A city council in the UK has revealed that they've made savings of up to $230,000 by implementing a salary sacrifice scheme which allows employees to buy extra annual leave.
The ‘Holidayplus’ plan at Nottingham City Council gives employees an option to sacrifice part of their monthly salary in order to increase their holiday entitlement, and they also have the option to spread the extra holiday cost over 12 months.
Staff can choose to purchase additional annual leave whilst making savings of up to 41% on tax and national insurance. This also benefits the council with savings on its national insurance employer contributions, which has resulted in a reduction of the overall annual salary bill.
Angela Probert, Nottingham City Council’s director of HR and transformation commented: “With the UK public sector facing substantial financial cuts, we need to try to reduce costs where possible, creating as little detrimental impact on our employees and customers as possible.”
“Holidayplus is the perfect example of an innovative solution which not only supports our efforts to reduce outgoings, but importantly, offers a positive benefit to our colleagues,” she continued.
“It has been well received by colleagues and we hope to make more savings in this way in the future.”
For more information see: http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/43333
So how might an automated Time and Attendance system help you introduce a similar program at your organisation?
Implementing an automated Time and Attendance System with Self Service funtionality is a good first step to introducing a salary sacrificing scheme.
An automated Time and Attendance System can easily manage the increase in the number of leave entitlements and would enable you to avoid any inaccurate payments made as a consequence of errors associated with manually tracking leave.
With Employee Self-Service functionality, a Time and Attendance system allows employees to request personal leave without having to speak to their manager directly, employees can also view their accrued leave, entitlements, and request updates to their personal records without having to bother the HR department, saving time spent on administrative duties.
In addition, during busy periods i.e. the run up to Christmas, a supervisor can set up Leave Slots. This option restricts the number of people that can take Annual Leave on the same day. For example, if an employee tries to book leave on a day when 3 other people have already requested leave, they would get a rejection message and would have to change or abandon their request.
In the event that department managers are on leave, they can ‘escalate’ their responsibilities regarding approving/declining holiday requests to other supervisors so that any holiday-related issues could be sorted without any delays.
If you would like more information on Time and Attendance and Employee Self Service functionality contact us on +61 2 8762 7888 or visit Mitrefinch online today.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Introducing Mitrefinch Mighty-Fine Rewards - Our new Customer Referral Program
Drum roll please! Mitrefinch are very happy to announce the launch of our new Customer Referral Program – Mitrefinch Mighty-Fine Rewards.
Thanks to a little RedBalloon magic, our growing customer base of more than 400 companies, across Australia and New Zealand, will receive RedBalloon experience vouchers for every contact they refer that becomes a Mitrefinch Time and Attendance customer, enabling them to do something memorable, with over 2500 possible experiences to choose from.
"We recognise the value of customer referrals and are delighted to know that our users are willing to share the benefits of our automated time management solutions with their peers," said Mitrefinch Marketing Manager, Jamie Fitzsimons.
"Previous referral programs were centered around product related incentives, but with our new initiative we wanted to adopt a personalised approach, rewarding clients with something exciting that they could enjoy themselves”.
According to RedBalloon General Manager for Corporate Matt Geraghty, non-financial incentives and referral programs are an area of growth, with many companies realising that no matter what business they are in or what products and services they sell, highly motivated sales staff, effective incentives and positive word of mouth are key to success.
“Everyone it seems, is asking how do we sell more, win more customers, strengthen our relationships, gain market share and increase productivity?” Mr Geraghty said.
“That’s why we are so pleased to be working alongside Mitrefinch as they continue to build their personalised incentive program, and we are optimistic that they will see positive results in the form of new and satisfied customers.”
For more info on Mitrefinch Mighty-Fine Rewards contact Jamie on +61 2 8762 7888, email jamie.fitzsimons@mitrefinch.com.au or check out our RedBalloon page
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Allegations of underpayment and lack of adequate employment records see Auto Service Provider in hot water
Ultra Tune, an auto service provider, is facing legal proceedings over allegedly underpaying an employee by more than $20,000.
It is also alleged to have breached workplace laws by failing to keep correct employment records for a further 10 Filipino workers it had brought to work in Australia on 457 visas.
According to court documents, Ultra Tune recruited and sponsored the employee on a 457 visa to work at their Warwick outlet in regional Queensland.
However, the company allegedly paid the worker a flat hourly rate of $15.34, rather than the minimum hourly rate, and did not pay overtime.
Fair Work inspectors were made aware of the allegations after receiving a complaint from the man following the termination of his employment when the Warwick outlet closed.
No attempts were made to employ him at another outlet and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) claims Ultra Tune failed to pay wages in lieu of notice, redundancy and accrued annual leave entitlements.
The company has since been ordered to pay the man $11,000 of the payable entitlements they allegedly attempted to evade.
