Greg Griffith

Australia’s industrial relations landscape is complex at best. While the majority of employers set out to do the right thing by their workers, the chances of making a mistake are extremely high. Fortunately for members, the NRA comprises one of the largest teams of workplace relations experts orientated to Australia’s retail and fast service industries.

As complexity is not accepted as an excuse for failing to comply to the multitude of rules and changes coming into effect this year, the onus is on employers to keep track of and implement their responsibilities – but you don’t need to do this alone. Facing issues of this nature is much more manageable with support from the workplace relations specialists whose role is to mitigate any emerging and existing infractions.

To help our members navigate this landscape, we have a range of webinars and masterclasses dissecting the current workplace relations challenges retailers are facing today.

The current Federal Government have a strong IR reform agenda and the Secure Jobs, Better Pay contains some of the biggest changes to workplace laws we’ve seen in decades. The reforms have re-set how we interact with employees, governments and unions including, the introduction of multi-enterprise bargaining, changes to flexible work arrangements, fixed term contacts and the prevention of sexual harassment. Our webinar this Thursday will review the reforms and the steps employers need to take to ensure their compliance.

Planning for restructure and reducing the size of your workforce through redundancies can be a complex issue. On Monday, 3 April we are looking at restructuring and redundancy essentials and the obligations and responsibilities you have as an employer. Director of Legal, Lindsay Carroll will outline the key legal considerations for workforce restructures and redundancy, including key consultation requirements and ways to reduce the risk of claims. View the Restructuring and Redundancy Essentials webinar here.

Wage compliance is a key issue facing retailers, as we have seen reported in recent months; small mistakes across a large workforce add up to large numbers. It’s essential for retail management teams to ensure wage compliance, for the longevity of your business and your employee relationships, as well as understanding the complex rules in the General Retail Industry Award. Our masterclass on Wednesday 12 April will equip you with the ability to roster your team more efficiently and identify any compliance risks before they become a problem. View the Rostering for Compliance in Retail masterclass here.

Achieving gender equality in your workplace goes beyond being the ‘right thing to do’, it is intrinsically linked to the overall performance of your business. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency requires private sector employers to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives, a perplexing task for many. Senior Workplace Relations Consultant, Amy Lynes will deliver a webinar in late April on the requirements of WGEA reporting, and the best practices you can take into your workplace. View the Diversity and Inclusion Essentials: Understanding WGEA Reporting webinar here.

I encourage you to make use of these invaluable resources available to you.

Have a great week.