Small Business
For organisations, big or small, accusations of sexual harassment are alarming. With the current press surrounding the allegations of sexual harassment made against Harvey Weinstein, businesses world-wide should reflect on their own internal policies and how they would deal with allegations of this nature. In Australia, we have an abundance of laws protecting employees from […]
A 7-Eleven Franchisee in Brisbane is facing court for allegedly dismissing a worker by removing him from the roster after he refused his employer’s request to repay an amount he had been paid. Balaji Australia Pty Ltd and current director and shareholder Madhav Ponnada will also face the Federal Circuit Court on allegations that false […]
Stating that small business subcontractors are vulnerable to delayed payments, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell has announced she is examining payment terms and conditions for “subbies” working on government projects. “Most government departments pay their invoices within 30 days, but when a prime contractor is appointed to manage a project […]
Every small business understands the key to growth lies in its people – the driving force. By hiring the best talent, small businesses know they can become much larger businesses by outperforming their competitors and pouncing on new opportunities the moment they arise. Sounds like a straightforward growth strategy but, it turns out, it’s not […]
Research showing that SMEs are reducing capital expenditure due to rising energy prices has prompted criticism of the state governments by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. The Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, pointed to the latest East & Partners SME survey* of 1280 businesses, which showed that 39.5% of SMES plan to scale back […]
Think about your most recent interaction with a business online. Did you chat via message with a person? Are you sure? It’s highly possible you were speaking to a chatbot, a computer program designed to interact with customers using messaging apps and online interfaces. These bots use artificial intelligence to create fast, efficient and helpful customer […]
It’s the web where most travellers are booking hotel rooms these days and, if you’re looking to seize a slice of the online market, that’s exactly where you should be. However, you should note that you’re going up against lots of competition. Not just individual hotels, but chains and booking agencies all looking to get […]
In an age where digital content is king, it is understandable that small businesses are struggling to keep up with what has become a fragmented narration of brand content. With 1.6 billion people on social media channels sharing their personal experiences and opinions online, the e-commerce business can be an overwhelming marketplace of products. For […]
If your employees are like most Australians, they work fairly long hours. But you can’t assume that just because they’ re working more, more work is getting done. Long hours might mean they love what they do and want to give it their all . Or it could mean their day is full of productivity […]
National Australia Bank’s decision to introduce shorter, plain English loan contracts for small business borrowers has been welcomed by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. According to the bank, more than 130,000 business owners will benefit from the complete overhaul of its existing business standard loan form contract, which involved simplifying contractual clauses, […]
Do you produce your best work when you have the flu? I didn’t think so. When your body is worn down, it makes it hard to stay focused and productive. The same thing goes for your mind. The stress of deadlines and client demands, the weight of starting up a business and the 24/7 commitment […]
Since its inception in December 2015, the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement has presented potential advantages for Australian businesses, including driving exports. Between 2015 and 2016, more than 25 percent of total Australian exports went to China, earning Australia as much as AU $85.9 billion in revenue[1]. In 2015, the National Bureau of Statistics of China […]
The NSW Government has pledged to invest ‘at least’ $50 million in improvements to phone and data connectivity in rural and regional areas of the state. The $50m+ Connecting Country Communities fund was announced by Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro, this week. “For people living in regional and remote NSW, poor mobile […]
“Can social media generate fruitful business partnerships?” That’s the question Dynamic Business put to 17 entrepreneurs and industry experts, this week, for our exclusive “Let’s Talk…”, investigating the value of social networking for SMEs. Although the consensus was “YES”, some commentators qualified their response, pointing out that a business partnership formed on a social media […]
Workplaces today are acutely aware of important issues surrounding the gender pay gap, but what about the battle of the ages? Young vs. old, tech-know-how vs. life-experience – is there room for both? Who is front and centre of this age-old war (pun intended), and is there an opportunity for individuals of all ages to […]
Hard to believe but Toys “R” Us has sought bankruptcy protection. It’s interesting to hear the Australian operations remain unaffected, it’s hard to believe as we’ve heard and seen for so many years the success of Toys “R” Us. As the old adage goes…learn from failure. Here are five things every retailer needs to learn […]
Do you want to maximise the number of points you can earn on your business costs? Use these three simple strategies to boost your business’s points balance and redeem rewards faster. Use a business rewards credit card Unlike some personal credit cards, a business rewards or frequent flyer credit card is an easy way to […]
SMEs are vulnerable to late payers in Australia, with Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell stating, in April, that larger organisations are using them as a “cheap form of finance”, restricting their growth and causing solvency issues. From calls for legislation to the introduction of a voluntary code to deter late payments, late payments have never […]
It’s a fact that women feel pressure in the workplace, both consciously and unconsciously, to “act like a man” in order to be a successful leader. But there is a growing notion, one which I’m a personal advocate of, that we need to embrace our unique selves to form our own successful leadership style. Whether […]
Almost $18 billion worth of superannuation is still waiting to be claimed in Australia, with the ATO revealing the top ten postcodes for unclaimed super. According to the ATO, as at 30 June 2017, there were over 6.3 million lost and ATO-held super accounts with a total value of $17.87 billion. Super funds are holding […]
