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Introduction

The idea of starting a business could sound very exciting, but it’s not always very easy especially if you don’t have the initial capital to keep you going. As the new kid on the block it is easy to think the world is your oyster and to dream of customers lining up to buy from you because you’re so good at what you do, but many times it takes months to get the first client and even about a couple of years to break even.

But you’re tough and resilient and you will get to the finish line. However, the business needs money to run and money is not coming into the business. If anything, money seems to be finding every possible way of going out of the business. You begin to worry inwardly.  You’re having a cash flow problem.

This is very common problem among many new businesses. Established businesses cannot survive without cash. Several of the companies I worked for during my 25 year career as a management accountant experienced a cash flow problem. But there are ways to get around this problem.

Assuming you already have a comprehensive business plan and you’ve set a realistic goal for your business, and also assuming you know the legal structure of your business, let’s look at how you can secure funding for your startup and remove the cash flow problem.

The Lean Start Up

The reality for many business start-ups is that the owners will have to put capital into the business from the outset. In stark terms that means dipping into your personal savings or putting your redundancy payment into the business. Because you are the new kid on the block, with no trading history, the banks will be loath to lend you money.

What steps can you take to make the best possible use of your investment?

Review Personal Expenditure

It is highly unlikely that you will be in a position to pay yourself a salary in year 1. While you are building your business, you will need to keep discretionary personal expenditure to the bare minimum.

That means reviewing all your subscriptions for newspapers, magazines, sports clubs etc. It also means foregoing a foreign holiday for a year or two. Can you save money by reviewing your private health insurance policy? If you have a mortgage, can you save money, by re-mortgaging your home?

Hiring Staff 

If you are trading in the services sector, you may require staff. There are benefits to employing your own staff, but for a start-up there are also disadvantages. You are committing yourself to paying either a weekly wage or a monthly salary, in addition to employers PRSI. You will have to deduct income tax and PRSI from employees’ wages and pay it over to the Revenue Commissioners, under the PAYE Modernisation Scheme.

During your first couple of years in business you are going to experience fluctuations in demand. An alternative to hiring your own staff, is to use agency staff. Recruitment agencies such as Adecco, CPL, Eden Recruitment, and Jobs.ie all supply agency staff to a wide range of sectors.

Phone Costs (Landline & Mobile)

When you are working from home it is tempting to think you will need a landline and a mobile phone. In my view, this is an area where you can save money.

Firstly, consider moving your mobile phone from a personal account to a business account. You get more services for your money with a business account. Secondly, Vodafone business accounts include the use of a virtual office number, which alleviates the need for a separate landline account. Check out the range of plans available to you from Vodafone and Three Ireland.

Accountancy Fees

If you are setting up a limited company, it pays to shop around for an accountant. You will need an accountant to prepare annual accounts for return to the Companies Registration Office, and corporation/income tax returns to the Revenue Commissioners.

Many accountants in practice also offer payroll services to clients. Be clear in your own mind what services you require of your accountant, and how much it will cost. As your business grows, you may need the services of your accountant when applying for a business loan, or asset finance. Take the time to find the right accountant for you and your business.

One way of saving money on accountancy fees is to prepare your accounts to trial balance. Your accountant can then concentrate on completing the regulatory work for you.

Cloud accounting packages such as Xero, Surf Accounts, Sage, and the Big Red Cloud are relatively inexpensive to use. Unless you have a complex business model where you need to use multi-currency or stock control you will get good use out of the more basic packages on offer.

Conclusion

The first 12 – 24 months in business can be daunting. It takes time, effort, and resilience to build a successful business.

As a business owner, you have got to be prepared to put capital into a start-up business, if you want to realise your dreams of financial independence and a comfortable lifestyle.

If you minimise discretionary expenditure and keep a proactive eye on your business costs you will be able to make the best use of the capital sum you have invested in your business. You also need to develop a mindset of getting good at saying no to people. Be prepared to bargain with people.

