequent hand-washing or air travel, means that this is not always possible.
Rough Conditions
In the rough and tumble of daily life, our hands can become worn, torn and dirty. Especially in the Manufacturing and Construction sector, it is common for employees to be working with greasy, rough or dirty hands. This in turn means that workers’ fingerprints can be difficult to pick up by conventional biometric readers that rely on quality, clean contact between the finger and the sensor.
How multi-spectral imaging can help
The core problem with conventional technologies is that they rely on clear and complete contact between the fingerprint and the sensor, a condition that is elusive in the real world.
Multispectral imaging is a sophisticated technology that was developed by Lumidigm*, a world leader in pioneering biometric solutions, to overcome the fingerprint capture problems conventional imaging systems have in less-than-ideal conditions.
Multi-spectral imaging combines multiple spectrums of light and advanced polarisation techniques to extract unique fingerprint characteristics from both the surface and subsurface of the skin which is unaffected by surface wear and other environmental factors.
This enhanced data capture capability overcomes the fingerprint capture problems conventional imaging systems encounter, as when the fingerprint ridges on the surface are marred by an injury, dirt or moisture, the subsurface information remains intact, and the multi-spectral sensors can collect it.
Mitrefinch Australia are now incorporating Lumidigm’s award winning technology into their new biometric Time and Attendance terminals. The robustness of Lumidigm’s technology will allow Mitrefinch customers to have a biometric solution in environments where standard fingerprint readers were not previously feasible.
If you would like to find out more about Mitrefinch Biometric Time and Attendance solutions contact 1300 884 831 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au. Mitrefinch Consultants are on hand to provide online and onsite demonstrations of their biometric terminals in action and can also run small pilot programs to ensure that the technology will work for your organisation.
* Lumidigm’s technology advantage is protected by numerous US and International PCT patents. They provide identity management solutions for civil ID, point-of-sale, time and attendance, physical and logical access, and portable electronic device applications.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Growing demand for HR and IR Specialists
Melbourne based recruitment agency, IPA recruitment, has found that nationwide job vacancies increased for the first time in three months in July.
Job vacancies increased 13.9 per cent in July, the first increase in jobs on offer since March this year.
IPA’s General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Darrell Hewton, said the data showed employers were relaxed about the result of the federal election.
"Business hates political uncertainty, especially around the future of industrial relations laws...however, with few policy differences distinguishing the parties and the prospect of a settled IR landscape for the next few years regardless of who wins, employers are relatively relaxed about the result" said Mr Hewton in a report released on Thursday.
Mr Hewton said employers who had held off hiring for the last few months were entering the market and were confident enough about the 12-month outlook to make the commitment to expand their teams.
Demand for human resources and industrial relation specialists also rose. "With the introduction of modern awards in July, we are seeing increasing need for HR and IR staff across the board," he said.
Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance System, TMS, can help take the stress out of complex award administration. Our specially designed “award interpreter” ensures consistent application of business rules and award payments across your organisation.
For more information contact Mitrefinch Australia on 1300 884 831 or email sales@mitrefinch.com.au
Job vacancies increased 13.9 per cent in July, the first increase in jobs on offer since March this year.
IPA’s General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Darrell Hewton, said the data showed employers were relaxed about the result of the federal election.
"Business hates political uncertainty, especially around the future of industrial relations laws...however, with few policy differences distinguishing the parties and the prospect of a settled IR landscape for the next few years regardless of who wins, employers are relatively relaxed about the result" said Mr Hewton in a report released on Thursday.
Mr Hewton said employers who had held off hiring for the last few months were entering the market and were confident enough about the 12-month outlook to make the commitment to expand their teams.
Demand for human resources and industrial relation specialists also rose. "With the introduction of modern awards in July, we are seeing increasing need for HR and IR staff across the board," he said.
Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance System, TMS, can help take the stress out of complex award administration. Our specially designed “award interpreter” ensures consistent application of business rules and award payments across your organisation.
For more information contact Mitrefinch Australia on 1300 884 831 or email sales@mitrefinch.com.au
Monday, August 2, 2010
The emergence of mobile workforce management applications
While many organisations have already implemented time and attendance systems, scheduling and employee analytics, mobile applications can raise the bar for effective workforce management.
