FWO Imposes Record Penalties to Director Underpaying Security Guards

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) declared the Director of security company ‘Step Ahead Security Services’ had deliberately underpaid eight...

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) declared the Director of security company ‘Step Ahead Security Services’ had deliberately underpaid eight casual employees hired as security guards by over $20,000 over a three-month period. The Director was ordered to personally repay the employees as well as paying penalties of over $50,000 with...

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Language at work: Avoiding harmful and condescending comments in your business

Language in the workplace, especially between colleagues and team members, performs an important role in determining what is acceptable...

Language in the workplace, especially between colleagues and team members, performs an important role in determining what is acceptable behaviour, and ultimately, what the broader workplace environment looks like. In many workplaces, it is unfortunate that condescending and patronising language can be an all-too-frequent occurrence. In many instances, a capable and...

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Improve your retail sales in 20 mins!

Are you truly maximising the shoppers who come into your store? We hate to say it, but probably not. So many...

Are you truly maximising the shoppers who come into your store? We hate to say it, but probably not. So many retailers today are getting distracted by the process of attracting new customers through marketing and promotion that they are forgetting to invest in the vital process of converting the sale...

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Helping the next generation transition to work

There are nearly a quarter of a million young Australians out of work, and the number of people starting...

There are nearly a quarter of a million young Australians out of work, and the number of people starting an apprenticeship or traineeship has fallen by 40 per cent over the last three years. The National Retail Association (NRA) has partnered with Busy at Work to deliver the Transition...

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International Labour Organisation illustrates workplace stress impacts

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released a detailed report which illustrates the impact of workplace stress on the...

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released a detailed report which illustrates the impact of workplace stress on the mental health and the wellbeing of workers. ILO’s Workplace Stress: A collective challenge report found that psychosocial risks are related to "health-related behavioural risk, including heavy alcohol consumption, overweight, less...

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FREE customer service training

Exceptional customer service is a critical element for any business, continually improving skills to achieve peak levels of performance...

Exceptional customer service is a critical element for any business, continually improving skills to achieve peak levels of performance and sales success. One of the most popular training programs the National Retail Association (NRA) offers is the one day Customer Service workshop. More than 350 employees have paOne of the most...

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Are you Australia’s next Medium Retailer of the Year?

The National Retail Association’s (NRA) Rewards for Excellence nominations are closing in just under 4 weeks’ time. Do you have...

The National Retail Association’s (NRA) Rewards for Excellence nominations are closing in just under 4 weeks’ time. Do you have between 20 to 199 employees? If yes, nominate today and your business could be crowned the NRA 2016 Rewards for Excellence Medium Retailer of the Year. This awards program, and in particular...

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Crane Driver’s Artwork Cause for Fair Dismissal

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) declined a former crane driver’s application for unfair dismissal as it found that he...

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) declined a former crane driver’s application for unfair dismissal as it found that he had drawn inappropriate images on documents and shipping containers as well as displayed threatening behavior towards his superiors. An investigation was conducted by the employer into allegations that the employee had...

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Do you invest in your people?

Many businesses implement basic training for new employees, however incorporating training and professional development for employees at each stage...

Many businesses implement basic training for new employees, however incorporating training and professional development for employees at each stage of their career have been proven to save companies money. Addressing weaknesses and upskilling employees not only reduces the risk of time wasting mistakes and lost customers, it also encourages higher...

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Empowering the next generation store associate

With customers mingling their purchases between online and in-store, the view they have when dealing with a retailer is...

With customers mingling their purchases between online and in-store, the view they have when dealing with a retailer is one of unity. They do not define their relationship based on where they purchase but rather who they purchase with. The consequences of this run deep into in-store businesses and more...

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Managing Mental Health in Your Workplace

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007), one in five Australian adults will experience a mental illness in...

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007), one in five Australian adults will experience a mental illness in any given year. With common conditions like depression and anxiety becoming more prevalent in the workplace, businesses are being urged to consider how they manage mental health issues amongst their...

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IR Update: Special purpose employees ineligible for redundancy pay

In a recent case before the Fair Work Commission, it was decided that employees working under “special purpose contracts”...

In a recent case before the Fair Work Commission, it was decided that employees working under “special purpose contracts” were not eligible for redundancy pay on termination of their employment. Special purpose contracts include agreements whereby the employee has been contracted to perform a particular task or for a...

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IR Update: General protections claims on the rise

According to the Fair Work Commission’s newly-released annual report, general protections claims involving termination of an employee has risen...

According to the Fair Work Commission’s newly-released annual report, general protections claims involving termination of an employee has risen by 17.5% in 2014-15. This increase is slightly down in comparison to the previous year. However, the number of claims grew to a total of 3382, with around one third...

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IR Update: “Smart Arse” sacked

An employer has been unable to successfully establish that they dismissed a client analyst as a result of poor...

An employer has been unable to successfully establish that they dismissed a client analyst as a result of poor performance. Employment of Mr Anderson with BNP was subject to a three month probationary period. Just days prior to his termination, Mr Anderson was confronted by his supervisor in earshot of...

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