August 2020

Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources has recorded a series of short 2-minute videos on how to navigate JobKeeper and other options to reduce employee costs during this difficult time of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and economic recession. Q6. How do I approach employees to reduce pay or […]

Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources has recorded a series of short 2-minute videos on how to navigate JobKeeper and other options to reduce employee costs during this difficult time of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and economic recession. Q5 What are the other new provisions of the Fair

Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources has recorded a series of short 2-minute videos on how to navigate JobKeeper and other options to reduce employee costs during this difficult time of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and economic recession. Q4. What are the JobKeeper Enabling Change of Duties and

Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources has recorded a series of short 2-minute videos on how to navigate JobKeeper and other options to reduce employee costs during this difficult time of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and economic recession. Q3 What is the JobKeeper Enabling Stand Down Direction?  

Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources has recorded a series of short 2-minute videos on how to navigate JobKeeper and other options to reduce employee costs during this difficult time of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and economic recession. Q2 What are the specific JobKeeper options to reduce employee

Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources has recorded a series of short 2-minute videos on how to navigate JobKeeper and other options to reduce employee costs during this difficult time of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and economic recession. Q1 What are my options to reduce employee costs?  

COVID-19 continues to spread across the world with increasing case numbers in a growing number of countries on several continents. As at 9 March 2020 there had been 109,577 confirmed cases and 3,809 deaths, with 25 per cent of cases and 18 per cent of deaths outside of mainland China. Importantly, COVID-19 has now spread to cover 104 countries. Download Coronavirus Employee

We’ve all seen the recent headlines – large companies like Woolworths, Domino’s Pizza, 7-11 and George Calombaris’s hospitality group publicly admitting to underpaying thousands of employees to the tune of millions of dollars. Many employees and employers alike have wondered – how can such mistreatment happen in this day and age? How have these businesses been getting away with it for so

Last week Claire Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of HR consulting and outsourcing company, Harrison Human Resources presented on the topic of Wrangling Your Small Business Team (during Coronavirus and economic recession) to a group of small and medium sized business leaders and here is the video of the presentation. Claire founded Harrison Human Resources

Mental health is an ongoing and prevalent health concern within Australia and this is being reflected in our workplaces.  In fact, one in five Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any given year. The most common mental illnesses are depression, anxiety, bi-polar and substance use disorder. It is estimated that untreated mental health

Typically, casual employees are not entitled to such things as paid annual, personal or compassionate leave.  Instead, they receive a loading to compensate for the absence of those and other entitlements of permanent employment. You may or may not have heard mention of the WorkPac v Skene case recently. It has certainly caused a stir in regard

On 30 May 2019 the Fair Work Commission handed down its decision regarding an increase to the National Minimum Wage. The Commission determined that it was appropriate to increase the minimum wage by 3%. The national minimum wage will increase to $740.80 per week, or $19.49 per hour. This constitutes an increase of $21.60 per

Time is a precious resource in any business. If you’re a business leader, you’ve probably wished more times than you can count that there are more hours in a day to get everything done. Sometimes it may feel as if your team isn’t working as efficiently as possible and could be achieving more in the

Our workforce has become increasingly “casualised” in recent years. In fact, over two million people are now employed casually in Australia. Casual workers are entitled to some, but not all of the benefits given to part-time and full-time workers. The trade off for a higher rate of pay (casual loading) is that they forgo paid

Even with your best efforts to proactively manage your team, there are unfortunately times when poor employee performance and misconduct become issues in the workplace. When disciplinary meetings become necessary, it’s important to have a clear plan of how the meeting will be handled and what the desired outcomes will be. In this article, I’ll

If your business is experiencing ongoing HR issues, you may have considered engaging a professional HR outsourcing service. Outsourcing your HR needs is a highly effective strategy. Yet as I have discovered over the years, many business owners don’t entirely understand what outsourcing actually involves. In this blog post, I will explain how outsourcing works as well

A recent NextGen in Business conference on multi-generational organisational cultures had some great speakers with fresh takes on developing high performance teams and cultures. In 2002 Atlassian was founded in Australia, and now has 2,500 employees across 6 countries. They are renown for their success in the tech sector as well as their unique, innovative

For the first time, we have five different generations in the workforce – but the things that drive Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers and Traditionalists are very, very different. To cater to them all you need to rethink a lot of things you take for granted inside your business, from communications and technology

The Fair Work Commission recently handed down its annual decision on the new national minimum wage to begin 1 July 2018. What do you need to do? Ensure you know the industrial instrument (modern award/agreement/award-free) and classification levels of each employee. Just because you pay them above the award rate does not mean that they

Even with the highest quality of HR policies and practices, the application of these is open to subjectivity and bias.  Organisational change, recruitment, performance management and employment termination are all very important areas where objectivity is crucial to the right outcome for your business. Why Is Objectivity Important In Leadership? The reason objectivity is important

Many businesses require the expertise of HR professionals when they are experiencing growth or organisational change but don’t need a full time HR Manager on an ongoing basis. These services can be provided externally but there are great benefits for a HR Consultant being embedded or becoming a part of your organisation for a period

Many years ago, in my first full-time office job with a family business I was being micromanaged by one of the CEO’s daughters. The work was fairly basic and repetitive, so I didn’t require a great deal of supervision, but that didn’t stop her from hovering over me as I worked. Each day I was

