ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 6
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Staff who take part in, or participate in any way, a strike that does not comply with the provisions in chapter iv, are by default, guilty of misconduct.
Please remember, just because they have taken part in an illegal strike, and that that is considered “misconduct”, it does not necessarily mean that they deserve to be dismissed. It still has to be determined whether or not a dismissal is fair.
In these instances the following needs to be taken into consideration:
- the seriousness of the contravention of the Act
- whether any attempt was make to comply with the Act
- whether or not the strike was in response to any unjustified conduct by the employer.
Before dismissal takes place the employer must, discuss the intended dismissal or any other action that they intend to take, with the trade union concerned.
The employer also needs to make it very clear, in simple language that all can understand, the terms and conditions of what is required and what the consequences will be, should they not comply with the requirements.
Once again the employees should be allowed a reasonable amount of time, in which to make a decision to either agree to the requirements and/or reject them.
Once again there may be instances where the employer cannot reasonably be expected to comply with these requirements, with the employees concerned. In these instances the employer may disregard the guidelines. Again this must be documented and a copy retained in the employee’s personnel file.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Sunday, August 31, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 76
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 76
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Get out there and tell people what it is that you do and how they can benefit from a business relationship with you.”
I don’t know about you guys but my crystal ball doesn’t work very well. Actually if the truth be told, it doesn’t work at all!
I need people to tell me what it is that they do – they need to explain it in detail. Particularly if their business is based around being a consultant. I mean exactly what is it that you consult about?
The same goes for someone who does training, what is it that you train? Tell me, I can’t just guess!
Sometimes getting information out of people is like pulling hen’s teeth!
Remember, I cannot refer you if I don’t know what it is that you do – so put it out there – tell me what it is that you do, I will then tell you what I do and we can see what kind of synergies we have together and we can also see who we can refer each other to, in our respective data bases, thereby adding value to both.
A win/win situation – wouldn’t you agree?
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 76
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Get out there and tell people what it is that you do and how they can benefit from a business relationship with you.”
I don’t know about you guys but my crystal ball doesn’t work very well. Actually if the truth be told, it doesn’t work at all!
I need people to tell me what it is that they do – they need to explain it in detail. Particularly if their business is based around being a consultant. I mean exactly what is it that you consult about?
The same goes for someone who does training, what is it that you train? Tell me, I can’t just guess!
Sometimes getting information out of people is like pulling hen’s teeth!
Remember, I cannot refer you if I don’t know what it is that you do – so put it out there – tell me what it is that you do, I will then tell you what I do and we can see what kind of synergies we have together and we can also see who we can refer each other to, in our respective data bases, thereby adding value to both.
A win/win situation – wouldn’t you agree?
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
ADVANTANGES YOU WILL GAIN, BY PREPARING YOU BUSINESS FOR SALE
ADVANTAGES YOU WILL GAIN, BY PREPARING YOUR BUSINESS FOR SALE
Good Morning Bloggers
For the next while, on a Tuesday – I will be posting articles from Mark Corke of Suitegum.
Mark is a Business Broker, who writes articles on, and runs seminars on “Preparing you Business for Sale”.
Both Mark and I are of the opinion that ensuring that your Business is Prepared for Sale at all times will ensure that your business always commands the highest value. It actually increases the value of your Business quite considerably.
Here are some of the issues that Mark will be covering:
Here are the advantages you'll gain
Learn to unlock the value in your business, making it something to be desired by your new customer; the business buyer.
Cross the threshold to safeguard your family's future by preparing your business for sale so that in the event of a calamity, clear selling decisions can be made and acted upon by people not normally in control.
Discover the new opportunities in your own business as your mind opens up to new methods and techniques highlighted by the need to have a business prepared for sale.
You will notice that properly prepared businesses cause the owners to find more profit in the day to day transacting, even if they decide to never sell their "babies".
Explore real life examples of business sale strategies which have worked to provide the sellers with millions of Rands more than what they originally expected to receive in Present your business for transfer.
Isn't it time that you too achieved the peace of mind that a business prepared for sale provides the owner, knowing that in a time of stress or disaster, the business can be quickly sold for a good price, instead of auction value.
Join the growing list of savvy business owners who are able to provide their prospective purchasers with a meaningful report which enables them to compose a business plan which financial institutions fall over each other to finance, without giving away secrets and intellectual capital in "Prepare your business for sale".
Educate yourself to instruct attorneys as to the essential sections of an agreement of sale both legislated and street wise.
Take a giant step to discovering the different types of buyer profiles you can expect to encounter as you approach the time to finally hand over your business to a new owner, and learn to short circuit the crooks and tyre-kickers.
Let's be honest, we all know selling businesses is not for sissies, and it is realistically something which you are unlikely to do more than a few times in your life, so getting the value right, safeguarding your family's future, putting the deal to bed with a good, well financed buyer, and finally making the deal stick is important.
Of course it doesn't do any harm if you prepare your business for sale, but never sell it, because the journey of this preparation is going to open your eyes to so many other ways of making that baby sing in an honest to goodness way.
If you would like to sign up for Mark’s newsletters, Here is the link.
Please feel free to tell all of your friends too – they will thank you for it!
Good Morning Bloggers
For the next while, on a Tuesday – I will be posting articles from Mark Corke of Suitegum.
Mark is a Business Broker, who writes articles on, and runs seminars on “Preparing you Business for Sale”.
Both Mark and I are of the opinion that ensuring that your Business is Prepared for Sale at all times will ensure that your business always commands the highest value. It actually increases the value of your Business quite considerably.
Here are some of the issues that Mark will be covering:
Here are the advantages you'll gain
Learn to unlock the value in your business, making it something to be desired by your new customer; the business buyer.
Cross the threshold to safeguard your family's future by preparing your business for sale so that in the event of a calamity, clear selling decisions can be made and acted upon by people not normally in control.
Discover the new opportunities in your own business as your mind opens up to new methods and techniques highlighted by the need to have a business prepared for sale.
You will notice that properly prepared businesses cause the owners to find more profit in the day to day transacting, even if they decide to never sell their "babies".
Explore real life examples of business sale strategies which have worked to provide the sellers with millions of Rands more than what they originally expected to receive in Present your business for transfer.
Isn't it time that you too achieved the peace of mind that a business prepared for sale provides the owner, knowing that in a time of stress or disaster, the business can be quickly sold for a good price, instead of auction value.
Join the growing list of savvy business owners who are able to provide their prospective purchasers with a meaningful report which enables them to compose a business plan which financial institutions fall over each other to finance, without giving away secrets and intellectual capital in "Prepare your business for sale".
Educate yourself to instruct attorneys as to the essential sections of an agreement of sale both legislated and street wise.
Take a giant step to discovering the different types of buyer profiles you can expect to encounter as you approach the time to finally hand over your business to a new owner, and learn to short circuit the crooks and tyre-kickers.
Let's be honest, we all know selling businesses is not for sissies, and it is realistically something which you are unlikely to do more than a few times in your life, so getting the value right, safeguarding your family's future, putting the deal to bed with a good, well financed buyer, and finally making the deal stick is important.
Of course it doesn't do any harm if you prepare your business for sale, but never sell it, because the journey of this preparation is going to open your eyes to so many other ways of making that baby sing in an honest to goodness way.
If you would like to sign up for Mark’s newsletters, Here is the link.
Please feel free to tell all of your friends too – they will thank you for it!
Monday, August 25, 2008
MOTIVATION - HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS
MOTIVATION – HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Good Morning all – this article was not written by me, it was sent to me by a colleague who it had been sent to. That said, it carries my sentiments exactly. The first paragraph is by my colleague and from there the whole piece has been written by Steven McManus. All I can say to Steve is, thank you for this exceptionally well written piece. I agree with you and well done for writing it. It puts things squarely in perspective without any hype and drama.
Hi there
I don’t know about you, but I feel that South African journalism, and their overriding desire to sell their media, has a lot to answer for. Have you noticed how, over the years, media has become more sensationalist and dramatic, in an attempt to grab our attention and make us buy their news over their competitor’s? I have always felt that South Africa is an incredible land of opportunities. But to see and seize these opportunities, we all need to stop the griping, and actually start being thankful for how good we have it in South Africa. This article by Steven McManus really puts some perspective on things.
If you care about South Africa, please help spread the good news to counter the negativity by reading just how good things really are and sending this everyone you know…….
I believe that part of the reason we are going through mass negativity at present is because we are constantly bombarded with bad news. I believe that if we all keep reading, talking, thinking, and worrying about the bad stuff all the time, we will end up attracting it.
At the beginning of 2008, almost as soon as most South Africans returned to their everyday lives, having enjoyed a relaxing summer holiday, the perfect storm erupted. In quick succession there has been the unanimous unseating of the country’s President as leader of the ANC in December 2007, followed by a nationwide power crisis with regular “load shedding” which started in January 2008 and which we are told this will continue until after 2010. In addition South Africans are dealing with the perceived high level of crime (perception is reality), increasingly high levels of inflation (9.4% in February 2008), petrol at the highest levels ever and according to the popular media and dinner talk, more people than ever are considering immigrating to greener pastures.
After the last few months one may ask “Is there any good news about South Africa?” Yes!! After digging around on the internet, I have found plenty of good news about South Africa, which I would like to share with you to help put the constant bad news in perspective:
Cheap Petrol
Although the price of petrol in South Africa has increased dramatically it is still amongst the cheapest in the world. The highest price in South Africa is the Gauteng (inland) price for 95 octane unleaded petrol which as at 2 April 2008 is R8.91 per litre. In contrast according to a survey of 9 700 petrol stations in the UK by www.Petrolprices.com, for unleaded petrol, the minimum price in the UK is £1.03, the average price is £1.07 and the highest price £1.19 per litre. Using an exchange rate of £1=R15, this means that the average price per litre in the UK is over R16 per litre, nearly double South Africa’s price.
