July 09 Newsletter

Statistics back up value of engaged staff

New research released at the Australian Human Resources Institute national convention in Sydney shows conclusively that companies with high employee engagement scores are more profitable, productive and have less absenteeism.

Melissa Dunn Lampe, principal consultant at global research company Gallup told the convention that Gallup had completed a project which examined the engagement scores of its global database of 6 million employees, and measured these against a range of metrics for their employers. (She noted that the company only used data which was less than three years old.)

Dunn Lampe said Gallup found that in terms of staff engagement, the difference between the top quartile of employers and the bottom quartile was profound.

Absenteeism was 27% lower in the top quartile compared to the bottom, and companies in the top quartile for engagement had 12% more customers, 18% higher productivity, and 12% higher net profit.

The data showed that employee engagement "isn't just about making people feel good" but related directly to performance in a range of key financial metrics, Dunn Lampe said.

She noted that turnover in typically high-attrition organisations, such as call centres, was 31% lower in the top quartile than the bottom, while in more stable organisations turnover was 51% lower in companies with high engagement scores.

For manufacturing employers, she added, safety incidents were 62% less frequent, and for retail employers "shrinkage" or staff theft was 51% lower.
Article from Shortlist.net.au

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Parents returning to work can help cut costs

For the working parent it’s quite difficult to find work close to home and with hours that fit their family responsibilities. With the current financial situation finding more employers having to cut costs, one simple solution to attract excellent candidates in this market, usually with exceptional experience, would be to offer flexibility or be prepared to re-engineer a role so that it could be done in school hours.

If employers could think about how best to structure their hours to attract return to work parents, the rewards would be there, not only financially but also in productivity.

There are plenty of return to work parents out there who previously had very high level jobs that now want something at a more reasonable pace and hours to suit. For the most part, these potential employees are very time aware and can accomplish more in three days or just working between the hours of 9.30am and 2.30pm than many of us could achieve in five days working regular hours. It wouldn’t be strictly legal for employers to advertise jobs under a heading like: "Suit mothers/fathers" as that could be seen as discriminatory to non-parents. However, wording ads with headings or keywords in the job ad like "flexible hours" or even by stating that the hours are say 9.30am until 2.30pm for the right candidate would be fantastic.

And a return to work parent doesn't have to be a former corporate power house to be worth accommodating. A keen return to work mum/dad on any level is worth more than an apathetic quit stay - especially if all they want in return is a fair go and flexible hours.

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Its never to early to plan your xmas party

If you tend to get stuck for ideas for your company Christmas party, and especially if you are a smaller company, why not consider having a BALL and doing something for charity also. Many charites have Christmas balls that can be a great company night out. The McGrath Foundation Gala Dinner is among many of the worthy causes hosting an event this year, you can find out more about this occasion here.

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Doing some good

As we mentioned in last months Newsletter, our Managing Director, Nikki Beaumont, took part in the St Vincents Sleep out on June 18th. It was a very rainy night as 220 CEO’s slept out at Luna Park along with the harbour rats and cockroaches, a situation 1000’s of Australians find themselves in every night! At the time of writing over $605,000 has been raised, although donations can be made up to 31st August. If you would like to make a donation, you can still do so here

The Curran Foundation will be hosting another event in its Generation X Wellbeing series for the next generation of supporters of the St Vincent’s Campus. The Foundation is delighted to be joined by guest speakers Paul Cave, Chairman and Founder of BridgeClimb and Kay Wilhelm from the St Vincent’s Mental Health programme.

Stress, success and happiness: how to achieve balance in everyday living will be held at the Tim Olsen Gallery on Thursday 30 July 2009. Click here for more details or contact the Curran Foundation on +612 8382 2134 or email: events@curran-foundation.org.au

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Looking for work? We are expanding the the team?

Beaumont Consulting are seeking a Permanent Business Services Consultant. With a unique culture we value each and every Beaumont employee. We are confident that you will not find another recruitment agency like us anywhere in Australia, our culture really is that different.

Our teams are made up of people from all over the world bringing together a myriad of experiences which we share, great minds think alike, this creates a great international vibe in our offices.

Our divisions include Banking & Finance, Accounting, Business Services and Temporary Services and due to subsequent growth we are seeking to appoint another winner to our Permanent Business Services Team.

The Permanent Division is currently made up of five highly experienced consultants who specialise in Accounting, Life Insurance, Not for Profit and Generalist. We are looking to make an addition to the team for a Permanent Consultant and we are open to background or industry specialism, we would favour a Generalist recruiter but would consider someone who comes from a Finance or Accounting background.

We require someone who can work in a tight knit supportive culture, you must be a real team player and be willing to share your candidates as well as your pearls of wisdom with those around you.

You will be supported by our Branch Manager to ensure you have clear objectives and plan to succeed. We are seeking to appoint someone who is looking to develop their career and be one of our future leaders.

To apply for this opportunity or to discuss in confidence your suitability call Emily Wheeldon directly on (02) 9279 2777 or email your resume to emily.wheeldon@beaumontconsulting.com.au

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Temp of the month

Every month we give our clients the opportunity to nominate temporary staff for our temp of the month award. The lucky winner of the Beaumont Temp of the Month Award receives gift vouchers, an award certificate and a bottle of wine.

This month the lucky winner is… James Nicol. James has been working for us at the same company for the past 7 months. James made a great impression on his Managers from the start and has gone from strength to strength in his position. James’ Team Leaders have nothing but praise for him and had some great feedback for us on James’ performance… "James has been a valuable asset to us in the last month, taking on new administrative tasks with ease and tackling a new outbound campaign. Nothing is ever a problem for James and he is always eager to learn more and do more, pleasantly surprising us with his quick grasp of concepts and program information. James is willing to go the extra mile for customers and communicates extremely well ensuring a great customer experience and a running 100% score in his call coaching. Staying within his call times is no problem for James and this month he has been on time every single day!." Thanks James, you’ve done an amazing job, please keep up the hard work – your prize is on it’s way to you, enjoy!

Unfortunately, there can only be one temp of the month, however we would still like to say a HUGE thank you to our runner’s up… So, a big thank you goes to… Zara Smith. Here’s what Zara’s Manager had to say about her… "Zara has an excellent attitude and is a supportive and positive member of our team. She is hardworking and shows initiative by taking on extra tasks and looks at ways of improving processes to benefit the whole office. Zara is extremely reliable, she can be trusted to be on time to work, on time for breaks and follows through on commitments. She is open to taking on extra duties and is flexible when things change suddenly. Zara provides a good level of customer service and can be left to manage her workload independently."

And finally, a special mention must got to Jarlath McAteer who has completed various assignments for Beaumont, always with fantastic feedback. One of Jarlath’s recent Managers was heard to saying that Jarlath is ‘awesome’. Jarlath, you really are a temp superstar, thank you.

july

Whats on

Don't forget it's Whale Season

Get Knitting – 1st – 31st July

NAIDOC week – 5th = 12th July

The Rocks Aroma Festival – 19th July