HR
Flexibility. To many business owners this may sound like a swear word. The prospect of having employees who are not working in the office or not available during work hours on certain days could appear to be more of a hindrance than a help. But if entrepreneurs and small business owners want to attract and […]
Recognition, reward and opportunity; these are the three key staples in the diet of an engaged and motivated employee. Yet – delivering the right balance of these ‘dietary requirements’ can be one of the biggest challenges businesses face. When they don’t get it right, a disengaged workforce and low morale ensues. With 20 years’ experience […]
Of all the negative influences that can hamper a business from realising its full potential from its employees, ‘otherness’ is perhaps the most subtle – and, in many ways, the most insidious – of all. It’s so difficult for organisations to grapple with, because it is so difficult to pin down in the first instance. […]
If you’re a business owner who was driven to the start-up scene by the prospect of independence and a better work-life balance, then the question you have to ask yourself is this: would you wish for your own employees – the life-blood of your business – to view entrepreneurialism as the ultimate ‘escape hatch’ from […]
For as long as there is entrepreneurship, people who have taken upon themselves to do this job have searched for the recipe for what makes a successful business, and the answers they found and brought into conversation were sometimes quite extraordinary. Some of them, however, made a huge mistake, and, in spite of having the […]
Going green is more than a fad – it’s an important way of life. The planet is undergoing extreme climate change, at a rate that isn’t unprecedented in temperature, but unprecedented in speed – the last time CO2 was being dumped into the atmosphere at this rate, it was due to the eruptions of several […]
One of the biggest HR issues most businesses face is attracting and retaining skilled staff. When an estimated 25 per cent of employees leave their jobs after just three months, you know it’s time to address the reasons why, and stop it from happening to you. After all, staff turnover can cost your business tens of […]
As the job market becomes increasingly competitive for university graduates, many students and young professionals are willing to take on unpaid internships to gain experience in their chosen industry. This practice is widespread in the United States, where a laissez faire approach to workplace relations means businesses can benefit from taking on unpaid workers. But […]
Have you started noticing strange, odd behaviours from an employee? This may be occurring over time and can include the employee being too aggressive, too intimidating or just plain bizarre. If you’re the owner of an SME, you have the right to terminate an employee; however, you may be quite reluctant to dismiss the employee […]
Modern day Australians bring their tech-savvy skills to the workplace; they are natural born networkers and “achievement-oriented” as well. Technologies such as video conferencing and the use of mobile phone applications comes second nature to them. As such, this new breed of employees come equipped with a plethora of the skills that are required by […]
Rarely does anyone step into a new leadership role knowing everything they need to be successful. People naturally celebrate this change (I got this, how hard can it be?) but too often ignore the challenge of the transition (you’re unlikely to be aware of what you don’t know!). To significantly increase the chances for success, […]
It all starts with your people. The attraction, development and retention of the right people are the foundations of not only a strong culture but in delivering excellent results on organisational strategy. It sounds simple, yet the challenge of improving retention rates, hiring the right people in the right job at the right time, all […]
The balance between work and life is a constant struggle for most Australians. Undoubtedly, those working in the mining industry are having a harder go than most. The latest Australian Work and Life Index report highlighted that those in mining have the greatest negative work-life interference. Although there are huge challenges and continuous debate about […]
Organisations often view their workforce as an amalgamation of highly talented individuals bringing their own unique skills and experience to the table. Indeed, the strength of a team has traditionally been built upon the knowledge of individual members, who have all come together as a collective. As such when interviewing potential candidates, organisations tend to […]
You may think you have found your ideal candidate – they tick all the boxes, all the skills required and they are a great cultural fit. But while going through all the paperwork and deciding whether the candidate might actually be perfect for your organisation, the applicant has taken another job and left you having […]
In the 80’s and 90’s, communicating organisational values followed a similar format…the ‘Rollout’. Corporate values and mission statements were emblazoned on beautifully designed wall posters. Along with the wall posters, employees would usually receive a mouse pad or a coffee mug with the organisational values printed on them. Business cards often had the mission or […]
The way we do business today is almost unrecognisable compared to how we worked only a few years ago. The emergences of digital technologies are changing the way we work. From invoicing customers on your mobile phone to Skype calls with clients based thousands of kilometres away, business life as we know it has changed […]
Although profit is measured by dollars on the bottom line, the size of that profit can be a measure of how you treat people. Sometimes it is the processes we put in place that damage people.
Fortunately for large scale corporates, although key person risk can be nominally substantial, companies are well capitalised to weather the loss. The same cannot always be said for SMEs.
Underperforming employees, passive aggression and too much bureaucracy can all contribute to a negative working environment.
