Bay of Plenty Business News June/July 2019

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26 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS June/July 2019 Check your marketing images are sending the right message TELLING YOUR STORY > BY JAMES HEFFIELD Director of Bay of Plenty marketing and PR consultancy Last Word. To find out more visit lastwordmedia.co.nz or email james@lastwordmedia.co.nz. The revelation that the woman and daughter on the cover of the Government’s 2019 Budget document moved to Australia for financial reasons is a timely reminder of the value of knowing the story behind any photographs you use in your business. Stock photography can be an inexpensive and convenient source of images for your websites, publications and marketing materials, but it also carries a degree of risk. Especially if the photographers or the people photographed hold views or have life stories at odds with your intended messaging. In the case of the Government’s Wellbeing Budget document, the National Party gleefully went to the media after becoming aware that the woman and daughter photographed on the cover, Vicky and Ruby-Jean Freeman, had moved to Australia. When spoken to by Newshub, Vicky Freeman said it was “just hard financially” being a single mother in New Zealand, and she had moved to Australia after finding the cost of living in Auckland high. It was not the kind of publicity the Government wanted after releasing a budget that they aimed to have celebrated for its significant increase in funding for mental health, families, vulnerable children and beneficiaries. It’s not the first time a stock photo has left an organisation red-faced, and certainly not a worst-case example. Much more mind-boggling was the 2015 international fundraising calendar released by Greenpeace USA, which featured a photo of zebras and giraffes taken by wildlife photographer Alain Mafart. Staggeringly, those involved in the calendar’s production did not realise until it was printed that Mafart-Renodier, previously known as Alain Mafart, was the very same man who had been convicted of manslaughter for his involvement in the infamous 1985 bombing of Greenpeace’s flagship Rainbow Warrior. Upon realising the identity of the former French military operative Greenpeace USA destroyed 14,000 copies of the calendar it held in stock, but could not prevent the majority from being sold to the public. So what can we learn from these two examples? One key takeaway is to make sure you know the story behind your image. The easiest way to do that is to take any photos you plan to use in-house, or with the help of a professional photographer who conducts a photo shoot using talent that has been checked and vetted. That way you can more easily verify that those being photographed don’t have any controversial skeletons in the closet. If you are going to use a stock image – and let’s face it they are often the lower-cost option – then it is worth checking up on the photographer and the people in the photos, just to make sure their views and background aren’t at odds with what your business stands for. Make sure remote workers don’t become too flexible PROS The recent teacher strikes saw parents the length of the country juggling kids and work commitments. Many employers will have been sympathetic to the cause, allowing their employees to work from home where possible. And this kind of flexibility can be invaluable in maintaining productivity and staff loyalty. With advances in technology, working from home is becoming more and more common – and easier than ever. Whether your team is dispersed across the city or across the globe, tools such as video conferencing and the omnipresent Cloud across geographical divides. But just because you can, should you? Managing a flexible workforce can be a balancing act. Whether or not it’s a fit for your business will depend on a number of factors, not least the type of work you do. A good place to start is to weigh up the pros and cons. Cost savings If you reduce the size of your core, office-based team, you can reduce the costs of running an office, including overheads like rent, computers, phones, electricity, heating and air conditioning. Increased productivity A ground-breaking experiment by Stanford University found that people who work from home are more productive than people who work in an office. The remote workers in the study took shorter breaks, had fewer sick days and took less time off. They said they found it less distracting and easier to concentrate at home. Improve retention rates The same two-year study found a 50 percent decrease in attrition. Allowing workers the flexibility to work around things like sick days and school holidays can increase HUMAN RESOURCES > BY KELLIE HAMLETT Director, Recruitment & HR Specialist, Talent ID Recruitment Ltd. She can be contacted on kellie@talentid.co.nz or 027 227 7736 their loyalty, and make you a more attractive employer than your competitors. Work-life balance A good work-life balance results in happier employees, who are less stressed, and therefore less prone to illness and more motivated. Increase your reach Allowing people to work remotely instantly widens the talent pool. It means you can draw on skills outside your