HR Leader Podcast Network

With employees the heartbeat of any organisation, it’s important to have the right talent acquisition team in place to attract and retain vital staff. In this episode of The HR Leader, partnered by SEEK, host Emma Musgrave is joined by Mike Virgo, talent acquisition national manager at Coles Group. Mike and Coles Group recently scooped up two awards at the 2022 SEEK Talent Acquisition Recognition (STAR) Awards, recognising his and his team’s efforts in the TA space. Mike highlights the importance of creating an inclusive recruitment process and discusses the challenges and future trends in talent acquisition, such as leveraging technology and maintaining employee engagement in a competitive market. Submissions for the 2023 STAR Awards are now open. To learn more about the awards, or to enter, click on this link: https://www.seek.com/starawards

It’s no secret that employers are struggling to actively engage staff. Is it time to give up on the notion of a traditional nine-to-five? In this episode of The HR Leader, host Emma Musgrave is joined by Carly Koemptgen to discuss why and how Aussie bosses can take advantage of talent out there that might not necessarily exist in their immediate backyard. Carly, 25, is currently travelling along Australia’s east coast working in an arrangement that suits both her personal and career aspirations. Carly takes listeners through how her set-up works and why she sees other Gen Zers following suit. She also discusses what employers should be doing to capture young talent, how her generation is reshaping office life and the best ways to stay motivated when in a remote working environment.  

In this episode of The HR Leader, nrol director Jesse Shah discusses the key trends that are driving recruitment, as it has proved to be a very volatile area of business. Jesse discusses whether or not we are still experiencing a candidate’s market and how organisations can take advantage of this to boost attraction and retention. Understanding what job seekers are after and providing genuine care can help to improve capability. He further talks about the role of the recruitment industry and gives his opinion on whether they are truly dying or whether it’s just a myth. Jesse also touches on the role of talent mobility and how harnessing it can be very beneficial.

On this episode of The HR Leader, we were joined by Aimee Baker, chief executive of Ari Recruitment. Aimee discussed just how crucial it is to keep staff happy and how prioritising flexibility can help keep the workforce engaged and productive. Utilising young talent is as important as ever, and Gen Z will soon be the leaders. Understanding the value the younger generations have is key to keeping up with the competition. She also touched on the importance of tech for any organisation and how Ari Recruitment has leveraged this tech to its advantage. Aimee is a business leader and, at a young age, has had to learn the ropes quickly. Leadership challenges and opportunities are constantly appearing, and she discussed how she navigates this.

The Indigenous Voice to Parliament has gained considerable attention in recent months, with a referendum on track for later this year. In this episode, we share a conversation with one of our sister brands, Lawyers Weekly, on what businesses should know about the Voice and their obligations as employers. In this episode, Swaab partner Michael Byrnes takes listeners through various employment and workplace relations scenarios that will have to be considered with regard to the Voice and how employees can reasonably express their views if they are in conflict with their employer’s position. Mr Byrnes also reveals the dangers of overstepping in publicly contradicting one’s employer and the steps both sides may need to take to ensure freedom of expression is balanced against corporate interests.

Rolling out effective tech can be all the difference in a business thriving and falling short in today’s market. On this episode of The HR Leader, host Emma Musgrave is joined by SmartRecruiters’ Richard Lewis-Jones to unpack any hesitation around tech and how employers can benefit from maximising its use. The Vice-President of Asia Pacific takes listeners through the touch points that can be improved during the talent acquisition process, offering real-life examples of how businesses have succeeded in this space. Rich also shares how business leaders can distinguish what tasks still need that people-centric approach, the “people > process > technology strategy” he recommends, and some exclusive findings from SmartRecruiters’ new Global Hiring Trends report. To access SmartRecruiters’ Global Hiring Trends report in full, click here: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/resources/landing/global-hiring-trends-2023/ To book a meeting with Rich, click here: https://hello.smartrecruiters.com/c/RLewis-Jones

Mentorship can be a powerful tool in the workplace. Not only is it a great way for employees to hone their skills and progress, but managers can better their leadership capabilities. In this episode of The HR Leader, host Jack Campbell was joined by the University of South Australia’s research assistant, Dr Debbie Devis, who discussed the power of mentorship. Dr Devis also delved into the barriers women face in the workplace, especially the STEM fields, and how workplaces, and the women who work there, can turn negative attitudes around. The transferring of skills was touched upon, as well as how organisations can benefit by opening up their talent pools and taking advantage of skills that may be different to the standard.

Even though 86 per cent of companies in the post-pandemic era are confident they have found the right balance in terms of people-first work models like hybrid or remote working, 55 per cent have not provided their employees with genuine choice about when or where they work. On this episode of The HR Leader, host Emma Musgrave is joined by Stef Shoffren, modern workplace lead at Avanade, to discuss why flexibility and hybrid work should be a continued focus going forward, despite some forcing employees back to the office full-time. Stef shares findings around Avanade’s “People first. Or people false” research, which reveals a gap in what organisations are promising and what is being delivered to employees. He also offers his advice for technology-cautious employers and how to better utilise data and experimentation to create an effective working environment for all.

Wellbeing in the workplace is important to get right in order to get the most you can out of employees. On this episode of The HR Leader, the chief executive and co-founder of CU Health, Dr Patrick Aouad, discussed some strategies the top organisations use to ensure staff are happy and engaged. Dr Patrick also touched on the effect tokenistic perks can have and when they can become an issue. The rise of tech and how it impacts wellbeing was also discussed, as well as how the new age of flexible working has had an impact on workers. Different demographics must be considered when implementing policy, which is why a “one-size-fits-all” approach can be counter-productive for employers. Dr Patrick outlined how to navigate this issue while also mentioning the difficulties women have in the workforce.

Instilling meaningful measures for your employees can help ensure they feel supported, even outside of the office. In the lead-up to National Families Week next week, host Emma Musgrave was joined by Emma Walsh, founder of Family Friendly Workplaces and the CEO of Parents at Work, to discuss the importance of leaders being considerate of employee commitments at home. Emma Walsh shares the biggest trends she sees play out when it comes to supporting parents and other carers, including how the pandemic and rising cost of living have contributed to greater implementation of key policies in Australian businesses. She also gives her thoughts on what more needs to be done at a government level to support people and her top tips for businesses obtaining family-friendly certification. National Families Week will be held from 15 to 23 May. To learn more about the event, or to register your interest, visit here: https://nfw.org.au/about/