This article here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-17/job-quality-work-research-ageing/3676516 shows why we undertook our staff sanity plan and why we re-founded Ainsworth Heritage, wanting to create a company that was ethical and ensured that those working for us were looked after and not used as serfs.
There is absolutely nothing to be gained by flogging your staff in pursuit of the almighty $, because as the report and study show, you get more by pushing less. However, from what we hear about the industry from contacts, many companies in our line of work are rushing to grab as much of the mining boom as possible.
This is all good and well for the owners of such businesses, who see the profit at the end of the day, but the staff who have to work such hideous hours are left burnt out and often not much better paid than they would have been in a less demanding job. Trust us on that last one, as we pay as well as the sweat shops but don’t try and crush our staff.
Additionally, the mining industry is not noted for its positive attitute to heritage and those undertaking this highly paid work will need to examine their motives and concious if they ever want to have credibility in the industry in future.
So what is the moral? Don’t over work the staff, limit them to a 40 hour week MAXIMUM, don’t let them take work home and if they are in the field for a week straight, give them some recovery time. Also, Directors and Managers, PLAN YOUR WORK BETTER and hire more people, it’s your fault that there is too much work that is all falling behind, not your overworkd staffs’ fault! Give clients realistic time frames and stand up to them when they want you to rush. Put your staffs’ needs in front of your own and you will find that you get a hell of allot more out of them than you otherwise would by flogging them.