Cheap Housing
Housing in South Africa is still amongst the cheapest in the world. According to the April ABSA housing index the average price for middle segment housing (Residential houses nationwide between 80m2 and 400m2 ) is just R929 000. In contrast according to the BBC News Survey of UK house prices (which fell 3.6% in the last year) as at February 2008 the nationwide average is currently (Rand figures are conservatively calculated at £1=R15) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/uk_house_prices/html/houses.stm):
*Detached (A house not joined to any other) £342 800 (R5 142 000)
*Semi-Detached (A house which is joined to another house on one side) £200 037 (R3 000 555)
*Terraced (Streets of houses joined together in long rows) £176 732 (R2 650 980)
*Flat (A flat is part of a bigger building where all the flats share a front door) £200 967 (R3 014 505)
Lower Unemployment
According to Statistics South Africa the unemployment rate fell fractionally to 23% in September 2007—the lowest since records began in 2001. The government’s target is to cut the rate to 14% by 2014 (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/development/lfs-280308.htm)
Winning the War on Crime
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have conducted research on the victims of crime which shows the picture of South African crime as more typical of a developing country. These statistics show that South Africa has lower rates of violent crime than many African and South American countries. (http://www.unicri.it/wwd/analysis/icvs/pdf_files/No57/c04_57.PDF)
According to the South African Police Service Statistics, the incidence of most types of crime has reduced since 2001. Their latest report for the 6 month period April to September each year since 2001 (http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/crimestats/2007/april_sept2007/crime_report20062007.pdf) reveals the following rates of incidence per 100 000 of the population:
*The incidence of murder, although still unacceptably high is clearly decreasing 2001=22.7, 2002=22.9, 2003=21.0, 2004=19.7, 2005=19.6, 2006=20.0, 2007=18.7
*The incidence of rape, is also still unacceptably high but has clearly decreased in the past 2 years 2001=55.1, 2002=52.3, 2003=51.1, 2004=53.7, 2005=55.6, 2006=49.6, 2007=47.8
*The incidence of common assault has decreased dramatically in the past few years 2001=260.1, 2002=275.2, 2003=279.1, 2004=269.4, 2005=229.5, 2006=201.6, 2007=191.4
Stock Exchange Growth
*South Africa’s stock exchange (the JSE Limited), ranks 18th in the world in terms of total market capitalisation
*South Africa’s stock exchange ALSI (All Share Index) has risen from 7510.4 on 30 April 2003 to over 30 000 in April 2008, an increase of nearly 400% in 5 years (http://www.jse.co.za/)
Sporting Successes
*South Africa are the Rugby World Cup champions (http://www.rugbyworldcup.com)
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked rugby team according to the IRB as at 31 March 2008 (http://www.irb.com)
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked cricket team according to the ICC for One Day Internationals as at 22 March 2008 (http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/rankings/rankings.html)
*South Africa are hosts of 2010 world cup (http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html)
*South Africa has 2 golfers ranked in the top 10 in the world according to the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 13 - March 30th – 2008 (http://www.officialworldgolfranking.com/home/default.sps)
Competitive Nation
*South Africa ranked 44th out of 131 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2007/8 (http://www.gcr.weforum.org)
*South Africa has been ranked 28th among 108 countries measured for responsible competitiveness, according to the global think tank AccountAbility. (http://www.accountability21.net)
*South Africa ranks 52nd out of 157 countries in the world in terms of economic freedom, ahead of Italy (60th), Brazil (70th), the United Arab Emirates (74th), Greece (94th), India (104th) and China (119th), according to the Index of Economic Freedom 2007 (The 2008 Index of Economic Freedom covers 162 countries across 10 specific freedoms such as trade freedom, business freedom, investment freedom, and property rights http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index)
Rich in Resources
*South Africa is one of the world leaders in mining and minerals, with a significant share of the world’s reserves and production.
*South Africa has, according to the SA Department of Minerals and Energy, nearly 90% of the world’s platinum, 80% of the world’s manganese, 73% of the world’s chrome, 45% of the world’s vanadium and 41% of the world’s gold. (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/mining.htm)
*South Africa still has huge potential for the discovery of other world-class deposits in areas yet to be exhaustively explored.
Infrastructure Development
Since 1994, the South African government has channelled substantial resources into social programs and services, with varying degrees of success.
*Households with access to clean water: 85% in 2001, 80% in 1996
*Households using electricity for lighting: 69.7% in 2001, 57.6% in 1996
*Households in formal housing: 63.8% in 2001, 57.5% in 1996
*Households with chemical or flush toilets: 51.9% in 2001, 50.5% in 1996
*Pupil-teacher ratio: 38:1 in 2003, 43:1 in 1994
*People who have completed grade 12 schooling: 20.4% in 2001, 16.3% in 1996
*People with access to electricity: 70% in 2003, 32% in 1994
Lower Cost of Living
Despite recent inflation and price increases, South Africa still has one of the lowest cost of living levels in the world. According to the latest Xpatulator (http://www.xpatulator.com) cost of living survey of 228 global locations covering every country in the world, Johannesburg is the 71st, Pretoria is 58th, Cape Town is 51st, and Durban is the 36th cheapest place in the world to live. This means that 192 of the 228 global locations are more expensive places to live compared to Durban, while 157 locations are more expensive than Johannesburg. A detailed cost of living comparison of Johannesburg and London reveals that overall London is 74.5% more expensive than Johannesburg:
*Alcohol & Tobacco (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) is 56.7% more expensive in London
*Clothing (clothing and footwear products) is 85.3% more expensive in London
*Communication (fixed line, internet, and mobile) is 16.18% less expensive in London
*Education (school & tertiary) is 55.6% more expensive in London
*Furniture (furniture, household equipment and household appliances ) is 51.8% more expensive in London
*Groceries (food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material) is 46.7% more expensive in London
*Healthcare (general healthcare, medical and medical insurance) is 92.9% more expensive in London
*Household (housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes) is 104.3% more expensive in London
*Miscellaneous (stationary, linen and general goods and services) is 180.7% more expensive in London
*Personal (personal care products and services) is 145.2% more expensive in London
*Recreation & Culture is 4.8% more expensive in London
*Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels is 219.26% more expensive in London
*Transport (public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance) is 89.80% more expensive in London
Higher Purchasing Power
The lower cost of living in South African means that your salary goes much further in Johannesburg compared to London and most other places. Using the cost of living difference, hardship difference, and exchange rate, Xpatulator (www.xpatulator.com) calculates that if you earn R500 000 Rand in South Africa, you would need to earn £54 182 in London in order to have a similar standard of living, much more than the £33 333 the (£1=R15) exchange rate indicates. The good news is that if you move the other way (i.e. from London to Johannesburg) and you earn £60 000 currently, you would not have to find a job paying R900 000 the (£1=R15) that exchange rate indicates. Taking into account the vastly lower cost of living in Johannesburg, you would in fact only require a salary of R552 302 to have the same buying power as £60 000 in London.
In conclusion, yes 2008 will mostly be a tough year, given the short term difficulties, but the power problems and current high inflation are short term issues which will eventually be in the past.
The main reason so many people are negative is because bad news sells newspapers and attracts more listeners and viewers. Good news does not often make the front page!!
Thanks
Steven McManus
Website: http://www.xpatulator.com
E-Mail: Steven@Xpatulator.com
Blog: http://xpatulator.blogspot.com/
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Good Morning all – this article was not written by me, it was sent to me by a colleague who it had been sent to. That said, it carries my sentiments exactly. The first paragraph is by my colleague and from there the whole piece has been written by Steven McManus. All I can say to Steve is, thank you for this exceptionally well written piece. I agree with you and well done for writing it. It puts things squarely in perspective without any hype and drama.
Hi there
I don’t know about you, but I feel that South African journalism, and their overriding desire to sell their media, has a lot to answer for. Have you noticed how, over the years, media has become more sensationalist and dramatic, in an attempt to grab our attention and make us buy their news over their competitor’s? I have always felt that South Africa is an incredible land of opportunities. But to see and seize these opportunities, we all need to stop the griping, and actually start being thankful for how good we have it in South Africa. This article by Steven McManus really puts some perspective on things.
If you care about South Africa, please help spread the good news to counter the negativity by reading just how good things really are and sending this everyone you know…….
I believe that part of the reason we are going through mass negativity at present is because we are constantly bombarded with bad news. I believe that if we all keep reading, talking, thinking, and worrying about the bad stuff all the time, we will end up attracting it.
At the beginning of 2008, almost as soon as most South Africans returned to their everyday lives, having enjoyed a relaxing summer holiday, the perfect storm erupted. In quick succession there has been the unanimous unseating of the country’s President as leader of the ANC in December 2007, followed by a nationwide power crisis with regular “load shedding” which started in January 2008 and which we are told this will continue until after 2010. In addition South Africans are dealing with the perceived high level of crime (perception is reality), increasingly high levels of inflation (9.4% in February 2008), petrol at the highest levels ever and according to the popular media and dinner talk, more people than ever are considering immigrating to greener pastures.
After the last few months one may ask “Is there any good news about South Africa?” Yes!! After digging around on the internet, I have found plenty of good news about South Africa, which I would like to share with you to help put the constant bad news in perspective:
Cheap Petrol
Although the price of petrol in South Africa has increased dramatically it is still amongst the cheapest in the world. The highest price in South Africa is the Gauteng (inland) price for 95 octane unleaded petrol which as at 2 April 2008 is R8.91 per litre. In contrast according to a survey of 9 700 petrol stations in the UK by www.Petrolprices.com, for unleaded petrol, the minimum price in the UK is £1.03, the average price is £1.07 and the highest price £1.19 per litre. Using an exchange rate of £1=R15, this means that the average price per litre in the UK is over R16 per litre, nearly double South Africa’s price.
