Posts

Help your Employees Burn Bright not Out

/in

We have all had weeks during which we envision the perfect working environment as being a set up at home with convenient access to snacks, caffeine and maybe even a dash of cheeky daytime television viewing. There have been times for us all when someone mentions their remote status and we release a sigh of envy at their not having to venture out into the bitter wilderness (let’s face it, we are all that dramatic at 6am) before the sun has even risen. Is remote working or working from home all it’s cracked up to be?

Recent studies have shown that contrary to our own inherent bias about the joys of working from home workers who come in to the office at least once a week are in fact happier than those who work entirely remotely. Whilst flexible and remote working have obvious positive points for the employee, there are some issues that employers should be aware of in order to assist these workers in maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout and loneliness issues which can damage employee wellbeing on a number of levels.

Loneliness is an obvious issue with remote workers as they don’t have access to the conversations and personal daily interactions one has in an office environment. Remote workers can often feel entirely separate to the office environment and a bit cut off from this world. These workers miss out on the sense of community that comes from working in an office environment and also the bonds that result from daily interaction with others. Humans are social creatures by nature and thrive on interaction, when a worker receives no interaction for extended periods it can lead to times of depression.

The term ‘burnout’ is unfortunately one which is becoming increasingly common in recent years as workers begin to push themselves further and further in the pursuit of success. Burnout generally refers to employees pushing themselves to a point at which they can no longer function. It is said that this phenomenon is seen regularly in remote workers due to the fact that they can more easily stretch their working hours in a way that is not sustainable in the long term. Burnout is perhaps one of the worst things any employee can suffer as once the employee has fallen behind, this can become a negative cycle as they attempt to catch up.

So how can the employer best support remote workers and assist them in avoiding the pitfalls of burning out, and the deep loneliness that can result from the lack of daily interaction?

  • Ensure that remote workers feel part of a larger community.
  • Consider having a chat or video conference feature in which remote workers can interact with office workers for regular updates and to ask questions etc.
  • Check in with remote workers regularly to ensure that they are ok.
  • Offer a day in which remote workers are welcomed into the office for an office lunch or meeting.
  • Engage in conversations with remote employees and colleagues that relate to issues outside of work, so that they feel that others have an interest in their lives similarly to how they would feel in an office environment.
  • Ensure that remote workers are not keeping unsociable hours and that they have their standard non-work time.

The new flexibility of working hours that modern technology affords us is of course a positive, but it takes effort on both the sides of the employer and the employee to ensure that remote workers do not feel isolated from the rest of the company community.

As always, we here at EcovisDCA are available to assist should you have any queries on any business or financial matters. We look forward to hearing from you.

– – –

~ DCA PARTNERS, DECLAN DOLAN & EAMONN GARVEY

Employee Relationships

/in

Once More unto the Breach (of trust)

We have spoken in the past about the importance of having a happy workforce of employees in your business, as well as speaking about how vital having a decent work-life balance is for personal and business health. Reports this week suggest that many Irish employees remain sceptical of their employers in recent years, hopefully something that can be rectified going forward. As big supporters of Irish SMEs we would always advise checking in with your employees and ensuring that they are happy in their roles through regular reviews etc.

Communications Group Edelman published their 2019 Trust Barometer this week, suggesting that less than 7 in 10 employees in Ireland trust their company management. This places Ireland in the bottom three quarters of all countries surveyed in terms of trust in business management structures.

Edelman CEO Richard Edelman has been quoted as saying of the findings:

“The past two decades have seen a progressive destruction of trust in societal institutions, a consequence of the recession.”

That same old refrain we have heard for many years now as who among us would have guessed that the recession would have such far reaching effects further on in time? The report also suggested that globally, employees are more likely to trust their direct line manager as the person that they are most closely in contact with. Many of those surveyed believe that it is up to the CEO to impose changes to the working world, rather than waiting for Government heads to impose changes.

Employees remain willing to open their trust, but this report has found that this trust must be earned and efforts must be made to meet the expectations of their employers. An employee should feel secure in their role and confident to approach in the event of any issues or queries. This in turn leads to employees who are often more willing to go above and beyond in their roles, because they feel valued on both a personal and a business level. In addition, happy, satisfied and valued employees remain more likely to speak up and advocate and recommend their company.

As employers, and especially employers in the SME market, we must continue to recognise our employees as people in their own right and allow employees to grow and flourish in their roles without feeling taken advantage of. It is vital as management to keep abreast of all goings on within your business and though this is a daunting task, getting to know your employees and creating a happy and thriving workplace can also be an incredibly rewarding and gratifying one. Valued employees are loyal employees.

As always we here at EcovisDCA are always available to help with any new business or finance queries you may have. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

– – –

~ DCA PARTNERS, DECLAN DOLAN & EAMONN GARVEY

PAYE System Change

/in

A Change is as Good as a Rest

We recently spoke briefly about the changes to our PAYE (Pay as you Earn) system here in Ireland, aptly called ‘PAYE Modernisation’ which will come into effect on January 1st 2019. Today we would like to go into a bit more depth on the topic and ensure that all of our colleagues, clients and friends are aware of what these changes will mean for them as well as to ensure that all are prepared for this fast-approaching change.

The PAYE system in Ireland is long overdue a significant update, and these changes are set to be of benefit to both employers and employees.

Employers:

For employers, these changes will be of benefit as they will seek to streamline the way in which employers report payroll information to Revenue. Files will be submitted electronically for each employee for every payment period. It is hoped that the employers workload will not be increased with this change, and it is anticipated that these reports will be fully integrated into payroll software, allowing for a smoother transition for employers.

Employers will also be able to input the details of a new employee before their employment has begun, which it is hoped will reduce the frequency of issues arising with over or under payment of tax.

Employees:

Perhaps the most prevalent change that will be in place for employees is that the P60, P30, P35 and P45 will be entirely abolished. Instead, employees will have full access to their pay and tax record online. It is anticipated that this will be updated consistently as the employee is paid, and will allow Revenue to conduct reviews to figure out if employees are utilising their tax credits to the maximum effect. This will also allow employees to adjust their tax credit and Standard Rate Cut off Point digitally, and they may be prompted to do so if Revenue identify that they are not being used to the full effect. This will create an easier system for the employee as they will no longer be required to wait until the end of the tax year to assess over or under payment.

As with all important changes, we would advise to do your research, fully read the Revenue Brief “PAYE Modernisation, Are you Ready” and ensure that your company and employees are fully registered and that all the required forms are issued at year end. This will ensure that you start the year off on the most secure footing possible ahead of these changes.

Should you have any concerns, queries or require further information on these or any other business and financial matters please don’t hesitate to contact us we are always available to help.

– – – – –

~ DCA PARTNERS, DECLAN DOLAN & EAMONN GARVEY