There used to be a stigma attached to those who hop from job to job, raising their salaries and expectations along with their restless move from organisation to organisation. Considered flighty and a risk to the company, job hoppers were perceived as less reliable than those who set down roots and reputation.
 
However, the millennial generation sees job hopping as leaping towards new opportunities, and research is showing that they aren’t “flaky escapees”, but stronger recruits because of this trend. Still, whether flaky and fanciable or building a serious career trajectory, job hoppers of any age should keep their financial future and security top of mind.
 
“Job hopping can be a double-edged sword and it is important to consider factors such as UIF, savings and pension as you move,” advises Arlene Leggat, Director, South African Payroll Association.
 
UIF stands for the Unemployment Insurance Fund and it is an emergency savings account designed to support individuals when they are between jobs and battling to find work. If job hoppers tap into these funds while they look for the next big thing, then they are running the risk of not having a safety net in times of real hardship.
 
“UIF works on a credit basis,” adds Leggat. “The more you contribute, the more credits you build. If you are unemployed you can claim those credits, but ideally you should save them for a real emergency.”
 
A professional stance
It is also worth remembering that many organisations still work on a ‘last in, first out’ policy when times are tough and retrenchments are in the pipeline. Job hoppers are more likely to be in the firing line and their short time at the company will mean a small severance pay and financial risk.
 
“Another consideration is your pension,” says Leggat. “If you take out one third of your pension every time you leave a job, that’s money you are lopping off your retirement package. Many of the younger generation of job hoppers don’t think about this and it is important. Keep that that money sitting there and growing until you hit retirement age rather than spending it on a new car when you change jobs.”
 
To ensure your pension remains stable, never take the funds out when moving company unless you absolutely must. Then open a preservation fund that can move with you – transfer your pension from one company policy to the next, but use the interest gained in the preservation fund to bolster it.
 
Leggat also advises that you have at least six months of salary put aside before job hopping. If you are retrenched with one week’s salary, you will then have something substantial to support you. She also recommends putting a percentage of your salary into a savings fund each month.
 
“It doesn’t have to be a massive amount, around 7-10% of your gross income,” she concludes. “You then have a nest egg to keep you going when times get tough. Rather follow this strategy than tap into your pension or UIF as those funds are vital for your long-term financial security.”
 
ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, [email protected], www.atthatpoint.co.za  
 
For more information on SAPA please visit:
Website: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/
Twitter: @SAPayroll
LinkedIn: The South African Payroll Association

The year is off to a brisk start, with many people feeling refreshed after the holidays and promising themselves that they will maintain a better work-life balance in the new year. But is it really possible in this day and age?
 
Cathie Webb, director at the South African Payroll Association (SAPA), says people talk about work-life balance as if one can interchange the one with the other without any issue. “I do not think that is as achievable as we would like it to be.”
 
Understand your purpose
People have to take responsibilities for their roles in a business, and they should understand that they are employed for a purpose. People also need to know where they fit in to the organisation that they work for, and why they are important for the business.
 
“In many instances people understand what their jobs are, but they don’t understand why it is integral to the success of the business,” says Webb. There are very few businesses who have “reserves” to fill in the gaps when people are not available, or when they are not doing what they are supposed to do.
 
The South African reality
Many South Africans have to commute extraordinary distances between their home and workplaces, especially when dependent on public transport. Increased traffic and deteriorating roads mean that an eight to five job may take many more hours out of one’s day than the time actually at work.
 
People who tend to have a more balanced work and private life are those who generally work in isolation and who do not have to keep regular office hours. Even if a company allows for more flexibility – where people can start earlier and finish earlier or the other way around – there is an added level of complexity as soon as the job is “customer facing” or the employee is part of a team.
 
Webb stresses the importance of honest and open communication at work and at home. “It is important for employees to be honest about challenges they may be facing at home. They must be equally honest at home about challenges they are facing at work.”
 
Signs of imbalance
Webb says people start working longer hours to get tasks done, or they tend to come in a bit later than they should in the mornings. Managers who have smaller teams will be able to pick up on signs that the balance between work and private life is affected. “Make time to meet with your team regularly. It does not have to be a lengthy meeting with everyone weekly, but you need to meet often enough to understand what is happening in their lives.”
 
