It is not always about the money

Time off in Lieu has been extended by the Fair Work commission into the Modern Awards.

It is not uncommon for workers to want to enjoy the rewards of their hard work with something other than cash.  

For many, time off in lieu for overtime worked (TOIL) can be put towards creating a long weekend or used for family and personal activities.    This can be a greater motivator than money.  

For business it can be a win-win arrangement as it can save a owner money and also good workers will use this time for person reasons, rather than taking a “sickie”.
  

83 of the 122 modern awards already provide for (TOIL).   Of those, 60 provide the TOIL is calculated at the ordinary rate and the remaining 23 modern awards provide TOIL at the overtime rate.   

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that the TOIL should be inserted into the remaining awards.   

What steps do you need to take in implementing a TOIL arrangement?

1)  You may agree in writing to the employee taking time off instead of being paid for a  particular amount of overtime that has been worked by the employee.

2)  A TOIL agreement can also be made by an exchange of email or SMS messages with you.

3)   The period of time off that an employee is entitled to take is the same as the number of overtime hours worked e.g. three overtime hours = 3 hours of TOIL.

4)   TOIL must be taken within the period of six months after the overtime is worked at times agreed by the employee and employer.

5)  Copies of any TOIL agreements must be kept as an employee record.

6)  No undue influence or undue pressure is to be exerted onto an employee to make or not make a TOIL agreement.

7)  An employee may request a TOIL agreement as a flexible working arrangement. You cannot refuse the agreement except on reasonable business grounds.

8)   A policy outlining the TOIL and how it works should be developed and all employees made aware of what the agreement will include.

9)   You must pay out the overtime if:

(a)   TOIL is not taken within six months;

(b)   The employee requests it to be paid out; or

(c)    The employee’s employment ends

You must not knowingly or recklessly make a false or misleading representation about an employee’s entitlements under a TOIL agreement.   

You should know what the modern award that applies to your business has in terms of a
TOIL arrangement.  

Help is available

End2end can help a business get ahead of their competitors with tailored staff management strategies, call us on 02 8977 4002 to see how we can help you.  

50% of the workforce will be Millennials by 2020. Are you ready?

In 4 years, Millennials will make up 50% of the Australian workforce. Yet many businesses are finding this group hard to attract, manage and retain. What do you need to do to make your business attractive to this growing workforce demographic?

The Values Generation

It’s important to Millennials to stay true to their own personal values. In fact the Deloitte Millennial Survey 2016 found 44% of the Millennials surveyed have turned down a job offer because of the organisation’s values.

Millennials want their employer to value people and community over profits. So to effectively manage a Millennial employee, you must demonstrate that being a good Corporate Citizen is important to your organisation. You also need to empower Millennial workers to express their concerns when faced with a task or situation that challenges their personal values.

Career development is important

On the whole, Millennials are highly educated and informed about what’s going on in the world. They want to continue to learn and be challenged. They also need to see there are opportunities for advancement.

To retain your Millennial workforce, show them a clear path for career advancement. Show them you value their contribution to your organisation and assist them to fulfil their ambitions by providing training opportunities so they can expand their skill set.

Provide flexibility

With device in hand, Millennials are working longer hours than previous generations by using their commute to and from work as part of their work day. In addition, you will often find Millennials working on weekends and after hours. They expect to have these extra hours recognised by their employer. They also expect their employer to share their flexible definition of a work day.

To keep your Millennial staff happy, be prepared to introduce flexible work practices such as starting work later or earlier and working remotely.

The time to change is now

For your business to continue to flourish, it needs to adapt to the expectations of a growing proportion of the available workforce – the Millennials. The team at End2End Business Solutions works with businesses to help them recruit, manage and retain their staff.

For more information on how End2End may be able to help your business, call 02 8977 4002.