Dear Visitor,

Welcome to People Matter from HR Solutions 4U.

What's in this issue?

• Welcome
• Amendments to Agency Worker Regulations
• Can money buy staff happiness?

 Welcome

The media seems to be continuously focused on downbeat stories and, in particular, those around the economy and stability of British business. Whilst we may be able to remain upbeat, employees can often feel demotivated. This is further exacerbated by the post holiday blues – not many of us are keen to return to work after enjoying some relaxing time with family and friends.

This month we focus on motivation, giving you information and ideas to try out in your business. We also notify you of some amendments to the Agency Worker Regulations which come into force on 1 October 2011.

Until next time, look after your people.

Best wishes

 Amendments to Agency Worker Regulations

The Government have recently published some amendments to the Agency Worker Regulations for clarification:

• Under the regulations, which come into force on 1 October 2011, agency workers will be entitled to the same basic employment and working conditions as permanent staff after 12 weeks in the role
• This includes the right to use collective facilities such as canteens and childcare, for the first day of their appointment
• In previous Government notes there was confusion over whether an agency worker was deemed as working for an agency or the hirer, this has been clarified to reflect it is the hirer
• The section on Swedish Derogation has been corrected to reflect the obligation for an agency to pay an agency worker employed on a permanent contract between assignments only applies once the worker has completed their first assignment
• In the section on defence available to agencies there is clarification on what information should be sort from hirers.

If you are concerned about how Agency Worker Regulations may affect your business please contact us on 01256 328428.

Can money buy staff happiness?

You know the old saying – money can’t buy you happiness. And that’s true of your staff too, although it can certainly be a contributing factor. We thought you might be interested in the five key findings from the Great British Salary Survey conducted by Reed.co.uk:

• Male workers still earn more than females – by almost 20%
• The finance sector has the widest pay gap, whilst marketing has the smallest
• Employees move to obtain a pay rise
• Staff are motivated by the opportunity to earn a bonus
• The average salary for staff who said they love their job is just over £24k

So, if it isn’t money what else can you do to motivate your staff and make them feel more engaged in the business?

Performance management – according to the Lumesse Inspiring Talent 2011 report, many staff report feeling their skills and talents are underutilised and that appraisals are a waste of time. Making performance management effective is not just about having a good meeting with staff members, you need to follow up on agreed actions, ensure any training or personal development that would help employees is arranged and any concerns are reviewed. Maintaining regular contact with staff and operating an open door policy ensures your team feels you are approachable and their input is valued.

Other ideas that have been proven to work for organisations:

• Regular newsletters and communication – keep the staff notice board/intranet up to date and make sure staff know what is going on
• Mentoring – ideally senior management as this really makes staff feel valued, to make it work put time in the diary on a regular basis and train the mentors on how to give to employees
• Award schemes – based on whatever works for your business – best salesperson, most customer service calls answered, going the extra mile – they don’t have to be expensive and employees are thrilled that their efforts have been recognised
• Small treats – buying cakes for the team when they do well, taking a member of staff out to lunch when it is their birthday, or letting them have the afternoon off, arranging discounts with companies such as restaurants or cinemas
• Charity incentives – choose a charity and challenge staff to come up with innovative ways to raise money – everyone feels involved, it’s fun and can be great PR too!

If you would like help with motivating your staff, or would like us to perform a salary review for you, please contact us on 01256 328428.