Employers should get ready to deal with trade union requests to disclose company information - and determine what they can keep confidential - before the first part of the Fair Work Act 2009 takes effect mid-year, says University of Adelaide Professor of Law, Andrew Stewart.
Maintaining a good relationship with departing employees not only ensures a supply of part-time and temporary labour, but also drives business and employee referrals, says global expert on alumni programs, Professor Ian Williamson.
Employers must be more vigilant than ever in developing and reinforcing anti-bullying policies in light of a significant spike in workplace bullying and harassment claims - many of them false, says Harmers Workplace Lawyers managing partner, Joydeep Hor.
There are now 111 organisations recognised as employers of choice for women by the Federal Government's Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA).
Employers that gather and accurately interpret workforce data before resorting to massive job cuts can avert unnecessary workplace upheaval and save big bucks in future recruitment costs, according to Qantas workforce analytics manager, Nathan Carbone.
Any company that attempts short-term "stopgap" measures to reduce labour costs only to be forced to make large-scale public layoffs later "has to be classified as a workforce planning failure", says HR expert Dr John Sullivan.
Employers compelled to make employees redundant because of the economic downturn are still entitled to enforce restraint clauses, says Minter Ellison Lawyers partner, Gareth Jolly.
Employers can minimise the development and aggravation of workplace mental illness and dramatically reduce their exposure to litigation by putting in place an employee assistance program and developing a clear anti-bullying policy, according to workplace lawyer Greg Robertson.
Helping an employee with depression to stay at work and remain productive benefits both the individual and the employer, according to Gabrielle Lis from Return to Work Matters.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