The FWO said Ultra Tune’s inadequate documentation hampered their investigation of up to nine other worker’s pay records.
The company faces multiple charges, with maximum penalties of up to $33,000 per breach.
Read the full article on HC Online here: http://www.hcamag.com/newsletter/content/117104/
How an automated Time and Attendance can help you avoid making a similar mistake...
One of the primary reasons why companies invest in a Time and Attendance Solution is to automate the capture and management of all employees’ clocking in and out times and attendance information.
This automatic capture ensures that organisation are complying with all federal and state workplace legislation, such as employee entitlements and modern awards, without having to manage mountains of administrative paperwork.
A customised scheduling function also allows businesses to separate work groups that are on different pay scales. Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedules can also be based on pre-defined budgets to keep payroll costs as low as possible.
Download our Free Guide on "How to Choose the right Time and Attendance System for your Business".
Alternatively, to find out more about Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance Solutions, please visit us online or call +61 2 8762 7888 today.
It is also alleged to have breached workplace laws by failing to keep correct employment records for a further 10 Filipino workers it had brought to work in Australia on 457 visas.
According to court documents, Ultra Tune recruited and sponsored the employee on a 457 visa to work at their Warwick outlet in regional Queensland.
However, the company allegedly paid the worker a flat hourly rate of $15.34, rather than the minimum hourly rate, and did not pay overtime.
Fair Work inspectors were made aware of the allegations after receiving a complaint from the man following the termination of his employment when the Warwick outlet closed.
No attempts were made to employ him at another outlet and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) claims Ultra Tune failed to pay wages in lieu of notice, redundancy and accrued annual leave entitlements.
The company has since been ordered to pay the man $11,000 of the payable entitlements they allegedly attempted to evade.
The FWO said Ultra Tune’s inadequate documentation hampered their investigation of up to nine other worker’s pay records.
The company faces multiple charges, with maximum penalties of up to $33,000 per breach.
Read the full article on HC Online here: http://www.hcamag.com/newsletter/content/117104/
How an automated Time and Attendance can help you avoid making a similar mistake...
One of the primary reasons why companies invest in a Time and Attendance Solution is to automate the capture and management of all employees’ clocking in and out times and attendance information.
This automatic capture ensures that organisation are complying with all federal and state workplace legislation, such as employee entitlements and modern awards, without having to manage mountains of administrative paperwork.
A customised scheduling function also allows businesses to separate work groups that are on different pay scales. Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedules can also be based on pre-defined budgets to keep payroll costs as low as possible.
Download our Free Guide on "How to Choose the right Time and Attendance System for your Business".
Alternatively, to find out more about Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance Solutions, please visit us online or call +61 2 8762 7888 today.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Presenteeism believed to cost Aussie business more than Absenteeism, how might a Time and Attendance system help reduce the effects?
A couple of weeks back we reported that 1 in 3 employees have admitted to chucking a sickie, but what about the flip side of the coin – those who show up for work when the aren’t feeling 100%?
Presenteeism refers to productivity that is lost when employees come to work but are not working at full capacity due to sickness and other medical conditions, or distraction due to personal non-work issues i.e. caring for a sick relative, financial or marital problems.
And it may surprise you to find that the cost of presenteeism to businesses and the economy is estimated to be far greater than absenteeism - with research released by Medibank this week revealing that “presenteeism” burdens the Australian economy with an annual cost of $34bn, with an average of 6.5 working days of annual productivity lost per employee.
Which does make a lot of sense, as employees who work when sick or distracted are generally less productive than if they took a day off. In addition, staff who work when they are ill are more prone to injury and, if contagious, increase the risk of passing on an illness to colleagues.
As such, organisations need to be aware that low absenteeism rates may not be telling the whole story.
See: http://www.hcamag.com/newsletter/content/116953/ for more info on the study
So what deters us from for taking time off?
Perhaps the fear of putting our job at risk, the notion that the work won’t get done in our absence, or the fear of letting our colleagues down?
Employees may also feel pressured to go to work when ill due to strict attendance policies, possibly resulting from abuse of the company's sick pay system by colleagues who 'chuck sickies'.
What can be done to help address presenteeism?
While combating presenteeism can be difficult, Medibank advises that investments need to be made in the health of staff, so that employers can reduce presenteeism rates, boost productivity and, in the long term, generate an overall positive impact on business.
The introduction flexible working initiatives can be beneficial. In particular for employees who have a long-running medical condition or have responsibilities for the care of children or other sick relatives.
The introduction of flexi-work arrangements and working from home initiatives are made easy via web-based Time and Attendance, which enables employees to record their start and finish times, as well as allocate time to specific jobs/projects regardless of their location.
