The year 2024 provided numerous examples of underpayment and wage theft violations, with a number of employers facing repercussions. Yet in 2025, the consequences for these indiscretions will be much harsher – with jail time not off the table.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Smart WFM founder and chief executive Jarrod McGrath about what the new wage theft criminalisation laws – which are set to come into place next year – mean for Australian HR leaders and senior organisational executives.

McGrath describes the vital function that correct payroll systems have when it comes to underpayments, with the vast majority of these contraventions being a by-product of flawed payroll systems that permeate errors. McGrath also expounds on the widespread trust issue that can arise as a result of underpayment of even a single employee, as workers often lose faith in their employer when incidents like this take place. Finally, McGrath dives into the intricate details of the new laws that will, without a doubt, have a huge effect on the job role of HR teams in 2025.

A “tsunami” of wellness workplace issues could be coming for Australian businesses, highlighting the importance of redesigning environmental structures to better ensure optimal outcomes for staff and team objectives.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Elemental Coaching and Psychology chief mental health adviser Kate Connors about how well Australian workplaces are faring on the wellness front post-pandemic, the headline consequences for teams that are not functioning at optimal levels, market factors exacerbating poor wellness at present, and the urgent need to redesign workplace structures.

Connors also delves into the questions that businesses and leaders need to ask in redesigning such structures, what works and doesn’t work in undertaking a redesign, practical implementation, the need for evaluation, avoiding looking for quick wins, and the role of HR in ensuring a return on investment.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Cornerstone and Pinpoint HRM, we dive deep into the pressing concerns surrounding workforce readiness. Join us as we explore practical strategies that businesses can adopt to remain agile and adaptable in today’s rapidly changing environment.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Paul Broughton, Cornerstone’s APJ Group Vice President and Managing Director, and Katie Mangraviti, Cornerstone Practice Head at Pinpoint HRM. They discuss recent research on the workforce readiness gap, how the rapid pace of change over the last few years has impacted organisations and the critical questions businesses must ask to move forward effectively. The importance of gaining visibility over key areas of concern, leveraging technology to enhance operations, and optimising one’s tech stack. The extent to which businesses are ready or not for looming changes and trends (and the consequences of a lack of readiness), implementing the right practical and transformational steps and the role of HR in better supporting your business to succeed in the future.

To learn more about the workforce readiness gap, click here. To learn more about Pinpoint HRM, click here.

Nicole Karagiannis is the chief people and culture officer at Harrison.ai. She spoke with The HR Leader about her career as an HR professional, her interest in coaching and executive leadership, and the importance of DEI and belonging in HR’s outlook.

Ms Karagiannis shared with listeners how being trilingual has enhanced her HR work, including being able to speak clearly and plainly to a diverse group of people. She commented on the role of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in Harrison.ai’s workplace, including why it’s important to tailor recognition to individual employees.

Seeing HR as a “commercial business partner” is key for Ms Karagiannis, who demonstrated in the podcast discussion how HR could be a commercial contributor outside of what’s thought of as the traditional HR role.

Listen to the full podcast to also discover Ms Karagiannis’ tips for those in the tech industry currently experiencing workforce challenges.

Dave Ulrich is referenced in this podcast discussion. For more information, see the links below: 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-hr-competencies-actions-enable-renewal-through-human-dave-ulrich/

https://www.rbl.net/insights/videos/hr-from-the-outside-in

James McIlvena, LHH Australia and New Zealand’s managing director, talked to The HR Leader for this podcast in partnership with LHH. Examining the LHH Global Workforce of the Future Report, the discussion ranged from skills to salary conversations, career development and more.

Mr McIlvena spoke about what LHH’s findings revealed regarding skills, employee demand for career progression, and why new tech like AI is driving human workers to maintain relevance.

It’s rare for an organisation and its employees to agree that both sides feel salary levels are spot on, but Mr McIlvena shared some of the ways businesses can mitigate this disconnect.