Unfortunately, managing poor performance and misconduct is a common occurrence for many business owners. Importantly, before deciding on the most appropriate course of action to take when performance or conduct becomes an issue, it is critical to use a thorough disciplinary process so that you reduce any legal risk to the business and ensure fairness

Imagine yourself standing in front of an audience of ideal prospective employees for your business, each one better than the next. What are you going to tell them about you and your company that will persuade them to join your team? All businesses compete for talent. Money plays a factor in any person’s decision to

I recently attended a seminar on HR and leadership’s role in social change. One statistic really struck me: “Australian employees are losing $1.3 billion annually as a result of violence against women according to estimates.” This has stimulated my thinking about the areas where good leadership and human resource practices can influence social change as

The most common question I get asked is about managing poor performing employees. Unfortunately, many HR people spend a good part of their day advising and supporting line managers on how to appropriately manage the poor performance or misconduct of one of their employees. Often the call comes well down the track, when managing the

Australian workers covered by Awards will now be able to access five days of unpaid domestic violence leave each year. Further details of how this will be administered are likely to emerge after a May 2018 Fair Work Commission (FWC) Hearing. The Fair Work Commission as part of it’s four yearly review of modern awards

When it came to communicating with his employees, the newly appointed CEO of an accounting firm adhered to a rather tight-lipped philosophy: “Only tell them what they need to know.” He would give them swift and direct feedback when they did something wrong, but he was entirely silent when they met or exceeded his expectations.

The old model of an effective leader was someone who forced high productivity out of their employees at the cost of employee motivation and retention. It doesn’t sound like a sustainable leadership model, does it? The new model of effective leadership is based on employee engagement; building positive relationships between leaders and their teams that

What should you look for when selecting the best HR Consultant for your business? A HR consultant that is part of a team of HR Consultants, you’ll know there is further support and extra resources available if needed. When meeting with potential external HR Consultants look for someone you can communicate well with, would assimilate

Many elements make up the formula for employee engagement, and using one particular element in your leadership repertoire could drive your employee engagement and productivity. A national manufacturing company employing over 5,000 people saw their employee engagement increase by a massive 20% as a direct result of one program. They developed and implemented a leadership

The most common attribute I have seen of all the great business leaders I have worked with and am inspired by is emotional intelligence. They have tremendous understanding of how they are perceived by others and how to adjust their approach for different people and situations. Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage

Businesses with 20+ employees on 1 April 2018 will need to update their payroll solutions to comply with Federal Government’s new single touch payroll (STP) system legislation commencing on 1 July 2018. This is also relevant for businesses with 19 employees or less; currently the reporting requirements are optional for that size employer but are

As Sir Winston Churchill said “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” Planning is everything. Fail to plan and you’ll fail to succeed. Planning (and the clarity that comes with it) will help you prioritise your investment of time, resources and money. Perhaps even more importantly, it gives your team a clear understanding

There is always a risk for employers of valued employees being unable to work for a lengthy period of time. How do you as an employer handle such situations with compassion while considering your business needs and your employees’ rights and obligations? Long term absences of employees need to be handled differently depending on whether

A few years ago a Brisbane service business acquired a similar sized business on the Gold Coast with 45 employees. When I started working with them about two years ago the Gold Coast operations were experiencing extreme levels of employee turnover – 50%! Plus regular workplace bullying claims, customer complaints, and they weren’t achieving their

A friend, Lucy, was the human resources manager reporting to the CEO when she fell pregnant with her first child. In the last trimester of her pregnancy, she requested to go part-time as she was experiencing some pregnancy-related health issues. The CEO refused her request but instead offered a more junior and lower paid position.

Last week I had lunch with a friend who runs a small financial planning business. He was in a bad way. Business debt, employee turnover, marriage pains, and not surprisingly – health issues and stressed. Most of this was not new but had been progressively getting worse. He hated the work of financial planning; and

What should you do about the high-performing employee who continuously fails to live up to the organisation’s behavioural standards and company values? How you answer this question sends a very loud message to the rest of your employees and others If you give a high-achieving employee a pass on behavioural standards, you are telling your

The best way to lessen the risk of an unfair dismissal claim or have a solid defence to a claim are to have valid reasons for the dismissal, to follow a fair procedure leading to the termination and only offer a genuine redundancy. Here Are Our 7 Top Tips For Dealing With Unfair Dismissal Claims:

The greatest risk for employers in having to terminate someone’s employment is the employee disputing the termination through one of four methods of claim: Unfair Dismissal General Protections/ Adverse Actions Breach of Contract Discrimination Any of the methods of dispute can negatively impact businesses through; lost time, compensation and penalty costs (the compensation for unfair

The most common problem business leaders have when attempting to implement major change across an organisation is that employees are five steps behind them. We’ve all experienced first-hand or heard of poor change management especially in times of major organisational change. One of my CEO clients, the head of a highly productive and profitable business

Do you discriminate (intentionally or not) against older people when recruiting and promoting? Research by the Human Rights Commission shows that age discrimination is ongoing and is a common occurrence in Australian workplaces. 27% of Australians aged 50 years and over said that they had experienced some form of age discrimination.   The survey also

It might come as a surprise to some, but the most likely time for employee dissatisfaction, low productivity, and turnover to occur is during the first few months of employment.   A well thought-out employee induction process will combat this and will enable your new employees to become productive members of the organisation quickly.  