geographical location. CONS Trust Remote working is based on trust. The reality is that some people will perform well remotely and others won’t. But the bottom line is you have to start from a position of trust. Constantly checking up on an employee is not constructive for either of you. If you don’t feel you can trust an employee to work from home, it may not be the right choice. Security threats Remote workers who use their own laptops and phones and work on unsecured networks can pose a risk. Their antivirus software may not be stringent enough and could leave your business open to attack. Having a remote work security policy in place and providing cyber security education can help to mitigate this risk. Distractions While it’s easy to get sidetracked in the office by overenthusiastic co-workers, working from home comes with its own set of distractions. Like that pile of washing that needs to be hung out, or the dog insisting on a mid-afternoon walk. For those prone to domestic distraction, it might be better to make a clean break between work and home. Less face-to-face time As much as technology has advanced, as humans we are social beings and there’s nothing like being in the same room for team bonding, brainstorming and idea sharing. Scheduling in regular face-toface meetings between remote workers can be beneficial for both relationship-building and getting results. In summary, there’s no rule book when it comes to working remotely. To a large degree it comes down to intuition and output. It can be beneficial for both employer and employee, but if something doesn’t feel right, or you aren’t getting the results you want, it might be time to rethink how flexible you make your workforce.
BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS June/July 2019 27 How Separation can affect your Business When a couple decides to separate, one of the biggest issues is how their belongings will be divided between them. This is understandably a difficult and stressful time for everyone involved, but things could get even more complicated if you own a business. “Usually, if a marriage, civil union or de facto relationship has lasted more than 3 years, all relationship property will be divided equally between the parties unless there is an opting out agreement, or if the Family Court determines that there are extraordinary circumstances which would make equal sharing unacceptable,” explains Paula Lines from The Law Shop. “Your business is most likely relationship property so if you and your partner separate, the business will need to be considered when deciding how to divide the assets. This is regardless of whether only you or both of you work in the business,” she says. In some cases, it seems obvious that one party will retain the business, but that party will likely need to forego other relationship property to equalise the value. In other situations, especially when both parties work in the business, it can be harder to agree on who should keep it. Sometimes, it will be easier to sell up. But while the decisions are being made or it is being marketed for sale, someone still needs to be running the business to maintain its value. “If you have a partnership or shareholder’s agreement, the issues should be covered and the path to resolution should be clear. In the absence of an agreement, you will have equal rights to make decisions, access information and generally keep the business running. If necessary, you can apply to the court to make decisions on how to get through this interim period,” Paula explains. The best way to protect yourself, and your business, is to get things right from the get-go and make sure that you have the correct documents in place. The Business Law team at The Law Shop can assist you with partnership and shareholder agreements, sale and purchase agreements, loan contracts and securities, and all other documentation you need to protect your business. Their family lawyers can expertly advise you on the Property (Relationships) Act. If you prefer to be prepared and proactive, they can assist you with drawing up a Contracting Out agreement, also known as a pre or post-nuptial, before you get married or enter into a new relationship. With this, you can specify how you want to protect certain assets in case of a separation. “Contracting out isn’t just about prenuptials. It’s also used in estate planning. It’s a document that will make The best way to protect yourself, and your business, is to get things right from the get-go and make sure that you have the correct documents in place. dividing up property much easier if it comes to that,” Paula says. The team at The Law Shop understands what’s involved in running a business, and how to legally deal with any curveballs that may come your way. Give them a call on 0800 LAW SHOP (0800 529 7467) to get your personal and business needs and documentation sorted. With a no-nonsense approach, The Law Shop is there to help. STEPHANIE NORTHEY LL.B | Director PAULA LINES LL.B | Director SARSHA TYRRELL LL.B | Director ROTORUA 1268 Arawa St Rotorua TAURANGA 1239 Cameron Rd Greerton
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Bay of Plenty Business News June/July 2019

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