KEEPING YOU INFORMED
Our Blog
Some Thoughts from the World of HR
Boundaries: work vs life
In early 2020, the working world changed, potentially forever. We were told we had to work from home if possible and our working hours were filled with Zoom and Teams meetings. Many of us added into this mix responsibilities of caring for children and remote learning pressures. The boundaries and lines between home and work life, truly blurred. We know many working parents worked in shifts, with some working late into the evening to get work done which couldn’t be completed during traditional work hours due to remote learning priorities. We had meetings with children sitting at our feet in order to multitask our way through the juggle. The flexibility offered to manage work and family commitments was life changing in many ways, but let’s explore the costs. Now more than 2 years on, as we move back to a new normal, what impact has there been on the boundaries which should exist between our work and home life?
Immigration process changes
Impact HR is proud to be the outsourced HR partner for a number of global organisations and local businesses who need to sponsor employees to work in Australia. We collaborate with several immigration companies to ensure that our clients have the team they need. Part of this process often includes the mandatory advertising of positions to ensure that suitably qualified Australians are employed in appropriate roles. The Department of Immigration requires this labour market testing to be completed on a government job site. Work Force Australia launched on July 4th 2022 and replaces Job Active.
Annualised salaries
As a Small Business owner or manager you are busy up-dating wages and superannuation but don’t forget that back in 2020 the Fair Work commission introduced an important process to ensure that employees covered by a number of awards are protected from underpayments called Salary Annualisation. Creating Annualised Salary Statements is one task you can outsource. Contact us and we can assist you with the reconciliation process and navigate any changes.
Unauthorised leave
I’m sure you’ve heard this before, “I’m just letting you know we’ve booked a 2-week holiday for next month, I’ll put the leave in now”. This is a predicament we find a lot of business owners and companies face regularly. The proposed leave either falls within a critical project delivery or the dates clash with another team member’s leave or some other scenario that makes the request something you are unable to agree upon.
As this is something we encounter a lot at we want to help you understand how to deal with this.
Award updates – checklist
Are you ready for the minimum award wage increase? Make sure you read our checklist for handy hints and tips on what you need to do if your employees are either being paid below OR above the new minimum for their grade within the award.
Minimum wage increase July 2022 – Award exceptions
We recently posted that the minimum wage will increase from July 1. Did you know there are some exceptions?
Get prepared for the 2022 national minimum wage increase
The Fair Work Commission recently announced Australia’s minimum wage will increase from July 1 2022. This is the first year we’ve seen the decision to make a staggered increase depending on the wage paid. We are here to help you understand the why, the what and the how.
A change in Government – what does it mean?
On Saturday 21st March 2022, the Australian people went to the polls and elected a new Government, the Australian Labor Party (ALP). After 9 years under the Liberal Party, this federal shift brings with it some anticipated amendments to employment law and practices.
Any changes will take time to make their way into legislation, however we do know the promised focus of the new Federal Government so we have a good idea what these changes might be.
Plan for Super increases
Running a SME during a pandemic has meant keeping a careful eye on cashflow. As a result, little changes can have a big impact if we don’t plan ahead. One such change is the annual increase in Superannuation Guarantee Contributions over the next four years. Employer contributions started moving from 9.5% in 2020 and will increase gradually to 12% in 2025. This year on 1 July 2022, employer contributions move to 10.5%.
Need Help with Your HR?