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"Relationships matter and so do contracts. When relationships are good the contract doesn't seem so important. However, when things go sour the effort put into the contact at the beginning is going to make a big difference to somebody at the end." |
| AFPierce Human Assets Consulting Service provides a positive and effective service to guide employers through complex staff issues and help them prevent problems before they arise. If you need to achieve compliance, improve performance and/or increase workplace stability give Andy a call or send him an email. All enquires treated with confidentiality and respect. | |
| • Disciplinary issues • Employment Appeals Tribunal • Equality Tribunal • Rights Commissioners • NERA Pre-Inspection • Mediation & ADR• Complaint investigations • Rights and Entitlements Clarification • Employee Negotiations • Bullying, Harassment & Sexual Harassment• Redundancy • Feedback & Appraisal Systems •Employment Contracts • Policies & Procedures • Codes of Conduct • Staff Handbooks • Problem Solving • Productivity • Leadership, Ethics & Standards • Report & Technical Writing • Grant & Funding Applications • Training • Staff Briefings • Diversity & Equality matters • | |
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A refreshing change in HR and employment consulting. Specializing in resolving unique and complex employment issues and in improving work relationships and job performance, Andy has one goal -- help your business thrive. Poor performance is a symptom, not the problem. People under-perform for a reason--it could be an issue personal to them, but many times it has something to do with the business. Andy helps managers to identify the problems behind the symptoms and to therefore make the adjustments that facilitate a return to full productivity. He can also help design and implement policies & procedures that enhance productivity and reduce internal conflict. Andy also develops and delivers specialized professional and business development & in-company projects. Comfortable in any setting, he has created and delivered programmes for employers (and the unemployed), chief executives (and semi-skilled staff) as well as for the long term unemployed, Travellers, women returning to work, projects relating to older workers and other areas of disadvantage. As a business consultant Andy advises on performance management, managing business relationships, defining and implementing organisational change and developing superior customer service. He also advises employers and employees on employment rights,workplace entitlements and good working practices (with a focus on flexibility and performance). He works with groups and individuals to develop and refine personal and interpersonal skills and with businesses to define broad strategies or implement specific tactics necessary to meet emergent challenges and future objectives. He is a specialist at solving intractable employment and performance related problems within established Employment Rights legislation and frameworks. |
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Human Assets vs. Human Resources"Assets are safeguarded and developed; Resources are used and exploited." |
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One of the best lessons taken from Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is how we expect, even demand, that thought proceeds action. If you think about it, this fact is the one thing that allows us to have expectations of each other or to hold each other accountable because we know a person's actions are determined by their thinking. In employment a great many problems are fundamentally based on how 'management' thinks about their people. In over 30 years of working with people I have noticed that the absolute 'best' managers and supervisors are the one who view people as ASSETS as opposed to resources. The best explanation of this is revealed in the connotations of the two words as explained in the table to the left. More importantly, however, holding a fundamental belief that people have intrinsic value, meaning and purpose substantially alters the way we treat people regardless of whether we work for them or they work for us. This isn't a call for some squishy, touchy-feeley approach to managing people and the talents (or problems) they bring to the workplace, but rather an understanding that employers and employees should have high expectations for each other, require mutual respect and establish common standards for proper and just treatment of each other. Where workplace relationships are based on these and similar standards problems are substantially reduced and productivity is increased. |
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In addition to his consultancy he and his wife Jacqueline own and operate J&B Hope Ltd., 'keeping life simple', a unique Amish-influenced, Irish-American General Store in Cavan town. He has recently been appointed as the 1st CEO of the Cavan Chamber of Commerce. Andy served 20 years in the United States Air Force, one of the world's largest organisations with global reach and impact. he is familiar with the demands of working in and managing large institutions, but is equally at home working with small family run businesses located in small communities. He has a technical background as a avionics communications and navigations systems technician, a Field Training Instructor for digital systems, technical writing and maintenance data collection. He has also served as a staff agency chief for equal opportunities at installation level and has advised in command level and in an international environment. He has conducted management training programmes, led in organisational assessments, conducted complaint investigations and mediated labour disputes. Andy also owns and manages J&B Hope Ltd.: 'keeping life simple', a independent concept retail outlet located in Cavan town. He is a student of religion and theology, philosophy |
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Andrew is available for both public and private speaking engagements and in-company training.
