MOTIVATION – RESPONSIBILITY
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Abraham Lincoln who said : “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow, by evading it today!”
Actually this very topic came up with one of my colleagues yesterday. He is an entrepreneur – ‘a visionary’ he calls himself. His usual take on things to do with business is to get the business going – get it up off the ground and running and then look at things like registering it as a company or for VAT or PAYE or even get the books done or the policies and procedures put into place.
Personally, I really think that that is a stupid idea! I can just see everyone’s eyebrows raising and throats being cleared.
Ok, let me explain myself – so you’ve started business with this really brilliant product, that is unique to you. You’ve started on your own and pretty soon you have to employ someone because you just can’t keep up with demand. Before you know it, you’ve had to employ 10 people, you’ve moved premises three times and you now have to rent a warehouse to distribute from and you want to go national. Orders are pouring in and you really don’t have the capital to meet the demand of this growth spurt.
You go to the bank for a loan and here is where the whole thing begins to go pear shaped. You see you are still trading as a Sole Proprietor, so there is no Financial History on your Company, you don’t have a business plan never mind financials or projected sales or anything for that matter. No bank, or in fact an investor of any kind will lend you money without the right information.
To make matters worse, you seem to have employed a ‘rotten apple’ type individual who is hell bent on stirring up trouble and at this point you can’t do anything as you have not issued anyone with a Letter of Appointment and you are not registered with PAYE, UIF or Workmen’s compensation. Said individual keeps threatening to go to SARS and/or Department of Labour to report you, which would probably result in a SARS audit, which could become hugely costly for you as you are way over the minimum for VAT and you’re not registered for that either!
Pretty much a disaster, I am sure you will agree. So now it becomes a race against time trying to get all the documentation done and registered and you’re running around like a mad person trying to put out some fires (in terms of SARS and the Department of Labour), whilst simultaneously trying to light other fires (under the rear ends of the red tape bureaucrats in said financial institutions who grant loans) and still trying to meet your deliverables and manage your company.
Not a good place to be. Now if you had started in the correct manner by registering your company, then getting your financial stuff in order with a proper bookkeeper/accountant in place to give you monthly management reports, your bank accounts – just by themselves would have given you financial history that would be working in your benefit right from the beginning.
Then issuing Letters of Appointment to staff as you employed them and putting policies, procedures and templates in place to protect yourself from ‘rotten apple’ type employees who try and hold you over a barrel, would all have resulted in a completely different type of scenario.
Which situation do you think would have been easier?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
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Saturday, January 31, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
HR 101 - 24 Hours Notice
ARTICLE 63
24 Hour’s Notice
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC November 2010
Let’s go back to my favourite protagonists – I haven’t used them for quite a while.
Mike is our SMME who owns a small store in a busy mall. George is his right hand man, who is basically the shop assistant and who is employed full time. George has worked for Mike for more than eight years.
George started working for Mike just after he left school and he had a basic standard 8 education and no work experience at all. George now is computer literate and is proficient at selling and he looks after the shop with the help of a casual, when Mike takes the occasional day off.
George now also has a full matric that he earned by correspondence and that Mike ultimately paid for.
George has a proper Letter of Appointment that he has signed and that states that a month’s notice should be given at termination by either party.
Over the past few months the relationship between Mike and George has been different. Not bad – just different you understand – but certainly different.
It all started when Mike did the annual increase and he gave George a 10% increase. George did not appear to feel that the increase was sufficiently big enough. Mike showed George all the increases that the business had to contend with, such as rent, utilities and so on and explained that due to the fact that sales were down and expenses were up, the store could not afford a bigger increase at that time.
Whilst George appeared to understand the predicament that Mike was in, he was not his usual self. Mike tried to find out what the problem was, but could not get any feedback from George – Mike hoped that ‘time’ would sort the problem out.
Well time certainly did sort the problem out, but not in the way that Mike would have liked. You see George came to work one day and stated that he was resigning with immediate effect and that this would be his last day and that he expected to be paid in full, including his leave pay etc., by the time he left that afternoon.
As I am sure you can understand, Mike was more than a little shocked! What now? Apart from anything else, it was coming up for Christmas – easily the busiest time for the retail sector and apart from him having to find another person to replace George, there certainly wasn’t enough time to find someone and train them. Mike was in for a very heavy two months.
Frustrated Mike stated that George had signed a contract stating that he would give a month’s notice. George shrugged his shoulders and stated “I am not coming to work here tomorrow and if you have not paid me and my money is not in my account tomorrow morning, I will go to the Department of Labour.”
Well so much for gratitude! So much for treating your staff well and fairly and for paying for their education . . . . Well, no use crying over spilt milk.
Understandably, Mike was furious, but what sort of recourse did he have?
In a similar case “National Entitled Workers Union v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation & Arbitration & others (2007) 28 ILJ 1223 (LAC), the union employed a person who left them without giving notice and the labour court disagreed that this was unfair labour practice perpetrated against them.”
According to Advocate Estelle Botha, “the court confirmed that the one recourse for employers is to sue the employee under common law, for breach of contract”. Yeah right! Exactly what purpose would that serve, other than to incur more costs and waste more of the employers valuable time?
Advocate Botha agrees that employees who give 24 hours notice or who just walk out are most definitely in breach of contract and that what they are doing is totally illegal – but how does that help the average entrepreneur or employer?
Wait – help is here! Advocate Botha has a solution for us and it goes like this.
Advocate Botha says “In order to protect themselves, employers must stipulate in the employment contract that should the employee terminate the employment contract without tendering the written contractual notice period, then the employer will deduct from the final payment to the employee, an amount equal to the period of notice not given.”
You see, if you include this clause in your Letter of Appointment or contract of employment, it becomes part of the agreement between the employer and the employee and when the employee signs the letter or contract of employment, it becomes a condition of their employment.
Then if the employee does ‘gap it’ or does only give 24 hours notice, you as the employer can deduct notice pay from whatever it is that you owe them.
How cool is that !
Remember though, unless you have that clause in place you cannot deduct the money. So for those who have letters and contracts of employment in place – don’t forget to ‘re-negotiate’ – whatever you do, don’t just change it.
I am off to include the clause in my contracts . . .
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
24 Hour’s Notice
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC November 2010
Let’s go back to my favourite protagonists – I haven’t used them for quite a while.
Mike is our SMME who owns a small store in a busy mall. George is his right hand man, who is basically the shop assistant and who is employed full time. George has worked for Mike for more than eight years.
George started working for Mike just after he left school and he had a basic standard 8 education and no work experience at all. George now is computer literate and is proficient at selling and he looks after the shop with the help of a casual, when Mike takes the occasional day off.
George now also has a full matric that he earned by correspondence and that Mike ultimately paid for.
George has a proper Letter of Appointment that he has signed and that states that a month’s notice should be given at termination by either party.
Over the past few months the relationship between Mike and George has been different. Not bad – just different you understand – but certainly different.
It all started when Mike did the annual increase and he gave George a 10% increase. George did not appear to feel that the increase was sufficiently big enough. Mike showed George all the increases that the business had to contend with, such as rent, utilities and so on and explained that due to the fact that sales were down and expenses were up, the store could not afford a bigger increase at that time.
Whilst George appeared to understand the predicament that Mike was in, he was not his usual self. Mike tried to find out what the problem was, but could not get any feedback from George – Mike hoped that ‘time’ would sort the problem out.
Well time certainly did sort the problem out, but not in the way that Mike would have liked. You see George came to work one day and stated that he was resigning with immediate effect and that this would be his last day and that he expected to be paid in full, including his leave pay etc., by the time he left that afternoon.
As I am sure you can understand, Mike was more than a little shocked! What now? Apart from anything else, it was coming up for Christmas – easily the busiest time for the retail sector and apart from him having to find another person to replace George, there certainly wasn’t enough time to find someone and train them. Mike was in for a very heavy two months.
Frustrated Mike stated that George had signed a contract stating that he would give a month’s notice. George shrugged his shoulders and stated “I am not coming to work here tomorrow and if you have not paid me and my money is not in my account tomorrow morning, I will go to the Department of Labour.”
Well so much for gratitude! So much for treating your staff well and fairly and for paying for their education . . . . Well, no use crying over spilt milk.
Understandably, Mike was furious, but what sort of recourse did he have?
In a similar case “National Entitled Workers Union v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation & Arbitration & others (2007) 28 ILJ 1223 (LAC), the union employed a person who left them without giving notice and the labour court disagreed that this was unfair labour practice perpetrated against them.”
According to Advocate Estelle Botha, “the court confirmed that the one recourse for employers is to sue the employee under common law, for breach of contract”. Yeah right! Exactly what purpose would that serve, other than to incur more costs and waste more of the employers valuable time?
Advocate Botha agrees that employees who give 24 hours notice or who just walk out are most definitely in breach of contract and that what they are doing is totally illegal – but how does that help the average entrepreneur or employer?
Wait – help is here! Advocate Botha has a solution for us and it goes like this.
Advocate Botha says “In order to protect themselves, employers must stipulate in the employment contract that should the employee terminate the employment contract without tendering the written contractual notice period, then the employer will deduct from the final payment to the employee, an amount equal to the period of notice not given.”
You see, if you include this clause in your Letter of Appointment or contract of employment, it becomes part of the agreement between the employer and the employee and when the employee signs the letter or contract of employment, it becomes a condition of their employment.
Then if the employee does ‘gap it’ or does only give 24 hours notice, you as the employer can deduct notice pay from whatever it is that you owe them.
How cool is that !
Remember though, unless you have that clause in place you cannot deduct the money. So for those who have letters and contracts of employment in place – don’t forget to ‘re-negotiate’ – whatever you do, don’t just change it.
I am off to include the clause in my contracts . . .
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, January 29, 2015
HR 101 - When you want to hire staff - Part 3
ARTICLE 62
When You Want to Hire Staff – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Last time we had a look at how to screen the applicants using the Job Description and today we will progress onto the actual interview.
So there I was left with 3 applicants for the job. How to choose which one would be the most suitable for the position.
At this point it is not always about the qualifications and the number of years experience – what happens, as in my particular situation where you had 3 individuals who met all the requirements in the job description? Well at least that is what they said.
It is extremely important, when you interview someone to have a list of what it is that you want to ask – be sure to ask everyone the same question and have a ‘reason’ why you are asking that question. For example, when you ask a candidate if they are married and have children – the question is not so that you can ask them out on a date, it is usually asked so that you can ascertain if they have other commitments (outside of the working environment) that will take up their time or asking them what sport they enjoy is not because I want to come and watch them playing their next game, its because I want to know if they play for the Provincial/National team, as that would take them ‘out of the office’ when they go away on tours and the like.
Remember questions like “Are you pregnant?” or “Do you have HIV/Aids?” should not be asked. Actually, if the truth be told, you can ask any question you like, but if the applicant is of the opinion that they didn’t get the position because of their answer to that particular question, then you could be in trouble with the Department of Labour as you cannot discriminate against someone because they are pregnant and you cannot discriminate against someone because they are HIV/Aids positive. So why bother asking those particular questions unless the position that they are applying for will adversely affect those in that particular position. For me, awarding a score to each answer that is positive for the Company, means that I can reduce their answers to numbers and then the applicant with the highest score would be the winner. Don’t forget to take into account things like, whether they are able to work as part of a team, your first impression, how they presented themselves, how they spoke or articulated what they wanted to say – these are all very important factors that should also be scored upon. What do you think of the individual and as a person? Let’s be honest – if the hair on the back of your neck rises each time you look at them or talk to them, it is not a good idea to hire them, especially if you are going to be working closely with them. Don’t ever disregard your ‘gut feel’ or your intuition – it may save you many a grey hair in the long run.
Then get them to do a little test – something that they would be expected to do as a matter of course. If for example you are employing someone who will assist in putting together and running an event - give them the brief on an event that you have run in the past (take out the clients name and any other confidential information or change the names etc) and get them to give you a list of what they need to do. Someone who has actually done this before will have no trouble giving you something that makes sense, but someone who is taking a chance will in all probability leave out many of the most fundamental and basic steps. Getting them to do a little test is one of the quickest ways to ensure that you actually have someone who knows what it is that they are doing as opposed to someone who thinks they know it all.
Finally, once you have made your choice, don’t forget to check those references. Don’t just call the cell phone number of the person that they say they worked for – look up the Company’s phone number and ask to speak to that person – at least that way you know that they actually work there. Another tip is to ask to speak to that person’s supervisor/manager. Do you know how many people give the name and contact details of the person who sat at the desk next to them and not their supervisor and/or manager? Remember that if you cannot get hold of one or more of their references, there is usually a reason and I promise you it will not be in your favour. I personally would not employ someone whose references I could not verify.
If you are needing certificates and/or diplomas – check with the university or learning establishment to make sure that they did in fact get that qualification – this always reminds me of the surgeon who is performing complicated operations who was thrown out of medical school before he qualified. Don’t believe anything they tell you – check it out and make sure yourself.
Next time we will have a look at a completely new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
When You Want to Hire Staff – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Last time we had a look at how to screen the applicants using the Job Description and today we will progress onto the actual interview.
So there I was left with 3 applicants for the job. How to choose which one would be the most suitable for the position.
At this point it is not always about the qualifications and the number of years experience – what happens, as in my particular situation where you had 3 individuals who met all the requirements in the job description? Well at least that is what they said.
It is extremely important, when you interview someone to have a list of what it is that you want to ask – be sure to ask everyone the same question and have a ‘reason’ why you are asking that question. For example, when you ask a candidate if they are married and have children – the question is not so that you can ask them out on a date, it is usually asked so that you can ascertain if they have other commitments (outside of the working environment) that will take up their time or asking them what sport they enjoy is not because I want to come and watch them playing their next game, its because I want to know if they play for the Provincial/National team, as that would take them ‘out of the office’ when they go away on tours and the like.
Remember questions like “Are you pregnant?” or “Do you have HIV/Aids?” should not be asked. Actually, if the truth be told, you can ask any question you like, but if the applicant is of the opinion that they didn’t get the position because of their answer to that particular question, then you could be in trouble with the Department of Labour as you cannot discriminate against someone because they are pregnant and you cannot discriminate against someone because they are HIV/Aids positive. So why bother asking those particular questions unless the position that they are applying for will adversely affect those in that particular position. For me, awarding a score to each answer that is positive for the Company, means that I can reduce their answers to numbers and then the applicant with the highest score would be the winner. Don’t forget to take into account things like, whether they are able to work as part of a team, your first impression, how they presented themselves, how they spoke or articulated what they wanted to say – these are all very important factors that should also be scored upon. What do you think of the individual and as a person? Let’s be honest – if the hair on the back of your neck rises each time you look at them or talk to them, it is not a good idea to hire them, especially if you are going to be working closely with them. Don’t ever disregard your ‘gut feel’ or your intuition – it may save you many a grey hair in the long run.
