WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : How to Complete a Tender Document

How to Complete a Tender Document – 8 June 2011

Brought to you by Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, WIF, Randburg Chamber and the German Chamber

Accessing and completing tenders remains a mysterious area for most small businesses. Learn how to complete and submit a tender so that you can participate in a lucrative sector of business in South Africa. Using the practical skills that you will learn and understand in this powerful one day workshop, you will be able to make the system work for you to ensure that you apply for the opportunities that are best suited for you. Understand the pitfalls and how to avoid them by understanding your rights as well as your obligations. Get the right contracts in place and negotiate the best deal for yourself.

This workshop covers:
Entering into agreements
Changing Mindsets
Tenders
Other issues in the Tender Process
Contracts
Legal issues
Practical Examples

Malcolm Larsen
Malcolm is a Quantity Surveyor by profession. Malcolm has over 25 years worth of experience in submitting proposals for Tenders, contracts and project management of projects up to a value of R250 million. Malcolm is currently engaged as a Small Business and Personal Contract Specialist. Malcolm was also previously a “Fellow of the Institute of Directors”.
Join Sisibukula at this essential day long workshop:
Date: Wednesday 8th June 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg

Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)

Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.

RSVP: no later than Monday 6th June 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Please contact:-

German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan Padayachy at spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775

Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga at manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218

Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen Larsen at colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.

Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.

WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business

A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business – 1 June 2011
Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber, Randburg Chamber and WIF.
The workshop deals with the everyday issues that arise when starting a new business. It saves time and energy as well as money. Time in that you don’t have to spend time in queue’s trying to get the correct documentation, or doing research on the Internet or anywhere else for that matter, trying to find out what you have to do and where you have to go in order to do it.

A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business is broken up into the following main titles below and starts off with the difference between a Sole Proprietor, a Close Corporation and a Company and how to register each of these entities.

- Accounting Records & General
- Banking Accounts
- Receipts and Banking
- Cheque Payments and/or Internet Payments
- Invoices
- Credit Notes
- Bank Reconciliations
- Petty Cash
- Control of Numbered Stationery
- Computerised Accounting
- Staff & HR Issues
- Security/Safety
- Money Laundering
- Filing
- Stock Control

No prior knowledge of Starting A Business is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to register and manage your business on a practical level.

About the Facilitator – Nikki Viljoen
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who has her own company called Viljoen Consulting.

Nikki has in excess of 30 years experience in this field both from a banking perspective as well as from a Corporate perspective.

Having seen a huge gap in the SMME market, Nikki started Viljoen Consulting to assist SMME’s to become compliant and to establish controls and processes and to implement structure into the smaller companies to give them greater stability, and to encourage sustainability.

Nikki’s business blog http://www.businessreality.blogspot.com/ or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/ was recently internationally rated at 8.9 out of a possible 10. This places Nikki 5th in the world in her category. With her blog Nikki shares useful Business and Personal tips with anyone who cares to read it.

Date: Wednesday 1st June 2011

Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)

Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg

Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.

RSVP: no later than Monday 30th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Please contact:-

German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486
2775

Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218

Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.

Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.

WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : Corporate Governance, Compliance & the New Companies Act, for Entrepreneurs

Corporate Governance, Compliance and the New Companies Act, for Entrepreneurs – 26 May 2011

Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, Women in Finance, German Chamber and Randburg Chamber together can provide you with every business solution for every business problem.

Come and join us at the workshop:
Much is heard about the Kings Commission and the New Companies Act, but what exactly does that mean and does it have any impact on the SMME/Entrepreneur? Of course it does and sadly, many only find out that it does, when they suffer the consequences.
As in all things in life, it makes sense for all small businesses and entrepreneurs to be proactive and run their businesses in a manner that evidences good governance.
The workshop takes the form of interactive sessions, where participants have the opportunity to discuss their own concerns and requirements and brainstorm towards solutions. Workshops will be valuable to owners and directors of organisations, no matter what the size of the company.

About the Facilitator – Frik Vermaak
Frik who is an Entrepreneur in his own right. Frik has 29 years of banking and financial services experience. During his career he obtained a BCom (RAU), MBA (PBS), TGMP (Harvard) and is a Chartered Marketer (SA). He completed his banking career at ABSA Corporate and Merchant Bank as General Manager Financial Institutions. He was a founding director of the JSE’s STRATE project and also served as a director of Unexcor and the Central Depository. He furthermore served on an advisory committee on the National Payment System of the South African Reserve Bank. In 2000 he was appointed CEO of Computershare South Africa Ltd. In 2004 he was a co founder and Executive Director of IIIPA Ltd, subsequently sold to Alexander Forbes. He consulted to both Alexander Forbes and IQ Business Group and worked as a corporate finance associate of Salamander Capital in structuring M&A, BEE and specialised funding transactions. In 2006 he joined Allegro Holdings as CEO until founding Evolution Consulting Group in 2009.

Frik is currently is Chief Executive Officer of Evolution Consulting Group, and serves in the boards of various companies. He uses his extensive experience in assisting Small and medium enterprise in business restructuring. He is a professional member of the Investment Analyst Society (IASSA) as well as the Marketing Association (MASA).
The workshop covers the following issues:
1. What is compliance?
2. Areas of compliance?
a. Corporate governance
b. Statutory compliance (New Companies act etc.)
c. Legislatory compliance (e. g. FAIS, FICA)
d. Industry/Product specific compliance
e. Labour compliance
f. Policies and procedures (HR, job descriptions, manuals, assessment policies)
g. Information Technology
h. Operational procedures (Manufacturing, Workflow)
i. Financial compliance (Audit, SARS etc)
j. Black Economic Empowerment
k. Disaster recovery/business continuity
3. Consequences of non-compliance: is it worth the price?
Be proactive and get yourself compliant before you are hit with fines and law suits and join us on this workshop.

Date: Thursday 26th May 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Gauteng

Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)

Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.

RSVP: no later than Tuesday 24th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Please contact:-

German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan Padayachy on spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775

Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218

Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen Larsen on colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.

Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.

