HR 101 - Maintain Control of your Staff – Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour and Best Practice requirements.
Continuing from last time here are some additional examples of what staff can get up to at their employers expense if they are not properly managed.
I’ve had two separate clients this year who have staff who abuse sick leave. The one client’s employee took a total of 65 days sick leave over a 12 month period – that is more than double her 3 year allocation – and when we put a stop to that and told her that any further sick leave would be taken as unpaid, she promptly asked for her 3 days family responsibility leave as her son was having a medical procedure done. Her son is 25 years old and the medical procedure turned out to be he had a tooth pulled. Needless to say that leave was also taken as unpaid!
Then there was another client who had a husband and wife team working for him (that is also never a good idea). Both went to the clinic once a month – on different days, but when the wife went the husband had to take her (so he couldn’t come to work) and when he went the wife couldn’t get to work (clearly the buses and taxis don’t work) and then they also expected to get their full quota of sick leave on top of that because ‘it wasn’t their fault that they had to go to the clinic every month’! I guess maybe that they thought it was their boss’s fault! Needless to say, they too have discovered the joys of unpaid leave!
Sick leave and especially excessive sick leave that is not monitored and controlled can cost the company hundreds and thousands and indeed can even cripple a company. Having a proper leave policy in place that clearly states and outlines the consequences of excessive sick leave and ensuring that those consequences are upheld, will go a long way to ensuring that this particular problem does not rear its ugly head. Having a disciplinary policy that also clearly outlines ‘incapacity’ and that consequences of that, also often ensures that staff get to work on a more regular basis.
My father always used to say that no-matter what your job is, you should always do it with pride and it should always be done to the best of your ability. Sadly this no longer seems to apply to people in general anymore. People no longer seem to feel the need to take any kind of pride in the work that they produce and sadder still is the fact that that not only do they not feel the need to take pride in their work but they also seem to feel that employers should be very happy to accept their second and third rate work, whilst paying wages and salaries for first rate expectations. Crazy idea that! Again checklists laying out exactly what must be done and then ensuring that they are correctly signed off will ensure accountability. Again though, it needs to be properly monitored and consequences must be metered out if the procedures are not complied with.
Next time we will have a look at some more examples of what employees get up to when they are not effectively managed.
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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Friday, June 14, 2019
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Early Warning - Is Your Identity Safe?
Early Warning - Is Your Identity Safe?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting(Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African FICA, FAIS and Best Practice requirements.
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 Aids 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 parlors 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
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting(Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African FICA, FAIS and Best Practice requirements.
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 Aids 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 parlors 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
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Networking 101 - Identify Specific Events
Networking 101 - Identify Specific Events
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Identify specific events such as industry association gatherings, ward or academic evening which you can attend.”
In 2005, after I attended my first networking meeting I was so wound up and amazed by the number of opportunities that, that one meeting opened up for me that I ended up running around like a Dura-cell bunny!
I went to every single meeting I could find, I pestered people into setting up meetings with me and was devastated when they did not pitch. In short, I ran myself ragged, running here and there and all over the place without any sort of plan in my mind except that I had to network and connect with people. Not a good idea hey?
Once I calmed down though, I realized that I needed to be more selective. So instead of going to everything that was happening, I started attending functions and meetings that were attended by like minded individuals who were closer to home. So that meant small business owners in the Cresta area. I further curtailed my ‘30 meter dash to the middle of whatever is happening’ by also slowing down on the number of meetings that I went to. I started having a ‘meeting day’ so that I was left with time and space in which to do my work and not be interrupted every two hours to dash off to a meeting.
I found that I could comfortably cope with four meetings a month, anymore than that I couldn’t cope with the number of ‘one-on-one’ meetings after the event that I insist on, to start building the relationships needed before any business was conducted.
As I experimented and found my feet, I targeted more and more events that would encourage the type of person that I wanted to do business with and only met with individuals who truly wanted to meet and do business with me.
Slowly, but surely I have built up a huge network that continues to grow on a daily basis. I have met some incredible people, some of whom are extremely influential and well connected, but who remain people who want to make a difference. I have referred many, many people who have ended up doing great business as a direct result of those referrals and yes, I have also met a few sharks along the way. In life, those are to be expected from time to time.
So, start at the beginning – go to events that are likely to attract, like minded individuals and grow from there.
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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Identify specific events such as industry association gatherings, ward or academic evening which you can attend.”
In 2005, after I attended my first networking meeting I was so wound up and amazed by the number of opportunities that, that one meeting opened up for me that I ended up running around like a Dura-cell bunny!
I went to every single meeting I could find, I pestered people into setting up meetings with me and was devastated when they did not pitch. In short, I ran myself ragged, running here and there and all over the place without any sort of plan in my mind except that I had to network and connect with people. Not a good idea hey?
Once I calmed down though, I realized that I needed to be more selective. So instead of going to everything that was happening, I started attending functions and meetings that were attended by like minded individuals who were closer to home. So that meant small business owners in the Cresta area. I further curtailed my ‘30 meter dash to the middle of whatever is happening’ by also slowing down on the number of meetings that I went to. I started having a ‘meeting day’ so that I was left with time and space in which to do my work and not be interrupted every two hours to dash off to a meeting.
I found that I could comfortably cope with four meetings a month, anymore than that I couldn’t cope with the number of ‘one-on-one’ meetings after the event that I insist on, to start building the relationships needed before any business was conducted.
As I experimented and found my feet, I targeted more and more events that would encourage the type of person that I wanted to do business with and only met with individuals who truly wanted to meet and do business with me.
Slowly, but surely I have built up a huge network that continues to grow on a daily basis. I have met some incredible people, some of whom are extremely influential and well connected, but who remain people who want to make a difference. I have referred many, many people who have ended up doing great business as a direct result of those referrals and yes, I have also met a few sharks along the way. In life, those are to be expected from time to time.
So, start at the beginning – go to events that are likely to attract, like minded individuals and grow from there.
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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Business Tips - Managing Your Business - Part 2
Business Tips – Managing Your Business – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Last week we had a look at some of the issues around Finance and today we continue with Margins.
As usual, let’s have a look at exactly what a “margin” is. The Wiki says :
“Profit margin, net margin, net profit margin or net profit ratio all refer to a measure of profitability. It is calculated by finding the net profit as a percentage of the revenue.
The profit margin is mostly used for internal comparison. It is difficult to accurately compare the net profit ratio for different entities. Individual businesses' operating and financing arrangements vary so much that different entities are bound to have different levels of expenditure, so that comparison of one with another can have little meaning. A low profit margin indicates a low margin of safety: higher risk that a decline in sales will erase profits and result in a net loss.
Profit margin is an indicator of a company's pricing strategies and how well it controls costs. Differences in competitive strategy and product mix cause the profit margin to vary among different companies.”
The easiest way for me to remember it is that the margin is the difference (financially) between what everything cost (not only materials, but also time and expenses [for me as a service type business] and research, printing, paper, ink etc.) and what I charge. If your margins are too low, you will never make a profit and on the other hand if you set your margins too high, you run the risk of never making a sale – it’s a delicately balanced scenario!
Essentially there are two ways to increase your margins (profit margins) and those are either to cut costs or cut prices. In order to know which one to do it is obviously essential that you focus on your margins on a regular basis and also on what the current economic trends are as it is not always a good thing to cut prices, although it is always a good thing to cut costs, as long as that ‘cost’ does not interfere with the quality of your product or service.
Sometimes increasing the price of your services or your product has a powerful statement attached to it – it says “I’m worth it” or “the product is worth it”. I know that when I started out, I had nothing to compare my services to and the result is that I used my corporate ‘salary’ as a gauge to set my hourly rates – wow, was that ever a big mistake. I priced myself far too low and the result is that I attracted many clients, all of who desperately needed by expertise, but all of who could not afford me! Within 24 months I had doubled my hourly rate and I was attracting clients who not only needed me, but who could also afford me.
In this particular instance, me raising my charges had an incredibly powerful effect – it said ‘this is what I am worth’ and the psychological effect on me, as an individual, was incredible. Before, even though my prices were very low, I was chasing business by giving discounts, hoping to retain the very clients that could not afford my services in the first place – that was a very costly mistake – I wrote off a lot of money to bad debt.
Nowadays, if I am going to give a discount – it is because there is a huge value to me and it is based on a whole different set of criteria, such as (but not limited to) early or timeous payment, number of hours on retainer etc.
Cutting costs is definitely the best way to increase your margins and thereby increase your profits. This is not always an easy thing to do particularly in tough times, when you are looking at staff and salaries. You have to divorce yourself from the emotions and look at the cold hard facts. Can you do without this particular function being performed by a single person, in other words “Don’t make it about a person or personal”, but rather about what’s good for the Company. If you have two people doing work that can be done by one person, then it stands to reason that you only need to employ one person – don’t get sucked into the emotional side of things.
Keeping your costs to a minimum and your clients to a maximum is therefore the best way to ensure that your margin remains on track and is the best way to meet and even surpass your budget requirements.
Next time we will have a look at your customers.
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 – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Last week we had a look at some of the issues around Finance and today we continue with Margins.
As usual, let’s have a look at exactly what a “margin” is. The Wiki says :
“Profit margin, net margin, net profit margin or net profit ratio all refer to a measure of profitability. It is calculated by finding the net profit as a percentage of the revenue.
The profit margin is mostly used for internal comparison. It is difficult to accurately compare the net profit ratio for different entities. Individual businesses' operating and financing arrangements vary so much that different entities are bound to have different levels of expenditure, so that comparison of one with another can have little meaning. A low profit margin indicates a low margin of safety: higher risk that a decline in sales will erase profits and result in a net loss.
Profit margin is an indicator of a company's pricing strategies and how well it controls costs. Differences in competitive strategy and product mix cause the profit margin to vary among different companies.”
The easiest way for me to remember it is that the margin is the difference (financially) between what everything cost (not only materials, but also time and expenses [for me as a service type business] and research, printing, paper, ink etc.) and what I charge. If your margins are too low, you will never make a profit and on the other hand if you set your margins too high, you run the risk of never making a sale – it’s a delicately balanced scenario!
Essentially there are two ways to increase your margins (profit margins) and those are either to cut costs or cut prices. In order to know which one to do it is obviously essential that you focus on your margins on a regular basis and also on what the current economic trends are as it is not always a good thing to cut prices, although it is always a good thing to cut costs, as long as that ‘cost’ does not interfere with the quality of your product or service.
Sometimes increasing the price of your services or your product has a powerful statement attached to it – it says “I’m worth it” or “the product is worth it”. I know that when I started out, I had nothing to compare my services to and the result is that I used my corporate ‘salary’ as a gauge to set my hourly rates – wow, was that ever a big mistake. I priced myself far too low and the result is that I attracted many clients, all of who desperately needed by expertise, but all of who could not afford me! Within 24 months I had doubled my hourly rate and I was attracting clients who not only needed me, but who could also afford me.
In this particular instance, me raising my charges had an incredibly powerful effect – it said ‘this is what I am worth’ and the psychological effect on me, as an individual, was incredible. Before, even though my prices were very low, I was chasing business by giving discounts, hoping to retain the very clients that could not afford my services in the first place – that was a very costly mistake – I wrote off a lot of money to bad debt.
Nowadays, if I am going to give a discount – it is because there is a huge value to me and it is based on a whole different set of criteria, such as (but not limited to) early or timeous payment, number of hours on retainer etc.
Cutting costs is definitely the best way to increase your margins and thereby increase your profits. This is not always an easy thing to do particularly in tough times, when you are looking at staff and salaries. You have to divorce yourself from the emotions and look at the cold hard facts. Can you do without this particular function being performed by a single person, in other words “Don’t make it about a person or personal”, but rather about what’s good for the Company. If you have two people doing work that can be done by one person, then it stands to reason that you only need to employ one person – don’t get sucked into the emotional side of things.
Keeping your costs to a minimum and your clients to a maximum is therefore the best way to ensure that your margin remains on track and is the best way to meet and even surpass your budget requirements.
Next time we will have a look at your customers.
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, June 10, 2019
Inspiration – Acceptance or Change
Inspiration – Acceptance or Change
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Today’s quote comes from an anonymous wise person who says “Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”
Man, oh man! I can just see all the heads a nodding in agreement. Well here’s the kicker – the next time I hear any of you complain about something, I am going to remind you of this message!
Instead of complaining and moaning and groaning about the economy, the interest rates, the government, the tax man (insert anything you like here), find a way to change it.
If it is the economy – look for innovative ways to do business – notice, I did not say look for illegal ways to do business! There are a million and one opportunities out there – find one the suits you and change your mind set to make it work for you.
How about the interest rates – well it is my understanding (and I am no economist here) that the rates are put up to combat inflation. The reasons that we have inflation are many – one I know is because we here in South Africa, live on credit. So spend less on credit, try and pay off more of your debt so that you can become debt free and find a way to start a savings account. If we all did this we would certainly be a lot better.
The government – well here’s a fun one! Certainly here in South Africa we live in very interesting times in terms of what has happened in 2019. I hope you made the effort – find out who was offering what, back a party and actually went and voted. How can you complain about the government and what it has and hasn’t done, if you didn’t vote?
The tax man – this is one of my favorite’s! You see the tax man makes money for me! Yes he does, because I have learnt how to manage my VAT – so instead of me groaning and moaning every second month because I can’t find the money to pay the VAT man, I now celebrate because of how much the VAT man has ‘paid’ me to be a VAT vendor.
So come on people, I challenge you – find a way to make a change and in making a change, make a difference and if you seriously cannot do anything to change the situation, have the grace to accept it, make your peace with it and get on with the business of life!
Don’t let situations or issues control your life – take ownership of your life and make sure that you control the situations and issues in your own life.
Let’s get on with the rest of 2019 on the right foot, going in the right direction – find a way to change something or make a difference every day of your life, even if that difference is to you. You’ll find that it is not that difficult to do.
