Workforce
Your workforce is one of the most vital parts of your business. Finding and keeping the right people is critical to business performance. Businesses are increasingly recognising the need to have good workforce development practices in place, especially in a tight labour market.
The importance of workforce development and planning within the food sector is particularly critical, given an identified shortage of skilled labor in SA. Numerous Government and industry bodies such as Food, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Skills Advisory Council SA Inc, Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology, Primary Industries Skills Council, Department of Trade and Economic Development and PIRSA are providing a strong emphasis on ensuring the quality of training is maintained to industry standards, to help build a more skilled and professional industry.
Firstly, it is important to determine what level of staffing you need, and how your staff will be employed – would you be better served with an ‘employee’ or ‘contractor’?
If you decide to employ, you will need to spend some time working out what sort of employee you are looking for.
Describe the job, and write down the formal qualifications, skills and attitudes a suitable candidate would bring to the job. This is called a Job and Person Specification, and it is an important tool in helping you select the right person for the job. Southaustralia.biz – Staffing Guide (PDF 590KB) includes details on writing a job description.
The SA Workforce Information Service also help you better understand the State's labour market and your industry's workforce, and connect you to information about your region, especially in relation to employment and skills.
Employers are often unsure how much to pay a new employee. It may be the role is a new one in the business, or the employer may be concerned about overpaying or underpaying relative to prevailing market rates.
Most employers understand the need to be competitive with remuneration. Paying too little makes it difficult to attract good staff, paying too much erodes profitability. You can determine an appropriate level of salary for a new staff member by:
- checking award conditions
- talking to other employers in your industry
- asking your industry association
- consulting a remuneration adviser
- checking employment advertisements for similar jobs
- asking the prospective employee about their expectations
Agreement making
Individual agreements
From 1 January 2010 there will be no legislative provisions for the making of individual agreements.
Collective agreements
On 1 July 2009 Fair Work Australia began operations as part of a new national workplace relations system underpinned by the Fair Work Act 2009.
The new system, which also involves the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work divisions of the Federal Court and Federal Magistrates Court, replaces that which operated under the Workplace Relations Act 1996.
The transition to the new system is being implemented in stages.
Need more information?
Fair Work Australia can also assist with:
- Dismissal
- Dispute resolution
- Minimal wage setting
- National employment standards
- Awards
- Taxation
How has the SA Food Centre helped others?
There are many examples of assistance offered to South Australian food businesses with staffing and training.
Articles
Filling the skills GAP
Bridging the GAP
A decadent Cocolat empire
AgriExchange beating the odds
Winners - Premier's Food Awards - Workforce Development Award
Robern Menz - 2009
B.-d. Farm Paris Creek - 2008
AgriExchange – 2007
Cocolat – 2006
Who can I contact?
Contact the SA Food Centre for assistance of further contacts to help with your workforce needs.
- Page last modified: November 15, 2011, 5:50 pm
- Welcome URL is http://www.safoodcentre.com.au/
- This page: http://www.safoodcentre.com.au/business_fundamentals/workforce
