Category Archives: News and Articles
5 Common HR Mistakes Small Businesses Make
There is a lot you need to know if you own or manage a business in Australia and ignorance is no defence.
If you employ people this obligation extends to understanding your obligations under workplace laws such as employee rights, minimum wages, pay slips, leave and notice of termination. You also need to know about superannuation, workplace health and safety and tax.
Below are 5 common Human Resources mistakes that can trip up a small business. Avoiding these mistakes can reduce the risk of disputes, being fined with hefty penalties or even being sued. Continue Reading
Free WHS Systems Benchmarking Tool – QLD
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland have recently introduced a free online self-assessment tool to enable you to assess whether you have an effective, systematic approach to managing the areas of:
1. work health and safety
2. worker health and wellbeing
3. workers’ compensation and return to work.
Click here to access the WHSQ Organisational Systems and Benchmarking Tool
According to Joanne Stevenson and Shae McCartney from Clayton Utz, it is important to note that it is imperative that these tools are used by those authorised persons who have a comprehensive knowledge of an organisation’s safety management system to ensure the results are accurate. Continue Reading
Managing Bullying in the workplace
The first thing that used to come to mind when I thought of bullying was physically intimidation, but bullying can take many different forms and can include covert behaviour as well.
Most of the workplaces I have been associated with are melting pots of different cultures and personalities and even in the most functional environments disagreements occur and people can take offense.
Interestingly, Australian Business Group recently suggested that 1 in 3 employees claim to be bullied at work and similar google searches on this topic suggests the same. Continue Reading
Event – Gold Coast North Chamber Breakfast – Outsourcing
Want to grow your business using offshore resources but all you hear is how time consuming and treacherous it can be?
Mini Movers Mogul, Mike OHagan is sharing how you can outsource without all the headaches and heartbreaks.
Important HR & Payroll updates for FY16
Welcome FY16!
Following are some important HR and Payroll related changes that apply from 1 July 2015.
National Minimum Wage
For employees not covered by an Award or Enterprise Agreement, the National Minimum Wage applies. The National Minimum Wage has increased to: $640.90 per week or $16.87 per hour. Continue Reading
2015 Annual Wage Review – 2.5% increase
From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2015, the national minimum wage and award rates of pay will increase by 2.5%
The new national minimum wage will be $656.90 per week or $17.29 per hour.
Within the next 2-3 weeks the Fair Work Commission will issue draft determinations and orders about how this decision affects each modern award. Continue Reading
Myth: all managers and professionals are award free
Do you pay any of your employees more than $133,000 p.a excluding super, commissions, overtime, bonuses etc?
If not, they may still be covered by an Award which entitles them to annual leave loading, allowances, penalties, overtime rates and the like.
Awards now cover most roles and industries in Australia. However, there are still a lot of general misconceptions about this. Continue Reading
Small biz quick links
It can be difficult to find the information you need to manage your small business.
Across the Australian Government there are many agencies involved in the small business space and each provides information online.
To help you find this information now and in the future below is a link to the key small business information on these various government websites. Continue Reading
Managing performance and underperformance at work
There is a difference between managing performance and managing underperformance.
Managing underperformance can be challenging for most Managers and sometimes management action can be mistaken for bullying or it may be considered harsh, unjust or unreasonable.
Managing performance effectively creates a harmonious and productive workplace which is beneficial for all parties. Effective ways Managers can manage performance is by: Continue Reading
Does your workplace need a HR or Safety Audit?
Are you worried that your business is exposed?
If so, your not alone. Following are some of the recent news articles published by the Fair Work Ombudsman this month:
- • Gold Coast workers back-paid $111,000
- • Campaign of “obfuscation” results in $84,500 penalty for Gold Coast restaurant
- • Almost $100,000 back-paid to workers in Melbourne’s South and South-Eastern suburbs
- • Employers urged to check wage rates after 53 Darwin cleaners underpaid $84,000
- • Company faces second litigation for allegedly underpaying door-to-door employees