WORKSHOP: Johannesburg - HR 101 for Entrepreneurs

HR 101 (Human Resources) for Entrepreneurs – 24th May 2011

Hosted by Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, WIF and the German Chamber
Within SMEs the one area where there is much confusion about right and wrong is HR. The Human Resources area often proves very difficult for the entrepreneur unless they have previously been in the HR sector and of course kept up to date with the latest legislation. This workshop is designed to assist entrepreneurs with the task of organising the Human Resources requirements of their business and to set up the required documentation to comply with current legislation.

HR 101 for Entrepreneurs is a workshop aimed specifically at small business owners and entrepreneurs, at all levels who want to equip themselves with the basics of the Human Resources and relating legislative aspects of their businesses.
Understanding the language of HR will empower you to take your business to the next level and to understand and manage the human capital and business growth. Ultimately you will be equipped to grow a healthy and sustainable business.
Topics that will be covered in this workshop:
Surviving Human Resources:
- Legislative Compliance
- Contracts
- Leave
- Recruitment & Selection
- Employment Equity & Skills Development
- UIF & WCA (How they work)
- Policies & Procedures
- Fundamentals of Discipline as a Concept
- Disciplinary Code

Fundamentals of Discipline Training
- The Principal of Progressive Discipline
- The Concept of Double Jeopardy
- Poor Performance vs Gross Negligence
- Investigation
- Formulation of Charges
- Preparing the Case/Structure of a Disciplinary Hearing
- Absconcion Procedure

No prior knowledge of HR is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to manage your business on a practical level.

About the Facilitator – Dyonne Modlin

Dyonne’s work experience spans over 13 years with the focus being in the Human Resources and Industrial Relations. She has also worked in the union-intensive Surface Mining industries for around 6 years where the focus was exclusively Industrial Relations, primarily handling wage negotiations, Unions, Discipline, CCMA arbitrations and conciliations on a nationwide group basis. Dyonne has held a similar position within the Printing and Packaging Industries.

Date: Tuesday 24th May 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg

Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)

Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.

RSVP: no later than Friday 20th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Please contact:-

German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan at spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775

Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle at manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218

Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen at colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.

Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.

MOTIVATION - Accepting Responsibility for Change

MOTIVATION – Accepting Responsibility for Change


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011

Dennis Waitley says “There are two primary choices in life, to accept conditions as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them.”

Looking back on the articles that I have written on the subject of ‘accepting responsibility’ over the years, I am both surprised (at the sheer volume) and also a little saddened by it. Saddened because I still seem to find the need to write about something that I really feel should be second nature and automatic – taking responsibility for ones actions.

Change has to happen, it is the only way that we grow and evolve, whether as individuals, as part of a team (such as a company) or even as a country – change is going to happen, accept it. Despite the fact that so many of us resist change at every opportunity, we all accept on one level or another, that it has to happen – the Universe, the Gods (whomever you may perceive them to be) won’t let us sit and rest in our comfort zones for too long – we have to make changes and we all make them in our daily lives – yes we do, when you change lanes in order to go past another car – you’re making a change to your destiny (yip that’s exactly what you are doing!).

Now logic must tell us that any kind of change, not matter how big or how small, will have a consequence. Not only will it have a consequence, but it will also have ‘pros and cons’ and depending upon which one outweighs the other and which one we choose, we will be, in effect, accepting that particular consequence and that particular consequence will have a responsibility that someone will need to take and since you made the decision to change, the consequence and therefore the responsibility for that change is, and should be all yours!

That makes me, (and therefore you too) a very powerful person (and I’m not talking about the power that CEO’s and world leaders – even corrupt one’s wield), I talking about the power to make positive (yes and negative) changes in our own lives – changes that can improve every aspect of our lives. Oh, I know that many folk bemoan their lot in life and bemoan the fact that they are stuck in a rut or have no choice – but I guess that that is their choice and therefore their decision and it should be their responsibility therefore, to live like that.

The fact of the matter is that if you want to change, you have to take responsibility for yourself and make that change.

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

HR - When is Theft, not Theft

ARTICLE 68

When is Theft, not Theft?

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - May 2011

One of the most confusing experiences that I ever had is when I caught someone, literally with their hands in the cookie jar. We held the disciplinary, followed the rules and the staff member was dismissed. CCMA did not uphold the finding and we ended up paying a huge amount of money as a settlement. Here’s a similar story – let’s bring in the protagonists.

Mike runs a small retail business in a busy mall. He has several staff members, but today we are going to meet George and Jane, who are both sales people in the shop.

Everybody works well together and as a team and Mike is grateful to have such a great team.

We all know that month-end in a mall is crazy busy and there is no time to stop and smell the coffee, let alone slip out of the store to go and buy anything.

George has a new girlfriend whom he is besotted over and he is constantly messaging her from his cell phone and even sneaking the odd call while he ‘collects’ product from the stockroom. Suddenly in the middle of a conversation where he is arranging to meet the love of his life after work for dinner, he runs out of airtime.

Caught up in the moment and concerned that he won’t connect with her that evening, George doesn’t stop to think about what he doing. George walks into the staff room and takes Jane’s phone out of her handbag that was lying open on the table and calls his girlfriend back.

As he makes the call, Jane walks in and finds George making a call on her phone – she freaks and rushes off to tell Mike! This is the first hint of any kind of dishonesty and Mike is furious.

When George is confronted, he admits that he took the phone of Jane’s bag and that he used it without permission, but he denies that he ‘stole’ the phone. Mike disagrees because as far as he is concerned, when you take something without permission – it’s theft.

George is disciplined, found guilty and is dismissed. George goes to the CCMA and they overturn the dismissal and Mike has to pay out 12 month’s salary as a settlement to George. Mike is gobsmacked, as I am sure most of you are right about now.

The CCMA found that ‘dismissal was too harsh a penalty in this case because the charge had been unauthorised possession” of the cell-phone and that nothing was documented about dishonesty or that the relationship of trust had been destroyed.”

You see ‘Unauthorised possession” is not automatically a dismissible offence and had they proved or shown that George was dishonest or that he could no longer be trusted, the outcome would have been very different.

