New employer penalties for wage theft will be a key part of the federal government’s industrial relations omnibus bill, introduced to Parliament in December 2020. This major end-of-year legislation includes a range of civil and criminal penalties. It is designed to stop instances of serious wage theft, as seen in recent cases involving Australian business corporates like Woolworths and 7-Eleven. A recent McKell Institute report also found that blueberry pickers in Australia were being paid as little as $3 per hour. The bill is set for further Parliamentary debate in 2021. It will make wage theft a federal criminal offence for the first time in Australia’s history.....

We’ve all heard about the benefits of remote work during the 2020 global pandemic. For some, it offers a quieter, more productive working space and greater flexibility around family responsibilities. Yet remote work and digital connection don’t suit everyone. Some workers are factory based, while others rely on direct interaction with the public to complete their daily tasks. So, how does today’s business strike the right balance in their workforce?....

Starting a new job is daunting. That’s why a proper system of induction and onboarding is vital to put new hires at ease, introduce them to your business practices and prime them to succeed. Our induction and onboarding checklists can help you navigate this complex area, boosting your chance of success.....

When you screen candidates properly, you are far more likely to make a perfect match. It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Yet hiring is a complex process requiring thought, structure and resources to find the right person for the role. Experienced HR consultants rely on their own, proven ways of finding, assessing and interviewing candidates to locate prime talent.....

As an employer, you know the roles and responsibilities of every job in every department. You understand just how important it is to define each position in a clear and inclusive way. But if actually writing all that down is too daunting, or you're just too stretched, this guide can help you craft a fit-for-purpose job description which really cuts through.....

Consider Compliance when Writing Your Position Description It’s time to write a position description for that new job. Before you do, however, take some time to study Australian employment regulations – and stay on the right side of the law.....

Tick the Right Boxes Before You Hire It’s sometimes hard to know when you need new hires. There are so many questions. How many do I need? What hours should they work? What will they do? How can they support the customer journey? Homework is vital. The more you research each role and its objectives, the more likely you are to make a spot-on hire.....

Hire in Haste, Repent at Leisure! It’s every business owner’s worst nightmare. That wonderfully promising new hire has turned out to be a square peg in a round hole. The decision impacts on a lot of aspects of your business but in purely financial terms, the hit feels even harder. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in the US reveals the average cost of replacing an employee on fixed wages as six to nine months’ salary. The cost can be twice the salary in certain cases – especially for high-earning or executive level staff. No business can afford the time, energy and investment in a wrong hiring decision.....

Do you know a company that truly spans the generations? Many spruik the benefits of an ‘ageless’ workplace, but real inter-generational harmony is hard to achieve. It’s a challenge. Seasoned employees are working later and longer, as younger Millennials kick goals much earlier in their career. HR consulting can help small and medium sized business balance the age scales, with practical solutions for the best of both worlds.....

The age-diverse workplace is here. Today’s work sites typically include Gen Z, Millennials, Gen Y and Baby Boomers working side by side. According to LinkedIn’s 2020 Global Talent Trends report, 56% of global companies are updating policies to engage workers across the generations. The benefits of an age-diverse business far outweigh the challenges.....