New tool for business to address compliance issues

1 July 2003

Media Release

New tool for business to address compliance issues….

A new web-based business tool to be launched today will help small-medium enterprises address compliance issues through improved best practice, said Michael Barnett, chief executive of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

The new business tool has been developed by Hughes Consulting and is being promoted to the business community by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

For many small businesses, the greatest time-cost issues centre around ensuring compliance with employment-related contracts and regulatory issues. “To not comply is a huge risk, so if the business can comply through adopting best practice this makes managing the business a lot easier,” said Mr Barnett.

On the other hand, most small medium businesses do not have an on-site human resource professional to deal with employment related issues, and instead rely on the business owner or an administrative manager who may sometimes tap advice from a recruitment consultant, lawyer or chartered accountant.

“The new service will give businesses immediate access to professional human resource information that is relevant, comprehensive and available 24 hours,” said Mr Barnett.

The service will cover information on all aspects of employment, from hiring to dismissal, and includes a wide range of questions and answers related to specific situations that can arise on a daily basis.

Chamber surveys have identified compliance costs as consistently the major impediment to growth of small businesses, noted Mr Barnett.

“What Hughes Consulting have created is a customer-friendly and responsive service that will eliminate a lot of the worry and uncertainty businesses have in respect of the cost and complexity involved in hiring staff.

“I would like to think that the service will get good usage, especially from small businesses wanting to grow but who have held back because of the perceived difficulty and costs associated with managing a bigger number of staff,” said Mr Barnett.

The service is a partnership between the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Auckland HR specialist Hughes Consulting Group and is available at www.hughes.direct.com from tomorrow. Some elements of the service will be available directly from the Chamber website www.chamber.co.nz .

ENDS

© Scoop Media