Are you sick of your job?  Is it time for a change??  Many seasoned professionals I speak with are sick of the daily grind – they have been in their chosen career for so long that they have become stale; but the problem is that they are worried about starting a new career path all over again – this is especially true for senior executives who lose everything they have spent half a lifetime building.

Well I have the PERFECT solution for you! It is EASY to reinvent yourself and become the architect of your own future, WITHOUT losing everything you have worked for!

The thing that stops many of us changing professions is that we have to leave everything behind that we have worked so hard for, but what if you can make all of that knowledge and experience work in your favour to make a fresh start?!  If you:

have specific industry experience and knowledge, or

• are experienced and corporate savvy, or
• are a hard working and sales oriented networker, or
• are a seasoned executive looking to wind back work pressures, or
• have always dreamed of being your own boss, AND
• are able to leverage your Industry knowledge and contact network –

THEN WISE RECRUITMENT is just what you have been looking for!

The Australian Recruitment industry is bursting out of the GFC of 2010 and is estimated to be worth $1.9 Billion dollars in 2011!  Good recruiters are always in high demand!  Wise Recruitment is increasing its recruitment presence every month and ours is a formula that works!

Instead of the general introduction most people have into starting a recruiting career, Wise employs a virtual model that has you hit the ground running, you are your own boss; with none of the exorbitant fees you would pay for a franchise, yet all of the support network to ensure that you can succeed!

(Support includes Monthly team meetings, Mentoring, recruitment advise, resources, affiliations, resource development, virtual assistants, access to opportunities that a single operator may not be able to gain, bulk purchasing benefits, databases developed by the entire team, conferences and group training opportunities).

The Wise Recruitment model has a proven longevity, market credibility and ability to support all sorts of operators from a huge variety of backgrounds.  Our team thrives as we are friendly and co-operative, with a guiding ethic that allows us to openly share knowledge and skills. As the group grows we all benefit. We are greater than the sum of our parts!

Here what some of our recruiters have to say (click here)!

It is just so easy to refresh and re-energise your career without throwing away everything you have worked so hard for!  It is easier than you think to be the master of your own destiny, without feeling like you have to start from the beginning again.  Why lose your security?  Why lose everything you have worked so hard for? WHY STAY IN A JOB YOU HAVE OUTGROWN?

Find out how you can join Wise Recruitment today!  To apply for a Wise Info brochure write to WiseOpp@wiserecruitment.com.au requesting more information, or call us on 1300 722 254 and reinvent yourself now!

Last week we discussed the benefits of flexible work arrangements (and the fact that Australian employers are now legally obliged to consider requests for flexible work solutions for some staff).  The most important thing to note about flexibility is that it has been proven to increase staff engagement, satisfaction and retention – so why would an employer NOT consider offering flexibility?

How do employers tap into this power?

Once you have started with flexible options for your staff, you will be surprised at the advantages – but for many employers the first step is the hardest.  So what can you do to utilise this power to attract and retain excellent staff?

Where to start

Firstly consider where you can start, for many employers it is as simple as creating a “sick leave” swap – where staff can “cash” in unused sick leave – either a bonus, or a day off.  You may start by allowing staff to start an hour later or finish an hour earlier one day a week.  I know an organization that has staggered start and finish times and the staff manage it themselves to make sure all shift times are covered from 7am to 7pm.  Perhaps you can allow longer days so staff can work 40 hours in 4 days and have an extra day off?

How to involve your staff

Once you have decided what your organisation can handle (ie: skeleton staff times, cash bonuses etc), then you need to poll your staff and find out what they would like.  At your staff reviews, tell your staff you are considering introducing flexible options and find out what they would like.  For some managers this can be a difficult step, some managers are reluctant to allow their staff too much control, but part of the reason flexible work solutions are so effective is that it encourages personal responsibility for the staff.

How do you implement flexibility?

You may not want to introduce permanent solutions straight away – you may prefer to just let staff know you will consider requests on a case by case basis; or perhaps you are ready to allow shorter lunches for earlier knock off times – there are simple solutions that can ease you gently into flexible solutions.

You may prefer to start by considering the requests of a new hire and then spreading options to existing staff.

Important considerations

There are a couple of things that are very important to consider when you are introducing flexible work solutions:

1. Ensure that your staff members are clear on their workload and what needs to be completed and when, perhaps you need to have KPI’s to ensure that all staff and employers know what is required,
2. Ensure that you do not seem to be offering favouritism – ALL staff should be allowed to suggest options and should have their case heard, and
3. Ensure if you refuse a flexibility request that you have good reason to demonstrate where it would be of detriment to the business.

Although introducing flexible work solutions can seem daunting – the benefits are worth it.  If you want to attract and retain qualified and experienced staff, if you want to reduce staff turnover and increase staff engagement – flexible work solutions may just be the way to go!

Good luck!  We’d love to hear your flexible options and how you have introduced them – drop us a comment below please!

Employers are now legally obliged to consider requests for flexible working arrangements for some employees.  With our workforce getting older, women waiting longer to start families and self-superannuation meaning people are stopping work earlier or opting for part time solutions – the workforce is changing.  No longer is the ideal career a full time job that lasts a lifetime, the era of the 80’s and 90’s was all about long hours working for the man, but we have come to realise that was at the sacrifice of family.

