IR tip - The ins and outs of unfair dismissal

As unpleasant as having to 'let staff go' clearly is, worse still for all concerned is the potential for such a move to be regarded as unfair dismissal. Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt provides some pointers.

 

 

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

 

 

Many people ask when an employee can access the unfair dismissal jurisdiction. The current situation is that an employee may not make an application alleging unfair dismissal if they:

• Worked for an employer with fewer than 15 full time equivalent employees for less than 12 months; or
• Worked for an employer with 15 full time equivalent employees or more for less than 6 months.
The qualifying period is counted in calendar months, and is not affected by whether or not the employee was still on probation under a contract of employment.

An application alleging unfair dismissal often occurs where the employee believes that the employer has terminated the employee where:
• There was not a valid reason for the termination;
• The employee was not notified of the reason;
• The employee was not given an opportunity to respond to allegations about capacity or conduct;
• The employer unreasonably refused to allow the employee to have a support person present to assist at discussions relating to the dismissal; and
• The employee hadn't been warned that their employment was at risk because of unsatisfactory performance.

If an employer is contemplating dismissing an employee it is important that they seek advice about the particular situation to protect themselves should the employee decide to challenge the dismissal.

If you have any queries about this or any other IR related issue please contact Emma Watt on (03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email her on emma@emmawatt.com.au.

 

Incontext winner's change of heart

Trudy Allsopp, founder of Colour Confidence Interiors and winner of this year's Furnitex Incontext contest, alighted on her winning creation after a last minute artistic crisis. She confesses all to Furniture Fair Online.

"People tend to describe me as a ‘Toorak hippy'" says Allsopp. "So what I'd created initially for Incontext was a kind of symphony of terracottas, greens and earth tones. However, weeks out from the competition I looked at it and thought: ‘No, it's just not working.'"

"I realised that one of the key things I hadn't addressed in the brief was innovation, as well as the need to address current trends."

After a rapid reappraisal, Allsopp came up with a re-visioned chair featuring a black fabric interior, contrasting black and white exterior and charcoal grey seat cushion, set off with a bright scarlet accessory cushion.

She set her creation against a contemporary backdrop featuring metallic touches including a contemporary metallic lamp shade, multicultural influences embodied in Chinese and Moroccan stools, and a touch of on-trend chic in the form of a black and white calf skin rug. The back wall of her installation was covered with Porter's Dragonfly wallpaper, set off by three dimensional dragonflies, hanging mobile-style from a replica Issey Miyake ceiling lamp.

"A cosy corner to sit, read and fantasise, and drift away with the dragonflies," is Allsopp's poetic summation of her handiwork.

One of the things that attracted her to the brief - which saw six identical chairs interpreted by six interior decorating experts - was its simplicity, Allsopp said.

"It was great to have something that was manageable and wouldn't cost a fortune to put together."
"I was absolutely delighted to win the Incontext award. One of my points of difference is that I'm good at working out clients' personalities and working within that realm. However Incontext was an open brief without a client, so the fact that the public voted for it really showed that I'd tapped into something."

Other designers who took part in Incontext included: Amanda Richmond of Amanda Richmond Interior Design; Diane Bergeron of Diane Bergeron Interiors; Dominique Hunter of Hunter and Richards; Jacquie Pask of Moss Melbourne; Sally Anderson of Niche Interiors.

 

Speaker Profiles - International Industry Seminars

A wide range of topics, from recycling and sustainability to the importance of critical design decisions or new directions in lighting, are just some of the themes to be covered at the upcoming International Industry Seminar Series at Furnitex.

As Els Zijlstra of innovative Dutch company Materia (Materia brochure images pictured) will reveal, the concept of sustainable fabrics has come a long way in recent years, with environmentally friendly options offering increasing levels of quality, design aesthetics and style. Concrete made with elephant grass, super-insulating glass, nanogel, bio-resins, plastics from recycled chewing gum, flexible films with solar cells, houses from paper and concrete made with bacteria are just some examples of this new trend, she says, with further insights to be revealed at her upcoming presentation.

Good design decisions will be the subject of the day at the first ever panel discussion to feature as part of the International Industry Seminar Series. Hosted by Wendy Moore of Home Beautiful, a panel of leading Australian designers will share their insights around the theme ‘Five Best Design Decisions'.

Meanwhile, Nic Burnham, one half of the duo from NDYLIGHT (the other is Steve Brown) will be presenting ‘Lighting The Way Forward', with a view to showing how illumination is not what it used to be.

