The 5 Benefits of Direct Employment

Self-managing your disability care plan gives you more control over who to employ.

The right support workers can help you or your loved one to get the care they need. Let's take a look at some of the main benefits of directly employing your support staff.

1. Enhanced relationships

When you directly employ staff, you’ve got a greater chance of building a strong connection. Employees are more likely to work with you to understand your (or your loved one’s) requirements.

2. Specific skills

By selecting your own support workers, you can access the skills you need. If you're interviewing staff, you can ask about their experience or area of expertise. This can help ensure you get the level of care you or your loved one needs.

3. Better teamwork

Directly employing staff can help you build a cohesive team. You’re cutting out the middleman to get the best outcomes possible.

4. Reliability

Unlike using agency staff, you're likely to find employees more reliable. You can set regular work shifts because you’ve got a trusted ongoing relationship. You’ll also be more aware of their availability and can plan their shifts accordingly. By building a good working relationship, they'll be more likely to notify you of any shift changes they need so you can adapt your schedule.

5. Increased loyalty

Although nothing in life is certain, it’s more likely if you employ staff directly, you’ll keep them longer. By establishing caring relationships, you're likely to build loyalty.

The differences between employees (staff) & contractors

If you're hiring disability support workers, make sure you check if they're an employee or a contractor. It's important to know the difference as it can affect how much super you pay and the level of tax. If you get it wrong, you can face penalties and charges.

The ATO has a handy tool to help you check and the below table can also help -

Employees	Contractors
Employees must do the work themselves - they can't sub-contract to anyone else.	Contractors can sub-contract to other people to do the work for them.
You pay an employee either on the time they work, a commission structure or a set price per activity.	Typically, you'll pay a contractor based on a quote they provide.
You'll either provide all the tools and equipment an employee needs to do their job, or give them an allowance to cover the costs.	A contractor provides all the equipment they need to perform the job duties.
An employee isn't responsible for any commercial risks or liability.	Contractors are responsible for all commercial risks and liable if there are any issues.
You're responsible for directing the way your employee works to support your or your loved one's care plan.	Subject to any specific terms in the agreement, a contractor can carry out their work however they choose.
Your employee works for you and rarely works independently elsewhere.	Contractors perform the work within their agreement but are free to take on other work and act independently.

Self-managing your care plan

Self-managing your NDIS plan allows you to decide how and when you’ll receive care. And choose the right provider or support workers for you.

Self-management also allows you to make changes if your circumstances change. Giving you the independence to make decisions about your or your loved one’s disability care. By choosing your own support workers, you'll get the care you want. And develop long-lasting relationships that benefit you or your loved one.

At Ability8, our app gives people with a disability greater control to manage their care. We have plenty of helpful tools and features to manage staff, including scheduling care, timesheets and payroll.

If you want to try it for yourself, sign up for our Staff Plan using our free 30-day trial. And discover the difference Ability8 can make in your life.