Diving into the phenomenon of “quitfluencers”, the podcast also discussed what organisations could do to stem the tide if one employee’s decision to leave sparks others to also consider their options.

And the conversation wouldn’t have been complete without delving into worker wellbeing. Mr McIlvena did this through a lens of understanding what businesses can do to encourage their people to take regular breaks.

For listeners who’d like to read more about the LHH Global Workforce of the Future Report, please click here: https://info.lhh.com/ANZ/HRL-CTM-global-workforce-of-the-future-2023

The Equinix Foundation is committed to digital inclusion. Sujata Narayan, its director, and Bruce Owen, its president, joined The HR Leader to share what the foundation is all about and examples of some of the great initiatives the team is involved with worldwide.

Diversity is a word that comes up a lot when talking about the foundation, and it’s apt with both Equinix employees and people from other organisations supporting the foundation’s work. The foundation is also adamant about being part of the places where they operate, with the focus in each region shifting as required to meet the needs of that area.

Ms Narayan shared insight into the work the foundation is doing in India to help women achieve digital parity when it comes to learning, as well as efforts in the US to bridge cultural and racial divides. Mr Owen spoke about a growth area of the foundation, which is to provide more support to ageing workers when it comes to digital inclusion.

Any discussion about the foundation’s work would be incomplete without covering the importance of DEI and belonging and why it’s central to what the foundation is doing – a lack of digital inclusion has many knock-on effects for people. Mr Owen concluded that they don’t pretend to have all the answers at the foundation, but they’re committed to being a part of the solution.

Subhashree Das shared with The HR Leader her experience as an HR professional moving from India to Australia, looking for work opportunities. Ms Das is now a client services officer in the contract management team at Konica Minolta, but her journey finding work in Australia was not easy.

Ms Das talked through some of the big names she’d worked with in India, organisations that any Australian recruiter would recognise. However, it was still an uphill battle for her to secure a position in Australia due to the common bias for ‘local experience’. Ms Das explained for listeners what recruiters are overlooking when they have a blinkered view valuing ‘local’ above all else.

Being more open to a diverse range of backgrounds is an asset for businesses according to Ms Das, pointing out how advantageous it is when organisations have either internal or external (or both) clients from a variety of cultures and countries. She also reminded listeners about all the soft or human skills that overseas applicants bring with them.

For anyone new to Australia looking for their first position here, Ms Das shared some tips, including focussing on continual learning, gaining local qualifications where possible.

Ms Das was assisted in finding work in Australia by atWork Australia. You can find out more about them here: https://www.atworkaustralia.com.au

Nintex’s vice-president for APAC, Christian Lucarelli, sat down with The HR Leader to share insights into his career that started in HR, moved into HR tech, and up to his current role with Nintex today. He noted that the skills he learnt in HR are now invaluable in managing and leading people.

Mr Lucarelli talked about why technology that captures business processes and knowledge is critical for organisations, citing creating ‘centres of excellence’ as one of the ways Nintex helps its customers.

Looking at the hurdles HR is facing today and into the future, Mr Lucarelli talked about why HR tech like Nintex needs to be ‘people-centric’, getting people away from spreadsheets and using technology to automate work where possible.

Aaron Goonrey is a partner at Lander & Rogers and specialises in workplace relations and safety. He spoke with The HR Leader on 24 November 2022 about some of the DEI issues Australian workplaces should be aware of.

Looking at both current and predicted DEI challenges, Mr Goonrey shared his thoughts on the barriers some organisations face in embracing DEI. 

The podcast conversation also covered Australia’s seeming preoccupation with only one area of DEI: gender, with Mr Goonrey stating: “I think in some regards, in Australia that is, we’re a little bit behind what diversity, equity and inclusion means broadly. With that said, I think we get fixated on female representation or gender representation, broadly speaking because women represent 50 per cent of the population, so have greater representation and visibility as compared with other minority groups.”