Wishing you all the very best, in advance for the rest of 2019 – let’s make a difference!
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 (Pty) Ltd
Today’s quote comes from an anonymous wise person who says “Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”
Man, oh man! I can just see all the heads a nodding in agreement. Well here’s the kicker – the next time I hear any of you complain about something, I am going to remind you of this message!
Instead of complaining and moaning and groaning about the economy, the interest rates, the government, the tax man (insert anything you like here), find a way to change it.
If it is the economy – look for innovative ways to do business – notice, I did not say look for illegal ways to do business! There are a million and one opportunities out there – find one the suits you and change your mind set to make it work for you.
How about the interest rates – well it is my understanding (and I am no economist here) that the rates are put up to combat inflation. The reasons that we have inflation are many – one I know is because we here in South Africa, live on credit. So spend less on credit, try and pay off more of your debt so that you can become debt free and find a way to start a savings account. If we all did this we would certainly be a lot better.
The government – well here’s a fun one! Certainly here in South Africa we live in very interesting times in terms of what has happened in 2019. I hope you made the effort – find out who was offering what, back a party and actually went and voted. How can you complain about the government and what it has and hasn’t done, if you didn’t vote?
The tax man – this is one of my favorite’s! You see the tax man makes money for me! Yes he does, because I have learnt how to manage my VAT – so instead of me groaning and moaning every second month because I can’t find the money to pay the VAT man, I now celebrate because of how much the VAT man has ‘paid’ me to be a VAT vendor.
So come on people, I challenge you – find a way to make a change and in making a change, make a difference and if you seriously cannot do anything to change the situation, have the grace to accept it, make your peace with it and get on with the business of life!
Don’t let situations or issues control your life – take ownership of your life and make sure that you control the situations and issues in your own life.
Let’s get on with the rest of 2019 on the right foot, going in the right direction – find a way to change something or make a difference every day of your life, even if that difference is to you. You’ll find that it is not that difficult to do.
Wishing you all the very best, in advance for the rest of 2019 – let’s make a difference!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, June 07, 2019
HR 101 - Maintain Control of your Staff – Part 2
HR 101 - Maintain Control of your Staff – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice Requirements.
I must admit that writing this particular article has taken me down memory lane and some of the most bizarre experiences, in terms of staff who just do not want to co-operate and who are in turn often mismanaged. Just this year alone I have had more than half a dozen incidents where the employer has turned to me in absolute frustration and said “I know that I have allowed this to carry on far too long, but . . .”. Sadly it has cost them all – dearly, not only in fees to pay me and then my HR specialist who had to be consulted in terms of dismissal and in some instances even representing them at the CCMA, but also in their own time that was wasted in trying to sort this out.
Some more examples of what staff do (or don’t do in certain instances), when they are not properly controlled and managed are, (but not limited to):
• Refuse to carry out instructions. Often staff will pay ‘lip service’ to an instruction that you give them. To outward appearances they have ‘bought into’ what you have asked them to do and you go about your business thinking that your instruction has been carried out only to find out later (and often when it is too late and the damage has been done) that the instruction was in fact not carried out. This particular issue is worse than when the employee, straight out refuses to carry out an instruction – at least that way you know where you stand. Here’s the thing though, in both of these instances this is grounds for dismissal and it needs to be dealt with immediately, especially if you have other employees who are watching to see what will happen. The employee needs to be verbally cautioned about the fact that they are ‘refusing’ to follow a reasonable instruction and that this could lead to a disciplinary which in turn could lead to their dismissal. If they still refuse to perform the task, disciplinary action should be taken. In the instances where the employee has just not performed the task that they were instructed to, disciplinary action should also be taken – obviously this will not help the situation as you will still be sitting with the consequences of not having had something done, but it will send out a very clear message. Remember by doing nothing, the message that you are sending out is that this is acceptable behaviour and that makes it all the more difficult to control the next time around. Furthermore you are in all probability setting a precedent and if you don’t discipline the first person you cannot discipline the next one that does it. That would be considered ‘unfair practice’.
• A personal favourite of mine – it’s sure to send me crazy, is when staff do the work but then don’t check what they have done! Man oh man, that does it to me every time. For me it is indicative of a person who is doing the bare minimum to get by, someone who is not proud of their work or someone who just does not give a damn and quite honestly, I believe that we can all do without people like that in our lives. If I have to check everything that staff do before it goes out then quite frankly I may as well do it myself. One of the quickest and easiest ways to control this type of person is by means of a ‘check list’ for the task. The last thing on the list should be ‘check and double check your work’ – make them sign off on that and that record will ensure that they remain on the straight and narrow and if they don’t, you will have evidence showing that they have not completed the task correctly. Make sure that they sign for each step and this will make them a lot more careful. Again, any deviation or variation on the procedures must be dealt with immediately to ensure that it does not reoccur.
Next week we will have a look at some more examples of what employees get up to when they are not effectively managed.
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 (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice Requirements.
I must admit that writing this particular article has taken me down memory lane and some of the most bizarre experiences, in terms of staff who just do not want to co-operate and who are in turn often mismanaged. Just this year alone I have had more than half a dozen incidents where the employer has turned to me in absolute frustration and said “I know that I have allowed this to carry on far too long, but . . .”. Sadly it has cost them all – dearly, not only in fees to pay me and then my HR specialist who had to be consulted in terms of dismissal and in some instances even representing them at the CCMA, but also in their own time that was wasted in trying to sort this out.
Some more examples of what staff do (or don’t do in certain instances), when they are not properly controlled and managed are, (but not limited to):
• Refuse to carry out instructions. Often staff will pay ‘lip service’ to an instruction that you give them. To outward appearances they have ‘bought into’ what you have asked them to do and you go about your business thinking that your instruction has been carried out only to find out later (and often when it is too late and the damage has been done) that the instruction was in fact not carried out. This particular issue is worse than when the employee, straight out refuses to carry out an instruction – at least that way you know where you stand. Here’s the thing though, in both of these instances this is grounds for dismissal and it needs to be dealt with immediately, especially if you have other employees who are watching to see what will happen. The employee needs to be verbally cautioned about the fact that they are ‘refusing’ to follow a reasonable instruction and that this could lead to a disciplinary which in turn could lead to their dismissal. If they still refuse to perform the task, disciplinary action should be taken. In the instances where the employee has just not performed the task that they were instructed to, disciplinary action should also be taken – obviously this will not help the situation as you will still be sitting with the consequences of not having had something done, but it will send out a very clear message. Remember by doing nothing, the message that you are sending out is that this is acceptable behaviour and that makes it all the more difficult to control the next time around. Furthermore you are in all probability setting a precedent and if you don’t discipline the first person you cannot discipline the next one that does it. That would be considered ‘unfair practice’.
• A personal favourite of mine – it’s sure to send me crazy, is when staff do the work but then don’t check what they have done! Man oh man, that does it to me every time. For me it is indicative of a person who is doing the bare minimum to get by, someone who is not proud of their work or someone who just does not give a damn and quite honestly, I believe that we can all do without people like that in our lives. If I have to check everything that staff do before it goes out then quite frankly I may as well do it myself. One of the quickest and easiest ways to control this type of person is by means of a ‘check list’ for the task. The last thing on the list should be ‘check and double check your work’ – make them sign off on that and that record will ensure that they remain on the straight and narrow and if they don’t, you will have evidence showing that they have not completed the task correctly. Make sure that they sign for each step and this will make them a lot more careful. Again, any deviation or variation on the procedures must be dealt with immediately to ensure that it does not reoccur.
Next week we will have a look at some more examples of what employees get up to when they are not effectively managed.
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, June 06, 2019
Early Warning - The Stolen Cell Phone
Early Warning - The Stolen Cell Phone
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting(Pty) Ltd
I received this story from my friend and colleague Toni Guerrero, who writes:
“This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet . . . . etc . . . . was stolen.
20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what happened, hubby says ‘I received your text asking about our Pin number and I’ve replied a little while ago.’
When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text ‘hubby’ in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
Moral of the lesson: Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.
Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom and so on.
And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked for through texts CONFIRM by calling back.
Also, when you’re being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back and confirm that the message came from them. If you don’t reach them, be very careful about going places to meet ‘family and friends’ who text you.”
I certainly did not think of the above! Take care and be safe. Oh, and don’t forget – pass this on to everyone that you know.
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 – N Viljoen Consulting(Pty) Ltd
I received this story from my friend and colleague Toni Guerrero, who writes:
“This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet . . . . etc . . . . was stolen.
20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what happened, hubby says ‘I received your text asking about our Pin number and I’ve replied a little while ago.’
When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text ‘hubby’ in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
Moral of the lesson: Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.
Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom and so on.
And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked for through texts CONFIRM by calling back.
Also, when you’re being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back and confirm that the message came from them. If you don’t reach them, be very careful about going places to meet ‘family and friends’ who text you.”
I certainly did not think of the above! Take care and be safe. Oh, and don’t forget – pass this on to everyone that you know.
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, June 05, 2019
Networking 101 - Get Some Diversity Going
I am an Internal Auditor & Business Administration specialist and work here in South Africa (and in some other parts of the world from time to time), with hundreds of Entrepreneurs and Start-ups, where I teach them the ‘how to’ of Starting and Running a sustainable business. My business has been going for over 15 years now but I have almost 45 years’ experience in the Operations and Administrative field.
I run workshops for entrepreneurs and Start-ups on the “how to” of several aspects of business, such as (but not limited to) How to Write a Business Plan; A Basic Practical Guide to Starting and Running a Business; Financial Literacy for Non-Financial Entrepreneurs; Contract, Proposals and Tender Documents - The How To for Entrepreneurs; HR 101 for Entrepreneurs; Corporate Governance, Compliance & the New Companies Act - for Entrepreneurs; How to Export – for Entrepreneurs.
I also work with big corporate companies, especially with their procurement processes and their supply chain, where they use their CSI spend to upskill their supply chain. It means a more effective and efficient supply chain, they get additional points for using their CSI spend on Entrepreneurs and again additional BEE points for using Entrepreneurs. I am also an automatic Level 4.
I work in some of the Corporates to help them, firstly to identify the problem areas within their businesses and then to assist them with putting processes and procedures in place to correct the problem areas. This of course, means that they too will become more efficient and sustainable.
On rare occasions I get to perform forensic audits, which I particularly enjoy.
I have written and shared over 2000 blogs on a variety of topics that are geared specifically for Entrepreneurs, but can also be used by Start-ups and even Corporates. This led to me being rated and ranked by Blogger.Com who rated me 8.9 out of a possible 10 and this ranked me 5th in the world in my category.
I have a by-monthly column in the Your Business Magazine and have been writing for them since 2010.
I am interviewed on a regular basis on the Big Small Business Show and am able to give out valuable business related tips.
I am one of a hand full of individuals who has been certified by ILO (International Labour Organisation) to perform Gender Audits and finally, I am an Alumnae Mentor for the Cherie Blair Foundation, where I have been mentoring women Entrepreneurs from all over the world, since 2012.
I run workshops for entrepreneurs and Start-ups on the “how to” of several aspects of business, such as (but not limited to) How to Write a Business Plan; A Basic Practical Guide to Starting and Running a Business; Financial Literacy for Non-Financial Entrepreneurs; Contract, Proposals and Tender Documents - The How To for Entrepreneurs; HR 101 for Entrepreneurs; Corporate Governance, Compliance & the New Companies Act - for Entrepreneurs; How to Export – for Entrepreneurs.
I also work with big corporate companies, especially with their procurement processes and their supply chain, where they use their CSI spend to upskill their supply chain. It means a more effective and efficient supply chain, they get additional points for using their CSI spend on Entrepreneurs and again additional BEE points for using Entrepreneurs. I am also an automatic Level 4.
I work in some of the Corporates to help them, firstly to identify the problem areas within their businesses and then to assist them with putting processes and procedures in place to correct the problem areas. This of course, means that they too will become more efficient and sustainable.
On rare occasions I get to perform forensic audits, which I particularly enjoy.
I have written and shared over 2000 blogs on a variety of topics that are geared specifically for Entrepreneurs, but can also be used by Start-ups and even Corporates. This led to me being rated and ranked by Blogger.Com who rated me 8.9 out of a possible 10 and this ranked me 5th in the world in my category.
I have a by-monthly column in the Your Business Magazine and have been writing for them since 2010.
I am interviewed on a regular basis on the Big Small Business Show and am able to give out valuable business related tips.
I am one of a hand full of individuals who has been certified by ILO (International Labour Organisation) to perform Gender Audits and finally, I am an Alumnae Mentor for the Cherie Blair Foundation, where I have been mentoring women Entrepreneurs from all over the world, since 2012.
Tuesday, June 04, 2019
Business Tips – Managing Your Business – Part 1
Business Tips – Managing Your Business – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Most will agree that the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train and whilst the 2008 recession (such as it was) is now officially over, it will take the economy (read SMME’s) some time to rally, make a come-back and hopefully deposit us right back to where we were – obviously not in terms of what caused the melt down in the first place, but certainly in terms of running productive, successful businesses.
I know that I really had to ‘grit’ my teeth and bear it for a few months – you know what I mean – the uncertainty of money coming in or getting work in or making the sale and so on.
Fact of the matter is , that when you are in the dwang – that’s exactly where you are and sometimes it is just a matter of waiting it out. There are a number of tips though, that will help and guide you through, should you find yourself in difficult or trying times. Actually it is not a bad thing to get yourself in the habit of doing these all the time – bad or good times.
Finance
For me, if you have lost control of your finances, then you have lost control of your business. I think that most people, when they think of business finances, what they think about are the books and whilst I agree with that on some level, I also want to make it very clear that the books are ‘reactive’. By that I mean that they are ‘in the past’ – what is contained in your books has already happened. Cash flow, on the other hand, governs what is happening right now.
