​I started working a long time ago.  It wasn’t exactly the time of dinosaurs roaming the earth, but smoking was allowed inside the office (can you imagine!!)  and it certainly was pre mobile phones, email and the magical world wide web.  Time marches on and instead of reaching for a gasper while waiting on the client order to be confirmed via fax, we are standing up at our desks, tapping away at our computers and accessing files from ‘the cloud’ while communicating instantaneously via text message.

​​For a while now, we have seen an increase in demand for skilled talent with SEEK reporting that both January and February were record months for job ads.  ANZ recently reported that demand for workers had hit a 14-year high and that February’s job advertisements figure was a 46.3% increase from the heady days of January 2020 when Covid was mostly just a rumour.  So, taking this into account, how can you make sure you are able to secure the best people for your business when it really has become a candidate’s market?  

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​Employee engagement is a key ingredient when it comes to driving a positive workplace culture, retaining talent, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity – the list goes on and it all sits on the positive column.  But how do you keep your team engaged and firing on all cylinders?   This is where Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs comes in….

​It feels like we just put the Christmas decorations away and already it’s almost Easter meaning it’s a supercharged long weekend with loads of delicious and justifiable chocolate coming our way.  Anzac Day is right behind Easter this year making it a little more hectic for those planning rosters. As usual, when we come into a period like this, there can be some confusion over the gazetted public holidays and what these mean to you as a business when it comes to making sure your payroll is correct, so let’s take a look….

​At HR Staff n’ Stuff we appreciate the tremendous privilege we have in being trusted by, and being able to work with, a huge range of amazing business owners and leaders across a vast array of industries.  Today, on International Women’s Day, we wanted to take the time to spotlight Shan Morrison - an incredible businesswoman and clinician, running a company that embraces the best of business and people practices.   
 
We are proud to have Shan and her business as a highly valued client, and today we celebrate Shan and all our female business owners and managers for the incredible work that they do, and the brightness they bring to the world. 

​This week, we introduce a guest writer for the HR Staff n’ Stuff blog as we look at how to effectively handle an interview that forms part of an investigation. 

Sounds like something out of a police drama and it kind of is with investigations required when fraudulent activity is suspected or when you are trying to determine the sequence of events in the case of workplace conflict or harassment. 

​We have worked with Geoff Peck across several cases that relate specifically to his skills around forensic investigations involving theft and misconduct by an employee and we have seen that his knowledge and calm approach know no bounds.  

​As we stare down the barrel of another Valentine’s Day (that’s 14 February for anyone who has forgotten and now needs to madly arrange a flower delivery), we thought it would be a great time to take a look at personal relationships in the workplace.  What can you do to minimise the fallout if they go bad? `

For the purpose of this blog, we are going to limit a close personal relationship to those of the romantic kind because this is the kind of workplace relationship that has the potential to cause considerable drama.  And because it’s almost Valentine’s Day so it fits the theme…..

​​Over the summer break, I happened to be catching up with a friend who wasn’t aware that I worked with a team who happened to be the BEST HR consultants in the business (I’m being humble, I should have told her it was the best in the world).  She was somewhat aghast that anyone would need or want the services of an HR consultant as her experience of HR in the corporate world had been less than positive.  

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​Last week we looked at setting goals and supporting them with robust and actionable plans that will see you taking your business forward in 2022.  But it isn’t all on you to make these plans work so how do you bring your team on board?

​​There is no doubt that Omicron has produced a hectic start to 2022 but it’s more important than ever to make time to step outside the chaos and take a look at what you want to achieve in your business this year.

​I’m sure you’re all as surprised, and not in a good way, that here we are for a third year navigating the Covid-19 waters….but here we are…

The Omicron variant has certainly smacked us over the head, and the transmissibility of this variant has forced us to review some of our activities in the continued effort to keep the virus contained where possible and to keep our employees safe.

