Staff asking for more money to make ends meet

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

This. You're setting a bad precedent, IMO. Increases should be performance or profit related, adjusted annually to take inflation into account. If fuel costs notch up another r2 by the end of the year are you going to add another r50 to their wages?

Really. We can still give things up but many South Africans can't.

I've already started to tip petrol attendents R20, 3.5% of my tank bill, as I can just drive a little slower to recover that amount. R20 might be a cooldrink or two loaves of bread for his family.

 

[rpm]

So the staff asked for a meeting yesterday with management. Basic complaint is that they can't make ends meet with all the recent fuel increases.

It probably won't kill us to do this, but are we creating unrealistic expectations by doing this?

This is always a very challenging position to be in. You want to help your staff, but what are the repercussions of giving in to a special demand? You may set a precedent that it is fair game to make demands from management.

I would be hesitant to give a set increase, because your next salary increase will be a percentage-based increase which will have to take this increase into account. You can negotiate an early increase which will be deducted from the next increase, but people quickly forget.

A three-month special bonus – R200 per month for the next 3-months is an option, but only if you think the petrol price will decrease.

It is challenging. No easy solutions here.

 

[cr@zydude]

Call them into a room, individually.

Ask them the question "Why is SA such a **** up?"

If they answer "Because of the ANC.", give them R100. Any other answer and they get zilch.

Then ask "Who are you voting for in the next election?". Any other answer besides "ANC or EFF" gets another R100.

It's called voter education.

Are you trolling or do you really believe that a company has a right to know your political choices and should be allowed to buy votes? :wtf:

 

[Wasabee!]

Decrease perks and increase salary.

 

[Ejeckt]

Sad situation, I sympathies with blue collars in general. As I understand, these aren't some chops asking for a handout, but deserving employees. I'd have suggested offering that R200 through another form that would let employees save money rather. Maybe offering buss passes, canteen, or something like that. The employer can always try negotiating for a better price because bulk.

 

[koeksGHT]

Sad situation, I sympathies with blue collars in general. As I understand, these aren't some chops asking for a handout, but deserving employees. I'd have suggested offering that R200 through another form that would let employees save money rather. Maybe offering buss passes, canteen, or something like that. The employer can always try negotiating for a better price because bulk.

Based on this, offer public transport costs for employees to work and home. It will then change to food has gone up etc.

Dangerous with the good employment laws we have here.

 

[Moto Guzzi]

I think its time for a 1st in the history of capitalism, seeing it benefitted imensely from ordinary people. Governments most start to reduce expenditure and taxes levies, then banks must satrt reducing interest on loans, then largest bussinesses must start reducing prices, then salaries reduced to acceptable levels. The theory is the punishment is shifted to entities and not ordinary people, let the whole plot go down to a level where everybody can breath freely again, make profit on volumes, let the profits and taxes not be extortions.Its afterall just a relativity game which let few groups benifit unfairly on the starcase uptakes.

 

[XPD]

You mentioned that loans are part of your benefit structure. Be careful you do not fall foul of the NCA.

 

[diapason]

And also make sure that the loans are correctly handled in terms of tax. Even if these workers don't earn enough to pay tax, being interest-free there are tax implications which will need to be correctly reflected on their tax certificates.