The reality of the situation is that as individuals, we would never even dream of representing ourselves in a court of law, and yet as Entrepreneurs, we consistently and continuously insist on representing ourselves and our company’s in labour issues.

Please ask for help when you need it, experience shows that it will cost you far less in the long run!

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

EARLY WARNING - Paper on Your Back Windscreen

EARLY WARNING

Paper on Your Back Windscreen


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting May 2011.

I received a mail from my colleague Allen Berkowitz that says “Warning From Police”. Now whether that is true or not I have no idea. The contents of the mail however, sound like it is something that could be done and therefore we should all be aware of what could happen. It is reproduced below.

“WARNING FROM POLICE
THIS APPLIES TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN
BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE
NEW WAY TO DO CAR JACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)

Heads up everyone! Please keep this circulating. You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start your car and put it in reverse.

When you look into the rear view mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of pager stuck to the middle of the rear window. So you stop and jump out of the car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.

When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. They practically run you over as they speed off in your car.

And guess what ladies? I bet your purse/handbag is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and drive away.

Remove the paper later and be thankful that you read this mail. I hope you forward this to friends and family, especially to women. A purse/handbag contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.

Please tell your friends.”

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

BLOGGING TIPS - Being Kind to Your Readers

BLOGGING TIPS – Being Kind to your Readers


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC April 2011

I’ve just read an article entitled “6 Ways to be Kind to your Readers” by Bamboo Forest, and I must admit I was absolutely intrigued by the title. I mean kindness in itself is something most of us aspire to have and I am sure that we all think of ourselves as ‘kind people’ or at the very least, we would like to think of ourselves as kind (even if we may not be).

But what does it mean – to be ‘kind’ to our readers when we blog? I mean as much as it is our choice to write the blog, it is our reader’s choice as to whether they read the blog or not, surely?

So here is what ‘Bamboo Forest’ had to say:

1. “Kill or shorten introductions”. Now this particular statement, I am very sure will not work for me. To be fair, I can understand it up to a point, but for me, my intro sets the stage for the story to unfold. “Killing or shortening” that intro would hurt the story before it began to unfold.
2. “Champion quality over quantity”. This one however, in my opinion is right on the money! At a point, I was writing 5 new articles every week. Now don’t get me wrong, if you have the time to do the research as well as write the article – well that’s just fantastic and a great bonus. However, my workflow increased and the number of hours in the day didn’t and because I didn’t want to compromise the quality or the value of my writing, I have chosen to cut back on the number of articles that I write. There may be times when there are no articles for weeks or even months and then again there may be times when I am able to write on a pretty regular basis. I would rather write a good meaningful article than a rushed half -hearted one!
3. “Commit to having every post be entertaining”. Interesting – absolutely! Entertaining – well I am not too sure about that one, particularly in the world of business and especially in the world of business in South Africa. Current legislation and politics and proposed new legislation often makes really scary reading. Finding solutions to implement the changes without too much upheaval or cost, would hardly make for entertainment, unless of course you are falling about with laughter at the absurdity of it all.
4. “Write clearly” Well that makes perfectly good sense to me, especially when you are writing about business topics. People need to know what the point is. Let’s face it, if you are writing a piece of fiction, there doesn’t always need to be a ‘moral to the story’ (although a plot or storyline is a must), but if you are writing a piece on business – there has to be a point and people have to ‘get it’!
5. “Keep your posts as short as possible”. Again for me this is dependent upon the telling of the story. Sometimes the point is best made and illustrated by means of a story and the length of the story – well if the truth be told, it doesn’t matter how long the story is, as long as it keeps you engaged and interested and it illustrates the point, so that you the reader, ‘get it’!
6. “Step up your game”. Now this one, I particularly like. You see, for me ‘if you are not growing you’re dying”! If you are not constantly challenging yourself and your readers with what you are saying, if you are not improving or engaging or teaching or learning or moving forward or upward in some way –well what is the point?

So I guess what I am trying to say is that there are always guidelines on what to do and how best to do it. Thing is though, it has to serve your own soul and it has to make a difference in the lives of others – if it doesn’t meet those two requirements, well personally, I’d give it up.

Till next time, happy blogging!

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

BUSINESS TIPS - Bookkeepers & Financial Year End - Part 2

BUSINESS TIPS – Bookkeepers & Financial Year End – Part 2


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011

I know that I continually harp on about getting the right bookkeeper/accountant in place – the reason for this is that having the wrong one can end up costing you an arm and a leg.

It is imperative that your bookkeeper/accountant advise you in advance of any changes that will affect you. Imagine the waste of money and resources if the Company owner only found out that the has to pay VAT monthly when he reaches the R35 million turnover per annum mark, 6 months after he has met that particular milestone? The penalties and interest would be absolutely staggering!

The bookkeeper/accountant must also ensure that you are given monthly financial statements or management reports. Here’s the thing though, if you are given reports and/or statements that you have no idea how to read, these reports/statements are actually not worth the paper that they are printed on! So it is therefore incumbent upon the bookkeeper/accountant to make sure that you understand what it is that they are giving you. There is no way that you can make an informed decision around the financial aspects of your business if you have no idea about what is going on.

In terms of the law, your Company is obliged to produce Annual Financial Statements. This is to evidence to SARS (should they ask) what your financial status was during the course of the year and of course, so that your Company taxes can be correctly calculated. This must also be done timeously by your bookkeeper/accountant and they must be signed off correctly in terms of the law.

If, in terms of the law, your books must be audited, then it is the responsibility of the bookkeeper/accountant to assist the auditors with the auditing process and communicate and liaise with the auditors.

All of these issues should be done automatically and timeously by your bookkeeper/accountant, but that said you – the business owner remains accountable and responsible, so you need to manage your relationship with your bookkeeper/accountant to ensure that you are kept up to date.

As with most things in life, there are good bookkeeper/accountant’s and bad. Make sure that whomever you choose is at the very least registered and properly qualified and remember that no matter how brilliant/qualified/professional they are – you are ultimately responsible, so ensure that you, at the very least, pick one that you can build a relationship with and not someone who is just a voice at the other end of the telephone and that you are not just another invoice that has to be raised every month.