Cheap Housing
Housing in South Africa is still amongst the cheapest in the world. According to the April ABSA housing index the average price for middle segment housing (Residential houses nationwide between 80m2 and 400m2 ) is just R929 000. In contrast according to the BBC News Survey of UK house prices (which fell 3.6% in the last year) as at February 2008 the nationwide average is currently (Rand figures are conservatively calculated at £1=R15) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/uk_house_prices/html/houses.stm):
*Detached (A house not joined to any other) £342 800 (R5 142 000)
*Semi-Detached (A house which is joined to another house on one side) £200 037 (R3 000 555)
*Terraced (Streets of houses joined together in long rows) £176 732 (R2 650 980)
*Flat (A flat is part of a bigger building where all the flats share a front door) £200 967 (R3 014 505)
Lower Unemployment
According to Statistics South Africa the unemployment rate fell fractionally to 23% in September 2007—the lowest since records began in 2001. The government’s target is to cut the rate to 14% by 2014 (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/development/lfs-280308.htm)
Winning the War on Crime
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have conducted research on the victims of crime which shows the picture of South African crime as more typical of a developing country. These statistics show that South Africa has lower rates of violent crime than many African and South American countries. (http://www.unicri.it/wwd/analysis/icvs/pdf_files/No57/c04_57.PDF)
According to the South African Police Service Statistics, the incidence of most types of crime has reduced since 2001. Their latest report for the 6 month period April to September each year since 2001 (http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/crimestats/2007/april_sept2007/crime_report20062007.pdf) reveals the following rates of incidence per 100 000 of the population:
*The incidence of murder, although still unacceptably high is clearly decreasing 2001=22.7, 2002=22.9, 2003=21.0, 2004=19.7, 2005=19.6, 2006=20.0, 2007=18.7
*The incidence of rape, is also still unacceptably high but has clearly decreased in the past 2 years 2001=55.1, 2002=52.3, 2003=51.1, 2004=53.7, 2005=55.6, 2006=49.6, 2007=47.8
*The incidence of common assault has decreased dramatically in the past few years 2001=260.1, 2002=275.2, 2003=279.1, 2004=269.4, 2005=229.5, 2006=201.6, 2007=191.4
Stock Exchange Growth
*South Africa’s stock exchange (the JSE Limited), ranks 18th in the world in terms of total market capitalisation
*South Africa’s stock exchange ALSI (All Share Index) has risen from 7510.4 on 30 April 2003 to over 30 000 in April 2008, an increase of nearly 400% in 5 years (http://www.jse.co.za/)
Sporting Successes
*South Africa are the Rugby World Cup champions (http://www.rugbyworldcup.com)
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked rugby team according to the IRB as at 31 March 2008 (http://www.irb.com)
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked cricket team according to the ICC for One Day Internationals as at 22 March 2008 (http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/rankings/rankings.html)
*South Africa are hosts of 2010 world cup (http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html)
*South Africa has 2 golfers ranked in the top 10 in the world according to the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 13 - March 30th – 2008 (http://www.officialworldgolfranking.com/home/default.sps)
Competitive Nation
*South Africa ranked 44th out of 131 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2007/8 (http://www.gcr.weforum.org)
*South Africa has been ranked 28th among 108 countries measured for responsible competitiveness, according to the global think tank AccountAbility. (http://www.accountability21.net)
*South Africa ranks 52nd out of 157 countries in the world in terms of economic freedom, ahead of Italy (60th), Brazil (70th), the United Arab Emirates (74th), Greece (94th), India (104th) and China (119th), according to the Index of Economic Freedom 2007 (The 2008 Index of Economic Freedom covers 162 countries across 10 specific freedoms such as trade freedom, business freedom, investment freedom, and property rights http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index)
Rich in Resources
*South Africa is one of the world leaders in mining and minerals, with a significant share of the world’s reserves and production.
*South Africa has, according to the SA Department of Minerals and Energy, nearly 90% of the world’s platinum, 80% of the world’s manganese, 73% of the world’s chrome, 45% of the world’s vanadium and 41% of the world’s gold. (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/mining.htm)
*South Africa still has huge potential for the discovery of other world-class deposits in areas yet to be exhaustively explored.
Infrastructure Development
Since 1994, the South African government has channelled substantial resources into social programs and services, with varying degrees of success.
*Households with access to clean water: 85% in 2001, 80% in 1996
*Households using electricity for lighting: 69.7% in 2001, 57.6% in 1996
*Households in formal housing: 63.8% in 2001, 57.5% in 1996
*Households with chemical or flush toilets: 51.9% in 2001, 50.5% in 1996
*Pupil-teacher ratio: 38:1 in 2003, 43:1 in 1994
*People who have completed grade 12 schooling: 20.4% in 2001, 16.3% in 1996
*People with access to electricity: 70% in 2003, 32% in 1994
Lower Cost of Living
Despite recent inflation and price increases, South Africa still has one of the lowest cost of living levels in the world. According to the latest Xpatulator (http://www.xpatulator.com) cost of living survey of 228 global locations covering every country in the world, Johannesburg is the 71st, Pretoria is 58th, Cape Town is 51st, and Durban is the 36th cheapest place in the world to live. This means that 192 of the 228 global locations are more expensive places to live compared to Durban, while 157 locations are more expensive than Johannesburg. A detailed cost of living comparison of Johannesburg and London reveals that overall London is 74.5% more expensive than Johannesburg:
*Alcohol & Tobacco (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) is 56.7% more expensive in London
*Clothing (clothing and footwear products) is 85.3% more expensive in London
*Communication (fixed line, internet, and mobile) is 16.18% less expensive in London
*Education (school & tertiary) is 55.6% more expensive in London
*Furniture (furniture, household equipment and household appliances ) is 51.8% more expensive in London
*Groceries (food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material) is 46.7% more expensive in London
*Healthcare (general healthcare, medical and medical insurance) is 92.9% more expensive in London
*Household (housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes) is 104.3% more expensive in London
*Miscellaneous (stationary, linen and general goods and services) is 180.7% more expensive in London
*Personal (personal care products and services) is 145.2% more expensive in London
*Recreation & Culture is 4.8% more expensive in London
*Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels is 219.26% more expensive in London
*Transport (public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance) is 89.80% more expensive in London
Higher Purchasing Power
The lower cost of living in South African means that your salary goes much further in Johannesburg compared to London and most other places. Using the cost of living difference, hardship difference, and exchange rate, Xpatulator (www.xpatulator.com) calculates that if you earn R500 000 Rand in South Africa, you would need to earn £54 182 in London in order to have a similar standard of living, much more than the £33 333 the (£1=R15) exchange rate indicates. The good news is that if you move the other way (i.e. from London to Johannesburg) and you earn £60 000 currently, you would not have to find a job paying R900 000 the (£1=R15) that exchange rate indicates. Taking into account the vastly lower cost of living in Johannesburg, you would in fact only require a salary of R552 302 to have the same buying power as £60 000 in London.
In conclusion, yes 2008 will mostly be a tough year, given the short term difficulties, but the power problems and current high inflation are short term issues which will eventually be in the past.
The main reason so many people are negative is because bad news sells newspapers and attracts more listeners and viewers. Good news does not often make the front page!!
Thanks
Steven McManus
Website: http://www.xpatulator.com
E-Mail: Steven@Xpatulator.com
Blog: http://xpatulator.blogspot.com/
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, August 22, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 5
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So what exactly would be considered as “fair practice”?
Let’s examine this a bit more.
Firstly the employer must ensure that a proper investigation takes place in order to ensure that there are grounds for dismissal. Whether or not this is a formal enquiry at this point does not make any kind of difference as this is just the preliminary investigation.
Once it is ascertained that there are sufficient grounds, the employee must be notified in writing, that there are allegations and what these allegations are. Remember to use language that the employee will understand – so in essence – keep it as simple as possible.
The employee should then be allowed to respond and state their case or give circumstances etc around why they did whatever. They have to be given the opportunity to answer to the charges and/or allegations made and give an explanation. This is usually when the disciplinary hearing would take place.
The employee also needs to be given a reasonable amount of time in which to formulate a response to the allegation(s) and/or charge that has been levied against them.
The employee is also entitled to request and receive and assistance that they may require from a trade union representative and/or fellow employee and may even ask for assistance from the HR department if they are not sure of the process and/or how to proceed.
After the enquiry has been held, the employer must advise the employee of whatever the decision has been made. This advice and/or notification must be made in writing and a copy retained in the employees records.
Any disciplinary that is taken against trade union representatives or any employee that holds any kind of office bearing position or any official of a trade union, should not be taken without first notifying the trade union. The trade union should then be consulted before any action is taken against that particular staff member.
If the decision is taken to dismiss an employee, the employee has to be notified in writing that they are being dismissed and of course the reason for the dismissal. At this point the employee has to be reminded of their rights in terms of the appeal hearings and/or their right to refer the matter to a council with jurisdiction or even to the CCMA for mediation and/or to any other dispute resolution, in terms of the employers laid down and/or previously negotiated and accepted policies and procedures, or any other policies and procedures that have been established and agreed to by means of a collective agreement.
There are obviously exceptional circumstances where the employer cannot reasonably be expected to follow these guidelines and in these instances the employer would then document the reason why these guidelines could not be followed and copies of this documentation must then be retained and filed in the employee’s personnel file for future reference.
It is a legal requirement for employers to keep and maintain records for each employee. All transgressions, whether they resulted in a disciplinary hearing or not, should be recorded in the file, together with any hearings. Actions taken against the employee by the employer must also be recorded and maintained as well as the reason that these actions were taken.
Next week we will look at Dismissals and Industrial Action.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So what exactly would be considered as “fair practice”?
Let’s examine this a bit more.
Firstly the employer must ensure that a proper investigation takes place in order to ensure that there are grounds for dismissal. Whether or not this is a formal enquiry at this point does not make any kind of difference as this is just the preliminary investigation.
Once it is ascertained that there are sufficient grounds, the employee must be notified in writing, that there are allegations and what these allegations are. Remember to use language that the employee will understand – so in essence – keep it as simple as possible.
The employee should then be allowed to respond and state their case or give circumstances etc around why they did whatever. They have to be given the opportunity to answer to the charges and/or allegations made and give an explanation. This is usually when the disciplinary hearing would take place.
The employee also needs to be given a reasonable amount of time in which to formulate a response to the allegation(s) and/or charge that has been levied against them.