"LEDs are now becoming an actual lighting tool that can be used for more than decoration," Burnham explains, adding that environmental considerations are fundamental to any lighting installation to the extent that they are now mandated in the Building Code.

"Lighting is becoming more and more fundamental to the design and delivery of projects. In some cases the conversation with the lighting designer comes first and then the design follows as in many cases people don't know what they can do and how much it might cost them. Lighting design is a fundamental element in every project, and with new BCA requirements coming in, lighting design is going to become even more difficult to do well unless you know what you're doing."

Els Zijlstra's ‘Sustainable Materials to Inspire' presentation will take place on Friday 16 July from 9.30 - 10.30am. Wendy Moore's ‘Five Best Design Decisions' panel discussion will take place from 11.30am - 12.30pm and Nic Burnham and Steve Brown, from NDYLIGHT will present ‘Lighting The Way Forward' from 2.30pm - 3.30pm.

 

Speaker Profile - The harmonics of design

It's hard to imagine a more likely candidate to launch the Furnitex International Industry Series with a seminar titled ‘Design Thinking: The Good Word on Good Design Now' than Belgium based designer Axel Enthoven, whose ‘Opera' van has achieved instant iconic status since launching late last year.

One look at the Opera mobile home and its moniker is self explanatory; a nod to the iconic shell structure of Sydney Opera House - and the blend of wit and aesthetic sensibility conveyed immediately telegraphs that this is no ordinary mobile home.

Further inspection reveals a design masterpiece that literally leaves other models standing on their very prosaic stabiliser jacks. Once opened and levelled through electric power, a manoeuvre that takes inside of five minutes, the Opera morphs into a stunning residence measuring seven metres in length, more than three metres in width and 3.5 metres in height.

It also houses two luxurious, electrically adjustable beds that become one with a single simple movement, hot and cold water, a ceramic toilet, LED lighting and a mobile hob and barbecue. To cap off the aura of design excellence, the Opera features top grade materials such as hardwood, stainless steel and leather.

Axel, who has won numerous international awards for his design project, is the founder and chairman of Enthoven Associates Design Consultants, in Antwerp (Belgium), a study bureau specialising in product development and innovation. At his Furnitex seminar he plans to analyse the current design landscape in the context of current and future design challenges, with an emphasis on design thinking rather than design style.

Axel will present Design Thinking: The Good Word on Good Design Now on Thursday 15 July 9.30am - 10.30am during Furnitex. He will also host a breakfast seminar on Friday 16 July.

 

Speaker Profile - Colour in close-up

While most of us take colour for granted, a select few are highly attuned to its crucial influence on design and consumer trends. Ahead of her presentation at the Furnitex International Industry Seminar Series, Justine Fox of London colour consultancy Global Color Research (UK) reveals the many shades of her chosen calling.

What will be your key topic at the International Industry Seminar Series?
Global Color Research will focus on the colour trends from Mix Trends Spring Summer 2011, giving insights of what will drive the consumer colour choice next year. There are loads of beautiful visuals to inspire the audience as well as what to look out for in surfaces, forms and mood, along with the most important colours you need to make sound business decisions. Basically we're aiming to demystify the whole trend process.

Where do you get your insights?
As colour and trend specialists at Global Color Research, as well as publishers of Mix magazine, we're constantly looking at all sorts of design, art and technology on a daily basis. A key trend that is really interesting at the moment is the new optimistic approach in colour, which is fresher and lighter with darker undertones.

What are the hottest colour trends at the moment?
Each season we identify a number of main trends in colours that we publish in Mix Trends. For Spring Summer 2011 the main focus is the consumer reclaiming product and design for themselves, away from the big corporations. This is key to the colour choices they'll make. The result in design terms is a surge of new creativity, looking forward rather than back while incorporating multifunctionality and ingenious eco-credentials.

In your view, what's the future direction for colour?
Mix Publications and Mix Projects from Global Color Research work in such diverse areas from architecture paint to electronics to cosmetics, furniture and even paper napkins for example that we'd need a lot more space to pay the question its full credit. If we're talking about the importance of understanding and using colour well, then this is definitely a growth area as we learn more and more about the human response to this powerful tool.

How do specialists in your field identify and respond to market demand?
Within Mix Projects, we work on a one to one basis with clients, helping them to design the perfect colour range for their product and their client base, to increase sales or productivity. The biggest challenge for people using colour is to take their own preference out of the equation and focus on the local as well as the global nuances.