Finally – understand that SARS will not accept “ignorance of the law” as a reason for you not doing or paying stuff. Irrespective of whether or not you have a bookkeeper/accountant who did or didn’t do what needed to be done, it is your responsibility to ensure that things are done and you will be held accountable.

It’s your business at the end of the day and you need to keep your finger on the pulse.

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

WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : How to Write A Business Plan

Workshop Invitation: How To Write A Business Plan – 12 April 2011

Gaster Sharpley, author of “My Small Business” writes “Planning is critical to the success of a business, no matter how small or big the business is. Most Entrepreneurs only put a plan in place when they need to borrow money, however, even a cash based business should plan in order to stimulate and influence growth.”

Writing a successful business plan is the first stepping stone to achieving your goals as a business owner. This task can seem daunting, especially if you are not equipped with the correct knowledge.
Sisibukula in conjunction with the S A German Chamber and Women in Finance is proud to host a workshop entitled “How to write Business Plan” facilitated by Kevin Foot.

About Kevin Foot
With many years of experience in corporate management and International Trade, Kevin Foot has the insight into the workings of a business that will give your business plan the edge it needs to be successful. As an Associate of the Institute for Independent Business (www.iib.ws) and a registered business broker for Aldes business brokers (www.aldes.co.za) he aims to add value and a wider range of skills and knowledge to SMME’s.

This thorough course will take you through each step of the business plan covering each topic extensively.

Mission and strategies
Sales, marketing and finances
Product and service description
Target Market Profiles, Customers and users
Reviewing the competition
Marketing strategies, plan, projections
Technology and R&D
Operational plans including capital expenditure projections
Funding
Implementation

Join Sisibukula at this essential day long workshop:

Date: Tuesday 12th April 2011

Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg

Price: R950 per delegate includes notes, refreshments, lunch (VAT Incl)

RSVP: no later than Friday 8th April 2011. Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.


For Booking Please Contact:

SA German Chamber delegates, please contact Shaan Padayachy on 011 486 2775 or spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za.

Women In Finance delegates, please contact Colleen Larsen on 084 353 9865 or colleen@womeninfinance.co.za

Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on 083 702 8849 or nikki@sisibukula.co.za

HR - The Charge - Sexual Harassment

ARTICLE 67

The Charge – Sexual Harassment

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - April 2011

I have been reading some very interesting case studies lately and thought that it might be a good idea to share some of these with you. Now before anyone does the usual ‘knee jerk’ and the government’s legislation etc., let me be very clear on one thing. The law (irrespective of whether it is labour law or commercial law or any other specific law) is always open to interpretation – just keep that in mind always.

So let’s bring in the protagonists – Mike, who owns a retail outlet, selling CD’s and DVD’s, in a busy mall. Mike employs George, who is the supervisor and Julie (amongst others) who is a sales person.

Mike goes off to attend a meeting one Monday and comes back to absolute chaos. Julie is in floods of tears and it is evident that all the female staff in the store are really angry with George. Mike starts to investigate.

Apparently, or so the story goes from the female perspective, George and Julie received new stock, as was the norm on a Monday morning, that came with posters. The one poster was of the lead singer of a band, standing in a typical “Michael Jackson” pose with his hand on his genitals. Julie was disgusted at the visual effect of the poster and commented that it should not be displayed in the windows for children to see and George, from the male perspective, thought that the poster was hilarious and that there was nothing disgusting about it.

To illustrate his point (and I suspect to tease Julie), George jumped up and started dancing around Julie, to the music that was playing in the store and every time he came around to the front of her, he gyrated and put his hands over his genitals, mimicking Michael Jackson’s dance moves.

The men found this absolutely ‘fall down funny’ but the women were outraged. George, intent on getting his dance moves just right, misread Julie’s protests of his dance and continued to dance around her. Julie felt that his behaviour was disrespectful and unprofessional and George oblivious to this, just continued to gyrate and dance.

Eventually his dance routine was interrupted, when a whole group of customers entered the store, they had to be attended to.

The male staff saw this as a bit of harmless fun, but the female staff saw this as disrespectful behaviour as well as a form of sexual harassment as he had gyrated and ‘grabbed his genitals’ in Julie’s face.

Understandably, Mike was really annoyed with George. Not only was his behaviour unprofessional, but as the supervisor he should have been setting an example. Sexual harassment is a dismissible offense and Mike went through the process of the disciplinary. George was found guilty and was dismissed.

George lodged with the CCMA and unfortunately Mike lost the case.

Here’s the thing – although the charge of “Sexual Harassment” is an extremely serious one, the CCMA found that “the dismissal was too harsh because it was an isolated incident and was unlikely to be repeated.”

Sure, George’s behaviour was inappropriate, but no-one had been sexually assaulted or raped or threatened and as I have said many times – the punishment must fit the crime.

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

EARLY WARNING - Cell Phones and Hackers

EARLY WARNING – Cell Phones & Hackers



By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting April 2011.

When I saw the title of an article that said “More than 3 billion mobile phones could soon be hacked”, I must admit, my heart sank. Not because my conversations are about anything illegal, you understand, it’s just that it’s one more way in which my privacy can be compromised.

Apparently “voice calls via mobile phones use a kind of encryption that is 15 years old and a way to crack the code has been found” says one hacker.

Now that statement really made me see red . . . in all its different shades! The implication of course that in 15 years the technology has not been improved and given what we pay for cell phones that are supposed to be ‘state of the art’, in terms of technology – this is just not acceptable at all!

Although none of my conversations are of an illegal nature, many of them are of a confidential nature and in view of the fact that I sign a confidentiality agreement with many of my clients’, this news really puts me at risk, especially if someone is listening in when I discuss confidential issues with my clients.

According to Thomas Jonsson, a Vice President at Nokia “Hacks have been alleged before and have proven to be incorrect. The history and wide usage of GSM shows that there’s good reason to have confidence in its security.”

