This employment solutions guru has always been in love with risk

Jennifer Da Mata, the MD of Strata-g Labour Solutions, tells Margaret Harris that policies and procedures go a long way towards giving employees clarity on what is expected of them

What do you do?

Strata-g Labour Solutions specialises in employment solutions for businesses of all sizes. We understand the frustration employers experience when it comes to compliance and dealing with staff issues. Employers often spend countless hours and resources trying to resolve staff issues rather than focusing on their own businesses.

What are the four most important things you do at work each day?

Over the past few years, I have been able to focus my attention on working on the business as opposed to in it. The future of the business is dependent on the direction in which it is steered, so I dedicate a large portion of my day to what needs to be done now for the business to continue prospering.

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Service levels are of the utmost importance. I assess our clients' satisfaction and the perception the market has of us as a service.

I constantly monitor the financial performance of the business by analysing key aspects such as our turnover and growth, cash flow, our cost structures and how best to maximise our profits and retained earnings.

Every day I listen to clients, staff and my key personnel.

As the business has grown and developed, it has become increasingly important to focus on structuring it correctly and putting processes in place to ensure that everyone has the same goal. A large portion of my time is spent assessing and analysing whether these processes support the business's overall objectives.

It's common to hear about the dangers of working with family; what is the secret to working with your sister?

My sister is a shareholder and director in the business, and we have learnt to separate our personal lives from our business roles.

When making decisions, we consult our strategic partners - like our legal team and financial advisers - if need be, and, ultimately, decisions are made considering everyone's opinions, but most importantly, Strata-g's sustainability.

Outside work, we are close, doing all the normal things sisters do.

What are the most common issues you have to address when it comes to human resource problems?

They relate to a lack of policies and procedures, management's lack of understanding of how to deal with various staff problems and a lack of training at management level.

Smaller enterprises are sometimes not aware of the laws that apply to them. These types of issues are less prevalent in larger enterprises, although managers here often fail to familiarise themselves with the policies and procedures, so lack the know-how to deal with daily challenges. This often leads to a lack of discipline, which not only affects productivity and efficiency, but can have a negative impact on staff morale.

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What advice would you give to employers on how to avoid conflict with staff?

Policies and procedures go a long way towards giving employees clarity on what is expected of them. Although conflict is not always avoidable, how it is dealt with will ultimately avoid a recurrence.

Constant communication is important to ensure that staff are fully aware of the company's expectations - and employers need to be consistent in the way discipline is carried out.

Rules and expectations need to be fair and reasonable. What is of paramount importance is that the employer does not discriminate against staff unfairly.

And employees, what should they do to ensure they are on good terms with their bosses and colleagues?

Employees need to ensure they understand their role, duties and responsibilities, and the expectations of management. Employees who familiarise themselves with the rules, and adhere to them, are less likely to get into trouble than others.

Likewise, employees who exceed the expectations of management will, more often than not, remain on good terms with their bosses and colleagues. As long as employees work with their employer to further the business, they will remain on good terms.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, so my dream was always to be a businesswoman.

The concept of risk appeals to me, so entrepreneurship is always where I have wanted to be - high risk with high reward.