Easy Ways To Stand Out In A Tight Labour Market

Flexible Working Arrangements

Ways to Support New Parents Returning to Work

With a tight labour market and staff shortages, a business that is family friendly and an employer who is supportive of new parents can be hugely appealing to employees. Parental leave and business Research has shown that only 8.9% of Kiwi organisations with more than 20 employees top up the salary of staff who are on parental leave. Fewer than that contribute to KiwiSaver accounts during this time. But with 100,000 people in NZ welcoming a child into the world every year, organisations that want to retain their staff might have to support parents and caregivers effectively. Employees are making choices about where they want to work not based only on money but on less quantifiable factors such as flexibility and organisational support towards work-life balance. Working 9-5 is a traditional, outdated model that was created several years ago, built on an assumption that each household had a male worker and a female caregiver. Times have changed and now most families have both parents working, not to mention single parent households. The #workschoolhours campaign focuses on aligning with school hours, offering schedule flexibility and the notion that output is more important than the number of hours worked. What do employees want? Parents working part-time deliver the same outputs and complete the same workload as full-time workers. This also supports the belief that just because you sit at a desk for eight hours doesn’t mean you are productive for eight hours. Parents, caregivers, and a new generation of employees disagree with the archaic concept of working longer hours linked to doing more work and output. It also makes commercial sense for employers to consider moving to innovative systems of working. With the complex economic changes in the landscape, staff feeling burnt out or having trouble producing, employers who focus on output rather than the when and where of work, they can retain staff and improve productivity. Let’s look at other ways you can support new parents at your workplace and why that is a smart choice for your business. Plan their return With childcare responsibilities, it is always best to plan their return carefully. Employees can write to the employer discussing: Your agreed start dates Agreed work hours Facilities you may need (breastfeeding area etc) Your responsibilities (if they have changed or any handover needs to be completed) Any new policies that they need to know Employers should inform the other staff members of the returning employee as well. If there is any employee covering for the returning parent then talk to them about their contract ending or extension. You can also ask the new parent to have a handover session or meeting with the employee handling their duties. Have a policy Employees are unaware of the resources and policies unavailable to them. Ensure you communicate the policy or company process to new parents returning to work. This policy should cover everything from the moment they go on leave to the day they return and start their role. A business is likely to thrive when the employees feel supported and happy in their role. Support your employees New parents need a lot of assistance and support. Check-in with your employees to see how they are faring. As an employer, you must make reasonable attempts to meet the needs of your employees. Research has shown that employers who support their workers to breastfeed, discover benefits such as improved staff satisfaction, morale, improve retention, and reduced absenteeism. While it may not be possible for small businesses to have lounges or rooms, you can create a clean private area with a comfortable chair, a fridge, and wash basin. If an employee needs to express at work, make sure everybody is respectful of that and they feel comfortable enough to do so at work. Providing flexibility and support with working hours and days can be a challenge for small businesses who are already struggling with staff issues. However, it may be beneficial to you and your business in the long run to support flexibility. You can look for alternatives such as: Allowing employees to swap days or hours Allowing new parents to work from home or consider starting early and finishing early Hiring temporary staff to assist with the workload Creating a work from home policy and roster Talk to Peninsula today Peninsula has worked with thousands of Kiwi businesses crafting policies and procedures to enhance their productivity and workplaces. Our team members provide tailored support and advice for your industry and business. Talk to our team members today.

Flexible Working Arrangements

Four-Day Work Week: Too good to be true?