Well I’m very pleased that Thomas Jonsson feels secure because in the same article, the very same GSM Association stated that “Academics have already set out how to crack the A5/1 logarithm but none has led to a ‘practical attack’ that can be used on live commercial GSM networks”.

This, to me means “watch this space”! It’s not the academics that I am worried about!

The fact of the matter is this – if the code has been cracked by the academics (who are usually perceived as being the good guys), then it is only a matter of time before it gets cracked by the bad guys, which will put me and billions of people just like me at risk!

Come on GDM – get it together!

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

WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business

A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business – 11 May 2011
Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber, Randburg Chamber and WIF.
The workshop deals with the everyday issues that arise when starting a new business. It saves time and energy as well as money. Time in that you don’t have to spend time in queue’s trying to get the correct documentation, or doing research on the Internet or anywhere else for that matter, trying to find out what you have to do and where you have to go in order to do it.

A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business is broken up into the following main titles below and starts off with the difference between a Sole Proprietor, a Close Corporation and a Company and how to register each of these entities.

- Accounting Records & General
- Banking Accounts
- Receipts and Banking
- Cheque Payments and/or Internet Payments
- Invoices
- Credit Notes
- Bank Reconciliations
- Petty Cash
- Control of Numbered Stationery
- Computerised Accounting
- Staff & HR Issues
- Security/Safety
- Money Laundering
- Filing
- Stock Control

No prior knowledge of Starting A Business is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to register and manage your business on a practical level.

About the Facilitator – Nikki Viljoen
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who has her own company called Viljoen Consulting.

Nikki has in excess of 30 years experience in this field both from a banking perspective as well as from a Corporate perspective.

Having seen a huge gap in the SMME market, Nikki started Viljoen Consulting to assist SMME’s to become compliant and to establish controls and processes and to implement structure into the smaller companies to give them greater stability, and to encourage sustainability.

Nikki’s business blog http://www.businessreality.blogspot.com/ or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/ was recently internationally rated at 8.9 out of a possible 10. This places Nikki 5th in the world in her category. With her blog Nikki shares useful Business and Personal tips with anyone who cares to read it.

Date: Wednesday 11th May 2011

Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)

Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg

Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.

RSVP: no later than Monday 9th 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Please contact:-

German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486
2775

Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.

BUSINESS TIPS - Bookkeepers & Financial Year End - Part 1

BUSINESS TIPS – Bookkeepers & Financial Year End – Part 1


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2011

I’m really getting to the point where I am beginning to feel like I am ‘sounding like a broken record’! Problem is that many SME’s don’t seem to be listening and that is really sad.

Every day I meet people who haven’t listened and who are now paying the price and I mean “paying” in every sense of the word. People who are trying to negotiate payment plans with SARS and people who are trying to hide from the Sherriff of the court, who has arrived to attach their possessions and even people who have had to liquidate their businesses and their stories are all the same – they didn’t understand or know how to do the finances of their businesses.

If only they had listened!

Sure a good bookkeeper/accountant will cost you money. Sure there will be administration that you will need to do on a daily/weekly/monthly and annual basis, but look at what you have to gain from than – a business where you actually know what’s going on! For me there’s actually nothing worse than not knowing where I am financially.

Here are some of the things that a good bookkeeper/accountant should be doing for you (so NO, it’s not just about the numbers, it’s also about delivering a good service and understanding your business too).

Your bookkeeper/accountant should ensure that you are properly registered – not only as a company but with all the different legislative bodies that you need to be registered with. You don’t automatically have to be registered with all of them as some of them are industry specific. For example if you run a pub or bar or restaurant, you would need to have a liquor license but if you run a book store you wouldn’t. If you have staff, you need to be registered as an employer both with SARS and the Department of Labour, and so on. Your bookkeeper/accountant would need to ensure that you are properly registered and that your annual fees (where applicable) are paid and up to date.

The bookkeeper/accountant should also ensure that your books are maintained on a monthly basis and that they are accurate and calculated and recorded and documented in compliance with the GAAP (Generally accepted accounting principles) requirements.

It is the responsibility of the bookkeeper/accountant to ensure that the monthly/bi-monthly and annual statutory requirements are met on or before the deadlines, so that penalties and interest claims can be avoided.

As most of you know by now, there have been many changes to legislation over the last few months, but here’s the thing – legislation changes all the time. Your bookkeeper/accountant needs to keep up to date with, not only all the changes that have taken place, but also the changes that are being proposed for the future. The bookkeeper/accountant should be keeping you up to date with all of the changes, especially in terms of SARS (VAT and Tax). Changes in these two elements could have a financial implication on your company if they are not correctly and timeously implemented.

Next time we will look at some additional issues that your bookkeeper/accountant should keep your informed about.


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

EARLY WARNING - Is Your Identity Safe

EARLY WARNING

Is Your Identity Safe?


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting April 2011.

I know that I have written about this before – but hell, it needs to be talked about again.

Just last week something was delivered by a bank to one of my clients, by means of a courier, the delivery guy demanded a copy of client’s ID document. I instructed my client not to hand over a copy of their ID! Whatever next? I was told by the bank official that the delivery guy had to make sure that he had delivered to the correct person. My response – well he can look at the person, then look at the ID as well as the ID number that you have given him and if the picture looks like the person he is handing the package to and if the ID # is the same – then guess what – it’s the right person. If he is not satisfied that it is the right person, then he doesn’t have to leave the package here. Quite simple really. The end solution – the courier company delivered to the bank guy (taking a copy of his ID I’m sure) and the bank guy delivered to my client, without getting another copy of the ID!

Here are some of the issues that have been reported in terms of identity documents:

How about these guys – as reported by Lyse Comins and Arthi – “Fraud syndicates are using identity theft to exploit the huge number of life and funeral policies being taken out because of the HIV and Aides pandemic. They steal an identity, take out a policy and then declare the person dead and claim the money.”

How absolutely disgusting and reprehensible is that?

To make matters worse, according to Pat Cunningham, SA Fraud Prevention Services Head, “Syndicates frequently used informants at state mortuaries and funeral parlours to alert them to unidentified and unclaimed bodies. They will also disfigure and sell an unidentified body between syndicates (to commit multiple fraud).”

