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Employee Relationships

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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.

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~ DCA PARTNERS, DECLAN DOLAN & EAMONN GARVEY

TIS THE SEASON TO REMAIN PROFESSIONAL

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With the Christmas party season just around the corner, we here at DCA Accountants are always looking out for the best interests of our clients and readers. As such, we have decided to talk today about the darker side of the office Christmas party which could place a dark cloud over the season for you or your staff. The Christmas party season is often rife with reports of bullying of all kinds and harassment. Not quite the ideal way to round off a busy working year.

 

The office Christmas Party is a great way to thank your employees for a year of hard work and dedication. It can also be a good way to get to know your co-workers outside of a strict office environment. However, from a managerial standpoint it can be somewhat of a mine-field, with a UK study stating that one in ten employees knows someone who has been disciplined or dismissed following the staff Christmas party. The top two culprits here are alcohol-fuelled fights and sexual harassment issues. These issues are not widely considered when choosing the event, but one that is important to bear in mind. We suggest some ways to avoid these awkward and unnecessary stumbling blocks and ensure that both you and all staff have a wonderful trouble-free evening.

 

The standard office Christmas party will usually occur outside of the work premises. Despite this fact, it is vital to remember that the responsibility still remains with the employer to ensure the protection of all employees. If cases of harassment are brought up, you as the employer are liable, despite the party location. The party environment may be festive, but legally the event is just an extension of the office.

 

A good way to ensure that all staff know that they must still behave appropriately with one another during the party is to circulate a memo which pinpoints the company’s/office’s no-tolerance approach to issues such as bullying and harassment. This notice should also include the company grievance procedures should any staff have issues. Management should be advised not to discuss any business matters such as salaries etc. at the event. This will ensure that no promises are made under the influence of alcohol which cannot be kept when the haze passes.

 

Something else which is not widely considered is that the party should be optional for all staff and not mandatory. This allows for people with other beliefs or responsibilities to politely decline without feeling awkward. We would also advise arranging specific finishing times for your event and perhaps arranging transport to avoid further dangers for you and your staff.

 

With employers and employees under increasing pressure to hold onto their positions, these easy pitfalls at the staff Christmas party are easily avoided. The most important thing to bear in mind is that the boundaries of acceptable behaviour must be set out beforehand in order to avoid any unnecessary stress or awkwardness. We here at DCA Accountants hope that you and all your staff/co-workers have an enjoyable Christmas party and festive season.