A recent court case sends a timely reminder that whenever HR professionals communicate something negative about an employee to anyone other than that person, they should beware of defamation risks, says Lander and Rogers partner Neil Napper.
A call centre employer has reduced its staff turnover and absenteeism by more than 30 per cent in just six months - and doubled its engagement score - following a major culture overhaul driven primarily by employees.
It is acceptable for an employer to require a medical certificate to cover certain absences and not others, but not to place an "arbitrary" limit on the number of times it will accept an alternative, according to the Fair Work Commission.
If you think an employee's cold symptoms are wildly exaggerated, and point to nothing more than a harmless "man flu", you might be tempted to dismiss their complaints - but according to Dr Georgia Karabatsos, employers should take all symptoms seriously.
Investing in preventative mental health - when compared to the costs of workers' compensation claims, absenteeism and lost productivity - really is a "no brainer", according to people risk expert Danni Hocking.
Defining the return on investments in workplace wellness is one of the biggest challenges for employers with "the best intentions", but data is critical to continuing support for programs, says Aon Hewitt principal Danni Hocking.
Investing in workplace wellness reduces business costs associated with absence and workers' compensation, but there are clear benefits in terms of engagement and productivity as well, says Aon Hewitt principal Danni Hocking.
In this webcast, she outlines:
the positive impact of workplace wellness programs;
the business impact of unhealthy employees;
how to integrate wellness programs based on your organisation's risk profile;
HR's role in workplace wellness;
a case study of a successful workplace wellness initiative; and
the importance of articulating the return on investment in workplace wellness.
Employers should carefully monitor and manage how much discretionary sick leave they provide to employees following an injury or illness, according to employment lawyer Helen Donovan.
In the event of an unfair dismissal claim from an injured worker, a solid paper trail is a critical element of an employer's defence, says Mills Oakley lawyer Luke Connolly - but when it comes to constructing one, many don't know where to start.
With cancer rates set to increase over the next decade, there are sound business reasons for employers to put in place policies and practices to make their workplaces "cancer friendly", Cancer Council NSW's Gillian Batt says.
Workplace bullying complaints continue to pose significant challenges for employers, including where the behaviour doesn't meet the legal definition of bullying or the threshold to make a claim. Watch this HR Daily Premium webcast to understand key lessons from cases where bullying complaints interact with other claims and issues.
What constitutes "best practice" when managing neurodiversity at work is evolving all the time. Watch this HR Daily Premium webcast to learn how to embed neuroinclusive practices into HR programs and every stage of the employment lifecycle.