Covid Safe Plans
All Covid Safe Plans should be updated asap to reflect any state and federal government changes and to reflect the increased transmissibility of this variant.

As an employer you have an obligation to the safety of your employees, so please consider what actions you can take to do so, and include them in your plan… For example, you may decide that you will introduce RAT testing regularly for all employees (if this is the case, it is the employers’ responsibility to source and pay for them), or you may decide to stagger lunch breaks and tea breaks to minimise numbers of people in break rooms for example. Your plans should be updated accordingly and changes communicated to your team.

Victorian Press Release - new rules for some sectors
Today the Victorian government has introduced mandatory booster shots of the Covid-19 vaccine for some industries, and also relaxed some of the close contact isolation requirements for those in the food distribution / supply chain sector. Industries subject to the new booster mandate include aged care, disability, healthcare, emergency services, correctional facility and quarantine accommodation sectors, and there are specific booster deadlines to meet. Please read the press release accompanying this email. 

While this document is only relevant for Victorian clients, N.S.W & QLD have similar rules. Clients in other states should take note of the food distribution changes in the event that this is picked up as a national standard.
Press release - read here

Positive Covid Employee
Employees who test positive for Covid-19 via a PCR or RAT test MUST advise their employer immediately if they have attended the workplace and worked in an indoor space. While a deep clean of the premises is no longer required, any close contact of the employer in the workplace must get tested and isolate.

The specific Victorian guidelines are as follows, and is a good standard for businesses in other states to follow:

A person who is a confirmed case of COVID-19 must notify the operator of any work premises at which they ordinarily work that they’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 and of their infectious period, if they attended an indoor space at the work premises during their infectious period. The operator of a workplace must take reasonable steps to notify employees and contractors that they have been exposed to a positive case, and to advise them of their testing and quarantine obligations. A workplace will be required to maintain a system to enable them to, where relevant, notify contacts and obtain assurance of a negative test result from an individual prior to their return to the premises.

An Indoor space means an area, room or premises substantially enclosed by a roof and walls that are floor-to-ceiling or at least 2.1 meters high, regardless of whether the roof or walls or any part of them are permanent or temporary, or open or closed. 

It is important to know that even if your employee has previously tested positive to COVID19, they are still required to follow close contact / household contact isolation rules if their initial infection was more than 4 weeks ago. 
Contact assessment and management guidance - download here

Businesses not being able to operate
In the event that you are unable to operate as usual due to supply chain issues or multiple employees infected with Covid-19 and/or needing to isolate, you are able to stand your employees down without pay.  However, there is a requirement to consult with your employees in writing on this process.

Given that you may need to close down temporarily at short notice due to the nature of the virus, we recommend that all of our clients undertake a ‘preemptive’ consultation process for ‘potential future issues’, so that this requirement has been met in advance.

Please talk to us if you need assistance with this process so you can be in front of it in the event that you have to close part or all of your business and stand employees down OR re-deploy them to other positions or locations temporarily. We can assist with a quick and easy way to manage this to ensure you’re ahead of the game and meeting your employer obligations under Fairwork Legislation.

Work From Home Recommendation
In Victoria, the current government recommendation is that people should work from home if they can. We recommend to all of our clients nationally (excluding W.A) that they encourage a work from home environment where they can, until the current Omicron variant has peaked in each state. This is not expected to occur until at least the end of January / early February.

Businesses requesting employees work from the office may face some reluctance from their employees.  It is important that employers work with their employees and listen to their concerns, remembering we are only now entering a period where children under 12 are able to receive their 1st vaccination.

Mask Efficiency
It is being widely reported throughout Australia, UK and the USA that Omicron is far more transmissible than previous strains of COVID19.  The below table recently released by the CDC in America shows the efficiency (or lack thereof) of masks currently being used in Australia. We strongly recommend that if a business is able to do so, they purchase masks for their teams at a rating of N95 / P2 where possible.

