Employment conditions

jamesm96

Hi all,

I'm looking to build up a bit of a picture of employment conditions among other firms and I wonder if I could call on my fellow forum contributors to help me? I suspect it might be something that quite a few on here may find very interesting.

I'm interested primarily in those of you who either work in / run an accounting practice, though please feel free to contribute if you're employed in industry too. What I'm specifically interested in is:

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays)
2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed)
3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc)
4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc)
5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered
6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance.

I realise this might all be quite sensitive stuff that some might not want to talk about. If it's of interest to many then perhaps I'll have to do some sort of a Monsoon-esque anonymous survey.

For the moment, your input is very much appreciated.

PAMDILL

jamesm96 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm looking to build up a bit of a picture of employment conditions among other firms and I wonder if I could call on my fellow forum contributors to help me? I suspect it might be something that quite a few on here may find very interesting.

I'm interested primarily in those of you who either work in / run an accounting practice, though please feel free to contribute if you're employed in industry too. What I'm specifically interested in is:

WORK IN INDUSTRY

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays) - 20
2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed) - NONE
3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc) - NONE
4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc) - SSP, OR IF ONLY A DAY SICK - FULL PAY
5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered - NONE
6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance.

I realise this might all be quite sensitive stuff that some might not want to talk about. If it's of interest to many then perhaps I'll have to do some sort of a Monsoon-esque anonymous survey.

For the moment, your input is very much appreciated.

See my answers above, I have got to learn how to use this forum properly!

jamesm96

Thanks Pamdill... what a quick response! Are you employed in practice?

T.C.

All that sounds like heaven to me - I am self-employed!

jamesm96

T.C. wrote: »

All that sounds like heaven to me - I am self-employed!

But you pay less N.I!

Do you employ anyone?

Monsoon

1. Statutory entitlement
2. Yes. Staff are part time and can work when suits, I'm very flexible:)
3. Not really. Lots of tea? And sometimes breakfast from the canteen
4. SSP
5. No, but I do pay bonuses occasionally when warranted
6. You'd have to ask them! I think they appreciate the flexible working arrangement, and hopefully that I'm fairly laid back. I don't like putting any stress on anyone.

deanshepherd

In reference to the three firms I worked for before setting up my own practice:

1. 20 / 20 / 20
2. No / No / No
3. None / Bupa medical and pension matching scheme / None
4. Pay whilst sick is discretionary but every firm I have worked for has always paid in full when sick.
5. No / Management bonus based on recovery and efficiency (rarely met!) / No
6. Christmas do, summer BBQ (until softball got too competitive), that's about it!

PAMDILL

jamesm96 wrote: »

Thanks Pamdill... what a quick response! Are you employed in practice?

Industry, I thought I had marked that at the top. Sorry

jamesm96

PAMDILL wrote: »

Industry, I thought I had marked that at the top. Sorry

You did. In capital letters, in fact. Only an idiot would have failed to see it.

:huh:

Bluewednesday

I work in a small practice.

jamesm96 wrote: »

Hi all,

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays)

20

jamesm96 wrote: »

2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed)

Here's what is fab, I work 26 hours but can work from home etc during school holidays and can make time up, also get paid for the hours that I do rather than contracted hours.

jamesm96 wrote: »

3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc)

None but above makes up for everything!

jamesm96 wrote: »

4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc)

No sick pay but able to make up hours, however in 10 years I've only had 2 days off!

jamesm96 wrote: »

5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered

None

jamesm96 wrote: »

6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance.

I'm appreciated, it makes all the difference

katz568

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays) 20

2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed) Yep flexi time, plus anything we work over our normal hours we can have off as time in lou

3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc) We have a small gym in work which we all have access too.

4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc) 10days a year, any others are paid as ssp

5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered No

6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance.

Edited to add that I work in practice

Christmas night out, self assessment night out, occassional cakes, knowing we are all appreciated and a relaxed atmosphere.

