Romantic relationships in the workplace can create a legal "minefield", but policies that are too prescriptive can offend employees, send the wrong message and weaken a company's competitive edge, says HR commentator Kate Southam.
Most employers give workers internal feedback on performance, but those who are concerned about "the big picture" will welcome feedback from clients and customers too, says Paramount Training and Development principal David Alssema.
Employers that support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers enjoy greater employee commitment, says former High Court Justice Michael Kirby.
According to its explanatory memorandum, the Fair Work Act's good faith bargaining requirements are "generally self-explanatory" but RMIT law professor Breen Creighton says this statement is "extraordinary" and calls for greater guidance for employers.
The most common "trigger" currently causing employees to seek alternative work is limited career opportunities, and the key "driver" that turns their search from passive to active is frustration with their current employer, a recruitment industry study has found.
Employers should resist giving departing workers references - regardless of their achievements - in favour of a simple "statement of service", says Hicksons workplace relations practice manager Brad Swebeck.
After agitating for "a seat at the table" for so long, some HR managers have damaged the profession's brand by showing they weren't ready to make a strategic contribution during the recent downturn, says the principal of Mercer's human capital business, Martin Turner.
Instead of trying to build brand presence by buying ad space in prominent newspapers, companies are giving people insight to the organisation and what they are about using videos...