Then get them to do a little test – something that they would be expected to do as a matter of course. If for example you are employing someone who will assist in putting together and running an event - give them the brief on an event that you have run in the past (take out the clients name and any other confidential information or change the names etc) and get them to give you a list of what they need to do. Someone who has actually done this before will have no trouble giving you something that makes sense, but someone who is taking a chance will in all probability leave out many of the most fundamental and basic steps. Getting them to do a little test is one of the quickest ways to ensure that you actually have someone who knows what it is that they are doing as opposed to someone who thinks they know it all.
Finally, once you have made your choice, don’t forget to check those references. Don’t just call the cell phone number of the person that they say they worked for – look up the Company’s phone number and ask to speak to that person – at least that way you know that they actually work there. Another tip is to ask to speak to that person’s supervisor/manager. Do you know how many people give the name and contact details of the person who sat at the desk next to them and not their supervisor and/or manager? Remember that if you cannot get hold of one or more of their references, there is usually a reason and I promise you it will not be in your favour. I personally would not employ someone whose references I could not verify.
If you are needing certificates and/or diplomas – check with the university or learning establishment to make sure that they did in fact get that qualification – this always reminds me of the surgeon who is performing complicated operations who was thrown out of medical school before he qualified. Don’t believe anything they tell you – check it out and make sure yourself.
Next time we will have a look at a completely new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Networking 101 - Be sure to list your achievements
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 80
Be sure to list your achievements
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Tell people what it is that you are good at or have done well. Don’t confuse the communication of factual business information with false modesty.”
Oh I am absolutely for this one! Look, I understand that no-one wants to go around telling everyone how fantastic they are and the list of their achievements. It’s not the best thing to do, if you are socializing – however, if you are networking it is essential.
People need to know what you have achieved. It all goes to who you are and what you have done. It goes to your credibility. It goes to your deliverables. It tells people that you do deliver, that you do achieve and that you can be trusted. It lets people know that others have used your services or bought your products and they have been well pleased with what you did for them.
In short it tells them that you are trustworthy and they will be more willing to part with their hard earned moola.
So don’t hide your achievements under the blankets as if you are ashamed of them. Tell everyone what you have done with your life and tell it proudly. I am sure you worked very hard to achieve it, be proud that you have and show it.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 80
Be sure to list your achievements
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Tell people what it is that you are good at or have done well. Don’t confuse the communication of factual business information with false modesty.”
Oh I am absolutely for this one! Look, I understand that no-one wants to go around telling everyone how fantastic they are and the list of their achievements. It’s not the best thing to do, if you are socializing – however, if you are networking it is essential.
People need to know what you have achieved. It all goes to who you are and what you have done. It goes to your credibility. It goes to your deliverables. It tells people that you do deliver, that you do achieve and that you can be trusted. It lets people know that others have used your services or bought your products and they have been well pleased with what you did for them.
In short it tells them that you are trustworthy and they will be more willing to part with their hard earned moola.
So don’t hide your achievements under the blankets as if you are ashamed of them. Tell everyone what you have done with your life and tell it proudly. I am sure you worked very hard to achieve it, be proud that you have and show it.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
BUSINESS TIPS – Payroll Tips for Tax Year End 2015 – Part 2
BUSINESS TIPS – Payroll Tips for Tax Year End 2010 – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC January 2010
Last time I touched on some of the requirements that an employer would need to work through in terms of the payroll and the tax year end pertaining to 2015.
Here are some more requirements that I came across during my research.
The following information needs to be captured for each employee (where possible):
• Employee Surname and First Two Names
• Employee ID Number
• Employee Passport Number and Country where the passport was issued
• Employee Date of Birth
• Employee Tax Reference Number
• Employee Contact Telephone Number – Home, Business, Fax or Cell
• Employee Residential Address
• Employee Bank Account Details.
Once all this information is loaded or captured the Year End Procedures can be dealt with. These are (but not limited to):
• The whole year’s pay slips, for each individual employee, needs to be added together and all the source codes for each employee should also be grouped together
• As a ‘balance check’ the PAYE, UIF and SDL should be recalculated per employee, per month for the year. These figures should then be compared to the monthly EMP201’s and all the payments made to SARS to ensure that they are correct.
• Again as a ‘balance check’, all the values on the monthly EMP201’s should be added together and compared to all the monthly payments that were made to SARS and they should match. These amounts should also match the total tax amounts as they appear on the IRP5’s and the EMP501. Should there be any discrepancies and or differences these should be shown on the EMP501 reconciliation and if necessary they should be paid across to SARS. For your own records (and in the event of a SARS audit), you should keep a written explanation as to what occurred when these discrepancies took place.
• Once everything is reconciled all the information should be captured manually into the SARS e@syFile. This must include the information pertaining to each employee as well as the tax certificate values and this then should be submitted to SARS.
That’s enough information to digest in one go, so next time we will continue with the next step of the requirements.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, January 26, 2015
Motivation - Responsible for who we become
MOTIVATION – RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO WE BECOME
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It has been said that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but that we are responsible for who we become.
All around me I hear excuses from people. Excuses about why they cannot do something, or why the have failed at something. Hell I even had a chap, who for the purposes of this missive shall remain nameless, who said that I “have to” mentor him because he was previously disadvantaged! What absolute crap is that?
Many years ago, my father said to me “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world because it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you have made for yourself.”
It is something that I have taken very seriously all my life. I am careful about the promises that I make because I have to keep them. I am careful about the commitments that I make because they have to be honoured. It is my name that is at stake and quite honestly it is the only possession that I have that I will take to the grave with me.
The result of this for me, is that I have never blamed my background or my circumstances for anything – there’s no real point is there? I am the only one who can make the changes and I am the only one that can make things happen (or not happen) in my life.
So why is it, that where ever I go, I hear tales of woe and stories about how the government is to blame, or apartheid, or the interest rates, or global warming or the tax man or anything else that they can think of and blame. Why is it that we as individuals cannot take responsibility for what we’ve done and learn from our mistakes, dust ourselves off and stand up and start again. There’s no shame in that at all.
For me the shame comes in the fact that we don’t take responsibility and own our own mistakes, but that we find it easier to just blame all those around us!
So which one are you? Do you stand tall and proud? Do you take responsibility for what you do or do you find it easier to blame everyone and everything else?
What kind of name will you take out of this world? What legacy will you leave your children? What name have you given them?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It has been said that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but that we are responsible for who we become.
All around me I hear excuses from people. Excuses about why they cannot do something, or why the have failed at something. Hell I even had a chap, who for the purposes of this missive shall remain nameless, who said that I “have to” mentor him because he was previously disadvantaged! What absolute crap is that?
Many years ago, my father said to me “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world because it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you have made for yourself.”
It is something that I have taken very seriously all my life. I am careful about the promises that I make because I have to keep them. I am careful about the commitments that I make because they have to be honoured. It is my name that is at stake and quite honestly it is the only possession that I have that I will take to the grave with me.
The result of this for me, is that I have never blamed my background or my circumstances for anything – there’s no real point is there? I am the only one who can make the changes and I am the only one that can make things happen (or not happen) in my life.
So why is it, that where ever I go, I hear tales of woe and stories about how the government is to blame, or apartheid, or the interest rates, or global warming or the tax man or anything else that they can think of and blame. Why is it that we as individuals cannot take responsibility for what we’ve done and learn from our mistakes, dust ourselves off and stand up and start again. There’s no shame in that at all.
For me the shame comes in the fact that we don’t take responsibility and own our own mistakes, but that we find it easier to just blame all those around us!
So which one are you? Do you stand tall and proud? Do you take responsibility for what you do or do you find it easier to blame everyone and everything else?
What kind of name will you take out of this world? What legacy will you leave your children? What name have you given them?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
MOTIVATION – Responsive to Change
MOTIVATION – Responsive to Change
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2010
Charles Darwin says “It’s not the strongest of species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one that is responsive to change.”
Ain’t that the truth! Thing is though, that it is not only generally true to life, but very definitely true of business and in particular small businesses.
I know that when I started my business, I had a very clear idea of what was supposed to happen. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do and how it was going to get done and I had a very clear idea about who my clients would be.
Then I hit reality! You see just because I know what a small business needs, doesn’t mean that the guy who owns that small business will agree with me! Doesn’t mean that the guy who owns that small business even understands what the true value of what I do that helps his business. Doesn’t mean that the guy who owns that small business, even though he may understand the value of what I do, has the money to put that value to good use.
The first couple of years were hard I must admit. Time and time again, I walked into businesses who were in desperate need of what I do, who could/would not afford me. Time and time again I walked into businesses that were floundering along and the owner was so engrossed in putting one foot in front of the other to keep himself above the water that he could not see how with each footstep he was walking deeper and deeper into the water. People saw (and in many instances, still do see) what I do as a ‘grudge’ purchase (much as most of us see insurance) and they resented having to buy my wares. Sad that – really sad.
Here’s the thing though, I had to change my mind set and find other ways to bring money in. I had to change my thinking and expand my list of offerings, if I didn’t I would soon have become another statistic. People, especially small business owners, were not ready to see that what I do (no matter what they pay for it now) actually saves them money in the long run and until such time as I could make them see that and understand that, I would have to look in other directions to bring the monthly revenues in.
So I looked in similar but different directions and so my workshop A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business was born. From there my vision and dreams have expanded and now I have a whole bunch of facilitators – all small business owners, like myself, teaching small business owners what they need to learn. Each one of the facilitators are people who are passionate about what it is that they do and each one is an expert in their own fields. What makes their training unique is the fact that they are entrepreneurs who teach others and share their knowledge. They share the experiences of what they did, how to avoid what they would have liked to avoid and how to ‘rake it in’ where possible. They are not the big corporate giants trying to teach entrepreneurs something that they have no clue how to do – run a small business.
Have I abandoned my dream, the original dream? Of course not, actually I do a great deal of work in that arena and I love it as much as I did when I started – more probably because of what I have had to endure to keep it alive. That said, I am constantly looking for new avenues, new opportunities and new adventures and believe me when I say “I mean to have my cake and eat it!”
In order to survive, to flourish and grow, though – you do have to adapt. Remember to constantly look around you and see the potential – not just see it, but feel it and embrace it and then do something about it.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2010
Charles Darwin says “It’s not the strongest of species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one that is responsive to change.”
Ain’t that the truth! Thing is though, that it is not only generally true to life, but very definitely true of business and in particular small businesses.
I know that when I started my business, I had a very clear idea of what was supposed to happen. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do and how it was going to get done and I had a very clear idea about who my clients would be.
Then I hit reality! You see just because I know what a small business needs, doesn’t mean that the guy who owns that small business will agree with me! Doesn’t mean that the guy who owns that small business even understands what the true value of what I do that helps his business. Doesn’t mean that the guy who owns that small business, even though he may understand the value of what I do, has the money to put that value to good use.
The first couple of years were hard I must admit. Time and time again, I walked into businesses who were in desperate need of what I do, who could/would not afford me. Time and time again I walked into businesses that were floundering along and the owner was so engrossed in putting one foot in front of the other to keep himself above the water that he could not see how with each footstep he was walking deeper and deeper into the water. People saw (and in many instances, still do see) what I do as a ‘grudge’ purchase (much as most of us see insurance) and they resented having to buy my wares. Sad that – really sad.
Here’s the thing though, I had to change my mind set and find other ways to bring money in. I had to change my thinking and expand my list of offerings, if I didn’t I would soon have become another statistic. People, especially small business owners, were not ready to see that what I do (no matter what they pay for it now) actually saves them money in the long run and until such time as I could make them see that and understand that, I would have to look in other directions to bring the monthly revenues in.
So I looked in similar but different directions and so my workshop A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business was born. From there my vision and dreams have expanded and now I have a whole bunch of facilitators – all small business owners, like myself, teaching small business owners what they need to learn. Each one of the facilitators are people who are passionate about what it is that they do and each one is an expert in their own fields. What makes their training unique is the fact that they are entrepreneurs who teach others and share their knowledge. They share the experiences of what they did, how to avoid what they would have liked to avoid and how to ‘rake it in’ where possible. They are not the big corporate giants trying to teach entrepreneurs something that they have no clue how to do – run a small business.
Have I abandoned my dream, the original dream? Of course not, actually I do a great deal of work in that arena and I love it as much as I did when I started – more probably because of what I have had to endure to keep it alive. That said, I am constantly looking for new avenues, new opportunities and new adventures and believe me when I say “I mean to have my cake and eat it!”
In order to survive, to flourish and grow, though – you do have to adapt. Remember to constantly look around you and see the potential – not just see it, but feel it and embrace it and then do something about it.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Motivation - Potentials rather than Problems
Motivation - Potentials rather than ProblemsMOTIVATION – Potentials Rather Than Problems
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – February 2010
“If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather than dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.” Says Barbara Bush.
What an amazing opportunity for us to change our mindsets – to see things from a positive perspective instead of the negative. That’s all it is at the end of the day – a simple mindset, yet we as humans tend to focus on the negative, on what is our perception of what is wrong instead of what could be right.
A couple of years ago, a friend of mine (let’s call her Jane) was out and about in the Company bakkie – not doing anything that she shouldn’t have you understand – just going about company business. Someone missed a stop street and missed hitting her by literally millimeters. Tires shrieking, brakes almost smoking, vehicle swinging and swaying all over the road, Jane fought to bring the ‘out of control’ vehicle back under control. Thankfully there were no other vehicles around and Jane eventually brought the bakkie to stop and when she got out of the vehicle she was so shaky she could not stand properly and fell to the ground weeping uncontrollably.
Jane was distraught! For days, she went about in a highly emotional state, telling everyone who would listen the whole story, blow by blow – second by second. She went from anger at the person who did not stop at the stop street and who sped away after the incident, to fits of weeping and then bouts of strange laughter. She ranted and raved at the bad ‘road side manner’ of many drivers and driving either with her at the wheel or her as a passenger became quite a challenge as she went from a normally relatively calm individual to someone in the throes of ‘road rage’ in seconds. It was driving me nuts I tell you! Nuts!
