Just as there are many different social stereotypes in the world, there are many dimensions of diversity and difference. And of course, they are all prevalent in the workplace. 

There is a growing trend, backed by research and insights, within the diversity and inclusion space to move away from focusing on types of difference in situ or the ‘traditional’ dimensions of diversity.  

Why? 

Because it doesn’t really matter what…

Within the general protections of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act), there is a protection afforded to employees who are temporarily absent from work because of an illness or injury. Specifically, section 352 of the FW Act prohibits employers from dismissing an employee within the first three months of any absence from work due to an illness or injury.

The purpose of this protection is to recognise the inevitability that an employee might require time off…

Communication between the employer and employees is essential for a good working relationship. Poor communication in the disciplinary process may lead to a deficiency in the process which renders the dismissal unfair.

It is important that when conducting a disciplinary process, employers ensure that they make a proportionate and genuine attempt to communicate with the employee on their alleged conduct.

In the recent decision of Mr Roger Woods v LifeFlight Australia…

In my own personal opinion only so much that there is NO drop in salary and a “remote working” annual bonus is paid to cover the employees purchase of home office incidentals like a blue screen cover for your work laptop, spiked single-sided office plastic mat for carpets so your five-spokes wheeled executive office chair can slide around seemlessly or the piece de resistance - a networked large monitor that wirelessly connects to your work laptop or notebook…

The term ‘Cultural Load’ was brought to my attention by an article in HRM (July 2021) in reference to the “extra pressure” employers are (often unknowingly) placing “on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees by asking them to educate their colleagues”.

 Associate Professor Richard Frankland, Head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the University of Melbourne, defines ‘Cultural Load’ as “the invisible…

Ask any good leader what their secret to success is and they will tell you it’s their people. The employees that show up day in and day out to do the work and drive the company forward.

But as a leader, how do you make sure that your team keep turning up engaged and motivated? You’d want to avoid making these five mistakes that often cause good employees to leave.

1. A lack of…

A new survey has revealed just how resilient Melbourne and Sydney SMEs have been during the current lockdowns. More than a quarter have not been impacted by the lockdowns at all, while 53 per cent say they will focus on bouncing back when restrictions ease.

The findings were derived from a survey of an independent panel of 161 SME business owners in NSW and Victoria, commissioned by Corporate…

With leaders around the globe facing extended periods of highly disruptive change due to the pandemic, and the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognising ‘burnout’ as a result of chronic workplace stress – the days of organisations thinking burnout is not their problem are over.

As a leader, you have a responsibility not only to yourself and your family to avoid leadership exhaustion but also to your team. Because your team will look to you as an example of how they are…

The intrinsic link between physical and mental health

Anjanette Murfet, Chief People & Communications Officer

Accolade Wines

Long regarded by the corporate world as an important factor in establishing a high-performance organisation, conversations on the importance of mental and physical health in the workplace have been increasingly prevalent due to the pressures of the pandemic,…

While this may come as a surprise to some employers, there are in fact some circumstances where an employee’s resignation may be deemed a dismissal under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Act). 

In a matter before the Fair Work Commission (FWC), (Christine Sandra Becker -v- Greater Bank Limited [2021]…

What will workplace wellbeing, diversity and inclusion look and feel like to organisations post Covid-19?

I committed to having 100 virtual coffees with leaders and diversity and inclusion experts from around the world. I have been having some very interesting conversations. My question is: 

What does the pivot in diversity and inclusion start to look like post Covid-19?  

This is the…

It is an expected and necessary part of work health and safety (WHS) plans that all new workers receive relevant WHS training. A recent decision in the NSW District Court (the Court) has highlighted the need for employers to also re-induct or provide refresher training to workers when they are transferred to a different department or location.

In SafeWork NSW v Crawfords Freightlines Pty Ltd [2021] NSWDC 442, Crawfords Freightlines Pty Ltd…

When investigating allegations of misconduct against an employee in the workplace, employers must ensure that any ensuing disciplinary process is kept distinct from and separate to the investigation. This is to ensure that the employee is afforded proper procedural fairness.

The purpose of an investigation into allegations of misconduct is to determine whether or not the misconduct has actually taken place and can be put to the employee as part of a disciplinary process. During the…

Lightening your workload by improving the way you look after employee data privacy

We know and understand that you care for your employees and their data. In recent years, there has been a lot of concern for data privacy and security, and for good reasons. HR Managers and other custodians of this information want to do their job as well as possible, keeping the information private and secure. In theory, technological solutions can be of great assistance when it comes…

As a business owner, you are aware of how important customers are for the success of your business. In order to attract them, you need to put plenty of effort into your marketing campaign. From handing out flyers and putting up billboards to sending emails and producing TV ads, there are many ways how you can promote your business. However, you probably know the saying that if you’re not on social media these days, it’s as if your company doesn’t even exist. With that in mind, you also need…

In March 2021, the casual employment amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) introduced a new statutory definition of “casual employee” and an entitlement to casual conversion as one of the National Employment Standards (NES).

As part of the amendments, the Fair Work Commission (the FWC) was required to undertake a review of casual terms in modern awards and their interaction with the casual employee amendments…

Six considerations to support DE&I using robust talent assessments

Organisations are strengthening their diversity, equity and inclusivity (DE&I) strategies and programs. To ensure sustainability, they must adopt a holistic approach and consider four pillars: 

• the workforce and talent practices…

On 2 September 2021, the Federal Parliament passed the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill 2021 (the Bill).

The Bill implements a number of recommendations made by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) following a national inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces. The Bill will amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) as well as the Sex Discrimination Act…

Business travel accounts for a significant portion of Australia’s travel sector and contributes to the local economy. Since the start of the pandemic, the SME sector has been greatly impacted and has experienced a significant decline in business travel.

However, I believe that SMEs will be a key driver in the country’s travel recovery and will play an important role in giving the economy a much-needed boost.

Small businesses account for around 98 per cent of all Australian…

For an employee to access the unfair dismissal jurisdiction, they must be “dismissed” from their employment by the employer. In some instances, a resignation can be a “dismissal”, when an employee is forced to resign due to the employer’s conduct. This is referred to as a “constructive dismissal”. 

In the recent decision of Burgess v Optus Administration Pty Ltd T/A Optus [2021] FWC 4459, the Fair Work…