This is particularly timely considering a recent study by Citrix Online found that 47% of UK companies have seen an increase in workforce mobility over the last five years, largely due to increased availability of the required technology to send employees onto the road.
The increasing availability of devices and applications designed to enhance employee productivity on the go is also driving greater workforce flexibility.
Leslie Hand, research director for IDC Retail Insights, says “by leveraging a solution that integrates mobile technology with your scheduling solution, shift requests automatically follow your organisation’s defined business rules to identify and prioritise the list of possible workers,” she says. “Shifts are filled with the right employee for the job and you avoid the challenges that can result from having too few employees on a particular shift.”
Hand explains that the combined benefits can “lead to significant ROI” with “many retailers reporting full payback within 18 months [and] an integrated configurable workforce management system ultimately results in a lower total cost of ownership.”
Mitrefinch’s web-based time and attendance solution (MobileTMS) allows businesses to mobilise their workforce. Available as an iPhone App or deployed on other smart phones, WAP enabled mobiles, notebooks and laptops, MobileTMS further enhances productivity, improves workforce compliance while also increasing customer and employee satisfaction. In addition, integration with GPS technology and Job Costing facilitates real-time project tracking and analysis of employee activity from any location.
Additional Resources:
http://www.stores.org/stores-magazine-august-2010/phoning-it
http://wp.me/pV6fZ-2E
http://tinyurl.com/393qbly
This is particularly timely considering a recent study by Citrix Online found that 47% of UK companies have seen an increase in workforce mobility over the last five years, largely due to increased availability of the required technology to send employees onto the road.
The increasing availability of devices and applications designed to enhance employee productivity on the go is also driving greater workforce flexibility.
Leslie Hand, research director for IDC Retail Insights, says “by leveraging a solution that integrates mobile technology with your scheduling solution, shift requests automatically follow your organisation’s defined business rules to identify and prioritise the list of possible workers,” she says. “Shifts are filled with the right employee for the job and you avoid the challenges that can result from having too few employees on a particular shift.”
Hand explains that the combined benefits can “lead to significant ROI” with “many retailers reporting full payback within 18 months [and] an integrated configurable workforce management system ultimately results in a lower total cost of ownership.”
Mitrefinch’s web-based time and attendance solution (MobileTMS) allows businesses to mobilise their workforce. Available as an iPhone App or deployed on other smart phones, WAP enabled mobiles, notebooks and laptops, MobileTMS further enhances productivity, improves workforce compliance while also increasing customer and employee satisfaction. In addition, integration with GPS technology and Job Costing facilitates real-time project tracking and analysis of employee activity from any location.
Additional Resources:
http://www.stores.org/stores-magazine-august-2010/phoning-it
http://wp.me/pV6fZ-2E
http://tinyurl.com/393qbly
Sunday, August 1, 2010
New biometric technology can cut out imposters
How can you be sure that your premises are truly secure? How can the common problem of imposters or ‘spoof’ fingerprints be combated? Conventional biometric readers can be circumvented, as they capture only the image of the fingerprint ridge surfaces that come into contact with the sensor. These ridges are easy to imitate using common household products and ingredients.
In response to this issue, the new Mitrefinch biometric readers harness Lumidigm's multispectral imaging technology, which differentiates between living flesh and non-living flesh or other synthetic materials. The latest Mitrefinch biometric clocks will allow you to tighten up security and help ensure that imposters are unable to force their way onsite.
Mitrefinch is a leading provider of Time and Attendance systems and Access Control solutions. Contact Mitrefinch today on 1300 884 831, email sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit us online at www.mitrefinch.com.au for more information on how are customers are benefiting from using biometric time and attendance systems
In response to this issue, the new Mitrefinch biometric readers harness Lumidigm's multispectral imaging technology, which differentiates between living flesh and non-living flesh or other synthetic materials. The latest Mitrefinch biometric clocks will allow you to tighten up security and help ensure that imposters are unable to force their way onsite.
Mitrefinch is a leading provider of Time and Attendance systems and Access Control solutions. Contact Mitrefinch today on 1300 884 831, email sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit us online at www.mitrefinch.com.au for more information on how are customers are benefiting from using biometric time and attendance systems
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