Eventually, one morning, whilst listening to the story for the 1000th time, I had had enough and in the middle of her tirade I turned to her and said “Jane – are you alive? Do you have any bruises? Is the bakkie okay?” She turned to me with a quizzical look on her face and replied that she was. “Well then I countered, what on earth are you on about – yes it could have happened, but the reality is that it didn’t – so can we please move forward now?” She sat quietly for a few minutes and then looked at me and said “I’ve been a bit of a pain this last week, haven’t I? I’m fine, alive and in good health – let’s go and celebrate!” And we did . . .
The point here, is that we often get fixated on the negative, on the bad, or the things that irritate instead of with a simple mind set change, focusing on the good, the positive and the potential.
Here’s my challenge to you this week (and if you are aware of it, it will be much easier), at least once a day, when you find yourself in the negative or looking at the bad – consciously move it to the positive – find the good and focus on that. You will be amazed at what it does to your mood.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – February 2010
“If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather than dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.” Says Barbara Bush.
What an amazing opportunity for us to change our mindsets – to see things from a positive perspective instead of the negative. That’s all it is at the end of the day – a simple mindset, yet we as humans tend to focus on the negative, on what is our perception of what is wrong instead of what could be right.
A couple of years ago, a friend of mine (let’s call her Jane) was out and about in the Company bakkie – not doing anything that she shouldn’t have you understand – just going about company business. Someone missed a stop street and missed hitting her by literally millimeters. Tires shrieking, brakes almost smoking, vehicle swinging and swaying all over the road, Jane fought to bring the ‘out of control’ vehicle back under control. Thankfully there were no other vehicles around and Jane eventually brought the bakkie to stop and when she got out of the vehicle she was so shaky she could not stand properly and fell to the ground weeping uncontrollably.
Jane was distraught! For days, she went about in a highly emotional state, telling everyone who would listen the whole story, blow by blow – second by second. She went from anger at the person who did not stop at the stop street and who sped away after the incident, to fits of weeping and then bouts of strange laughter. She ranted and raved at the bad ‘road side manner’ of many drivers and driving either with her at the wheel or her as a passenger became quite a challenge as she went from a normally relatively calm individual to someone in the throes of ‘road rage’ in seconds. It was driving me nuts I tell you! Nuts!
Eventually, one morning, whilst listening to the story for the 1000th time, I had had enough and in the middle of her tirade I turned to her and said “Jane – are you alive? Do you have any bruises? Is the bakkie okay?” She turned to me with a quizzical look on her face and replied that she was. “Well then I countered, what on earth are you on about – yes it could have happened, but the reality is that it didn’t – so can we please move forward now?” She sat quietly for a few minutes and then looked at me and said “I’ve been a bit of a pain this last week, haven’t I? I’m fine, alive and in good health – let’s go and celebrate!” And we did . . .
The point here, is that we often get fixated on the negative, on the bad, or the things that irritate instead of with a simple mind set change, focusing on the good, the positive and the potential.
Here’s my challenge to you this week (and if you are aware of it, it will be much easier), at least once a day, when you find yourself in the negative or looking at the bad – consciously move it to the positive – find the good and focus on that. You will be amazed at what it does to your mood.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, January 23, 2015
HR 101 - When you want to hire staff - Part 2
ARTICLE 62
When You Want to Hire Staff – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Last time we had a look at ascertaining whether we really did need to hire staff or not, as well as ‘how to’ ensure that we were hiring them for a specific purpose (being the right purpose) and not just because there was a body available and we felt sorry for them. This time we look at the next steps to take.
Ok, so now you have set up the job spec and posted the information where -ever you can think of on the web, at your local supermarkets - just generally all over. Suddenly, it’s as if the flood gates have opened and you are flooded with e-mails and CV’s. Everyone is looking for a job (whether they are actually qualified to do it or not is something else altogether). You will be able to tell at first glance (and I mean glance – don’t do more than that at this stage) who may be (and I stress MAY be) suitable and who definitely isn’t. Here’s a true story:
I was looking for a Financial Administrator for one of my clients. The job spec was really very clear, to the point that we stipulated that the applicant should be a qualified CA (chartered accountant) with a minimum of 5 years working experience in a Financial environment. One of the applicants we got a CV from (and there were over 700 applicants for the position) was working as a Financial Planner in one of the banks – she didn’t even have basic bookkeeping as a subject at school. Curious I contacted her and asked her why she even responded since she was clearly not at all qualified for the position. Her response “well I work in a financial planning department in the bank, so how difficult can it be”? Not too difficult I guess, if you have done the study for 3 or 4 years and qualified and done the year long stint as an ‘Article Clerk’ and then actually worked in a Financial department (and no Financial Planning is not a Financial Environment – it is an Insurance environment) for no less than the required period!
Once you have gotten rid of all the nonsense, it is time to take a more serious look at what is left (I was left with around 20 at this point). I usually draw up a check list of sorts, of the requirements that are needed for the job and then as I work through the CV’s, I tick off what they have. For me, the applicant needs to have at least 80% of the requirements before I even start interviewing and of those some are not even negotiable. As in the above example – certainly the applicant having the required qualification, is not negotiable, but the applicant having say four years experience instead of the required five, would have been a point that I would have been happy to negotiate. After performing this particular task, I was left with 3 people to interview.
Next time we will have a look at the next step.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
When You Want to Hire Staff – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Last time we had a look at ascertaining whether we really did need to hire staff or not, as well as ‘how to’ ensure that we were hiring them for a specific purpose (being the right purpose) and not just because there was a body available and we felt sorry for them. This time we look at the next steps to take.
Ok, so now you have set up the job spec and posted the information where -ever you can think of on the web, at your local supermarkets - just generally all over. Suddenly, it’s as if the flood gates have opened and you are flooded with e-mails and CV’s. Everyone is looking for a job (whether they are actually qualified to do it or not is something else altogether). You will be able to tell at first glance (and I mean glance – don’t do more than that at this stage) who may be (and I stress MAY be) suitable and who definitely isn’t. Here’s a true story:
I was looking for a Financial Administrator for one of my clients. The job spec was really very clear, to the point that we stipulated that the applicant should be a qualified CA (chartered accountant) with a minimum of 5 years working experience in a Financial environment. One of the applicants we got a CV from (and there were over 700 applicants for the position) was working as a Financial Planner in one of the banks – she didn’t even have basic bookkeeping as a subject at school. Curious I contacted her and asked her why she even responded since she was clearly not at all qualified for the position. Her response “well I work in a financial planning department in the bank, so how difficult can it be”? Not too difficult I guess, if you have done the study for 3 or 4 years and qualified and done the year long stint as an ‘Article Clerk’ and then actually worked in a Financial department (and no Financial Planning is not a Financial Environment – it is an Insurance environment) for no less than the required period!
Once you have gotten rid of all the nonsense, it is time to take a more serious look at what is left (I was left with around 20 at this point). I usually draw up a check list of sorts, of the requirements that are needed for the job and then as I work through the CV’s, I tick off what they have. For me, the applicant needs to have at least 80% of the requirements before I even start interviewing and of those some are not even negotiable. As in the above example – certainly the applicant having the required qualification, is not negotiable, but the applicant having say four years experience instead of the required five, would have been a point that I would have been happy to negotiate. After performing this particular task, I was left with 3 people to interview.
Next time we will have a look at the next step.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, January 22, 2015
HR 101 - When you want to hire staff - Part 1
ARTICLE 62
When You Want to Hire Staff – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Let me just say from the get go, that in my opinion, we, more often than not, hire staff that we either do not need or alternatively that are completely unsuitable.
Let me explain my statement.
Firstly we have the situation where we hire staff that we don’t need – this is what happens when you walk into your office and are confronted by this huge mound of paper, files, stuff all over the desk – well you assume that it is a desk, because you cannot see it. Your first ‘knee jerk’ reaction is “I need help” and your second ‘knee jerk’ reaction is – “I have to hire a staff member”. This is where you need to step away from the problem, take a deep breath, go and have a cup of coffee, a large whiskey (or whatever your choice of poison) and do nothing else. Chances are, you see, that you actually don’t need anything more than a student type person for a couple of hours to help you clear through the backlog.
Secondly we have the situation, where you are correct, you do need someone to help you and your friend’s, aunties sister who lives down the road was recently retrenched and ‘ag shame’ she could do with the money – so you hire her and then while she sits and watches you work, you do all the work because she has no clue how to do anything! Bad move that! In this situation you are stuck with the new employee that you actually don’t want because they are not helping you but rather costing you money and giving you additional work.
Here’s the thing, before you actually hire anyone, you need to sit yourself down and ask yourself some really hard questions like (but not limited too):
1. Do you really need help or are you just a little behind?
2. What exactly will the person do – or rather (in the spirit of being absolutely honest with yourself), what work, that you are currently doing are you prepared to relinquish to another person – because that is exactly what it is that you will have to do.
3. This work that you are prepared to give up to your new employee – how long does it take you to do it (this will determine whether you need a full day person, or a half day person or a now and then person).
4. Are you giving the person the things that you hate to do (in which case it would be crazy to hire someone exactly like you – you should be looking at someone completely different to you) or are you going to part with the things that you absolutely love to do (I don’t think that that is even up for discussion – do you?).
So now you have asked and answered the questions – now how do you go about finding that particular person and then interviewing them and then hiring them, and yes, it is a process.
Firstly, I would suggest that you write down exactly what they will need to do and what (if any) qualifications/experience you think that they will need to have in order to fulfil their obligations.
Hiring somebody’s aunties, granny who lives down the road and who has never used a computer to do all your online marketing, is not a good idea, I am sure you will agree. So it’s fair to say that it would be a good idea to take each task that you want that particular person to perform and list the minimum skills that they would require in order to perform those skills.
What usually happens now, is that you are left with a list of (but not limited to)
a. Qualifications (e.g. bookkeeping certificate)
b. Skills (e.g. computer literate and versed in excel and office)
c. Experience (e.g. 3 years as an administrative assistant)
and of course a list of what you want them to do such as (but not limited to):
d. maintaining of filing, both paper and electronic, in compliance with laid down procedures
e. data capture new members and maintain existing database
f. check and confirm prices and calculation on shipping documents
g. check and confirm duties charged on imports etc
Now you have the basics of a Job description – and here’s the bonus, the new staff member’s performance (or lack thereof) can be measured.
Once all your requirements and duties are listed, you can use the list to draft your job spec and once your job spec is drafted and you have handed it to the recruitment agency and/or posted it on the various websites you subscribe to, hopefully you will now start getting some CV’s in.
Next time we will have a look at the next step.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
When You Want to Hire Staff – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Let me just say from the get go, that in my opinion, we, more often than not, hire staff that we either do not need or alternatively that are completely unsuitable.
Let me explain my statement.
Firstly we have the situation where we hire staff that we don’t need – this is what happens when you walk into your office and are confronted by this huge mound of paper, files, stuff all over the desk – well you assume that it is a desk, because you cannot see it. Your first ‘knee jerk’ reaction is “I need help” and your second ‘knee jerk’ reaction is – “I have to hire a staff member”. This is where you need to step away from the problem, take a deep breath, go and have a cup of coffee, a large whiskey (or whatever your choice of poison) and do nothing else. Chances are, you see, that you actually don’t need anything more than a student type person for a couple of hours to help you clear through the backlog.
Secondly we have the situation, where you are correct, you do need someone to help you and your friend’s, aunties sister who lives down the road was recently retrenched and ‘ag shame’ she could do with the money – so you hire her and then while she sits and watches you work, you do all the work because she has no clue how to do anything! Bad move that! In this situation you are stuck with the new employee that you actually don’t want because they are not helping you but rather costing you money and giving you additional work.
Here’s the thing, before you actually hire anyone, you need to sit yourself down and ask yourself some really hard questions like (but not limited too):
1. Do you really need help or are you just a little behind?
2. What exactly will the person do – or rather (in the spirit of being absolutely honest with yourself), what work, that you are currently doing are you prepared to relinquish to another person – because that is exactly what it is that you will have to do.
3. This work that you are prepared to give up to your new employee – how long does it take you to do it (this will determine whether you need a full day person, or a half day person or a now and then person).
4. Are you giving the person the things that you hate to do (in which case it would be crazy to hire someone exactly like you – you should be looking at someone completely different to you) or are you going to part with the things that you absolutely love to do (I don’t think that that is even up for discussion – do you?).
So now you have asked and answered the questions – now how do you go about finding that particular person and then interviewing them and then hiring them, and yes, it is a process.
Firstly, I would suggest that you write down exactly what they will need to do and what (if any) qualifications/experience you think that they will need to have in order to fulfil their obligations.
Hiring somebody’s aunties, granny who lives down the road and who has never used a computer to do all your online marketing, is not a good idea, I am sure you will agree. So it’s fair to say that it would be a good idea to take each task that you want that particular person to perform and list the minimum skills that they would require in order to perform those skills.
What usually happens now, is that you are left with a list of (but not limited to)
a. Qualifications (e.g. bookkeeping certificate)
b. Skills (e.g. computer literate and versed in excel and office)
c. Experience (e.g. 3 years as an administrative assistant)
and of course a list of what you want them to do such as (but not limited to):
d. maintaining of filing, both paper and electronic, in compliance with laid down procedures
e. data capture new members and maintain existing database
f. check and confirm prices and calculation on shipping documents
g. check and confirm duties charged on imports etc
Now you have the basics of a Job description – and here’s the bonus, the new staff member’s performance (or lack thereof) can be measured.
Once all your requirements and duties are listed, you can use the list to draft your job spec and once your job spec is drafted and you have handed it to the recruitment agency and/or posted it on the various websites you subscribe to, hopefully you will now start getting some CV’s in.
Next time we will have a look at the next step.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Networking 101 - Always have the end in mind
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 79
Always have the end in mind
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that you should ‘start with the end in mind’. Whilst I agree with this statement in terms of “Networking” I am not sure that it is true of either life or business (however that would be another discussion for another time).
Going to a networking meeting or attempting to do any kind of networking without having the end in mind, would be going there to achieve absolutely – nothing!
Your objective, or end, in networking is clearly to do business – whether that business is to buy (or find suppliers) or to sell (either your product and/or services) or perhaps it is to do a combination of the two. The bottom line is that it is to do the business.
In order to do the business, I am of the opinion, that a relationship needs to be built. If people don’t know you or don’t know what it is that you do, you cannot start building the relationship so you need to tell them who you are and what it is that you do.
