Siyapambili

The Relevance of Expired Warnings

The issue regarding the relevance of expired warnings is always a heated one. Some employers believe that once a warning has lapsed, it is to be removed from the employee’s file. There is no provision in neither labour legislation nor case law that supports such a contention. 

The Code of Good Practice on Dismissal states that employers should keep records for each employee specifying the nature of any disciplinary transgressions, the action taken by the employer and the reasons for such actions. The entire purpose of keeping records is to preserve details of proceedings for future reference therefore it would be nonsensical to destroy a part of that record as soon as the warning lapses.

 
The Labour Appeal Court has ruled that there is no fixed rule against taking lapsed warnings into account when deciding penalty for later misconduct. The fact that a prior warning has lapsed does not mean that prior misconduct cannot be taken into account in assessing the appropriate penalty for later misconduct. It could be relevant to show a pattern of behaviour of the employee.

Therefore the retention of warnings, even after expiry, is important as it all comprises the employee’s previous disciplinary record. An example for criminal law is that, if my suspended sentence for driving has expired, I should have a criminal record for drunken driving.

Jonathan Goldberg, CEO of Global Business Solutions

@JGoldbergsnr

No absenteeism from work! (Cecilia Legodi & Petrus Moshime)

Cecilia Legodi has been working for Express since 2007, starting as a sewing machine operator at ALC and then moving on to Lear. Since Express has started to keep record on Adapt in July 2007, Cecilia has not booked off sick once. When asked what her recipe was for this exemplary record, she responded shyly that she is blessed with good health.

Cecilia’s supervisor at Lear added that she is also one of their most versatile operators; she can be deployed at different operations in the plant and always reaches her targets without compromising on her quality. Cecilia is a 46 year old mother of 4.

 

Petrus Moshime started working for Express at Bader SA as a sewing machine operator in 2004. Since then he has moved to work at ALC on the E93 line. During his career with Express he has never been absent. Petrus is also one of those trusted employees who can work on a variety of operations.He is often moved between lines to assist with operations on other lines where the team leaders have difficulty in reaching targets. This he always does with a smile. Petrus told me that his good attendance record can be attributed to his willingness to work and his good health. He is a 49 year old father of a daughter.

 

Talking to these two employees gave me the impression that they take pride in their work and that they were happy and proud to work for Express.

Joan Gur-Arie

Express Employment Professionals Rosslyn

 

Express Learnership Programme

“The ONLY disability in life is a bad attitude” – Scott Hamilton

Express Employment Professionals is delighted to conclude yet another skills development initiative. We had embarked on a 12 month Learnership Programme for 2 disabled students that started in October 2010. The learners were enrolled at Siyaya Skills Institute for a National Certificate in Business Administration Services on NQF 3.

Yolande Du Plessis being a disabled learner, placed at Express Employment Professionals (Head Quarters) for workplace experience, had continuously displayed attributes of determination, motivation and sacrifice, and thus successfully completed all modules for this Learnership.

We all learned a few lessons from Yolande, most importantly “that your attitude determines your future”. Despite the challenges she faced, she was determined to meet the requirements of this project. Her sparkling personality and perseverance demonstrated patience and she taught us that no challenge is to difficult to complete. With her limited physical resources she completed each day with a satisfying smile.

“Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” (Chinese Proverb)

 

Nizima Cassim-Sayed

Training and Skills Development Manager

Express Employment Professionals 

 

We Make Switching to AFIS Swift

Express Employment Professionals

SAPS discontinued the use of names and ID clearance checks for criminal records as from 1^st July 2011. The only legal avenue to do a criminal screening of a person will be through AFIS, the SAPS Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

Ideco AFISwitch is South Africa's sole provider to the private sector of automated criminal record checks. AFISwitch interfaces with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to determine the criminal background status of a person.

 

In order to capture fingerprints electronically, agents must be enrolled with the SAPS AFIS system and that requires certification which in turn requires training. Only persons with no criminal convictions and a clear credit record can be trained.

 

Express Employment Professionals is certified for AFIS screening.

We have strategic alliances with one of the approved suppliers to the SAPS AFIS system. Express utilises the MorphoSmart, a multipurpose fingerprint processing unit that has enhanced cryptographic security features and fake finger detection. For more information contact your local Express Employment Professionals office.

 

www.expresspros.co.za

Why Is Your Top Talent Walking Out the Door?

By Jared Brox 

General Electric CEO, Jack Welch once said, “Any company trying to compete must figure out a way to engage the mind of every employee.” A company’s greatest asset is its employees. Without a dedicated workforce of men and women who enjoy their job and take a special interest in its success, a company can’t survive. As the economy slowly recovers, the talent war is becoming fierce. Retention of top employees is a major battle many businesses are currently fighting. Could you afford to lose your top performers?

