We have finally come to the last of the 12 blogs on the styles in LSI 1. Taken all together the previous 11 have developed the theme that if our self-talk, reflected in our LSI 1 responses, show a close compassionate relationship with ourselves we are more likely to be effective and happy. To be affiliative means to be 'friendly'. Most of us know how to be a good friend to others. We listen and support when our friend feels down. Can we be sure that we always do the same for…

People being more accountable, in my experience, is one of the top 3 outcomes that executives want from their leaders and any leadership development programme. But do they know what they are actually asking for?

What accountability actually means to most organisations is meeting targets or budgets or cutting staff when the market turns bad or when they…

This article from Human Capital Online calls into question the validity of workshops as the most suitable way to develop leaders, suggesting instead that the real learning happens as a result of coaching and in particular during group coaching.

It backs up the anecdotal evidence I’ve seen in the last 12 months. People who are responsible for developing leaders are…

Workplace monitoring and surveillance is now commonplace and typically involves computer surveillance, tracking surveillance and/or CCTV recording. 

Employers implement and use surveillance for many reasons including security as well as monitoring safety and productivity. 

From time to time employee misconduct or misbehaviour is captured by surveillance and in such cases, employers must exercise caution to use the…

The current state of employee engagement is startling. According to a study released late last year, only one in four employees are highly engaged at work. When engagement has a direct connection with bottom line results, it’s no wonder that talk about an employee engagement crisis exists.

Employee disengagement doesn’t happen…

In writing about the styles in LSI 1 my aim has been to explore the idea that the way we describe ourselves shows the relationship we have with ourselves. That relationship is likely to be reflected in our self-talk. This has the potential to enhance or limit the satisfaction we experience in our lives, prescribes the way we behave and whether or not we are effective. We know that when we feel listened to and understood, encouraged and supported, we feel more confident in trusting our…

There is no longer a clear divide between an employee’s work and private life.

Are your employees aware that their employer may:

• Monitor personal activity on any piece of technology which accesses work systems or is directly provided by the business?
• Evoke a formal disciplinary process if the employee attends to personal matters (i.e. engaging in private matters) when they are being paid to work?

Employee’s Right to…

A recent decision by Deputy President Bartel of Fair Work Commission (FWC) in Jaymon Hocking v Tackle World Adelaide Metro [2015] FWC 6519 (Hocking’s Case) provides yet another valuable lesson for employers in relation to Modern Award compliance.

In Hocking’s Case, Mr Hocking had been employed since 2012 as a sales assistant who worked regular days and hours. Mr Hocking was divorced and had access to his three children every second weekend.

Mr Hocking was given a new eight week…

An employee has recently had their unfair dismissal case upheld in the Fair Work Commission after the employee made a simple "slip of the tongue that just came out", which ultimately resulted in their dismissal.

Background:

The case 'Mr Claus-Dieter Hengst v Town and Country Community Options Inc. (U2015/12144)' surrounds the use of inappropriate language and whether the breach of trust and confidence in an employee is enough to warrant…

The decision of the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission in Frances Newchurch v Centreprise Resource Group Pty Ltd, Mr Graham Ride and Ms Sarah Ride [2016] NTADComm 1 (Newchurch decision) highlights that employers may be found to be vicariously liable for their employee’s discriminatory conduct where it is not demonstrated that it took “all reasonable steps” to prevent the employee…

Commissioner Peter Hampton of the, Fair Work Commission (FWC), has provided some clarity as to whether a volunteer can apply for a stop bullying order in his decision in the matter of Gaylene May McDonald [2016] FWC 300 (McDonald Case).

Section 789FC of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)…

There are eight values critically important for developing an agile, productive organisation purpose built for the twenty-first century. Each of these values are shared by employees and management. What are these values? And how can they be cultivated in a business?

As we've known for some time, culture is the key; having the right workplace culture is…

This is the first in what will be a series of Driftwood Group heroes. People who don’t stop to think about work-life-balance, but rather mix the two together, and have some fun along the way.

Tomorrow, February 13th, Brigadier General (retired) Chuck Elwood Yeager turns 93.

His name may be…

Lots of research has been done to illustrate the differences between the traditional employee suggestion box and high performing programs that manage employee ideas. All of these studies arrive at the same conclusion: that the traditional employee suggestion box is actually damaging to employee engagement, resulting in further disengagement. This well-intentioned system…

The Head of Emerging Leader Development for one of the oldest, largest and most reputable companies on the planet made a really interesting comment to my business partner, Josh Mackenzie, earlier this week.

She was being interviewed at one of our roundtable breakfast events in London and had been asked how an organisation like hers, steeped in a long history of innovation, approaches L&D.

“We've got to use a 'start-up' mentality for L&D” she replied.…

In 2014 the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, announced a review of the current skilled migration and temporary visa programs.

As a result of the review a new proposal has been made for a 12-month skilled temporary visa. It appears the DIBP is working to implement this new visa in July 2016. The Federal…

AJ Convenience Stores Pty Ltd T/A 7-Eleven Rozelle & 7-Eleven Bexley [2016] FWC 330

In order for an Enterprise Agreement to be approved by the Fair Work Commission under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act), the proposed agreement must pass the ‘better off over all test’ (the BOOT).

Section 193 of the FW Act provides that a proposed agreement will pass the BOOT if:

‘the FWC is satisfied, as at the test time, that each award covered employee, and each prospective…

Once upon a time in a small village lived a manager who oversaw the staff who worked on the land for the local Lord. Unfortunately, the manager was not happy. So one day the manager secretly sought the advice of the local sorcerer.

“I need a spell” the manager said. “My workers are tired and disinterested and work productivity is down. I cannot get them to work hard. They hate me and sometimes, sadly, I hate them.  No one is happy,” he said.

The sorcerer understood and offered…

2015 lead to some amazing discoveries and few more talked about than Jennifer Douda’s scientific breakthrough regarding genome engineering technology called Crispr-Cas 9. Simply put, Crispr-Cas 9 allows science to achieve two things; 1) detect viral DNA in a human being and destroy the virus and; 2) make changes to…