News and Tools

Recruitment Information

• If you can’t answer these questions, you need help 
  2/12/2009
  Do you know everything you need to know about the new Fair Work Australia workplace relations system? See if you can answer these questions. 
  
  
• It’s ‘coach or poach’ for employees as economy recovers
  17/12/09
  Senior management needs to prepare for economic recovery by developing the skills of their workforce to avoid a skills shortage in the future, according to a business strategist.
  
  
• Skilled vacancies growing as economy recovers
  17/12/09
  The number of skilled vacancies in Australia is rising, giving yet another indication that the economy is emerging from the Global Financial Crisis.
  
  
• NSW businesses hiring more workers: survey
  10/12/09
  A survey of NSW businesses shows employment conditions have turned positive, with more employers hiring new employees.
  
  
• Skilled vacancies still rising: latest figures
  26/11/09 
  Around 214,500 new job vacancies were lodged on four online recruitment sites in October, and the Skilled Vacancy Index increased by 2.4%, according to the latest DEEWR figures. 
  
  
• Skilled jobs market stabilises under stimulus
  28/10/09 
  The skilled labour market is beginning to stabilise under the effects of the Australian Government’s stimulus package, according to a new index.
  
  
• Getting Generation Y interested in superannuation and savings
  28/10/09
  Younger employees face many demands on their pay packets, but saving money is important, too, and in Australia superannuation contributions by employers are compulsory. What can you do to promote the value of superannuation and saving plans to these employees?
  
  
• Apprentice bonus tripled to head off skills crisis  
  19/10/09
  The Federal Government has more than tripled the bonus paid to employers for taking on new apprentices, in a bid to head off a looming skills shortage as the economy recovers.
  
  
• Time and wage records - Fair Work Regulations  
  28/09/09
  New regulations applying time and wage records and pay slips commenced from 1 July 2009. Find out the consequences for your organisation. 
  
  
• Skilled job vacancies rise 1.2% 
  24/09/09
  Skilled job vacanies in Australia rose 1.2% in September, compared to the previous month, the latest Skilled Vacancies Index shows. 
   
• Equal Opportunity - time to step it up
  24/09/09
  Some recent decisions, as well as legislative changes, highlight the risks of becoming complacent in managing your organisation's equal opportunity strategies.
  
  
• Can you be sacked for 'slagging off' your boss on Facebook?
  18/09/09
  Have you got the right to ‘slag off’ about your boss on Facebook or other social networks without fearing the loss of your job?
  
  
• Money well spent finding the right talent
  A case study
  
  
• Recruiter confidence improving but skills crisis ready to rebound
  19/08/09
  Business confidence in the recruitment and on-hire sector has returned, but so has the spectre of skills shortages and a tight labour market, according to a recent survey.
  
  
• Only 20% seek more flexible work, survey shows
  28/07/09
  Around 20% of workers only are seeking more flexibility in their work–life balance from their employers, and around one-third of those get knocked back, new research has shown. 
  
  
• Why use a recruiter
  You need people … but have you considered the true cost of recruitment? 
   
• ‘I always hire great people ... they’re just like me’
  12/11/08
  Is there a tendency for managers to subconsciously favour the recruitment of people similar to themselves in age range and gender? Do particular combinations of age and gender tend to be favoured overall in the recruitment/selection process? Some recent research suggests that stereotyping does occur and certain demographic groups are viewed more favourably than others.
    
• Checking references and qualifications: what are the issues?
  10/06/08
  Some studies have claimed that up to 30% of job applicants’ CVs are in some respects dishonest, or have at least distorted the truth.
   
• Checking references and qualifications - contacting referee
  12/06/08
  Checking job applicants' qualifications and references needs to be done in a consistent and methodical way.
    
• Reference checks: what to ask referees
  17/06/08
  While it is sound practice to use a reference checking form or checklist with standard questions for all job applicants, checkers should also exercise enough flexibility to explore other relevant issues in more depth. The principles involved are similar to those recommended for the employment interview.
   
• Contacting referees without candidates' permission
  30/06/08
  Some prospective employers like to contact previous employers of job candidates without the direction or involvement of the candidates.
   
• 'Frowning’ bosses a bar to flexible work practices
  27/1/2009
  Many organisations have flexible work policies, but they are rarely put into practice by employees in case the boss disapproves, a Queensland academic has found.
   
• IR law changes: start preparing for 2010
  8/04/08
  The 'transitional' changes to the federal Workplace Relations Act commenced on 28 March 2008, but the changes due to commence on 1 January 2010 are far more substantive. HR practitioners should start now to look at how their employers can prepare for, and take advantage of, those changes.

Management skills

• Redundancy then re-employment opportunity
  What are employers’ obligations when an employee is made redundant and then a work opportunity arises?
   
• Encouraging employees to exercise at work
  Encourage your employees to be more physically active and hopefully avoid obesity.

Workplace OHS

• OHS not ‘optional’ during a recession, says lawyer
  14/4/2009
  OHS must penetrate all aspects of a business’s operations, even during a recession... 

Job seeker information

• Employment prospects shine dimly: survey
  The employment outlook in Australia is improving — but not by much — according to the latest survey.

Green Skills