He added: “So when you look at gender and women, their representation is going to be critical in discussions about diversity, equity and inclusion. But we do have that preoccupation I think because we’re a little bit behind the game when it comes to that.”

Mr Goonrey also shared what he thinks a “truly inclusive organisation” is and why he’s personally very interested in DEI. 

“I’ve got a passion around it because I think that everyone, regardless of who you are, or where you come from ... I have a passion that those people, particularly when we’re talking about our minorities, should feel safe and confident to bring their authentic self to work and to be assured that they will be treated equally among their co-workers and by their managers,” said Mr Goonrey.

From aircraft maintenance engineer to HR professional, Adam Hill brings a unique perspective to HR. Mr Hill joined The HR Leader on 22 November 2022 to discuss how his background in aircraft maintenance engineering has been advantageous to his current HR role.

Delving into the skills that have translated from his prior work to HR, Mr Hill’s career change is inspiring for those looking for a door into HR in 2023. His story is also relevant for anyone seeking talent and needing to think differently about who’s appropriate in order to open up talent pools.

The podcast conversation culminated in Mr Hill’s insights on the top issues facing HR with an eye on the new year.

The co-founder of The Wellbeing Lab, Dr Michelle McQuaid, joined The HR Leader to talk about workplace wellbeing and positive psychology.

Dr McQuaid explained why she has a particular interest in wellbeing at work, what wellbeing champions are, and the connection between data and wellbeing to measure success. She also dived into what the phrase ‘positive psychology’ means to her.

The podcast conversation concluded with Dr McQuaid sharing insights into her work with business leaders.

Dr McQuaid has kindly provided the below reference for podcast listeners:

https://www.michellemcquaid.com/research/

The general manager for TQSolutions, Nadine O’Regan, spoke with The HR Leader this week about talent: what to expect in 2023, industries of concern, ideas for nurturing leadership, and more.

Making sure they have the right talent down the track is an important consideration for organisations. Ms O’Regan spoke about what businesses might anticipate in terms of talent next year and her thoughts on what the recent federal budget might mean for workers.

It was clear from the discussion that some industries are particularly struggling right now. Ms O’Regan discussed areas where skills are really tight, and the knock-on effect this has for realising goals like achieving more childcare to level up female and male participation in the workforce.

Ms O’Regan has kindly provided the following references for this podcast episode:

https://www.nationalskillscommission.gov.au/publications/skills-priority-list-key-findings

https://www.listcorp.com/asx/edu/edu-holdings-limited/news/ceo-address-to-annual-general-meeting-2706679.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-18/aged-care-sector-welcomes-pacific-workers-need-35000-more-a-year/101344072

https://www.ceda.com.au/NewsAndResources/MediaReleases/Health-Ageing/Australias-aged-care-crisis-escalates-staff-short

https://dartlindsley.com/

https://joshbersin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/TA-22_04-The-Definitive-Guide-to-Recruiting-ExecSum.pdf

Karen Loon spoke with The HR Leader about cultural diversity and attracting talent to Australia from overseas.

Ms Loon shared what it was like for her returning to Australia after working overseas. She talked about her passion for cultural diversity, and ideas for attracting candidates to Australia from other countries.

The podcast conversation on 28 October also covered how organisational culture can negatively impact the experience of overseas workers or people with varying cultural backgrounds.

Ms Loon kindly shared the following book for reference with The HR Leader listeners:

Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians, Jane Hyun

New research suggests that Australians value autonomy and agency and have an egalitarian ethos in the workplace. With that in mind, how do we feel about new workplace arrangements, support for wellness, and other initiatives?

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Unispace senior principal for strategy Emma Davenport about the recently released From Restrictions to Resilience report and what it found about Australians’ workplace sentiments relative to those overseas, the headline lessons and takeaways for Australian workplaces from that report, and how recent return-to-office mandates correlate (if at all) with how our employees feel about their physical location for work.