​We don’t think we are over stating facts when we say that it’s been one hell of a year and for many, the upcoming summer break is a well needed salve allowing us all to refill our cup and prepare for 2022.   Christmas, Boxing Day, Proclamation Day and New Year’s Day drop on a weekend so we’ve taken the confusion out of it all for you and have a lovely chart that summarises all of the gazetted public holidays so you know how to apply rates if you are open so you don’t stress out and eat all the plum pudding.  You’re welcome!

​The silly season is well under way, however, we thought it might be helpful to provide you with some ideas on how to communicate some last minute reminders as to expectations around appropriate behaviour when it comes to celebrating the end of another big year.
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We don’t want to put a dampener on your festivities, but you know how it goes, we are your HR team and we don’t want to be party poopers but we need to make sure all bases are covered so your team are safe and your business avoids unnecessary drama!

Christmas carols and mince tarts have appeared at the supermarket and ads are appearing on tv highlighting the deliciousness of hams and the joy of giving.  Yep, that’s right, Christmas is coming at us like a freight train and will be here in less than seven weeks.  Oh my….. 
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With all the uncertainty about lockdowns and density quotas you may not have sorted out your end of year function and if that’s the case, we have some thoughts for you to consider….

​You can not turn on the tv, radio, open the internet or read the paper (does anyone still read the paper?) without seeing, hearing or reading about mandatory vaccinations.  It’s an emotive topic for some, practical and reasonable for others but the essence of it is that vaccinations are a key element to our country reopening.
 As HR consultants to a wide range of industries, we are fielding a range of questions about mandatory vaccinations so we are going to cover off the top 5 questions we are being asked in the hope that it helps resolve questions you may be struggling with in your business.

With the announcement by the various state governments regarding mandatory vaccinations for specific industries / authorised workers, employers need to manage the process including communication with employees who are choosing not to be vaccinated by the declared deadlines. 

​As an employer, you have the following options in managing the public health orders in relation to mandated vaccination in your business:
 

​Can you make vaccinations mandatory in your business?

Can you require employees to prove their vaccination status?

​To the first question, probably, but it depends…

To the second, yes you can…

​Let me tell you more….

Roy Morgan recently released data that shows the significant level of annual leave Australians have banked due to the Covid-19.  The inability to travel freely means many are keeping a higher stash of leave than ever before.  This information was looked at by The Age and our very own Deborah Peppard was quoted in the article.  But in true HR Staff n’ Stuff style, we have more to say on the subject as we believe access to, and the use of annual leave is something business owners should be looking at now in preparation for states and international borders reopening.

​The past couple of years have been tumultuous when it comes to casual employment – the definition of casual has been the subject of a legal case and a subsequent appeal followed by new legislation that came into effect in March 2021.    September brings with it a key deadline regarding casual conversion so let’s take a look at what you need to know and what you need to do…

​It is a requirement that your business has a Covid Safe plan but did you know you are required to update it every three months or when there is a major change in government directions?  Now that you do know, we also want to suggest you incorporate plans that cover what needs to happen in case any of your team is deemed a close contact.

​If your business is engaged in any of the following industries or specific services within Victoria, employees are required to be regularly tested for COVID-19  if they are considered an essential worker i.e. they are working onsite).

​It’s clear that the Delta strain is causing havoc around Australia and lockdowns and restrictions are updated daily.  With the latest tightening in Victoria and reviews ongoing in New South Wales, we thought it would be helpful to have a quick summary of all that is happening as it pertains to employment around Australia:

Did you know that it is never too late to start? 

Start what you ask?  

​Well, anything is the answer. 

​Just because you didn’t go to university, doesn’t mean you can’t go and get yourself a degree when you are 68.  You’re 43 and don’t know anything about computer coding?  Still not too late to learn.  Have an idea for a business but think that at 52 you’ve missed the boat?  Nope, not true.  As long as you have breath in your lungs, it’s never too late!