Nowadays people are looking for flexible solutions that allow them time to enjoy leisure pursuits and/or more time with family.  My Mum had to work full time and consequently missed out on school performances and activities – I have chosen my career path to ensure that I can attend my children’s school functions – BUT I am lucky, I have this option now – and this is the segue to some important advice for employers!  More than ever, we now have the options and abilities to offer and create flexible solutions for our employees, eg:

• Flexi-time
• Work from home
• Earlier or later start/finish times
• Job share
• Study leave
• Parental leave

The new legislation has been introduced to make life easier for staff who want to balance family or extra curricular commitments.  It is also expected that it will allow more people to stay within their experience and address the issue of shortage of skilled workers who are unable to find flexible solutions and therefore change careers.  Employees shouldn’t have to “settle” for job roles they are overqualified for just because they want to balance their family commitments.

Many employers are missing out on valuable staff because they are unfamiliar or scared of the alternatives; BUT evidence is proving that flexible options (great article all employers should read from Aust Inst Corp Responsibility here!) are creating happy workforces and happy workforces mean a better quality of employee and ultimately better results for the company!

Flexible work options are helping employers to attract and retain qualified and experienced staff, improve employee engagement AND increase productivity.

Next week we’ll help you get started with flexible solutions, so you can increase your staff engagement, satisfaction and retention!

I recently read a fantastic article on Recruiter.com about women pushing for flexible work conditions and it got me thinking about how as employers we can attract a better class of workers!   Now, more than ever in history, most adults in a household work.  The rising cost of living and our have it now pay later society mean that the income required to keep a house running (in the matter we choose to live) requires financial contribution from as many sources as possible.

Coupled with this there are some very prevalent reasons for many of these same people requiring flexible work conditions.  Most people are aware of the number of mothers who are returning to the paid workforce, either to contribute financially or to maintain their identity.  Our aging society also means that many people are caring part time for elderly parents.  Then there is now an increased demand for educational qualifications and many people choose to study full time and work part time to speed up the time the training takes.

In my experience employers in general are ignoring a huge source of able bodied employees.  As a working mother, I want to take the point of view I am very familiar with – the mother returning to the workforce and the impact of families on full time employees.

Why is flexibility needed?

Unlike my Mother, who didn’t have the opportunity to attend my school events, I make sure that my job is flexible enough to allow me to see my children’s milestones at school.  I attend excursions, help with reading groups and attend all manner of concerts and presentations.  The opportunity to attend these events in fact makes me work harder to ensure that I have all my tasks completed in time!

How to use flexibility to your advantage

As a matter of fact, in my experience 99% of mothers I have hired are the same.  Motherhood equips us with a fantastic ability to multitask, cope with noisy environments and manage multiple demands on our time.  Furthermore, in my experience, mothers who have the opportunity at flexible work arrangements are more satisfied and more likely to go above and beyond because of this gratitude.  I know if any of my children are sick I can reschedule my day so that I do the admin that day and the calls the next.  I am responsible for ensuring my tasks are completed no matter what the interruption and I take that responsibility very seriously.

The maturity that parents bring to a role can not be underestimated!  Many mothers take time out from full on professional careers so that their family can be their priority.  The mistake many employers make is assuming that means the job at hand is not given the same dedication as a full time employee – when in fact, in my experience, it is the opposite.

Flexibility and improved work performance

When talking with many employers I know they all seem to have the same needs in common, employees who are motivated, self sufficient, intelligent, able to think outside the square all figure just as importantly as experience and qualifications.  Flexibility in the workforce has been proven to increase work performance (good ref here).  Flexible work arrangements reduce costs like staff turnover and sick leave and have been proven to reduce mistakes and errors.  Flexible work arrangements have also been linked with higher employee satisfaction and therefore higher output and improved performance.

I have yet to meet an employer who has regretted implementing flexible work policies.  Instead of just being a perk for employees it has increased the level of commitment and performance to the company which all adds up on the bottom line!

We’d love to hear your experiences with flexible work arrangements, please leave us your comment below!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to negotiate flexible working conditions? Whether you’re an employer or an employee, there’s much to be gained in flexibility, for both sides of the equation. For starters, studies have shown that happy staff who enjoy a good work/life balance are far more productive and require far fewer sick days than those who endure drudgery at work. And those fortunate employees report greater levels of loyalty and motivation.

What do flexible working conditions include?

There are various ways that an employer can employ flexibility in the workplace. Flexi-time has been around for a long time and has often been a strictly-monitored system. These days, however, some businesses allow employees to leave for the day if their allotted work has been completed, or to take extended lunch breaks as long as productivity is being maintained.

Working from home has become more popular as well. It may not be everyone’s ideal way to work but for some, being able to take materials home and complete tasks is perfect as it allows them to be home for children or to avoid arduous commutes.

Job-share allows two people to collaborate together to perform a single role but in fewer hours each. One person may take three days a week while the other can only work two. The job still gets done and over the usual number of hours, but job-sharing allows far greater flexibility for two equally valuable employees.

What’s in it for employers?

Companies who provide flexibility for staff can look forward to:

• Lower staff turnover.
• Decreased absenteeism.
• Staff with increased loyalty and heightened productivity and motivation.
• Improved workforce morale.

In cases where staff are working from home to a large degree, this also results in cost savings for the employer in areas such as office space, utilities, the need for office equipment and so on. When employees work remotely, often all that’s needed is an Internet connection.

Other ways flexibility in which working conditions can be applied involve the children of employees. Some workplaces offer childminding, time off for school activities and even school drop-off and pick-up. Or, the option could be there to work a 5-day turnaround on days that suit the employee, such as Wednesday to Sunday instead of Monday to Friday.

If workplace flexibility is important to you, then your jobseeking options may be narrowed somewhat. And sometimes it might be prudent to wait until you’re actually settled into a new job and have proven your worth before requesting the kind of flexibility you desire. At Wise, we believe that there is an ideal job for every jobseeker and that means that sometimes one party or the other has to offer flexibility in order for a position to be filled.