Rinske

I work in industry:

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays)
23

2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed)

The company offers flexible hours in contract, but our flexible working hours are that I am allowed to work from 8 to 4 instead of 9 to half 5, but not allowed to make adjustments to these hours without further permission, furthermore I am the only one who got these hours (I don't know why, but when I started as a temp these hours were agreed and I just never changed them) and all the rest has been told to cover till 5 at least, so quite a few work from 8 till 5 instead.

Next to that we now have to cover at most two nights per week till 8 o'clock, which is called flexible hours. It means I start working at 12 and just go home at 8. It currently works out as 1 night every two weeks, but the company calls this flexible hours, but there is nothing flexible about it from an employee point of view.

We're not allowed to work from home, unless you are a senior manager/ director.
Part time working is not allowed, unless the company only requires a part timer.
We're not allowed to make up the hours and leave early on another day, unless we asked permission, which you only get for special circumstances or for doctor's visits, but even then begrudgingly.

3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc)

We've got a pension arrangement where the company matches up to 3%.
My study costs are being paid for by the company, with a payback arrangement.

4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc)

Sick pay is on the discretion of the manager, which mostly means no sick pay.

The company uses the bradford score to track sickleave and if you get a score over 64 you will most likely get a disciplinarily hearing about it.

5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered

Not for regular employees but last year we got a bonus of 250 at year end. That was the first time. Management has a bonus agreement in place and so far only once they haven't received one.

6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance.

Nope, although I do tend to bring in cakes often, but as I'm just a minion that doesn't really count. It's mainly to have at least something to look forward to during working hours, as I don't enjoy being there.

Our staff is very demotivated and our management either knows and doesn't care or is completely ignorant of any of this, but mainly they just don't seem to care and operate under the policy due to the current recession, it is cheaper to replace staff then to give them a raise.

Oooooo that sounds soooo negative now. Let's hope they don't read it, or maybe they should and realise that this is not a long term solution...

Sorry, bit longer story than I meant it to be

Rozzi Rainbow

Interesting thread! I work in a small practice - just the owner, me, and a part time colleague since the middle of last year.

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays) 20

2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed) My boss is great if I ever need time off. At first he wasn't overly bothered about me making it up either if it was only the odd hour or so, but that was back when we were much quieter. Now I tend to work through my lunch break if ever I need to leave early. In return the odd few nights we have to stay late, he knows I'm prepared to do that, it's all give and take really.

3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc) No

4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc) I've only ever had the odd one or two days off, and did get paid in full, as I'm on a salary rather than hourly paid. My bank got me to ask how long I'd be paid for if I went on long term sick (so they could try to sell me critical illness insurance!) and he said we'd cross that bridge if we came to it!

5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered No

6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance. As above, just being generally nice and making the working atmosphere nice, and knowing we are appreciated.

clegganator

1. 26+ bank holidays. (Didn't realise how good that was!)
2. Flexitime. As long as my hours total what they should for the week, I can come in and go early and stay later.
3. BUPA offered, free canteen and postage within reason.
4. Never been sick so not sure!
5. A share of commission the company receives on recommending someone to use our pension/insurance/advisor.
6. Study support and easy going atmosphere.

PGM

1. The number of days paid holiday entitlement per year (exc. bank holidays)

29 days plus the jubilee this year

2. Whether you're offered flexible working arrangements (and what you're allowed)

flexible hours, ie 8 - 4 or 9 - 5

3. Any 'perks' you receive (such as health insurance or pensions... etc)

pension, health insurance, training

4. Your company's sick-pay policy (i.e. whether you get any paid sick days... etc)

4 weeks full then 8 weeks half pay, (rolling 2 years)

5. Any bonus arrangements / performance incentives offered

no

6. Anything else that your employer does, or which you do in your own firm, which has helped your employees to feel particularly valued and improve morale and team performance.

team building days, away days etc, although I'd rather be left in my natural habitat in front of excel...