Introduction: As we enter a new year (hello, 2023!), most employers are wondering how the new Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill will impact them.
The industrial law legislation changed in December 2022, with both employers and employees uncertain how the amendment will affect them in 2023.
Many employers are concerned that the new increased regulation will lead to reduced flexibility and increased disruption. As always, the HR Dept is here to help you negotiate the changes. We’ll be here to advise throughout 2023!
If these figures impact on your workforce, please reach out to the HR Dept for support, either now or in the New Year. And if you’re taking a break over Christmas, enjoy! From all of us here, have a safe and enjoyable festive season.
News: A recent report by The Workforce Institute at UKG found that nearly half of employees worldwide (46%) would not recommend their company or their profession to their children or any young person they care about.
News: The representation of female CEOs in Australian and New Zealand is 13%, compared to the global average of 7%. Employers in Australia and New Zealand have nearly twice the global average when it comes to female CEOs, according to a new report from Heidrick & Struggles.
News: The Federal Circuit and Family Court has imposed a six-figure penalty against an employer who reportedly committed breaches against record-keeping and pay slip laws. The employer threatened workers to prevent the misconduct from being exposed.
News: New legislation in the UK removes the 26-week qualifying period that workers need to satisfy before they can request flexible working arrangements. Employees will soon have the right to request flexible working arrangements as early as their first day at work.
News: More than 30 companies and almost 1,000 employees in countries including the US, Ireland and Australia recently concluded a six-month pilot of a four-day working week. The non-profit 4 Day Week Global has revealed that none of the participating organisations are returning to a five-day week.
News: Australia’s Respect@Work Bill emphasises the responsibilities of employers in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Under the new law, employers have a “positive duty” to take measures to eliminate sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and victimisation in the workplace.
How to look after your team as temperatures soar
While the summer months can bring about some of our favourite activities, it can make our working lives a little more difficult. It can be hard for staff to concentrate in the sweltering conditions, especially when the hot weather is predicted to be ongoing for a few days.
In this weather, you need to carry out a risk assessment. This should look at the environment, type of work being carried out and the impact on any staff with particular needs – such as a pregnant employee or someone with medical conditions. You should then address any issues. For example, could outside workers start earlier or later to avoid the midday sun?
It is definitely time to relax the dress code a little, but standards of decency must be maintained. We suggest casual, smart, loose-fitting clothing, and a temporary relaxing of suits and ties so that the company image is maintained.
Air flow is so important in keeping an area cool. Try keeping blinds closed and moving people away from direct sunlight. Have plenty of cold water available so staff remain hydrated. If you have air con, ensure it is set to an appropriate temperature taking into account the temperature outside.
Why not use the heat as an opportunity to boost morale? Simply buying your employees each an ice cream, or a cold soft drink at lunch could boost staff morale. Maybe look at letting staff knock off a little bit early.
Require further support? The HR Dept is here to help. Contact your local office today.
Keeping Christmas Parties Merry and Bright
To host a Christmas party that everyone remembers, take a look at our party planning checklist below.
- Before securing the venue for your Christmas party, it would be wise to perform a risk assessment to check for potential hazards.
- Your invite should remind employees that this is a work event.
- The safety of employees travelling to and from the event comes under your responsibility as the employer.
- Food and drink – if you are providing dinner or a buffet, make sure that dietary requirements have been accounted for. When it comes to drinks, it could be a good idea to consider limited drinks vouchers over a free bar.
- Prep your management team to keep an eye out for any untoward behaviour.
- Work the next day – make it clear to staff that no-shows the next working day will not be tolerated.
Why HR should be part of your business New Year’s Resolution
For small businesses, it can be easy to get swept up in the day-to-day running of the company and not take stock of how far you’ve come and where you want to be. Why not use this downtime to do just that?
Changes to Awards and employment law are constant, meaning that your employment contracts and staff handbook may not be current. Are you looking to recruit in the new year but never really felt like you were doing it right? We can do this too!
We can also take care of your:
- Payroll
- Company policies
- Performance and appraisals
- Training and development
- Disciplinary and grievance matters
- Dismissals and redundancies
- Employer indemnity insurance and much more!
Don’t think you’ll need us very often? We offer a pay-as-you-go option, too!
Whether you need an employment contract, a complete HR audit or something in between – The HR Dept are here to help.
How to handle the ‘sickie’ over the festive period
For businesses that are open across the holiday season, it’s likely to be a skeleton staff. But if someone phones in sick, it can cause havoc and unanticipated service gaps.
The HR Dept’s tips on managing sickies:
- Remind staff before the holidays of how to report sickness.
- Book in a ‘return to work’ meeting.
- Check social media – if someone phones in sick and then checks in online at the nearest pub, chances are they might be faking it.