The superficially charming, highly ambitious employee (often leader) who pretends to listen attentively while dogmatically doing it their way and treading on whoever to achieve their ambitions. Have you worked with one of these people? Let me introduce you to the successful workplace psychopath. Often a successful corporate psychopath is described as a high-flyer with

I listened to Monica Lewinsky’s TED talk, which is about public humiliation, cyber bullying, and shame in our digital age. My other major take-away from Monica’s talk was the importance of empathy to others and self-love. Monica Lewinsky was a young 22-year-old when she fell in love with her boss, who just happened to be

More than 70% of businesses have reported having to take disciplinary action against an employee for misuse of social media. The statistic was gathered from a 2014 survey and compared to the same survey conducted in 2012, a 35% increase! The 2016 survey is yet to be released, it will be interesting to see if

Not for the first time, I had a client call asking for advice around an employee who had recently started with them and just told them she was pregnant. Could they sack her? They say she should have told them at the interview that she was pregnant. As business owners and employers, what would you

One of the biggest challenges for businesses is attracting great people. An enticing job offer to a potential employee has a large impact on your ability to attract and appoint them, as well as their ongoing motivation and work performance. A high-quality employee, in most cases, isn’t an employee who has a “Just show me

Did you know new business owners can be held accountable for breaches of the Fair Work Act that occurred before they took ownership of an organisation? Time and time again, we see situations where employers have not understood their obligations to employees under the Fair Work Act and have paid significantly for their failure to

The qualities and values that make great professional sporting leaders are similar to those of great business leaders. I recently heard Laura Geitz, former Australian and Queensland netball captain, speak at a function and was struck by the similarities regarding leadership in the sporting and business worlds. Here are 5 Gems of Advice Laura shared that

Workplace Health and Safety obligations for businesses can be overwhelming and at times confusing. WH&S legislation differs from State to State and under legislation all people and companies who conduct a business or undertaking (PCBU) have a responsibility for WH&S. Penalties for WH&S offences are very high, and rightly so. For Category 1 offences under

The Fair Work Commission has handed down its decision on the new national minimum wage for 1 July 2017. Details of the new minimum wage rates are as follows. THE INCREASE: 3.3% The national minimum wage will increase by 3.3% from 1 July 2017, increasing wages to $694.90 per week, or $18.29 per hour, based

Recently I went to a Depotnext event at the Powerhouse to watch presentations from three amazing entrepreneurs who shared their stories about business success, it was highly relevant for me and all business owners. The core theme, common to all three speakers was ‘to value and invest in people to achieve business success’. No news to me!

A few years ago I helped a managing partner to address conflict between two of his partners of a town planning business. There was a lack of communication, and potentially a lack of respect and professionalism being demonstrated. One partner was overworked while the other was going to golf each Friday. The conflict was causing

Yesterday I met with the general manager of a family-owned business that is facing increased competition by major overseas players. Smartly, the business has successfully niched to where the large companies don’t want to play. However, the company is now experiencing growing pains. The storeman who has been with them for more than 10 years

Maybe, part of your business new year resolution is to address the ongoing poor performance of an employee that is causing damage to your business, low morale, and headaches for you! When deciding on the best way to tackle the challenge of poor employee performance, it is helpful to map out a clear process to

Last year, I met with Jane Cay of online retail success story Birdsnest to discuss her journey of entrepreneurship and people leadership. Jane was modest in her achievement of Birdsnest being included on the BRW Great Workplaces list. Birdsnest was also awarded the Online Retailing Industry Award Best Online Customer Service Winner in 2015 and

Are you ready for the festive session/Christmas-New Year period/end of year office closure? Whatever you call it, it’s just around the corner so you need to be business-ready. Here are our 3 tips to get you started on your people planning for end of year. 1.  Message from the CEO End of year is the

After you’ve spent months or years establishing your business – waking up early, staying up late, squeezing your work around family and friends (or visa versa); after you’ve said no to invitations, events and getaways, and after you’ve spent hundreds, or even thousands, of your hard-earned dollars on coaches and courses and seminars so you

Do you have a way of setting and measuring employee goals? Is it working well for you and your business? Good investment in time? Increasing morale? Achieving business results? No, no, no? It is a rare person who enjoys giving or receiving a performance appraisal. All too often, I hear – and have experienced myself

“Overcoming 7 Costly HR Mistakes” is a 90-minute online training that shows you the 7 most common HR mistakes you need to overcome in your business to successfully grow your business by leading a team of highly productive and committed people. This FREE online training gives you a practical framework to avoid a sluggish and

An accounting firm with a fantastic workplace culture?  Unheard of you say?  One great example of how even a (possibly perceived) boring business can build a highly productive team and profitable business is Sidcor Chartered Accountants.  Paul Siderovski is the founder and Managing Director of leading accountancy firm SiDCOR, ranked by BRW Magazine as the

Extract from Claire Harrison’s book, The CEO Secret Guide to Managing and Motivating Employees As a business leader, you have a tremendous amount of power: you hold in your hands your employees’ prosperity and wellbeing. We spend so much of our time at work that satisfaction or dissatisfaction with one’s job has a profound impact on

Do you remember The Jetsons?  I loved that show.  The futuristic view of how our lives would look. A pill expanding to a meal, flying cars that convert to briefcases, robot helpers, and machines that washed and dressed us. Some of The Jetsons has come very close to current reality; like the phone calls with monitors,