Davenport also delves into the preference that Australians have for four-day working weeks and why, what the report’s findings say about Australian workers from a holistic perspective, how employers and team leaders can and should interpret Australians’ sentiments about the workplace, what HR teams and professionals can do in response, and why those professionals should see these sentiments as opportunities to redefine the worker experience.

Jessica Hickman, the author of The Upstander Leader and founder and director of Bullyology, shared with The HR Leader what it’s been like to move to and work in Orange, NSW. She also shared what she’d like leaders to know about bullying in the workplace and what it means to be an ‘upstander’.

Ms Hickman talked about what it’s like to work on business culture in regional NSW, noting: “One of the biggest things I found moving to regional New South Wales, and I do a lot of work across the states regionally now, is there seems to be old-school mindsets and behaviours.” She added that she’s “Working with organisations where people have been leaders for 30, even 40 years, and looking at some of the big picture trends that are affecting leaders and workplace culture at the moment.”

Explaining to The HR Leader listeners what the ‘bystander effect’ is, Ms Hickman said that it refers to: “As human beings, when things get hard, challenging or quite toxic and difficult, our natural instinct and desire is to diffuse responsibility.” Ms Hickman then shared her thoughts on ‘upstander cultures’ which people can read about more in her book, The Upstander Leader. 

The podcast conversation concludes with Ms Hickman’s vision for her work over the next five years, focusing on what she terms ‘the upstanding generation’.

For more information about Ms Hickman’s work around bullying in the workplace, you can visit https://bullyology.com/

Note from the editor: If you’re currently experiencing any of the issues discussed in this podcast episode 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

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.

Research shows that, in recent years, there has been a huge uptick in the number of women professionals leaving their roles in the face of myriad employer shortcomings, both to address idiosyncratic needs and in light of certain unconscious biases. Employers must address such concerns better if they are to retain top female talent.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with freelance general counsel Anna Lozynski about how and why she’s always valued flexible working arrangements for herself, observations of broader take-up of such arrangements by other female professionals, what the Great Break-up is and why it is significant for working women, and the ways in which businesses may be failing their female employees.

Lozynski also delves into the sociocultural and vocational structures that make it difficult for women (and men) to break free of traditional expectations and norms, what female professionals are choosing to do if they leave their employers and why, the influence of family planning, the practical steps that employers must take moving forward to better address staff needs, and why employees need to know their worth.

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.

AVL Wines people and culture director, Tash Cahill, joined The HR Leader to talk about how she has achieved a senior HR role so quickly in her career, the support she’s received to help her achieve success, and how she’s crafted her role so HR at AVL Wines can have the most impact.

Ms Cahill knew that she wanted a career in HR, rather than falling into it like many in the profession. This gave her a bit of a head start in the industry. She also credits the support AVL Wines has given her in stepping up into a senior role as integral to her success.

As a younger leader, Ms Cahill shared her perspective with The HR Leader on why it’s advantageous for a business to have both older and younger professionals in leadership roles, with the different perspectives of both benefiting a business.

Leroy Wilkinson-Maher, the managing director and founder of Dhiira, sat down with The HR Leader to discuss what organisations can do to increase inclusion and equitability for Aboriginal people.

In this second part of the conversation, Mr Wilkinson-Maher provided some insights for organisations looking to better understand the history of Aboriginal people, what positive changes businesses can support, and the role of HR in driving change that helps Aboriginal people.

The head of HR at Haleon ANZ, Abby Krause, joined The HR Leader to talk about the organisation’s rebrand, how they’ve designed their offices to reflect the changing needs of their workforce, and how DEI has been considered throughout that journey.

Haleon ANZ includes well-known brands from Sensodyne and Voltaren through to Panadol, Centrum, and ChapStick. Ms Krause shared how they were able to draw on insights from their extensive leadership team to shape the culture for Haleon ANZ. She also spoke about her interest in creating inclusive spaces for people, citing examples of how their new offices accommodate accessibility, parental, and religious needs.

