Access HR News Vol. 21

A Word from the Editor

Welcome to the latest addition of the Access HR Newsletter, In this newsletter we will be focusing on the harmonization of OHS laws across Australia, effective as of the 1st of January 2012. Businesses should start preparing now to prevent them from being caught out following the changes to legislation. Organisations are encouraged to take part in National Safe Work Australia Week and Work Safe Victoria Week commencing in October to raise awareness of workplace safety. This issue also highlights how to manage a contract workforce and Matrix Impact, a helpful solution to overcome cross-generational conflict. If you require any further information on any of the topics we have discussed in this edition or assistance with recruitment or employment, please do not hesitate to contact the AccessHR team, we are always happy to hear from you. The Access HR Team!

National Safe Work Australia Week and Work Safe Victoria Week 2011

Work Safe Week will again be operating throughout Victoria on the 17th till the 21st of October 2011. With over 100 seminars regarding National work health and safety reforms in 14 locations, there is bound to be one of interest to you. In 2010 74% of attendees made improvements to safety on returning to their workplaces. Register your interest today at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au Now in its 7th year, National Safe Work Australia weeks will be celebrated from the 23rd to the 29th of October 2011. It is held annually in October to raise awareness of workplace safety and aims to encourage all working Australians to get involved in and concentrate on safety in their workplace to reduce death and injuries. How to get involved? Thousands of organisations will be participating in Safe Work Australia Week in 2011 and you can to by: - Becoming a Safe Work Australia Week Safety Ambassador: The role of a Safety Ambassador is to promote the importance of safer workplaces, primarily during Safe Work Australia Week. They set safety examples, drive safety messages and continually emphasize everyone’s right to return home safely from a day’s work. Registrations can be made through www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au - Take part in Take 10@10: all you need to do is take ten minutes at 10am to talk about safety or to undertake a safety activity. - Planning your own activities and events – a range of Safe Work Australia Week information and resources are available from www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

Harmonization of OHS laws on the horizon

Employers with contingent workforces could be caught out by new health and safety laws unless they start preparing now, warns industry service provider, WorkPro. Long awaited legislation was introduced to Federal Parliament in July to harmonise Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws across Australia. According to Charles Cameron, work policy specialist and Director of WorkPro, the proposed legislation, effective as of 1st January 2012, will bring significant changes for businesses engaging contractors or labour hire workers – known as “contingent” staff. “The new law removes any discrimination between permanent direct hire employees or contingent staff. The definition of the employer/employee relationship has been expanded to include ‘anyone conducting a business or undertaking’, and ‘anyone involved in the undertaking of work”, Cameron said. “These definition changes are important and increase the onus on businesses engaging workers to communication, consult with and respond to the safety concerns of ‘all workers’ on their sites, whether permanent, on-hired or outsourced” he said. Cameron says this will present new challenges for businesses engaging workers, both in the way they share and manage risks. “The way Australians are working today is different to any other time in history. Modern workplaces include a mix of traditional permanent employees as well as contractors, consultants and on hired workers. Businesses and government bodies need to start thinking about their total workforce rather than simply their own employees”, Cameron said. With changes commencing in the New Year, the challenge for businesses and government over the next six months is to start reviewing their current systems and procedures to ensure they meet the new requirements. “The introduction of the OHS harmonization legislation to parliament brings us one step closer towards creating a truly borderless workforce. It will save companies red tape, time and money, as equal safety standards are set to apply across all states and territories”, Cameron said. Companies with national operations are the big winners and can now spend less of their resources sorting through nine different OHS Acts and 400 pieces of legislation, saving them an estimated $180million nationwide. Cameron predicts that the new laws are likely to increase demand for online safety training solutions which enable organisations to centralize their recruitment systems and enable safety information and training modules to be accessed by any employee, at any time and from any location. It is critical to ensure anyone who is conducting work on your site has been given the same OHS training and safety information as permanent staff. For more information on OHS laws please call Anna Lane or Kim White on 9544 1899. Source: Recruitment Extra Magazine, August 2011

Over coming Cross-Generational conflict

In the late 1980’s there was a strong push towards early retirement at the age of 55, however researchers from MyCareer Employment Forecast believe this concept now seems, “out of fashion”. People are looking to continue working, even if it is part–time however employers are reluctant to hire older workers. Despite the continuous growth in the over 63 sector of 10% or more per annum for the last five to six years, David Norris, director of Workplace Age Management estimates that just 5% of organisations are prepared for this situation and can also perhaps attribute their success to age management initiatives. “Organisations may want to take relatively small scale initiatives in responses to problems such as skill shortages. However, there are limitations of such actions which must be recognized,” Norris says. Despite certain industries and other organisations traditionally known for having an aging workforce with many Baby Boomers occupying most leadership and senior management positions, a recent “Generations’ survey by Leadership Management Australasia found that there is a cross generational conflict among employees of the public, private and not for profit sectors, which when left unresolved, can be a threat to workplace stability. The leading cause of conflict amongst the generations is a breakdown in communication, which is the means for a lack of respect, understanding and recognition of the needs, expectations and motivations. The key to resolving this conflict is better cross-generational communication supported by openness and sharing. Access HR’s Anna Lane can assist you in resolving any cross generational issues via Workforce Performance using Matrix Impact. The Matrix measures in more meaningful and practical ways, enabling the change of attitude, behaviour and communication of all parties one step at-a-time. With three practical and specific coaching sessions instructed by Anna Lane, an organisations performance can be improved by an average of 43%. This results in workplaces establishing more effective relationships between the generations which can lead to better performance and productivity but also improve growth and development for each employee and the organisation as a whole. For further information please call Anna Lane on 9544 1899. Source: Recruitment Extra, June 2011 & Human Capital Magazine, August 2011

Managing the contract workforce

The Australian Workforce is constantly evolving; over the last two decades employment figures have fluctuated, altered and ventured into new territories. Today in response to changing economic conditions, employee demands and attempts by companies to increase workforce flexibility whilst managing costs, there is a growing dependence on contractors as an alternative to permanent staff. Statistics have revealed contingent workers now accounts for at least 20% of many organisations’ workforce and this figure is set to rise. Companies that slashed recruiters and HR departments during the global financial crisis are now rebuilding and looking at new ways to develop their workforce instead of reinstating old models. Such reorganization does not just include using full-time, part-time, job-share and satellite employees as a workforce but also includes temporary workers, specialists, contractors and consultants. During the GFC contractors were the first causalities and by its very essence contract work can be unpredictable but as confidence grows we are seeing a greater number of organisations using contractors. This is not because companies are being hesitant to employ permanent staff but are finding it increasingly hard to secure people with appropriate skills for crucial roles. Despite the risks, contracting has become a career of choice for many looking for flexibility and the higher rates of pay. It is also proving to be a good choice for employers. With more companies open to engage in contractors across most industries and with uncertain times still ahead and projects needing completion, the use of contractors will continue to grow. Contingent workers have become an essential part of today's labour and talent pool, offering specialist skills and a variety of talent. Access HR have many skilled and experienced candidates available for temporary, contract and permanent work. For more information please contact Kim White or Kara Weybury on 9544 1899. Source: Recruitment Extra, August 2011