Who or what inspires you?
Pretty much everybody I come into contact within this colourful business, from colleagues to clients to seminar delegates. Local taxi drivers are also always a great fount of knowledge!

Justine Fox's seminar ‘Colour Trends Spring/Summer 2011' will take place on Thursday 15 July, 11.30am - 12.30pm, at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, as part of the Furnitex and Decoration + Design trade fairs.


Speaker profile - A fresh look at modernity

In Linda O'Keeffe's view, the notion of modernity is long overdue for a revamp. Here, the former editor of Metropolitan Home New York provides a sneak preview of the insights she'll share at the upcoming Furnitex International Industry Seminar Series.


Broadly speaking, what will be the focus of your presentation at the International Industry Seminar Series?
I'll be redefining modern interior design which, for so long, in the US at any rate, has revolved around mid 20th century furnishings. I plan to suggest that houses outfitted exclusively with the classic and iconic Eames and Corbusier pieces (which we all love dearly) are really stuck in a time warp.

What are the most significant trends affecting your area of design at the moment?
We are all way more learned about design than ever before and the level of confidence and appreciation for mixing periods and provenances of furnishings is extremely high. I would perversely describe the current interior design phase we're experiencing as "tightly edited ‘anything goes'"! At its core is a renewed sense of individuality and self expression.

What currently feeds your design interest?
I'm currently very interested in the marriage between craft and technology. I don't think there's much space for glitz and bling in most of our lives these days. (Maybe because the price of gold is at an all time high - and I'm only being half facetious here!). I think it's more about a respect for back-to-basics.

I would like to say that sustainability is a huge trend in the worlds of architecture and interior design but I fear that the Green movement is more a creation of the media than the public. I think there's a steady interest in ecology but not as much as we all anticipated a decade ago. Maybe that makes me a cynical environmentalist?

Traditional values are definitely making a comeback whether in the guise of the 'back to the farm' and slow cooking movements or in the revival of crafts and celebration of design that shows the human hand.

Where do you see design heading in the next five to ten years?
I see design becoming more individualistic, as I say above; less about manufactured trends and more about quality of life. I also think that it feels appropriate to embrace seeming contradictions such as craft and technology for example, or as one trend forecaster put it, "we all want to be unplugged and wired at the same time".

What are the biggest design and commercial challenges currently faced by designers in your view?
The design community in the US was very badly affected by the faltering economy and is currently experiencing a period of re-evaluation, but is very intent on finding the upside in the downturn of events. There's more of a community spirit than ever and graphic displays of humility abound... always a good thing in my book!

Who or what inspires you?
I'm inspired by innovation; by thinking outside the box; by the marriage between form and function; by passion; by reinvention, in every sense of the word (from recycling to rethinking the status quo). One of my favourite expressions these days (apart from "name your price") is "I have enough".

Linda O'Keeffe's seminar ‘Redefining Modern' will take place on Thursday 15 July, 2.30pm - 3.30pm, at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, as part of the Furnitex and Decoration + Design trade fairs.


Retail Tip - Merchandise your way to fame!

In a highly competitive market with consumers watching their wallets, it pays to make your instore experience as enticing and engaging as possible. As Mark Davis reports, creative visual merchandising is the key to this. What's more, it needn't cost a lot of money, and if you're plugged in to online networking, it has the potential to turbo-charge your business.

 

An expert and trainer in all things retail, business coach Mark Davis divides his time between Australia and Europe, traversing the globe to share his retail, sales, business and Internet marketing insights.

 

 

Great displays are an art form. For many years they've been the domain of window dressers, merchandisers, company reps and strategic designers. But given the current move to cost cutting, retailers now have to improvise, using their imagination and the tools immediately available. For many this is less about having enough merchandise, or risers, or stands and racks... and more about creativity. In all likelihood it's also about leveraging the power of that little thing called social media.

A display that grabs customers' attention, be they old or new, and tempts them to take more interest in the rest of the store, is a powerful motivator to get them to stick around, hopefully for long enough to buy! Just as a good website encourages users to click and browse, the key merchandise displays in your store are there to grab attention and engage with customers.

In some cases, people will often make the journey to a destination just to see stand-out visual merchandising. Be it a mountain of teddy bears and tigers in the Disney Stores or an eye-catching seasonal display, a destination or feature merchandising ‘moment' can be the thing that makes your store a must-see in your town, city or suburb. Department stores' Christmas window displays are a good example of this, but there's no reason to limit creativity to Yuletide.

