Finding staff is one thing, keeping them is another. To do this you need to have a people management program that covers things like having clear job descriptions, performance reviews, communicating skills, ongoing training and a good wage package.
The MTA has an online Employment Relations Information System (ERIS) which is subscription based (these fees are very small and based on the number of employees, contact MTA for more information or visit www.eris.com.au) which can assist you greatly in this area. ERIS includes pro-forma documents, checklists, policy builders, storage registers and report generators and makes looking after your staff and keeping records extremely simple. Not only are businesses required by legislation to look after staff in a number of areas, but by doing so you are making sure your staff feel secure in their employment and enjoy working in your business. If your staff are happy they are more likely to work harder and stay at your company longer.
It is worth attending courses on these subjects as the skills leant will help you to manage your staff better and keep them. The MTA offers a number of short courses (MTA Members receive discounted rates), such as Customer Service, Team Building with DISC Profiling, Leadership and Management Workshop, Termination and Performance Management and much more (visit training.mtansw.com.au for more information).
Good working conditions, facilities and equipment are necessary as well, not only from the view of the tradesperson but also from the view of your customers. A tidy and well organised workshop sends a message that you do good work and are efficient. Once again, this is not only to help staff stay motivated and work efficiently, but also to send a positive message to your customers.
Toolbox meetings should be held regularly. At these meetings, OH&S issues can be raised and you have the opportunity to discuss the happenings of the previous month. The purpose of this meeting is to communicate to the staff, but also to hear what they have to say. Staff often have great ideas about ways to streamline work practices or add value to customers. Make sure your staff are heard at this meeting and that they feel that they can make suggestions to improve the workplace. The toolbox meeting should not be a lecture from management, rather it should be a managed group discussion on relevant work issues. By listening to staff input, not only will you be able to hear and implement great ideas, but your staff will feel like part of the team and feel more valued. Toolbox meetings are also a great place to recognise staff achievements and to thank them for their work.
The next thing to look at is wages. Wages take up a large proportion of our overhead and working out what to pay can be daunting. To get some idea of the minimum that is required, look at some of the overhead costs that your staff face:
CAPRICORN The Capricorn Society is the largest independent automotive parts buying co-operative in Australia.» read more
Pro-Visual Publishing Pro-Visual Publishing produce and distribute Information Resource Charts for various industry bodies throughout Australia and internationally.» read more
Motor Websites Motorwebsites is a web design business that specializes in creating & implementing small to medium sized websites for all types of businesses and purposes though we mostly specialize in the automotive trade and are based in Sydney.» read more
login to the members
area of the MTA Website.
Login details can be seen on the top left of your membership renewal payment advice form beneath our MTA logo, or on your Membership Certificate.
Username - first seven letters of your Trading Name including any spaces or commas as a character i.e. M & T MOTORS entered as M & T M (7 characters including spaces)
Password - is your MTA seven digit membership number as it appears on your membership renewal subscription form or certificate including commas.
i.e. 8,000,001
Every business in the Motor
Industry Benefits from Membership
The MTA provides its members with a large variety of benefits that can reduce business expenses as well as assisting businesses in operating more profitably.
The benefits of membership are many and varied and membership fees are 100% tax deductible. www.mtansw.com.au