In researching my book, The CEO Secret Guide to Managing and Motivating Employees, I interviewed Mark Middleton about the strategies Radiation Oncology Centres (ROC) used to build a great workplace culture and be awarded as a BRW Best Place to Work. Mark is a keynote speaker at our half-day business leadership event on 21 June 2016

FAIR WORK MINIMUM WAGE DECISION The Fair Work Commission has finalised its annual wage review for 2016 and handed down a decision to increase minimum wages. The panel decided to award what it called a “moderate” increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2016. The Fair Work Commission has awarded a minimum

Mark Middleton is the highly-regarded CEO of Icon Group, which incorporates Icon Cancer Care, Radiation Oncology Centres (ROC), Epic Pharmacy and Slade Health. He is passionate about ensuring accessibility to world class cancer care for all Australians. In 2007, as the CEO of Radiation Oncology Centres (ROC) he led the highly successful clinical commencement of ROQ Toowoomba, repeated the success

“Leaders are not born, they’re made.  They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” – Vince Lombardi Leadership and coaching concepts that apply to the workplace are almost the same as those found in sports.  As a coach or a manager, you’re

CASE STUDY – TRISTAN WHITE, THE PHYSIO CO Extract from Claire Harrison’s book, The CEO Secret Guide to Managing and Motivating Employees. Overview In 2004, The Physio Co was a single person with a vision to change seniors’ healthcare forever. In 2015, The Physio Co, with more than 100 team members and 250,000 physiotherapy consultations per

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. – Thomas Edison Recently a technology company contacted me. About a year ago they decided to employ two sales managers to free up the time of the Founder and CEO to focus on other aspects of the business and

You may have heard the term ‘probationary period’ and ‘qualifying period’ being mentioned when it comes to a new employee and thought “what is the difference?”. You may have also thought you could dismiss an employee during their probationary period with ‘no risk’. This is an area that businesses need to be very careful about

Succession planning is a process of identifying employees who are capable of moving into the key positions within your business. It helps to identify future capacity and capability gaps, and address professional development requirements. It enables career discussions with employees. Why Develop A Succession Plan? Succession planning ensures the ongoing sustainability of your organisation. All

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2016 Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Australian Institute of Management flagship event – International Women’s Day Great Debate. The event is held annually and is widely anticipated as one of the premier events on the IWD calendar. The debate topic this year was “Men and Women: Equal at Last”, and

There is a statement that says: “Our most valuable asset is our people”. We need to rethink that statement, and consider if instead it should be “Our most valuable asset is our quality, performing people.” Sound performance management practices enable us to have high quality staff who are performing effectively. New managers avoid having performance discussions, due

Employee turnover costs can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Depending on the size of your business, the total costs of replacing an employee varies from 30-150% of their salary. This amount represents a substantial expense for any size business. Calculating the direct costs of employee turnover is usually quite straightforward, but there are many indirect

Redundancy is a mechanism you can use to terminate a worker’s employment. On the surface, it sounds like a convenient excuse for dismissing your unwanted or troublesome employees. That’s not the case at all. Redundancy law is a huge trap for the unwary. Failing to understand your rights and obligations as an employer under redundancy

Not enough time to recruit that vacant position? Effective people management is an essential aspect of any growing and successful business as it involves the management of people and culture to achieve the desired organisational outcomes. Unfortunately however, many businesses lack the capacity to dedicate a number of staff to HR alone. Under such circumstances,

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAMS ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET Harrison Human Resources HR Consulting Team in Brisbane Do you work in a small to medium sized business and have been given the responsibility of implementing a health and wellness program into your workplace on a very minimal budget?  You might be wondering what initiatives you can implement

You already know that recruiting trainees is a cost-effective way to hire, train and keep the type of workers who’ll be a perfect fit for your business. Unfortunately it’s easy to be deterred by a confusing and difficult process. It seems as though there’s too much red tape to cut through along the way to recruiting a

s LinkedIn the ultimate business networking and recruitment tool? The use of LinkedIn for recruitment heralded the end of head hunters and the start of cheaper and more efficient in-house recruitment . The dawn of professional online networking allowed employers and recruiters to reach out and connect directly with contacts quickly and easily whenever the need arose.

Best Employer CEO MAT BAXTER is the CEO of UM, an award winning media agency.  The most recent award UM has won is Number 1 on this week’s announced list of 2015 BRW Great Places to Work. Yesterday I spoke with Mat about what it means to be a Great Place to Work, the business

Last Wednesday night I had the enormous pleasure of attending the inaugural Unplugged event that was the baby of Those Two Girls.  Those Two Girls is the serendipitous union of Sarah Wills of Pearls of Willsdom blog and Lise Carlaw of re:myStyle blog.  Both mums, gorgeous, funny, clever and highly entertaining. It was a panel style event –

 Ita Buttrose and Claire Harrison Professionally, I look to a number of people as my role models.  My list of well-known role models that I aspire to have some or all of the characteristics of include:  Richard Branson (not to be cliché), Oprah (again cliché I know), Naomi Simson, Jamie Oliver, Janine Ellis, and Ann

t’s the worst job a boss has to do, but if you can’t do it, you probably shouldn’t be running the show. NEVER FIRE ON THE SPOT Many owners of small businesses get themselves in a legal pickle by reacting “in the moment” to something a worker does or says. This is the worst thing to do,

