2010 was an interesting year for HR professionals - the economy was in recovery-mode, but this brought with it the challenge of how to quickly boost depleted teams and motivate disengaged staff to better performance. The remaining provisions of the Fair Work Act came into effect, adding a whole layer of uncertainty to HR's responsibilities, along with new legal risks.
A Commonwealth Bank manager who so dreaded reporting his branch's poor customer service results to his peers that he attempted suicide has been awarded compensation by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Organisations that are struggling because of a skills shortage, or preparing to face one in the future, should give their workers increased autonomy to use and develop the skills they already have, says University of London professor Francis Green.
Employees are bombarded with so much information each day that it can be difficult to ensure important HR messages are hitting the mark, says Baseline Training and Consulting principal trainer Dave Whitefield.
Performance discussions should be a natural, regular part of everyday conversations between managers and their subordinates, says author and academic Dr Tim Baker.
A Westpac manager who crossed the line between assisting an employee with personal and performance issues entered "dangerous territory", a South Australian Court has found.
Innovation is a buzzword appearing on most corporate websites and reports, but, just like "quality", "corporate governance" and "customer service", many companies will fail at it, says management consultant and author, Jonar Nader.
Employers who are wary of unfair dismissal claims should consider paying off poor performers - provided the pay-off remains confidential, says Freehills lawyer Natalie Spark.
Employers spend too much time trying to fix their employees' "weaknesses", when they should really shift focus to capitalise on their strengths, says management consultant and author, David Rendall.
The laws around engaging casual and contract workers have changed drastically this year. Understand how this affects your organisation by attending this HR Daily webinar.
