Hire and Rental News - February 2019

ASSOCIATION NEWS ® EMPOWER YOUR BUSINESS INFORMATION WHEN AND WHERE YOU NEED IT. www. baseplan .com | 1300 837 142 Financials Parts Service Rentals Sales OFFICIALPUBLICATION HIREANDRENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONLTD www.hireandrental.com.au FEB 2019 VOL20 NO003 Stand Down Policy – is it still valid? – p24 Silicadust can kill–how rental companies canhelp–p16 YoungHireProfessionalsget amentoring boost–p14 Access inAction inside– seep27 for all thenews Facingdown thechallenges tofind thegold– Women inHireprofile–p22 Tips and traps on commercial leases– BartierPerry servesup the truth–p23 Are youworking on or in yourbusiness? HLBMann Judd offers advice onp20 INTHIS ISSUE President’s message In with the new T here’s nothing like a lick of paint to feel better about yourself. So welcome to the fresh, new design for the HRIA’s highly-respected publication, Hire & Rental magazine. The re-design signals a distinct intent to modernise the Association and grow our market. This first step heralds a renewed drive forward and demonstrates our determination to better promote the values and benefits of our rental industry. In the coming months, leading up to HIRE19 in Melbourne and beyond, you will notice several milestone projects, which are part of a broader plan to modernise the Association; including the launch of a brand new magazine website, www.hireandrentalnews.com.au. I’m extremely excited to be a part of this program at a time when every corner of industry is flourishing. And while there was little respite from the tempo of 2018, I’m sure we’d all welcome another exceptional year of booming business. The start of the New Year gives us a fleeting opportunity to reflect on the many changes occurring within our industry. One appealing development has been the rise of women working within what has traditionally been a male-dominated profession. I can remember 23 years ago when we started attending HRIA conventions, my wife Trish was one of less than half a dozen women at the event. It’s hard to ignore recent events, so it’s refreshing to be a part of how the HRIA has embraced a changing culture with the establishment of its Women in Hire program, which has met with overwhelming support. This burgeoning mentoring program been very well received and attended by the many women now part of our growing industry. As association members, it is imperative that we embrace our changing workplace culture and work hard to ensure gender bias becomes a thing of the past. Skills shortages are likely to get worse as the industry grows, so attracting more young talent and promoting workplace diversity are crucial to tackling these challenges. And it starts with the language we use in the business. With HIRE19 approaching there are some fantastic programs and workshops available, so please keep an eye out for messages from the national office and on the website. Time for a change Last year a realisation occurred to me as my family and I stepped out of our trucks after a gruelling 15-hour day; all bent-double, hobbling towards the office, lights still ablaze at 10pm. We love the business and thoroughly enjoy our work, don’t misunderstand; but it did occur to me, as we all continue to work very long hours, week-after-week; that attending seminars and reading all those articles about how to ‘work on your business and not in it’ might have some merit. Events hire companies are enormously labour intensive. It’s just a part of the industry sector, but I do know if I want to run a successful business I must play to my strengths. Whilst I might think I can get things done better and more efficiently than anyone else, I still also realise that all the time I am spending doing jobs that I could have delegated, is time I am not running my business, which doesn’t make for effective leadership. As the leader of my business, I am responsible for spotting problems and delegating work to provide solutions. I am responsible for setting goals and thinking about the future. The only person genuinely focused on the growth of the company, is me. Every minute I spend on operational tasks, is a minute I am not planning, strategizing and building. Later in this issue, HLB Mann Judd has written an article for members that seeks to tackle this very real dilemma. Make sure you check it out. 25 years of commended service to the HRIA At the South Australian AGM held in November last year, two of our most valued Committee Executives retired after over 25 years. Gordon Elly resigned after serving on the HRIA SA committee and Martin Foster also stepped from the EWPA SA committee. On behalf of the HRIA we would like to extend a heartfelt thankyou to these two dedicated members for their years of service and commitment to ever-improving our industry. We wish them all the very best for the future. So I welcome 2019 and all it brings, and I look forward to catching up with you all in Melbourne at HIRE19 on 22-23 May. Mark Burton HRIA National President Long serving SA committee members Gordon Elly and Martin Foster stepped down after many years of service The magazine has been redesigned P4 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS FEBRUARY 2019