Some networking events allow only a very short time for you to explain what it is that you do and who you are. So it is imperative that you have a really good “elevator speech”.
You need to have your elevator speech written and rehearsed. Practice on your friends and family – make sure that it illustrates clearly what it is that you do.
If possible your elevator speech should highlight what it is that makes your offering different to and better than all of your competitors. Think about what it is that you are saying – if you are a “hairdresser” for example, why should people come to you rather than any other hairdresser? Remember that you know what it is that you do better than anyone else, so it stands to reason that you need to tell them and explain it to them. They cannot read your mind, so they will not know if you don’t tell them.
Then of course you also need ‘to listen’. It’s no good giving people what you think they want or need. You have to give them what they want and in order to find out what that is you need to listen to what they say. Many people don’t actually know how to say the words about what it is that they want, so you need to listen carefully to the words that they are saying in order to determine what they want.
You love to get referrals I am sure. I know that I do. I also know that there is no way that I am going to refer anyone because they were at the same meeting, venue, pub, party (insert where you met them here) as I was, so I make an appointment with them in order to set up a meeting for a one-on-one discussion, to find out what is that they do, to ascertain if there are any synergies and find out if there is any mutually beneficial way that you can add value to each others businesses. This is how the relationship can start to develop. Once the relationship is in this stage it is easier for you to refer or collaborate with or form strategic alliances with these individuals.
This is the end that I always have in mind when I network. Do you really know why it is that you network?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Always have the end in mind
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that you should ‘start with the end in mind’. Whilst I agree with this statement in terms of “Networking” I am not sure that it is true of either life or business (however that would be another discussion for another time).
Going to a networking meeting or attempting to do any kind of networking without having the end in mind, would be going there to achieve absolutely – nothing!
Your objective, or end, in networking is clearly to do business – whether that business is to buy (or find suppliers) or to sell (either your product and/or services) or perhaps it is to do a combination of the two. The bottom line is that it is to do the business.
In order to do the business, I am of the opinion, that a relationship needs to be built. If people don’t know you or don’t know what it is that you do, you cannot start building the relationship so you need to tell them who you are and what it is that you do.
Some networking events allow only a very short time for you to explain what it is that you do and who you are. So it is imperative that you have a really good “elevator speech”.
You need to have your elevator speech written and rehearsed. Practice on your friends and family – make sure that it illustrates clearly what it is that you do.
If possible your elevator speech should highlight what it is that makes your offering different to and better than all of your competitors. Think about what it is that you are saying – if you are a “hairdresser” for example, why should people come to you rather than any other hairdresser? Remember that you know what it is that you do better than anyone else, so it stands to reason that you need to tell them and explain it to them. They cannot read your mind, so they will not know if you don’t tell them.
Then of course you also need ‘to listen’. It’s no good giving people what you think they want or need. You have to give them what they want and in order to find out what that is you need to listen to what they say. Many people don’t actually know how to say the words about what it is that they want, so you need to listen carefully to the words that they are saying in order to determine what they want.
You love to get referrals I am sure. I know that I do. I also know that there is no way that I am going to refer anyone because they were at the same meeting, venue, pub, party (insert where you met them here) as I was, so I make an appointment with them in order to set up a meeting for a one-on-one discussion, to find out what is that they do, to ascertain if there are any synergies and find out if there is any mutually beneficial way that you can add value to each others businesses. This is how the relationship can start to develop. Once the relationship is in this stage it is easier for you to refer or collaborate with or form strategic alliances with these individuals.
This is the end that I always have in mind when I network. Do you really know why it is that you network?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
BUSINESS TIPS – Payroll Tips for Tax Year End 2015 – Part 1
BUSINESS TIPS – Payroll Tips for Tax Year End 2015 – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC January 2010
Well I am expanding somewhat in terms of my business and apart from the new Virtual PA that I now employ, I will be looking at additional assistance in the New Year. This means of course that I needed to look at the new PAYE/SDL and UIF requirements implemented by SARS.
My Company of course is already registered as an ‘Employer’ as I am an employee in my own company and getting myself registered on e-filing was a real nightmare, and I would prefer not to go through that whole experience again, so I have done a little research and whilst I may not know everything (and please believe me when I say that I don’t) here are a few of the things that I did find out.
• The Tax Certificates that are submitted to SARS must be in the format that SARS requires for the 2009/2010 year end submissions. My interpretation of this is that none of the ‘old forms’ will be accepted. My concern here is for people who do not have access to the internet – this could be a real problem for them.
• The electronic tax certificates imported into SARS e@syFile must include an Employer Trade Classification code. If memory serves me correctly, this had to be set up when you originally sign on for EasyFile (although what is so easy about it eludes me at this point).
• The addresses of both the employee and the employer have to follow a specific format when they are submitted. The format is:
- Unit Number
- Complex Name
- Street Number
- Street/Farm name
- Suburb/District
- City/Town
- Postal Code
• The actual Tax Certificates have to be 30 characters long and these characters are made up of the following
- Employer’s PAYE reference number
- The Tax year (remember in this case it will be 2010)
- Unique combination of 16 characters
• The Nature of the Person codes have also been updated/upgraded/amended. The changes of some of them are:
- Code M – Foreign Employment Income (this is no longer in use)
- Code K – Personal Service Trust (this is no longer in use)
- Code H – Personal Service Company ( this one has been renamed to Personal Service Provider to include Personal Service Trust) – talk about confusing!
- Code N – Pensioner (new code) – I have no idea what code pensioners fell under previously.
• If a Passport Number is entered for an employee then the Passport Country of Issue must be supplied.
• Each employee’s Income Tax Reference Numbers are required.
• Contact telephone numbers for each employee are required – big brother is watching.
• Business and Residential Address details are mandatory for each employee – I am not sure how you would handle staff who are residing in squatter camps or informal settlements – and big brother is really watching!
• Employees who are NOT paid in cash are required to supply their bank account details.
• Tax Certificates will be limited to two pages – these are:
- Page 1 – Employer and Employee Demographic information
- Page 2 – Employee Financial Information. Limited to 13 Income and 7 Deduction Source Codes - this is why they say that they have simplified the tax returns!
• The total UIF and SDL contributions must also be included on each employee tax certificate.
That’s enough information to digest in one go, so next time we will continue with the next step of the requirements.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, January 19, 2015
Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 5
MOTIVATION – Powerful Words – Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2010
I have, in my opinion, left the two most powerful words until last. The first of these of course is the word “Action”.
We all need to understand that nothing and I mean absolutely nothing, happens without some sort of action. Let me put it another way, without some sort of action – nothing will happen.
We all have them I’m sure – you know those thoughts of ‘when is ……. going to happen’ or ‘why is . . . . happening to me’? Yes, I can see all of those heads nodding! The fact of the matter is that things happen (or don’t) because of an action that has taken place, so if something is not happening in quite the way that you want it to, you will need to adjust your actions or at the very least, have one!
Irrespective of what your doubts are, or whether you are feeling blue and invisible, you have to keep going and doing. By your very actions, something with start happening and it may seem like it is the smallest of twitches, but that small ‘twitch’ will motivate you. Sheer tenacity is often all that is need to get through it all and when you least expect it, the floodgates will open and you will be awash with everything that it is that you need. Lying in bed and bemoaning your fate will never help the situation (and quite frankly, after the first few minutes I am bored with my own inactivity) but getting yourself up and doing something proactive will certainly be a step in the right direction to change your circumstances. It works every time!
Finally, the most powerful word for me (and it is one that we very rarely use for ourselves) is reward.
Rewards are often what we give to others, but very seldom what we give to ourselves. That’s just crazy! Think about it for a moment – we strive and work towards a goal – but be beat ourselves up on a daily basis because we haven’t achieved what was on our list of ‘things to do’ for the day. We work 18 hour days , sometimes seven days a week – yet we berate ourselves at every opportunity and we very seldom stop and look around to see how far it is that we have come and what we have achieved that wasn’t even on the list.
Rewarding yourself for a job well done from time to time, will often be the greatest motivation that you could ever give to yourself. Subconsciously it tells you, that in your book – you’re ok, you’ve done well and that you have been successful. It’s a wonderful feeling and it’s an afterglow that will stick around long after the reward has been given and taken and it will spur you on to greater achievements.
Whenever you feel down in the dumps or you feel that you have hit a brick wall and don’t know which way to turn – have a look at these words, pick one and match it to your particular challenge of the moment – I have no doubt that it will pick you up, put you back on the path and back on track towards getting and/or achieving your goals and allowing you to be the best that you can be.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2010
I have, in my opinion, left the two most powerful words until last. The first of these of course is the word “Action”.
We all need to understand that nothing and I mean absolutely nothing, happens without some sort of action. Let me put it another way, without some sort of action – nothing will happen.
We all have them I’m sure – you know those thoughts of ‘when is ……. going to happen’ or ‘why is . . . . happening to me’? Yes, I can see all of those heads nodding! The fact of the matter is that things happen (or don’t) because of an action that has taken place, so if something is not happening in quite the way that you want it to, you will need to adjust your actions or at the very least, have one!
Irrespective of what your doubts are, or whether you are feeling blue and invisible, you have to keep going and doing. By your very actions, something with start happening and it may seem like it is the smallest of twitches, but that small ‘twitch’ will motivate you. Sheer tenacity is often all that is need to get through it all and when you least expect it, the floodgates will open and you will be awash with everything that it is that you need. Lying in bed and bemoaning your fate will never help the situation (and quite frankly, after the first few minutes I am bored with my own inactivity) but getting yourself up and doing something proactive will certainly be a step in the right direction to change your circumstances. It works every time!
Finally, the most powerful word for me (and it is one that we very rarely use for ourselves) is reward.
Rewards are often what we give to others, but very seldom what we give to ourselves. That’s just crazy! Think about it for a moment – we strive and work towards a goal – but be beat ourselves up on a daily basis because we haven’t achieved what was on our list of ‘things to do’ for the day. We work 18 hour days , sometimes seven days a week – yet we berate ourselves at every opportunity and we very seldom stop and look around to see how far it is that we have come and what we have achieved that wasn’t even on the list.
Rewarding yourself for a job well done from time to time, will often be the greatest motivation that you could ever give to yourself. Subconsciously it tells you, that in your book – you’re ok, you’ve done well and that you have been successful. It’s a wonderful feeling and it’s an afterglow that will stick around long after the reward has been given and taken and it will spur you on to greater achievements.
Whenever you feel down in the dumps or you feel that you have hit a brick wall and don’t know which way to turn – have a look at these words, pick one and match it to your particular challenge of the moment – I have no doubt that it will pick you up, put you back on the path and back on track towards getting and/or achieving your goals and allowing you to be the best that you can be.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 3
MOTIVATION – Powerful Words – Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2010
Here we are at week three on this particular series – powerful words and how they motivate us. Already they have had a profound effect upon me . . I wonder how they have impacted (if at all) on you?
Health. Oh dear, I can see that I am going to be in the depths of the brown smelly stuff again today. I really don’t take as good care of myself as I expect and motivate and yes, even moan, at loved ones to take of themselves. I don’t get enough sleep and I certainly don’t get enough rest and last week it was plain enough that I don’t get enough ‘me’ or ‘dream time’. Exercise is something that I used to do in my youth and my diet – well perhaps we shouldn’t even go there! Here’s the thing though – in order for us to work optimally it is important that we get some exercise (and no, I am not talking about spending 3 hours a day at the gym – moderate exercise is all that is required). It is important to eat not only well, but also healthy foods (and for goodness sake, that does not mean going on any of those fad diets and always check with the doctor first to ensure that you do what is best for your particular body type). Get enough sleep! Yes I know that some people need more sleep than others – you know what is good for you and try and say “no” to a chemical induced sleep (whilst it allows you to sleep it comes with it’s own set of consequences)! Where possible try and sleep naturally and on your own steam! Not getting enough rest and down time means that your judgment will probably not be as clear as it could be and this could also have an impact on your decisions and they way that you execute them. You need to look after yourself first before you are able to take care of anyone else or anything else.
Organization. This one I must admit is also another favorite of mine. For as long back as I can remember, when I sit down to work (and this started at junior school level) I had to have all the utensils that I may need. My pen, pencil, ruler, rubber, sharpener, book, notepad etc. I could not get started until everything was within sight. Trying to work with even one of those items missing was a nightmare, as my mind keep coming back to the question ‘where is . . . ‘. Nowadays, I just don’t mess with that particular emotion and keep a set of everything on my desk, in my carry-bag and downstairs (where I sometimes work while I am watching TV), it just makes life easier.
The same can be said when I need to do something – all the research notes and articles and whatever other requirements that are needed for the particular article or the project must be present and accounted for. I make copious amounts of lists and as each task is completed it gets ‘ticked off’. It really is so gratifying to see each list with rows of ‘ticks’ down the side – it gives me a certain sense of accomplishment.
Most people get quite a fright when they see my desk – it looks like a mound of paper, disorganized, cluttered and a mess! I know that my domestic helper always smiles at me, each week when I say to her “don’t touch the desk” and when she does clean (and I have seen her do this), she does it in sections, careful not to move anything too far out of its original position. You see, whilst it may look like a disorganized clutter and mess to you – I know exactly where everything is. I have piles of material that can be used for the articles that I write, piles of information that will be used to write policies and procedures, piles of work in order of priority, and notes of things that need to be done or people that need to be contacted – yip, it’s all very logical to me. Many people need a clean clear desk on which to work – that for me would be intimidating! You need to find what works for you, then organize yourself and your space into what is most comfortable for you to work in. Only once you are comfortable in your space and in yourself will you be able to ‘let go’ and get on with what needs to be done. If that means using a favorite pen, or listening to a specific type of music (or not), indulge yourself and then see how quickly, efficiently and effectively you get on with getting on with your short-term and long term goals.
Next time we will have a look at a few more powerful words, until then be gentle on yourself, you will find that you accomplish a whole lot more!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2010
Here we are at week three on this particular series – powerful words and how they motivate us. Already they have had a profound effect upon me . . I wonder how they have impacted (if at all) on you?
