Frequently asked Questions

Many of my clients ask me questions about managing their people, and I have discovered that many of the questions are the same – here is a summary of the most frequently asked questions.
 
What happens if my new employee starts before they sign their contract?
It is a legislative requirement that all employees have a written contract before they start work, so its best to make sure that they sign before they start.  If they start before they accept the terms of the contract it also means that your 90-day trial period is not valid.
 
I want to change my employees’ days and hours of work – how do I do this?
Depending on your contract you have one of two ways to do this.
If the contract specifies the days and hours they work like Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 08:30 to 17:00.  You need to do a formal consultation with them – this means inviting them to a meeting, outlining the proposed changes you want to make, why you want to make these changes (what are the business reasons) and giving them time to give you feedback.  This should be about 24 to 48 hours.  Once you receive the feedback you can them make a final decision and communicate this to the employees.  Remember to document their new days and hours in a letter of variation.
If the contract only has minimum or maximum hours, you can do an informal consultation.  Tell the team what you want to change, why you want to change and ask for their feedback – consider this feedback and give your decision.
 
My new employee has told me that they can’t handle the pressure knowing that they won’t meet the targets set, and they they’re resigning.  Can I accept the employee’s resignation on the spot?
 
Yes you can, as long as they aren’t crying or angry – but it is always best to give them 24 hours to think about it first.  

---