NEWS FROM THE FRONT

Covering issues such as job stress, work related depression, new training courses and recruitment…

A warm welcome to the third edition of NEWS FROM THE FRONT. Moving with the times we have gone for a greener and more efficient approach, this time around getting away from the old school mail out and now running with an e-newsletter which we believe you will find more practical and will hopefully allow us to reach more of you.

Economics is the issue on everyone’s mind at the moment. Dealing with three different industries, Infront has had the opportunity to view the effects of what is happening from different view points. While there are definitely more people looking for jobs, we have seen that not every business is cutting back on labour requirements. This may be a shift from a full time roster to more part time labour hire, or more simply that business is not so affected for some.

With unemployment on the rise, the Training industry is certainly not suffering with many looking to increase their employability. Air and Sea Freight seems to be business as usual at the moment with the typical peaks and troughs of container arrivals carrying on as it always has. Here’s hoping our economy does not suffer in the way that many other economies already are.

Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter. Again we have tried to provide you with informative articles and as always are open to any feedback you may have so please let us know your thoughts. We understand if you don’t wish to receive future editions and if the case, please click on the unsubscribe option at the bottom of the page.

All the best for a challenging but successful year.

Roger Johnson & Marc Parché.

STAFFING SERVICES UPDATE

Recent news has reported that the overall national unemployment rate has risen to 4.8%, the highest it has been since mid 2006. It goes without saying that the global economic situation is a challenging time as employers and employees remain uncertain about the stability of their company and the uncertainty of jobs.

While these times require careful strategising and sound financial management, industries are turning more and more to Labour Hire as a sound approach to dealing with an uncertain work volume. As many cannot accurately predict the times ahead they are examining what can be done presently. Labour hire is proving to be a cost and time effective alternative for many companies who have had to make cuts to their permanent roster.

On the flipside, with unemployment on the rise, the pool of candidates now in the market for new or additional work is also increasing. With work becoming harder to find in a more competitive and shrinking job market, many people are turning to Labour Hire agencies to assist them in finding work. The end result being that agencies are also finding the recruitment process of experienced and skilled candidates a great deal easier than in the past when unemployment levels were much lower.

Infront Staffing remains ready and committed to providing our clients with the labour force they need. We are constantly recruiting a range of staff who possess experience and skills in Forklift driving, Warehouse & Logistics, Exhibition Hire, Construction, General Labouring and Administration. Please contact us with any of your labour requirements or if you wish to enquire more about the type of staff we can provide.

TRAINING SERVICES UPDATE

2009 sees Infront Training Services establishing several additional workplace training courses that are well suited to a variety of different industry types. Adding to our successful hospitality (RSA/RCG) and occupational health and safety (Green/White Card) training courses are courses that include:

Apply First Aid (Formally Senior First Aid)
Perform CPR
Accredited WorkCover Forklift Training (LO, LF)
Accredited RTA Traffic Control Training (Blue Card)

Our success to date has been largely based on the first class service that we are able to provide to all of our course participants. We believe our trainers and training facilities to be among the best within the training business and our off-site training services allow for a convenient alternative to sending your staff away from your business.

Course details including updated timetables can be viewed on our website www.infrontstaffing.com. Alternatively, you can call our office on (02) 8252 7565 to make a booking or an enquiry.

CONTAINER SERVICES UPDATE

While the global economic future is uncertain and the amount of containers shipped to Australia decreases, Infront Container Services are fortunate enough to have been selected to assist with a major building project that will involve unloading glass windows for many large scale projects throughout Australia. Our trained and professional container crews will be travelling to Brisbane, Perth and Sydney to unload these specialty containers. Each window being shipped costs in excess $5,000.00 and some glass panes are 30 feet long. These projects will last until the end of 2010 with over 8000 containers due to arrive in ports around Australia.

Our container crews are trained and ready to unload your containers now so if you have any containers due in or know of anyone that is in need of a professional, friendly container service, give Infront a call on 02 8252 7565.

Infront Container Services offers the following service

• Loading and unloading of Containers
• Palletisation of all goods
• Hand /machine shrink wrapping of pallets
• Ability to work in any climate controlled environment
• 24 hours a day 7 days a week
• Dedicated forklift driver if required
• Labelling and sorting

INFRONT EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

Important Information for Infront Staffing Candidates

Whether you are a new candidate or have been working for InFront for a long time you probably have some questions about working with us. Here are some common questions we receive. If you have any other questions or comments please call us on (02) 8252 7565 or drop an e-mail to: info@infrontstaffing.com.

Q: Do I need to take a timesheet to work?
A: Most of our clients have copies of the Infront Timesheet on hand, however we recommend that you take one with you just in case. InFront timesheets can be downloaded here.

Q: When is pay day?
A: Pay is processed weekly. The pay week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday. Pay will be in your account every Thursday morning. Where public holidays occur within a week, pay is usually brought forward to ensure you have been paid earlier or on time at the latest.