Now that is even more disgusting! I doubt that anyone reading this will disagree with anything that I have said here.

Yet we happily give copies of our ID’s to all and sundry, to anyone who asks. We hand copies of our ID’s to people who deliver stuff to us because we are ‘told’ to, because this is the ‘procedure’ or the ‘policy’ of the company!

Well here’s a thought – I have my own set of ‘policies and procedures’ – I don’t give copies of my ID to just anybody.

Quite frankly, I am the client and not a sheep and actually the FICA and FAIS Acts are there to protect me too.

Yes people have a right to insist that I verify who I am and I can do that by showing them my ID – they can look at the ID and look at me and make a decision as to whether the person in the photograph is me. Hell, that’s what they do when we leave or enter a country – they don’t take copies of our passports! What they don’t have, and this is actually in terms of the FICA Act, is the right to insist that I give them a copy of my ID.

As individuals, we all have to take some responsibility for keeping our identity safe.

So think, think carefully before you just hand over copies of your ID.

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

BLOGGING TIPS - Being Kind to Your Readers

BLOGGING TIPS – Being Kind to your Readers


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC April 2011

I’ve just read an article entitled “6 Ways to be Kind to your Readers” by Bamboo Forest, and I must admit I was absolutely intrigued by the title. I mean kindness in itself is something most of us aspire to have and I am sure that we all think of ourselves as ‘kind people’ or at the very least, we would like to think of ourselves as kind (even if we may not be).

But what does it mean – to be ‘kind’ to our readers when we blog? I mean as much as it is our choice to write the blog, it is our reader’s choice as to whether they read the blog or not, surely?

So here is what ‘Bamboo Forest’ had to say:

1. “Kill or shorten introductions”. Now this particular statement, I am very sure will not work for me. To be fair, I can understand it up to a point, but for me, my intro sets the stage for the story to unfold. “Killing or shortening” that intro would hurt the story before it began to unfold.
2. “Champion quality over quantity”. This one however, in my opinion is right on the money! At a point, I was writing 5 new articles every week. Now don’t get me wrong, if you have the time to do the research as well as write the article – well that’s just fantastic and a great bonus. However, my workflow increased and the number of hours in the day didn’t and because I didn’t want to compromise the quality or the value of my writing, I have chosen to cut back on the number of articles that I write. There may be times when there are no articles for weeks or even months and then again there may be times when I am able to write on a pretty regular basis. I would rather write a good meaningful article than a rushed half -hearted one!
3. “Commit to having every post be entertaining”. Interesting – absolutely! Entertaining – well I am not too sure about that one, particularly in the world of business and especially in the world of business in South Africa. Current legislation and politics and proposed new legislation often makes really scary reading. Finding solutions to implement the changes without too much upheaval or cost, would hardly make for entertainment, unless of course you are falling about with laughter at the absurdity of it all.
4. “Write clearly” Well that makes perfectly good sense to me, especially when you are writing about business topics. People need to know what the point is. Let’s face it, if you are writing a piece of fiction, there doesn’t always need to be a ‘moral to the story’ (although a plot or storyline is a must), but if you are writing a piece on business – there has to be a point and people have to ‘get it’!
5. “Keep your posts as short as possible”. Again for me this is dependent upon the telling of the story. Sometimes the point is best made and illustrated by means of a story and the length of the story – well if the truth be told, it doesn’t matter how long the story is, as long as it keeps you engaged and interested and it illustrates the point, so that you the reader, ‘get it’!
6. “Step up your game”. Now this one, I particularly like. You see, for me ‘if you are not growing you’re dying”! If you are not constantly challenging yourself and your readers with what you are saying, if you are not improving or engaging or teaching or learning or moving forward or upward in some way –well what is the point?

So I guess what I am trying to say is that there are always guidelines on what to do and how best to do it. Thing is though, it has to serve your own soul and it has to make a difference in the lives of others – if it doesn’t meet those two requirements, well personally, I’d give it up.

Till next time, happy blogging!

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

WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : Employee to Entrepreneur - Creating a Winner Mindset

Employee to Entrepreneur, Creating a Winner Mindset – 10 May 2011

Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber and WIF.

When someone starts a business, no-one explains the mental adjustment that must be made to ensure that the entrepreneur remains mentally positive and well. This workshop is aimed at someone interested in starting their own business as well as those who have owned a small business for a while and are looking to expand their business to the next level.
The transition from being an employee to becoming an employer is often quite a mental stretch as the entrepreneur becomes responsible for carrying out all the tasks that are generally carried out by a number of people in a larger company. Also, as an entrepreneur, the person has to work longer working hours to properly establish the business. The entrepreneur is also under tremendous stress to bring their product and/or service to market for various reasons.
The mental and emotional wellness of an entrepreneur can be better self-managed when a more holistic approach is taken to business as a whole.
The Workshop covers:

The Entrepreneurial Mind
This one day programme was created to assist prospective entrepreneurs to prepare themselves for the challenging task of running your own business. Your thinking, expectations and attitudes to the entrepreneurial space can make or break your business.
The programme is broken into four core components:
Module 1: Playing to strengths
This module is designed to help you identify and work to your primary strengths.
Module 2: Build your team – No man is an island
Very few businesses can be created and sustained by one person alone.
Module 3: Get Real – how to blue sky with both feet firmly planted on the ground
The harsh reality is this, building a business is no easy thing.
Module 4: The Art of Self-Promotion
In my experience, the hardest thing for most entrepreneurs is to promote themselves.

About the Facilitator – Rachel Van Doorene

Rachel is the founder of a company called Every Woman Education & Training Solutions PTY Ltd. She is also the publisher of an online magazine called Women Inc. (The Complete Resource for the Working Women). This magazine (in hard copy) reached a total of 17 000 subscribers and an estimated pass-on readership of conservatively 250 000 South African women. In January, 2006, she launched a company targeted at the male market, called EveryMan ETS (PTY) Ltd.

