Managing my cashflow

Dear Caroline,  I am a home-care nurse working for a nursing care organisation. I enjoy my job and have grown professionally while with my current employer. However, I have noticed a trend, primarily that our salaries are coming in late. When this happens, management always says “clients have delayed pay for services, and this impacts timely salary payments.” While I understand the challenge, late payments are impacting my well-being. Should I leave or stay with my current employer? Barbara
 
Hello Barbara, I am sorry you are experiencing the pain of a late salary and are struggling to make ends meet. Barbara, while you may not want to hear this, the current economic landscape suggests that what you are going through is not unique; rather, there are many companies that are facing the same challenge.  

The experts tell us that this situation is likely to continue, so we, myself included, need to revisit how we manage through these hard times.

May I suggest that one way of easing the pressure may be to revisit your current expenses and adjust your monthly budget? As with all families, when the going gets tough, it’s time to adjust the expenses so that your money can go a little further. You will need to review what is nice to have vs. must-have critically.

Another way to consider this is to speak with the HR team and ask whether the company can consider paying staff twice a month, at mid-month and at the end of the month. This would allow for spreading the risks of waiting until the end of the month. 

I advise against leaving your current role for another job. The reality is that the market for opportunities is limited and it sounds like you like what you do and have done well.  

Remember that the process of looking for a new job is time-consuming and can take months to find the right one for you. Your initial comment suggests that apart from pay, your organisation is a good place to work, and money alone is not influencing your stay.

If money is still very tight, you could consider taking on a second job, and while it may mean more money, you need to be careful. Before you consider this think about how much “free time” you have to take on a new job.

Also, be mindful of the importance of rest and critically if you take on another job, I can assure you that the quality of your work will be impacted, and you will be unable to provide quality care to your patients. 

Think about your well-being and the quality of the care that you give your patients. 

Caroline Mboijana, Managing Director, The Leadership Team (U)  [email protected]