The initial New Zealand trial of the 4 Day Work Week ran from 1 December 2020 to 30 June 2022. The Unilever New Zealand four-day work week trial produced successful, independent measurements. Results showed vast majority of staff felt engaged and absenteeism dropped 34%. Individual wellbeing also improved, with stress dropping 33%. Meanwhile feelings of strength and vigour at work increased by 15% and work-life conflict fell by 67%. In November 2024, Unilever Australia and New Zealand announced that it was going to continue the experiment in New Zealand and expand the trial to Australia. The pandemic forced businesses to review their model of working and the four-day work week offers an opportunity to maintain productivity while increasing wellbeing. But is the four-day work week the magic pill all businesses are looking for? History ‘The five-day week is not the ultimate, and neither is the eight-hour day’ said Henry Ford in 1926. Nearly a century ago, visionaries like Ford were already sure that the future looks different and adaptable. Generations have passed but the struggle remains for employees and workers. Workers are calling for more flexibility, better work-life balance, and the choice to do their jobs on their own terms. The forced lockdowns and pandemic also put our lives under a scanner and made us question- Is there a way to do this better? It was New Zealand based businessman, Andrew Barnes who made headlines in 2018 for his four-day week trial at financial trust Perpetual Guardian. COVID-19 further strengthened his belief that we can find a better balance between work and life. Four-day work week benefits Companies and governments were eager to jump on the bandwagon and start initiating various trials. Belgium, Iceland, and UK were some of the first to kick trials off and the results were impressive. Microsoft Japan saw a 40% jump in productivity gains and rise in employee happiness from their four-day work week trial. The appeal is clear and strong. An additional day of rest, spending time with families and kids, pursuing hobbies or interests, saving costs on fuel, and reducing carbon emissions are just some benefits of a shortened work week. A shorter week also changes the narrative and forces us to focus. Shorter workdays are more productive than longer ones when held to a higher standard of productivity and focus. Shortening the time available pushes people to rethink their style of working. Do they really need daily meetings or catch-ups? Can this be done in a shorter time frame? Can we say no to this project? By setting ambitious goals, you change your perspective and boost your productivity. Why four-day work weeks don’t work for everyone? As we have mentioned, it’s not the days, it’s the shift in focus and energy that makes a difference. The four-day work week while welcomed everywhere may not work for all employers and businesses. All businesses are different If employees start working four-days a week, then how can businesses maintain the same level of service and productivity? What about businesses like hospitality, retail, healthcare, etc? There will be knock-on effects on the rest of the team if everyone is just shifting their meeting times or working hours. Roster systems would further be complicated with managers having to keep track of different days staff doesn’t work. There could be chaos in trying to find a day where the whole team comes in or forcing the team to come in on one day, leading to dissatisfaction. An extra day off at a cost Employees who work four-days a week will have to work longer hours to make-up for the extra day off. In France, companies had to pay overtime as employees were working longer hours. This is an additional expense to businesses. It will also mean longer days for employees who would be returning late from work and thus effectively missing out on the time with their families or time that could have been spent on their personal lives. Vague parameters The idea of a four-day work week is interesting but the parameters seem vague. What businesses need to consider is: Is 100% productivity possible in 80% of the time? Are we saving any actual time by compressing the workweek? Is coordinating schedules and collaboration going to get difficult? Four-day work week is not the only option If you’re looking to be flexible without making a drastic change, there are other ways to be productive. Schedule meetings-free time or days Unnecessary meetings or catch-ups waste a lot of valuable time at the workplace. Scheduling meeting free time or days ensures your employees have long, uninterrupted time blocks. Give autonomy to employees Putting employees in charge of their schedule can work wonders for productivity. Can your employees start later and finish later or start early and finish early? Can they opt out of meetings that they think are not applicable to their roles? Time limit on meetings Microsoft asked employees to limit meetings to 30 minutes and five attendees. By putting a time limit on meetings, you force employees to focus, get to the point, delegate roles, and disperse instead of chatting or stretching out brainstorming. You can also do a weekly/monthly calendar audit during which you question the necessity of every meeting. Real-time chat apps Applications like Slack and Microsoft Teams help streamline internal communication without adding to your inbox. You can also get real time responses or reach out directly instead of waiting for a response to your email. Limit small talk This may seem extreme but socializing with co-workers is one of the top five greatest time-wasting activities. You can limit small talk by scheduling lunches, team activities, and planned time for socialization within the team. Adaptability is key Running a business is tough. Managing people is even tougher. Whether you implement a four-day workweek or other benefits, there are no magic fixes. Adaptability matters. The people you have supporting you matter. This is where Peninsula comes in with our years of experience of working with thousands of business owners across Australia and New Zealand. Contact our team today to get all your questions answered.