The employee is also entitled to request and receive and assistance that they may require from a trade union representative and/or fellow employee and may even ask for assistance from the HR department if they are not sure of the process and/or how to proceed.
After the enquiry has been held, the employer must advise the employee of whatever the decision has been made. This advice and/or notification must be made in writing and a copy retained in the employees records.
Any disciplinary that is taken against trade union representatives or any employee that holds any kind of office bearing position or any official of a trade union, should not be taken without first notifying the trade union. The trade union should then be consulted before any action is taken against that particular staff member.
If the decision is taken to dismiss an employee, the employee has to be notified in writing that they are being dismissed and of course the reason for the dismissal. At this point the employee has to be reminded of their rights in terms of the appeal hearings and/or their right to refer the matter to a council with jurisdiction or even to the CCMA for mediation and/or to any other dispute resolution, in terms of the employers laid down and/or previously negotiated and accepted policies and procedures, or any other policies and procedures that have been established and agreed to by means of a collective agreement.
There are obviously exceptional circumstances where the employer cannot reasonably be expected to follow these guidelines and in these instances the employer would then document the reason why these guidelines could not be followed and copies of this documentation must then be retained and filed in the employee’s personnel file for future reference.
It is a legal requirement for employers to keep and maintain records for each employee. All transgressions, whether they resulted in a disciplinary hearing or not, should be recorded in the file, together with any hearings. Actions taken against the employee by the employer must also be recorded and maintained as well as the reason that these actions were taken.
Next week we will look at Dismissals and Industrial Action.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 75
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 75
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Write notes and reminders on the business cards, which will over time jog your memory.”
Well I don’t know about you, but I am really bad with names and faces. I have been like that all of my life – ironically though I can remember what the US$ rate was in 1977 (it was 1.12 with the Rand being the stronger), but when it comes to names and faces – well they just escape me. I no longer apologise, it is not meant disrespectfully – some times things just are what they are.
So as you can imagine, I really have to work hard at trying to remember who is who, when I meet a whole bunch of people at a networking event! As soon as is practical, I make notes on the actual card as to what they do and what I want to talk to them about when I meet them, I also make a note of which event I met them at so that when I phone and remind them who I am I can use the name of the event as clarification. Often I can hear on the phone, that they can not quite place me and then when I mention the name of the event, they suddenly remember – it works all the time.
When I load the contacts onto my database, I make notes again of where I met the individual and what it is that they do (often the card does not give any kind of indication of what it is that the person does, especially if they are consultants), so that when I meet with them I have a broad kind of understand about what it is that they do.
Keep your notes up to date and keep your data base up to date too, for the best results and to reap the highest value from it.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 75
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Write notes and reminders on the business cards, which will over time jog your memory.”
Well I don’t know about you, but I am really bad with names and faces. I have been like that all of my life – ironically though I can remember what the US$ rate was in 1977 (it was 1.12 with the Rand being the stronger), but when it comes to names and faces – well they just escape me. I no longer apologise, it is not meant disrespectfully – some times things just are what they are.
So as you can imagine, I really have to work hard at trying to remember who is who, when I meet a whole bunch of people at a networking event! As soon as is practical, I make notes on the actual card as to what they do and what I want to talk to them about when I meet them, I also make a note of which event I met them at so that when I phone and remind them who I am I can use the name of the event as clarification. Often I can hear on the phone, that they can not quite place me and then when I mention the name of the event, they suddenly remember – it works all the time.
When I load the contacts onto my database, I make notes again of where I met the individual and what it is that they do (often the card does not give any kind of indication of what it is that the person does, especially if they are consultants), so that when I meet with them I have a broad kind of understand about what it is that they do.
Keep your notes up to date and keep your data base up to date too, for the best results and to reap the highest value from it.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
MOTIVATION - THE PEOPLE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW
MOTIVATION – THE PEOPLE YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “your life can be changed in a matter of seconds by people you don’t even know”
For me, I don’t think it even matters as to whether or not you are actually even open to the possibility of that moment or even open to the change that that moment might bring.
These are the moments, or what, Oprah Winfrey calls “Ah Ha!” moments, that usually come completely out of the blue or when you least expect them and yet quite possibly they are the moments that can and probably will change the direction of your life or be the defining moment when you change intrinsically as a person.
That’s not to say that you will only experience one of these moments in the course of your life time. I certainly haven’t! But then of course why would you limit yourself to only of these deliciously appetizing, soul defining moments? You don’t have to you know.
That said, like your first kiss or your first love – your first ‘Ah-Ha’ moment is one that you are unlikely to ever forget. I certainly couldn’t.
My defining moment came in November 1999, when I sat in front of a complete stranger by the name of Vanessa Paige and she was reading my Tarot cards.
Now I can see all of you smiling and nodding your head in unison – a Tarot card reading!
Well let me tell you, this was not a Tarot card reading that you have done by the Gypsies who live in caravans or the fortune tellers that you engage with at the fun fair. This was a reading like I have never encountered in my life! And this was the reading that changed the course of my life and who I am as a person.
You see Vanessa told me that I was a worthwhile person. That I had the right to make my own decisions and my own choices. That it was my life and that I had the right and the power to live it. She told me that I had “given away my power” to bosses that used and abused it, to friends who did not appreciate me and to family, who took as much as they could and then discarded me.
Vanessa made me understand that I could take my power back, I could be somebody, a worthwhile somebody, who could make a valuable contribution to this world. All I had to do was to believe in myself and start to love – me.
And you know what else? Vanessa told me that she believed in me!
This was the first time that anyone had ever said anything like this to me and the effect was quite profound.
It has been a slow and sometimes painful journey, but it has also brought me much happiness and fulfillment.
I now own my own business. I make a difference in the lives of others. I write for magazines and newspapers. I have been interviewed and appeared on TV. I have been the guest speaker at huge functions – but most of all, most powerful of all – I am the master of my own destiny.
And all it took was one brief moment in time, with someone I did not know!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “your life can be changed in a matter of seconds by people you don’t even know”
For me, I don’t think it even matters as to whether or not you are actually even open to the possibility of that moment or even open to the change that that moment might bring.
These are the moments, or what, Oprah Winfrey calls “Ah Ha!” moments, that usually come completely out of the blue or when you least expect them and yet quite possibly they are the moments that can and probably will change the direction of your life or be the defining moment when you change intrinsically as a person.
That’s not to say that you will only experience one of these moments in the course of your life time. I certainly haven’t! But then of course why would you limit yourself to only of these deliciously appetizing, soul defining moments? You don’t have to you know.
That said, like your first kiss or your first love – your first ‘Ah-Ha’ moment is one that you are unlikely to ever forget. I certainly couldn’t.
My defining moment came in November 1999, when I sat in front of a complete stranger by the name of Vanessa Paige and she was reading my Tarot cards.
Now I can see all of you smiling and nodding your head in unison – a Tarot card reading!
Well let me tell you, this was not a Tarot card reading that you have done by the Gypsies who live in caravans or the fortune tellers that you engage with at the fun fair. This was a reading like I have never encountered in my life! And this was the reading that changed the course of my life and who I am as a person.
You see Vanessa told me that I was a worthwhile person. That I had the right to make my own decisions and my own choices. That it was my life and that I had the right and the power to live it. She told me that I had “given away my power” to bosses that used and abused it, to friends who did not appreciate me and to family, who took as much as they could and then discarded me.
Vanessa made me understand that I could take my power back, I could be somebody, a worthwhile somebody, who could make a valuable contribution to this world. All I had to do was to believe in myself and start to love – me.
And you know what else? Vanessa told me that she believed in me!
This was the first time that anyone had ever said anything like this to me and the effect was quite profound.
It has been a slow and sometimes painful journey, but it has also brought me much happiness and fulfillment.
I now own my own business. I make a difference in the lives of others. I write for magazines and newspapers. I have been interviewed and appeared on TV. I have been the guest speaker at huge functions – but most of all, most powerful of all – I am the master of my own destiny.
And all it took was one brief moment in time, with someone I did not know!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 4
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So here we have George, who has now attended his disciplinary hearing for a) stealing stock and b) hitting Simon. Now what?
Well, generally speaking it would not be the right thing to do, to dismiss an employee for a first offence. Obviously there are always exceptions, depending on the severity of the offence!
Some of the examples of serious misconduct are, but not limited to, and it should be noted that each case has to be judged on it’s merits;
· gross dishonesty
· willful damage to the property of the employer
· willful endangering of the safety of others
· physical assault on the employer
· physical assault on a fellow employee
· physical assault on a client and/or customer
· gross insubordination.
If the case does not meet the requirements of section 188, which states
(1) A dismissal that is not automatically unfair, is unfair if the
employer fails to prove-
(a) that the reason for dismissal is a fair reason-
(i) related to the employee's conduct or capacity; or
(ii) based on the employer's operational requirements; and
(b) that the dismissal was effected in accordance with a fair
procedure.
(2) Any person considering whether or not the reason for dismissal is a
fair reason or whether or not the dismissal was effected in accordance
with a fair procedure must take into account any relevant code of good
practice issued in terms of this Act.51
then the dismissal will not be fair.
When the chairperson was deliberating on whether or not to impose the penalty of dismissal on George, not only should he take into consideration the gravity of the misconduct but he also has to take into account other factors such as, but not limited to:
· length of service
· previous disciplinary record
· personal circumstances
· the nature of the job
· the circumstances of the infringement itself.
The chairperson also has to take into account what the penalty was for any previous case, in which the circumstances were the same. You see all employees have to be treated in the same manner – so if there was a previous case such as this, the penalty has to be the same as this.
Next week we will have a look at what a “Fair Procedure” would be.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So here we have George, who has now attended his disciplinary hearing for a) stealing stock and b) hitting Simon. Now what?
Well, generally speaking it would not be the right thing to do, to dismiss an employee for a first offence. Obviously there are always exceptions, depending on the severity of the offence!