Ms Krause concluded the podcast discussion with tips and insights that other organisations can consider to make their workspaces hybrid-working friendly. She shared that their approach is to follow a philosophy rather than a policy, enabling them to be flexible around different people’s needs.

Niall O’Rourke, partner at Sharp and Carter, spoke with The HR Leader about what the recruitment firm does to keep wellbeing front and centre.

Sharp and Carter’s website calls out their ‘culture of uncommon care’. Mr O’Rourke described how this is reflected in the business, including assigning a founding member of their firm to look after the wellbeing of employees.

Mr O’Rourke shared with The HR Leader why the firm rewards all of their employees, understanding that every role contributes to the commercial success of the business. 

He also spoke about what being an ‘ethical recruiter’ entails, relating that if you wouldn’t place your family member in a position, why place a candidate in that role? As Mr O’Rourke summed up, they treat both clients and candidates as customers – a candidate sees first hand the level of detail they go into to make a placement, which helps inform them as a client what the process looks like client-side.

Mimma Mason, business development director of the clinical assessments arm in APAC for Pearson, joined The HR Leader to talk about her role as a cognitive scientist, and how her speciality relates to HR and people leaders.

Ms Mason shared what she means when she refers to a ‘career passport’ and how it reflects a need to look beyond skills to the candidate/employee’s experience more generally.

Ms Mason also discussed with The HR Leader how to identify when an employee is being challenged at the right level to promote learning, citing what to look for as an indicator that an employee is being overchallenged. 

Discussing what agile learning looks like, the podcast conversation delved into what businesses need to consider in terms of an individual’s capacity to learn, as well as what to look for in L&D professionals to secure learning talent that can act agilely to meet a business’ needs.

Leroy Wilkinson-Maher, the managing director and founder of Dhiira, sat down with The HR Leader to discuss what organisations can do to increase inclusion and equitability for Aboriginal people.

In the first of this two-part special podcast, Mr Wilkinson-Maher shared insights into his career journey to date, starting with a school-based traineeship with a bank, to working in HR and now managing Dhiira, which he describes as an “intentional disruptor”.

He shared: “I've ended up here now in this company, which is fundamentally an intentional disruptor. We want to undo the bricks and mortar that have been the foundations of mainstream businesses since Australia was colonised… what I'm trying to [ask] now is: how do we humanise the world through the Aboriginal perspective and through the Aboriginal lens?”

Part one of the podcast concluded with Mr Wilkinson-Maher sharing three mistakes he sees businesses making when it comes to DEI and Aboriginal people.

In part two, Mr Wilkinson-Maher provides some insights for organisations looking to better understand the history of Aboriginal people, what positive changes businesses can support, and the role of HR in driving change that helps Aboriginal people. Part two will be released on 14 October 2022.

Kate Newey, the head of human resources at Adaptalift Group, sat down with The HR Leader to talk about the challenges and the opportunities involved in being a parent and a senior part-time employee.

Ms Newey discussed what it was like adjusting to being a part-time HR professional and establishing new boundaries to juggle work and home duties. She also shared how she has created the right team and ways of working for her HR function to support their approach to flexible working.

The conversation also touched on what it was like as a senior HR professional to work through the beginnings of the pandemic, and the challenges COVID-19 continues to present – including when employees are looking after unwell children, or businesses are trying to bring workforces together to network and collaborate.

Belinda Leon shared with The HR Leader her experience being diagnosed as an adult with ADHD, her tips for employers on supporting a neurodivergent workforce, and DEI at Bendigo Bank.

Ms Leon looks after employer branding at Bendigo Bank. She spoke with The HR Leader about her career trajectory, how it’s helped to have a variety of experiences, and what being diagnosed with ADHD has meant for her in terms of her work.

Talking about how Bendigo Bank has supported her, Ms Leon also related how the bank’s EVP captures their commitment to DEI. Understanding neurodiversity is an important element of DEI, and Ms Leon provided some tips for how organisations can best help those who are neurodivergent. 