And take note; social media has given good visual merchandising an exponential power boost. People love to take photos and put themselves up on Facebook, whether it's next to a living Statue of Darth Vader on Hollywood Blvd, or beside the logo of the store they just shopped in. They hold up bags, they pose, and they promote your store for you. If someone poses with your stock items, in your store, with your staff, next to your renowned merchandising display, then posts the photo to Facebook, you get 100 to 1000 free advertising shots.

And it doesn't end there. Offer to be the photographer for them, take three or four snaps, from which they can create a mini-shopping album, and you get even more photos online. Ask them to add your business to Facebook, and you can tag your store as well!
Remember, people are going to take photos of things they like. Now you can let them promote you for free!

So, to re-cap:-

• Create a merchandise display people want to be photographed beside and tell their friends about.
• Encourage photos.
• Tag people in photos including your Facebook profile.
• Get creative. Have competitions, prizes and offers for all your Facebook friends.

Never forget that the fusion of visual merchandising and social media creates an unbeatable way of driving more business into your store. Good luck with designing that display!

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Images top to bottom: Ikea, Entanglements (Melbourne), Matter (New York).

 

IR tip - Wage increase from 1 July 2010

Perplexed by pay roll? Worried by wages? Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt provides a quick snapshot of what to expect from 1 July 2010 onwards.

 

 

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

 

 

Fair Work Australia has handed down its first minimum wage decision, which will be operative from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2010.

All adult pay rates in modern awards will increase by $26.00 per week, or 69 cents per hour, and the minimum rate of pay for an adult will be $15.00 per hour. Junior, apprentice and supported wage rates will also increase by a proportionate amount, as those rates are normally set as a percentage of an adult wage rate.

Employees who are already being paid more than the new minimum rate are not entitled to the increase unless the employer has agreed to pass it on.

Many allowances in modern awards are set as a percentage of the standard rate in the award, and the standard rate is defined as a particular level (hourly or weekly) at the start of the award in the Definitions clause. This means that those allowances will increase automatically from the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2010.

A further complication for employers is that many employees are now in the transitional system, i.e. the wage rate or classification they were on prior to 1 January 2010 is different to the wage rate or classification under the relevant modern award. Over the next four years the gap between pre-and modern and modern award wages, industry allowances, loadings or penalties will close by 20% per annum.

The increase of $26,00 per week is comparatively quite high - the ACTU asked for $27.00 per week and employers generally lobbied for between $10.00 and $15.00 per week.

If you have any queries about wage rates or transitional arrangements please contact Emma Watt on (03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email her on emma@emmawatt.com.au.

 

IR tip 6 - Dealing with chronic absenteeism

The occasional 'sickie' here and there is one thing, but when an employee persistently fails to turn up for work, your bottom line is thrown into jeopardy and action may be required. Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt outlines some key points in coping with chronic absenteeism.

 

 

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

 

 

Imagine you have an employee who misses a lot of work - a day here, a few days there, weeks at a time - making it very difficult for you to plan your staffing needs. What do you need to consider before you take action?

First you must make sure that you have a clear policy on notification and substantiation of personal/carer's leave. This policy should set out when and how an employee must notify you that they will not be at work and must be clearly communicated to each employee. The National Employment Standards states that an employee has to notify their employer that they will be absent, and you may request evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave is taken for a reason that justifies payment of personal/carer's leave. This is not limited to a medical certificate.

Another key factor is that it is unlawful to terminate an employee's employment because they are temporarily absent due to illness or injury. If an employee complies with your notification and substantiation requirements, and is absent for less than 3 months in any twelve month period, then the absence is temporary. You must also take care not to ‘alter the employee's position to the employee's prejudice' for an unlawful reason.

Dismissing an employee because they are often absent, or are absent for a long period of time, is possible, but absolutely must be done correctly, with all steps taken in accordance with the law, and all interactions between the employer and the employee documented. Employers should ensure that they have all their ‘ducks in a row' before even considering taking this action.

Allegations of unlawful termination are particularly difficult to combat because the burden of proof is reversed - the employee doesn't have to prove that they were dismissed unlawfully, rather, the employer has to prove that they weren't dismissed for an unlawful reason.

