News: Blog
Dispute escalates after casual employee accuses supervisor of sarcasm: how mediation can nip costly disputes in the bud
Workplace disputes that escalate and become costly and time consuming legal disputes can sometimes be avoided by employers’ early intervention using the option of mediation. A recent case before the…
Employer fined after workplace investigation confirms underpayment of two staff
A workplace investigation has revealed that a Sydney company was illegally underpaying two employees, leading to the company receiving substantial fines and an order to repay lost wages. In a…
Huge penalty risks if HR policies non-compliant with Fair Work legislation
Failing to comply with federal workplace laws had become a ‘cultural norm’ in some parts of the labour market, putting organisations – and now, individual leaders and HR professionals –…
Tribunal extinguishes smoker’s attempt to win back job
Effectively managing staff performance is crucial to creating a high performance culture. Managing staff performance includes: Managing underperformance; Being able to have meaningful performance conversations with staff; Identifying performance issues…
Real estate employee paid $9 per hour, workplace investigation finds
In a shocking recent case of employee exploitation, workplace investigators were at the forefront of examining a matter that involved gross underpayment of staff, bringing the case to the attention…
How Australian businesses can combat depression and anxiety – and its $4bn-plus economic drain
As the two most common types of mental ill-health in the workplace, depression and anxiety are escalating at an alarming rate while costing Australian employers more than $4 billion each…
How appointing a contact officer can reduce the expense of bullying allegations
It has been reported that workplace bullying is costing Australian businesses between $6 and $13 billion per year, due to drops in productivity, higher rates of absenteeism, higher staff turnover and poor…
Bullying in the workplace: how a culture of aggression or harassment destroys productivity
A culture of bullying can have debilitating effects on the productivity of a workplace and the damage can takes years to unwind. One serious example emerged recently in a hospital…
Parties in high profile sexual harassment case agree to Workplace Mediation
The important role workplace mediators can play in the resolution of disputes has once again been recognised, as developments in a recent high-profile sexual harassment case illustrate. The chief…
Bullied to death: workplace bullying alleged to be a contributing factor in father’s suicide
According to John Boardman, Director Workplace Relations at iHR, both employers and employees have an obligation to create a safe working environment. If an employer or employee observes inappropriate workplace…
Sacking of micromanaging and bullying manager upheld: why anti-bullying training is needed
According to John Boardman, Director Workplace Relations at iHR Australia, bullying has taken a devastating toll on Australian business costing more than $10 billion dollars a year. Boardman notes that…
Brisbane business cops $400,000 fine for staffing breach: Is your company at risk?
A record penalty recently handed to a Brisbane business owner comes as a timely reminder for employers to ensure all employment contracts fully abide by Australian workplace law. Employers need…