Most requested Business Services include:
Community & Social speaking / training topics:
The most important fact about any consultant is the fact most often overlooked ... What World View does he or she operate from?
A person's world view impacts everything they do and every decision they make. A world view determines what a person sees as right or wrong, good or bad, moral or immoral, ethical or unethical. One's World View underpins core values and ultimately determines the bottom line driver of any personal decision. A business is a collection of people and the World View of a business will reflect the true World View of it's key decision makers.
Are world views really that important? Much of marketing is an attempt to either tap into the consumer's prevailing world view (or to attempt to change it) in order to influence buying decisions and inspire loyalty. Billions are spent on marketing annually--that money speaks volumes.
Managing a company (or any organisation) without a clear understanding of the underlying (and often competing) world views leads to inconsistency and even irrationality in decision making. We experience this when we encounter incoherent business, government and personal policies.
Engaging a consultant who is unclear on their world view can only result in increased conflict and reduced management efficiency.
Andy operates from a very specific and clear world view which he uses to contrast, compare and challenge decision makers. It's not playing at 'devil's advocate' but seriously and rationally examining alternatives and potential consequences of business decisions.
For more information please check out the BLOG section or contact Andy by phone or email.
| Q. Isn't employment legislation stacked against the employer? | A. No. Although legal minimum requirements (e.g. minimum wage, holiday entitlements, etc.) can drive up employment and therefore business operating costs these have little to do with the everyday running of a business. Most of the rights and entitlements 'guaranteed' by existing employment legislation can and should be used by shrewd managers to improve operations. Don't know how this can be or how it should be done, give Andy a call today or drop an email with your question. | |
| Q. Why do employer's always seem to lose at the Right's Commissioners or in tribunals? | A. Employers lose for lots of reasons but most commonly they wind up in a tribunal and lose their case simply because they went about it in the wrong way. The right way, by the way, doesn't have have to be difficult. Unfortunately, what usually happens is a manager is either too busy to address issues as they arise or is unsure of how to address sticky problems so they don't -- until matters explode around them. At that point the decisions get made in haste or in anger and solving the problem becomes both time consuming and expensive. Do have a problem (or want to avoid them)? If so give Andy a call or drop him an email. | |
| Q. Is it legal to mix 'faith' and business? Doesn't equality legislation make it illegal? | I'll answer this with my own question: If you hold a certain set of beliefs can you possibly conduct your day-to-day life outside of those beliefs. I believe the answer to that is 'No'. All of us will reflect our world view in our business life and dealings. (A person's world view and 'faith' are generally synonymous --- Oh by the way, even atheists have a world view which affects their decisions and actions.) An answer more specific to Christianity, the most commonly held faith in Ireland is this: The Christian Bible teaches things like "Pay your taxes", "Be honest in your dealings with people", "Treat people fairly," "Don't abuse strangers from different lands or others who have different beliefs.' -- all of which are either required by law or are just good business sense. In these things Christianity aligns perfectly with the law (including equality legislation). While there may areas where the law mightn't align perfectly with personal values or beliefs these really don't impact most businesses. If they do then the owners / managers have to make a decision ... if this is a point of difficulty you'd like to discuss it further call or email Andy. |
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| Q. Is it possible to change terms of an employment contract? | The short answer is Yes, it is. In fact businesses make changes to employment terms all the time and with very little fuss. There may be a lot of factors involved but if changes are necessary then you always have options. It is always easier if you have agreement of employees on the need for the change but it is possible (although sometimes expensive) to force changes through. Unilaterally imposed changes always come at a cost so it is very important to understand both the imperative for the change as well as the consequences of the process. Every situation is different. If this is something you are considering, call or email Andy for more information. | |
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