It is important to remain positive. Put your energy and focus into building your marketing and networking activities. Then you will ultimately build your sales pipeline and customer base.

I wish you every success.

Ireland, like many countries around the world, is full of micro, small and medium businesses. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) there are a quarter of a million active Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland and the latest results from the CSO 2015 Business Demography showed almost a million people in the employment of SMEs.

Often times an employee would decide to start their own business. The idea of owning a business or being your own boss is somewhat exhilarating for many, especially if that industry is booming, but running a business comes with a lot of challenges which could frustrate your career if you don’t get the right support. You might avoid those pitfalls by seeking help from people with business experience.

I have had the honour of working with some local businesses in setting up and in supporting them as they grow. If you desire to start your own business, you must know the legal structure of your business as this would reflect in your business plan. I have provided the three main business legal structures below.

Sole Trader

Many people opt for the sole trader option for sake of simplicity. You need to register as self-employed with the Revenue Commissioners. There is no obligation on you to prepare and file financial statements. If you wish you can register a business name with the Companies Registration Office.

The downside to trading as a sole trader is that you are personally liable for the debts of the business. Your personal assets such as your home and savings can be endangered. The profits of the business are treated as your income. Be aware that the Republic of Ireland has a progressive income tax regime.

Partnership

A partnership is where two or more people set up a business with a goal of making a profit. The benefit of a partnership is that people can be invited to invest in a business if their skills complement those of the existing partners.

There are two types of business partnerships.

General Partnership

A general partnership can be set up by 2 or more individuals or companies. In the vast majority of cases the number of partners is limited to a maximum of 20. A general partnership can be a partners’ surname. Alternatively, the partners may decide to register a business name with the Companies Registration Office.

In a general partnership all the partners are personally liable to cover any business losses incurred.

A general partnership is required to register for tax purposes with the Revenue Commissioners. This includes income tax, VAT, and PAYE/PRSI. The business partners will each pay income tax on the income they earn from the partnership.

For more information on general partnership, please click here.

Limited Partnership

There are several important differences between a general partnership and a limited partnership.

With a limited partnership, one of the partners is a general partner who has unlimited liability should the business incur losses. The liability of the other partners is limited to the amount of capital they invest in the business.

Limited partnerships must be registered with the Companies Registration Office.

Limited Company

There are benefits to setting up a limited company when launching a new business. Firstly, it gives you more credibility if you want to trade with medium or large sized businesses. Secondly, the company will pay corporation tax at 12.5% on the taxable profits of the business. Thirdly, the personal assets of the business owner(s) are protected, should the company incur losses.

You must complete the registration process to set up a company via the Companies Registration Office portal.

Things to be aware of if you choose to incorporate a limited company.

Firstly, the process is more complex to complete compared to a general partnership or sole trader. If there is a single director in the company, you need to appoint an external company secretary.

Secondly, you need to file annual accounts with the Companies Registration Office.

Thirdly, there are fines and penalties if you file returns late with the Revenue Commissioners and the Companies Registration Office.

Finally, there are provisions in the 2014 Companies Act, which can make the officers personally liable for the debts of the company if there is an attempt to defraud creditors or trade in a reckless manner.

Note that a limited company must be registered with the Revenue Commissioners, who will issue a Tax Reference Number.

Conclusion

Deciding which legal structure best fits your proposed business model, is one of many decisions any entrepreneur will make in the course of preparing a business plan. It is important to understand the pros and cons of each business type.

That said, there are other areas of a business plan that deserve more time and attention, particularly market research, cashflow planning, and preparing a marketing plan. Read my blog on the key areas a business plan.

I would encourage you to remain focused on and passionate about implementing a credible and well-researched business plan. You will take a giant step forward in creating the life you want for yourself. I wish you every success.