Rachel has successfully run her own consulting company, consulting on education and training strategies to the banks in Johannesburg for four years. Her consulting clients include but were not limited to SCMB, Barclays Bank, Standard Bank Operations and Standard Bank Commercial.

Prior to this she taught entrepreneurship, life skills and computer literacy at Greenside High School. She in turn has been involved in media planning and direct sales with Verimark Holdings, a direct marketing company. She spent three years as a pastor at His People Christian Church, Johannesburg where she mentored young professionals in life skills, entrepreneurial skills and counselled them as and when the need arose. She has launched five entrepreneurial Rachel is the founder of a company called Every Woman Education & Training Solutions PTY Ltd. She is also the publisher of an online magazine called Women Inc. (The Complete Resource for the Working Women). This magazine (in hard copy) reached a total of 17 000 subscribers and an estimated pass-on readership of conservatively 250 000 South African women. In January, 2006, she launched a company targeted at the male market, called EveryMan ETS (PTY) Ltd.

Rachel has successfully run her own consulting company, consulting on education and training strategies to the banks in Johannesburg for four years. Her consulting clients include but were not limited to SCMB, Barclays Bank, Standard Bank Operations and Standard Bank Commercial.

Date: Tuesday 10th May 2011

Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg

Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.

RSVP: no later than Friday 6th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Please contact:-

German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775

Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.

Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.

BUSINESS TIPS - Managing Your Business - Part 5

BUSINESS TIPS – Managing Your Business – Part 5


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2011

Irrespective of how ‘uncertain’ times are and how difficult it is to get the business in or make the sale, or how much you have downscaled the expenses, the fact of the matter is that you have to keep your staff motivated if you want to still get the business in and the orders processed. Clearly I am not talking only of the sales staff here!

Here’s the thing, if you have cut back and trimmed away as much as you should have and tightened your belt as far as it can be tightened, then most if not all of your staff have taken over some (if not all) of the duties of the staff who have left and usually for no additional remuneration. That means that you need to implement some sort of reward system to motivate them. This is where you have to get creative, as you may not be able to reward them financially. There are many perks that don’t necessarily cost the company a lot of money but could have huge beneficial implications to the staff. Things like, introducing flexitime, so that they spend less time in traffic and therefore have more quality family time or even, if it can be done, allowing them to work from home. This could result in you renting out your excess office space and your staff member spending less on fuel and toll fees – a win/win situation, I am sure you will agree. Rather get rid of the ‘dead wood’ and poor performers and reward those who have invested themselves in your company and who work effectively and efficiently. Poor performers and ‘dead wood’ take up a huge amount of management time and ultimately increase costs in more ways than one.

One of the quickest ways to decrease costs and increase productivity is to ensure that your operational costs are kept to a minimum. Machinery should be well and regularly maintained to optimise efficient use and processes implemented and properly managed to ensure that both quantity and quality of output. This should also be measured to ensure that it is of the highest standard. Regular review of processes and procedures to ensure that they are both effective and efficient and that they comply with legislation will also ensure that workflow output is optimised and constant and that fines or penalties are not levied against you for non-compliance.

Finally, “always keep your enemies close”. Make sure that you know what your competition is doing to ensure that you are doing things better, more efficiently and more effectively. Make sure that your always give value for money and that you operate from a place of integrity and honestly with your clients, your suppliers and your staff.

In your Business – honestly really is the best policy!
________________________________________

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

MOTIVATION - Creating Opportunities

MOTIVATION – Creating Opportunities


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2011

Bruce Lee said “To hell with circumstances, I create opportunities!”

This statement really carries a punch for me! To be quite honest, I am really fed up with a number of people at the moment. I am seriously sick and tired of people with begging bowls who seem think that it is my ‘job’ to provide for them. To hold their hands, or put money into their pockets or even to supply them with solutions to their problems because – well because they were previously disadvantaged – or their circumstances were not the same as mine (not that they have a cooking clue about my circumstances you understand). It’s just expected.

I have just had a meeting with a young chap, let’s call him George – who read an article in a magazine, where I was interviewed. Apparently, as I am given to understand it as I have not seen the article in question, I help people to start businesses – I suppose that’s a pretty fair (although very broad) statement of what I do.

So his opening request is “I want you to write a business proposal for me”. Now, no-where on anything that I have ever written, have I offered writing business proposals for anyone, irrespective of whether I am being paid for the service or not.

To cut a very long, painful and frustrating conversation short – the story is as follows:

George used to work in a fish and chip shop – peeling potatoes for the chips, so he thinks that it might be a good idea to open up a fish and chip shop. Nothing wrong with that dream, I hear you saying. Here’s the problem, he has done no research, never managed anything, never employed any staff, never done any other kind of work in a ‘fast food’ type environment and he has no money to put down. So clearly that turned out to not be such a good idea.

So his next plan was that he had worked as a volunteer in a clinic – he says, doing counseling, (but he has no education to speak of), around HIV and STD’s. I suspect (and I say suspect, because getting any information was like pulling hen’s teeth or dancing between the raindrops), that he spoke about the use of condoms rather than actually counseling someone with HIV or aids or any of the STD’s. George apparently worked there for 6 months, so now – how about he opens a clinic! I mean for goodness sake! The only research that he has done is to ascertain that the ‘government says that they will fund it’!

George registered an NGO 14 months ago and now he wants me to write a proposal to government because ‘they must fund it’!

Currently he is ‘working with fibre optics’ and when I asked the probing questions I discovered that what he is actually doing is laying cables in the trenches – well not today he wasn’t, today he was wasting my time and irritating me because that seems to be his right because his “circumstances” growing up were less than mine! It’s his right because he was previously disadvantaged – although the fact that I am currently disadvantaged is not something that he wanted to talk about!

George’s parting comment as he prepared to leave was that “he can see that he needs to do some research, but eish, it’s hard and when I have done the research I will contact you so that you can tell me what to do next!” My response “Sure okay, but my hourly rate is ……. And the next meeting you will have to pay for in advance.”