In addition, by rebranding “sick leave” as “personal leave” employees may be more likely to use a Personal Day when they aren’t up to coming into work. With Employee Self-Service functionality, a Time and Attendance system would allow employees to request personal leave without having to speak to their manager directly, side-stepping any embarrassment that may be associated with a particular illness or personal issue.
Continue to our website to find out more information about web-based time and attendance systems, absence management and Employee Self-Service as well as other workforce management alternatives that may help you address presenteeism within your organisation.
Alternatively feel free to call us on 1300 884 831 (Australia) or 09 363 9557 (NZ)
Presenteeism refers to productivity that is lost when employees come to work but are not working at full capacity due to sickness and other medical conditions, or distraction due to personal non-work issues i.e. caring for a sick relative, financial or marital problems.
And it may surprise you to find that the cost of presenteeism to businesses and the economy is estimated to be far greater than absenteeism - with research released by Medibank this week revealing that “presenteeism” burdens the Australian economy with an annual cost of $34bn, with an average of 6.5 working days of annual productivity lost per employee.
Which does make a lot of sense, as employees who work when sick or distracted are generally less productive than if they took a day off. In addition, staff who work when they are ill are more prone to injury and, if contagious, increase the risk of passing on an illness to colleagues.
As such, organisations need to be aware that low absenteeism rates may not be telling the whole story.
See: http://www.hcamag.com/newsletter/content/116953/ for more info on the study
So what deters us from for taking time off?
Perhaps the fear of putting our job at risk, the notion that the work won’t get done in our absence, or the fear of letting our colleagues down?
Employees may also feel pressured to go to work when ill due to strict attendance policies, possibly resulting from abuse of the company's sick pay system by colleagues who 'chuck sickies'.
What can be done to help address presenteeism?
While combating presenteeism can be difficult, Medibank advises that investments need to be made in the health of staff, so that employers can reduce presenteeism rates, boost productivity and, in the long term, generate an overall positive impact on business.
The introduction flexible working initiatives can be beneficial. In particular for employees who have a long-running medical condition or have responsibilities for the care of children or other sick relatives.
The introduction of flexi-work arrangements and working from home initiatives are made easy via web-based Time and Attendance, which enables employees to record their start and finish times, as well as allocate time to specific jobs/projects regardless of their location.
In addition, by rebranding “sick leave” as “personal leave” employees may be more likely to use a Personal Day when they aren’t up to coming into work. With Employee Self-Service functionality, a Time and Attendance system would allow employees to request personal leave without having to speak to their manager directly, side-stepping any embarrassment that may be associated with a particular illness or personal issue.
Continue to our website to find out more information about web-based time and attendance systems, absence management and Employee Self-Service as well as other workforce management alternatives that may help you address presenteeism within your organisation.
Alternatively feel free to call us on 1300 884 831 (Australia) or 09 363 9557 (NZ)
Sunday, August 7, 2011
How to persuade employees that a Time and Attendance system isn’t workplace Big Brother?
Introducing an automated Time and Attendance software system undoubtedly brings many benefits to your business; from payroll savings, improved productivity, greater management visibility, reduced absenteeism, and improvements to health and safety. However, while these benefits may be obvious to you and senior management, they are often less so to those working on the coal face.
For this reason, the implementation of an automated Time and Attendance system can prove to be a difficult task. And by implementation I don’t mean the physical installation process! I mean convincing your employees and colleagues that such a system can help them too.
At first, your employees may feel that you are trying to create a “Big Brother” type organisation - which is understandable when a Time and Attendance system can provide management with a clear record of lateness, length of lunchbreaks, as well as holidays and sick leave, and even productivity.
Even if you aren’t the person who initiated the project, as a Human Resources manager, your job would involve ‘selling’ the idea of an automated Time and Attendance system to your employees – lucky you!
So what can you do to achieve staff buy in?
1. Be a Time and Attendance Champion
First things first, you need to be a clear supporter of the idea in order to overcome potential employee obstacles, and have the confidence to answer difficult questions or arguments that may arise - getting rid of any doubts raised by your staff.
2. Be prepared for some resistance
Your Time and Attendance system provider will be able to assist and prepare you for potential objections you may encounter. You should also know that the employees who resist technology are likely to be the least productive workers!
3. Keep Staff Informed
Effective communication is key. Share information about the new Time and Attendance system with employees and their representatives/union officials as soon as possible. Explain exactly how the change will impact them i.e.: will they need to use swipe cards, proximity fobs, or biometric scanners to register attendance.
4. Communication must be two way
Don’t just provide information to the employees, also give them an opportunity to express their concerns and ask questions. For example, with biometric Time and Attendance, employees might be concerned about the prospect of their fingerprint information being stored. You will need to assure them that this isn’t the case.
Your Time and Attendance provider will have basic information (without getting too technical) on how their biometric systems work, which you can use to reassure employees that their personal data will not be compromised.