When staff find it hard to define performance management in a workplace, the result is an organisational culture that fails to create an engaged workforce. It’s impossible for staff to align themselves with your business’s core strategies, goals and objectives without effective feedback and communication strategies in place.   Investing time and resources into making

Why should you outsource HR tasks that eat up your day? It’s 3pm and you’ve finally cleared your inbox. Does coffee count as lunch? In the next two short hours, you’ll be drafting an employment ad, finishing those performance reviews, writing policy, working on that unfair dismissal complaint, dealing with the smokers (AGAIN), researching the

Hiring a new staff member can be a long and difficult process at the best of times but when you’ve got time management issues, it can be even more challenging. The following tips can help busy managers to maximise their time without minimising the quality of your candidates.   BEFORE Try to give yourself as

Giving an employee the hard word is never an easy thing to do. If you are operating a small business, it can be especially difficult in the face of changing governments and new employment legislation requirements.  However, the more you understand about job termination the easier it will be to manage the process or possibly

SHARING OF CHALLENGES, IDEAS, LEARNINGS AND WINS 9:30am To 11:30am Tuesday 23 June 2015 433 Logan Rd, Stones Corner We welcome all NFP leaders who have responsibility for managing the HR function to our inaugural NFP HR Forum. This is your opportunity to share your challenges, hear what others are doing, and offer ideas for other

Holding the interest of your top performing employees has never been so essential to the successful outcomes of your business. As various industries move forward, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that good people drive great companies from the ground up. There’s a special excitement that comes from hiring a top performer, something just clicks in place

Every business relies on a team of professionals who consistently perform to their best. This makes the process of hiring new employees integral to the success of your operations. The people you invite to join your business need to complement the existing team, while also helping it move towards a positive future. We have listed

Performance reviews can inspire feelings of trepidation in employees, concern in employers and affect an atmosphere of tension that is hard to ignore. As a manager, you know they don’t want to think about the lines written under their names, waiting to knock them off a perch of holiday fantasies and festive plans. If you

Consider the fact that each time a long time employee leaves a business, they take with them valuable knowledge and skills directly to your competitor which then leave a significant shortfall in the company. Staff turnover brings many costs to a business, and they are not all financially related. High levels of turnover that are

Many businesses are choosing to outsource their work these days, and there are more opportunities to do so now, than there were several years ago. The concept of outsourcing is becoming better understood, and those businesses that do outsource their tasks are grateful that they have found such a wonderful solution.   Outsourcing means that

The federal budget handed down last month brought a range of belt tightening measures set to impact many Australians, with the aim to bring the budget to surplus by 2024. While the cost cutting measures were condemned by many, there are a range of announcements made designed to boost the productivity of Australia’s workforce and

Highly motivated employees are the key to running a successful business, but when one of your star employees moves on to one of your competitors, too often the reasons for the departure are not properly understood.   The employee exit interview is an important tool for managers and business owners to identify strengths but more

Reference checks are one of the best ways to verify information from a potential employee during the recruitment process, and are usually the last ‘line of defence’ before candidates are appointed to the role. Like every other HR function, a solid process will ensure that the right information is gathered from referees and what to

Cases of employees losing their jobs for careless social media postings have been well documented in the media over the last few years, and sometimes have gone before the courts. With the self-publishing nature of social media and the desire to share opinions on all sorts of issues, comes the very real possibility that something

Most employers should be aware of the new workplace bullying laws which came into effect on January 1 2014. The significant changes to the Government’s Fair Work Act (2009) means that there are many amendments to the way allegations of workplace bullying are dealt with which have significant implications for businesses. Employers can’t afford to have their

Most managers and business owners understand that engaged employees are happy and productive employees. They deliver higher levels of customer service and make the business more money. These findings have been supported by decades of research, which have proven the link between employee engagement, happier customers and an increase in profits. Research by Right Management across Australia

Bad hiring choices can be more than just an inconvenience – they can also cost your company a lot of money and time. Not only is it important you ask the right questions, (that’s a whole separate topic) as a recruiter it’s also important you get your interviewing technique right. This will make the interviewing process more

HARNESSING THE POWER OF LINKEDIN AND YOUR TALENT SEARCH Does your company have a presence on one of the most important job networks of all time? If not then you could be missing a massive opportunity.  Hailed as one of the most important changes to the recruitment process in the last 50 years, LinkedIn has changed the

Author: Harrison HR | Blog The job ad is often something that unfortunately many small and medium businesses fail to get right. From this initial stage in the recruitment process, the right job ad can help encourage the right candidate to apply and create a quality pool of applicants to select from. On the other

TUESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2013, BRISBANE CBD In a wrap up of the changes facing employers in 2014, this comprehensive and practical seminar will cover the TOP HR/IR ISSUES FOR 2014, including: – New Anti-Bullying Jurisdiction; – New Family Friendly Measures; – Moving into 2014 with the LNP; and – Latest Research on Employee Engagement. This

With the September 2013 change in Federal Government from the ALP to the NLP it is opportune to review the NLP’s position on workplace relations. Key points of the NLP’s Policy to improve the Fair Work Laws include: Keep and improve the Fair Work laws – its generally working and they’ll do some tweaking to

Check out this Sexting for Employers article written by Claire Harrison, Human Resources Consultant and Founder of Brisbane based HR consultancy firm, Harrison Human Resources.  The article was published in the September 2013 edition of My Business magazine. Sexting published article For More Information About Our Human Resources Consultancy Services Please Visit The Consultants Page. Claire HarrisonClaire Harrison

