When companies close over Christmas, there are plenty of security issues to consider, including ram-raids, theft, and vandalism targeting New Zealand businesses.

- Before you close, ensure all doors and windows are locked, shutters are down, and consider investing in a security alarm system (it could make all the difference).

- Use lighting to your advantage. As thieves like to commit crimes under cover of darkness, sensor lighting can deter them at the door. Keep lights on timers to give the appearance of an occupied space. It could make criminals think twice.

- If you keep valuable equipment on site, paying for a professional security service could be a worthwhile investment.

The season of giving is on us. While the fun part is thinking about parties and presents, take a moment to remind yourself about the tax rules.

If your Christmas giving includes gifts to clients, remember that some gifts will be fully deductible while others will be only 50% deductible.

The rule of thumb with gifts is that if they consist of food or drink, you can only claim 50% of the expense as a tax deduction. If you are giving out gift baskets or hampers and some of the contents are food or drink, but not all, the food or drink items are 50% deductible, but the other gift items are 100% deductible. When you come to claim the tax deduction, you will need to apportion the expense between the 100% deductible items and the 50% deductible items. And you will need to make a GST adjustment for expenses which are 50% deductible.

Examples of gifts which are 50% deductible include:

- Bottle of wine or six pack of beer

- Meal voucher

- Basket of gourmet food

- Box of chocolates/biscuits

- Christmas ham

Examples of gifts which are 100% deductible include:

- Calendars

- Book or gift vouchers

- Tickets to a rugby game (but not corporate box entertaining)

- Movie tickets

- Presents (but not food or drink)

Call us if you’d like to check the tax treatment of your plans for this season’s gift-giving.

It’s the perfect time to reflect on achievements and improvement opportunities for the year ahead - so you can set some SMART goals

As more businesses embrace online solutions, eInvoicing is changing the way invoices are managed across New Zealand. Launched a few years ago, eInvoicing simplifies the exchange of invoices, allowing them to be sent and received directly within your accounting software.  Currently there are over 23,000 businesses in New Zealand registered for eInvoicing.

With eInvoicing, you’ll enjoy:

• Direct Delivery to Xero: Invoices arrive straight into Xero as draft bills, eliminating manual data entry.

• Reduced Errors and Faster Payments: Automated entry minimises human error, helping you get paid faster.

• Enhanced Security: Peppol ensures that invoices are transmitted securely, reducing risks compared to email or PDFs.

Christmas means many things to many people but for business owners it can mean disruptions to cash flow. Take some simple steps to manage it and save yourself a headache going into the new year.

Christmas can cause a cash flow crisis for small businesses, but you can prevent problems from spilling into the New Year:

- Get your invoices out early. Ensure December and January invoices go out well before Christmas to give your customers the chance to pay before the break. Encourage customers to pay before Christmas if they are closing over summer.

- Chase up your invoices. Don’t let unpaid invoices linger over summer. Politely ask your customers to settle overdue bills before the break to prevent further delays.

- Plan for incoming invoices from suppliers. You'll be on their list to call as well.

- Consider your tax obligations for both December and January! We know you'd rather be on the beach on 16 January but don't let your tax due dates slide.

Managing staff isn't just about what happens at work, it's also about managing holidays.

As an employer, you're responsible for keeping accurate up-to-date records about much-deserved time off.

  * Annual holiday entitlement does not expire; staff are entitled to their holidays until they take them. Only one week's leave per year may be cashed up and only with your consent

* Businesses need to be reasonable in considering requests; you can't unreasonably refuse an employee who wants to take annual leave

* However, employers can decline unpaid leave requests or advance holiday requests.

* You can only require an employee to take a holiday if you can’t agree on when leave should be taken. In this event, staff need 14 days’ notice.

* A business can’t make an employee take their annual holiday in advance, except when the company has an annual closedown

Heard of the five ways to Wellbeing?

They are simple and proven actions you can introduce in your workplace to help staff find balance, build resilience, and boost their mental health and wellbeing.

Digital Snapshot: Two useful tools to help with bookings and payroll

Managing your team involves understanding your legal obligations. Here's a simple rundown of the key employment responsibilities under New Zealand law

Back to Basics

Under New Zealand law, employers must:

• Give all employees a written employment agreement/contract

• Pay employees at least the minimum wage for all the hours they work

• Pay employees in cash (money) unless they have agreed to a form of direct credit

• Not deduct money out of employees' wages unless the law allows it (such as for student loan payments) or an employee gives written authorisation