Ms Leon stated to HR Leader (for those who are curious if they have undiagnosed ADHD): “I recommend reading (reputable) articles, speaking to their doctor and asking for a referral to a psychiatrist to be assessed. That can take a while – I had a five-month wait and I think the times have only gotten longer since then.”

Ms Leon has kindly provided the below links in relation to this podcast episode:

https://www.additudemag.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd

Information about ADHD symptoms in adults: https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-symptoms-test-adults/

Note from the editor: If you’re currently experiencing any of the issues we’ve discussed above and would like to reach out for help, you may wish to contact Lifeline: www.lifeline.org.au

Anu Villarosa, the HR Director at Pitcher Partners and parent of four, shared how she balances work and her personal life without sacrificing career goals or time with family.

Ms Villarosa spoke about her path to the role of HR Director and how she unapologetically moved forward in her career while also building her family. She shared tips for women to achieve equality in the workplace, looking at behaviours like over-apologising and over-explaining, and suggesting alternative ways to communicate that are more gender neutral.

The conversation also included insights into different learning paths for women at work, as well as who Ms Villarosa herself looks to for inspiration now that she’s in a senior HR role. 

In the discussion, Ms Villarosa referenced Justine Figo’s networking group of senior HR practitioners who have been supporting each other through the challenges of COVID-19, and Ms Figo’s new book: On the same page.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, a sleep wellness manager unpacks the pros and cons that working from home (WFH) can have on our sleeping routines and the role that employers have when it comes to ensuring that their employees are getting adequate sleep.

First-time host Kace O’Neill speaks with Rachel Beard, a sleep wellness manager at AH Beard Sleep Wellness Centre, about her work and insight into how Australian workers can ensure they get the adequate sleep they need. Beard shares her knowledge of how the WFH landscape has changed the way we interact with our sleeping patterns and the potential pitfalls that can arise when workers fail to set routines and boundaries while working from home.

Beard also delves into the role that employers, organisational leaders, and HR teams can best ensure their workers get enough sleep before showing up to the workplace. Beard stresses the importance of sleep and how it can oftentimes be disregarded when we speak about mental health and wellbeing topics – proclaiming that a lack of sleep can be a catalyst for negative mental health conditions. Finally, Beard offers some effective advice and strategies that can assist workers out there who may be struggling to get a good night’s sleep.

Sally McKibbin from Indeed sat down with The HR Leader to talk about recruitment in relation to automation, inclusion and hiring graduates.

The conversation explored the impact of automation on recruitment. Ms McKibbin also talked about what can be done to make recruitment a more inclusive process, including understanding the impact of job ad language and placement.

Rounding out the episode, Ms McKibbin spoke about why organisations should pay attention to graduate hiring, and provided some insights for any graduates listening who would like to purse a role in the HR or recruitment industry.

Jo Mason, the co-founder and CEO of WorkHaven, spoke with The HR Leader about the work her organisation is doing to support those affected by domestic and family violence (DFV).

Please note that this episode may be triggering for some listeners.

Ms Mason talked about how organisations can support employees affected by DFV, highlighting the importance of understanding the stages people go through from when they first identify that they’re experiencing DFV to being a survivor of DFV.

If you’re currently experiencing any of the issues related to this podcast episode and would like to reach out for help, you may wish to contact Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/ or 1800RESPECT: https://www.1800respect.org.au/. If you would like to learn more about addressing domestic and family violence in your workplace, please visit www.workhaven.com.au or email hello@workhaven.com.au

Sapia.ai’s CEO and founder, Barb Hyman, spoke with The HR Leader about business transformation, data and tech in HR, why Saipa.ai is part of The Circle Back Initiative, and much more.

Ms Hyman shared how Sapia.ai is changing how feedback is given to candidates, using tech to provide a level of feedback that would have been hard to match in the past. 

The conversation also delved into why having the right sort of leaders behind business transformation is imperative, and Ms Hyman’s views on HR policymaking.