Key changes are around: Bullying complaints Family friendly measures Changes to working hours Penalty rates Union right of entry BULLYING COMPLAINTS Please see New Anti-Bullying Jurisdiction article for details of changes to bullying complaints. FAMILY FRIENDLY MEASURES The Amendment Act 2013 also introduced some new family friendly initiatives, including: FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS More groups of employees now

The most significant change introduced under the Fair Work Amendment Act 2013 is the establishment of the anti-bullying jurisdiction within the Fair Work Commission (FWC) with effect from 1 January 2014. Previously complaints of bullying were dealt with under the workplace health and safety legislation by making a complaint to the relevant government department, which

Following on from our blog post earlier in the week, the story of  Queensland State MP Peter “Coq Au Vin” Dowling has gained extensive media coverage nationally, including national newspapers, news programs, and even featuring in overseas news! A key consideration for all employers is – what does your mobile device policy say about texting, specifically

Today’s release by The Courier Mail of photos showing the State MP for Redlands (Queensland), Peter Dowling with his mistress on an overseas holiday as well as the disclosure by the mistress of other photos taken by the MP of his genitalia give rise to a number of questions regarding how this should be handled

Some employers have rules about the employment of spouses and relatives of existing employees. Are these rules legitimate? This is a topic we regularly receive questions about. Here are some of the key issues to consider in your recruitment policy. Q: We have been asked by our parent company in the US to introduce a policy

The top five business policy priorities for the next government should include industrial relations, cutting red tape and tax reforms, a new survey released this month says. Ai Group surveyed over 330 businesses in the manufacturing, services and construction sectors on their policy priorities. Industrial relations reform to boost productivity was the number one overall

It is common practice these days for recruitment screening processes to include scanning of job applicants’ Facebook postings for evidence of potential ‘bad behaviour’. But a recent US study suggests that employers who reject applicants on the basis of what they find on Facebook may be overlooking potentially good employees. The evidence indicates that there

At Claire’s recent presentation at the Redlands Business Expo she spoke about the 5 Steps to High Performing Employees. Following is a summary of Claire’s presentation. RESEARCH SAYS THAT HIGH PERFORMING BUSINESSES, IRRESPECTIVE OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION, BENEFITED FROM A FOCUS ON EMPLOYEES AND ORGANISATIONAL VALUES. RECRUIT The right job – what does the business require? The right

We commonly get asked – can a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) absolve itself of responsibility if a worker refuses to use personal protective equipment (PPE)? Q: We have employed a new worker who is quite adamant that he does not want to use PPE (eg gloves). Could we put a clause in his

Another important changes all employers should be aware of relates to new gender equity reporting requirements. These are the amended reporting requirements under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 which resulted in the introduction of new reporting requirements due at the end of this month. The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 resulted in all private sector employers who

One important changes all employers should be aware of relates to superannuation.  The changes to the superannuation regime increase employers’ superannuation obligations starting from 1 July 2013 to compulsory contributions of 9.25%. SUPERANNUATION REGIME The changes introduced by way of the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Amendment Bill 2011 means that compulsory superannuation guarantee contributions will increase over a

In October, the Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten announced that parliament will implement numerous important changes to the Fair Work Act this year, following an independent review of the Act in June 2012. Chief among these changes are those concerning complaints brought about by employees upon termination of their employment. Here is a summary of

FROM 1 JULY, MINIMUM WAGES ARE GOING UP BY 2.6%. FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET READY. The minimum wages for adults, juniors, trainees, apprentices, employees with a disability and piece rates will all increase. Many allowances in awards will also increase. For employees who aren’t covered by an award or agreement, the new national

Professional employer organizations help free up business owners’ time to focus on generating revenue. BY:TODDI GUTNER Most small-business owners know the frustration of spending more time than they want or should on non-revenue-generating activities. From payroll and human resource management to benefits and compensation, entrepreneurs can spend up to 40 percent of their precious day

BY KATE ASHMOR Bravo Bernard Keane for yesterday raising the issue of paid parental leave, an important government policy which directly affects millions of Australian women. As I’ve recently noted, it’s time for women to move beyond the ‘gender wars’ and use their unprecedented political power to leverage policy outcomes. The Coalition is offering a

A greater understanding of what drives the Generation Y can help employers address employee disengagement and create more positive synergies in the workplace, business leaders heard at a recent conference. At the Australian Chambers Business Congress in Melbourne (15–17 August), workplace relations and HR expert Avril Henry advised delegates that Australian employees are significantly disengaged

Our own Claire Harrison was the Chair of the Commonwealth Bank 2012 Redland Business Awards. The Redland City Chamber of Commerce proudly supports the recognition of local business achievement through their annual business awards presentation.  This was the 21st year and  they were renamed and revitalised to promote best practice, innovation and excellence in business. Claire emceed

Senior staff are expected to implement and enforce EEO, bullying and harassment policies in a business; so, should all staff, including senior levels, receive appropriate training in these areas? Q:  Must the employer provide training to all levels of staff in regards to EEO, bullying and sexual harassment? A:  The provision of training in relation

It may happen that an employee falls pregnant with less than 12 months separating the births of the children. So, how is such a situation regarded from the aspect of unpaid parental leave? Q:  We have an employee who is four months into a total absence of twelve months of unpaid maternity leave. She is