I was recently introduced to a young talented web designer / developer during my research into how rapidly people are moving their businesses online as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. James has been the bright kid who had contributed hugely to the success of the agency for which he had worked for years but, due to the high demands in websites, he has decided to start his own business.  The problem is, James is a tech guru but hardly a business expert. He soon learns his shortcomings very quickly when he tried to apply for government grants available to startups. 

James needs a business plan. Yes, he knows his trade inside out and he even has some clients who have paid upfront, but when you seek outside funding either from a bank, an investor or through the government, you need to articulate your business properly on paper in order to convince the person from whom you seek financial assistance. This is a skill that James lacks. This is a skill that most talented people lack, and I will try and explain to you what you need in a business plan.  

The Business Idea

A solid business idea is the foundation for any business plan. You must be very clear about what you’re proposing to bring to the market. How will it bring value to your customers? What makes you different from the competition? In other words, what makes you so special about this offering or why should anybody care about it? 

Business & Personal Objectives

What are the business and personal objectives behind your proposed startup? Is it for a better living standard? Is it to work from home in order to spend more time with family? Is it to be financially independent? Or is it just to be your own boss?  

In today’s fast economy, you often hear someone start a business, scale it up, sell it, make a ton of money and start another business – these are serial entrepreneurs. You also hear of people starting a business just so they could travel the world. People have different reasons for going into business and no one will judge you for that, but you must know what your objectives are.

Market Research

To have a fantastic business idea without conducting a market research would be naive. A primary market research will help you identify the scale of your business idea in monetary terms. Who are your potential customers? Where are they located? What their demographics and psychographics?  What would they pay for your products? Who are your competitors? How do you intend to bring your products to your customers?

Cashflow

Many businesses fail today, not because they are not profitable, but because they lack cashflow. Cashflow is the lifeline of your business. How much capital do you need in order to start it and to run it? What are your fixed and variable costs? 

What are your personal costs like mortgage or rent, car, hospitality, food, medical expenses etc. It may take 2 – 3 months to get your first customer, hence the importance of cashflow. If you don’t have access to funds and there’s a shortfall, you might run into serious trouble and this might threaten the life of your business.

Marketing Plan 

Many talented people have gone into business with the hope that their talents will attract customers to them. This might work for some people who already have a high demand for their products even before such products are ready, but, even with that, you still need to create awareness for your products if you want to reach beyond your immediate family and friends. The most talented people are not usually the most successful in business, but the most marketed people almost always win, and these are the ones that end up hiring the most talented as they grow.   

There are many marketing tools out there, but my advice is to find someone who is good at marketing to help you with your marketing plan. You will find life much easier in the long run.

Conclusion

A well-researched and credible business plan is important for any startup. Your local enterprise office will provide you with a business plan template, and a range of training programs that could help you. There’s a caveat: a business plan is what it is – a plan. In real world, things don’t often go exactly as planned, but having a business plan will always remind you why you came into this business in the first place and help you to stay focused. 

Owning a business could give you some freedom, but it often comes with a huge price. You may have forget about those regular holidays for the first few years; you may not earn an income for the foreseeable future; you may even lose some close friends as your goals have changed and time is now a currency you cannot afford to waste on things that don’t contribute to your business. 

The light at the end of the tunnel is, if you are focused and passionate and become successful in your business, your rewards will go beyond holidays, regular income, quality friendship and a life of independence. You would have created the life you wanted for yourself and nothing can be more rewarding than that.

The Phone Call:

You have a superlative CV and LinkedIn profile. You are busy applying for work through recruitment agencies, Indeed, and Jobs.ie.

On Tuesday afternoon, a recruitment agent phones you to say, “XYZ plc would like to interview you for the role of purchasing manager. Are you available to meet with Mr. Smith production director, and Ms. Jones HR manager at 2pm on Thursday afternoon?” You reply, “Yes I am available.”

The recruitment agent follows up with a confirmation email.

You have approximately 48 hours to prepare for the interview. How should you prepare?