Q: Where can I find safety boots, high visibility tops and other work safety gear?
A: We sell safety boots, high vis vests and hard hats at highly competitive prices. You can also find them at a variety of personal protection equipment shops.

Q: What kind of work can I get with a Green Card (OH&S White Card)?
A: With an OH&S White Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) you can work on any building and construction site within New South Wales. It is also recognised in Queensland and Victoria so there is no need to complete the respective Blue and Red cards in those states if you have a Green Card. InFront conducts several courses throughout the week and may be able to assist in finding construction work once you have completed the course. Call our office on (02) 8252 7565 for more details.

Q: Who do I contact if I am sick or have an emergency?
A: We appreciate as much notice as possible if you need to call in sick or have an emergency. Please call our office number immediately in the event that you are not able to make it to a shift on time - (02) 8252 7565 . This number is contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please use this number outside of business hours only if the matter relates to the above. All other matters which are not urgent can be resolved within business hours.

Q: How much notice will I receive before starting a job?
A: This can vary. Sometimes we receive calls an hour before a job commences. Other times we might receive a week’s notice. If you are keen for work it is important to keep your phone switched on and near by. If you miss a call from us try to call back straight away as we may have work for you.

Job Stress & Work Related Depression

A University of Melbourne study shows that one in six workers with depression can attribute their condition to job stress. For the purpose of the study stressful working conditions were defined as strong job pressures and lack of control over how a job gets done.

The study estimates that:
- Working women experience job stress more than men.
- Those in lower skilled occupations are more likely to experience job stress.
- Risk of depression is doubled due to job stress.

The study results suggest that workplaces need to provide more in preventing mental health problems related to the workplace. Improving job control, recognising demands and providing more support from supervisors and co-workers can all make a difference. Since many people spend a large part of their day at work it is vital to find the best way to promote good health.

Workplaces are an important environment for implementing strategies that improve mental health. Work is also a good environment to introduce programs that educate employees about nutrition fitness and methods to quit smoking which all make an impact on the well being of employees.

Work Visa Information

Any company that deals with hiring staff are encouraged to check a person’s work entitlements in Australia. Consequences for hiring an illegal worker vary. If convicted, owners could face fines of up to $13,200 and/or two years in prison per illegal worker hired.

In order to treat everyone fairly, owners should check work entitlements and restrictions for every job applicant. Australian citizens have unlimited work rights; evidence of citizenship such as a passport or full birth certificate must be sighted. Other international job applicants may be able to work under certain restrictions.

Checking work entitlements can be done through internet and faxback services provided by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). DIAC’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) website is a free, 24 hour service which enables you to determine whether a job applicant has work rights in Australia. In order to use this service you can register at www.immi.gov.au/vevo. Another method is to use the Faxback Service. The Faxback form can be downloaded from www.immi.gov.au Further information and questions can be directed to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

Work/Life - Achieving a Balance

An imperative factor in attracting and retaining staff is establishing a work-life balance; even more important than salary according to research. Establishing the right work-life balance strategy can benefit businesses with increased productivity and decreased staff turnover.

Research also shows that 20-25% of Australian’s work more than 50 hours a week. Despite this figure 47% of workers rate work-life balance as very important. Having an imbalance between work and life can cause failing relationships and overall declining quality of life.

The five key aspects of work-life balance are: wellbeing, satisfaction, workload, security and relationships. Since every employee has different ideals of work-life balance the research highlights four points for bringing flexibility into an organisation:
- Hours – Offering flexible work hours can include part time, flexible start/finish times or compressed work weeks
- Leave – Even though everybody is entitled to annual leave some other options could be study leave, unpaid leave or parental leave.
- Location – If the work allows, offer flexible options such as working from home or transfer to a different work location
- Carer Assistance – There may be a time when an employee needs to undertake a carer’s role. Since this is often temporary, giving the employee a flexible option like carer’s leave their work life balance will be improved.

In order for work-life balance to be accepted there needs to be a cultural shift within the organisation. Workplaces may hold a notion that such practices will interrupt daily business activities and employees who take advantage of work-life balance strategies are not dedicated to their work.

Senior leaders in a business need to lead and promote the cause. This assures employees that they can take advantage of work-life balance initiatives without risking their career. Employers who are serious about maintaining low staff turnover rates and retaining the best staff need to recognise the need to generate work-life balance strategies.

Infront Staffing is a leader in the provision of warehousing, logistics and supply chain recruitment , contract labour hire, green card training and container pack and unpack services ; we understand in detail the nature of these key areas of your business and your need for reliable, quality staff. We also specialise in delivering Green Card / White Card Training & OH&S training courses for the construction and building industry as well as forklift training courses and traffic control courses. We provide training courses for the hospitality industry and cover RSA courses and RCG courses. Make an Online Enquiry or Contact Us today.