Abraham Consultants Ltd

06/08/2023

The Health and Safety at Work (Health and Safety Representatives and Committees) Amendment Act ("the Act") is now law.

WorkSafe NZ have said the changes introduced support the idea that workers are best placed to identify how they want to engage with health and safety representation, by removing previous thresholds. The concept is to encourage worker engagement however possible.

Essentially the changes from the Act are 3 fold:

Workers can insist on a Health & Safety Representative (HSR),

5 or more workers or a HSR can insist on a committee,

Not being categorised as a "High Risk" operation is no longer a valid reason for declining a health and safety representative or committee.

Prior to this enactment a business with less than 20 staff could decline a request for a HSR or committee if they considered their current practices adequately safe. Furthermore, the business also had a 2 month window to respond to such a request.

So now, regardless of the size of your business, if your staff ask to have a Health & Safety Representative or committee subject to the above, the business must initiate an election process as soon as reasonably practicable. A breach of these HSWA obligations could result in a fine of up to $25,000.00 for a business.

Business owners should also bear in mind that a HSR is entitled to undertake employer funded training courses and up to 2 paid days per year to attend.

11/07/2023

5th and final installment

Adaptability to Change

In today's ever-changing business environment, organisations must be adaptable to change. Policies and procedures that are outdated can hinder an organisation's ability to respond to changes in the industry, market, or customer needs. By keeping policies and procedures up to date, organisations can remain agile and responsive to change, and better position themselves for success.

In conclusion, policies and procedures serve as a foundation for any organisation and keeping them up to date is crucial. It helps ensure compliance with laws and regulations, consistency and fairness, mitigate risk and liability, improve communication, and adaptability to change. Regularly reviewing and updating policies and procedures is an essential component of effective management and can help an organisation achieve its goals and objectives.

We hope these posts have been informative. It may be that your business policies need an update or you would like to develop policies and procedures for the first time. Contact us for advice on how we can help you and your organisation mitigate employment relations risk in these changing times.

12/06/2023

4th Installment

Improved Communication

Regularly updating policies and procedures can improve communication within an organisation. Policies and procedures serve as a reference guide for employees and when they are updated, it can help employees better understand their roles and responsibilities. Additionally, the process of updating policies and procedures can provide an opportunity for employees to provide feedback and suggestions, which can improve communication and collaboration in the workplace.

06/06/2023

This is the third installment of our updates on the importance of keeping policies and procedures current. If you would like advice on the implementation of house rules, policies and procedures or a Code of Conduct booklet please contact us - we’re here to help.

Mitigate Risk and Liability for Health and Safety

Policies and procedures help mitigate risk and liability in the workplace. By having up-to-date policies and procedures, organisations can reduce the risk of accidents and/or injuries. For example, a manufacturing company must have updated safety policies and procedures to ensure that employees follow the proper safety protocols and reduce the risk of accidents.

22/05/2023

Today I am posting the second installment of our update on the importance of keeping policies and procedures current.
If you think that your code of conduct, house rules and/or policies and procedures need reviewing contact us to discuss your requirements.

Consistency and Fairness

Updated policies and procedures, house rules and or codes of conduct help ensure consistency and fairness in the workplace. When policies and procedures are out of date, employees may interpret them differently or may not follow the same procedures, which can lead to confusion and inconsistency. Regularly updating policies and procedures ensures that everyone is following the same rules and employees know what is expected of them.

15/05/2023

In any organisation, policies and procedures serve as a guidebook for employees to follow. They outline the expectations, guidelines, and protocols that everyone must adhere to in order to ensure consistency, fairness, and law and order in the workplace. However, these documents are not static and should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in the organisation and the business industry. During the following weeks we will outline the importance of keeping policies and procedures up to date in a brief paragraph.

If you think that your code of conduct, house rules and/or policies and procedures need reviewing contact us to discuss your concerns or requirements. Have a great day.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

One of the most critical reasons for keeping policies and procedures up to date is to ensure compliance with law and regulations. Laws and regulations can change frequently, and failure to keep policies and procedures updated can lead to legal and financial consequences.

16/01/2023

Abraham Consultants offer a range of services designed to support every company and business owner, regardless of size or staffing levels.

02/09/2022

Following another year of rapid change to employment legislation for business owners, it has never been more important to ensure your employment agreements are updated and reflect current legislation. Please contact us to discuss any changes you may require and how these changes may affect your business and employees. Remember, we are available 24/7.

23/02/2017

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22/07/2015

Employer Updates

The Government has approved a package of measures to strengthen enforcement of employment standards which will include, but may not be limited to, tougher sanctions. These changes will be reflected in an Employment Standards Bill which will be introduced to Parliament this year. The Bill will go thr…