The Fair Work Commission has refused to make orders allowing an employee to work from home while also providing primary care for two young children, finding such an arrangement carried "a very high risk of interruption" that could lead to "error and inefficiency".
Myriad issues can undermine the performance of a remote or hybrid team, but usually, "communication is the biggest piece", according to an advisor with extensive experience.
It was reasonable for an employer to refuse a fully-remote flexible work request, the Fair Work Commission has found, in ordering a compromise agreement.
An employee's flexible work request was sufficiently related to his age, the Fair Work Commission has found, in rejecting he was seeking "open-ended optimisation of his working arrangements" rather than transitioning to retirement.
It was reasonably foreseeable that accommodating an employee's preferred rostering arrangement would prompt similar requests from other workers, potentially causing an employer to suffer "significant" efficiency and productivity losses, the Fair Work Commission has found.
Few employers understand the extent to which "childcare disruption" drives unplanned leave in their workforce, leading to a lack of support that also undermines their gender equality efforts, according to an executive with first-hand experience of the problem.
Academic research has added weight to the business case for HR investment, finding organisations are more productive when they offer work-life balance and reduce their gender pay gap.
Adjusting an employee's roster to accommodate her caring responsibilities wouldn't have imposed a significant burden on an employer, and its refusal amounted to discrimination, a tribunal has ruled.
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.