Think about it for a moment – it doesn’t matter how many people owe you money, or who have promised to pay you – the bottom line is that when you look at your bank account, it is about what is actually there (less what needs to be paid out) that actually counts. So it stands to reason that the cash flow needs to be properly managed and should be discussed at every management meeting. If, like me, you are on your own, it is a good idea to make time (at least weekly) to check up and see what is going on.
Make sure that the Management Accounts are monitored on a regular basis and that they are consistently checked for issues such as the key ratios, this will assist in enabling you to identify trends earlier, when you can still do something about them, rather than later, when you are already in the smelly brown stuff. Updating your cash flow forecasts on a regular basis will also assist in ensuring that you are ahead of the game – remember to watch the sensitive bits – issues like a change in the exchange rate or a price hike in fuel could have a huge effect on your margins.
Next time we will have a closer look at margins.
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 – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Most will agree that the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train and whilst the 2008 recession (such as it was) is now officially over, it will take the economy (read SMME’s) some time to rally, make a come-back and hopefully deposit us right back to where we were – obviously not in terms of what caused the melt down in the first place, but certainly in terms of running productive, successful businesses.
I know that I really had to ‘grit’ my teeth and bear it for a few months – you know what I mean – the uncertainty of money coming in or getting work in or making the sale and so on.
Fact of the matter is , that when you are in the dwang – that’s exactly where you are and sometimes it is just a matter of waiting it out. There are a number of tips though, that will help and guide you through, should you find yourself in difficult or trying times. Actually it is not a bad thing to get yourself in the habit of doing these all the time – bad or good times.
Finance
For me, if you have lost control of your finances, then you have lost control of your business. I think that most people, when they think of business finances, what they think about are the books and whilst I agree with that on some level, I also want to make it very clear that the books are ‘reactive’. By that I mean that they are ‘in the past’ – what is contained in your books has already happened. Cash flow, on the other hand, governs what is happening right now.
Think about it for a moment – it doesn’t matter how many people owe you money, or who have promised to pay you – the bottom line is that when you look at your bank account, it is about what is actually there (less what needs to be paid out) that actually counts. So it stands to reason that the cash flow needs to be properly managed and should be discussed at every management meeting. If, like me, you are on your own, it is a good idea to make time (at least weekly) to check up and see what is going on.
Make sure that the Management Accounts are monitored on a regular basis and that they are consistently checked for issues such as the key ratios, this will assist in enabling you to identify trends earlier, when you can still do something about them, rather than later, when you are already in the smelly brown stuff. Updating your cash flow forecasts on a regular basis will also assist in ensuring that you are ahead of the game – remember to watch the sensitive bits – issues like a change in the exchange rate or a price hike in fuel could have a huge effect on your margins.
Next time we will have a closer look at margins.
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, June 03, 2019
Inspiration – Lack of . . .
Inspiration – Lack of . . .
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Ken Hakuta says “Lack of money is no obstacle. Lack of an idea is an obstacle.”
Well I am not sure if “Lack of money” is not an obstacle – ask anyone who doesn’t have any (and I’m not talking about ‘having enough’ here) and I am sure that they will see it as a huge challenge! I do get what he is trying to say though – it is about not having any money and having no idea about where or how you are going to get some or make some – now that is the biggest obstacle for sure!
For me, I guess, it still is all about having the dream and making the right choices in order to turn that dream into a reality and that is the biggest obstacle. Taking something that you are really passionate about, that is fun for you to do and then turning it into a money spinner – now that is the greatest challenge for me.
You see, whilst I am doing what I love, the last thing on my mind is money. I’m just enjoying the experience, loving every single minute of it. Think for a moment about an artist – drawing and painting is something that they have to do in order to fulfill themselves – their most basic needs. I doubt very much that they can stop the flow of their artistic endeavours, no matter how hard you tried. As they work on their canvasses or drawing books, all of their senses come alive as they watch the lines on the page or the strokes of the brush, turn whatever the picture they have in their heads into something that everybody can see – the beauty of art. I guarantee you, that whilst they are reveling in the beauty of what they are busy creating, the last thing on their minds is money – it’s perhaps thinking about what to add to get that colour just right, or how to shade that section in order to highlight the focus of this limb. No, it’s got nothing to do with money at all. In fact, I would go so far as to say, that many artists are so emotionally attached to some of their paintings and drawings that it is almost physically impossible for them to sell their work – for them it is the same as selling one of their children.
Yet that is exactly that is what they have to do, in order to make the money for them to then purchase the supplies in order for them to once again use their talents, their passion and to make their ideas and their dreams into a reality and so the cycle continues.
Sometimes, I really do think that it may be easier to just work at a job that is completely mindless, but that pays a good wage, that I don’t have to be emotionally invested in – you know the one – the ‘other people’s idea/passion’ one. Fortunately it always comes to me as a fleeting thought, because then I think about it carefully and I know and understand that the days that I worked in Corporate are over. The days that I worked making other people’s ideas and dream a reality are over. The days that I worked and in so doing, fanned the flames of someone else’s passion, are over.
These days I find my own ideas, I work with my own passion, with love and the same kind of amazement that artists have when they look at the beauty of the painting or the drawing that they have just completed and they think “Wow – did I do that?”
Does money have a place in there – absolutely! I have to make the money in order to be able to indulge myself in doing the things that I love. As difficult as the lesson was, has been and continues to be, I do understand that I have to think about money and ‘sell’ the ideas.
Using my passion and love for what I do is immensely rewarding on so many different levels and one of them is being able to pay the bills 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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Ken Hakuta says “Lack of money is no obstacle. Lack of an idea is an obstacle.”
Well I am not sure if “Lack of money” is not an obstacle – ask anyone who doesn’t have any (and I’m not talking about ‘having enough’ here) and I am sure that they will see it as a huge challenge! I do get what he is trying to say though – it is about not having any money and having no idea about where or how you are going to get some or make some – now that is the biggest obstacle for sure!
For me, I guess, it still is all about having the dream and making the right choices in order to turn that dream into a reality and that is the biggest obstacle. Taking something that you are really passionate about, that is fun for you to do and then turning it into a money spinner – now that is the greatest challenge for me.
You see, whilst I am doing what I love, the last thing on my mind is money. I’m just enjoying the experience, loving every single minute of it. Think for a moment about an artist – drawing and painting is something that they have to do in order to fulfill themselves – their most basic needs. I doubt very much that they can stop the flow of their artistic endeavours, no matter how hard you tried. As they work on their canvasses or drawing books, all of their senses come alive as they watch the lines on the page or the strokes of the brush, turn whatever the picture they have in their heads into something that everybody can see – the beauty of art. I guarantee you, that whilst they are reveling in the beauty of what they are busy creating, the last thing on their minds is money – it’s perhaps thinking about what to add to get that colour just right, or how to shade that section in order to highlight the focus of this limb. No, it’s got nothing to do with money at all. In fact, I would go so far as to say, that many artists are so emotionally attached to some of their paintings and drawings that it is almost physically impossible for them to sell their work – for them it is the same as selling one of their children.
Yet that is exactly that is what they have to do, in order to make the money for them to then purchase the supplies in order for them to once again use their talents, their passion and to make their ideas and their dreams into a reality and so the cycle continues.
Sometimes, I really do think that it may be easier to just work at a job that is completely mindless, but that pays a good wage, that I don’t have to be emotionally invested in – you know the one – the ‘other people’s idea/passion’ one. Fortunately it always comes to me as a fleeting thought, because then I think about it carefully and I know and understand that the days that I worked in Corporate are over. The days that I worked making other people’s ideas and dream a reality are over. The days that I worked and in so doing, fanned the flames of someone else’s passion, are over.
These days I find my own ideas, I work with my own passion, with love and the same kind of amazement that artists have when they look at the beauty of the painting or the drawing that they have just completed and they think “Wow – did I do that?”
Does money have a place in there – absolutely! I have to make the money in order to be able to indulge myself in doing the things that I love. As difficult as the lesson was, has been and continues to be, I do understand that I have to think about money and ‘sell’ the ideas.
Using my passion and love for what I do is immensely rewarding on so many different levels and one of them is being able to pay the bills 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
Friday, May 31, 2019
HR 101 - Maintain Control of your Staff – Part 1
HR 101 - Maintain Control of your Staff – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd - March 2010
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
One of the biggest mistakes that small business owners make when they employ staff is to make them part of their extended families. Do that and you have lost control from the get go.
Maintaining control of your staff is critical to ensuring that everyone works well together, in the same direction and working towards a common goal. Most importantly, it will ensure that everyone is working to maintain the highest quality of service and quality control.
It stands to reason then that a ‘close eye’ needs to be kept on the staff to ensure that they meet their quota’s and that they maintain a high standard of quality work ethic.
Often consistent and poor conduct or lack of compliance to laid down procedures is a direct reflection of poor management. Usually it means that management lack the relevant skill or that they are unwilling to manage or control staff effectively.
This will often result in issues such as (but not limited to):
• Staff spending hours talking to friends on the phone (irrespective of whether they use the office phone or their personal cellular phones). Time spent in frivolous chatter is actually ‘theft’ of Company time. It cuts into that particular staff members’ productivity time and if there are other employees in the vicinity, it disrupts them as well. In essence it costs the company in time, productivity and in all probability – quality.
• Quality of work. Most often, the first thing that goes when the staff are not effectively managed is the quality of their work. It’s pretty much a case of ‘well if nobody is taking any notice of what I am doing, I don’t need to take care of what I am doing.”
• Another issue that constantly arises when the staff are not managed correctly and efficiently is another ‘theft’ of time. It’s when the employees perform their personal and private chores during office hours. I recently came across a situation where a client’s employee was fixing printers on the side. The client’s printer broke down and despite the fact that one of the employees duties was to maintain the electronic equipment and despite the fact that he repaired the printer during office hours, this employee actually presented his employer with an invoice for repairing the printer – quite a cheek I am sure you would agree.
Next week we will have a look at some more examples of what employees get up to when they are not effectively managed.
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, May 30, 2019
Early Warning - The Stolen GPS
Early Warning - The Stolen GPS
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
I received this story from my friend and colleague Toni Guerrero, who writes:
“A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.
When the victims got home, they found their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.
The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used that garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew that the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of it’s contents.
Something to consider if you have a GPS – don’t put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so that you can still find your way home if you need to, but no-one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.”
Sounds like sound advice to me. One of the things that I have realized during my time on this planet is the fact that everything good thing that comes into our lives has a ‘dark side’ and people who are that way inclined will always find a way to use that to their own advantage. This is just one example of that.
So take care, beware, be aware and stay safe.
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 – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
I received this story from my friend and colleague Toni Guerrero, who writes:
“A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.
When the victims got home, they found their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.
The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used that garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew that the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of it’s contents.
Something to consider if you have a GPS – don’t put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so that you can still find your way home if you need to, but no-one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.”
Sounds like sound advice to me. One of the things that I have realized during my time on this planet is the fact that everything good thing that comes into our lives has a ‘dark side’ and people who are that way inclined will always find a way to use that to their own advantage. This is just one example of that.
So take care, beware, be aware and stay safe.
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, May 29, 2019
Networking 101 - Be Visible
Networking 101 - Be Visible
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Do be visible and well liked.”
In all honesty, this one had me in stitches! You see many people are somewhat taken aback with my ‘no nonsense’ type attitude and some are even a little ‘scared’ of me (although that also makes me laugh), but that said, most respect me because if they ask a question, they are sure to get an answer even if that answer is not necessarily the one that they wanted to hear. I often tell people that if they don’t want to hear the answer, then perhaps they should refrain from asking the question!
Being visible for me, is not dressing up like a turkey, although in all fairness to myself, I do love bright colours (I think everyone should add colour to their lives) and wear bright t-shirts and shorts. Being visible means that every time that someone goes onto the internet they find me, every time they sign onto a Networking site, they find me, every time they go to a Networking event, they see me or hear about me. That for me is what is being ‘visible’.
So get in there, write a blog, get a website, write some articles for the newspaper or magazines. Give of yourself, your experience, share some of the things in life that you have learnt.
As for being liked – well I would rather be ‘respected’ and quite frankly, as it is said ‘other people’s opinion of me are none of my business’ and that is something that I truly believe.
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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Do be visible and well liked.”
In all honesty, this one had me in stitches! You see many people are somewhat taken aback with my ‘no nonsense’ type attitude and some are even a little ‘scared’ of me (although that also makes me laugh), but that said, most respect me because if they ask a question, they are sure to get an answer even if that answer is not necessarily the one that they wanted to hear. I often tell people that if they don’t want to hear the answer, then perhaps they should refrain from asking the question!
Being visible for me, is not dressing up like a turkey, although in all fairness to myself, I do love bright colours (I think everyone should add colour to their lives) and wear bright t-shirts and shorts. Being visible means that every time that someone goes onto the internet they find me, every time they sign onto a Networking site, they find me, every time they go to a Networking event, they see me or hear about me. That for me is what is being ‘visible’.
So get in there, write a blog, get a website, write some articles for the newspaper or magazines. Give of yourself, your experience, share some of the things in life that you have learnt.
As for being liked – well I would rather be ‘respected’ and quite frankly, as it is said ‘other people’s opinion of me are none of my business’ and that is something that I truly believe.
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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Business Tips – Be Careful What You Click On
Business Tips – Be Careful What You Click On
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to the South African “Electronic Communications and Transaction Act” and Best Practice requirements.
One of the things that I always try and engrave on the minds of all the delegates who go through my workshops is that it is important to have all your contracts in place. Contracts between you and your partners and contracts between you and your suppliers, contracts between you and your clients and, for goodness sake contracts between you and your staff. Contracts are really important. But what does the word ‘contract’ conjure up for you? For me it conjures up pages and pages of legalese, most of which I cannot understand and probably need a whole week to go through, line by line, in order to understand exactly what the terms and conditions contained therein mean.