So, why do talented employees leave?
While it is definitely one of the top contributing factors, most research has shown that money is rarely the only reason an employee chooses to leave a company. It is usually a combination of a variety of other reasons that often has the biggest influence on a talented worker’s decision to seek new opportunities. In order to keep your best and brightest from walking out the door, it’s important to understand some of the non-money related causes of employee turnover.

Not the Right Fit for the Job
“A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.” – Mark Twain

Due to layoffs and cutbacks during the recession, many workers were forced to take jobs outside their field of interest in order to pay bills or provide for their families. Now that the job market is beginning to open up, these employees will likely seek opportunities to get their careers back on track. Others may have taken a particular position, but realized it wasn’t quite the job they had in mind.

It’s Just Not Fun Anymore
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

New challenges and experiences are key to keeping top performers engaged in their work. The instant an employee feels their career trajectory has leveled off, work stops being fun and they begin to wander. At this point, it often doesn’t matter how much money they make, they are more interested in finding a job they enjoy doing.

Work-Life Balance Out of Whack
“I’ve learned that you can’t have everything and do everything at the same time.” – Oprah Winfrey

With each new generation that enters the workforce, work-life balance becomes a bigger priority. This is especially true with Millennials, the youngest generation currently in the workplace. When busy schedules and increased stress at work start affecting an employee’s home life or taking away time they could be spending pursuing non-work related interests and hobbies, employees start looking for a job that better fits their ideal lifestyle.

Lack of Recognition
“A name pronounced is the recognition of the individual to whom it belongs.” – Henry David Thoreau

Everyone appreciates recognition for a job well done. When an employee consistently puts forth extra effort to ensure a successful project, works overtime, or takes on responsibilities outside their job description, being recognized for their hard work is often more important to them than bonuses and incentives. In a work environment where this kind of encouragement is lacking, it is easy for even top performers to become apathetic about their job.

Poor Relationship with Immediate Supervisor
“So much money has been thrown at the challenge of keeping good people – in the form of better pay, better perks and better training – when, in the end, turnover is mostly a manager issue.” – Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

A poor relationship with an immediate supervisor has shown time and time again to be one of the biggest reasons top talent decides to leave their job. A positive rapport and mutual respect is absolutely necessary in creating a productive manager-employee relationship. Hardworking employees don’t want to waste their time and effort on a manager who is not in their corner. Bottom line, great leaders retain great talent.

One of the biggest differentiating factors that helps a company drive innovation and stay competitive is its ability to attract and retain top talent. It’s a correlation that is clearly shown by companies that are consistently recognized for their strong corporate culture, such as Southwest Airlines and Zappos. If you’ve noticed your peak performers heading for the door, before offering them more money or bigger perks, it may be more beneficial to dig a little deeper into why they really want to leave.

4 Bad Employee Behaviors That Could Be Undermining Your Team

By Ashlie Turley · June 20th, 2011

In a world where results are king, it can be easy to overlook a few minor bad behaviors in return for completed projects and met deadlines. But whether an employee is your top performer or just an average worker, turning your head and allowing their inappropriate habits to continue will only harm the team. Your other employees are most likely fully aware of the bad behavior taking place and looking to you to handle it appropriately. Failing to do so can not only harm morale and productivity, it can also lead to higher turnover as your team members leave what they consider an unprofessional or unfair workplace. So make sure to nip these four bad behaviors in the bud fast!

Procrastination
Just because someone squeaks in just in time under the deadline doesn’t make their process of getting there okay. While some circumstances can’t be helped, an employee that repeatedly procrastinates and makes poor time management decisions is bad for business and the entire team. Rewarding their end results gives other employees the impression that strategic planning is no longer needed for their own projects, and it can be a morale dampener if you’re asking others to help out when those projects are in jeopardy.

Bad Attitude
Everyone has their bad days, but they shouldn’t happen on a regular basis. And even when they do, they shouldn’t cause other team members grief. Employees who are always in a bad mood, short with their co-workers or customers, or constantly negative about everything are morale killers. Even if it’s the top sales person in your department, their mean spirit or moody personality is going to cost you. Don’t let them infect your workforce and turn your business into a toxic workplace.

Disregarding the Rules
A little flexibility never hurt anyone, but bending the rules for one employee can cause negative feelings among the rest of the team. An employee that takes extended lunches, shows up 30 minutes late in the mornings, and ignores workplace policies will quickly alienate themselves from the team. And, as the leader, if you don’t correct their behavior, you will quickly lose the respect and trust of your employees.

Late to Meetings
Nothing can cause tempers to flare faster than when someone arrives to a meeting late and all the attendees that arrived on time have to listen to a recap. Reward those who were respectful of your time with a compelling, effective meeting. Instead of reinforcing the bad behavior, deal with it after the meeting to avoid further distractions.

As a leader, your job is to manage a productive workforce and meet your goals. The best way to accomplish this is by ensuring high team morale and confidence in your leadership. Don’t let a few bad behaviors get in between you and your team. Quickly and privately dealing with each bad behavior as it arises will guarantee you and your employees stay on top of your game and play as a team.

