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Good business leaders recognise that regular employee performance reviews play a vital role in improving transparency, identifying talent, and enhancing performance – yet often this process is handled in a casual fashion or even not implemented at all. In fact, a recent study revealed that only 13% of employees and managers, and only 6% of CEOs, think their organisation’s performance appraisal system is useful. Even worse, 88% of respondents said their current performance review negatively impacted their opinion of the HR department.

Here are six tips for turning those opinions around and getting maximum value from your performance reviews.

Tip 1: Really listen

During a review it’s vital that the employee feels truly understood. Data shows that leaders who come to reviews with preconceived notions and a list of complaints are more likely to have unhappy teams. A massive 85% of employees would consider quitting if they thought their review to be unfair – and there is no surer way of making someone feel unfairly treated than to brush off their side of the story and make them feel unheard.

Companies should therefore focus on getting their leaders to:

• actively listen to employees during reviews
• avoid making assumptions
• ignore distractions such as phone calls
• pay attention to verbal and nonverbal cues.

Tip 2: Be transparent       

Because performance reviews are often linked to raises and other benefits, it’s extremely important that the employee understands exactly why certain decisions were made. Giving clear, fair, specific and actionable feedback allows the employee to see how they can get a better raise next year and what they need to do to gain a promotion. Vague or unclear feedback only leads to distrust of the system – and of the company’s HR and leadership.

Tip 3: Keep looking forward       

While the very name “performance review” suggests a look back over the course of the past year, it’s also the ideal time to project forward into the future. By using the review to set new goals and speak about career progression, your leaders will be able to motivate employees to do well. Knowing that you’re being considered for promotions or that there are rewards at the end of the tunnel is motivational. Little wonder, then, that forward-looking performance reviews have been shown to improve employee productivity by 13%.

Tip 4: Your employee’s opinion matters         

A decent performance review is a conversation between employer and employee. It is a chance to listen as well as to speak, and this dynamic should be carried through to the very design of the review. Speak with both managers and employees about the reviews. Ask them what works and what doesn’t and encourage them to suggest things that would make the process more useful. Then actually adjust the review to accommodate these requests where possible. Employees who feel they have power and buy-in over the review process are far less likely to feel hard done by.

Tip 5: Little and often       

According to many business experts, traditional annual business reviews are inadequate. Doing them once a year leaves you with too much ground to cover and places undue stress on the employee – who is then less likely to function optimally during the review. In fact, a recent study suggested the pressure can be so bad that 34% of millennials admitted to crying during their performance review.

By having more frequent and casual performance chats, and addressing any issues when they arise, companies can reduce stress and get better results. According to a report by ClearCompany, employees at companies that use continuous feedback systems are 65% more motivated and 66% more productive.

Tip 6: Be prepared

At the end of the day, an employee performance review is about reward and improvement. Before going into a review, it’s important to know exactly what rewards you’re able to offer, and how these can be implemented.

Work with your team to create a system that is not only motivational, but effective.

Employers are assisted by the interim EMP501 reconciliation, says SARS, because it makes it easier to:

• make more accurate annual reconciliation submissions
• maintain an up-to-date employee database
• register employees for income tax purposes

Of course, there are other benefits, such as maintaining your compliant tax status, and avoiding wasting money on stiff penalties and interest.

It goes without saying that you want to reap all these benefits for your business. Allow us to help you to understand what needs to be done. We will be able to assist in ensuring a smooth, hassle-free submission process – even with the next deadline right around the corner.

EMP501 Reconciliation fast facts

• All employers are required to submit an EMP501 Reconciliation
• There are two deadlines in each tax year. For the 2025 tax year the deadlines are:

 

• 31 October 2024 – 2025 Interim Reconciliation (for the period 1 March 2024 – 31 August 2024)
• 31 May 2025 – 2025 Annual Reconciliation (for the period 1 September 2024 – 28 February 2025)

Potential pitfalls

The EMP501 Reconciliation is an intricate process which creates many opportunities for errors:

• Payroll information must be verified
• Correct deduction of employees’ tax (PAYE), Skills Development Levy (SDL), and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) contributions must be verified
• Deductions must reconcile with IRP5 / IT3(a) tax certificates
• Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) values claimed must be reconciled
• EMP201 returns must be reconciled with actual payments made to SARS
• EMP201 returns must be reconciled with EMP501 statements
• Employee information needs to be updated on eFiling
• Employees without tax numbers must be registered
• Employer’s Reconciliation Declaration (EMP501) needs to be submitted via the eFiling website or the e@syFile application

This is an intricate and time-consuming process, and, as SARS puts it, “accuracy and timely filing are critical”.

