by Vince Scopelliti

Most of us agree that volunteer work is an excellent initiative; one of those ‘win-win’ situations where both the organisation and the community benefit from the unpaid work of kind citizens.



We also understand that even the best work-related relationships have their challenges. These include issues around workers…

Facts

Yogurberry World Square Pty Ltd (Yogurberry World Square) operated a take-away frozen yoghurt and drinks franchise in World Square, Sydney.

Yogurberry World Square was a member of a group of family of companies including a payroll…

When investigating allegations of misconduct or other wrong doing it may be necessary to speak to people who are no longer employed by your organisation.

Often former employees are reluctant to participate in such investigations as a result of concerns over:

• whether they may be personally implicated in some form of wrong doing as a result of the information they provide during the investigation;
• the time and effort that may be involved, along with any costs they…

I don’t think that innovation is anything new in business, however, what might be new is the expectation or should I say need for all employees in the business to be innovative rather than all the ideas coming from the Business Owners or Senior Managers.

Whilst innovation, I am sure, has always been important in business, it certainly is now with the current market and level of competition.  Therefore, the need to…

By Tasso Mangos, CTO and Technology Strategist. CSG

There’s a lot of debate about whether increased mobility is making us more productive. In one corner, you have those who point to the always-on environment, where people can grab an otherwise idle moment (like standing in the coffee queue) to get work done.

In the other, there are those who argue that the mobile environment is too distracting and, outside of the watchful eye of a boss, people often fall prey to the lure of…

The logic is simple enough. When you’re in a decision making position you’re expected to make decisions. Trouble is, every day managers all over Australia – and the world – struggle to actually do it, putting things off for all manner of reasons and generally erring on the side of procrastination and compromise. Even at a micro level, managerial…

The rise of HR technology solutions is having a major impact on the industry and the inefficiencies of running Australian businesses as a whole. Advancements in technology and data collection in recent years mean good-quality data has become the minimum requirement for successful business processes. And although there can be animosity from veteran HR professionals about the new digital solutions, there’s no doubt about the value, efficiency and security they offer.

One of the key…

I was recently speaking with a senior HR professional, someone I have a lot of respect for, who was brave enough to admit that modern HR is interesting, exciting and confusing all at the same time. We discussed the tsunami of daily articles and blogs about a myriad of topics that seem to have diametrically opposed suggestions on what constitutes ‘best practice’. We both admitted to being fascinated with the unintended consequences rising from previously claimed best practices.…

I recently had to re-paint the woodwork on my deck. It was covered in dust and loose paint, so I knew I needed to first clean off the dirt then rub it down with sandpaper. In other words, I prepared. I knew that missing these steps would result in a bodge job that would look terrible and soon need re-doing.



Similarly, when we go to the gym, or get ready for a sport,…

With Australia’s aging population, it comes as no surprise that the demand for various aged care services continues to escalate. It is also somewhat inevitable that complaints will rise, as aged clients and their loved ones navigate their expectations and emotions in a relatively challenging time. 

The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) provides a protection from unfair dismissal and permits an application to be made for remedy. In our previous blog Objection! – Access to the Unfair Dismissal Jurisdiction we outlined some of the jurisdictional objections that can be raised by an…

Earlier this month, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) announced that cleaners working at hotels run by Oaks Hotels & Resorts Limited (Oaks), a major operator of more than 43 properties across Australia, have been back paid a total of $1.9 million.

This significant back payment followed a FWO inquiry earlier this year which resulted in…

Interesting case decided recently by the Fair Work Commission (“FWC”) in Bonny Walia v Citywide Service Solutions [2016] FWC 7814 (9 November 2016). It concerned a garbage truck driver who was busted by a Council inspector (and later sacked) for urinating in a CBD laneway during his shift. The FWC (in their wisdom) found the conduct insufficient to…

12 months ago today, I walked out of a building and an organisation I had been working at for 22 years. The redundancy came as a shock and was unexpected.

12 Months down the track, I can now reflect on what helped me navigate my way through what I once saw as secure employment.

Here are my top 10 tips to help with transitioning when thrown from your comfort zone into the unknown:

1. Leave with your dignity intact.…

Imagine sitting on a tropical far off beach, with umbrella drink in hand while your bank account steadily grows, or owning several thriving businesses and working on multiple passion projects that truly inspire you to jump out of bed each day. Swapping the safe but sometimes suffocating 9-5 corporate life for the promise of ultimate freedom and the chance to be the boss is the dream of an untold number of Australian small and mid-sized business owners. The reality for most however is…

The Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) recent decision in CA v Lane Cove Retirement Units Association Ltd t/as Pottery Gardens Retirement Village [2016] FWC 7504 put the small business fair dismissal code (the Code) in the spotlight.

Since the Code came into effect in 2010, there have been varied responses from the FWC decisions about the Code.  Some decisions have criticised the Code, with some…

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has recently handed down two separate decisions confirming that angry and aggressive conduct in the workplace will provide an employer with a valid reason or reasonable grounds (as per the Small Business Dismissal Code) for terminating an employee’s employment.

WK v Advantage…

Do you manage by policies?  Well, a lot do, so don’t worry, you’re not on your own.

I appreciate that some situations call for this and / or it’s a starting point to a conversation.  It also depends on where the organisation is at, but have a think about this…. Managing by roles and policies is very transactional (and will limit the return), rather than being…

My favourite time of the week is when I volunteer as a Water Safety swimmer for the weekly Nippers sessions at my local surf lifesaving club. Nippers teaches kids age 5-13 how to safely enjoy the surf. One of the key activities is the swim. 100 metres off the beach we set a buoy and simply swim out and back!



Of course, there’s more to it than that. There are distinct…