Recruitment

Since launching in July 2015, the Federal Government’s employment services program, jobactive, has helped employers from across Australia recruit more than 400,000 suitably skilled workers. The popularity of jobactive with employers is attributable to the range of services, available through the program, that make it cost-effective and hassle-free for businesses, especially SMEs, to recruit staff who […]

The Fair Work Commission today delivered its annual wage review. This decision will have a significant impact on all businesses and industries and over 2.3 million employees who are paid at the National Minimum Wage or minimum Modern Award rates. From the first full pay period commencing after 1 July 2017: all Modern Award rates will increase by […]

It is an exciting time in Australia to be doing business! We are in a growth phase, driven by ambitious business leaders and demand from consumers craving innovation and new services. SMBs and start-ups remain the innovation engine of Australia’s economy. They don’t have the same budgets as their giant counterparts but SMBs are achieving […]

People worldwide continue to search for the elusive ‘sweet spot’ where their careers do not impinge on life ‘outside the office’, and vice versa. One could argue that while work-life balance may have been possible once, it has become an increasingly unattainable ideal due, in part, to the technologies that pervade the business world. Organisations […]

After the Federal Budget was announced on Tuesday, 9 May, small business owners will be trying to work out what matters most to them. Here are three main things we have been reviewing that may impact how small business do business – and it is mostly for the better. 1. Less red tape It is […]

Businesses that employ foreign workers will be subject to a new levy that will be used bankroll a fund for training Australian job seekers, the Government announced in the Federal Budget. From March 2018, businesses will be subject to a levy of $1200 per foreign worker or $1800 if they’re on a temporary skilled visa. In […]

Boredom is most people’s worst nightmare – and it’s the number one killer of workplace motivation. When it comes to performing the duties of any given job, the doer will have a timeline for boredom. Prolonged repetition will naturally lead their brain to a point where it says ‘thanks, but no thanks’, and then completely […]

If you are seeking to foster a high-performing workforce in your organisation, it would be counter-productive (not to mention narrow-minded) to subscribe to the saying “out with the old, in with the new”. Long-held myths about mature age workers (e.g. they are change-averse, they are not tech-savvy, they have a ‘use by date’, etc.) have […]

The sales profession is undergoing a big cull with over 20%  of sales roles expected to be cut by 2020 according to some analysts[1]. There are three macro shifts responsible for this rather ominous reality. Firstly, buyers are more discerning than ever before as they turn online for identifying and acquiring products and services without the need […]

The 457 visa changes continue to divide the business community as to whether they represent an opportunity or a challenge to overcome. For David Ballerini, co-founder of Melbourne start-up Liven – a restaurant discovery app – a key concern is the potential for increased development costs.  “Occupations to be dropped from the replacement programs include ICT support and test […]

The federal government is replacing 457 visas with a new type of temporary visa designed to ‘better target genuine skills shortages’. The announcement was made on Facebook by Malcolm Turnbull who explained “Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs”. The Prime Minister said the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa will feature “new requirements including […]

As a recruiter, I am surprised by the number of employers who are caught unawares when one of their staff quits to pursue a new job. There are many reasons why people change jobs but usually it’s because they feel they exhausted all opportunities in their current role, desire more money and/or want a new career path.  […]

Workers aged 50 and older face barriers to finding meaningful employment due to stereotypes that suggest they lack competencies employers demand or their skills have a ‘use by date’.  Looking at the research, however, these stereotypes are not only harmful to mature-age workers, they’re harmful to businesses. According to Australian Human Rights Commission, while mature-age […]

If there’s a job you need to fill, it’s likely the right candidate is on social media right now – but which platforms are they using, and how do you reach out to them? A recent study by the Australian Academy of Business and Social Sciences looked at recruitment processes and the unique challenges faced by SMEs or […]

In 1996, then Prime Minister Paul Keating proposed the 457 Temporary Skilled Employer Sponsored Visa program. The subsequent Howard government then oversaw the implementation of the scheme, which enabled Australia to catch up to the immigration programs of many other developed countries, and thus increase its participation in global trade. The program still exists today […]

Temporary workers can serve a vital role for SMEs at various stages in the business lifecycle. They’re a boon for businesses requiring an extra set of hands to cope with busy work periods and for those needing to urgently cover absences due to, for instance, parental, sick or annual leave. They’re especially useful for start-ups looking to get up and running as […]

The war for digital talent has officially started. But you cannot hire just anybody – you need someone who has a general understanding of the business and a genuine interest for technology. However, according to a recent survey from CapGemini, the problem is that over 90% of companies lack the necessary digital skills to survive […]

As the war for employee talent heats up, more and more companies are funding graduate management education for their brightest and most senior employees. The main reason for organisations taking this approach is to reduce staff turnover and strategically invest in both the employee and the company. Today, between one-in-five and one-in-ten students at some […]

Mobile is not only here to stay, it’s the way forward. Even the smallest of businesses now recognise the importance of providing a seamless mobile experience for their customers. But what about their potential employees? A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn found that 64% of professionals have used their mobile to search for job opportunities. And nearly […]

In this complex and fast-moving environment, a core challenge for business owners and managers is to attract and retain skilled talent. The current workforce available for hire is incredibly rich and diverse. From the tech-savvy iGen looking for their first role, to the not-yet retired Traditionalists looking to keep busy, there are currently five generations […]