Some of the examples of serious misconduct are, but not limited to, and it should be noted that each case has to be judged on it’s merits;
· gross dishonesty
· willful damage to the property of the employer
· willful endangering of the safety of others
· physical assault on the employer
· physical assault on a fellow employee
· physical assault on a client and/or customer
· gross insubordination.
If the case does not meet the requirements of section 188, which states
(1) A dismissal that is not automatically unfair, is unfair if the
employer fails to prove-
(a) that the reason for dismissal is a fair reason-
(i) related to the employee's conduct or capacity; or
(ii) based on the employer's operational requirements; and
(b) that the dismissal was effected in accordance with a fair
procedure.
(2) Any person considering whether or not the reason for dismissal is a
fair reason or whether or not the dismissal was effected in accordance
with a fair procedure must take into account any relevant code of good
practice issued in terms of this Act.51
then the dismissal will not be fair.
When the chairperson was deliberating on whether or not to impose the penalty of dismissal on George, not only should he take into consideration the gravity of the misconduct but he also has to take into account other factors such as, but not limited to:
· length of service
· previous disciplinary record
· personal circumstances
· the nature of the job
· the circumstances of the infringement itself.
The chairperson also has to take into account what the penalty was for any previous case, in which the circumstances were the same. You see all employees have to be treated in the same manner – so if there was a previous case such as this, the penalty has to be the same as this.
Next week we will have a look at what a “Fair Procedure” would be.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, August 14, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 74
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 74
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Your business card should be professional, innovative and easy to read.”
Boy oh boy, I really wish more people would take note of this. I don’t know whether it is because of the onset of middle (ok older than middle) age and my eyesight is deteriorating or if it is just that people are not concerned about the writing on the business cards, but I am seriously battling to read both telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses and on occasion, even names.
I have gotten to the stage where I am beginning to seriously think about tossing out the cards where I cannot read the numbers and letters. It’s got something to do with, not only the size of the numbers and letters, but the font and the colour to. It’s either that or I will have to invest in a magnifying glass!
The irony of all of this, is that the actual card is that it is usually beautiful to behold with bold, clear logo’s. The name of the Company and what have you is also clear and concise, but when it comes to any of the details, often even the name of the person, the lettering is so small that it is almost impossible to read.
I’m pretty sure that if people only knew and/or understood how frustrating it is for people like me to try and read these cards, they would ensure that the writing and the numbers are clearer. I know that every time I battle with a card, I take out one of mine – just to make sure that I can read the information on my own card without trying to grow an extension to my arm or alternatively trying to grow squint as I bring it as close to my eyes as is humanly possible.
Your business card tells me, not only what the name of the company is, but also who you are and it allows me to contact you – if I cannot read the card, then I cannot contact you and if I cannot contact you, then I cannot refer you!
So take a moment now if you will, take out your card, have a look at it – is the lettering bold and easy to read, if you are not sure – take it to someone who perhaps already wears glasses or is hitting the mid 50’s ( sorry guys and gals it had to be said one way or another) and see if they can read it easily. If they can’t chances are – neither can I, or anyone else for that matter.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 74
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Your business card should be professional, innovative and easy to read.”
Boy oh boy, I really wish more people would take note of this. I don’t know whether it is because of the onset of middle (ok older than middle) age and my eyesight is deteriorating or if it is just that people are not concerned about the writing on the business cards, but I am seriously battling to read both telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses and on occasion, even names.
I have gotten to the stage where I am beginning to seriously think about tossing out the cards where I cannot read the numbers and letters. It’s got something to do with, not only the size of the numbers and letters, but the font and the colour to. It’s either that or I will have to invest in a magnifying glass!
The irony of all of this, is that the actual card is that it is usually beautiful to behold with bold, clear logo’s. The name of the Company and what have you is also clear and concise, but when it comes to any of the details, often even the name of the person, the lettering is so small that it is almost impossible to read.
I’m pretty sure that if people only knew and/or understood how frustrating it is for people like me to try and read these cards, they would ensure that the writing and the numbers are clearer. I know that every time I battle with a card, I take out one of mine – just to make sure that I can read the information on my own card without trying to grow an extension to my arm or alternatively trying to grow squint as I bring it as close to my eyes as is humanly possible.
Your business card tells me, not only what the name of the company is, but also who you are and it allows me to contact you – if I cannot read the card, then I cannot contact you and if I cannot contact you, then I cannot refer you!
So take a moment now if you will, take out your card, have a look at it – is the lettering bold and easy to read, if you are not sure – take it to someone who perhaps already wears glasses or is hitting the mid 50’s ( sorry guys and gals it had to be said one way or another) and see if they can read it easily. If they can’t chances are – neither can I, or anyone else for that matter.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 74
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 74
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Your business card should be professional, innovative and easy to read.”
Boy oh boy, I really wish more people would take note of this. I don’t know whether it is because of the onset of middle (ok older than middle) age and my eyesight is deteriorating or if it is just that people are not concerned about the writing on the business cards, but I am seriously battling to read both telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses and on occasion, even names.
I have gotten to the stage where I am beginning to seriously think about tossing out the cards where I cannot read the numbers and letters. It’s got something to do with, not only the size of the numbers and letters, but the font and the colour to. It’s either that or I will have to invest in a magnifying glass!
The irony of all of this, is that the actual card is that it is usually beautiful to behold with bold, clear logo’s. The name of the Company and what have you is also clear and concise, but when it comes to any of the details, often even the name of the person, the lettering is so small that it is almost impossible to read.
I’m pretty sure that if people only knew and/or understood how frustrating it is for people like me to try and read these cards, they would ensure that the writing and the numbers are clearer. I know that every time I battle with a card, I take out one of mine – just to make sure that I can read the information on my own card without trying to grow an extension to my arm or alternatively trying to grow squint as I bring it as close to my eyes as is humanly possible.
Your business card tells me, not only what the name of the company is, but also who you are and it allows me to contact you – if I cannot read the card, then I cannot contact you and if I cannot contact you, then I cannot refer you!
So take a moment now if you will, take out your card, have a look at it – is the lettering bold and easy to read, if you are not sure – take it to someone who perhaps already wears glasses or is hitting the mid 50’s ( sorry guys and gals it had to be said one way or another) and see if they can read it easily. If they can’t chances are – neither can I, or anyone else for that matter.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 74
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Your business card should be professional, innovative and easy to read.”
Boy oh boy, I really wish more people would take note of this. I don’t know whether it is because of the onset of middle (ok older than middle) age and my eyesight is deteriorating or if it is just that people are not concerned about the writing on the business cards, but I am seriously battling to read both telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses and on occasion, even names.
I have gotten to the stage where I am beginning to seriously think about tossing out the cards where I cannot read the numbers and letters. It’s got something to do with, not only the size of the numbers and letters, but the font and the colour to. It’s either that or I will have to invest in a magnifying glass!
The irony of all of this, is that the actual card is that it is usually beautiful to behold with bold, clear logo’s. The name of the Company and what have you is also clear and concise, but when it comes to any of the details, often even the name of the person, the lettering is so small that it is almost impossible to read.
I’m pretty sure that if people only knew and/or understood how frustrating it is for people like me to try and read these cards, they would ensure that the writing and the numbers are clearer. I know that every time I battle with a card, I take out one of mine – just to make sure that I can read the information on my own card without trying to grow an extension to my arm or alternatively trying to grow squint as I bring it as close to my eyes as is humanly possible.
Your business card tells me, not only what the name of the company is, but also who you are and it allows me to contact you – if I cannot read the card, then I cannot contact you and if I cannot contact you, then I cannot refer you!
So take a moment now if you will, take out your card, have a look at it – is the lettering bold and easy to read, if you are not sure – take it to someone who perhaps already wears glasses or is hitting the mid 50’s ( sorry guys and gals it had to be said one way or another) and see if they can read it easily. If they can’t chances are – neither can I, or anyone else for that matter.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
MORE ON PHISHING
Good morning bloggers
A while ago I did an article on Phishing and the consequences thereof, both in the business sense and also in the personal sense!
Most of the banks have a whole spiel on the dangers of phishing, on their front page, as you go into the internet banking section, yet we are still unendated with messages from banks telling us to update our data online! Whatever you do -DON'T!
As a direct result of that post, I received a mail from Tonya Shtarkman, who is a student, but who also works for an American Company who is offering us all, free of charge, a solution to this problem (and ultimately a consequence for the people who send this rubbish out). I chatted to her boss Dave, via SKYPE (don't you just love technology) and here is an article, penned by Tonya, on exacty what to do when you get these messages.
I'm off to trawl my deleted box to find all the ones I have stored there so that I can put them on the site.
Have a great day.
Have you ever received a suspicious e-mail from a bank demanding that you confirm your personal information or risk having your account suspended? You were seconds from clicking on the provided link and then you realize: “Wait, I don’t bank with Wells Fargo Bank”. At that point, you detect that this is not a legitimate e-mail, throw it into your trash folder, and forget the whole thing happened. But what if you did bank with Wells Fargo? Would you hand over the goods?
These types of e-mails are not only fishy; they are actually called “phishes” and can seriously hurt you and your business if you fall victim to one. Bad guys create these phishing scams to gain access to your account, take your personal information, and even steal your funds.
So what happens when you simply throw that e-mail away? Your coworker, friend and neighbor all fall for the very same scam. This is why OpenDNS created PhishTank.com, a site that gives you the opportunity to submit phishes and block them for others.
PhishTank.com is a community-operated Web site powered by OpenDNS, the award-winning DNS service that makes the Internet safer, faster, smarter and more reliable. PhishTank gives Internet users like you the power to submit suspected phishes, which are then inspected and voted on by other Internet users. Unlike other services that have only a handful of people reviewing suspected phishing sites, OpenDNS’s PhishTank has tens of thousands of Internet users voting on them 24/7. This way, phishes are submitted, verified, and blocked within less than a day of their creation!
PhishTank also has by far the most accurate phishing data on the Internet. This is because of its sophisticated voting system: the more a user votes and the more accurate their votes are, the more weight their votes carry. This process also helps phishes get identified and blocked faster.