We’ve all been caught, I’m sure – by the unscrupulous retailers and service providers that have ‘something’ on the reverse of their invoices. You know which ones I mean – where the writing is so small and squished together that you need a magnifying glass to read it. They are the people, when you query something, who puff themselves up and sarcastically remind you that you accepted said terms and conditions when you accepted the invoice and then very importantly fax/e-mail you the front of the invoice/document that says something along the lines of “when you accept this invoice/document you agree to all the terms and conditions on the reverse of said document”. Of course they never send you the reverse of the document and usually the end result (because it’s too much bother to fight the system) is that you just give up!
But what about electronic signatures? What about when we ‘click’ on that button that says agree/disagree with the terms and conditions? I mean really, do any of us even think about what that means? Can anybody hold me legally liable because I clicked on a button?
Well here’s the thing – yes they can! So if you click on the button to say that you are over 18 and yes you can go into that particular site – you know the one that your mother and father would be horrified if they knew you were going in there – you can be held accountable! And no, it’s no good glaring at me – this is according to the ‘Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 2002’, which of course means that it is the law that says so!
In effect the Act says that information cannot be considered ‘without legal force’ just because all of it of even some of it is in the form of a data message.
You see, a ‘data message’ is something that is generated or sent or received or stored or archived electronically and if they can be accessed or used for reference, then they are recognized by law as legal. Anything that can be printed or saved, fills the requirements and that of course includes Web-pages and e-mails and their attachments. Electronic data, nowadays is in fact seen as the same as paper documents. Therefore they are considered to be legal.
The Act also says “an electronic signature is not without legal force and effect merely on the grounds that it is in electronic form.” This means that whilst a physical signature is used to make a contract binding an electronic signature that can be used to identify a specific person and that indicates their approval or acceptance of the electronic information, and it is therefore considered a ‘signature’.
It actually goes even one step further because if you reach an agreement on say e-mail for example – that agreement will be considered legal and binding at the time and the place where the offer or agreement was accepted and our e-mails are pretty much ‘date and time stamped’.
Clearly that means that when you click on the required spot or you agree to ‘terms and conditions’ on a website, you are committing yourself to a legal and binding contract, which in terms of South African law, can be enforced.
Be careful where you click people!
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 – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to the South African “Electronic Communications and Transaction Act” and Best Practice requirements.
One of the things that I always try and engrave on the minds of all the delegates who go through my workshops is that it is important to have all your contracts in place. Contracts between you and your partners and contracts between you and your suppliers, contracts between you and your clients and, for goodness sake contracts between you and your staff. Contracts are really important. But what does the word ‘contract’ conjure up for you? For me it conjures up pages and pages of legalese, most of which I cannot understand and probably need a whole week to go through, line by line, in order to understand exactly what the terms and conditions contained therein mean.
We’ve all been caught, I’m sure – by the unscrupulous retailers and service providers that have ‘something’ on the reverse of their invoices. You know which ones I mean – where the writing is so small and squished together that you need a magnifying glass to read it. They are the people, when you query something, who puff themselves up and sarcastically remind you that you accepted said terms and conditions when you accepted the invoice and then very importantly fax/e-mail you the front of the invoice/document that says something along the lines of “when you accept this invoice/document you agree to all the terms and conditions on the reverse of said document”. Of course they never send you the reverse of the document and usually the end result (because it’s too much bother to fight the system) is that you just give up!
But what about electronic signatures? What about when we ‘click’ on that button that says agree/disagree with the terms and conditions? I mean really, do any of us even think about what that means? Can anybody hold me legally liable because I clicked on a button?
Well here’s the thing – yes they can! So if you click on the button to say that you are over 18 and yes you can go into that particular site – you know the one that your mother and father would be horrified if they knew you were going in there – you can be held accountable! And no, it’s no good glaring at me – this is according to the ‘Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 2002’, which of course means that it is the law that says so!
In effect the Act says that information cannot be considered ‘without legal force’ just because all of it of even some of it is in the form of a data message.
You see, a ‘data message’ is something that is generated or sent or received or stored or archived electronically and if they can be accessed or used for reference, then they are recognized by law as legal. Anything that can be printed or saved, fills the requirements and that of course includes Web-pages and e-mails and their attachments. Electronic data, nowadays is in fact seen as the same as paper documents. Therefore they are considered to be legal.
The Act also says “an electronic signature is not without legal force and effect merely on the grounds that it is in electronic form.” This means that whilst a physical signature is used to make a contract binding an electronic signature that can be used to identify a specific person and that indicates their approval or acceptance of the electronic information, and it is therefore considered a ‘signature’.
It actually goes even one step further because if you reach an agreement on say e-mail for example – that agreement will be considered legal and binding at the time and the place where the offer or agreement was accepted and our e-mails are pretty much ‘date and time stamped’.
Clearly that means that when you click on the required spot or you agree to ‘terms and conditions’ on a website, you are committing yourself to a legal and binding contract, which in terms of South African law, can be enforced.
Be careful where you click people!
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, May 27, 2019
Inspiration - Ability
Inspiration - Ability
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting C(Pty) Ltd
Today’s quote comes from Stevie Wonder, who says “We all have the ability. The difference is how we use it.”
There is a great advert on TV at the moment about talent. It goes something along the lines of talent and whether we are born with it or not. It ends with something like, whether we are born with it or not, in order for it (whatever the talent happens to be) to happen we have to work at it.
Look at all the emerging actresses and actors that seem to be springing up lately, and let’s not forget the new singers and Idol contestants. I know that I always think that they have just ‘sprung’ up out of no-where, but that is just because I haven’t seen them before. It doesn’t mean that they have not been passionate about what they do since they were knee – high to a brick. It doesn’t mean that they haven’t practiced it at every opportunity.
I mean do you really think that the winners of say “Idols”, or “You think you can dance”, woke up one morning and decided to enter a competition, without any kind of preparation, cracked the audition and actually made the finals or even won? This is the real world – stuff like that just does not happen! These people have worked day and night to get to the level of competency that they have achieved. Whether they actually have the talent or the ability is largely dependent on how much effort they have put into or invested in it.
So now here’s a thought – what makes it any difference in business? You may have the greatest widget ever invented or the best service in the world, but if you don’t work at it and get it out there, market it, brand it and get exposure to it, from as many people or organizations as possible, nothing is going to happen.
That is why it is so important to be passionate about what it is that you do – I could think of nothing worse than slogging day in and day out over something that I didn’t really believe in, or something that I didn’t even like (much less love) – quite frankly that would just be a huge waste of time and energy and would also be soul destroying.
So tell me, have you used your ability today and if so, how have you used your ability today?
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 C(Pty) Ltd
Today’s quote comes from Stevie Wonder, who says “We all have the ability. The difference is how we use it.”
There is a great advert on TV at the moment about talent. It goes something along the lines of talent and whether we are born with it or not. It ends with something like, whether we are born with it or not, in order for it (whatever the talent happens to be) to happen we have to work at it.
Look at all the emerging actresses and actors that seem to be springing up lately, and let’s not forget the new singers and Idol contestants. I know that I always think that they have just ‘sprung’ up out of no-where, but that is just because I haven’t seen them before. It doesn’t mean that they have not been passionate about what they do since they were knee – high to a brick. It doesn’t mean that they haven’t practiced it at every opportunity.
I mean do you really think that the winners of say “Idols”, or “You think you can dance”, woke up one morning and decided to enter a competition, without any kind of preparation, cracked the audition and actually made the finals or even won? This is the real world – stuff like that just does not happen! These people have worked day and night to get to the level of competency that they have achieved. Whether they actually have the talent or the ability is largely dependent on how much effort they have put into or invested in it.
So now here’s a thought – what makes it any difference in business? You may have the greatest widget ever invented or the best service in the world, but if you don’t work at it and get it out there, market it, brand it and get exposure to it, from as many people or organizations as possible, nothing is going to happen.
That is why it is so important to be passionate about what it is that you do – I could think of nothing worse than slogging day in and day out over something that I didn’t really believe in, or something that I didn’t even like (much less love) – quite frankly that would just be a huge waste of time and energy and would also be soul destroying.
So tell me, have you used your ability today and if so, how have you used your ability today?
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, May 24, 2019
HR 101 - To Steal or Not To Steal
HR 101 - To Steal or Not To Steal
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Law and Best Practice requirements.
When you catch an employee stealing, your initial ‘knee jerk’ reaction is one of ‘get them out of my sight and out of my company (preferably before I do them grievous bodily harm).’ Step away from the employee – no, seriously – step away from the situation it is full of emotion and that emotion will induce you to do something that you will regret.
Gone are the days when you could just dismiss an employee for stealing. Gone are the days when you could just tell an employee to pack up and go – the rules are in place and if you don’t follow them, you will be the one paying the consequences for their misguided youth.
Here’s the deal:
Theft is considered a ‘misconduct’. The Code of Good Practice states “Dismissal imposed several requirements on an employer who is considering dismissing an employee for misconduct.”
“Three of these requirements are:
1. The employer should first consider factors such as the employee’s length of service and disciplinary record;
2. The misconduct must be of such a grave nature that it makes a continued employment relationship intolerable and
3. An employee should be dismissed only if they have been found guilty of gross misconduct.”
So what is considered as ‘gross misconduct’? Some of these are (but not limited to):
• deliberate (wilful) damage to the employer’s property
• deliberately (wilfully) endangering the safety of others
• Physical assault on the employer, a fellow employee or a client/supplier
• Gross insubordination (so they can steal from you but they can’t give you the finger)
• Gross dishonesty.
In the old days, stealing from your employer meant that you were dishonest and that dishonesty meant that your employer could no longer ‘trust’ you and meant that your continued employment would be intolerable for the employer – well those were the ‘old’ days. Things have now changed – again.
You see, the law says it has to be ‘gross dishonesty’ and therefore not all dishonesty. Therefore this means that not all ‘theft’ can be considered as ‘gross dishonesty’.
My take on this is that if my employee lies to me, I cannot trust them. If they steal from me, I cannot trust them and quite frankly if I cannot trust them then I don’t want them to be working in my company let alone anywhere near my space. The law of course, sees this in a different light.
Remember that mitigating circumstances have to be taken into account – those are things like number of years that the employee has been employed by the company and whether or not they have a clean disciplinary record or not.
The employer also has to prove that continued employment of the employee will make the employment relationship intolerable. This proof would have to show that the relationship was not merely damaged but actually destroyed.
Note to self – outsource everything that you can!
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 (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Law and Best Practice requirements.
When you catch an employee stealing, your initial ‘knee jerk’ reaction is one of ‘get them out of my sight and out of my company (preferably before I do them grievous bodily harm).’ Step away from the employee – no, seriously – step away from the situation it is full of emotion and that emotion will induce you to do something that you will regret.
Gone are the days when you could just dismiss an employee for stealing. Gone are the days when you could just tell an employee to pack up and go – the rules are in place and if you don’t follow them, you will be the one paying the consequences for their misguided youth.
Here’s the deal:
Theft is considered a ‘misconduct’. The Code of Good Practice states “Dismissal imposed several requirements on an employer who is considering dismissing an employee for misconduct.”
“Three of these requirements are:
1. The employer should first consider factors such as the employee’s length of service and disciplinary record;
2. The misconduct must be of such a grave nature that it makes a continued employment relationship intolerable and
3. An employee should be dismissed only if they have been found guilty of gross misconduct.”
So what is considered as ‘gross misconduct’? Some of these are (but not limited to):
• deliberate (wilful) damage to the employer’s property
• deliberately (wilfully) endangering the safety of others
• Physical assault on the employer, a fellow employee or a client/supplier
• Gross insubordination (so they can steal from you but they can’t give you the finger)
• Gross dishonesty.
In the old days, stealing from your employer meant that you were dishonest and that dishonesty meant that your employer could no longer ‘trust’ you and meant that your continued employment would be intolerable for the employer – well those were the ‘old’ days. Things have now changed – again.
You see, the law says it has to be ‘gross dishonesty’ and therefore not all dishonesty. Therefore this means that not all ‘theft’ can be considered as ‘gross dishonesty’.
My take on this is that if my employee lies to me, I cannot trust them. If they steal from me, I cannot trust them and quite frankly if I cannot trust them then I don’t want them to be working in my company let alone anywhere near my space. The law of course, sees this in a different light.
Remember that mitigating circumstances have to be taken into account – those are things like number of years that the employee has been employed by the company and whether or not they have a clean disciplinary record or not.
The employer also has to prove that continued employment of the employee will make the employment relationship intolerable. This proof would have to show that the relationship was not merely damaged but actually destroyed.
Note to self – outsource everything that you can!
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, May 23, 2019
Early Warning – Where are your Employee Deductions?
Early Warning – Where are your Employee Deductions?
By Nikki Viljoen – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – June 2011
Please note that this pertains to South African Tax, Department of Labour and Best Practice requirements.
Times are tough – I get that, but stealing the money that you have deducted from your employees is just not on!
Funds that should be paid across to the Pension Fund or to SARS (South African Revenue Services) or even to the UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) and that are then misappropriated by the employer, can and do have serious implications for the employee.
The problem then is that if the company becomes insolvent the funds that should have been paid over cannot (or at best become extremely difficult) be collected or at best become extremely difficult to collect, especially if they were destined for the Pension Fund. This is because retirement type funds are not classified as ‘secured creditors’ but rather as ‘preferred ones’. Payments that were destined to go to SARS are a bit easier to collect, but the bottom line is that if there is no money, then there just is no money and having to wait for years to get that money back in, doesn’t help you one iota, if you are retrenched and unemployed right now without UIF to fall back on.
The bottom line is that the Trustees and Administrators of these funds need to take action the moment payment is not received rather than wait until such time as the company is declared insolvent.
There is also something that you as an employee can do and that is check on a regular basis that your contributions have been paid over to the relevant body and thereby ensure your future.
Be proactive and make sure that everything has been paid over.
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 – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – June 2011
Please note that this pertains to South African Tax, Department of Labour and Best Practice requirements.
Times are tough – I get that, but stealing the money that you have deducted from your employees is just not on!