Consequences of non-compliance

This is serious business. Inaccuracies or late submission can result in severe consequences.

• Calculating PAYE liability incorrectly will result in the imposition of both penalties and interest. This includes corrections made on the EMP501 reconciliation, as any shortfall is attributed to the last month of the reconciliation period.
• If an employer submits their EMP501 late, administrative penalties will be charged. The penalty will equal 1% of the year’s PAYE liability, increasing each month by 1% (up to a maximum of 10% of the year’s PAYE liability).
• An employer who wilfully or negligently fails to submit an EMP201 or EMP501 return to SARS is guilty of an offence and could face a fine or imprisonment for a period of up to two years.

The bottom line 

The penalties are stiff, and the submission process is fraught with opportunities for inaccuracies and errors.

When a company is struggling with cashflow, or simply looking to improve profitability, the directors will often consider making grand sweeping changes like retrenching staff, slashing the marketing budget or even selling off resources. While this kind of kneejerk reaction can provide instant gratification, it may not be the solution to your long-term struggles. Cutting back on marketing might impact future sales, for example, and end up making things even worse.

That’s why it’s often a good idea to eliminate small expenses and wasteful expenditures, when you’re looking to streamline cash flow. Here are five simple ways to save money that you may not have considered.

1. Beware bank charges

   How did your company open its first bank account? Why did you choose that particular bank? If you haven’t thought about these things in a while, now’s a good time to start. The first step would be comparing bank charges – how much are you being charged to transact, and could you be paying less? Your accountant can help you to break down your company’s needs and find the best solution. Do you need to transact every day, or can you save money by paying off your creditors in scheduled payment runs? Would bundled services work better than transacting at will? How many credit cards do you need? Do you use overdraft facilities? The bottom line: stop paying for services you don’t need.

2. Trim the tech costs

   Technology is essential for running a business, but do you need (or even use) everything you currently have? Costs such as software subscriptions, fibre lines and cell phone contracts should all be looked at closely. Do you need a 200Mb/s download or will a 50Mb/s work just as well? Which of your employees really uses their company phones to generate profit? Small businesses will even benefit from looking at their software licences. Many popular work solutions have free, open-source counterparts that work very well and don’t require a monthly payment. Even if you decide you do need to pay for licences, you might be able to cut down on the number of licences.

3. Exercise office efficiency

   Monthly utilities may seem like something you can’t go without, but it might be wise to reconsider. Have a look at your work arrangement. Could you operate a shared desk situation for hybrid workers? Have you considered installing flow restriction nozzles on bathroom taps, and LED bulbs in the light fittings? Reducing the size of your office space and then maximising the savings attained on the utilities can save thousands each month – money that could be spent on attracting new clients.

4. Commit to your favourite vendors

   In business, commitment can be a cost-saving. If you have regular suppliers you’re happy with, why not speak to them about longer-term arrangements for cheaper monthly charges? Small business owners are particularly guilty of accepting supplier prices without considering the various ways these can be negotiated. Some of your suppliers might place great value on a one-year contract as opposed to a month-by-month one. Or they may be prepared to throw in free services in exchange for your guaranteed monthly spend. Ask your accountant to take a look at your current supplier arrangements and suggest alternatives and/or ways to reduce costs. It could have a significant impact.

5. Adjust your payment and collection terms

   Most big companies have their invoice payment and collection systems down to a fine art – but smaller businesses may not even think about them. Making sure that your creditors settle their invoices long before you need to make payments yourself allows you to benefit from the interest of having money in your account. It also ensures you never have to pay fines for missed payments or become overdrawn. As your accountants, we can help to streamline your payment and collection terms, and potentially achieve some significant savings.

The bottom line

Making cost savings doesn’t need to mean losing clients, products or expertise. And the hacks above are just the tip of the iceberg – there are loads of other small ways to save money. Speak to us about taking the small steps to greater profitability.

Most businesses have debt of some kind or another. Whether you need help to buy stock, maintain equipment or even fund a property, it’s likely that at some stage in your business’ life you will need to take out loans. The challenge comes in balancing the needs of your business with the debt you’ve taken on in a way that ensures growth. Here are our five tips for managing debt in your startup.