Webb says if someone has issues at home which affect performance at work, one should try to find workable solutions for the company and the employee who is trying to keep all the balls in the air.  For example, time given off formally to deal with a specific issue, rather than “stolen” hours having to be taken randomly through a work day, may mean much to an employee under pressure.
 
Statistics provided by the South African Revenue Service and National Treasury indicate that 2,744 taxpayers worked over-time in 2013 compared to 656 in 2016. The income from overtime dropped from a combined R33m to R14m during the same time.
 
There is no underlying information to these stats, and the reduction may be due to the economic requirement for businesses to reduce overtime spend.  But, Webb says, it may signify an increased awareness on the part of employers that people need “me time” too, even in a pressurised economy.
 
Stock responses
When people are asked how they are, most tend to give the “stock response” of Fine, Hectic or Does not help to complain. Many of these responses become a habit. People should learn to check their habitual response to this question, and ask themselves why they use them.  Managers equally have to pay attention to why people respond the way they do.  If someone is always genuinely hectic, there is something wrong, somewhere.
 
“We are responsible for the way we think about ourselves. We can make ourselves feel more positive about ourselves and our day, as well as making others feel more optimistic.”
 
The key
Webb says the balance comes from being “fully present” when you are at work. People have to be committed to the tasks they need to fulfil. “You need to find a way to switch-off when you are on your way home so that you can also be fully present at home.”
 
She says the importance of spending time with the family over dinner (not in front of the television) should never be underestimated. If you need to put in extra time at home, at least spent time during dinner to catch up on the day.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, [email protected], www.atthatpoint.co.za  
 
For more information on SAPA please visit:
Website: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/
Twitter: @SAPayroll
LinkedIn: The South African Payroll Associatio

In November last year, the Labour Law Amendment Act, 2015 was passed by Parliament. While the media has mostly focused on the right to longer leave for new fathers, the provisions cover a broader spectrum of concerns.
 
“It’s not just good news for fathers-to-be,” says Cathie Webb, Director at the South African Payroll Association (SAPA). “It’s also a breakthrough for same-sex couples, especially men, who were never legally entitled to the time needed to introduce a child into their family and bond with it.” In the past, fathers were only given 3 days family responsibility leave, paid by their employer.

Parental, adoption and commissioning parental leave
The new law allows an employee who is the parent of a child to take at least 10 consecutive days of parental leave, which commences on the day the child is born or adoption is granted. If an adopted child is below the age of 2, an employee is entitled to at least 10 consecutive weeks of adoption leave, which starts on the day the adoption order is granted. For a surrogate motherhood agreement, a commissioning parent is also allowed at least 10 consecutive weeks of leave, which begins on the date of childbirth.
 
Only one parent may take adoption or commissioning parental leave (both 10 weeks). The other must take parental leave (10 days). However, the law is clear that which one does which is at the discretion of the parents. “In other words,” notes Webb, “employers cannot pressure an employee into nominating their spouse or partner for the longer leave period. This is a deeply personal decision, the right to which must be respected.”
 
The Act amends the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997, so that a collective agreement may not reduce an employee’s entitlement to parental, adoption or commissioning parental leave.
 
In all 3 leave scenarios, an employee must notify their employer in writing at least one month in advance of which date they intend to start leave and which date they will return to work. If that’s not possible, for example, in the case of a premature birth, they must inform their employer as soon as they can.
​
UIF benefits
Parents may now claim parental, adoption or commissioning parental benefits from the UIF. However, only one may apply for adoption or commissioning parental benefits; the other must claim parental benefits. For fathers to claim, they must be legally registered as the child’s father as per the Children’s Act, 2005. Application for benefits must be made within 6 months of the date of childbirth or adoption.

Webb says that SAPA noticed one omission. It might seem obvious that the right to adoption or commissioning parental leave and benefits would fall away for an employee with a stay-at-home spouse or partner. But the law lacks definitive language dealing with this scenario, and that could lead to confusion.
 
“Overall, SAPA believes the new legislation is much needed and will contribute to stronger family ties in South Africa,” concludes Webb.
​
ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, [email protected], www.atthatpoint.co.za 
 
For more information on SAPA please visit:
Website: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/
Twitter: @SAPayroll
LinkedIn: The South African Payroll Association