Funds that should be paid across to the Pension Fund or to SARS (South African Revenue Services) or even to the UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) and that are then misappropriated by the employer, can and do have serious implications for the employee.
The problem then is that if the company becomes insolvent the funds that should have been paid over cannot (or at best become extremely difficult) be collected or at best become extremely difficult to collect, especially if they were destined for the Pension Fund. This is because retirement type funds are not classified as ‘secured creditors’ but rather as ‘preferred ones’. Payments that were destined to go to SARS are a bit easier to collect, but the bottom line is that if there is no money, then there just is no money and having to wait for years to get that money back in, doesn’t help you one iota, if you are retrenched and unemployed right now without UIF to fall back on.
The bottom line is that the Trustees and Administrators of these funds need to take action the moment payment is not received rather than wait until such time as the company is declared insolvent.
There is also something that you as an employee can do and that is check on a regular basis that your contributions have been paid over to the relevant body and thereby ensure your future.
Be proactive and make sure that everything has been paid over.
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, May 22, 2019
Networking 101 - One on One Meetings are Essential
Networking 101 - One on One Meetings are Essential
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd - March 2009
Being able to have a ‘one on one’ discussion with someone that I have met, very briefly at a Networking meeting (or anywhere for that matter) is of the utmost importance for me.
Think about it for a minute – at a Networking meeting, chances are that you have had about 30 seconds (if you are lucky) to tell people who you are and what it is that you do. In the instances where you have tried to engage in conversation with someone, that conversation has been interrupted – several times, by people wanting to give you their business cards or wanting to give business cards to the person that you are trying to engage in conversation with. If the truth be told the whole vibe is frenetic. People are pumped up with the possibility of doing business and all the opportunities that abound – everywhere. For me, whilst this is all very exciting, it’s just not conducive to doing good business.
I need to have a ‘one on one’ meeting with the individual where we can sit quietly and I can find out who they are and what it is that they do. Where I can have a glimpse of the persona and get a ‘feeling’ of the person. You see at some point I will most probably be referring this person to the people in my data base or referring people in my data base to this person, which ultimately means that my credibility will also be on the line.
People have often likened this meeting to an interview and I suppose on some levels it is, except that we are both ‘interviewing’ each other. We both get to tell the story of who we are, what it is that we do, what our passion is and where we could possibly fit into each others networks.
Quite honestly you will be amazed just how much synergy people have with each other irrespective of how little it would appear to be at first glance.
Actually, if the truth be told – when people show reluctance to meet with me or constantly ‘forget’ our appointment, it is a clear indication to me, that they have no idea about the concept of networking.
As they say in the classics, ‘every picture tells a story’ and in Networking this picture is crystal clear.
So the next time someone asks to set up a ‘one on one’ meeting with you – take the challenge and meet with them, you’ll be amazed at what comes out of that meeting.
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 (Pty) Ltd - March 2009
Being able to have a ‘one on one’ discussion with someone that I have met, very briefly at a Networking meeting (or anywhere for that matter) is of the utmost importance for me.
Think about it for a minute – at a Networking meeting, chances are that you have had about 30 seconds (if you are lucky) to tell people who you are and what it is that you do. In the instances where you have tried to engage in conversation with someone, that conversation has been interrupted – several times, by people wanting to give you their business cards or wanting to give business cards to the person that you are trying to engage in conversation with. If the truth be told the whole vibe is frenetic. People are pumped up with the possibility of doing business and all the opportunities that abound – everywhere. For me, whilst this is all very exciting, it’s just not conducive to doing good business.
I need to have a ‘one on one’ meeting with the individual where we can sit quietly and I can find out who they are and what it is that they do. Where I can have a glimpse of the persona and get a ‘feeling’ of the person. You see at some point I will most probably be referring this person to the people in my data base or referring people in my data base to this person, which ultimately means that my credibility will also be on the line.
People have often likened this meeting to an interview and I suppose on some levels it is, except that we are both ‘interviewing’ each other. We both get to tell the story of who we are, what it is that we do, what our passion is and where we could possibly fit into each others networks.
Quite honestly you will be amazed just how much synergy people have with each other irrespective of how little it would appear to be at first glance.
Actually, if the truth be told – when people show reluctance to meet with me or constantly ‘forget’ our appointment, it is a clear indication to me, that they have no idea about the concept of networking.
As they say in the classics, ‘every picture tells a story’ and in Networking this picture is crystal clear.
So the next time someone asks to set up a ‘one on one’ meeting with you – take the challenge and meet with them, you’ll be amazed at what comes out of that meeting.
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
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Business Tips – Preoccupations
Business Tips – Preoccupations
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr Renate Volpe, in her Leadership Insight Nuggets says “The “new age” leader appreciates that preoccupation with living issues, affects our ability to perform at optimal potential”.
My obvious question (well to me it’s obvious) is – how could it not affect our ability to perform at optimal potential?
In my youth, I can clearly remember often being told (or hearing it being told to others), ‘don’t bring your problems to work!’ Whilst I do understand that we are employed or alternatively, we employ people to perform a specific task or function, the reality is that we are human beings. As human beings we have feelings and emotions and we are not programmed like a ‘light switch’ to be turned on and off. Quite frankly that’s like ripping the wings off an aircraft and expecting it to fly!
That said, there are often those employees that always seem to have something wrong. If it’s not one thing then it’s another. They seem to live their lives in some form of disaster area or another, and the constant emotion that this generates as they go from person to person looking for sympathy and attention can be very trying as well as exhausting.
So where and how do you draw the line? Realistically, as an employer you do need to have your productivity and the quality of your product or service, maintained. You do have to ensure that the work gets done, because if you don’t, you will lose clients and losing clients will put your business, your staff and you at risk. It really is a fine line and different things work for different people.
Although I don’t really do the ‘emotional’ thing very often, when it comes to staff – I am aware that different people handle different things in different ways. Some people withdraw, some people act out – the bottom line is that as the employer, you have to know and understand your employee and then you have to deal with each employee based on who they are and how they react to any given situation.
Obviously that does not mean that you have to allow yourself to be abused by your employee and no, showing your ‘soft side’ does not make you a softie, but you do need to be able to show empathy and support.
How you do that of course, is up to you.
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 – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr Renate Volpe, in her Leadership Insight Nuggets says “The “new age” leader appreciates that preoccupation with living issues, affects our ability to perform at optimal potential”.
My obvious question (well to me it’s obvious) is – how could it not affect our ability to perform at optimal potential?
In my youth, I can clearly remember often being told (or hearing it being told to others), ‘don’t bring your problems to work!’ Whilst I do understand that we are employed or alternatively, we employ people to perform a specific task or function, the reality is that we are human beings. As human beings we have feelings and emotions and we are not programmed like a ‘light switch’ to be turned on and off. Quite frankly that’s like ripping the wings off an aircraft and expecting it to fly!
That said, there are often those employees that always seem to have something wrong. If it’s not one thing then it’s another. They seem to live their lives in some form of disaster area or another, and the constant emotion that this generates as they go from person to person looking for sympathy and attention can be very trying as well as exhausting.
So where and how do you draw the line? Realistically, as an employer you do need to have your productivity and the quality of your product or service, maintained. You do have to ensure that the work gets done, because if you don’t, you will lose clients and losing clients will put your business, your staff and you at risk. It really is a fine line and different things work for different people.
Although I don’t really do the ‘emotional’ thing very often, when it comes to staff – I am aware that different people handle different things in different ways. Some people withdraw, some people act out – the bottom line is that as the employer, you have to know and understand your employee and then you have to deal with each employee based on who they are and how they react to any given situation.
Obviously that does not mean that you have to allow yourself to be abused by your employee and no, showing your ‘soft side’ does not make you a softie, but you do need to be able to show empathy and support.
How you do that of course, is up to you.
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, May 20, 2019
Inspiration – Choosing Your Own Path
Inspiration – Choosing Your Own Path
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Oprah Winfrey says “Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in the possibility.”
I have ‘the right to choose’ – what does that mean exactly? Well, for me it means that if I am accountable and responsible for the consequences of a choice then it is my right to make the choice.
So often lately, I have heard the words ‘but I didn’t have a choice’! Of course you do! Many times it is our perception that is flawed – the person who works for a Company, and they are ‘stuck’ in a job that they hate - well leave the Company, or ask for a transfer to a department where there is a job that you would love to do. I understand that you need to work, in order to make a living, to put food on the table – but nobody can force you to work where you are not happy – it is your choice to stay, just as it is your choice to leave. Whether you leave to go to another job or where you leave without another job is also your decision and your choice.
Whether you realize your dreams or achieve your goals is entirely dependent upon your actions (or indeed your non-actions) and your actions are dependent upon the choices that you make.
Understand though that without any action on your part, your dreams and aspirations will also not be realized – but again, that would be a choice that you have made.
Clearly, the path that you choose would have to lead to the dream or goal that you have. If it doesn’t, it would be like taking the wrong fork in the road or even turning in the wrong direction. As much as people get ‘lost; if they don’t follow directions, you will become ‘lost’ if the path that you choose does not lead to your dream or goal.
Fortunately though, as much as we can look at a map, or get new directions to our destination, so too can we make alternative choices to ensure that we get back on the right path.
Remember though that there may be a choice that you have previously made that may limit the choices that you can currently make. For example if you made a choice to steal and you were caught and as a direct consequence of that choice you are currently serving time, one of the choices that are currently open to you won’t be that you can go down the road to the local Wimpey for a coffee – that is why the choice of road that you take is ‘a sacred privilege’.
Keep your dream and your goal in the forefront of your mind to ensure that the choices that you make will keep you on the right path to achieve your dream or your goal
Guard that right, guard that choice, guard that dream and guard that goal.
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 (Pty) Ltd
Oprah Winfrey says “Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in the possibility.”
I have ‘the right to choose’ – what does that mean exactly? Well, for me it means that if I am accountable and responsible for the consequences of a choice then it is my right to make the choice.
So often lately, I have heard the words ‘but I didn’t have a choice’! Of course you do! Many times it is our perception that is flawed – the person who works for a Company, and they are ‘stuck’ in a job that they hate - well leave the Company, or ask for a transfer to a department where there is a job that you would love to do. I understand that you need to work, in order to make a living, to put food on the table – but nobody can force you to work where you are not happy – it is your choice to stay, just as it is your choice to leave. Whether you leave to go to another job or where you leave without another job is also your decision and your choice.
Whether you realize your dreams or achieve your goals is entirely dependent upon your actions (or indeed your non-actions) and your actions are dependent upon the choices that you make.
Understand though that without any action on your part, your dreams and aspirations will also not be realized – but again, that would be a choice that you have made.
Clearly, the path that you choose would have to lead to the dream or goal that you have. If it doesn’t, it would be like taking the wrong fork in the road or even turning in the wrong direction. As much as people get ‘lost; if they don’t follow directions, you will become ‘lost’ if the path that you choose does not lead to your dream or goal.
Fortunately though, as much as we can look at a map, or get new directions to our destination, so too can we make alternative choices to ensure that we get back on the right path.
Remember though that there may be a choice that you have previously made that may limit the choices that you can currently make. For example if you made a choice to steal and you were caught and as a direct consequence of that choice you are currently serving time, one of the choices that are currently open to you won’t be that you can go down the road to the local Wimpey for a coffee – that is why the choice of road that you take is ‘a sacred privilege’.
Keep your dream and your goal in the forefront of your mind to ensure that the choices that you make will keep you on the right path to achieve your dream or your goal
Guard that right, guard that choice, guard that dream and guard that goal.
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, May 17, 2019
HR 101 - Safety Laws & the SMME
HR 101 - Safety Laws & the SMME
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this applies to South African Labour requirements and best practice.
The Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) applies to everyone – irrespective of whether you have 1 employee or you have 100 000 employees – it applies to everyone.
Right, now that I have that out of the way, less unpack it and see exactly what that means.
Most small business owners/entrepreneurs that I know, seem to think that the Act only applies to large corporations – please understand that it doesn’t – the Act requires that an ‘employer’ must ensure that the workplace is free of ‘hazardous ergonomics and substances, micro-organisms etc, which may cause injury or disease’.
The purpose of the Act is to establish a minimum set of standards and requirements of occupational health and safety within the workplace or working environment.
Actually, if the truth be told all companies should have a health policy, which needs to be applicable to all of their employees and workplaces. Actually it needs to be for persons other than their employees too – so it would need to be applicable to clients or service providers and others who would be ‘visiting’ their premises for whatever reason.
Where SMME’s go wrong is that they compare their small workplace to that of a mine or a large manufacturing plant or factory and then they don’t see their workplace as a potentially dangerous working environment. Truth be told, all employees have a constitutional right to work in a safe environment, so employers need to do whatever they can to prevent injury to their staff and it is also advisable for them to have someone trained to deal with emergencies.
The employee also has an obligation not to put themselves at risk. For example if they work say on site in a construction company, as much as the employer is required to supply the employee with protective clothing, such as a hard hat or steel capped boots and gloves, the employee is obliged to wear such clothing and cooperate with the employers requests on the matter. Failure to do that would actually constitute ‘negligence’ on the part of the employee and the employee can be disciplined and actually dismissed on these charges.
Be warned, inspectors from the Department of Labour regularly inspect companies – large and small and they will also investigate any incident where someone is injured or any complaint that may have been made and if the SMME has not complied they will be in for penalties, just the same as any large corporation.
Remember too, that it is the responsibility of the company to report any injury that has occurred in the workplace to the Department of Labour within 7 days of the incident occurring. This does not just apply to incidents where someone has lost a limb but also incidents arising when someone slips or trips or is exposed to chemicals or falls from a height or where someone has a sprain or strain or sustains a burn or even noise damage etc.
If you, as an SMME or entrepreneur, are not sure of what needs to be done be sure to get some help. But get yourselves a ‘health policy’ and get yourself informed – someone’s life may well depend upon 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 Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this applies to South African Labour requirements and best practice.
The Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) applies to everyone – irrespective of whether you have 1 employee or you have 100 000 employees – it applies to everyone.
Right, now that I have that out of the way, less unpack it and see exactly what that means.
Most small business owners/entrepreneurs that I know, seem to think that the Act only applies to large corporations – please understand that it doesn’t – the Act requires that an ‘employer’ must ensure that the workplace is free of ‘hazardous ergonomics and substances, micro-organisms etc, which may cause injury or disease’.
The purpose of the Act is to establish a minimum set of standards and requirements of occupational health and safety within the workplace or working environment.
Actually, if the truth be told all companies should have a health policy, which needs to be applicable to all of their employees and workplaces. Actually it needs to be for persons other than their employees too – so it would need to be applicable to clients or service providers and others who would be ‘visiting’ their premises for whatever reason.
Where SMME’s go wrong is that they compare their small workplace to that of a mine or a large manufacturing plant or factory and then they don’t see their workplace as a potentially dangerous working environment. Truth be told, all employees have a constitutional right to work in a safe environment, so employers need to do whatever they can to prevent injury to their staff and it is also advisable for them to have someone trained to deal with emergencies.
The employee also has an obligation not to put themselves at risk. For example if they work say on site in a construction company, as much as the employer is required to supply the employee with protective clothing, such as a hard hat or steel capped boots and gloves, the employee is obliged to wear such clothing and cooperate with the employers requests on the matter. Failure to do that would actually constitute ‘negligence’ on the part of the employee and the employee can be disciplined and actually dismissed on these charges.
Be warned, inspectors from the Department of Labour regularly inspect companies – large and small and they will also investigate any incident where someone is injured or any complaint that may have been made and if the SMME has not complied they will be in for penalties, just the same as any large corporation.
Remember too, that it is the responsibility of the company to report any injury that has occurred in the workplace to the Department of Labour within 7 days of the incident occurring. This does not just apply to incidents where someone has lost a limb but also incidents arising when someone slips or trips or is exposed to chemicals or falls from a height or where someone has a sprain or strain or sustains a burn or even noise damage etc.
If you, as an SMME or entrepreneur, are not sure of what needs to be done be sure to get some help. But get yourselves a ‘health policy’ and get yourself informed – someone’s life may well depend upon 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
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Early Warning – Credit Card Fraud
Early Warning – Credit Card Fraud
By Nikki Viljoen – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
We seem to still be on the whole Credit Card experience – this was also received from a colleague. Again, how true it is, I couldn’t vouch for – but it does seem plausible and for me forewarned is always forearmed.
“Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid using my Visa Cheque Card, which of course, is linked directly to my current account.
The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it was the same model as I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Then I heard a ‘click’ that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I’m thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on. It then dawned on me - the only thing there was my credit card, so now I am paying close attention to what he is doing.
He set his phone down on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I’m standing there struggling with the fact that this youngster just took a photo of my credit card. Yes he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.
Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlour. All I am saying is be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit (or debit) card, be cautious and don’t be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing as you use your card.”
The bottom line as always, be aware, be safe and take steps to ensure that you don’t become a victim.
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 – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
We seem to still be on the whole Credit Card experience – this was also received from a colleague. Again, how true it is, I couldn’t vouch for – but it does seem plausible and for me forewarned is always forearmed.
“Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid using my Visa Cheque Card, which of course, is linked directly to my current account.
The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it was the same model as I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Then I heard a ‘click’ that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I’m thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on. It then dawned on me - the only thing there was my credit card, so now I am paying close attention to what he is doing.
He set his phone down on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I’m standing there struggling with the fact that this youngster just took a photo of my credit card. Yes he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.
Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlour. All I am saying is be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit (or debit) card, be cautious and don’t be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing as you use your card.”
The bottom line as always, be aware, be safe and take steps to ensure that you don’t become a victim.
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, May 15, 2019
Networking 101 - Be Authentic
Networking 101 - Be Authentic
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Be authentic. Choose to be consistently YOU.”
This is also something that everyone should be aware of. It’s very easy to play a part or to try and portray the persona that you would like people to see and relate to. The problem with this of course is that like most lies, it will eventually come out and when it does the damage that will have been done, in all probability will be irreparable.
For me it is just easier and a whole lot less complicated to be me – warts and all. At least that way, I don’t have to remember what I said to whom – no matter how often I tell you the tale or the story, it will be the same story because it is the truth. No matter how many times you meet me or engage in conversation with me, it will be the same me – a few days older, perhaps a little grumpier, sometimes busier but all the same me.
Credibility is built on trust and consistency and believe me if you are not consistently who you are, your credibility will be found to be seriously in need.
Besides which – and here is the million dollar question – why would you want to be anyone other than who you are?
Be all that you can be, but be you!
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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Be authentic. Choose to be consistently YOU.”
This is also something that everyone should be aware of. It’s very easy to play a part or to try and portray the persona that you would like people to see and relate to. The problem with this of course is that like most lies, it will eventually come out and when it does the damage that will have been done, in all probability will be irreparable.
For me it is just easier and a whole lot less complicated to be me – warts and all. At least that way, I don’t have to remember what I said to whom – no matter how often I tell you the tale or the story, it will be the same story because it is the truth. No matter how many times you meet me or engage in conversation with me, it will be the same me – a few days older, perhaps a little grumpier, sometimes busier but all the same me.
Credibility is built on trust and consistency and believe me if you are not consistently who you are, your credibility will be found to be seriously in need.
Besides which – and here is the million dollar question – why would you want to be anyone other than who you are?
Be all that you can be, but be you!
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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Business Tips – Politics In The Workplace
Business Tips – Politics In The Workplace
By Nikki Viljoen – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr Renate Volpe, in her Nuggets on Political Intelligence says “Good politics advance the organizations agenda as a whole. They are appropriate and future oriented. Negative politics maintain the status quo, promote group think and advance the individual’s agenda, usually at the expense of others.”
Being an Internal Auditor in many ways was my saving grace. You see I had to remain objective, I had to put myself apart and in doing so I was fortunate enough not to get involved in the internal office politics. What I did do however was watch the political plays that were taking place and the various agendas that were played out, both transparent and hidden,
Very like the politics in any country, the politics in a company can actually make or break careers and if not controlled and managed properly, could ultimately result in the downfall of the company, particularly if there is a huge amount of in-house fighting and egos that are out of control.
In-house fighting and bad office politics usually has the employees taking sides as they battle for their place in the hierarchy and hold on tightly to the coat tails of the person that they have backed, and this usually results in a split in loyalties. Focus of the business and its requirements, is lost and quite frankly when your eye is ‘off the ball’, chaos reigns.
Politics that is good for business and positive and for the betterment of the employees as well as management and the clients, usually will result in better and greater achievements.
The bottom line – happy employees and happy customers make good business sense.
For further information regarding Renate please go to her web address 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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Dr Renate Volpe, in her Nuggets on Political Intelligence says “Good politics advance the organizations agenda as a whole. They are appropriate and future oriented. Negative politics maintain the status quo, promote group think and advance the individual’s agenda, usually at the expense of others.”
Being an Internal Auditor in many ways was my saving grace. You see I had to remain objective, I had to put myself apart and in doing so I was fortunate enough not to get involved in the internal office politics. What I did do however was watch the political plays that were taking place and the various agendas that were played out, both transparent and hidden,
Very like the politics in any country, the politics in a company can actually make or break careers and if not controlled and managed properly, could ultimately result in the downfall of the company, particularly if there is a huge amount of in-house fighting and egos that are out of control.
In-house fighting and bad office politics usually has the employees taking sides as they battle for their place in the hierarchy and hold on tightly to the coat tails of the person that they have backed, and this usually results in a split in loyalties. Focus of the business and its requirements, is lost and quite frankly when your eye is ‘off the ball’, chaos reigns.
Politics that is good for business and positive and for the betterment of the employees as well as management and the clients, usually will result in better and greater achievements.
The bottom line – happy employees and happy customers make good business sense.
For further information regarding Renate please go to her web address 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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, May 13, 2019
Inspiration - A True Leader
Inspiration - A True Leader
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
The quote today comes from Daisaku Ikeda. He says “A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader. “
Pretty powerful stuff, I am sure you would agree – but what does that mean to me?
Well on a personal level, it means that irrespective of how badly (or well for that matter) that person uses his or her wisdom to assess my problems in my business, they give me not only the best possible advice, but also encouragement and motivation.
It’s the person who, without talking down to me, without being smug, without the drama and the emotion, gives me practical advice on “how to” fix up my problem.
It’s the person who points me in the right direction – it’s the person who helps me stay focused on what my goals are.
Are you such a person? Are you a true leader?
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 (Pty) Ltd
The quote today comes from Daisaku Ikeda. He says “A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader. “
Pretty powerful stuff, I am sure you would agree – but what does that mean to me?
Well on a personal level, it means that irrespective of how badly (or well for that matter) that person uses his or her wisdom to assess my problems in my business, they give me not only the best possible advice, but also encouragement and motivation.
It’s the person who, without talking down to me, without being smug, without the drama and the emotion, gives me practical advice on “how to” fix up my problem.
It’s the person who points me in the right direction – it’s the person who helps me stay focused on what my goals are.
Are you such a person? Are you a true leader?
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, May 10, 2019
HR 101 - Are Employers Protected
HR 101 - Are Employers Protected
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements, which does change from time to time. The facts documented here were current at the time of writing but this may have changed, Please check the latest changes made.
To say that several of my clients have been seriously challenged by some of their employees over the last couple of months would be nothing short of a huge lie! It’s almost like all the employee misfits of society got together and decided to cause as much chaos in the workplace as they could. Great business for me, but seriously challenging for my clients. One of the questions raised by most of the clients affected is “Are Employees protected or is it all for the employee?”
Well here are some facts:
• Section 9 (1) of the Bill of Rights contained in the constitution of South Africa says “Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.”
• Section 9 (2) of the Bill of Rights contained in the constitution of South Africa says “Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms.”
• Section 23 (1) of the constitution says “everyone has the right to fair labour practice.”
Here’s the thing though – what does the constitution mean by “everybody” and how “equal” is everyone? Our perception is that there are some that are more ‘equal’ than others.
Well in my opinion (and remember I am not a legal person) this should mean that employers should have the same rights to fair labour practices as employees and that they should also be entitled to take their employees to CCMA, and sue them for breaching their rights.
Unfortunately, it appears that my opinion does not count as there was a case where the Labour Court said that the CMMA did not have to hear a case where an employer brought charges against an employee for ‘unfair treatment’. In fact the court said “It is not thought that employers need any protection against unfair resignations by employees. The majority of workers in this country are still un-unionised and remain extremely vulnerable.” And “in my view the employer remains very economically strong compared to an individual worker and the fact that this protection is afforded the employee but no similar protection is afforded the employer does not come anywhere near to diminishing the power that the employer has.”
Clearly the courts are not prepared to uphold the constitution for all – it only applies to some and furthermore clearly, not everyone is equal!
Sadly there are small companies all over this country, that are closing down due to the economic challenges they face and these are made worse by problem employees who are out to make a quick buck and who have no scruples about who their actions affect.
So how do employees protect themselves, well for me, as usual, it is about implementing systems. Policies and procedures are a basic requirement of any business and even as a ‘one person show’, I have them implemented in my business. I have checklists on the ‘when things must be done’ type of issues as well as checklists on the ‘how things must be done’ type issues. In the chaos and speed that we currently run around in, it is easy to ‘miss’ a step in whatever it is that I am doing and believe me, that ‘missed’ step is going to have a consequence (and one that usually hits me in the pocket or wallet area).
The majority of my clients who were ‘challenged’ by their employees over the last couple of months, did not have the relevant policies and procedures in place and the consequences cost them and those that did have policies and procedures had not implemented them or enforced them and therein lay their greatest problem.
As I’ve said before, and will no doubt say many times again – policies and procedures should be implemented in every business – they protect us from our own stupidity! Having those policies and procedures on hand and not implementing them . . . . well enough said on that!
Understand though, that any ‘self protection’ mechanism that you indulge yourself in, will have to comply with the Labour Laws as ‘equal’ or not, ‘fair’ or not – the workers rights cannot be tampered with. That said however, at least if the policies and procedures are in place, there can and should be consequences!
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 Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements, which does change from time to time. The facts documented here were current at the time of writing but this may have changed, Please check the latest changes made.
To say that several of my clients have been seriously challenged by some of their employees over the last couple of months would be nothing short of a huge lie! It’s almost like all the employee misfits of society got together and decided to cause as much chaos in the workplace as they could. Great business for me, but seriously challenging for my clients. One of the questions raised by most of the clients affected is “Are Employees protected or is it all for the employee?”
Well here are some facts:
• Section 9 (1) of the Bill of Rights contained in the constitution of South Africa says “Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.”
• Section 9 (2) of the Bill of Rights contained in the constitution of South Africa says “Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms.”
• Section 23 (1) of the constitution says “everyone has the right to fair labour practice.”
Here’s the thing though – what does the constitution mean by “everybody” and how “equal” is everyone? Our perception is that there are some that are more ‘equal’ than others.
Well in my opinion (and remember I am not a legal person) this should mean that employers should have the same rights to fair labour practices as employees and that they should also be entitled to take their employees to CCMA, and sue them for breaching their rights.
Unfortunately, it appears that my opinion does not count as there was a case where the Labour Court said that the CMMA did not have to hear a case where an employer brought charges against an employee for ‘unfair treatment’. In fact the court said “It is not thought that employers need any protection against unfair resignations by employees. The majority of workers in this country are still un-unionised and remain extremely vulnerable.” And “in my view the employer remains very economically strong compared to an individual worker and the fact that this protection is afforded the employee but no similar protection is afforded the employer does not come anywhere near to diminishing the power that the employer has.”
Clearly the courts are not prepared to uphold the constitution for all – it only applies to some and furthermore clearly, not everyone is equal!
