Human rights icon Sir Bob Geldof has warned the Australian business community that if businesses are to "grow" throughout the economic crisis they must maintain diversity and equality for all as a priority.
With global economic turbulence set to continue and IR legislation changes taking effect within a year, employers must act now to ensure they will survive the emergence of an altered business landscape, according to a workplace lawyer.
Women in Australia continue to face barriers to their involvement at board level and are under-valued as non-executive directors, according to a new report that says the "fundamental" deficiency is failing to train, develop and mentor women early in their careers.
Employers must implement an efficient and accessible sexual-harassment complaints process if they are to avert the devastating impact that sexual harassment can have on a company's morale and bottom line.
Making a sick or injured employee redundant is fraught with risk, and the process can evolve into a litigious disaster if the task is hastily or imprudently undertaken.
A new women-in-the-workplace census has revealed that the proportion of women to men on Australian corporate boards and in executive leadership roles is in decline.
The Federal Government's new unfair dismissal laws and bargaining framework - replacing elements of the Work Choices regime - will come into force from July 2009, Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard has announced.