HR Leader Podcast Network

Fay Calderone, partner at Hall and Wilcox, joined The HR Leader for a special two-part podcast looking at recent news in employment law, from Respect@Work through to proposed changes around pay secrecy. In part one, Ms Calderone talked about the recent Respect@Work bill (https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/media-releases/commission-commends-introduction-respectwork-bill) that follows the Respect@Work report (https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/respectwork-sexual-harassment-national-inquiry-report-2020) in relation to HR and preventing workplace sexual harrassment. The Bill has passed through the lower house and is before the Senate next week. This first conversation also included the potential consequences of home working and hybrid working on women in the workplace, as well as the mental health concerns HR and those leading people should be aware of since the start of COVID-19. In part two, Ms Calderone discussed the proposed Fair Work Legislation Amendment Secure Jobs Better Pay Bill 2022 as well as what her role as a flexible work ambassador means to her. A proposed change to pay secrecy was highlighted, as were new anti-discrimination measures that are being put forward. Ms Calderone provided the below links for listeners who’d like to delve into the legislation and bills further: Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022 (https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6882) – passed Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Bill 2022 (https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6916) – senate committee report on 3/11/22 Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 (https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary%20Business/Bills%20Legislation/Bills%20Search%20Results/Result/Second%20Reading%20Speeches?BillId=r6941) – up to 2nd reading speeches Notes from the editor: This podcast was recorded on 4 November 2022 and all information above is accurate as of 16 November 2022. This article and podcast has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not to be construed as advice (legal or otherwise). If you’re currently experiencing any of the sensitive issues we’ve discussed in this podcast and would like to reach out for help, you may wish to contact Lifeline: www.lifeline.org.au

Fay Calderone, partner at Hall and Wilcox, joined The HR Leader for a special two-part podcast looking at recent news in employment law, from Respect@Work through to proposed changes around pay secrecy. In part one, Ms Calderone talked about the recent Respect@Work bill (https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/media-releases/commission-commends-introduction-respectwork-bill) that follows the Respect@Work report (https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/respectwork-sexual-harassment-national-inquiry-report-2020) in relation to HR and preventing workplace sexual harrassment. The Bill has passed through the lower house and is before the Senate next week. This first conversation also included the potential consequences of home working and hybrid working on women in the workplace, as well as the mental health concerns HR and those leading people should be aware of since the start of COVID-19. In part two, Ms Calderone discussed the proposed Fair Work Legislation Amendment Secure Jobs Better Pay Bill 2022 as well as what her role as a flexible work ambassador means to her. A proposed change to pay secrecy was highlighted, as were new anti-discrimination measures that are being put forward. Ms Calderone provided the below links for listeners who’d like to delve into the legislation and bills further: Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022 (https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6882) – passed Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Bill 2022 (https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6916) – senate committee report on 3/11/22 Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 (https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary%20Business/Bills%20Legislation/Bills%20Search%20Results/Result/Second%20Reading%20Speeches?BillId=r6941) – up to 2nd reading speeches Notes from the editor: This podcast was recorded on 4 November 2022 and all information above is accurate as of 16 November 2022. This article and podcast has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not to be construed as advice (legal or otherwise). If you’re currently experiencing any of the sensitive issues we’ve discussed in this podcast and would like to reach out for help, you may wish to contact Lifeline: www.lifeline.org.au

Following the recent webcast: Career and Talent Mobility Simplified (https://www.hrleader.com.au/webcasts/23341-career-and-talent-mobility-simplified) with LHH and HR Leader, James McIlvena, LHH’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, sat down with The HR Leader to dive into the topic of measuring the productivity and success of career and talent mobility through different lenses. The podcast conversation covered how organisations can help people engage with learning platforms and how to build internal support, be it from leadership, HR/L&D colleagues, or employees. Mr McIlvena also spoke about the role of pilots when launching new learning programs and how to build productivity measures for learning initiatives to determine ROI. Mr McIlvena stressed that it’s important for technology to be launched properly if organisations want to see positive results.

The HR Leader had the pleasure of speaking with Gabrielle Dolan, speaker, author and the founder of ‘jargon-free Fridays’ alongside Miranda Ratajski, chief information officer for group business units at Westpac about the power of storytelling – when it’s done correctly. The podcast delved into what storytelling is in a business-leadership context, why it works, and what it might look like when it isn’t done well. As a business leader, Ms Ratajski (https://www.linkedin.com/in/miranda-kovacic/) shared how she’s used storytelling and the results she’s witnessed off the back of it. Ms Dolan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielledolan/) commented on the difference between using stories and simply sharing facts and figures. Ms Dolan kindly shared the below with HR Leader: 7 day storytelling starter kit (https://gabrielledolan.com/starterkit/) Strategic Storytelling Virtual Webcast with Gabrielle Dolan (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/strategic-storytelling-virtual-webcast-with-gabrielle-dolan-tickets-396305038037) – HR Leader listeners receive a 20% discount when using the code: MM20 Note from the editor: Please note that HR Leader has not been paid to promote the above resources. The links are provided for informational purposes only, and do not constitute a recommendation, endorsement or otherwise.