1. Understand your debt
   
   In order to successfully manage debt, you first need to fully understand it. As your accountants, we can help you create a complete spreadsheet of your debts detailing everything from the amounts owed, to interest rates, repayment schedules, and even penalties that may be triggered by late payments. This information will be critical for making the right choices.

2. N is for negotiate
   
   Provided you have a good relationship with your lenders, your next step should be to try to renegotiate all your loans. Asking for lower interest rates, extended repayment terms or consolidation of debts could make the whole process of debt repayment simpler.

3. Not all debts are created equal
   
   With your debts now in their healthiest place, it’s important to recognise that some debts are more important than others and thus need to be paid off first. Generally, you should aim to pay off high-interest loans first as these will cost you the most in the long run. Next you need to cover any debts which are secured by collateral – this will stop you from losing your assets in the future. Tax debts should also be prioritised as these can come with severe penalties and even criminal prosecution.Sometimes the choices are not immediately obvious, so don’t be afraid to ask us for a debt repayment schedule which factors in your business’ operating conditions, cashflow and ultimate goals.

4. Improve cash flow
   
   If you want to make sure your debt never becomes a problem, it’s vital that you improve the cash flow in your business to the point where you can meet your obligations. This can happen either through increasing sales, decreasing costs, or optimising operations – or from a combination of all three. For example, any money you can save on unnecessary expenses can go towards repaying your debt, lowering your interest payments and ultimately increasing the likelihood of success. It’s therefore essential that you work with us, your accountants, to optimise your inventory, cut costs, improve sales opportunities and chase your debtors and invoices to ensure prompt payment.

5. Monitor your debt carefully
   
   Your repayment schedule should not be set in stone. It needs to be reviewed and adjusted regularly to account for any changes in your business condition. The goal here is not to be entirely free of debt, but rather to leverage debt for improved business growth. Managing debt is an ongoing process that could very likely last for the entire lifespan of your company.

The bottom line

Debt can be the leg-up your business needs – or the lead weight that holds it back.

The three pots of the new retirement system 

 

Tax and other issues  

Withdrawing from any of the pots should be approached with caution. In addition to the fees that will be charged, and the potentially devastating impact on your eventual retirement savings, there are also tax implications that must be carefully considered.

• It’s significantly more expensive from a tax perspective to withdraw retirement funds before retirement age (normally 55), because the Withdrawal Benefit Tax Table or Individual’s Tax Table will apply. Instead, waiting until retirement to access savings – when the Retirement Fund Lump Sum Benefits or Severance Benefits Tax Table applies – is a far better tax option.
• Up to R550,000 drawn as a cash lump sum at retirement may be tax free. However, this R550,000 is a cumulative withdrawal total over your lifetime. That means this tax benefit could be eroded by pre-retirement withdrawals.
• Transfers from the Vested and Savings pots into the Retirement pot are also tax-free.
• Employer contributions are still treated as taxable fringe benefits.
• Early withdrawals from your Savings pot are considered income and are subject to income tax as per the tax directive the fund manager will request from SARS. What’s more, any outstanding taxes you owe SARS will automatically be deducted if you make a withdrawal.
• Depending on your annual income and the amount withdrawn, a pre-retirement withdrawal from your Savings pot – taxed at your individual marginal tax rate – could also push you into a higher tax bracket. This would mean paying more tax on all your income for the year. Here’s an example of the potential impact of withdrawing R80,000 from your Savings pot. Waiting until retirement age to withdraw the same amount could be tax-free.

Hidden costs of early withdrawals

Your full retirement fund contribution (one-third Savings pot; two-thirds Retirement pot) is still tax deductible up to 27.5% of annual income, up to a maximum R350,000 per tax year. This remains one of the biggest tax breaks out there, but is effectively cancelled out by the tax payable on an early withdrawal. Early withdrawals also have another cost – the loss of tax-free growth that could have been earned on your savings.

Continuing with the example above, if the R80,000 is not withdrawn, but instead left to grow at an average annual return of 10% for 25 years, the projected returns are R866,776 (equivalent to R201,958 in today’s terms assuming 6% inflation). This means you could lose tax-free growth of R121,958 by withdrawing just R80,000!

Help is at hand!

Understanding the tax and other implications of early retirement fund withdrawals in the short term and at retirement will help you to make better-informed financial decisions.

Early retirement fund withdrawals are likely to be more expensive in tax and lost investment growth compared to other options such as overdraft facilities, credit cards or home loans.