PhishTank’s continually-growing list of phishes is used by OpenDNS to protect its users from harmful phishing scams. OpenDNS also offers other useful tools such as Web-content filtering, shortcuts, typo correction, and network statistics. The service even makes you Internet faster and more reliable, operating at 100 percent up-time. Oh, and did I mention that it’s free?
Setting up OpenDNS is one of the best things you can do to keep your business running smoothly. So, why aren’t you using it yet? Visit OpenDNS.com and set it up today.
A while ago I did an article on Phishing and the consequences thereof, both in the business sense and also in the personal sense!
Most of the banks have a whole spiel on the dangers of phishing, on their front page, as you go into the internet banking section, yet we are still unendated with messages from banks telling us to update our data online! Whatever you do -DON'T!
As a direct result of that post, I received a mail from Tonya Shtarkman, who is a student, but who also works for an American Company who is offering us all, free of charge, a solution to this problem (and ultimately a consequence for the people who send this rubbish out). I chatted to her boss Dave, via SKYPE (don't you just love technology) and here is an article, penned by Tonya, on exacty what to do when you get these messages.
I'm off to trawl my deleted box to find all the ones I have stored there so that I can put them on the site.
Have a great day.
Have you ever received a suspicious e-mail from a bank demanding that you confirm your personal information or risk having your account suspended? You were seconds from clicking on the provided link and then you realize: “Wait, I don’t bank with Wells Fargo Bank”. At that point, you detect that this is not a legitimate e-mail, throw it into your trash folder, and forget the whole thing happened. But what if you did bank with Wells Fargo? Would you hand over the goods?
These types of e-mails are not only fishy; they are actually called “phishes” and can seriously hurt you and your business if you fall victim to one. Bad guys create these phishing scams to gain access to your account, take your personal information, and even steal your funds.
So what happens when you simply throw that e-mail away? Your coworker, friend and neighbor all fall for the very same scam. This is why OpenDNS created PhishTank.com, a site that gives you the opportunity to submit phishes and block them for others.
PhishTank.com is a community-operated Web site powered by OpenDNS, the award-winning DNS service that makes the Internet safer, faster, smarter and more reliable. PhishTank gives Internet users like you the power to submit suspected phishes, which are then inspected and voted on by other Internet users. Unlike other services that have only a handful of people reviewing suspected phishing sites, OpenDNS’s PhishTank has tens of thousands of Internet users voting on them 24/7. This way, phishes are submitted, verified, and blocked within less than a day of their creation!
PhishTank also has by far the most accurate phishing data on the Internet. This is because of its sophisticated voting system: the more a user votes and the more accurate their votes are, the more weight their votes carry. This process also helps phishes get identified and blocked faster.
PhishTank’s continually-growing list of phishes is used by OpenDNS to protect its users from harmful phishing scams. OpenDNS also offers other useful tools such as Web-content filtering, shortcuts, typo correction, and network statistics. The service even makes you Internet faster and more reliable, operating at 100 percent up-time. Oh, and did I mention that it’s free?
Setting up OpenDNS is one of the best things you can do to keep your business running smoothly. So, why aren’t you using it yet? Visit OpenDNS.com and set it up today.
Tonya Shtarkman
PR Intern
OpenDNS.com
Monday, August 11, 2008
MOTIVATION - UNLEASHED IMAGINATION
MOTIVATION – UNLEASHED IMAGINATION
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from William Arthur Ward who says “Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.”
How’s that for a mouthful of absolute truth! We have an ad-campaign running here at the moment (although I forget what the product is) that has a young child saying something along the lines of “they say we should think of out the box! I say throw the box away!” The first time I heard it, I was astounded – not only by the words, but by my reaction to them! You see as an Internal Auditor, many people out there think that I should dress a certain way and behave a certain way, much like a character in some soap opera. It is their perception of how an ‘auditor’ should be. I have never fitted into that particular box and I have no intention ever, of fitting into any kind of box, for that matter.
I have always stated that I ‘think outside the box’ and yet here was a totally new concept! Throw the box away! How cool is that? Not having a box to be inside or outside of meant, for me, that much more opportunity. The mind boggled – well mine did anyway.
I guess that when most people say that you need to ‘focus’ on the business, they mean always keep your mind on your business. But what if . . . . what if, we didn’t so much focus on the business, but rather take the focus off the business and we just allowed ourselves to see and I mean actually see what opportunities there are out there? Remove the box from our vision, take the blinkers off or however you want to say it – but really look at the different ways that we could collaborate or form joint ventures or work opportunities!
For me it opens up a whole different view – this last week has seen me collaborating with Personal and Business Coaches, and mentors as well as graphic designers and power point facilitators. I am doing trade exchanges with web designers and IT guru’s and Media people.
Now suddenly the more I look around me, the more opportunities I see. The more opportunities I see the more my imagination finds ways for me to become involved, the more I become involved the more I am inspired.
So fire up your imagination, lose your blinkers and kick the box out of the way – there is more than enough to go around and there is no reason at all, for you not to have a share.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from William Arthur Ward who says “Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.”
How’s that for a mouthful of absolute truth! We have an ad-campaign running here at the moment (although I forget what the product is) that has a young child saying something along the lines of “they say we should think of out the box! I say throw the box away!” The first time I heard it, I was astounded – not only by the words, but by my reaction to them! You see as an Internal Auditor, many people out there think that I should dress a certain way and behave a certain way, much like a character in some soap opera. It is their perception of how an ‘auditor’ should be. I have never fitted into that particular box and I have no intention ever, of fitting into any kind of box, for that matter.
I have always stated that I ‘think outside the box’ and yet here was a totally new concept! Throw the box away! How cool is that? Not having a box to be inside or outside of meant, for me, that much more opportunity. The mind boggled – well mine did anyway.
I guess that when most people say that you need to ‘focus’ on the business, they mean always keep your mind on your business. But what if . . . . what if, we didn’t so much focus on the business, but rather take the focus off the business and we just allowed ourselves to see and I mean actually see what opportunities there are out there? Remove the box from our vision, take the blinkers off or however you want to say it – but really look at the different ways that we could collaborate or form joint ventures or work opportunities!
For me it opens up a whole different view – this last week has seen me collaborating with Personal and Business Coaches, and mentors as well as graphic designers and power point facilitators. I am doing trade exchanges with web designers and IT guru’s and Media people.
Now suddenly the more I look around me, the more opportunities I see. The more opportunities I see the more my imagination finds ways for me to become involved, the more I become involved the more I am inspired.
So fire up your imagination, lose your blinkers and kick the box out of the way – there is more than enough to go around and there is no reason at all, for you not to have a share.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
SUNDAY FUNNIES
Have a great Sunday and don't forget to smile!
The following questions and answers were collated from last year's British GCSE exams._
*_Geography_*
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: What is a planet?
A: A body of earth surrounded by sky.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends toflow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
*_Sociology_*
Q: What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A: If you are buying a house, they will insist you are well endowed.
Q: In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A: Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
*_Biology_*
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes?
A: Premature death.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow. [He got an A!]
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g.abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains theheart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A,E,I,Oand U.
Q: What is the Fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does "varicose" mean?
A: Nearby.
Q: What is the most common form of birth control?
A: Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium.
Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section."
A: The caesarean section is a district in Rome.
Q: What is a seizure?
A: A Roman emperor.
Q: What is a terminal illness?
A: When you are sick at the airport.
Q: Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A: Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and so they look like >umbrellas.
*_English_*
Q: Use the word "judicious" in a sentence to show you understand itsmeaning.
A: Hands that judicious can be soft as your face.
Q: What does the word "benign" mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
Technology
Q: What is a turbine?
A: Something an Arab wears on his head.
The following questions and answers were collated from last year's British GCSE exams._
*_Geography_*
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: What is a planet?
A: A body of earth surrounded by sky.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends toflow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
*_Sociology_*
Q: What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A: If you are buying a house, they will insist you are well endowed.
Q: In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A: Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
*_Biology_*
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes?
A: Premature death.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow. [He got an A!]
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g.abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains theheart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A,E,I,Oand U.
Q: What is the Fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does "varicose" mean?
A: Nearby.
Q: What is the most common form of birth control?
A: Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium.
Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section."
A: The caesarean section is a district in Rome.
Q: What is a seizure?
A: A Roman emperor.
Q: What is a terminal illness?
A: When you are sick at the airport.
Q: Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A: Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and so they look like >umbrellas.
*_English_*
Q: Use the word "judicious" in a sentence to show you understand itsmeaning.
A: Hands that judicious can be soft as your face.
Q: What does the word "benign" mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
Technology
Q: What is a turbine?
A: Something an Arab wears on his head.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 3
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
As usual, our protagonists are standing by to make this journey just that little bit more understandable. We have Mike the Business Owner and George the worker.
Let’s give ourselves a little bit of a story, so that we can understand the finer details.
This particular incident is going to be one of Misconduct.
Mike owns a string of retail stores, with most of them being in the bigger malls. George is one of the workers in the warehouse. George has been with the company for 5 years. Mike has a warehouse in Johannesburg and the stock that is required by the stores is disbursed from the main warehouse in Johannesburg.
Mike has a reward program in place, whereby staff do not get bonuses as a 13th cheque, but rather a profit share as a percentage, based, not on turnover, but on net profit. In this way the expenses and shrinkage are kept to a bare minimum, by the staff themselves, as they obviously want to share in the highest obtainable profits.
George was caught stealing by another warehouse worker, let’s call him Simon. Simon, justifiably angry (remember George’s stealing has a direct negative effect on Simon’s bonus), states that he is going to report the incident to the Warehouse Manager, let’s call him Andrew. George also gets angry and punches Simon in the face, breaking his nose and his jaw.
Mike has a proper set of procedures in place including a ‘Code of Conduct’ and since he has been in business many precedents have been set. The Procedure Manual is readily and easily available to all staff members and in fact as and when procedures are updated and/or new ones introduced – the procedures are circulated to all the staff members who sign, evidencing that they have not only read but also understand the procedures.