Dr Dominic McLoughlin is a people management specialist with a keen interest in trust in organisations. He spoke with The HR Leader about his transition from industrial relations to HR, his academic research, and knowledge sharing in the workplace. Dr McLoughlin shared how his experience working in industrial relations revealed the reactive side of HR, and that his later work ‘on the other side’ has been more proactive HR. He explained how trust and knowledge sharing intersect, with trust being essential to employees feeling like they can try things, learn from them, and grow – even if those things aren’t always a success. The conversation covered some ideas that HR leaders can use to promote both trust and knowledge sharing in their workplaces, as well as tips for those wanting to make virtual working a success.  Dr McLoughlin highlighted some of the pitfalls of virtual work environments, including missing out on casual ‘over the desk’ conversations and a lack of human connection when people don’t use the video function for team video calls. He explained that being mindful of only inviting those who need to be at a meeting might help improve meeting engagement and success, musing that the virtual meeting of the future might well include the use of holograms. Dr McLoughlin kindly provided the following references: Dirks and Ferrin (2002): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-15406-001 Mcloughlin (2014): https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Worker-Trust-Within-Organisations-ebook/dp/B00TQE7WMA  McLoughlin (2022): https://www.amazon.com.au/Better-Manager-Five-Minutes-Day-ebook/dp/B0BHBW589B/

Justine Figo is an HR director, author and executive coach. She spoke with The HR Leader about how HR has changed over her career, the exciting network of senior HR professionals that she’s created, and what she’d love to see from HR in the future. Ms Figo related anecdotes about being part of the family business as a child and how she learnt very early about the important role people play in an organisation’s success. Sharing her experience as a law graduate and then moving into the HR field, Ms Figo commented on how important those early career experiences were. As an HR director working with a variety of clients, Ms Figo discussed some of the common concerns she’s seeing in the market, with talent shortages top of the list. The conversation also delved into the role of tech in modern HR and how she’d like to see HR progress in the workplace transformation arena. Ms Figo shared with The HR Leader information about the HR network she started pre-COVID-19, how everyone was able to support each other as the pandemic changed how people work, and why the network has been a success. To find out if you're eligible for membership of the network, you can email hello@justinefigo.com And you can find Ms Figo’s books at: https://justinefigo.com/books/

Kellie-Ann McDade, partner at Baker McKenzie, spoke with The HR Leader about what employers should be mindful of following the return to work after COVID-19 lockdowns, including considerations around letting employees work out of the employer's home state.  Ms McDade touched on some of the WH&S concerns that employers should be aware of, including obligations they still need to fulfil, regardless of where the worker ‘works’, and why psychological safety is top of the priority list. The conversation also delved into work/life balance and some of the biggest challenges right now regarding written and unwritten reward obligations. For example, misuse of annualised salaries and the risks involved in not paying enough to avoid minimum award requirements. Note from the editor: Please note that this article and podcast has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not to be construed as advice (legal or otherwise).

From high school teacher to positive psychology coach, Michelle Falzon shared her unique insights around the trauma that workforces have undergone due to COVID-19. She also spoke about why caution should be exercised regarding hybrid working and the challenges she’s seeing in the HR market right now. Whether the impact of COVID-19 has been profound or minimal for an individual, everyone has experienced the negative repercussions of the pandemic to one degree or another. Ms Falzon spoke to The HR Leader about what businesses should be mindful of around COVID-19 trauma. Hybrid working has been a key trend to emerge from the COVID-19 lockdowns. Ms Falzon shared her concerns about a lack of social interaction resulting from working from home, noting that the convenience of being at home might come with some unwanted consequences as a result of not being in the office mixing with people. Ms Falzon kindly provided the following link for listeners who’d like to learn more about the ‘heliotropic effect’: https://leadchangegroup.com/positively-energizing-leaders-are-heliotropic/ Note from the editor: if you’re currently experiencing any of the issues we’ve discussed in this podcast and would like to reach out for help, you may wish to contact Lifeline: www.lifeline.org.au

The CEO and MD for auticon in Australia and New Zealand, Bodo Mann, joined The HR Leader to share auticon’s story – a business with 70 per cent of its workforce on the autism spectrum. Mr Mann explained that auticon isn’t a charity, even though its mission might be similar to charities that support neurodiverse workers. He shared what he feels Australia can learn from auticon’s work overseas, as well as how their approach to hiring supports people with autism. A vital part of auticon’s work is helping their people find success in their current and future work, and Mr Mann explained how they facilitate this. Businesses and candidates can find out more about working with auticon here (https://auticon.com.au/). auticon kindly shared the below references following the podcast: Autism and employment in Australia (https://www.amaze.org.au/creating-change/research/employment/#:~:text=In%20Australia%2C%20the%20unemployment%20rate,rate%20of%20people%20without%20disability) 4430.0 - Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2015 (https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4430.0Main%20Features752015) states: “The unemployment rate for people with autism spectrum disorders was 31.6%, more than three times the rate for people with disability (10.0%) and almost six times the rate of people without disability (5.3%).” Employment program doubles employment for autistic youth (https://www.autismspeaks.org/science-news/employment-program-doubles-employment-autistic-youth) Auticon impact report 2021 (https://auticon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/auticon-Impact-Report-2021-English-1.pdf) Note from the editor: Please note that some statistics may have been slightly misquoted in the podcast recording.

Founder and CEO of Enboarder, Brent Pearson, joined The HR Leader to talk about why they’re putting human connection at the heart of how they work as a business, as well as incorporating this into their product offering. Mr Pearson shared the origin story of Enboarder, relating the research he discovered that evidenced how critical onboarding is to employee retention. He shared this video for podcast listeners: Professor Dan Cable explains the Wipro research. Explaining his views on human connection as both a CEO and people leader as well as via his role as a product leader, Mr Pearson spoke about the challenges businesses face in creating human connections in a new hybrid-working world.  He revealed insights into Enboarder’s upcoming product features that will allow employees to better connect with each other, as well as how Enboarder will enhance workplace learning via the same principles. Mr Pearson concluded by sharing his thoughts on where the working world is heading, musing that if a recession occurs, the struggle finding talent following that is only going to increase. He divulged what he thinks will be the key attribute of organisations that thrive in a post-recession talent war.