Please note that this article only briefly touches on a complex topic, and further advice should be sought before any action is taken. If you have any queries about management of chronic absenteeism, please call me on
(03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email me at emma@emmawatt.com.au.

 

Retail Tip 6 - Don't succumb to fear... or discounts

With commentators predicting a grim half year ahead for retailers, it's all too easy to throw in the towel and join the discounting frenzy. Here, Mark Davis explains why retailers should avoid such strategies at all costs... and what they could try instead.

 

An expert and trainer in all things retail, business coach Mark Davis divides his time between Australia and Europe, traversing the globe to share his retail, sales, business and Internet marketing insights.

 

 

Right now retail is in a danger zone; interest rates are going up, the mortgage is getting tighter, sales are dipping... and everyone seems set to enter panic zone. So if you're sitting at your computer attempting to fend off the jitters, I hope that this issue's double-edged tip helps.

You don't achieve anything by being the same as everybody else. And you really don't achieve anything by panic discounting.

The other day I found myself walking through Melbourne's Crown Casino. Brand new, six-figure fit-outs of designer labels lined the walkway; we're talking sleek chrome, gold, black and silver windows, cool lighting, music and opening hours with guaranteed traffic that the rest of us can only dream of. And what was emblazoned right in the middle of most windows? "10-70% off"!

Let's think about this for a second or two: Was this a discount factory outlet? No.
Was this an ageing strip mall having a closing down sale? No. Was this a brand nobody knew about that was launching with a teaser item to coax customers into the store? No.

This was desperate shock advertising that completely disregarded the surrounding target market. Most people visiting the casino sincerely believe they're in for a win, and will then be able to buy expensive clothes at full price tag that they can show off to their friends. Even those not in the mood for gambling are most likely lapping up the high-tone, luxurious atmosphere.

So when you put a discount as your lead marketing strategy, it's a downer. And in the end, it's all people see. What they don't see is your store.

Arguably it's different if you're in a discount shopping centre, but even there such strategies are questionable... When you watch shoppers in outlet stores, no discount is ever enough... most of them are just window shopping. It's a high traffic, low conversion method.

In tough economic times, what retailers need is to break free from the herd. And here's why: a hundred sales at $100 is $10,000; a hundred sales at 50% is $5000. That may cover your cost and overheads, but not your staff, and you can say goodbye to profit. Discounting 50% should only be ever used for those last 10 pieces on a rack by the door; never for a big promotion, never for attracting people into store, and never in your mind as a salesperson. If your staff focus on discounts, you'll be in serious trouble within three months.

Here's how we get those 100 sales and turn them into $20,000.

1. Teach your staff to cross-sell to other items. Not just suggesting, but walking customers and their initial purchases to the racks, matching the pieces, giving them four or five things to try on and encouraging them to get into the clothes.

2. Teach your staff the rule of three. The rule of three says that if you have three items, people will choose the middle one nine times out of ten. In terms of price, this means - budget option, good, and luxury. It helps to find out the shopping budget first, usually from assessing the customer in terms of their existing clothing, accessories, and attitude.

3. Talk to customers! Some women shop on days they feel great, and will spend a lot, others shop to get out of the house. If you take the time to build a relationship, they'll return, bring their friends, and buy more every time.

4. Remember to tell your staff that it's not their decision when to stop selling. It's the customers' decision when to stop buying. I've had sales of $30 turn into $200 using this method. I've seen stores where a woman just wanted a piece of jewellery, and ended up buying the dress, shoes and bag to match.

Now, more than ever, the professional sales person earns their money. At Christmas they are just order takers; tough times are when they show why they were hired in the first place. Talking of which, the $5000 you were going to lose on discounting, you can now invest in training your staff to double their existing sales targets. Pay them commissions and bonuses, and you'll still be way ahead.

And please, as a favour to me, rip up those discount signs.

www.coachmarkdavis.com

 

 

Two minutes with Citta Design

Furniture Fair Online caught up with Citta Design's Australian operations manager Maruska Green to get the low down on the company's showing at Decoration + Design this July.

Tell us about Citta Design
Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Citta Design is a design house specialising in exotic yet contemporary homewares and furniture. The brand has a strong design focus, enhanced by inspiration from all over the world. Our winter 2010 catalogue ‘An Indian Soirée' takes the colourful hues and textures of the sub-continent as its starting point.

Is this Citta's first time showing at D+D?
Yes, this is the first opportunity to be showing at Decoration & Design.