Health. Oh dear, I can see that I am going to be in the depths of the brown smelly stuff again today. I really don’t take as good care of myself as I expect and motivate and yes, even moan, at loved ones to take of themselves. I don’t get enough sleep and I certainly don’t get enough rest and last week it was plain enough that I don’t get enough ‘me’ or ‘dream time’. Exercise is something that I used to do in my youth and my diet – well perhaps we shouldn’t even go there! Here’s the thing though – in order for us to work optimally it is important that we get some exercise (and no, I am not talking about spending 3 hours a day at the gym – moderate exercise is all that is required). It is important to eat not only well, but also healthy foods (and for goodness sake, that does not mean going on any of those fad diets and always check with the doctor first to ensure that you do what is best for your particular body type). Get enough sleep! Yes I know that some people need more sleep than others – you know what is good for you and try and say “no” to a chemical induced sleep (whilst it allows you to sleep it comes with it’s own set of consequences)! Where possible try and sleep naturally and on your own steam! Not getting enough rest and down time means that your judgment will probably not be as clear as it could be and this could also have an impact on your decisions and they way that you execute them. You need to look after yourself first before you are able to take care of anyone else or anything else.
Organization. This one I must admit is also another favorite of mine. For as long back as I can remember, when I sit down to work (and this started at junior school level) I had to have all the utensils that I may need. My pen, pencil, ruler, rubber, sharpener, book, notepad etc. I could not get started until everything was within sight. Trying to work with even one of those items missing was a nightmare, as my mind keep coming back to the question ‘where is . . . ‘. Nowadays, I just don’t mess with that particular emotion and keep a set of everything on my desk, in my carry-bag and downstairs (where I sometimes work while I am watching TV), it just makes life easier.
The same can be said when I need to do something – all the research notes and articles and whatever other requirements that are needed for the particular article or the project must be present and accounted for. I make copious amounts of lists and as each task is completed it gets ‘ticked off’. It really is so gratifying to see each list with rows of ‘ticks’ down the side – it gives me a certain sense of accomplishment.
Most people get quite a fright when they see my desk – it looks like a mound of paper, disorganized, cluttered and a mess! I know that my domestic helper always smiles at me, each week when I say to her “don’t touch the desk” and when she does clean (and I have seen her do this), she does it in sections, careful not to move anything too far out of its original position. You see, whilst it may look like a disorganized clutter and mess to you – I know exactly where everything is. I have piles of material that can be used for the articles that I write, piles of information that will be used to write policies and procedures, piles of work in order of priority, and notes of things that need to be done or people that need to be contacted – yip, it’s all very logical to me. Many people need a clean clear desk on which to work – that for me would be intimidating! You need to find what works for you, then organize yourself and your space into what is most comfortable for you to work in. Only once you are comfortable in your space and in yourself will you be able to ‘let go’ and get on with what needs to be done. If that means using a favorite pen, or listening to a specific type of music (or not), indulge yourself and then see how quickly, efficiently and effectively you get on with getting on with your short-term and long term goals.
Next time we will have a look at a few more powerful words, until then be gentle on yourself, you will find that you accomplish a whole lot more!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, January 16, 2015
HR 101 - UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) - Part 5
ARTICLE 61
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Last time we had a look at how to collect maternity as well as adoption benefits and in this, our final article on the subject of UIF, we will focus on the ‘how to’ of claiming death benefits.
Obviously if you are dead, you cannot collect the benefit – however the spouse and/or the ‘minor’ children of the deceased may be illegible to receive the benefits.
Here are some of the rules though:
The benefits have to be collected within six months of the death of the worker.
Here are the documents that need to be presented when you (as the husband or wife of the deceased) have to take to the Labour Centre.
- A Form UF126 needs to be completed. This can be collected from the Labour Centre or off the Labour Department site (but remember to check that it is the correct/current form).
- Your green, bar encoded identity document.
- Copies of the deceased’s last six pay slips
- A signed and completed form UI19 from the employer of the deceased.
- A certified copy of the deceased’s death certificate
- A certified copy of your marriage certificate
- A certificate of Service from the employee
- Proof of your (the claimant’s) banking details.
- If you are a minor child of the deceased, the claim must then be done by completing a form UF127. This must be done by the child’s legal guardian. Again this can be collected from the Labour Centre or off the Labour Department site (but remember to check that it is the correct/current form).
Here are the documents that need to be presented when the legal guardian of the child (as the minor child of the deceased), have to take to the Labour Centre.
- Your green, bar encoded identity document.
- Copies of the deceased’s last six pay slips
- A signed and completed form UI19 from the employer of the deceased.
- A certified copy of the deceased’s death certificate
- A certified copy of your marriage certificate
- A certificate of service from the employee
- Proof of your (the claimant’s) banking details.
- Proof of guardianship of the child’s representative
- Proof that the minor child is a learner who was dependant upon the deceased.
Once the above has been received by the Labour Centre, you will be issued with a Form UF 128, which needs to be completed and signed by the last employer of the deceased and then submitted to the Labour Centre.
This is a once off payment and it is the amount that the deceased would have been able to claim had they been unemployed.
Again this will be paid by means of a cheque or an electronic transfer where possible.
Next time we will tackle a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC August 2010
Last time we had a look at how to collect maternity as well as adoption benefits and in this, our final article on the subject of UIF, we will focus on the ‘how to’ of claiming death benefits.
Obviously if you are dead, you cannot collect the benefit – however the spouse and/or the ‘minor’ children of the deceased may be illegible to receive the benefits.
Here are some of the rules though:
The benefits have to be collected within six months of the death of the worker.
Here are the documents that need to be presented when you (as the husband or wife of the deceased) have to take to the Labour Centre.
- A Form UF126 needs to be completed. This can be collected from the Labour Centre or off the Labour Department site (but remember to check that it is the correct/current form).
- Your green, bar encoded identity document.
- Copies of the deceased’s last six pay slips
- A signed and completed form UI19 from the employer of the deceased.
- A certified copy of the deceased’s death certificate
- A certified copy of your marriage certificate
- A certificate of Service from the employee
- Proof of your (the claimant’s) banking details.
- If you are a minor child of the deceased, the claim must then be done by completing a form UF127. This must be done by the child’s legal guardian. Again this can be collected from the Labour Centre or off the Labour Department site (but remember to check that it is the correct/current form).
Here are the documents that need to be presented when the legal guardian of the child (as the minor child of the deceased), have to take to the Labour Centre.
- Your green, bar encoded identity document.
- Copies of the deceased’s last six pay slips
- A signed and completed form UI19 from the employer of the deceased.
- A certified copy of the deceased’s death certificate
- A certified copy of your marriage certificate
- A certificate of service from the employee
- Proof of your (the claimant’s) banking details.
- Proof of guardianship of the child’s representative
- Proof that the minor child is a learner who was dependant upon the deceased.
Once the above has been received by the Labour Centre, you will be issued with a Form UF 128, which needs to be completed and signed by the last employer of the deceased and then submitted to the Labour Centre.
This is a once off payment and it is the amount that the deceased would have been able to claim had they been unemployed.
Again this will be paid by means of a cheque or an electronic transfer where possible.
Next time we will tackle a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, January 15, 2015
HR 101 - UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) - Part 4
ARTICLE 61
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Last time we had a look at how to collect illness benefits and this time we will focus on the ‘how to’ of claiming the maternity benefits as well as adoption benefits.
Following along from all the other collections you will need to register at the Labour office and obviously you will need to get a medical certificate from your doctor – be advised though that the doctor has to complete and sign the correct form, so make sure that you get a copy from the Labour office or alternatively get one off the website, but make sure that it is the correct one.
When you go to register, again the following documents need to be taken with you:
- A copy of your 13 digit, green bar encoded identity document
- Copies of you last 6 payslips
- Form UI19 completed and signed by your employer
- A Certificate of service from your employer
- Proof of your banking details
- A statement from your employer to evidence any money that you may have (or will be) receiving during the period that you will be on Maternity Leave.
- A fully completed and signed registration form.
When you go to the Labour Offices to register, you will also be given a Form UF92. This form must be completed and signed by your doctor and then it has to be returned to the Labour Office.
Again the benefits will be paid to you by means of a cheque which will be posted to you or where possible by means of an electronic transfer.
If you need to apply for additional benefits after the baby is born, then you need to complete a Form UF 95 (which also needs to be completed and signed off by the doctor who delivered the baby.)
If you are unemployed as well as pregnant, then you need to advise the Claims officer as you may be entitled to additional benefits.
The documents that you need if you are applying for adoption benefits are:
- A copy of your 13 digit, green bar encoded identity document
- Copies of you last 6 payslips
- Form UI19 completed and signed by your employer
- A Certificate of service from your employer
- The adoption order or legal documentation pertaining to the adoption of the child
- Proof of your banking details
- A statement from your employer to evidence any money that you may have (or will be) receiving during the period that you will be on Adoption Leave.
- A copy of your adopted child’s birth certificate
- A fully completed and signed registration form.
Please note though that adoption benefits must be applied for within six months of the adoption order being issued – after that your claim will not be registered and you will not receive the benefits.
Again the benefits will be paid to you by means of a cheque which will be posted to you or where possible by means of an electronic transfer, however a form will be issued by the Labour Office, when payment is made and this must be completed and returned to the Claims Officer at the Labour Centre.
Next time we will have a look at the “how to” collect the death benefits too.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Last time we had a look at how to collect illness benefits and this time we will focus on the ‘how to’ of claiming the maternity benefits as well as adoption benefits.
Following along from all the other collections you will need to register at the Labour office and obviously you will need to get a medical certificate from your doctor – be advised though that the doctor has to complete and sign the correct form, so make sure that you get a copy from the Labour office or alternatively get one off the website, but make sure that it is the correct one.
When you go to register, again the following documents need to be taken with you:
- A copy of your 13 digit, green bar encoded identity document
- Copies of you last 6 payslips
- Form UI19 completed and signed by your employer
- A Certificate of service from your employer
- Proof of your banking details
- A statement from your employer to evidence any money that you may have (or will be) receiving during the period that you will be on Maternity Leave.
- A fully completed and signed registration form.
When you go to the Labour Offices to register, you will also be given a Form UF92. This form must be completed and signed by your doctor and then it has to be returned to the Labour Office.
Again the benefits will be paid to you by means of a cheque which will be posted to you or where possible by means of an electronic transfer.
If you need to apply for additional benefits after the baby is born, then you need to complete a Form UF 95 (which also needs to be completed and signed off by the doctor who delivered the baby.)
If you are unemployed as well as pregnant, then you need to advise the Claims officer as you may be entitled to additional benefits.
The documents that you need if you are applying for adoption benefits are:
- A copy of your 13 digit, green bar encoded identity document
- Copies of you last 6 payslips
- Form UI19 completed and signed by your employer
- A Certificate of service from your employer
- The adoption order or legal documentation pertaining to the adoption of the child
- Proof of your banking details
- A statement from your employer to evidence any money that you may have (or will be) receiving during the period that you will be on Adoption Leave.
- A copy of your adopted child’s birth certificate
- A fully completed and signed registration form.
Please note though that adoption benefits must be applied for within six months of the adoption order being issued – after that your claim will not be registered and you will not receive the benefits.
Again the benefits will be paid to you by means of a cheque which will be posted to you or where possible by means of an electronic transfer, however a form will be issued by the Labour Office, when payment is made and this must be completed and returned to the Claims Officer at the Labour Centre.
Next time we will have a look at the “how to” collect the death benefits too.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Networking 101 - Acknowlege People's Contribution
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 78
Acknowlege People’s Contribution
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Always remember, to acknowledge peoples’ contributions, thank them, compliment them sincerely, and return favours where possible.”
Isn’t this just common courtesy? Think about it for a moment – here I use Dr Renate Volpe’s nugget cards on a regular basis as a theme on whatever it is that I am writing. How pleased do you think she would be if I had not asked permission? How pleased do you think she would be if I did not give her the credit for the ‘tip’ that she has written? How pleased do you think she would be if I didn’t acknowledge that it is her writing and therefore her IP (intellectual property)?
Quite frankly, I don’t think she would be very pleased with me at all. In fact for the record, whenever I use one of Renate’s nuggets, I mail her a copy of what I have written, because without her nugget, her ‘tip’ or her statement, I would not have had anything to write about.
Now, ask yourself this question, how would you feel if someone consistently took your contributions, your writings and muses and used them to promote whatever it was that they were doing, without asking your permission to do so, or without even giving you the credit of having contributed it in the first place. I am sure you would not be very happy about it at all.
So make sure that whenever you use something of someone else’s, where possible ask permission first. Make sure that you thank them and give them credit for their good work. Let’s face it, if the work wasn’t good you would not be using it in the first place! Always, always reciprocate if you can.
Just treat them and their work, the way that you would want to be treated.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 78
Acknowlege People’s Contribution
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Always remember, to acknowledge peoples’ contributions, thank them, compliment them sincerely, and return favours where possible.”
Isn’t this just common courtesy? Think about it for a moment – here I use Dr Renate Volpe’s nugget cards on a regular basis as a theme on whatever it is that I am writing. How pleased do you think she would be if I had not asked permission? How pleased do you think she would be if I did not give her the credit for the ‘tip’ that she has written? How pleased do you think she would be if I didn’t acknowledge that it is her writing and therefore her IP (intellectual property)?
Quite frankly, I don’t think she would be very pleased with me at all. In fact for the record, whenever I use one of Renate’s nuggets, I mail her a copy of what I have written, because without her nugget, her ‘tip’ or her statement, I would not have had anything to write about.
Now, ask yourself this question, how would you feel if someone consistently took your contributions, your writings and muses and used them to promote whatever it was that they were doing, without asking your permission to do so, or without even giving you the credit of having contributed it in the first place. I am sure you would not be very happy about it at all.
So make sure that whenever you use something of someone else’s, where possible ask permission first. Make sure that you thank them and give them credit for their good work. Let’s face it, if the work wasn’t good you would not be using it in the first place! Always, always reciprocate if you can.
Just treat them and their work, the way that you would want to be treated.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Business Tips - Negotiation
BUSINESS TIPS – Negotiation
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC November 2009
Whilst clearing out a whole lot of ‘old’ paperwork destined for destruction, I came across part of an article on Negotiating. Since I don’t have the whole article (just the first page) I have no idea who it’s by or indeed who even made the notes all over the page in my possession. There seems to be one main stream of thought though and I thought it might be a good idea for me to share it with you as it really resonated with me.
Some of the points raised (but not limited to) go along the lines of:
• Stop talking and listen
• Pay attention to what is being said
• Pay attention
• Eliminate distraction
All of the above make one thing really clear (well to me anyway) and that is we need to listen carefully before we jump in feet first.