Flexible Working Arrangements

WFH Obligations Employers Should Keep in Mind

Working from home (WFH) has proved to be favourable amongst employees and employers. However, it is important to remember that while the working environment has changed, your obligations as an employer must stay the same during the “new normal” working week. This article will address three obligations that you must remember to uphold while your employees are working from home, as well as suggestions you may find useful to give effect to those obligations. Health and safety When employees are working from home, the home is considered a workplace and employers have the same health and safety obligations as if they were coming to work. Just like the office or the usual workplace, the home has many hazards that could potentially jeopardize the employee’s safety and ability to perform his or her role remotely. That is why you must remember your obligations as an employer to ensure the safety of your employees when they are working from home. A suggestion is to adopt a working from home policy with health and safety guidelines that are easily adaptable to the home environment. For example, you may include a requirement that your employee’s workspace must be comfortable and hazard-free. Consider things like posture and regular stretching to avoid strain and fatigue. Not only will this increase or maintain productivity, but this also ensures that you are upholding your health and safety obligations as an employer. Many employees will continue to use their makeshift offices while working remotely. It is important that you, as the employer, ensure that you have assessed and eliminated or mitigated risks that come with this. Obligation to consider flexible working requests The demand for flexible working arrangements is on the rise in New Zealand. As an employer, you must remember that you are under an obligation to consider flexible working arrangements when requested by an employee and respond within a specified timeframe. There may be some employees who require additional flexibility when working from home. Your obligation as an employer is to consider all flexible working requests in a manner that is consistent with the Employment Relations Act 2000. That is, to acknowledge receipt of the request and respond to it no later than one month after receipt. Remember that you must consider all requests in a fair and reasonable manner. Even if your employee has not made a flexible working request, it is important to consider the impact of any temporary changes that may have occurred during lockdown. Although your employee may be working from home, this may not necessarily mean that your employee has completely adapted to this arrangement. For example, an employee may find that they are more productive if they only work from home a few days a week as there may be too many distractions at home. Alternatively, another employee may find that they are more productive when working from home full time because of the distractions in the workplace. A common one is to provide flexible working hours for employees with children or other dependents. Peninsula recommends that you seek advice from a trusted source on how to appropriately consider and respond to flexible working requests from employees. Failing to do this may result in an employee claiming that you have not considered their statutory right under the Employment Relations Act to request a variation of their working arrangement. Acting in good faith As an employer, your obligation to act in good faith goes beyond the scope of maintaining a relationship of trust and confidence with your employees. Remember that you are also under an obligation to maintain productive employment relationships with your employees in a manner whereby both parties are communicative and responsive. You would be correct to assume that this may be more difficult when working remotely, given that your employees can only be reached by digital means. That is why you need to establish effective communication methods when managing ‘virtual’ employees. A suggestion is to establish multiple means of communication with your employees. An effective means of communication is to arrange and attend regular meetings through video conferencing software. This is the closest alternative to face-to-face meetings and is a great way to get your dispersed employees together and communicate the same messages in one sitting. Further, you should encourage your employees to keep their mobile phones charged and close at hand in case you or other employees need to make quick and direct contact with one another. This is also useful where employees experience technical or connectivity issues; a text or phone call will inform the appropriate person of any remote issues. Remember that effective communication will ensure that you and your employees stay in regular contact and will also ensure that you are meeting your obligation as an employer to maintain productive, communicative and responsive employment relationships with employees. This will also enable you to keep track of overall productivity and expectations of your employees. In conclusion, you must remember your obligations as an employer even though your employees may be working from home. Adopting a working from home policy with health and safety guidelines, considering all flexible working requests and maintaining effective communication will enable you to meet your health and safety and good faith obligations. Safeguard your business with Peninsula Peninsula has worked with thousands of businesses in New Zealand, helping them in matters of employment relations and workplace health and safety. Our team provides tailored HR advice and solutions specific for your industry and business. Talk to our team today to get all your questions answered.

Flexible Working Arrangements

How Can You Manage Remote Staff?