What kind of products will Citta be showcasing?
A mix of rustic dining and casual living furniture; rattan woven furniture pieces accessorised by our seasonal designer linen, throws and cushions.

What kind of presence does the brand currently have in Australia?
We currently have around 735 independent retailers, predominantly homewares focused; however in the last year the company has introduced furniture pieces into Australia.

How do you promote yourselves as a brand?
Primarily through our website and quarterly trade fairs. The first Citta showroom was also established in September 2009 and going forward we're planning to have more personal representation of the brand in the Australian market.

What sets Citta Design apart?
Citta is about globally inspired, in-house designed product. We also keep the brand offer fresh by producing seasonal ranges for winter and summer.

Citta Design will showcase its wares at Decoration + Design at Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 15-18 July.

www.cittadesign.com

IR tip 5 - Community service leave

Occasionally employees may face community duties that will take them away from their work for a spell. But how do their bosses differentiate between valid and not-so-valid claims? Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt provides some pointers.

 

 

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

 

 

Under the National Employment Standards, Community Service Leave is defined as a mix of both paid and unpaid leave that any employee in Australia is entitled to take.

An employee is entitled to be absent from work if the employee is engaged in an eligible community service activity. This means jury service (which is partially paid) or voluntary emergency management activity (e.g. volunteer fire service, SES). A full time or part time employee on jury service leave must be paid their base rate of pay for the first ten days of the activity, although the employer can withhold an amount equivalent to any money the Court paid the employee for attending.

Employees on leave to attend to voluntary emergency management activities do not have to be paid unless there is an agreement in the workplace providing for paid leave of this type.

Employers may not prevent an employee from engaging in jury service, but in the case of leave to attend to voluntary emergency management activities, the absence must be ‘reasonable in all the circumstances'. In practical terms, this means that the employer has some control over how many employees are on this type of leave at any one time, how often an employee takes this type of leave, and the period of the leave.

The employee must provide notice of their intention to take leave as soon as possible, although this notice can be given after the leave has started. If the employer requires it, the employee must also provide evidence that would ‘satisfy a reasonable person' that the employee is genuinely engaged in an activity that justifies this type of leave.

 

Retail Tip 5 - Delegate!

One of the simplest yet most overlooked business secrets is that you can't do everything yourself. Here Mark Davis spills the beans on the art of sharing the load.

 

An expert and trainer in all things retail, business coach Mark Davis divides his time between Australia and Europe, traversing the globe to share his retail, sales, business and Internet marketing insights.

 

 

Being in business can be tough. Operating your own retail venture involves a multitude of skills: hiring staff, dealing with government compliance, keeping everybody safe and making sure you don't break one of the thousands of rules for your store, your franchise, your industry, your council, your state and your country.

So it's really important to consider this: the business doesn't run without you, so you need to replace yourself.

If you ever want to experience freedom in your business, you don't just need to delegate; you need to actively focus on replacing your activities with a skilled professional who can do the same things.

The funny thing is, when you do, you'll find that your replacement for say.... book keeping... does it faster and better than you - after all, it's their speciality.

As a business owner, you're probably a generalist - able to do everything. However if you can do everything OK, it makes sense to hire people who can do some things excellently.

Then you can take a holiday knowing that all the aspects of your business are taken care of. Some things require your physical presence, others don't. Book keeping can be done through elance.com or ymii.com with an outsourcer in India... Writing contracts, agreements, even your payroll can also be outsourced.

Other things, such as sales or merchandising, will require physical staff. For areas such as marketing, it might pay to outsource to an agency or a young graduate, whose fresh ideas will give your business a new lease on life.

Think about it!

 

IR tip 4 - Flexible working arrangements

National Employment Standards now allow employees who are parents enhanced flexibility. So what do their employers need to know? Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt shares the low down.

 

 

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

 

 

This is one of the National Employment Standards that now apply to any employee in Australia.
Any employee who is a parent, and who has at least 12 months service (including an eligible casual employee) may request a change in working arrangements to assist the employee to care for a child. The child must be under school age, or if the child is disabled, under 18 years old.

An ‘eligible casual employee' is one who is a long term casual employee and has a reasonable expectation of continuing employment on a regular and systematic basis.

The request must be in writing and set out the details of the changes sought, and the reasons for the change. The employer must respond in writing within 21 days of being given the request. The employer must grant the request unless there are reasonable business grounds for refusing the request. If the request is refused, the employer must give reasons for the refusal.