Some of the notes written all over the page go along the lines of:
• Understand what is being said – no assumptions
• Compromise
• Try Again
Very interesting don’t you agree?
Assumptions and perceptions! Those two are really bad for business! I have come to the realization that if ‘money makes the world go round’ then ‘assumptions and perceptions’ bring it to a dead holt. So many bad decisions are made, based on assumptions and perception.
The common thread throughout though seems to me to be along the line of we need to listen, in order to understand and in understanding we are able to compromise.
If the response you get is not what you expected, chances are that either you did not communicate it properly or alternatively they don’t understand what you are saying, try giving them the same information but in a different way.
Be patient, not only with yourself but with them too. Make sure that you understand the deal on the table, only once you are sure that you understand and that the other person understands clearly, can you begin to put the finer details in place.
Make sure that you have your emotions under control. Getting irritated and frustrated will do more harm than good. Use the additional energy to try and understand what is being said and why.
Don’t be scared to ask questions, but ask questions that are helpful or useful. Don’t try and just make your point and be heard – doing this could jeopardize the whole negotiation. Listen before you speak - think before you speak.
The time for assertiveness is only once you fully understand what has been said and the implications thereof. Don’t be shooting your mouth off and be the first out of the starter’s gate – you may very well be the last over the finishing line, if indeed you even get to the finishing line at all.
Open up to people, don’t be afraid to show that you too are vulnerable.
Above all don’t forget that other people also have a right to their own opinions especially when those opinions are of you. Opinions can be changed, but they cannot change or do anything about your level of competence. So think about what you want, think about how you are going to get it and then think about how you are going to go about it.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, January 12, 2015
Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 2
MOTIVATION – Powerful Words – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2010
Here we are at week two on this particular series – powerful words and how they motivate us. Today we will be looking at a few more and what they can mean in our lives.
Purpose:
This word really resonates with me – you see I often feel completely overwhelmed. Being the person that I am, I often have more than one project on the go. Some are short term, some are medium term and some are really long term. At the moment I am dealing with several really long term projects (the one we estimate will take around 15 years to complete) and there are two which will be on going. These three projects in particular are taking up a huge amount of time now and are not bringing any revenue in, at this moment in time. The result of course is that I find myself really stretched, physically, mentally, emotionally and also financially. On a logical level of course, I know that the long term projects will bring in huge amounts of money at some point down the line (and yes I know exactly what that point is because that is how it has been planned), but that doesn’t help me with putting food on the table right now. The reality is that I have to have several short term or ‘instant money’ projects on the go to bring the money in on a monthly basis, and somehow I have to find the time and energy to balance the two.
We all know and understand that finding balance in anything is quite difficult and it is usually when I am hugely ‘out of balance’ that I start to panic and feel completely overwhelmed and out of my depth. The pressure feels as though it is pinning me down and I have to struggle to get out of its clutches. During moments like this I understand that I am in dire need of what I call my ‘dream time’. It is the ‘me’ time that I take to just be. To be quiet in myself and in my space. It is the time that I take to think things over and dream of all the possibilities. It is the time that I take to reconnect to my soul, to the child and the adolescent within me. It is the time that I take to reconnect with my purpose in life, when I remember why it is that I started this journey, where I want it to take me and what I want to achieve. Taking ‘dream time’ gives me the opportunity to ‘remember’ my purpose and my purpose is the reason that I am on the planet. Forgetting or distancing ourselves from our life’s purpose can have some pretty drastic consequences, so always remember to reconnect, to take some time out and remember.
Motivate:
I seem to be on a mission with myself today. The reason that I am saying this, with a huge big grin on my face is simply this – I often write about the things that I most need to hear and both of these words, today are very definitely what I need to hear about right now. I spend about 90% of my time motivating people. Whether it is through my blogs and the various articles that I write for newspapers and magazines or whether it is when I am giving a talk or even when I am assessing a client’s business, I am motivating them. Whether it is to do things differently in order to get a better result or even when I am rescuing them from something that has happened as a direct result of some bad decisions – I am motivating them. “Well that’s not a bad thing.” I hear you say, and no of course it isn’t. Here’s the thing though – I seldom take time out to motivate myself and that’s not a good thing. I need to listen to some motivational CD’s or read a motivational book to get me ‘fired’ up every now and then! I need to attend more motivational workshops like the ones presented by Donna McCallum AKA The Fairy Godmother (http://www.fairygodmotherinc.com) and I definitely need to hear some motivational tips from a source other than me!
Hearing things from another person, often puts your own thoughts into a different perspective, it makes them more profound, more real and they often give you a greater clout about the ears than when you whisper them to yourself.
Clearly, I need to listen to my own words, so until next time when we continue with some more powerful words – where did I put Donna’s book “A Fairy Godmother’s guide to Getting What You Want”? Ah – there it is . . .
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2010
Here we are at week two on this particular series – powerful words and how they motivate us. Today we will be looking at a few more and what they can mean in our lives.
Purpose:
This word really resonates with me – you see I often feel completely overwhelmed. Being the person that I am, I often have more than one project on the go. Some are short term, some are medium term and some are really long term. At the moment I am dealing with several really long term projects (the one we estimate will take around 15 years to complete) and there are two which will be on going. These three projects in particular are taking up a huge amount of time now and are not bringing any revenue in, at this moment in time. The result of course is that I find myself really stretched, physically, mentally, emotionally and also financially. On a logical level of course, I know that the long term projects will bring in huge amounts of money at some point down the line (and yes I know exactly what that point is because that is how it has been planned), but that doesn’t help me with putting food on the table right now. The reality is that I have to have several short term or ‘instant money’ projects on the go to bring the money in on a monthly basis, and somehow I have to find the time and energy to balance the two.
We all know and understand that finding balance in anything is quite difficult and it is usually when I am hugely ‘out of balance’ that I start to panic and feel completely overwhelmed and out of my depth. The pressure feels as though it is pinning me down and I have to struggle to get out of its clutches. During moments like this I understand that I am in dire need of what I call my ‘dream time’. It is the ‘me’ time that I take to just be. To be quiet in myself and in my space. It is the time that I take to think things over and dream of all the possibilities. It is the time that I take to reconnect to my soul, to the child and the adolescent within me. It is the time that I take to reconnect with my purpose in life, when I remember why it is that I started this journey, where I want it to take me and what I want to achieve. Taking ‘dream time’ gives me the opportunity to ‘remember’ my purpose and my purpose is the reason that I am on the planet. Forgetting or distancing ourselves from our life’s purpose can have some pretty drastic consequences, so always remember to reconnect, to take some time out and remember.
Motivate:
I seem to be on a mission with myself today. The reason that I am saying this, with a huge big grin on my face is simply this – I often write about the things that I most need to hear and both of these words, today are very definitely what I need to hear about right now. I spend about 90% of my time motivating people. Whether it is through my blogs and the various articles that I write for newspapers and magazines or whether it is when I am giving a talk or even when I am assessing a client’s business, I am motivating them. Whether it is to do things differently in order to get a better result or even when I am rescuing them from something that has happened as a direct result of some bad decisions – I am motivating them. “Well that’s not a bad thing.” I hear you say, and no of course it isn’t. Here’s the thing though – I seldom take time out to motivate myself and that’s not a good thing. I need to listen to some motivational CD’s or read a motivational book to get me ‘fired’ up every now and then! I need to attend more motivational workshops like the ones presented by Donna McCallum AKA The Fairy Godmother (http://www.fairygodmotherinc.com) and I definitely need to hear some motivational tips from a source other than me!
Hearing things from another person, often puts your own thoughts into a different perspective, it makes them more profound, more real and they often give you a greater clout about the ears than when you whisper them to yourself.
Clearly, I need to listen to my own words, so until next time when we continue with some more powerful words – where did I put Donna’s book “A Fairy Godmother’s guide to Getting What You Want”? Ah – there it is . . .
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 1
MOTIVATION – Powerful Words – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2010
We all have those words or those sayings that ‘pick’ us up when we are down – I know I do. In fact, if the truth be told, I have this whole conversation that goes on in my head and often is actually uttered out loud (hopefully when no-one is watching), that gets me out of whatever slump it is that I am in.
Let’s face it, when something untoward happens, it can mess with your momentum, your mood, your head and throw you completely off course. This is when this whole soliloquy takes place and one of two things happen. I either get really angry at what has happened and then I challenge everything or it gets me out of my funk. If I get angry and challenge everything, then I have to wait until I have calmed down, have the conversation again and at that point I can generally get on with life (hopefully going in the right direction)!
There are however some words that we can use that are generally accepted as “Power Words” that will assist us in getting our perspective right and boosting our confidence at the same time. There are words that will motivate you and even keep you passionate about what you are doing irrespective of what may come your way. Some of these words are (but not limited to):
Acceptance:
So often we push ourselves really hard and then on top of that we are really hard on ourselves if we don’t get everything done. Here’s the thing though – we are human beings, not robots. As humans, the reality is that there will be times when we are up and there will be times when we get down – that’s just life, in fact both the ups and downs are necessary for us to function properly and for us to ultimately be successful. The trick is for us to accept this and then deal with it effectively. When we don’t accept who we are and the ‘ups and downs’ of our lives, we then find ourselves in a situation where we can’t think clearly or innovatively and that’s just not a good space to be in. The other thing of course that we often harp on the past – that doesn’t help at all, it just gets our minds into an absolute loop tape and we go round and round going nowhere. Accepting that the past is exactly that – the past, and acknowledging what didn’t work makes it easier to understand what could work in the future. The key though is to accept it, deal with it and then move on.
Planning:
Many of the failures that I come across in life can be directly attributed to lack of planning. People have a dream, a vision if you will of something that they would love to do, that they are perhaps passionate about and they go for it! Nothing wrong with that and I will always say “well done”. The problem comes in when they go from zero to 100 in an instant and leave out all the bits in between. The bits in between, being mostly the planning! Having the desire and the passion are really great and very little can be accomplished without that essence – that said, nothing will be accomplished without planning and certainly, very little will actually succeed without proper planning. The research needs to be done properly to ensure that you are at least aware of what can go wrong and all the consequences of what your actions will be, both in the positive and the negative. You have to know what to do if or even when something should happen. Write everything down – all the positives and what to do with them, all the negatives and how to deal with them. Write it down, from the smallest detail to the biggest item. Run through each scenario several times until you think you have taken everything into account and then go through it again. Put timelines on everything, that way you will have a goal to reach and it will also keep you focused.
Next week we will have a few more words to keep you motivated.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2010
We all have those words or those sayings that ‘pick’ us up when we are down – I know I do. In fact, if the truth be told, I have this whole conversation that goes on in my head and often is actually uttered out loud (hopefully when no-one is watching), that gets me out of whatever slump it is that I am in.
Let’s face it, when something untoward happens, it can mess with your momentum, your mood, your head and throw you completely off course. This is when this whole soliloquy takes place and one of two things happen. I either get really angry at what has happened and then I challenge everything or it gets me out of my funk. If I get angry and challenge everything, then I have to wait until I have calmed down, have the conversation again and at that point I can generally get on with life (hopefully going in the right direction)!
There are however some words that we can use that are generally accepted as “Power Words” that will assist us in getting our perspective right and boosting our confidence at the same time. There are words that will motivate you and even keep you passionate about what you are doing irrespective of what may come your way. Some of these words are (but not limited to):
Acceptance:
So often we push ourselves really hard and then on top of that we are really hard on ourselves if we don’t get everything done. Here’s the thing though – we are human beings, not robots. As humans, the reality is that there will be times when we are up and there will be times when we get down – that’s just life, in fact both the ups and downs are necessary for us to function properly and for us to ultimately be successful. The trick is for us to accept this and then deal with it effectively. When we don’t accept who we are and the ‘ups and downs’ of our lives, we then find ourselves in a situation where we can’t think clearly or innovatively and that’s just not a good space to be in. The other thing of course that we often harp on the past – that doesn’t help at all, it just gets our minds into an absolute loop tape and we go round and round going nowhere. Accepting that the past is exactly that – the past, and acknowledging what didn’t work makes it easier to understand what could work in the future. The key though is to accept it, deal with it and then move on.
Planning:
Many of the failures that I come across in life can be directly attributed to lack of planning. People have a dream, a vision if you will of something that they would love to do, that they are perhaps passionate about and they go for it! Nothing wrong with that and I will always say “well done”. The problem comes in when they go from zero to 100 in an instant and leave out all the bits in between. The bits in between, being mostly the planning! Having the desire and the passion are really great and very little can be accomplished without that essence – that said, nothing will be accomplished without planning and certainly, very little will actually succeed without proper planning. The research needs to be done properly to ensure that you are at least aware of what can go wrong and all the consequences of what your actions will be, both in the positive and the negative. You have to know what to do if or even when something should happen. Write everything down – all the positives and what to do with them, all the negatives and how to deal with them. Write it down, from the smallest detail to the biggest item. Run through each scenario several times until you think you have taken everything into account and then go through it again. Put timelines on everything, that way you will have a goal to reach and it will also keep you focused.
Next week we will have a few more words to keep you motivated.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Motivation - So What!
MOTIVATION – So What!
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. March 2009
Let’s face it folks, there are always going to be people who don’t like what we do, what we are, who we are (insert whatever you would like here). The bottom line is that no matter what we do, what we are or who we are, someone is going to have an opinion that differs from ours. The real challenge here is not ‘what are we going to do about that’ but rather ‘how we react to that.’
One of my favorite moments in time that explains this so succinctly is this little story about Madonna. Now love her or hate her, she has a certain style and in my opinion the lady can sing. For those of you who don’t know the story of Madonna, she arrived in New York (I think) penniless, homeless and friendless. Her bags were stolen on the first night that she was in town but this little woman never gave up on her dream. She did what she had to do to get by whilst edging ever forward towards her goal. One of those ‘things that she did’ was posing nude for Playboy (or one of those magazines).
Several years later, just as she was ‘discovered’ and suddenly the whole world was in awe of Madonna, little girls wanted to be her or be just like her, the headlines hit the newspaper “Madonna poses naked!” Good grief! Shock! Horror! Everyone that I knew was asking “I wonder how she is going to explain this away?” We were all waiting, giggling nervously. Would this be the end for this icon?
To be quite honest, I almost wet myself laughing the next day when the newspaper headlines said “Madonna says ‘So What’!” That was the end of the discussion as far as she was concerned. You see Madonna didn’t care if people put labels on her, she knew what she wanted, she focused on it and she went for it. I have no doubt that there are possibly things that she has done that she has regretted – but I doubt that that is one of them. Either way, the only person that will lose any sleep over what she has or hasn’t done – is Madonna herself. We don’t have the right.