Preparing for Your Interview:

It is vital that you approach interview preparation with a positive mindset. See yourself as the best candidate for the job. Anticipate the type of questions you will be asked at the interview. Many companies use competency based or behavioural based interviewing techniques to determine if you have the core skills they are looking for. Know your preferred style of working, and your key strengths and skills.

Take time to research XYZ plc online. Who are their main competitors? What differentiates XYZ plc from the competition? What are their core products or services? What is their annual turnover?

If there are any gaps on your CV anticipate a question, and have your answer prepared beforehand.

The Interview:

It’s Thursday afternoon. Make sure to arrive at XYZ plc ahead of time. When you are called for your interview, create a positive first impression. Smile and shake hands firmly with your interviewer.

Be aware of your body language and tone of voice. If you are an extrovert, ensure you control your energy level. You don’t want to appear as overpowering. If you are an introvert, you may need to increase your energy level. You don’t want to give the impression of being too timid.

When an interviewer asks you a question, pause before you speak. You will give the interviewer a favourable impression of you, because you are seen to think before you speak. Don’t pause too long though. The interviewer will get the impression you are searching for answers to their question and you have not prepared adequately.

The interviewer may ask you some open ended questions like “Tell me all about yourself in 2 minutes” to get you to relax and engage in a conversation. Use the 2 minutes to the fullest extent to describe yourself as a professional person, your achievements, and career goals.

The interviewer will then move on to more structured competency based questions. When answering these questions, use the STAR technique. Outline the situation you were involved in. Describe the task you were asked to complete. Outline what actions you took to complete the task. Finally explain the results of your actions.

If you are being interviewed by a panel of people, what should you do? Make initial eye contact with the person who asked you the question. Then scan from one face to the next, remembering to pause briefly and include the other panel members. Then return your attention to the person who asked the question to conclude your answer.

Concluding the Interview:

Competency based interviews usually last for one hour. It is normal for interviewers to say, “Have you any questions you would like to ask”?

This is an opportune time to show you have done research on XYZ plc. Ask strategic questions about XYZ plc and the business sector they compete in. This proves you are capable of analysing information and asking key questions.

When the interview has concluded smile and shake hands firmly with each member of the interview panel.

Second Round Interviews:

Many companies use competency based interviews to select a small number of candidates for a second round interview with senior management. Second round interviews can be more “full on”, to see how you cope under pressure, and if you can think on your feet.

The person with responsibility for deciding who gets appointed as purchasing manager of XYZ plc, may place a greater emphasis on interpersonal skills compared to technical ability. Therefore, it is vital that you create a positive first impression and connect with the interviewer.

Conclusion:

Without doubt, the jobs market is going to tighten post the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers will soon be able to draw from a larger pool of well qualified candidates for key roles. If you would like to prepare well for a job interview, please call me. I will be happy to guide you based on my own experience. I look forward to hearing from you.

The Jobs Market:

At the beginning of 2020, economic and political commentators said that the economy of the Republic of Ireland was at or close to full employment.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic sent shock waves through the world economy. 12% of the workforce in Ireland is forecasted to be unemployed by the end of 2020. The jobs market is set to become an employers’ market.

If you are between jobs, or you are a salaried person looking for a better job, you will need a curriculum vitae. Start with a clean slate. Create a CV that is worthy of your achievements and skillset. Aim to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Name & Contact Details:

I recommend you include the following personal details on your CV:

• Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email Address

There is no requirement to provide personal information such as your date of birth, marital status, or nationality on your CV.

Summary Profile:

Customise the summary profile section of your CV to highlight key skills and personal attributes that are pertinent to the job you are applying for. Your profile statement needs to describe you as a professional person. It needs to be punchy and succinct. Describe the type of work environment you thrive in. Ensure your key skills are in alignment with your achievements.

Employment History:

Outline your employment history in reverse chronological order. Starting with your current or most recent job, use active verbs and bullet points when describing your main achievements.