Sadly there are small companies all over this country, that are closing down due to the economic challenges they face and these are made worse by problem employees who are out to make a quick buck and who have no scruples about who their actions affect.
So how do employees protect themselves, well for me, as usual, it is about implementing systems. Policies and procedures are a basic requirement of any business and even as a ‘one person show’, I have them implemented in my business. I have checklists on the ‘when things must be done’ type of issues as well as checklists on the ‘how things must be done’ type issues. In the chaos and speed that we currently run around in, it is easy to ‘miss’ a step in whatever it is that I am doing and believe me, that ‘missed’ step is going to have a consequence (and one that usually hits me in the pocket or wallet area).
The majority of my clients who were ‘challenged’ by their employees over the last couple of months, did not have the relevant policies and procedures in place and the consequences cost them and those that did have policies and procedures had not implemented them or enforced them and therein lay their greatest problem.
As I’ve said before, and will no doubt say many times again – policies and procedures should be implemented in every business – they protect us from our own stupidity! Having those policies and procedures on hand and not implementing them . . . . well enough said on that!
Understand though, that any ‘self protection’ mechanism that you indulge yourself in, will have to comply with the Labour Laws as ‘equal’ or not, ‘fair’ or not – the workers rights cannot be tampered with. That said however, at least if the policies and procedures are in place, there can and should be consequences!
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, May 09, 2019
Early Warning - Credit Card Theft
Early Warning - Credit Card Theft
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
I received this mail from a colleague and now pass it on in an attempt to halt this particular type of theft. The article does not specify where exactly this took place but it sounds plausible and of course as usual prevention is far better than cure. So please be aware and be present and don’t let these people get away with it.
“A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it and that the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along with the receipt. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.
Funny enough though, he actually took a look at the card and ‘lo and behold’, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress back and she looked perplexed.
She took it back and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.
No exchange of words . . . nothing! The waitress took it and came back to the man with an apology.”
Verdict!
Make sure that the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.
Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, assuming that it has to be theirs.
For your own sake, develop the habit of checking your credit card each time it is returned to you after a transaction.”
Good advice, whichever way you look at 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 – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
I received this mail from a colleague and now pass it on in an attempt to halt this particular type of theft. The article does not specify where exactly this took place but it sounds plausible and of course as usual prevention is far better than cure. So please be aware and be present and don’t let these people get away with it.
“A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it and that the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along with the receipt. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.
Funny enough though, he actually took a look at the card and ‘lo and behold’, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress back and she looked perplexed.
She took it back and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.
No exchange of words . . . nothing! The waitress took it and came back to the man with an apology.”
Verdict!
Make sure that the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.
Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, assuming that it has to be theirs.
For your own sake, develop the habit of checking your credit card each time it is returned to you after a transaction.”
Good advice, whichever way you look at 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
Tuesday, May 07, 2019
Business Tips – Keeping Yourself Compliant
Business Tips – Keeping Yourself Compliant
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African legislation and Best Practice requirements. I’m pretty sure though most countries have something similar in terms of legislation in place.
Over the last couple of years I have met with several small business owners who run their businesses in a less than moral manner.
In most instances they are well aware that what they are doing is wrong. In all fairness to them – they are perhaps not fully aware of the extent in which they have put themselves at risk.
That said, they are still very much aware that there are consequences if they run their businesses in a ‘reckless or fraudulent’ way.
In fact, the bottom line and the harsh reality of the matter is that both the Close Corporations Act and the Companies Act have put processes in place that allow the courts to make the members of a Close Corporation or the directors of a Company, personally liable for the debts incurred it they know that they are running their businesses in a ‘reckless or fraudulent’ way.
The Close Corporation Act says: “A member of a corporation shall be liable to the corporation for loss caused by his or her failure in the carrying on of the business of the corporation to act with the degree of care and skill that may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience.”
The Companies Act says: “When it appears, whether it be in winding-up, judicial management or otherwise, that any business of the company was or is being carried on recklessly or with intent to defraud creditors of the company or creditors of any other person or for any fraudulent purpose, the Court may, on the application of the Master, the liquidator, the judicial manager, any creditor or member or contributory of the company, declare that any person who was knowingly a party to the carrying on of the business in the manner aforesaid, shall be personally responsible, without limitation of liability, for all or any of the debts or other liabilities of the company as the Court may direct.”
So what does this mean exactly? Here’s the story . . . . .
Mike owns a CC (Close Corporation) and he is in construction, but because he has been sequestrated he cannot have it in his own name, so he puts it in the name of his wife Susan. Susan is a shipping clerk in a huge corporation, who has no idea of how to run a business, much less anything to do with construction.
Mike has five projects on the go and in the usual fashion with some construction people he has taken 75% of the fees up front to purchase materials and what have you. The balance of 25% will be paid when Mike completes the project and obtains sign off from the building inspectors and of course the client.
Mike has purchased material for project 1 and 2, using the deposit from project 1.
Mike has purchased material for project 3 and 4, using the deposit from project 2.
Mike has purchased material for project 5 using some of the deposit from project 3.
The balance of the deposit from project 3 and deposits from projects 4 and 5, Mike has used to buy a new bakkie.
The materials that Mike has purchased are of an inferior quality and workmanship and Mike is hoping that no-one is going to notice. Project 1 is about 80% done and just has to have the finishing touches, like the light fittings and what have you done but he has now run out of money and there are no new projects in the pipeline. Project 2 is about 50% done and project 3 has just been started. Neither projects 4 nor 5 have been started at all.
Mike has dealing with several suppliers during the course of these 5 projects and they know him and he has been paying cash up front or settling the bills on a pretty regular basis. A relationship has been forged and Mike goes to get more materials promising to pay as ‘soon as he gets to the office’. Mike has purchased sufficient materials to ‘finish’ project 1 and he is banking on the balance of the money for project 1 to continue with project 2. The problem is that Mike has used inferior fittings and finishes and both the building inspector and the client refuse to sign off because this is not what was ordered or paid for. In the mean time the suppliers are hounding Mike for payment and he is now not even taking their calls.
Mike is now deep in the smelly brown stuff – he has set up and is running a business fraudulently as being sequestrated is he is not allowed to register or run a business in his own name. He has accepted money for work, materials have not been purchased. Materials purchased are of an inferior quality and workmanship, he has not paid for some of the materials. Mike has spent the money that he was paid on other things. The workers have not been paid and there is now no money at all. Mike is now trying to file for bankruptcy which means that the suppliers will get a fraction of what he owes them. Mike has run this business in a fraudulent manner and the Court can hold him responsible in his personal capacity and actually prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law – this could mean not only fines and penalties, but it could also mean jail time. Actually of the truth be told, the Court will hold Susan responsible in her personal capacity a well since she is the legal owner of the business and she was complicit in the fraud in that she allowed Mike to register a business in her name.
None of what Mike did, was done by accident, it was all done deliberately and with forethought. Mike over estimated his own luck and his own intelligence. You see, by running the business in Susan’s name, Mike thought that he would be ‘outside’ of the law and could not be held responsible. How wrong could he actually get.
Please understand that the days when less than honest business owners could get away with this kind of behavior are long gone. Hundreds and thousands of small business owners and individuals lost their businesses and their livelihood and sometimes even their homes because of the unscrupulous behavior of some people – it may take a while, but these days, these people can be brought to justice and be held accountable for their actions.
Remember too, that ‘ignorance of the law’ is no excuse. Make sure that you understand what your obligations are and make sure that you follow them and that you are compliant.
Being proactive is always a lot easier than constantly trying to be reactive.
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 – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African legislation and Best Practice requirements. I’m pretty sure though most countries have something similar in terms of legislation in place.
Over the last couple of years I have met with several small business owners who run their businesses in a less than moral manner.
In most instances they are well aware that what they are doing is wrong. In all fairness to them – they are perhaps not fully aware of the extent in which they have put themselves at risk.
That said, they are still very much aware that there are consequences if they run their businesses in a ‘reckless or fraudulent’ way.
In fact, the bottom line and the harsh reality of the matter is that both the Close Corporations Act and the Companies Act have put processes in place that allow the courts to make the members of a Close Corporation or the directors of a Company, personally liable for the debts incurred it they know that they are running their businesses in a ‘reckless or fraudulent’ way.
The Close Corporation Act says: “A member of a corporation shall be liable to the corporation for loss caused by his or her failure in the carrying on of the business of the corporation to act with the degree of care and skill that may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience.”
The Companies Act says: “When it appears, whether it be in winding-up, judicial management or otherwise, that any business of the company was or is being carried on recklessly or with intent to defraud creditors of the company or creditors of any other person or for any fraudulent purpose, the Court may, on the application of the Master, the liquidator, the judicial manager, any creditor or member or contributory of the company, declare that any person who was knowingly a party to the carrying on of the business in the manner aforesaid, shall be personally responsible, without limitation of liability, for all or any of the debts or other liabilities of the company as the Court may direct.”
So what does this mean exactly? Here’s the story . . . . .
Mike owns a CC (Close Corporation) and he is in construction, but because he has been sequestrated he cannot have it in his own name, so he puts it in the name of his wife Susan. Susan is a shipping clerk in a huge corporation, who has no idea of how to run a business, much less anything to do with construction.
Mike has five projects on the go and in the usual fashion with some construction people he has taken 75% of the fees up front to purchase materials and what have you. The balance of 25% will be paid when Mike completes the project and obtains sign off from the building inspectors and of course the client.
Mike has purchased material for project 1 and 2, using the deposit from project 1.
Mike has purchased material for project 3 and 4, using the deposit from project 2.
Mike has purchased material for project 5 using some of the deposit from project 3.
The balance of the deposit from project 3 and deposits from projects 4 and 5, Mike has used to buy a new bakkie.
The materials that Mike has purchased are of an inferior quality and workmanship and Mike is hoping that no-one is going to notice. Project 1 is about 80% done and just has to have the finishing touches, like the light fittings and what have you done but he has now run out of money and there are no new projects in the pipeline. Project 2 is about 50% done and project 3 has just been started. Neither projects 4 nor 5 have been started at all.
Mike has dealing with several suppliers during the course of these 5 projects and they know him and he has been paying cash up front or settling the bills on a pretty regular basis. A relationship has been forged and Mike goes to get more materials promising to pay as ‘soon as he gets to the office’. Mike has purchased sufficient materials to ‘finish’ project 1 and he is banking on the balance of the money for project 1 to continue with project 2. The problem is that Mike has used inferior fittings and finishes and both the building inspector and the client refuse to sign off because this is not what was ordered or paid for. In the mean time the suppliers are hounding Mike for payment and he is now not even taking their calls.
Mike is now deep in the smelly brown stuff – he has set up and is running a business fraudulently as being sequestrated is he is not allowed to register or run a business in his own name. He has accepted money for work, materials have not been purchased. Materials purchased are of an inferior quality and workmanship, he has not paid for some of the materials. Mike has spent the money that he was paid on other things. The workers have not been paid and there is now no money at all. Mike is now trying to file for bankruptcy which means that the suppliers will get a fraction of what he owes them. Mike has run this business in a fraudulent manner and the Court can hold him responsible in his personal capacity and actually prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law – this could mean not only fines and penalties, but it could also mean jail time. Actually of the truth be told, the Court will hold Susan responsible in her personal capacity a well since she is the legal owner of the business and she was complicit in the fraud in that she allowed Mike to register a business in her name.
None of what Mike did, was done by accident, it was all done deliberately and with forethought. Mike over estimated his own luck and his own intelligence. You see, by running the business in Susan’s name, Mike thought that he would be ‘outside’ of the law and could not be held responsible. How wrong could he actually get.
Please understand that the days when less than honest business owners could get away with this kind of behavior are long gone. Hundreds and thousands of small business owners and individuals lost their businesses and their livelihood and sometimes even their homes because of the unscrupulous behavior of some people – it may take a while, but these days, these people can be brought to justice and be held accountable for their actions.
Remember too, that ‘ignorance of the law’ is no excuse. Make sure that you understand what your obligations are and make sure that you follow them and that you are compliant.
Being proactive is always a lot easier than constantly trying to be reactive.
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, May 06, 2019
MOTIVATION – Liberate Your Future
MOTIVATION – Liberate Your Future
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
The quote today comes from Marilyn Ferguson, who says “Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose to liberate the future.”
Well there it is – my old friend “choice” has come to give me a real swift, sharp, painful kick up the rear end!
Just when I think I’ve got the whole thing carefully sussed out, something like this comes along to remind me just how quickly my focus can wander and even more how quickly I can lose my footing on the path of my life. And yes . . . I often do write about what I most need to hear!
Quite often over the last couple of months my thoughts have turned to the past and instead of relocating them to the present and the future, I have allowed them to dwell there, with consequences you understand – there are always consequences.
I’ve allowed myself to dwell on relationships, both business and personal, that are no longer – I have wallowed in the hurt and injustice of the emotions that they aroused. I have grieved over the loss of animals and companions and friends and seeped myself in self pity – but ultimately at what cost?
Sure these things have to take place and it is healthy to go through them, ironically though, I thought that I had dealt with this . . . or had I? Was this self indulgent rubbish or was this me actually going through that process that I thought I had already gone through? Who knows and quite honestly does it really matter? Probably not!
What does matter though, is that I shrug it off and get myself re-focused because the more I continue down this path of self pity, the harder it will be for me to get myself back on track. I have to make a decision, a choice if you will. That choice is to turn away from the past, forget about it, wipe the slate clean and look to the present and the future.
What do I want to see on the newly cleaned off slate? How do I want to populate it? I have a few ideas – do you?
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 (Pty) Ltd
The quote today comes from Marilyn Ferguson, who says “Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose to liberate the future.”
Well there it is – my old friend “choice” has come to give me a real swift, sharp, painful kick up the rear end!
Just when I think I’ve got the whole thing carefully sussed out, something like this comes along to remind me just how quickly my focus can wander and even more how quickly I can lose my footing on the path of my life. And yes . . . I often do write about what I most need to hear!
