How to Be a Fair and Competent Manager
To my mind the relationship between an employer and his staff should be based upon mutual trust and a fair "win/win" package for both parties to the deal, above all the relationship must have a stability which is both tenable and secure enough to last the tests of time and this aspect is one that under current criteria makes the UK an unstable model unless significant changes are made and made rapidly.
My personal history included man management at a senior level for British companies with as few as three employees and as many as four hundred and although the practicalities of management style vary I still believe the overall principles of the above hold good.
In essence the company wants a very productive workforce and the workers in return expect a fair financial return for the tasks involved and to work in a pleasant and safe environment.
At the beginning of my working career in 1969 the above principles almost encapsulated the entire contents of the terms of engagement, however over the years successive British governments have imposed new criteria through European and union pressures that have in fairness wheedled out many bad employers, but at the same time created a business environment that is unstable for the small to medium sized employer.
Simple areas of performance that were previously adequately handled by responsible employers included such items as: - Wage for the job, the company could pitch its payment package to reflect the companies market aspirations and abilities, that way the best employers could hand pick prime players whilst workers just wanting pin money could also find suitable employment.
However the "Minimum Wage" was enforced and at a level too high that almost at a stroke resulted in a one level payment structure for non or semi skilled workers.
- Health and Safety laws have been constantly upgraded creating a document strewn "prove what you've done" ethic, rather than a "do it safely" sensibility.
Two men to change a light bulb and one to document how it was done can't be a commercially viable reality? - A full year off for a lady to have a baby, plus guaranteed job protection and husbands paternal holiday rights.
Small companies just can't exist with bodies absent and paid for to varying degrees on a government vote chasing whim.
The list of government meddling to industries detriment has been never ending and although the underlying principle to protect the worker was not unjust a lack of understanding at Minister level of what makes a boss to worker relationship tick whilst keeping a company strong is in reality only sending workers jobs abroad.
I am pleased to close by acknowledging that the newly appointed UK government is showing early signs of at least recognising this problem and it is my fervent wish that the superb entrepreneurs, technologists and creators of Britain do not begin to be just a feature of the past.
My personal history included man management at a senior level for British companies with as few as three employees and as many as four hundred and although the practicalities of management style vary I still believe the overall principles of the above hold good.
In essence the company wants a very productive workforce and the workers in return expect a fair financial return for the tasks involved and to work in a pleasant and safe environment.
At the beginning of my working career in 1969 the above principles almost encapsulated the entire contents of the terms of engagement, however over the years successive British governments have imposed new criteria through European and union pressures that have in fairness wheedled out many bad employers, but at the same time created a business environment that is unstable for the small to medium sized employer.
Simple areas of performance that were previously adequately handled by responsible employers included such items as: - Wage for the job, the company could pitch its payment package to reflect the companies market aspirations and abilities, that way the best employers could hand pick prime players whilst workers just wanting pin money could also find suitable employment.
However the "Minimum Wage" was enforced and at a level too high that almost at a stroke resulted in a one level payment structure for non or semi skilled workers.
- Health and Safety laws have been constantly upgraded creating a document strewn "prove what you've done" ethic, rather than a "do it safely" sensibility.
Two men to change a light bulb and one to document how it was done can't be a commercially viable reality? - A full year off for a lady to have a baby, plus guaranteed job protection and husbands paternal holiday rights.
Small companies just can't exist with bodies absent and paid for to varying degrees on a government vote chasing whim.
The list of government meddling to industries detriment has been never ending and although the underlying principle to protect the worker was not unjust a lack of understanding at Minister level of what makes a boss to worker relationship tick whilst keeping a company strong is in reality only sending workers jobs abroad.
I am pleased to close by acknowledging that the newly appointed UK government is showing early signs of at least recognising this problem and it is my fervent wish that the superb entrepreneurs, technologists and creators of Britain do not begin to be just a feature of the past.