An employer’s action in dismissing a painter and making reckless representation about his work position contravened the Fair Work Act 2009. The Federal Magistrates Court ordered the employer to pay compensation and a penalty. [Full text of this case: C v Crocker Builders Pty Ltd [2012] FMCA 677 (3 September 2012)] A painter working for a construction

Thanks to Fairfax for including Claire in this month’s edition of d’fine magazine.  To check it out follow this link:  Dfine 110912. Claire HarrisonClaire Harrison is the Founder and Managing Director of Harrisons, a flourishing HR consulting business that sprouted in 2009 from Claire’s passionate belief that inspiring leaders and superstar employees are the key success

Aon Hewitt announced its 2012 Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) survey, with Microsoft being named the Best of the Best for 2012. Fourteen organisations received the Aon Hewitt Best Employer accreditation in 2012 including Chorus New Zealand Limited, Express Data, FedEx Express (Australia), FedEx Express (New Zealand), Frucor Beverages Australia, Hilti Australia,

Q: I’m trying to find out whether there is a maximum number of hours a worker can work in any given week — taking into account safety and fatigue issues; and, if so, what are they? A: When there may be a prospect of ‘unreasonable hours’ being imposed on an employee, the employer should discuss that issue

Retaining staff remains a key concern for Australian companies, and those with high turnovers need to examine their hiring procedures, according to specialist finance and accounting recruitment firm, Robert Half.   Robert Half director Kevin Jarvis said that despite the difficult talent market, retaining staff remains a key concern for Australian CFOs and finance directors.

A common business problem for employers occurs when employees accrue excessive amounts of annual leave. This scenario is detrimental to both the employees and the organisation, but both sides being ‘at fault’ may be the cause.   WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM? One potential cause is organisation downsizing; and, thereby, requiring ‘more from less’ from the

Before attempting to resolve workplace complaints and disagreements that have spiraled out of control, managers need to work out if they are dealing with a dispute or a conflict. Following is some guidance on managing workplace conflict. A ‘dispute’ (or disagreement) is a contest over a specific set of facts. Disputes are about facts. An investigation helps

Although the scope for social media-related problems to arise at work sometimes appears formidable, the issue need not be any more difficult than managing more traditional communication methods such as use of phones and email. The user-generated content aspect of social media means that the following potential hazards can arise: content is very widely accessible

The Annual Wage increase, effective from 1 July, affects minimum wage rates; so, how does this impact on an employer that adjusts wages at a different time? Q: The majority of our employees are covered under the Manufacturing Award and the Clerks Award. It is the company’s policy that wages are reviewed annually at the end

While the commencement of the financial year usually means changes relating to taxation, this date also has implications with respect to workplace relations-related matters, including awards, unfair dismissals, paid parental leave and superannuation (particularly in relation to statutory monetary amounts). This article identifies a number of key workplace changes that will, or may, affect your

The failure by a builder to take reasonably practicable steps to address an identified fall hazard meant that a construction site in Western Sydney was ‘an accident waiting to happen’, according to the NSW Industrial Court. [Full text of this case: Inspector Spence v Aleksic Carpentry Pty Ltd & Anor [2012] NSWIRComm 45 (16 May 2012)]

Mental illness in young men costs the Australian economy $3.27b in lost productivity each year, and employers directly $237m, according to a new report that encourages a greater role for employers in developing and delivering mental health initiatives. Commissioned by the Inspire Foundation and Ernest & Young, the report — Counting the Cost: The Impact

Is an employer obligated to make an investigation into allegations of misconduct or can it proceed immediately to dismissal? Q: One of our employees has made a serious sexual allegation against another employee. The allegations are such that the company wishes to terminate immediately the alleged offender’s employment. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, are we

On 1 June 2012 Fair Work Australia increased the minimum wage by 2.9%, to $606.40 a week — a rise of $17.10 from the previous $589.30. The rise is less than the $26 a week the ACTU had called for but much more than the $9.40 the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry had wanted.

Occupational Health And Safety (OHS) Laws Are Undergoing Their Biggest Overhaul In A Generation With The Introduction Of Nationally Harmonised Legislation In 2012. Here’s What You Need To Do To Get Your Business Ready. The new model Work Health and Safety Acts (WHS) came into effect on 1 January 2012 (with the exception of Victoria

The injuries sustained by a worker while having sex on a work trip were found to be compensable by the Federal Court, which determined that the employer was liable, even though it had not ‘expressly induced or encouraged’ the activity that led to the accident. In November 2007, a public servant was sent on an

A Vic man will have to pay almost $188,500 to his former employer, after he breached a post-employment clause in his contract that prohibited him from doing business with former clients. The clause prevented him from providing specified accounting services for three years after his employment finished to any of the accounting firm’s clients to

Move over, Google – constructions product provider Hilti is the top employer in the country based on human resources consulting firm Aon Hewitt’s new Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand report, which surveyed over 124,000 employees in more than 200 companies. Best Employers outperform other organisations in both productivity and financial performance. Research concludes

The rules around an employee’s entitlement to be made a permanent employee after working a period of casual employment should be checked in the relevant award. Q: Our company employs a considerable number of casual employees who are employed under the Manufacturing and Associated Industries Award 2010. One of these employees has approached their supervisor regarding

I asked for feedback from our first member, and this is what I received: Mount Isa City Council employees 200 people not including contractors. I am the Human Resources Advisor. OUR BIGGEST HR CHALLENGES ARE: As Mount Isa is a mining town we find competing with remuneration and high rents hard but offer a lifestyle

