Author: Hannah Gilchrist
Date: 25/02/2010
Money never sleeps and, with the economy in its current state, nobody want to be caught dozing. But with all the extra hours necessary to keep on top of the workload, are your staff being rewarded for their efforts?
Recent research of 2,000 SMEs by software company Sage found that employees are working longer hours but are failing to be rewarded for their time. Over half of those questioned said their employees do work overtime, but two-fifths receive no additional pay for their dedication.
Brendan Flattery, managing director of Sage’s Small Business Division, says: ‘In the current economic climate many employees feel the need to work long hours, but it is important that people continue to strike the right work-life balance.’
It’s this work-life balance that most employees crave for. While there’s no legal right to request pay for extra hours, or minimum levels of overtime pay, many employers offer Time Off in Lieu (TOIL). Many workers have been known to forego extra pay in favour of additional holiday or flexible working benefits.
Listening to your staff and rewarding them in a way that is beneficial to them is the best way to boost morale, reduce absence and increase productivity. So next time you’re working late, make sure it’s you who suggests the pizzas not the other way around.