This week's top HR stories in brief

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There's no one-size-fits-all approach to fostering innovation, say people leaders from Shell and Nokia, in sharing drastically different experiences. Shell is quite risk-averse, notes regional HR manager Yannick Colot, and spent 1.5 years researching before revamping its performance management system. Nokia is the opposite, says global head of leadership development Joel Casse, and is constantly trying new things.

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Many employers are slow to update L&D approaches due to "sunk costs and vested interests", but reverse mentoring is one program that can be successfully implemented without much formality and process, says Gihan Perera.

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An employer has failed to reduce a worker's redundancy entitlement after offering her a new role that significantly increased her commute times. "It would have been likely to result in [the employee] having almost no leisure or family time on work days," said Fair Work Commissioner Chris Simpson.

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Secure parking went from zero HR to a "pop-up" function servicing 3,000 employees in the space of a year, says Darlene Winston. She explains how the new approach combines the best of technology, offshoring and outsourced expertise to flex with its needs.

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The Fair Work Commission has upheld the dismissal of an employee for dishonestly taking personal leave in order to attend a Wiggles concert with his son. In another case, an employee has been denied pay during a period of suspension for failing a drug test.

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A white-collar worker who tested positive for alcohol has been reinstated after the Fair Work Commission found his employer wasn't "fully conversant" with its own policy, and applied it incorrectly.

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FWC orders reluctant employee back to office

An employee who has worked exclusively from home since the first COVID lockdowns has been ordered to return to the office once a fortnight, with the Fair Work Commission accepting the employer's arguments for requiring her attendance. more

1 July 2026: What's changing today (and what might lie ahead)

  • Warning on pay cycle changes, as Payday Super starts
  • How to comply with out-of-cycle super contributions
  • Paid parental leave increases to 26 weeks
  • Minimum wages, high-income threshold and compensation caps rise
  • Psychological injury compensation changes in NSW
  • Greens call for dedicated LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Commissioner
  • Laws starting, proposed, recommended and under review more