State your employers name, job title, and start & end dates.

If you are an experienced professional person who is considering applying for a senior management role, you will need to demonstrate a track record of achievement, and increased responsibility. Your people skills will be crucial to a successful job application. Highlight these skills in your achievements.

Education:

The information you provide in the education section will depend on your professional experience. If you are a chartered engineer of many years standing with a degree in civil engineering, there is no need to mention your secondary school education. Your work experience is more pertinent.

Job applicants with less than 5 years’ work experience would benefit from providing greater detail about their education. Employers may seek to employ young people with high potential and develop them into well rounded professionals.

Voluntary Roles, Interests & Hobbies:

If you are a young professional person, include any voluntary roles or interests you may have on your CV. It gives potential employers the impression you are a sociable and responsible individual.

Other points:

Your CV should be a maximum of 2 pages in length. Tailor your CV to the specific requirements of each job you apply for. There is no need to provide the names and contact details of referees on your CV. Employers will ask you for references when they offer you a job.

Conclusion:

If you are between jobs, or you would like to move to a better job, and you need help to write a winning CV, I would be happy to give you some advice based on my own experience. We live in uncertain times. The least we can do is support one another. My contact details are on this page. Any information you share will remain confidential.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is mandatory for some employees with professional qualifications like chartered accountants, doctors, solicitors, teachers etc. I completed several CPD courses as a finance manager with a multi-national company. The CPD helps you to be more productive, further your career and improve your income, which, at my time, were all the benefits I failed to grasp. I was focusing more on developing the skills I already had and was reluctant to learn new skills. I had a wrong mindset for which I paid a high price!

Thankfully, I have my own business today where I help other professionals to achieve their career goals by showing them how to avoid the same mistakes that I made. So, let me show you three ways to develop your career with CPD.

Be Strategic in Your Thinking

Some might know their weakness and choose to ignore them, while others might need someone to point it to them, which is why your annual performance appraisal is very important, because the report will help you to identify your areas of strength and weakness.

By aligning your CPD to the weak points in your annual review, you are filling gaps in your knowledge and skills to become more productive and efficient. Not only does this make you a candidate for promotion, but it makes you more employable to outside offers. Make no mistake of thinking you will be promoted or get a better job without proofs that you have grown in your current job.

Find New Courses

If your goal is to climb the organisational ladder to the top, then your soft skills development is key. Have a chat with your line manager or the HR department before committing to a study a course. They are there to help you by pointing you in the right direction. Besides, being ambitious is great!

I am not saying this would automatically lead to a job promotion, but if you embrace a growth mindset and learn to embrace change, you will gain the confidence and credibility to stand out from the crowd and be ready for great opportunities. Life is all about growth!

Take Voluntary Roles

There are benefits in taking voluntary roles at your current job. It is a great way of developing your leadership skills. It will also make your resume look more robust. Ask your line manager and the HR for opportunities to take voluntary roles. Take challenges and do not wait to be asked. Prove to them that you are ready!

When your CPD course is over, ensure you apply what you learned to your job. Keep your manager in the loop. All going well, what your manager perceived as a weakness in you, they will now regard as a strength.

I wish you good luck in your choice of CPD courses.

Introduction

There was this year at my former job when I had yet another annual performance review with my line manager. In the past he had pointed out some areas where I could improve, but I just ignored him.

Why? Because I had held on to an unhappy experience on a work-related incidence many years back which was never resolved and had made it hard for me to take on new challenges. Thus, I become less motivated at a job to which I had devoted my whole life. It therefore came as no surprise when I was made compulsorily redundant.

This may sound like you, the reader, but I want to assure you that performance reviews are actually good in that they help you to identify your areas of strengths and weaknesses and to set goals for your future performances. In order to ensure you get the best from of your annual appraisal, here are some of what you can do before, during and after your review:

Prepare well in advance

Familiarise himself with the criteria against which your performance will be judged. You need to think about issues raised during your last review as they would surely come up again. Then with confidence and a positive mindset, approach your manager armed with evidence to prove that you have resolved any issues raised since your last review.