This brings me to a poem that I believe was found in one of the Reader’s Digest magazines. It goes:
“People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered . . . Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives . . . do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will make false friends and true enemies . . . succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable . . . be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest of people with the smallest of minds . . . think big anyway.
People favour underdogs but only follow the top dogs . . . Fight for some underdogs anyway.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight . . . build anyway.
Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth . . . Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.”
Listen to your heart, think with your mind, focus on what you want to achieve and be the best that you can be. That will always be enough.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. March 2009
Let’s face it folks, there are always going to be people who don’t like what we do, what we are, who we are (insert whatever you would like here). The bottom line is that no matter what we do, what we are or who we are, someone is going to have an opinion that differs from ours. The real challenge here is not ‘what are we going to do about that’ but rather ‘how we react to that.’
One of my favorite moments in time that explains this so succinctly is this little story about Madonna. Now love her or hate her, she has a certain style and in my opinion the lady can sing. For those of you who don’t know the story of Madonna, she arrived in New York (I think) penniless, homeless and friendless. Her bags were stolen on the first night that she was in town but this little woman never gave up on her dream. She did what she had to do to get by whilst edging ever forward towards her goal. One of those ‘things that she did’ was posing nude for Playboy (or one of those magazines).
Several years later, just as she was ‘discovered’ and suddenly the whole world was in awe of Madonna, little girls wanted to be her or be just like her, the headlines hit the newspaper “Madonna poses naked!” Good grief! Shock! Horror! Everyone that I knew was asking “I wonder how she is going to explain this away?” We were all waiting, giggling nervously. Would this be the end for this icon?
To be quite honest, I almost wet myself laughing the next day when the newspaper headlines said “Madonna says ‘So What’!” That was the end of the discussion as far as she was concerned. You see Madonna didn’t care if people put labels on her, she knew what she wanted, she focused on it and she went for it. I have no doubt that there are possibly things that she has done that she has regretted – but I doubt that that is one of them. Either way, the only person that will lose any sleep over what she has or hasn’t done – is Madonna herself. We don’t have the right.
This brings me to a poem that I believe was found in one of the Reader’s Digest magazines. It goes:
“People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered . . . Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives . . . do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will make false friends and true enemies . . . succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable . . . be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest of people with the smallest of minds . . . think big anyway.
People favour underdogs but only follow the top dogs . . . Fight for some underdogs anyway.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight . . . build anyway.
Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth . . . Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.”
Listen to your heart, think with your mind, focus on what you want to achieve and be the best that you can be. That will always be enough.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, January 09, 2015
HR 101 - UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) - Part 3
ARTICLE 61
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
So far we have established what you can claim for, or what benefits you could be entitled to and then we established what the procedure is to claim unemployment benefits from the unemployment fund.
Today we continue with the ‘how to’ of claiming your illness benefits.
You will need to register at your nearest Labour Centre. This being the ‘illness benefit’ though, means that if you are too sick to go and complete the forms yourself, a relative and/or friend can collect the forms for you and you can then sign them. The forms will have to be returned to the Labour office. Some of these forms can be downloaded off the Department of Labour website, but word of caution – I have of late, discovered that you download a form from the website only to be told when you submit it to whichever institution, that the form is ‘obsolete’ and that the infamous ‘somebody’ did not update the website, so it would perhaps be a good idea to check first to ensure that the website forms are current.
When you register you will need the following documents:
- A copy of your green, bar encoded ID document.
- Copies of your last 6 payslips
- The UI19 form that must be completed and signed off by your employer
- A certificate of service from your employer
- Proof of banking details (either a recent bank statement or a letter from the bank)
- A Statement from your employer documenting the amounts of remuneration that have been received by yourself during the period that you have been sick.
- The fully completed and duly signed registration form.
Don’t forget to submit your medical certificate as proof of your illness and your doctor will also have to complete the relevant details on the form UF86 (which also has to be signed and submitted to the UIF office). The UIF claims department will then “consider and assess” your application and if you are successful they will post you the form UF87, which again needs to be completed and signed by your doctor, before it is submitted back to the Labour office.
Should you be successful though, the benefits that are paid out to you will be from the date that the doctor booked you off, excluding the first two weeks’. Also please note that you will only be paid for the period of time that you did not receive your normal wages from your employer.
It is also very important to understand that the ‘illness benefit’ will not be paid out to people who have caused their own illness through misconduct or if you have refused reasonable treatment from your doctor or if you have failed to follow the treatment instructions of your doctor.
Also, if you are both unemployed as well as too ill to work, this also needs to be communicated to the claims officer as you may be entitled to claim unemployment benefits for the period of time that is not covered by the illness benefit, provided of course that you qualify to collect as per the detail in part 1 of this series.
Again the illness benefits will be paid to you by cheque (which will be posted to you) or alternatively where possible, by internet transfer directly into your bank account.
Next week we will have a look at the “how to” collect your illness benefits and maternity benefits and depending upon the availability of space, the death benefits too.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
So far we have established what you can claim for, or what benefits you could be entitled to and then we established what the procedure is to claim unemployment benefits from the unemployment fund.
Today we continue with the ‘how to’ of claiming your illness benefits.
You will need to register at your nearest Labour Centre. This being the ‘illness benefit’ though, means that if you are too sick to go and complete the forms yourself, a relative and/or friend can collect the forms for you and you can then sign them. The forms will have to be returned to the Labour office. Some of these forms can be downloaded off the Department of Labour website, but word of caution – I have of late, discovered that you download a form from the website only to be told when you submit it to whichever institution, that the form is ‘obsolete’ and that the infamous ‘somebody’ did not update the website, so it would perhaps be a good idea to check first to ensure that the website forms are current.
When you register you will need the following documents:
- A copy of your green, bar encoded ID document.
- Copies of your last 6 payslips
- The UI19 form that must be completed and signed off by your employer
- A certificate of service from your employer
- Proof of banking details (either a recent bank statement or a letter from the bank)
- A Statement from your employer documenting the amounts of remuneration that have been received by yourself during the period that you have been sick.
- The fully completed and duly signed registration form.
Don’t forget to submit your medical certificate as proof of your illness and your doctor will also have to complete the relevant details on the form UF86 (which also has to be signed and submitted to the UIF office). The UIF claims department will then “consider and assess” your application and if you are successful they will post you the form UF87, which again needs to be completed and signed by your doctor, before it is submitted back to the Labour office.
Should you be successful though, the benefits that are paid out to you will be from the date that the doctor booked you off, excluding the first two weeks’. Also please note that you will only be paid for the period of time that you did not receive your normal wages from your employer.
It is also very important to understand that the ‘illness benefit’ will not be paid out to people who have caused their own illness through misconduct or if you have refused reasonable treatment from your doctor or if you have failed to follow the treatment instructions of your doctor.
Also, if you are both unemployed as well as too ill to work, this also needs to be communicated to the claims officer as you may be entitled to claim unemployment benefits for the period of time that is not covered by the illness benefit, provided of course that you qualify to collect as per the detail in part 1 of this series.
Again the illness benefits will be paid to you by cheque (which will be posted to you) or alternatively where possible, by internet transfer directly into your bank account.
Next week we will have a look at the “how to” collect your illness benefits and maternity benefits and depending upon the availability of space, the death benefits too.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, January 08, 2015
HR 101 - UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) - Part 2
ARTICLE 61
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Last week we looked at the “what can” be claimed from UIF and this week we will have a look at the “how to claim” in terms of the benefits.
So, how do you, as an employee claim benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)?
Firstly you would have to physically go to your nearest Labour office and there you will be required to sign the unemployment register. Be warned though it is a slow, tedious procedure and I would suggest that you take a book along with you as you could be in the queue for several hours, just to get to the help desk. You will need to sign the register again every four weeks to evidence that you are still in need of the unemployment benefits and you will be told when the next date is that you are required to return.
If you are wanting to claim the ‘sick’ benefits you will need to take your doctors certificate with you each and every time that you go to sign.
You will be given a white card (or a card of some sort) that you need to take with you, each time you go to the Labour offices and the UIF officer that is dealing with you will sign the card evidencing that you have in fact been to the office.
If you have met all the requirements, you should start receiving your money after eight weeks (from the time that you originally signed) and thereafter every four weeks until such time as your benefits have been used up.
You will receive paperwork every time you receive a benefit which will have the amount that you have received recorded on it as well as what you can still expect to receive.
You will need to take the following documentation with you when you go to register for benefits:
- A copy of your 13 digit bar coded identity document – your drivers licence is insufficient as it often only records your initials and not your full names.
- Copies of your last 6 payslips
- Form UI19 – this you must get from your employers as it will confirm, amongst other things, the amount of time that you were employed as well as the rate of earnings etc.
- A certificate of service from your employer
- Proof of registration as a work seeker (so that means confirmation from where-ever you have registered i.e. employment agencies etc., showing that you are in fact trying to find work).
- A Fully completed registration form – which you can get off the Department of Labour’s website or that you will be issued with when you go to the Labour Office.
Be warned though, the UIF official may ask you to do some things that you will have to be prepared to do – these are (but not limited to):
- Go for training and/or career counselling
- Be available for work. If the official offers you work, you have to be ready to accept it.
- Go to various companies to ask for work. If you are requested to do this, you will be given a form that will have to be signed by a person at the company that you visited to evidence that you did apply for work but that there were no jobs available at that time.
You have to collect your unemployment benefits from the Labour Centre (or if possible they may decide to make the payments electronically into your bank account) and they can only be collected on the date that they tell you come to the offices and they can only be collected by yourself and you must take your white card and your ID document.
Next week we will have a look at the “how to” collect your illness benefits and maternity benefits and depending upon the availability of space, the death benefits too.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Last week we looked at the “what can” be claimed from UIF and this week we will have a look at the “how to claim” in terms of the benefits.
So, how do you, as an employee claim benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)?
Firstly you would have to physically go to your nearest Labour office and there you will be required to sign the unemployment register. Be warned though it is a slow, tedious procedure and I would suggest that you take a book along with you as you could be in the queue for several hours, just to get to the help desk. You will need to sign the register again every four weeks to evidence that you are still in need of the unemployment benefits and you will be told when the next date is that you are required to return.
If you are wanting to claim the ‘sick’ benefits you will need to take your doctors certificate with you each and every time that you go to sign.
You will be given a white card (or a card of some sort) that you need to take with you, each time you go to the Labour offices and the UIF officer that is dealing with you will sign the card evidencing that you have in fact been to the office.
If you have met all the requirements, you should start receiving your money after eight weeks (from the time that you originally signed) and thereafter every four weeks until such time as your benefits have been used up.
You will receive paperwork every time you receive a benefit which will have the amount that you have received recorded on it as well as what you can still expect to receive.
You will need to take the following documentation with you when you go to register for benefits:
- A copy of your 13 digit bar coded identity document – your drivers licence is insufficient as it often only records your initials and not your full names.
- Copies of your last 6 payslips
- Form UI19 – this you must get from your employers as it will confirm, amongst other things, the amount of time that you were employed as well as the rate of earnings etc.
- A certificate of service from your employer
- Proof of registration as a work seeker (so that means confirmation from where-ever you have registered i.e. employment agencies etc., showing that you are in fact trying to find work).
- A Fully completed registration form – which you can get off the Department of Labour’s website or that you will be issued with when you go to the Labour Office.
Be warned though, the UIF official may ask you to do some things that you will have to be prepared to do – these are (but not limited to):
- Go for training and/or career counselling
- Be available for work. If the official offers you work, you have to be ready to accept it.
- Go to various companies to ask for work. If you are requested to do this, you will be given a form that will have to be signed by a person at the company that you visited to evidence that you did apply for work but that there were no jobs available at that time.
You have to collect your unemployment benefits from the Labour Centre (or if possible they may decide to make the payments electronically into your bank account) and they can only be collected on the date that they tell you come to the offices and they can only be collected by yourself and you must take your white card and your ID document.
Next week we will have a look at the “how to” collect your illness benefits and maternity benefits and depending upon the availability of space, the death benefits too.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Networking 101 - Be Proative
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 77
Be Proactive
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Now I know that being a small business owner means that you are all over the place. You’re the salesman, the administration manager, the operations manager, the HR manager and even, amongst other things, the tea lady on occasion!
Believe me, I really get it when you tell me that you are so busy doing all that needs to be done, in your business – what with trying to hold your head above water, and trying to make good on the promises that you have made to your clients, that there just is no time (or inclination for that matter) to go beyond what you are already doing to be proactive.
Some would say that “as a micro business owner you don’t actually want or need to be proactive, you want to be reactive”! It seems that “being proactive requires far more work than being reactive and it is therefore both impossible and completely unnecessary to do anything more than meticulously deliver on your promises.”
Well maybe, but then I wonder what excuse you will give to the tax man when he comes a-calling and you are not properly registered, or the Department of Labour, when you have not submitted what needs to be done? I can assure you neither could give a damn whether you want to be proactive or reactive.
How about new clients – would you rather be proactive or reactive when you are looking for new clients? I tell you what, why don’t you just sit and look at the telephone and hope that it will ring and then you can snatch it up and answer it – well that’s being reactive isn’t it?
Or you could go out and network, build up a data base, build relationships with the people you connect with at the meetings, whether they need your services or not, and then when they refer you to someone in their data base, who has a huge amount of work for you, you can smile about exactly how proactive you were.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly think that the extra effort and work is worthwhile in the end, especially when I look at my bank balance.
What about you? Are you ‘reactive’ or ‘proactive’? Which one works best for you?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 77
Be Proactive
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Now I know that being a small business owner means that you are all over the place. You’re the salesman, the administration manager, the operations manager, the HR manager and even, amongst other things, the tea lady on occasion!
Believe me, I really get it when you tell me that you are so busy doing all that needs to be done, in your business – what with trying to hold your head above water, and trying to make good on the promises that you have made to your clients, that there just is no time (or inclination for that matter) to go beyond what you are already doing to be proactive.
Some would say that “as a micro business owner you don’t actually want or need to be proactive, you want to be reactive”! It seems that “being proactive requires far more work than being reactive and it is therefore both impossible and completely unnecessary to do anything more than meticulously deliver on your promises.”