Employers have concerns about managing remote staff and maintaining the same level of productivity. Employees have concerns about the uncertainty of illness, long commutes, and maintaining work-life balance. How do workplaces handle these nuances? How can you as a business owner manage remote staff with efficiency? What do employers want? Small businesses are facing a tough time with rising costs and expenses. Amidst all this, lurks the question of remote working or hybrid working. Employers feel there is a loss of productivity when staff work from home. They also believe that there is a lack of trust and accountability for remote staff. Managers find it difficult to make remote staff feel included and heard. Companies are eager to call employees back to the workplace because they are spending money on office rent and equipment. Small businesses around the city centre or business districts are also feeling the strain of reduced foot traffic and lack of regular customers. On the other hand, some employers see working from home (WFH) as a route to reducing costs by opting for co-working spaces, hot desking, and doing away with meeting rooms or spaces. What do employees want? Workers are struggling with anxiety about returning to the workplace. Employees also strongly feel the desire to maintain a work-life balance. They found working remotely had led to reduced expenses, saved time on commute, and an ability to focus on their personal lives. One of the disadvantages of working from home is that employees feel that there is an expectation to be always available, making the separation of work and personal life unclear. Advantages and disadvantages of remote working The benefits of remote working include: Money saved on commutes, food, and coffees Money saved on fuel and parking Time and effort saved on traveling Money saved on work clothes Money saved on childcare facilities Smaller office spaces for employers Options for flexible working Reduced business costs (utilities, expenses, and overheads) Studies have highlighted some disadvantages of remote working for longer periods. These studies have outlined that virtual teams or remote staff are more likely to feel alienated or disconnected. Employees who WFH permanently find themselves facing higher levels of work demands, loneliness, and increasing sense of disassociation. Hybrid working According to a study, more than 40% of businesses offer a work from home option . Further, the number of people mostly working at home increased by nearly 60% between 2018 and 2023. This number signifies that most of the workforce is no longer in the office full-time. Hybrid workers find the balance a refreshing change and it allows them to develop a higher level of trust with their managers. Managers also believe in offering them independence and support as they need. Going back to the office for couple of days a week resulted in social interaction, stronger relationships, collaboration, and career progress. Compared to hybrid workers, employees who worked full-time in the office scored poorly on innovation and consistently found themselves on the edge of burn-out. If hybrid work is the new normal, are you prepared? How can managers make remote staff feel motivated and productive? It can be tempting for small business owners to mandate a certain number of days in the office or workplace. Managers can feel in control and can support their staff when they need if they are in the office. However, employees preferred autonomy and the flexibility that remote working offers. Managing remote staff If your business allows for remote working, how can you support and manage remote staff? Remember your obligations- Employers have health and safety obligations even when staff work from home or remotely. You need to ensure they have a safe working space at home. Conduct a risk assessment- If your staff prefer to WFH, conduct a risk assessment of their home office. Map a schedule- Having a structure when staff WFH reduces the uncertainty and questions around productivity. You can also share a list of tasks when they WFH. Have a WFH policy- It is practical to have a clear and written work from home (WFH) policy. This policy should be included in the employee handbook and clearly communicated with all your employees. Build a connection- Your employees are more likely to be committed if they feel a connection to the workplace. Are you regularly checking-in with remote staff? Do you find ways to include them in team activities? Support mental wellbeing- If you have staff who WFH permanently, support their wellbeing and mental health. Staff who work remotely for longer periods need to feel included and respected. You can host virtual team catch-ups, activities or offer them monetary rewards/perks to keep them engaged and motivated. Communicate consistently- Remote working increases the chance for miscommunication or feeling ignored by your managers. It is crucial that you communicate consistently and clearly about your expectations. Managers should use every opportunity to engage remote staff in dialogue. How can Peninsula help you? Peninsula has worked with thousands of businesses in New Zealand, supporting them in implementing employment relations policies and processes. Our team is available 24/7 for business owners, providing answers to all your tricky questions. Contact today to learn more about ways Peninsula can help your business.

Flexible Working Arrangements

Working from Home Checklist for Employers

Businesses are changing the way they work with flexible working arrangements. In some businesses, employees have the option to work remotely or work while traveling. It is vital to ensure that as a business owner you are fulfilling your health and safety obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) – no matter if your employees are working from home. A quick way to establish what you have, what you need, and your progress in setting up your employees to work from home, is to put together a working from home checklist. Things to consider When an employee works from home, their home is considered a workplace: and you, as the employer, owe them a duty of care. This duty of care is of course reasonable in the circumstances of an employee working from home. A checklist should cover the fundamentals of your obligations when an employee is working remotely. For example, an adequate working from home checklist for employers should prompt you to ask yourself the following questions: Do my employees have an adequate set up at home to allow them to work productively and safely? Has the injury management policy been reviewed and updated to cater for working from home arrangements? Does my business have a Working From Home Policy? Why use a working from home checklist? A checklist is a recommended way to help yourself stay on top of, and keep track of, your health and safety obligations. By going through and ticking off the various parts of your checklist, you can easily stay in touch with what you need to do. Employer’s duty of care to employees working from home As mentioned at the beginning, employers have a responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees, even when they work at home as far is is reasonably practicable. The same health and safety rules apply, not only to your employee, but to others affected by their working at home. Employees also have to take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of themselves and others, as well as follow the business’ policies and instructions. If you require an employee to work from home, carefully consider their personal circumstances, whether they can carry out their role at home, any health and safety matters and, of course the needs of your business. A checklist can assist you to carry out a risk assessment of their home office to see if there are any potential hazards or safety risks. Things to include in a working from home checklist The checklist will include details such as: Employee details (name, contact, emergency information) Supervisor details (name, contact, emergency information) When workers are likely to be working and from where (days, hours, usual breaks and location) Hazard identification, incident reporting and consultation Workstation set up and hazardous manual tasks (workstation is safely and ergonomically set up) Working environment and facilities Psychosocial hazards Any extra work or arrangements (Details like any additional work done after hours or staying late and any flexible arrangements) Agreed actions (PCBU to summarise consulation with worker on identified hazards and possible solutions detailing actions) While this is not an exhaustive checklist, these are some key elements that you should definitely include in your working from home checklist. Create safe workplaces with Peninsula Peninsula works with business owners and employers creating strong policies and processes that safeguard their workplaces. Our team provides tailored support, resources, and advice for your business. Call us on 0800215031 to learn how we can help you.

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Related Blog Posts

Ways to Support New Parents Returning to Work

Four-Day Work Week: Too good to be true?

WFH Obligations Employers Should Keep in Mind

How Can You Manage Remote Staff?

Working from Home Checklist for Employers

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