BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS DECEMBER 2019

32 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS December 2019
Top five tips for a trouble-free Christmas
We’ve all heard the one about dubious images being found on the
photocopier tray the morning after the Christmas office party.
And equally dubious
glances between workmates
who got a little,
shall we say, friendlier than
they intended after a few too
many eggnogs.
But, when it comes to the
festive season, there’s more to
consider in the workplace than
photocopied body parts and
inter-collegial relations.
There is a raft of things
employers need to take stock
of to meet legal obligations,
keep their employees happy
and ensure their business ticks
over during the Christmas
break. Here are our Top Five:
1. Managing staff levels
and expectations
The race is on for people to
put in their leave requests for
Christmas. Some will have
planned a year in advance,
while others are still hoping to
wing it.
Managing everyone’s
expectations, while maintaining
adequate staff levels, can
be a challenge. But if you
have a plan in place, it will
help compensate for those who
don’t.
• Make it clear which days
you are open for business,
and how many staff will be
needed
• Remind people to put their
leave requests in early
• Make the most of technology
to record and manage
leave requests
• Be respectful and explain
the ‘why’ when you have to
turn someone down
2. Shutting up shop
If you are planning an annual
closedown period at Christmas,
you must legally give
your employees at least 14
days’ notice. Employees must
take leave over this time, even
if they don’t have any annual
leave owing.
Those in their first year of
employment with you, who
don’t yet have any leave, must
be paid eight percent of the
gross pay they’ve earned since
they started working for you.
Or, if you agree, employees
can take annual leave in
advance. Alternatively, you can
change the date they receive
their annual leave allowance so
they have some paid leave to
tide them over the closedown.
In which case the new date
becomes their leave anniversary
from then on.
Any public holidays during
the closedown period, are paid.
3. Holiday pay
Holiday pay continues to make
the headlines, due to ongoing
confusion over how the Holidays
Act is interpreted.
Under the Act, you should
pay employees leave at either
their ordinary rate, or their
average weekly earnings over
the previous 12 months -
whichever is the highest of the
two.
But if you have employees
who don’t have an ordinary
rate, such as shift workers, you
should use the average of the
past four weeks, or the average
of the past 12 months - again,
whichever is the highest of the
two.
Sounds simple enough
right? Not exactly. The intricacies
of the law can, and do
catch people out. If you’re not
sure if you’re doing things correctly,
seek advice - to avoid
hefty fines and costly backdated
holiday payments.
4. Overtime
Gone are the days when triple
pay on Christmas Day was
a given. Employers are only
obliged to pay penal rates as
set out in their employment
contracts.
These are agreed between
both parties, with the hourly
‘overtime’ rate usually being
higher than that paid during a
“normal” 40-hour week.
While time-and-a-half and
double time are often agreed,
there’s no legal obligation
for employers to pay extra
per hour. However, a prudent
employee will recognise that
employees who feel valued
are more loyal and likely to
put in the hard yards when you
need them most. Like, over
Christmas.
5. And last, but not least,
the proverbial Christmas
office party
Electrocution by fairy lights,
getting sexually harassed by
a reindeer (well, Neville from
accounts wearing reindeer
antlers), anaphylaxis from
the seafood pate… the office
Christmas party is a potential
health and safety minefield,
according to office rumour.
But is it really?
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
By law, an employer can be
prosecuted if they fail to protect
their staff.
However, there is also an
element of employee responsibility
- and liability lies somewhere
in the middle.
Before any workplace
social event, employees should
be made aware of any relevant
policies, such as drinking alcohol
and code of conduct.
As a responsible employer,
you should also consider
things like providing food and
non-alcoholic drink options,
not serving people who are
drunk and transport options.
If you’ve done what is reasonably
practicable to keep
your employees safe, and made
it clear what your expectations
are, you’re much less likely to
have a lawsuit on your hands.
And once you have your
house (well, workplace) in
order, you can put your feet up
and have a well-earned break.
Virtual lawyers see
technology as catalyst
for change
What type of office
is best for a service-based
business
these days? Do you need a
building to drive to and from
to do your 8 hours of work
each day, or is there a better
way? For many progressive
businesses, the traditional
office is becoming a thing of
the past.
Business law expert Paula
Lines, director of The Law
Shop, has been working from
a virtual space since August
this year and for her firm, it’s
working well. Although the
Greerton office is gone, it’s
business as usual for The Law
Shop.
After thorough research
and an investment in systems
and technology that makes
things seamless, Paula now
completes work for all Tauranga
clients from the Rotorua
office, from home or from
local co-working spaces.
“Our team is always open to
change if it makes the way we
work even better. We agreed
that for our Tauranga clients,
working as virtual lawyers is
the most flexible and efficient
approach,” Paula says.
“We can meet at a café, at
the client’s home or office or
at a co-working space, and we
communicate via phone, email
or Skype. We’re supported by
technology, and it is a great
way to keep our fees competitive.
In the end, providing the
best service possible is what
matters.”
For those still on the fence
on moving into the virtual
space, we investigate the benefits
and challenges of shutting
the office doors.
Upsides
1. Flexibility. Work whenever
you like from wherever you
are, all while wearing your
stretchy pants and slippers
if you want.
2. No time wasted in traffic.
Let’s face it. Tauranga’s
morning and afternoon
traffic is appalling. Freeing
yourself from the daily
commute is bliss.
3. More cost-effective. With
no office lease, utilities,
and associated costs to
pay, a more competitive
rate for your clients can be
achieved.
4. Increased productivity.
With a solid plan and dedication,
working remotely
means getting more done.
5. Growth. You can expand
the business without the
need for a larger space and
even use the virtual office to
establish yourself in a new
location.
Pitfalls
1. Feeling disconnected.
Working from home can
get lonely. If you enjoy
the daily banter with your
co-workers, you might find
working remotely challenging.
2. Time management and
accountability. You’ll
need to excel at managing
your time when you work
remotely and treat it like the
job it is.
3. Security. You must offer
your clients a fully secure
environment so invest in
PAULA LINES
LL.B | Director
VPNs, antivirus upgrades,
and encryption software if
need be.
4. Being always “on”. If you
don’t work from an actual
office, it can feel like you
never leave work. Balancing
this also comes down to
managing your time wisely.
5. Impromptu meetings
and conversations
PAULA LINES
LL.B | Director
with co-workers where
important information is
exchanged will be missed
if you’re not at the office.
Communication is key!
The Law Shop offers businesses
expert legal services
and advise at a fair price. To
get in touch with Paula and her
team, call 0800 LAW SHOP.
Proudly serving our community from our offices in Rotorua and Tauranga.
ROTORUA
1268 Arawa St
Rotorua
TAURANGA
Virtual Office
ROTORUA
1268 Arawa St
Rotorua
TAURANGA
Virtual Office
203502AA