Quite often over the last couple of months my thoughts have turned to the past and instead of relocating them to the present and the future, I have allowed them to dwell there, with consequences you understand – there are always consequences.
I’ve allowed myself to dwell on relationships, both business and personal, that are no longer – I have wallowed in the hurt and injustice of the emotions that they aroused. I have grieved over the loss of animals and companions and friends and seeped myself in self pity – but ultimately at what cost?
Sure these things have to take place and it is healthy to go through them, ironically though, I thought that I had dealt with this . . . or had I? Was this self indulgent rubbish or was this me actually going through that process that I thought I had already gone through? Who knows and quite honestly does it really matter? Probably not!
What does matter though, is that I shrug it off and get myself re-focused because the more I continue down this path of self pity, the harder it will be for me to get myself back on track. I have to make a decision, a choice if you will. That choice is to turn away from the past, forget about it, wipe the slate clean and look to the present and the future.
What do I want to see on the newly cleaned off slate? How do I want to populate it? I have a few ideas – do you?
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, May 03, 2019
HR 101 - Overtime – What You’re In For
HR 101 - Overtime – What You’re In For
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
Please further note that terms and conditions in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act as well as the Labour Relations Act are amended from time to time and therefore information should be checked to ensure that it is correct and still applicable. This has been checked as at 3rd May 2019.
There is a huge amount of confusion about what is considered overtime and what actually is overtime and this often causes problems within an organisation – it’s that whole perception and assumption thing that very seldom actually reflects reality.
For example a normal working week is considered (by law) to be 45 hours. So if an employee works a 5 day week, 8 hour day (remember their lunch times do not constitute ‘working’ time), they have successfully worked a 40 hour week, so working an extra ½ an hour does not mean that they qualify for overtime, because they are still 4 ½ hours short on what they should be working. Many employees do not understand this and then feel that the employer is ‘cheating’ them out of overtime pay and by the same token, many employers are not aware of this and just pay! Either way, it is not a good situation and hopefully this article will put things into perspective.
Overtime and work on Public Holidays.
This is where the wording in your Letter/Contract of employment is extremely important. Unless there is a proper agreement or contract in place, according to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the employer is not permitted to ‘force’ the employee to work overtime (remember that this means the time that an employee works during a day or a week in excess of ordinary hours of work) on weekends or public holiday.
If you don’t have anything in place in terms of your Letter/Contract of employment and you, as the employer, require overtime work to be done over a weekend or on a public holiday, your staff would only be obliged to work if you got their agreement, in writing, to do so.
So people, it is in your own best interests to get your Letters of Appointment up to date and in compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
How to calculate the rates.
Let me be very clear here – there are some employees that are not ‘covered’ by the BCOA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) – these are (but not limited to):
- Members of the National Defence Force
- (workers in) Senior Management
- Sales staff – who travel
- Workers who work less than 24 hours in a month
- Workers who earn more than an amount gazetted from time to time – clearly this pertains to specialized circumstances and would not affect most employees – if you’re not sure, please contact an HR Specialist.
Then of course there is the, no overtime work will be paid unless the overtime has been authorized by an employee’s Manager or is required in terms of a work roster.
Workers must receive 1.5 times their normal hourly rate of pay or time off in exchange for overtime or they can even receive a combination of the two.
Staff are not obliged to work overtime:
- Unless the overtime has been made by agreement (in your Letter/Contract of employment or by consent in writing)
- If the overtime is more than 10 hours per week (if this is a special circumstance a ‘collective agreement’ can increase this to 15 hours a week, but only for a maximum of two months in any given year.)
- Workers may not work more than 12 hours a day.
Pay for Overtime Work
Like most calculations in life, life is generally made a lot easier if you have a formula to calculate with – overtime remuneration is no exception to the rule.
5 day week overtime calculation:
Those who work a 5 day week work 21.67 days per month, this is accepted as the norm.
The working week is accepted as 45 ordinary hours (not including overtime).
The working day is accepted as a 9 hour day. The employee is paid for 8 hours and the 1 hour meal break is NOT paid for. Before every staff members starts weeping and wailing and shouting the odds, this is the law as it is gazetted in the BCOA, so don’t be having a go at your bosses!
So therefore the formula for calculating the hourly rate is:
Salary divided by 21.67 (remember these are the days worked in a month) divided 9 (those are the working hours per day) and 21.67 multiplied by 9 = total working hours per month (195.03 hours). Therefore if Tommy earns say R5 000 per month then his hourly rate is R25.64 per hour and if he has worked 48 hours in one week, then he is entitled to 3 hours over time at 1.5 times his hourly rate, which would mean that he is entitled to an additional R115.38.
The calculation for employees who work a 6 day week is as follows:
Those who work a 6 day week work 26 days per month, this is accepted as the norm.
The working week is accepted as 45 ordinary hours (not including overtime).
The working day is accepted as a 7.5 hour day. The employee is paid for 6.5 hours and the 1 hour meal break is NOT paid for. Before every staff members starts weeping and wailing and shouting the odds, this is the law as it is gazetted in the BCOA, so don’t be having a go at your bosses!
So therefore the formula for calculating the hourly rate is:
Salary divided by 26 (remember these are the days worked in a month) divided 7.5 (those are the working hours per day) and 26 multiplied by 7.5 = total working hours per month (195 hours). Therefore if Tommy earns say R5 000 per month then his hourly rate is R25.64 per hour and if he has worked 48 hours in one week, then he is entitled to 3 hours over time at 1.5 times his hourly rate, which would mean that he is entitled to an additional R76.92.
Oh . . . and don’t forget that the Tax man want’s his cut of this to. So if for example your extra R100 overtime that you think you are getting puts you into the next tax bracket, this will mean that you owe the Tax man.
So there you have the mysteries of overtime and how to calculate it at your fingertips.
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 Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
Please further note that terms and conditions in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act as well as the Labour Relations Act are amended from time to time and therefore information should be checked to ensure that it is correct and still applicable. This has been checked as at 3rd May 2019.
There is a huge amount of confusion about what is considered overtime and what actually is overtime and this often causes problems within an organisation – it’s that whole perception and assumption thing that very seldom actually reflects reality.
For example a normal working week is considered (by law) to be 45 hours. So if an employee works a 5 day week, 8 hour day (remember their lunch times do not constitute ‘working’ time), they have successfully worked a 40 hour week, so working an extra ½ an hour does not mean that they qualify for overtime, because they are still 4 ½ hours short on what they should be working. Many employees do not understand this and then feel that the employer is ‘cheating’ them out of overtime pay and by the same token, many employers are not aware of this and just pay! Either way, it is not a good situation and hopefully this article will put things into perspective.
Overtime and work on Public Holidays.
This is where the wording in your Letter/Contract of employment is extremely important. Unless there is a proper agreement or contract in place, according to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the employer is not permitted to ‘force’ the employee to work overtime (remember that this means the time that an employee works during a day or a week in excess of ordinary hours of work) on weekends or public holiday.
If you don’t have anything in place in terms of your Letter/Contract of employment and you, as the employer, require overtime work to be done over a weekend or on a public holiday, your staff would only be obliged to work if you got their agreement, in writing, to do so.
So people, it is in your own best interests to get your Letters of Appointment up to date and in compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
How to calculate the rates.
Let me be very clear here – there are some employees that are not ‘covered’ by the BCOA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) – these are (but not limited to):
- Members of the National Defence Force
- (workers in) Senior Management
- Sales staff – who travel
- Workers who work less than 24 hours in a month
- Workers who earn more than an amount gazetted from time to time – clearly this pertains to specialized circumstances and would not affect most employees – if you’re not sure, please contact an HR Specialist.
Then of course there is the, no overtime work will be paid unless the overtime has been authorized by an employee’s Manager or is required in terms of a work roster.
Workers must receive 1.5 times their normal hourly rate of pay or time off in exchange for overtime or they can even receive a combination of the two.
Staff are not obliged to work overtime:
- Unless the overtime has been made by agreement (in your Letter/Contract of employment or by consent in writing)
- If the overtime is more than 10 hours per week (if this is a special circumstance a ‘collective agreement’ can increase this to 15 hours a week, but only for a maximum of two months in any given year.)
- Workers may not work more than 12 hours a day.
Pay for Overtime Work
Like most calculations in life, life is generally made a lot easier if you have a formula to calculate with – overtime remuneration is no exception to the rule.
5 day week overtime calculation:
Those who work a 5 day week work 21.67 days per month, this is accepted as the norm.
The working week is accepted as 45 ordinary hours (not including overtime).
The working day is accepted as a 9 hour day. The employee is paid for 8 hours and the 1 hour meal break is NOT paid for. Before every staff members starts weeping and wailing and shouting the odds, this is the law as it is gazetted in the BCOA, so don’t be having a go at your bosses!
So therefore the formula for calculating the hourly rate is:
Salary divided by 21.67 (remember these are the days worked in a month) divided 9 (those are the working hours per day) and 21.67 multiplied by 9 = total working hours per month (195.03 hours). Therefore if Tommy earns say R5 000 per month then his hourly rate is R25.64 per hour and if he has worked 48 hours in one week, then he is entitled to 3 hours over time at 1.5 times his hourly rate, which would mean that he is entitled to an additional R115.38.
The calculation for employees who work a 6 day week is as follows:
Those who work a 6 day week work 26 days per month, this is accepted as the norm.
The working week is accepted as 45 ordinary hours (not including overtime).
The working day is accepted as a 7.5 hour day. The employee is paid for 6.5 hours and the 1 hour meal break is NOT paid for. Before every staff members starts weeping and wailing and shouting the odds, this is the law as it is gazetted in the BCOA, so don’t be having a go at your bosses!
So therefore the formula for calculating the hourly rate is:
Salary divided by 26 (remember these are the days worked in a month) divided 7.5 (those are the working hours per day) and 26 multiplied by 7.5 = total working hours per month (195 hours). Therefore if Tommy earns say R5 000 per month then his hourly rate is R25.64 per hour and if he has worked 48 hours in one week, then he is entitled to 3 hours over time at 1.5 times his hourly rate, which would mean that he is entitled to an additional R76.92.
Oh . . . and don’t forget that the Tax man want’s his cut of this to. So if for example your extra R100 overtime that you think you are getting puts you into the next tax bracket, this will mean that you owe the Tax man.
So there you have the mysteries of overtime and how to calculate it at your fingertips.
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, May 02, 2019
Customer Service 101 - The Customer is always right
Customer Service 101 - The Customer is always right
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
We’ve all heard the phrase “The customer is always right”. The phrase was apparently first coined in 1909 by the founder of Selridge’s Department Store in London. It was used to instil a greater sense of awareness amongst the employees, of their attitude towards customers and how they interacted with them. It is used today, rightly or wrongly, by business to indicate or give the impression of providing good service.
In many businesses today, particularly where there are call centres in place, this has become merely lip service. Nowadays though, with the internet, e-mails and blogs, the networks and people who are linked with working networks, when a client chooses to complain, very few companies can afford not to listen. With the introduction of industry ombudsmen there are even more complaint channels available to people who wish to voice their complaints.
This makes consumer power bigger and better than it has ever been. The question of course is do we, as consumers, complain enough, or do we just put up with bad service, poor quality and indifferent sales people for the sake of a quiet life?
If a client takes the time or the trouble to voice a complaint it should be seen as an opportunity, by the business, to right a wrong, or as a second chance. The fact is that customers who complain give business the opportunity to improve their service and thereby retain the patronage of their clientele.
Ironically, the reality of the situation is that very few of us take the time and trouble to complain or express our dissatisfaction directly to a company usually because the perception is that it is not really worth the effort. Many South Africans just tolerate bad service. What we usually do is ‘vote with our feet’ and of course our voices, when we tell all of our friends, family and colleagues or in fact anyone who will listen, about the bad experience that we had. This does not help the situation at all, as we have not dealt with the root of the problem.
Human nature being what it is though, means that we usually complain a lot more that we praise. So when we moan and groan quite liberally to all and sundry we very rarely spread the news when service or quality is exceptional. The result of this of course that we as consumers have the ability and potential to make or break a small business.
Clearly it is of the utmost importance to deal with customer complaints effectively and efficiently.
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 (Pty) Ltd
We’ve all heard the phrase “The customer is always right”. The phrase was apparently first coined in 1909 by the founder of Selridge’s Department Store in London. It was used to instil a greater sense of awareness amongst the employees, of their attitude towards customers and how they interacted with them. It is used today, rightly or wrongly, by business to indicate or give the impression of providing good service.
In many businesses today, particularly where there are call centres in place, this has become merely lip service. Nowadays though, with the internet, e-mails and blogs, the networks and people who are linked with working networks, when a client chooses to complain, very few companies can afford not to listen. With the introduction of industry ombudsmen there are even more complaint channels available to people who wish to voice their complaints.
This makes consumer power bigger and better than it has ever been. The question of course is do we, as consumers, complain enough, or do we just put up with bad service, poor quality and indifferent sales people for the sake of a quiet life?
If a client takes the time or the trouble to voice a complaint it should be seen as an opportunity, by the business, to right a wrong, or as a second chance. The fact is that customers who complain give business the opportunity to improve their service and thereby retain the patronage of their clientele.
Ironically, the reality of the situation is that very few of us take the time and trouble to complain or express our dissatisfaction directly to a company usually because the perception is that it is not really worth the effort. Many South Africans just tolerate bad service. What we usually do is ‘vote with our feet’ and of course our voices, when we tell all of our friends, family and colleagues or in fact anyone who will listen, about the bad experience that we had. This does not help the situation at all, as we have not dealt with the root of the problem.
Human nature being what it is though, means that we usually complain a lot more that we praise. So when we moan and groan quite liberally to all and sundry we very rarely spread the news when service or quality is exceptional. The result of this of course that we as consumers have the ability and potential to make or break a small business.
Clearly it is of the utmost importance to deal with customer complaints effectively and efficiently.
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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