Well maybe, but then I wonder what excuse you will give to the tax man when he comes a-calling and you are not properly registered, or the Department of Labour, when you have not submitted what needs to be done? I can assure you neither could give a damn whether you want to be proactive or reactive.
How about new clients – would you rather be proactive or reactive when you are looking for new clients? I tell you what, why don’t you just sit and look at the telephone and hope that it will ring and then you can snatch it up and answer it – well that’s being reactive isn’t it?
Or you could go out and network, build up a data base, build relationships with the people you connect with at the meetings, whether they need your services or not, and then when they refer you to someone in their data base, who has a huge amount of work for you, you can smile about exactly how proactive you were.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly think that the extra effort and work is worthwhile in the end, especially when I look at my bank balance.
What about you? Are you ‘reactive’ or ‘proactive’? Which one works best for you?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, January 06, 2015
Business Tips - Measuring Ourselves
BUSINESS TIPS – Measuring Ourselves
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Incredible as it may seem – we all use about 10% of our mental processing patterns in the conscious part of our brains. That, of course, means that around 90% is stored in our sub-conscious or unconscious minds, and these are responsible for activating our day to day habits.
This means, that if we are not constantly measuring and adjusting, only some of the things that we are doing will actually end up being productive and/or effective and a lot of the things that we do automatically will just be completely ineffective and quite frankly, just a waste of time and energy.
So it stands to reason that feedback is essential that if we are completely aware of what we are doing that we are able to measure it too.
So – how do you measure?
Well the first thing that you need to do is put a plan into place. Then you need to track your results and take score.
Once your plan is in place, and you have set up what your time frame is, you have to ensure that you are very clear about what actions are required and that your attitude is correct (in case you meet any challenges along the way).
Now you have to ask yourself the following questions from time to time. These are (but not limited to):
a) Am I on track to achieving my goals and desires?
b) Is what I am doing taking me in the right direction in terms of me getting closer to my goals
c) What variables have come into the situation and does that mean I have to change and/or adjust what I am doing in order for me to continue going in the correct direction?
d) If an adjustment must be made, what is it and what do I have to put into place to ensure that I meet the requirements to ensure that I continue on the correct path?
e) Will these changes still bring about the results that I require and in the time frame that I have set – if not, what do I have to do to adjust it to meet the time frame requirements?
Understand though, that if you do not take the time to ask and answer these questions, you will fall right back into your old habits as these are governed and controlled by your sub and/or unconscious mind.
So – make the decision and make the choice to become a participant in your own life.
Remember always to measure and adjust.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, January 05, 2015
MOTIVATION – So What is the Secret of Success
MOTIVATION – So What is the Secret of Success
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC May 2009
Let’s first discuss what is success. What I consider to be ‘success; is usually and can be completely different to what other people see or consider as successful.
Then of course, there are different degrees of success. Flicking a switch and turning a light on is success. Finding the information that you are looking for on the first try is also for me a huge success.
We are all exposed to ‘successful’ people on a daily basis. Turn on the TV and watch successful mega stars, open a newspaper or read a book – more successful people. There is no shortage of successful people and an abundance of opportunity for us to read about them and how they became successful.
Hell, just watch any reality show like Idols and you can actually watch someone becoming successful.
Many of these people ‘share’ how they became successful or what they consider as their ‘secrets to success’.
In every single successful person that you meet with, read up on, watch on television or at the movies or engage in any way with, you will see and feel the absolute passion and drive that they have to realize their dream. You will hear, how from (usually a very young age) this is what they wanted, what they hungered for, what every waking (and often dreaming) second of the day and night they lived for. They lived their dream into being a reality.
With each step closer to the realization of their dream, their efforts intensified and they became more and more focused on what they wanted to do and kept on slowly but surely putting one foot in front of the other, continuously moving forward towards their goal – the realization of their dream.
Nothing stops them, nothing deters them and believe me, nothing gets in their way – they will find a way around, or over, or under any obstacle that you put in their way. They are determined, hungry and focused on what it is that they want.
And all of it . . . . starts off with a single dream.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC May 2009
Let’s first discuss what is success. What I consider to be ‘success; is usually and can be completely different to what other people see or consider as successful.
Then of course, there are different degrees of success. Flicking a switch and turning a light on is success. Finding the information that you are looking for on the first try is also for me a huge success.
We are all exposed to ‘successful’ people on a daily basis. Turn on the TV and watch successful mega stars, open a newspaper or read a book – more successful people. There is no shortage of successful people and an abundance of opportunity for us to read about them and how they became successful.
Hell, just watch any reality show like Idols and you can actually watch someone becoming successful.
Many of these people ‘share’ how they became successful or what they consider as their ‘secrets to success’.
In every single successful person that you meet with, read up on, watch on television or at the movies or engage in any way with, you will see and feel the absolute passion and drive that they have to realize their dream. You will hear, how from (usually a very young age) this is what they wanted, what they hungered for, what every waking (and often dreaming) second of the day and night they lived for. They lived their dream into being a reality.
With each step closer to the realization of their dream, their efforts intensified and they became more and more focused on what they wanted to do and kept on slowly but surely putting one foot in front of the other, continuously moving forward towards their goal – the realization of their dream.
Nothing stops them, nothing deters them and believe me, nothing gets in their way – they will find a way around, or over, or under any obstacle that you put in their way. They are determined, hungry and focused on what it is that they want.
And all of it . . . . starts off with a single dream.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Sunday, January 04, 2015
Motivation - Stand up and be counted
MOTIVATION – Stand Up and Be Counted
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009
Isn’t it really wonderful, that no matter how much we like to complicate things – the fact of the matter is that life is really quite simple. As much as there is something like 256 different shades of grey, there are no grey areas in life itself.
You see for every issue that we have to deal with as a society, life only gives us three responses. Our response then dictates the results that we have to live with as a society.
Here’s the thing – we are either for something or against it or we do not have an opinion. Not having an opinion is often called “sitting on the fence” or as I like to call it “Splitting the difference”.
Having any one of these three opinions will result in one of two effects. That is either a positive or a negative effect or outlook.
Now, here’s the problem. Not having an opinion either way usually tilts the scales in favour of the negative effect – not so good hey?
So, waiting for someone else to make a decision for you will in all probability result in the negative occurring.
Therefore, if you want a positive action or reaction, don’t wait for other people to make the decision for you. Stand up yourself and be counted. Make a stand for what you believe in and what you know is the right thing to do.
Show the world that you have the courage of your own convictions.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009
Isn’t it really wonderful, that no matter how much we like to complicate things – the fact of the matter is that life is really quite simple. As much as there is something like 256 different shades of grey, there are no grey areas in life itself.
You see for every issue that we have to deal with as a society, life only gives us three responses. Our response then dictates the results that we have to live with as a society.
Here’s the thing – we are either for something or against it or we do not have an opinion. Not having an opinion is often called “sitting on the fence” or as I like to call it “Splitting the difference”.
Having any one of these three opinions will result in one of two effects. That is either a positive or a negative effect or outlook.
Now, here’s the problem. Not having an opinion either way usually tilts the scales in favour of the negative effect – not so good hey?
So, waiting for someone else to make a decision for you will in all probability result in the negative occurring.
Therefore, if you want a positive action or reaction, don’t wait for other people to make the decision for you. Stand up yourself and be counted. Make a stand for what you believe in and what you know is the right thing to do.
Show the world that you have the courage of your own convictions.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Saturday, January 03, 2015
Motivation - Process
MOTIVATION – Process
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “it is a process, not an event, for one to become the person I want to be.”
How logical is that. It really would be a case of suspending belief, if you thought that one day you would wake up and be a completely different person to the one you were when you went to bed the night before. You don’t just become someone else over night.
Like most things in life, changing who you are into who you want to become, is a process. Like most things in life it is a process that has to be consistently worked on, tweaked, moulded, cried over, laughed about and then at some stage either abandoned as a bad idea or embraced and celebrated as a victory.
Whether you cry in defeat or celebrate in victory is largely dependent on the simplicity and/or complexity of the process and your commitment to the charges that you want to take place.
The level of your commitment to the changes that you would like to make to yourself is dependant on the internal hunger that you have to see yourself in a different light other than who you currently are.
It’s that hunger that drives you to achieve.
It’s that hunger that makes you strive to attain greater heights.
It’s that hunger that keeps you focused with your vision clearly before you and visible to you at all times.
Process for me is one of the most simplistic things on the planet to put into place. Yet I am constantly amazed at some of the processes that some people put into place in order to achieve the most basic of results. Some of them are so complicated that you would probably need a degree of some sort to just be able to read it, let alone understand it on any level.
I think that we, as human beings, on some level seem to think that if things are easy and not complicated that they are not worth anything. We couldn’t be further from the truth if we tried.
Instead of thinking “Well it can’t be that simple, can it?” we should be saying – “It is just that simple!”
So simplify all your processes, get where you want to go and enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “it is a process, not an event, for one to become the person I want to be.”
How logical is that. It really would be a case of suspending belief, if you thought that one day you would wake up and be a completely different person to the one you were when you went to bed the night before. You don’t just become someone else over night.
Like most things in life, changing who you are into who you want to become, is a process. Like most things in life it is a process that has to be consistently worked on, tweaked, moulded, cried over, laughed about and then at some stage either abandoned as a bad idea or embraced and celebrated as a victory.
Whether you cry in defeat or celebrate in victory is largely dependent on the simplicity and/or complexity of the process and your commitment to the charges that you want to take place.
The level of your commitment to the changes that you would like to make to yourself is dependant on the internal hunger that you have to see yourself in a different light other than who you currently are.
It’s that hunger that drives you to achieve.
It’s that hunger that makes you strive to attain greater heights.
It’s that hunger that keeps you focused with your vision clearly before you and visible to you at all times.
Process for me is one of the most simplistic things on the planet to put into place. Yet I am constantly amazed at some of the processes that some people put into place in order to achieve the most basic of results. Some of them are so complicated that you would probably need a degree of some sort to just be able to read it, let alone understand it on any level.
I think that we, as human beings, on some level seem to think that if things are easy and not complicated that they are not worth anything. We couldn’t be further from the truth if we tried.
Instead of thinking “Well it can’t be that simple, can it?” we should be saying – “It is just that simple!”
So simplify all your processes, get where you want to go and enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, January 02, 2015
HR 101 - UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) - Part 1
ARTICLE 61
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Of late, I have been inundated with questions around the issue of UIF (and remember this applies to your domestic worker and gardener who work for you for more than 24 hours a month too), so here are a bunch of ‘cans and cant’s).
In order for someone to be entitled to claim from UIF, they have to be registered as an employee with the UIF fund and both themselves and their employers will have had to pay the monthly contributions into the fund.
It is incumbent upon the employer to deduct the employees portion of the monthly contribution from their salary (currently 1% of their gross salary) and then pay their employer portion of the contribution (currently also 1% of the gross salary) as well as the employees portion over to SARS by means of the EMP 201.
It is also incumbent upon the employer to register themselves as employers and then to register their staff (as and when they are employed) as employees.
Whilst it is the responsibility of the employer to register the employee and to pay the monies across, the employee also needs to understand that if the money is NOT paid across, they are not covered. So if, as an employee, you get a pay slip that does not show a deduction for UIF – you are not covered and your employer is in direct contravention of the law. It’s as simple as that!
UIF does not only cover people who are unemployed, you can also claim for:
- illness
- maternity
- adoption
- death
Remember though, if you have resigned from your job, you cannot claim. You can only claim the unemployment benefits if you have been dismissed, retrenched or if your contract has expired and it has not been renewed.
If you have been contributing to the fund for four years or more, you can claim up to, but not more than 238 days. If you have contributed or been employed for less than the 4 years, then you can claim 1 day for every 6 days that you were employed and that you were contributing to the fund.
You can claim if you have been sick for a period that is longer than two weeks.
You can only claim for maternity benefits if you are pregnant and you are only covered from four weeks before the expected date of delivery of the child and up to (but not more than) six weeks after you have delivered the child. You can only claim for a maximum of 121 days.
You can claim for adoption benefits provided that you legally adopt a child under the age of two and you leave work in order to take care of that child. Be warned though – only one parent per adopted child can claim for this benefit.
Death benefits can only be claimed by the surviving spouse or a minor child. Again be warned – this benefit can only be claimed if the person who dies was contributing to the fund at the time of their death.
Next week we will look at the ‘how to’ of going about claiming these benefits.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
UIF (Unemployment Fund) – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC July 2010
Of late, I have been inundated with questions around the issue of UIF (and remember this applies to your domestic worker and gardener who work for you for more than 24 hours a month too), so here are a bunch of ‘cans and cant’s).
In order for someone to be entitled to claim from UIF, they have to be registered as an employee with the UIF fund and both themselves and their employers will have had to pay the monthly contributions into the fund.
It is incumbent upon the employer to deduct the employees portion of the monthly contribution from their salary (currently 1% of their gross salary) and then pay their employer portion of the contribution (currently also 1% of the gross salary) as well as the employees portion over to SARS by means of the EMP 201.
It is also incumbent upon the employer to register themselves as employers and then to register their staff (as and when they are employed) as employees.
Whilst it is the responsibility of the employer to register the employee and to pay the monies across, the employee also needs to understand that if the money is NOT paid across, they are not covered. So if, as an employee, you get a pay slip that does not show a deduction for UIF – you are not covered and your employer is in direct contravention of the law. It’s as simple as that!
UIF does not only cover people who are unemployed, you can also claim for:
- illness
- maternity
- adoption
- death
Remember though, if you have resigned from your job, you cannot claim. You can only claim the unemployment benefits if you have been dismissed, retrenched or if your contract has expired and it has not been renewed.
If you have been contributing to the fund for four years or more, you can claim up to, but not more than 238 days. If you have contributed or been employed for less than the 4 years, then you can claim 1 day for every 6 days that you were employed and that you were contributing to the fund.
You can claim if you have been sick for a period that is longer than two weeks.
You can only claim for maternity benefits if you are pregnant and you are only covered from four weeks before the expected date of delivery of the child and up to (but not more than) six weeks after you have delivered the child. You can only claim for a maximum of 121 days.
You can claim for adoption benefits provided that you legally adopt a child under the age of two and you leave work in order to take care of that child. Be warned though – only one parent per adopted child can claim for this benefit.
Death benefits can only be claimed by the surviving spouse or a minor child. Again be warned – this benefit can only be claimed if the person who dies was contributing to the fund at the time of their death.
Next week we will look at the ‘how to’ of going about claiming these benefits.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
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