5. Explain employee benefits
You need to make sure your employees understand how they will benefit from using a Time and Attendance system. Once they are convinced that more accurate data tracking will improve the accuracy of their wages and provide them with early notice of schedule changes that impact their working hours, they are more likely to buy-into the change.
The ability to request holidays without having to ask their managers directly and amend their personal details, such as address, telephone number etc without contacting HR will also be welcomed.
While, instant access to their absence profile or annual leave balance would enable them to manage their time more effectively. With a Time and Attendance system the staff who consistently outperform are the ones who will shine which could encourage you to implement performance-related incentive schemes.
6. Get Supervisors on side
Involving supervisors and line managers in the change process, reduces the risk of them potentially sabotaging the system further down the track. When supervisors realise the importance of having accurate attendance data and that the system will help them minimise the time spent on tedious administration tasks, they will be more likely to embrace the idea and become Time and Attendance champions too!
7. Training
Sufficient training time to understand the system would also be a valuable step towards better system implementation.
8. Keep an eye on proceedings
Your job doesn’t end once the system is up and running - you will need to continue to monitor the process well beyond implementation to ensure that you achieve the desired outcomes.
An automated Time and Attendance system may well create a barrier to entry, but with your carefully planned awareness campaign and training it will be well worth the invested money!
For more information on Choosing an effective Time and Attendance System download our FREE Guide.
Alternatively contact Mitrefinch today on 1300 884 831 (Aus) or 09 363 9557 (NZ) for more information on implementing an automated Time and Attendance system for your organisation.
For this reason, the implementation of an automated Time and Attendance system can prove to be a difficult task. And by implementation I don’t mean the physical installation process! I mean convincing your employees and colleagues that such a system can help them too.
At first, your employees may feel that you are trying to create a “Big Brother” type organisation - which is understandable when a Time and Attendance system can provide management with a clear record of lateness, length of lunchbreaks, as well as holidays and sick leave, and even productivity.
Even if you aren’t the person who initiated the project, as a Human Resources manager, your job would involve ‘selling’ the idea of an automated Time and Attendance system to your employees – lucky you!
So what can you do to achieve staff buy in?
1. Be a Time and Attendance Champion
First things first, you need to be a clear supporter of the idea in order to overcome potential employee obstacles, and have the confidence to answer difficult questions or arguments that may arise - getting rid of any doubts raised by your staff.
2. Be prepared for some resistance
Your Time and Attendance system provider will be able to assist and prepare you for potential objections you may encounter. You should also know that the employees who resist technology are likely to be the least productive workers!
3. Keep Staff Informed
Effective communication is key. Share information about the new Time and Attendance system with employees and their representatives/union officials as soon as possible. Explain exactly how the change will impact them i.e.: will they need to use swipe cards, proximity fobs, or biometric scanners to register attendance.
4. Communication must be two way
Don’t just provide information to the employees, also give them an opportunity to express their concerns and ask questions. For example, with biometric Time and Attendance, employees might be concerned about the prospect of their fingerprint information being stored. You will need to assure them that this isn’t the case.
Your Time and Attendance provider will have basic information (without getting too technical) on how their biometric systems work, which you can use to reassure employees that their personal data will not be compromised.
5. Explain employee benefits
You need to make sure your employees understand how they will benefit from using a Time and Attendance system. Once they are convinced that more accurate data tracking will improve the accuracy of their wages and provide them with early notice of schedule changes that impact their working hours, they are more likely to buy-into the change.
The ability to request holidays without having to ask their managers directly and amend their personal details, such as address, telephone number etc without contacting HR will also be welcomed.
While, instant access to their absence profile or annual leave balance would enable them to manage their time more effectively. With a Time and Attendance system the staff who consistently outperform are the ones who will shine which could encourage you to implement performance-related incentive schemes.
6. Get Supervisors on side
Involving supervisors and line managers in the change process, reduces the risk of them potentially sabotaging the system further down the track. When supervisors realise the importance of having accurate attendance data and that the system will help them minimise the time spent on tedious administration tasks, they will be more likely to embrace the idea and become Time and Attendance champions too!
7. Training
Sufficient training time to understand the system would also be a valuable step towards better system implementation.
8. Keep an eye on proceedings
Your job doesn’t end once the system is up and running - you will need to continue to monitor the process well beyond implementation to ensure that you achieve the desired outcomes.
An automated Time and Attendance system may well create a barrier to entry, but with your carefully planned awareness campaign and training it will be well worth the invested money!
For more information on Choosing an effective Time and Attendance System download our FREE Guide.
Alternatively contact Mitrefinch today on 1300 884 831 (Aus) or 09 363 9557 (NZ) for more information on implementing an automated Time and Attendance system for your organisation.
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