Listen during the process

You’ve had a good night sleep, woken early and arrived well in advance before the review started. This tells your manager that you respect their time and it would also make you feel less agitated.

During the review, let your manager do most of the talking. Only talk when you are asked. But do ask them before the review starts if it is okay for you to take notes. Don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat any point that is not very clear to you, restrain yourself from getting upset or emotional and never argue with your manager!

After you’ve listened and taken all on board, ask your manager if they have any suggestions to help you resolve the new weak areas they have mentioned. This way you have demonstrated that you are willing to learn new skills and to take on new challenges. You’re also saying you trust this review is in your best interest.

Be grateful afterwards

When the review is over, thank your manager for acknowledging the areas you have improved since the last the last time which would not have been possible without their help and support. Also reassure them that all the new issues raised today would be dealt with before your next appraisal.  This time, it is your manager who would taking your remarks on board.

Managers are humans and they are not out to take anybody’s jobs. With the right attitude of mind, you should be able to keep your job.

I wish you every success in your next performance review!

Introduction

On Friday April 10^th, the government of Ireland announced an extension of current COVID-19 restrictions to Tuesday May 5^th, 2020.

The Government has put in place a number of support measures under the auspices of the Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection. These measures are designed to ease the burden on the many businesses and households that are impacted by the spread of coronavirus.

I will look at a number of scenarios that are pertinent to employers, employees, and the self-employed.

COVID-19 Information for Employers and Employees

Employers

Scenario 1

Output in my business has dropped by at least 25% as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. I want to keep my employees on the company payroll. What support mechanism is in place?

Employers who can prove they have lost at least 25% of their trade due to the coronavirus pandemic are eligible to apply for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme. Employers can apply for this scheme via Revenue.ie. Employers will be refunded up to 70% for each employee. The maximum refund is capped at €410 per employee per week.

Scenario 2

Due to a fall in demand I have been forced to reduce the hours my employees normally work. What can my employees do? They can apply for Short Time Work Support. You can apply via MyWelfare.ie

Scenario 3

My business is deemed to be a provider of critical services. I need to recruit qualified and experienced staff urgently to keep supply chains open. I normally recruit new employees via recruitment agencies. What arrangements are in place at present? If your company is deemed to be providing critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can apply for recruitment support via the Jobs Ireland portal.

Scenario 4

My business is located close to the border with Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, I have made all my staff unemployed for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of my employees live in Northern Ireland. The remainder live in the Republic of Ireland. What can my employees do?

Those employees who live in Northern Ireland should apply for Universal Credit. Those employees who live in the Republic of Ireland are entitled to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Payment via MyWelfare.ie

Employees

Scenario 1

My employer has made me redundant for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. What am I entitled to claim for? You are entitled to claim for Pandemic Unemployment Payment. You can apply online via MyWelfare.ie

Scenario 2

I am self-employed and I pay myself through the business payroll. What benefits I am entitled to? You can apply for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme via Revenue.ie

Scenario 3

I am self-employed but I don’t pay myself through the business payroll. What benefits am I entitled to apply for? You are entitled to apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment via MyWelfare.ie

Scenario 4

I am self-employed. My business has collapsed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. I am available for full time work if offered to me. Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to either Jobseekers Benefit for the Self-Employed or Jobseekers Allowance. You will need to apply for both Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit via your local Intreo office.