Most of the staff, certainly those that have been employed over a long period of time know and understand that that ‘theft’ is a dismissible offence as is ‘striking’ another employee. The staff understands the limits and those same limits are documented in the ‘Code of Conduct’.
George is advised, in writing, that he is to make himself available for a disciplinary hearing and that the charges are ‘Gross Misconduct, in that he removed Company Property from the premises with out the required approvals and/or documentation and that he struck a fellow worker, breaking both his nose and his jawbone.”
This is not the first time that George has been in trouble at work and Andrew has had to both counsel and discipline George for several smaller infractions. A full documented record is available in George’s Personnel File and it is clear that Andrew has tried, on countless occasions to get George to change both his attitude and his self destructive behavior.
You see George has a really aggressive nature and a terrible temper and there have been occasions where George has sworn as fellow workers and other incidents where George has either pushed or shoved other workers.
George has quite a history!
In view of the fact that most of the other incidents were of a minor nature, George was counseled regarding his behaviour and he has fully understood that his attitude needed to change in order for his behaviour to change, but George has not heeded any of the advice and despite being on a Final Written Warning, he has now committed a really serious offence that carries a ‘dismissal’ action.
George still has to be taken through the whole disciplinary procedure though, he cannot just be dismissed out of hand. The disciplinary procedure itself must still be ‘fair’ and should be chaired by an ‘impartial’ person and evidence needs to be presented and the testimony of witnesses from both sides still needs to be heard, collaborated upon and carefully weighed before any kind of judgment is made. In this case however, in all probability George may also face criminal charges of ‘aggravated assault”, as well.
George’s situation, at best is precarious.
Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures relating to dismissal for misconduct.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
As usual, our protagonists are standing by to make this journey just that little bit more understandable. We have Mike the Business Owner and George the worker.
Let’s give ourselves a little bit of a story, so that we can understand the finer details.
This particular incident is going to be one of Misconduct.
Mike owns a string of retail stores, with most of them being in the bigger malls. George is one of the workers in the warehouse. George has been with the company for 5 years. Mike has a warehouse in Johannesburg and the stock that is required by the stores is disbursed from the main warehouse in Johannesburg.
Mike has a reward program in place, whereby staff do not get bonuses as a 13th cheque, but rather a profit share as a percentage, based, not on turnover, but on net profit. In this way the expenses and shrinkage are kept to a bare minimum, by the staff themselves, as they obviously want to share in the highest obtainable profits.
George was caught stealing by another warehouse worker, let’s call him Simon. Simon, justifiably angry (remember George’s stealing has a direct negative effect on Simon’s bonus), states that he is going to report the incident to the Warehouse Manager, let’s call him Andrew. George also gets angry and punches Simon in the face, breaking his nose and his jaw.
Mike has a proper set of procedures in place including a ‘Code of Conduct’ and since he has been in business many precedents have been set. The Procedure Manual is readily and easily available to all staff members and in fact as and when procedures are updated and/or new ones introduced – the procedures are circulated to all the staff members who sign, evidencing that they have not only read but also understand the procedures.
Most of the staff, certainly those that have been employed over a long period of time know and understand that that ‘theft’ is a dismissible offence as is ‘striking’ another employee. The staff understands the limits and those same limits are documented in the ‘Code of Conduct’.
George is advised, in writing, that he is to make himself available for a disciplinary hearing and that the charges are ‘Gross Misconduct, in that he removed Company Property from the premises with out the required approvals and/or documentation and that he struck a fellow worker, breaking both his nose and his jawbone.”
This is not the first time that George has been in trouble at work and Andrew has had to both counsel and discipline George for several smaller infractions. A full documented record is available in George’s Personnel File and it is clear that Andrew has tried, on countless occasions to get George to change both his attitude and his self destructive behavior.
You see George has a really aggressive nature and a terrible temper and there have been occasions where George has sworn as fellow workers and other incidents where George has either pushed or shoved other workers.
George has quite a history!
In view of the fact that most of the other incidents were of a minor nature, George was counseled regarding his behaviour and he has fully understood that his attitude needed to change in order for his behaviour to change, but George has not heeded any of the advice and despite being on a Final Written Warning, he has now committed a really serious offence that carries a ‘dismissal’ action.
George still has to be taken through the whole disciplinary procedure though, he cannot just be dismissed out of hand. The disciplinary procedure itself must still be ‘fair’ and should be chaired by an ‘impartial’ person and evidence needs to be presented and the testimony of witnesses from both sides still needs to be heard, collaborated upon and carefully weighed before any kind of judgment is made. In this case however, in all probability George may also face criminal charges of ‘aggravated assault”, as well.
George’s situation, at best is precarious.
Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures relating to dismissal for misconduct.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, August 08, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 73
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 73
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Reciprocity is vital in successful networking.”
Right on the money again Renate.
I am still, after all this time, amazed at some people. As those that know me be now know, when I get a business card, it is an opportunity. I send off a mail to the person who gave me the card, telling them a little bit more about me and then I follow that up with a call to set up an appointment.
The whole idea of the meeting is for BOTH of us to share a little bit more about who we are and what it is that we do. It’s to explore synergies and see how we may be of assistance to one another and it is also an opportunity for BOTH of us to give each other referrals.
You would probably not believe me if I told you the number of people who are only interested in telling me what it is that they do and who they need to be put in touch with. I sit there is wide eyed amazement!
I mean come on people, I know that it is better to give than to receive, but I also need to put food on the table! I mean do they really think that I give up an hour of my time to listen to what they need and how I should connect them to all and sundry in my database, and they don’t even think about perhaps connecting me to someone in their data base?
Ok don’t get me wrong, I do try and assist where I can, but as they continue to contact me to get referrals from me, and never give me a referral – well at some point the pages of my database are going to close and when that happens, no amount of prying will get them open again.
As must as I need to give in order to receive, so to do you need to give in order to receive. It’s common courtesy and good manners. It’s also sound business sense.
So go on, give as much as you get – all that will happen is that you will get even more!
There is plenty, actually an abundance, to go around.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 73
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Reciprocity is vital in successful networking.”
Right on the money again Renate.
I am still, after all this time, amazed at some people. As those that know me be now know, when I get a business card, it is an opportunity. I send off a mail to the person who gave me the card, telling them a little bit more about me and then I follow that up with a call to set up an appointment.
The whole idea of the meeting is for BOTH of us to share a little bit more about who we are and what it is that we do. It’s to explore synergies and see how we may be of assistance to one another and it is also an opportunity for BOTH of us to give each other referrals.
You would probably not believe me if I told you the number of people who are only interested in telling me what it is that they do and who they need to be put in touch with. I sit there is wide eyed amazement!
I mean come on people, I know that it is better to give than to receive, but I also need to put food on the table! I mean do they really think that I give up an hour of my time to listen to what they need and how I should connect them to all and sundry in my database, and they don’t even think about perhaps connecting me to someone in their data base?
Ok don’t get me wrong, I do try and assist where I can, but as they continue to contact me to get referrals from me, and never give me a referral – well at some point the pages of my database are going to close and when that happens, no amount of prying will get them open again.
As must as I need to give in order to receive, so to do you need to give in order to receive. It’s common courtesy and good manners. It’s also sound business sense.
So go on, give as much as you get – all that will happen is that you will get even more!
There is plenty, actually an abundance, to go around.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, August 04, 2008
MOTIVATION - RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO WE BECOME
MOTIVATION – RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO WE BECOME
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It has been said that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but that we are responsible for who we become.
All around me I hear excuses from people. Excuses about why they cannot do something, or why the have failed at something. Hell I even had a chap, who for the purposes of this missive shall remain nameless, who said that I “have to” mentor him because he was previously disadvantaged! What absolute crap is that?
Many years ago, my father said to me “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world because it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you have made for yourself.”
It is something that I have taken very seriously all my life. I am careful about the promises that I make because I have to keep them. I am careful about the commitments that I make because they have to be honoured. It is my name that is at stake and quite honestly it is the only possession that I have that I will take to the grave with me.
The result of this for me, is that I have never blamed my background or my circumstances for anything – there’s no real point is there? I am the only one who can make the changes and I am the only one that can make things happen (or not happen) in my life.
So why is it, that where ever I go, I hear tales of woe and stories about how the government is to blame, or apartheid, or the interest rates, or global warming or the tax man or anything else that they can think of and blame. Why is it that we as individuals cannot take responsibility for what we’ve done and learn from our mistakes, dust ourselves off and stand up and start again. There’s no shame in that at all.
For me the shame comes in the fact that we don’t take responsibility and own our own mistakes, but that we find it easier to just blame all those around us!
So which one are you? Do you stand tall and proud? Do you take responsibility for what you do or do you find it easier to blame everyone and everything else?
What kind of name will you take out of this world? What legacy will you leave your children? What name have you given them?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It has been said that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but that we are responsible for who we become.
All around me I hear excuses from people. Excuses about why they cannot do something, or why the have failed at something. Hell I even had a chap, who for the purposes of this missive shall remain nameless, who said that I “have to” mentor him because he was previously disadvantaged! What absolute crap is that?
Many years ago, my father said to me “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world because it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you have made for yourself.”
It is something that I have taken very seriously all my life. I am careful about the promises that I make because I have to keep them. I am careful about the commitments that I make because they have to be honoured. It is my name that is at stake and quite honestly it is the only possession that I have that I will take to the grave with me.
The result of this for me, is that I have never blamed my background or my circumstances for anything – there’s no real point is there? I am the only one who can make the changes and I am the only one that can make things happen (or not happen) in my life.
So why is it, that where ever I go, I hear tales of woe and stories about how the government is to blame, or apartheid, or the interest rates, or global warming or the tax man or anything else that they can think of and blame. Why is it that we as individuals cannot take responsibility for what we’ve done and learn from our mistakes, dust ourselves off and stand up and start again. There’s no shame in that at all.
For me the shame comes in the fact that we don’t take responsibility and own our own mistakes, but that we find it easier to just blame all those around us!
So which one are you? Do you stand tall and proud? Do you take responsibility for what you do or do you find it easier to blame everyone and everything else?
