Chanel Finnigan No Comments

Prioritise and Win


“Are we there yet?”
“Just around the corner.”
Who remembers these phrases from childhood car rides? You, anxious to get to your exciting destination. Your Mum, anxious to keep you calm and patient, just a little bit longer until you arrive.
Does anyone else feel like this is remarkably similar to our current economic situation?
Business – “Is it picking up yet?
Economists – “It’s just around the corner….”

One of the interesting statistics we’ve seen lately is the comparison between business confidence and economic results and there is some misalignment. We can all feel the change coming, we are impatient and also excited, we are almost ready – but it is still mostly out of sight and just around the corner.
So, what do most people do when they are eagerly waiting for something to move forward. They either do nothing and just wait or they start doing a lot of preparation for the day the wheel turns.
Either way, the key is to prioritise what you believe is required to be ready for the upturn.
Sitting on your hands isn’t an option and neither is chasing every possible idea. For both your business and your team, in slow times it is easy to keep adding to your to-do list, and to keep coming up with fresh ideas and new things to try. The impact of this can be to create activity without impact and a team that is focused on “busy work.”
Look around your business and ask yourself these questions
  1. What are the key outcomes that will drive you forward?
In times like this it is easy to jump at every opportunity. Time and energy can quietly ooze into areas which sit outside the core area of your business or won’t make a profit. Have clarity on the outcomes you need and the areas of critical focus that will help you gain momentum.
  1. Is your team clear on what is important?
What is the decision-making lens that they look through to decide where to spend their time and what actions are important? You may be crystal clear but if you don’t have a team that has a very clear steer on the priorities, they will be pulling in different directions.
  1. Is everything your team doing focused on the important areas?
How often have you sat in meetings with busy people who feel overworked, only to find out half of what they are doing seems to be irrelevant or of no value to the business. Teams with this feeling are not motivated and will not achieve goals.
While some compliance or administrative work exists in every job, it is possible for people to clear about 25% of their workload or action items just by linking all activity back to the impact their action will have on set goals. Anything not making a difference needs to be low prioritised or scrapped.
This leads to a team spending time on the right things.
 
Make it clear, Keep it focused, Start seeing results
 
Positive People has over 30 years’ experience helping businesses to optimise results from their teams. Contact us now to find out how we can help you.
PositivePeople No Comments

Bullying and Harassment Investigations

Bullying and Harassment Investigations:

The Do’s and Don’ts

Bullying and harassment complaints and investigations are always difficult to navigate. We have learned that every complaint requires considerable care and attention to ensure a fair and thorough process and appropriate outcome.

We’ve compiled some of the most important Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind when commencing an investigation.

Do

  • Have a policy that provides definitions of bullying and harassment, outlines the processes for making a complaint and for investigating
  • Use an impartial investigator – if you do not have the appropriate person internally, use a third party
  • Respond quickly and complete the investigation as soon as possible. This can take significant time. If capacity is an issue, using a third party to conduct the investigation for you will help to make sure it is done correctly and in a timely manner
  • Consider the legal risks – the health and safety of employees comes first and bullying & harassment is covered by the Health & Safety at Work Act, so you must be mindful of your legal obligations. There is also a risk of a Personal Grievance being raised, breach of contract and/or good faith provisions, and claims of discrimination under the Human Rights Act
  • Balance the rights of the complainant and the respondent – you have a duty of good faith and confidentiality to both.
  • Offer support – provide links to support services and check in with the employee throughout regarding their wellbeing
  • Keep meticulous documentation. Most investigators now audio record meetings (after seeking permission) to save time on note taking and to ensure an accurate record. Alternatively, get the notes checked and signed at the end of the meeting
  • Communicate – you should keep all parties updated on the timeline and the process you’re following

Don’t

  • Have the investigator also be the decision maker – these must be two separate roles
  • Do nothing just because the complaint isn’t in writing
  • Leave the status quo in place while you investigate – you need to consider at the beginning if either the complainant or the respondent should relocate to a different workspace, team or shift for the duration of the investigation
  • Default to a full-scale investigation. Regardless of whether you receive a ‘formal’ or ‘informal’ complaint, you will need to assess the complaint and decide whether it requires a ‘formal’ or ‘informal’ investigation and communicate this to the complainant, including the rationale
  • Withhold information – providing the respondent with the relevant information is an important aspect of natural justice. They need to know the identity of both the complainant and witnesses. In some cases, withholding certain information may be justified – but only when it is not prejudicial to the respondent
  • Don’t use a mixture of written statements, phone calls and meetings – choose one method (ideally face-to-face) and use it for the respondent, complainant and all witnesses
  • Engage in ‘off the record’ conversations with witnesses
  • Consider any information in the investigation that is gleaned from “secret” witnesses unless they are prepared to share their identity
  • Draw inferences from demeanor – people react differently to stressful situations so it’s important to only analyse what they say and not body language or facial expressions

Positive People are licenced Private Investigators with the Ministry of Justice and experts in conducting independent third-party investigations for bullying and harassment complaints. Call us on 09 445 1077 or email info@positivepeople.co.nz