Be very clear about your reasons for taking action against an employee, and be able to prove them — to minimise the prospect of adverse action claims. Those are the two most important elements of a strategy to combat adverse action claims outlined at the 2012 Workplace Law Fundamentals seminar, conducted by Akolade, in Sydney, on 20

Sham contracting is an attempt by an employer to misrepresent or disguise an employment relationship as an independent contracting arrangement. Employers may do this to avoid having to give an employee their proper work entitlements, such as minimum rates of pay and leave entitlements. Sometimes, employers dismiss, or threaten to dismiss, employees if they don’t

Listening to employees and breaking down bureaucracies are among the most effective ways to improve engagement and empowerment, according to a recent management competition. Results of the ‘beyond bureaucracy’ challenge to find innovative ways to engage employees have been published on the website of the large global management consulting firm McKinsey. Managers were asked to

In Brief In a recent FWA decision, an employee was reinstated following termination for allegedly derogatory and harassing comments about managers posted on his Facebook page.1 Roberts C found the comments to be akin to ‘a group of friends letting off steam and trying to outdo one another in being outrageous‘, and whilst in poor taste,

A valid reason for termination should be classified into at least one of four categories: capacity, conduct, performance or termination on the grounds of redundancy. Capacity Capacity relates to the employee’s ability to perform the inherent requirements of the job. To rely upon capacity as a reason for termination, the core or substantive duties of

Presented a workshop tonight for business owners on their employment law obligations and how to comply. We discussed the Fair Work Act, National Employment Standard, Modern Awards, Independent Contractors, Occupational Health and Safety, Discrimination and Workplace Bullying – and much, much more. CONCLUDED WITH THE FOLLOWING TOP 8 TIPS FOR COMPLIANCE:  Audit your HR and

A Lismore café, which underpaid its workers $138,000, will have to report its wage rates to the Fair Work Ombudsman for the next three years. Ejack Pty Ltd, which underpaid more than 70 casual waiting staff and short-order cooks over two and a half years, has also pledged to repay all outstanding wages. The company’s

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HAS PRODUCED MULTIPLE EMAILS AS EVIDENCE AGAINST TWO MOTHERS SUING THE AIRLINE FOR TURFING THEM OUT OF THEIR JOBS. Former public relations officer Leonie Vandeven and former events and sponsorship manager Kirsty Aitken both claim they were made redundant because they were pregnant or on maternity leave. They are suing their former employer

Policies are a necessary management tool in any organisation. While there is no doubt of their widespread use, it is important to review the effectiveness of your workplace policies both from a legal and operational point of view. The following five principles form the foundation of a successfully implemented and enforceable policy. DO NOT INCORPORATE

The operator of a Gold Coast pizza shop is being prosecuted for the alleged serially underpaying 27 employees a total of almost $20,000. Facing court are Scot Stuart Murphy and his private company VS Investment Group Pty Ltd. Through his company, Murphy owns and operates Mondo Pizza at Surfers Paradise. It is alleged the 27

Everyone knows running a business is hard work, but so is maintaining a marriage. This is a great article taken from the latest edition of Smarter Business Ideas. Allison Tait asked the experts how you can keep your significant other significant, and both of you happy. A business could be described as an unforgiving mistress.

Some medical certificates that employees present to substantiate personal leave provide very little information about the employees’ condition So, can an employer seek more information in order to assess the validity of the leave claim? Let’s first take a look at an example scenario posted to WorkplaceInfo. Claire HarrisonClaire Harrison is the Founder and Managing Director

In recent times, social media has shifted workplace dynamics by becoming an increasingly used tool for organisations to expand their business, but there are also employment-related issues that need to be addressed. With the limitless commercial potential, including opportunities to increase client base, branding, advertising and even recruiting staff, coupled with the growing trend of

The applicant was found not to be an employee but, instead, a contractor–principal relationship existed, and was hence not protected from unfair dismissal under s382 of the Fair Work Act 2009. Fair Work Australia has dismissed an application for unfair dismissal remedy for want of jurisdiction. THE CAB RANK SUPERVISOR’S SITUATION A man was engaged

A Westpac bank employee who seriously injured her back when a chair collapsed under her at work has been awarded more than $270,000 in damages. In the Supreme Court, the Westpac Banking Corporation admitted liability for the injury suffered by Tara Kim Andrews on December 12, 2006. However, it was left to Justice Duncan McMeekin

It has been 12 months of despair for some workers but a year of opportunity for others. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald Claire HarrisonClaire Harrison is the Founder and Managing Director of Harrisons, a flourishing HR consulting business that sprouted in 2009 from Claire’s passionate belief that inspiring leaders and superstar employees are the key success

Unions are pushing to make it easier for workers to claim unfair dismissal and for a more activist role for the workplace tribunal in settling industrial disputes. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald Claire HarrisonClaire Harrison is the Founder and Managing Director of Harrisons, a flourishing HR consulting business that sprouted in 2009 from Claire’s passionate belief

Brisbane Qantas workers face a nervous few days as rumours swirl among union officials jobs are going to be axed. Source: Brisbane Times Claire HarrisonClaire Harrison is the Founder and Managing Director of Harrisons, a flourishing HR consulting business that sprouted in 2009 from Claire’s passionate belief that inspiring leaders and superstar employees are the key