Scenario 5

I am an employee who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 by a doctor. I am absent from work and confined to my home or a medical facility. You are entitled to claim for Illness Benefit for COVID-19 absences. This benefit is also available to self-employed people diagnosed with coronavirus. You will need medical certification from your doctor or the HSE to support your claim. You can apply online via MyWelfare.ie

Scenario 6

I am an employee who has been told to self-isolate by a doctor or the HSE, because I have been identified as a possible source of infection. I am absent from work and confined to my home or a medical facility. You are entitled to claim for Illness Benefit for COVID-19 absences. This benefit is also available to self-employed people who have been told to self-isolate. You will need to support your claim with medical certification from your doctor or the HSE. You can apply via MyWelfare.ie

Scenario 7

My employer is based in Northern Ireland. I live in the Republic of Ireland. I have been made unemployed for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. What benefits am I entitled to claim for? You are entitled to claim for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment via MyWelfare.ie

Conclusion

If you are an employer or employee who has been impacted by COVID-19 and you need more clarity on the issues raised above, I will be happy to give you some advice based on my own experience. These are uncertain times and the least we could do is support one another. My contact details are on this page. Any information you share will remain strictly confidential.

Introduction

Many years ago, while working for a cable manufacturing company in the UK, I was among the 20 staff selected to attend a management development course. I found the course tough going as I struggled with some of the role playing exercises. I wasn’t particularly fond of my course tutor. I was clearly out of my comfort zone! I became an apprehensive and stressed individual. I didn’t know who to turn to or how to ask for help.

The experience I have outlined is an example of disconnect between an employee and their employer. Unfortunately, this happens all too often. Let us turn our attention to discussing potential solutions.

Potential Solutions

(1) The Employee Resigns

One option available to an employee when faced with the above issue is to resign. By resigning the employee is running away from the issue. The same issue could arise with another employer. They are also foregoing the opportunity to learn valuable skills, and to gain promotion further down the line. I would not recommend this course of action.

(2) The Employer Terminates the Employees Employment

An employer can terminate an employee’s employment by way of dismissal or redundancy.

To dismiss an employee, the employer must prove fair grounds for dismissal. The employer will need to take the employee through a formal procedure. If an employee has worked for 13 or more weeks, they are entitled to a statutory minimum period of notice. For more information on dismissal click here.

To qualify for redundancy payment an employee must be over 16 years of age and paying class A PRSI. The employee needs to be in continuous employment with the employer for a minimum of 104 weeks. Their job must cease to exist. For more information on redundancy click here.

Note. Employers must act reasonably when dismissing an employee in a redundancy situation. The employer must consult with the person in question beforehand and consider possible alternatives. If an employer makes a reasonable offer of alternative work, and the employee refuses it, they could lose their entitlement to a redundancy payment.

Dismissal or redundancy should be a last resort in situations where there is disconnect between an employee and their employer.

(3) The Employee and Employer Collaborate to Find a Solution

This solution will take time and effort. It will also require patience on the part of both the employee and employer.

The employee should take the following steps before approaching their manager. Firstly, the employee needs to be clear in their in own mind what issues they have. They need to rise above the situation and take ego out of the equation.

Secondly, the employee needs to practice what they are going to say. Avoid getting over emotional, or sugar coating the issue.

Thirdly, the employee needs to consider how they are going to approach their manager. If the manager in question is a dominant personality, consider approaching them through a trusted intermediary.

If you are confident enough to approach your manager yourself, clearly state why you want to talk to them. Give them options in terms of meeting dates & times. Be reassuring. Let them know you are aware of an ongoing issue, and that you are willing to collaborate to achieve a win-win solution.

As a manager, what role should you have in overcoming a disconnect with one of your employees? Aside from having an open door, encourage the employee to bring potential solutions to the table or have one ready yourself. Listen to what the employee is saying. Consider giving some ground in negotiations to win the employee’s trust.

If the employee and manager are genuine in their attempts to achieve a collaborative solution, both parties should be prepared to give a little ground.

Conclusion

If you are an employee or employer who is struggling to embrace a constructive challenge, I can empathise with you. If you would like to talk to me, please contact me. My contact details are on this page. Any personal information you share will remain strictly confidential.