What kind of name will you take out of this world? What legacy will you leave your children? What name have you given them?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, August 01, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 2
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So here we are again – let’s look at what is considered an ‘unfair’ dismissal.
· any dismissal that is not done for a fair reason (like you just don’t like the person) is considered ‘unfair’.
· any dismissal that takes place without the proper and fair procedure, irrespective of whether it is in accordance with any notice period in a contract of employment or in legislation governing employment. So this means that you cannot just come to work one day and decide that George has to go, because he is irritating the hell out of you, so you give him a month’s notice as per his Letter of Appointment and in compliance with legislation – I mean you did give him a month’s notice so what is the problem? Right? Wrong!
Each time you dismiss someone, please understand in order for you to ascertain whether it is fair or not is always determined by the facts of the case and whether dismissal is appropriate or not as a penalty.
I would also like to add in here that it is also determined by precedents that have been set in previous cases. Let me explain. If two years ago one of your employees (let’s call him Philip) was caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and Philip managed to convince everyone at his disciplinary, that he had ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay it back the following day and you gave him a ‘Final Written Warning’ in consequence of his actions and now George is caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and George now also says that he ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay the money back the next day, but you are fed up with George because his attitude is bad, so you dismiss him – this would be construed as ‘unfair’ dismissal because you did not dismiss Philip for the same offense, two years ago. So be careful when dishing out punishments for first time offences – they may just come back and bite you on the rear end in the future!
You still have to follow the correct procedure and whether the procedure is fair or not is determined by, but not limited to, the following guidelines.
There are three grounds, by which ‘dismissal’ is considered fair and legitimate, by the Act.
These are:
· the conduct of the employee (which is why it is of critical importance to have a documented ‘Code of Conduct’ for your Company)
· the capacity of the employee and
· the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
The Act says that a dismissal is automatically unfair if the reason for the dismissal is:
· anything that is an infringement of the basic rights of employees and/or trade unions or
· if the reason is one of those that is listed in section 187.
These reasons include, but are not limited to:
· if the employee participates in a lawful strike
· if the employee intends to become or is pregnant
· any acts of discrimination against the employee.
Where the dismissal is not automatically unfair, the employer has to show that the reason for the dismissal is because the employee’s conduct was in question or that the employee’s capacity was in question or it is based on the employee’s failure to meet the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
If you, as the employer cannot show this or if you cannot prove that the dismissal was performed within the parameters of fair procedure, then the dismissal will be deemed as unfair.
In essence you have to make very sure that you have all your ducks in a row and that you can substantiate and prove anything that needs to be proved in this respect.
Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures prior to dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So here we are again – let’s look at what is considered an ‘unfair’ dismissal.
· any dismissal that is not done for a fair reason (like you just don’t like the person) is considered ‘unfair’.
· any dismissal that takes place without the proper and fair procedure, irrespective of whether it is in accordance with any notice period in a contract of employment or in legislation governing employment. So this means that you cannot just come to work one day and decide that George has to go, because he is irritating the hell out of you, so you give him a month’s notice as per his Letter of Appointment and in compliance with legislation – I mean you did give him a month’s notice so what is the problem? Right? Wrong!
Each time you dismiss someone, please understand in order for you to ascertain whether it is fair or not is always determined by the facts of the case and whether dismissal is appropriate or not as a penalty.
I would also like to add in here that it is also determined by precedents that have been set in previous cases. Let me explain. If two years ago one of your employees (let’s call him Philip) was caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and Philip managed to convince everyone at his disciplinary, that he had ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay it back the following day and you gave him a ‘Final Written Warning’ in consequence of his actions and now George is caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and George now also says that he ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay the money back the next day, but you are fed up with George because his attitude is bad, so you dismiss him – this would be construed as ‘unfair’ dismissal because you did not dismiss Philip for the same offense, two years ago. So be careful when dishing out punishments for first time offences – they may just come back and bite you on the rear end in the future!
You still have to follow the correct procedure and whether the procedure is fair or not is determined by, but not limited to, the following guidelines.
There are three grounds, by which ‘dismissal’ is considered fair and legitimate, by the Act.
These are:
· the conduct of the employee (which is why it is of critical importance to have a documented ‘Code of Conduct’ for your Company)
· the capacity of the employee and
· the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
The Act says that a dismissal is automatically unfair if the reason for the dismissal is:
· anything that is an infringement of the basic rights of employees and/or trade unions or
· if the reason is one of those that is listed in section 187.
These reasons include, but are not limited to:
· if the employee participates in a lawful strike
· if the employee intends to become or is pregnant
· any acts of discrimination against the employee.
Where the dismissal is not automatically unfair, the employer has to show that the reason for the dismissal is because the employee’s conduct was in question or that the employee’s capacity was in question or it is based on the employee’s failure to meet the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
If you, as the employer cannot show this or if you cannot prove that the dismissal was performed within the parameters of fair procedure, then the dismissal will be deemed as unfair.
In essence you have to make very sure that you have all your ducks in a row and that you can substantiate and prove anything that needs to be proved in this respect.
Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures prior to dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 2
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So here we are again – let’s look at what is considered an ‘unfair’ dismissal.
· any dismissal that is not done for a fair reason (like you just don’t like the person) is considered ‘unfair’.
· any dismissal that takes place without the proper and fair procedure, irrespective of whether it is in accordance with any notice period in a contract of employment or in legislation governing employment. So this means that you cannot just come to work one day and decide that George has to go, because he is irritating the hell out of you, so you give him a month’s notice as per his Letter of Appointment and in compliance with legislation – I mean you did give him a month’s notice so what is the problem? Right? Wrong!
Each time you dismiss someone, please understand in order for you to ascertain whether it is fair or not is always determined by the facts of the case and whether dismissal is appropriate or not as a penalty.
I would also like to add in here that it is also determined by precedents that have been set in previous cases. Let me explain. If two years ago one of your employees (let’s call him Philip) was caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and Philip managed to convince everyone at his disciplinary, that he had ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay it back the following day and you gave him a ‘Final Written Warning’ in consequence of his actions and now George is caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and George now also says that he ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay the money back the next day, but you are fed up with George because his attitude is bad, so you dismiss him – this would be construed as ‘unfair’ dismissal because you did not dismiss Philip for the same offense, two years ago. So be careful when dishing out punishments for first time offences – they may just come back and bite you on the rear end in the future!
You still have to follow the correct procedure and whether the procedure is fair or not is determined by, but not limited to, the following guidelines.
There are three grounds, by which ‘dismissal’ is considered fair and legitimate, by the Act.
These are:
· the conduct of the employee (which is why it is of critical importance to have a documented ‘Code of Conduct’ for your Company)
· the capacity of the employee and
· the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
The Act says that a dismissal is automatically unfair if the reason for the dismissal is:
· anything that is an infringement of the basic rights of employees and/or trade unions or
· if the reason is one of those that is listed in section 187.
These reasons include, but are not limited to:
· if the employee participates in a lawful strike
· if the employee intends to become or is pregnant
· any acts of discrimination against the employee.
Where the dismissal is not automatically unfair, the employer has to show that the reason for the dismissal is because the employee’s conduct was in question or that the employee’s capacity was in question or it is based on the employee’s failure to meet the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
If you, as the employer cannot show this or if you cannot prove that the dismissal was performed within the parameters of fair procedure, then the dismissal will be deemed as unfair.
In essence you have to make very sure that you have all your ducks in a row and that you can substantiate and prove anything that needs to be proved in this respect.
Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures prior to dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
So here we are again – let’s look at what is considered an ‘unfair’ dismissal.
· any dismissal that is not done for a fair reason (like you just don’t like the person) is considered ‘unfair’.
· any dismissal that takes place without the proper and fair procedure, irrespective of whether it is in accordance with any notice period in a contract of employment or in legislation governing employment. So this means that you cannot just come to work one day and decide that George has to go, because he is irritating the hell out of you, so you give him a month’s notice as per his Letter of Appointment and in compliance with legislation – I mean you did give him a month’s notice so what is the problem? Right? Wrong!
Each time you dismiss someone, please understand in order for you to ascertain whether it is fair or not is always determined by the facts of the case and whether dismissal is appropriate or not as a penalty.
I would also like to add in here that it is also determined by precedents that have been set in previous cases. Let me explain. If two years ago one of your employees (let’s call him Philip) was caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and Philip managed to convince everyone at his disciplinary, that he had ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay it back the following day and you gave him a ‘Final Written Warning’ in consequence of his actions and now George is caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and George now also says that he ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay the money back the next day, but you are fed up with George because his attitude is bad, so you dismiss him – this would be construed as ‘unfair’ dismissal because you did not dismiss Philip for the same offense, two years ago. So be careful when dishing out punishments for first time offences – they may just come back and bite you on the rear end in the future!
You still have to follow the correct procedure and whether the procedure is fair or not is determined by, but not limited to, the following guidelines.
There are three grounds, by which ‘dismissal’ is considered fair and legitimate, by the Act.
These are:
· the conduct of the employee (which is why it is of critical importance to have a documented ‘Code of Conduct’ for your Company)
· the capacity of the employee and
· the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
The Act says that a dismissal is automatically unfair if the reason for the dismissal is:
· anything that is an infringement of the basic rights of employees and/or trade unions or
· if the reason is one of those that is listed in section 187.
These reasons include, but are not limited to:
· if the employee participates in a lawful strike
· if the employee intends to become or is pregnant
· any acts of discrimination against the employee.
Where the dismissal is not automatically unfair, the employer has to show that the reason for the dismissal is because the employee’s conduct was in question or that the employee’s capacity was in question or it is based on the employee’s failure to meet the operational requirements of the employer’s business.
If you, as the employer cannot show this or if you cannot prove that the dismissal was performed within the parameters of fair procedure, then the dismissal will be deemed as unfair.
In essence you have to make very sure that you have all your ducks in a row and that you can substantiate and prove anything that needs to be proved in this respect.
Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures prior to dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
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