News

Jul 28th

Why bonus systems backfire

A lump-sum bonus is more likely to prompt a disengaged worker to resign than to perform, says Retention Partners director Lisa Halloran.

"When we talk about engagement, it's about people's positive expectations being met or exceeded," Halloran says.

A bonus can have a positive impact if the way it is calculated and distributed, and the net amount people receive, equals or exceeds their expectations. The problem is, the effect will be short lived.

Jul 26th

Work/life balance improving - for leaders

Organisations have made some progress in providing work/life balance over the past decade, but leaders and managers - not employees - are the ones who have benefited, new research shows.

Leadership Management Australasia's book, A Decade of L.E.A.D., which collates 10 years of findings from its leadership, employment and direction surveys (involving some 28,000 leaders, managers and employees), says that in 2000, the notion of striking a balance between work and personal life was only just forming.

Jul 21st

Are you too friendly towards your candidates?

Recruiters have to walk a fine line between their desire to build lasting relationships with candidates, and their obligation to rigorously assess them, says Adaps organisational psychologist, Josh Wood.

"It might sound like a minor point, but getting this balance right can be challenging, particularly early in one's recruitment career. And the approach you take can have a big impact on your long term success," he says.

Jul 19th

Economy - and election - could influence future bargaining

Bargaining has been taking longer under the Fair Work Act, but if the economy becomes more robust, negotiations might do the same, says Freehills partner Chris Gardner.

The new legislation might be partially responsible for slower resolutions, "but I don't think that is the total answer", Gardner says.

"In fact, I think it's more a case of the economic cycle we're in and the bargaining dynamics.

Jul 14th

National survey reveals "pressing need" to invest in part-time workforce

Employers that don't offer part-time workers adequate support and career opportunities risk losing them to competitors that do, says Diversity Council Australia (DCA) acting research director Lisa Annese.

Speaking at launch of DCA's "Working for the Future" survey in Sydney last week, Annese urged employers to move "from policy to practice" in not only accommodating their part-time workers, but maximising their potential.

Jun 30th

How do you respond to a PR disaster?

Protect and enhance your brand, constantly

Public relations disasters don't just have to be about an employee issue in order to damage an employer's brand, says Buchan account director Belinda Thomson.

"Of course, high profile bullying or sexual harassment cases are bad news, but the fact is, employers are judged by more than just their track record in keeping staff happy," Thomson says.

Jun 21st

Your single most overlooked engagement resource is...

Employers need to hold managers accountable for the retention of their "human assets", Retention Partners director Lisa Halloran told an HR Daily webinar this week.

"The single most overlooked engagement resource that you have in your organisation right now - you already pay for it, it's there every day, it's available right now, and it's almost never used properly - [is] your managers," Halloran says.

Jun 15th

HR managers to be "responsible officers" under OHS framework

HR managers could be found personally liable for bullying and harassment at work, under the national OHS framework, if they fail to take steps to prevent it, according to Hicksons Lawyers partner Brad Swebeck.

The new regime, expected to commence in January 2012, harmonises OHS laws across Australian states and territories, and broadens the definition of "officer" to persons in management and control of a workplace.

Jun 9th

How the world's best managers view wellbeing

The world's best managers view the growth of employees as an end, not a means, and take responsibility for their people's wellbeing, according Gallup researchers Jim Harter and Tom Rath.

Over the past decade Gallup has asked more than 15 million workers whether their supervisor (or someone at work) seems to care about them as a person.

"This question serves as a barometer of whether an employee feels as if his manager truly cares about his wellbeing," the researchers say.

Jun 8th

Turn a potential threat into an opportunity

Employers yet to embrace flexible work arrangements should use the World Cup as an opportunity for a trial run, according to the Trades Union Congress.

Many employers see the event as a threat because they expect a sudden surge of absences. Instead, they should view it as a chance "to gain a huge amount of goodwill" and boost morale - by accommodating employee requests to follow matches, the British body says.