How to Save Face When You Make a Ghastly Mistake

As 2010 comes to a close, various “Top 10” lists start making the news. Top 10 Headlines. Top 10 Influential People. Top 10 Sports Memories.

There is even a Top 10 Public Relations Blunders List issued by a prominent San Francisco PR firm that features botched product recalls, free speech fallout, and one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. These blunders indicate that ghastly mistakes happen on the job everyday and everywhere.

But what happens when you make a ghastly mistake at work? How will you recover, especially when you are the new kid on the block? When you make a mistake, here are four tips that will help you save face and possibly your job.

Admit your mistake. This might be the hardest step, but admitting you made a mistake is necessary. When you own up to your oversight, your co-workers are more likely to forgive you. They will probably even pitch in to help you correct your error. Blaming others won’t correct the situation nor will it make the problem go away. Instead, playing the blame game will only waste precious time and will most likely upset your co-workers.

Regain your composure. You won’t be able to logically correct your misstep until you regain your composure. Remain calm and try to retrace your steps. This will help you identify where things went wrong.

Tell your supervisor. It’s imperative to inform your supervisor of your mistake first. It is better that your supervisor hears the news from you than a co-worker or a customer.

Develop a corrective action plan. Work with your supervisor to develop a plan to help change or fix the situation. Despite your blunder, working on an action plan will demonstrate to your supervisor that he or she made the right decision in hiring you. Pay attention to details as you work through your action plan and offer to be responsible for carrying out the plan.

Because we’re all human, mistakes are bound to happen. The key is to take responsibility for the mistakes you make, and most importantly, learn and grow from them. As someone once said, “If you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t doing anything.” So the next time you mess up at work, take it in stride and see it as the opportunity it is, to learn from the mistakes you make.

I Chose To Look The Other Way

I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
It wasn't that I didn't care,
I had the time and I was there.

But I didn't want to seem a fool,
Or argue over a safety rule.
I knew he'd done the job before,
If I called it wrong, he might get sore.

The chances didn't seem that bad,
I've done the same, He knew I had.
So I shook my head and walked on by,
He knew the risks as well as I.

He took the chance, I closed an eye,
And with that act, I let him die.
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.

Now every time I see his wife,
I'll know, I should have saved his life.
That guilt is something I must bear,
But it isn't something you need share.

If you see a risk that others take,
That puts their health of life at stake.
The question asked, or thing to say,
Could help them live another day.

If you see a risk and walk away,
Then hope you never have to say...
"I could have saved a life that day,
but I chose to look the other way."

Seeker or Sleeper: What’s Your Job Search Style

Have you ever thought about the differences between superstars and slouches? We usually think about separating the high achievers from the low performers on the job, but it pertains to job seekers as well.

The three indicators discussed in The Key Differences between Superstars and Slouches can also relate to the different styles of people searching for jobs.

First, people who find jobs understand that finding a job is a full-time position. They devote an 8-hour workday to the process. They wake up in the morning, get ready for the day, and start their job search bright and early. They filter through employment opportunities, compiling a list of prospective employers to submit their résumés to. They don’t allow past failures or a sluggish economy to get in the way of finding a job.

Second, successful job seekers usually are relentless in their job search process. They pound the pavement looking for employment opportunities wherever they can find them. They don’t limit their job search to certain hours of the day. After they submit applications and résumés, they follow up with phone calls to ensure that potential employers have received all necessary documents and request a time for an interview. They don’t wait around with fingers crossed.

Third, job getters are the ones who don’t make excuses for the lack of employment opportunities. They understand the obstacles that stand in their way. Whether it’s a down economy, a competitive job market or a lack of qualifications inhibiting their job search success, they re-evaluate the situation and determine solutions.

The job search process may take longer than would have a year ago, but there are still jobs available. The difference is the job seeker. Successful job seekers process these three key elements and the sleepers, well um, they sleep. So don’t give up and fall into a job search slumber.

Check out your local Express office today for help in the job search process.

Social Media Guide for Business Leaders

Tips and advice about social media use are abundant these days, as the use of social media tools becomes increasingly important and widespread across organizations from large to small.

Your business may or may not have a formal social media presence, but if you’re a typical adult, chances are you have a personal account on at least one of several popular social media sites.

Perhaps you use LinkedIn to connect with colleagues, peers and other professionals. Maybe you have jumped on the Facebook bandwagon in hopes to reunite with friends, family or former classmates or colleagues.

Whatever your level of social media activity, as a business leader, it’s important to consider how you will use social media sites, because your activity will set the standard for others in your organization.

So, consider these three issues of social media involvement for professionals to make sure you are leading with integrity in the social space.

• How will you use social media?
• What sites should you use?
• Who will you connect with online?

To find out how you can best use social media as a business leader, view our complete guide:
Download Social-Media-Guide-for-Business-Leaders-ExpressPros