My circumstances – well they made me work harder, something that I still do to this day. I started working after school and on the weekends at 13 and by the time I was 15, I went to court to have myself legally declared an emancipated minor. I had my own flat that I paid for and that I worked for. Sure I’ve had help along the way, but it has always been help that I reciprocated. I have made my own way, watched out for opportunities or made my own. I’ve come really far but I can say with all honesty, I have paid to get here.

Perhaps I have done it the hard way around, perhaps I should have sat on my arse with my begging bowl extended and bemoaned my particular set of circumstances and demanded that my expectations be met off the backs and hard work of others.

The problem with that though is the fact that I would then never have been . . . . well me!

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

HR - Does the Punishment Fit the Crime

ARTICLE 66

Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - April 2011

I recently read an article on how a business owner who gave his staff member a final written warning for a genuine transgression, then lost the plot and fired the staff member for having a ‘negative attitude’, when he refused to sign in receipt of the warning.

I laughed – you know those great big belly laugh , laughs – yeah, one of those!

You see of late, there have been a huge number of debates (and believe me they often get quite heated) on the Business Masters forum (http://www.businessmasters.co.za) , a very active website that provides networking and online community support for SME’s.

The debates often erupt around HR and labour issues and they can get really heated and emotional because they are often seen as very unfair and usually leaning towards the rights of the employee and very seldom are about the rights of the employer.

Let’s put a little bit of a spin on this story and use my usual protagonists.

Mike owns a plumbing business and he is extremely busy. George is his ‘right hand man’ and Mike is trying to give him ‘on the job’ training, not only the technical and practical aspects of plumbing, but also the responsibility and accountability of doing a job well and looking after the company assets as well as giving the clients a good service.

Sometimes Mike feels that his working life is made up of his teams rushing from one job to another. There always seems to be a pipe that’s burst in one complex and geyser in another. Due to the ‘lack of skills’ pandemic that has hit the world with a resounding ‘thump’, business is good and Mike is doing well.

George is really grateful to Mike because for many years he did not have a job. Mike treats him well and he is paid a fair wage for what he does and Mike is teaching him all the tricks of the trade. George has a dream that one day he will own his own plumbing business.

George loves learning about the plumbing side of the business. He loves to learn about the different types of pipes and where they go and he loves to see the different tools, all laid own in a row and he is particularly proud of the fact that he knows which tools to use when.

What George hates though is to ‘pick’ up and ‘clean up’ after himself. He hates to have to put all the tools back in exactly the right space in the tool box or in the bakkie and he thinks that Mike is a real ‘fuss pot’ when he goes on about tools that are lost, but aren’t really because they are usually on the bakkie, just not where they are supposed to be. George already has two written warning on his file for not putting the tools away properly or in the right place – “Yes”, George thinks to himself, “Mike makes a big fuss about nothing!”

Mike and George are just finishing a job in a complex, when a call comes in about a burst pipe in another complex and by the sound of it, it’s a real gusher! Mike instructs George to pack up all the tools and ladders quickly, whilst he finishes up so that they are ready to dash to the broken pipe as soon as he is finished with this repair.

As usual George does not take care as he throws the tools into the back of the van and hurriedly puts the ladder onto the roof rack on the van. George is thinking about how the pipe is going to be fixed and what tools should be used and whether Mike will let him fix it by himself.

Mike comes out having finished what he was doing, gives a quick glance into the van to see if everything is where it should be, raises an eyebrow at George when he sees it isn’t , but there is no time now to repack everything as every second delay means hundreds of litres of precious water being wasted.

Mike jumps into the van and off they go.

Mike is still moaning at George about the state of the tools in the back of the van as they whiz up the road and he has to slam on brakes as a pedestrian steps into the road in front of him. Mike swerves, narrowly missing him and as he straightens up again he hears a horrible scraping sound, the angry sound of a hooter and the screeching of brakes behind him and then a huge ‘bang crash’ as something metal hit something else metal!

Mike brings the van to a halt at the side of the road and gets out of the van with a very sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Behind him, a brand new Mercedes Benz has also come to a halt at the side of the road. The Mercedes Benz however has a steel ladder sticking out the passenger side of the windscreen. Yep – you’ve guessed it – George forgot to secure the ladder and it has now caused thousands of Rands worth of damage (thank goodness no-one was hurt) as it went through the passenger side of the windscreen.

Shaken and shocked, Mike was both relieved that no-one was hurt but also horrified at the extent of the damage that had been caused unnecessarily. Over and above that, Mike was furious with George (quite rightly so) because he had not followed the correct procedure when returning tools and equipment to the van.

Justifiably, the next day Mike handed George a final written warning for not following procedure and instructed George to sign in receipt of the written warning. George, in his understanding that this was his ‘final’ written warning and now scared of the consequences, refused to sign the form. This of course is where the whole thing goes pear shaped and falls apart. Up until this point, Mike has done everything correctly.

Mike in his anger and frustration at getting George to do things correctly as well as facing a huge financial bill (being the excess of insurance etc.) as a direct result of George’s inability to follow simple procedures perceives this refusal to sign in receipt of the document as George’s refusal to accept responsibility and ultimately the consequences of his actions. Mike dismisses George for being negative and having a bad attitude.

George of course, went straight to the CCMA and Mike ends up having to pay George out 4 months salary to add insult to injury.

Mike is obviously outraged at this injustice and so the war between the SME’s and the Department of Labour continues.

Here is the thing though . . . . nobody, and I mean nobody can be forced to sign anything and George not signing the document actually has no real meaning or value at all. Mike could have merely documented that the warning discussion took place at the date, time and place (as indicated on the form) and that George had refused to sign the document. If Mike really wanted to prove a point, he could have called any one of his staff in to witness that he had given George the document and the witness could have signed that this was so. End of story. Quite simple really.

Dismissing someone for having a ‘negative attitude’ or indeed, having a ‘bad attitude’ or any other kind of attitude for that matter, is really quite ridiculous and no wonder it was thrown out for being ‘unfair labour practice;’

Had Mike just followed the correct procedures, the outcome would have been completely different.

Following the correct procedures to the letter of the law will usually ensure that justice prevails.

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