Mercer Career Australia country managing director, Cynthia Cottrell, spoke with The HR Leader for a special 2-part podcast on AI and automation in HR, work design and how data complements redesigns.

The conversation examined how employers can use automation to facilitate ‘sustainable and enjoyable’ work for all employees. And Ms Cottrell talked about what AI really means as it’s a concept that’s often misunderstood in the HR world.

Ms Cottrell discussed flexible working in the context of work design and why it’s important to consider them hand in hand. The podcast also touched on how data can be used to facilitate work redesigns. Listen to part one of this two-part special below.

Nicole Mason heads up change management at Blackmores Group. She joined The HR Leader to share her journey getting into change management, the challenges of the discipline, and how change management and HR teams can work well together.

Ms Mason explained some of the change management work involved in implementing a new HRIS, as well as imparting three tips for those looking after change management projects. For people new to the working world, she also shared why change management is an exciting career to consider.

One of the themes of the discussion was to be aware of context when implementing change: look around the business to see what other projects are impacting people, and look outside the organisation to understand external influences that might impact a change project’s success. For more, listen to the full podcast below.

You can find out more about the Prosci Methodology for Change Management here.

Lance Scoular, fondly known online as ‘The Savvy Navigator’, spoke with The HR Leader about how he developed his social media marketing acumen and in turn becamea mentor to others looking to build their social media presence and following.

Mr Scoular shared what he finds most rewarding about mentoring and the creative ways he’s mentored people via social media. He provided insights into working with a mentor outside your immediate industry, including mentoring HR Leader’s editor, Shandel McAuliffe, when she was in a previous role.

Andrea Kirby, Talent Table’s founder and director, spoke with The HR Leader about all things related to talent acquisition (TA).

The discussion looked at both internal and external TA, the skills difference between the two disciplines, and the hurdles professionals need to overcome when moving from agency to internal recruitment.

Ms Kirby also spoke with our editor, Shandel McAuliffe, about what talent professionals can do to better support returning Australian expats or migrants, to overcome the stigma of not having recent (or any) ‘local experience’. Ms Kirby highlighted that the Australian market can benefit from those who’ve lived abroad as they bring new and innovative ideas to their Australian workplaces.

Ms Kirby has kindly provided the below link for Talent Table’s upcoming event:

#tru, 14 September

https://talent-table.swoogo.com/truaustralia

CEO of Hoban Recruitment, Alison Watts, spoke with The HR Leader about the insights the company discovered via its recent Workforce Trends Survey, 2022–23.

Ms Watts shared why the report is valuable for the market and some of the top findings. The podcast discussion also included what roles are particularly difficult to recruit for at the moment, and three tips for mitigating those challenges.

Hoban Recruitment has a strong interest in innovation and DEI. Ms Watts concluded the conversation with The HR Leader by explaining Hoban's work in these focus areas.

Productivity coach and author of the ‘It’s about time’ series, Donna McGeorge, shared her insights on time management for leaders with The HR Leader.

Delving into concepts like ‘surge capacity’ and ‘adaptive capacity’, as well as the ‘15 per cent rule’, Ms McGeorge shared tips to help leaders and people managers make the most of their time.

The conversation also covered how managers can help their staff to better organise their time, as well as what leaders often forget to make time for! 

Listen to the podcast with Ms McGeorge below to make better use of your time.

Ms McGeorge has kindly shared the below reference that relates to the podcast discussion:  

• https://www.lifeblood.com.au/ 

A note from the editor: This podcast was recorded on 11 August 2022

Mercer Careers Australia country managing director,Cynthia Cottrell, spoke with The HR Leader for a special two-part podcast on AI and automation in HR, work design and how data complements redesigns.

The conversation examined how employers can use automation to facilitate ‘sustainable and enjoyable’ work for all employees. And Ms Cottrell talked about what AI really means as it’s a concept that’s often misunderstood in the HR world.

Ms Cottrell discussed flexible working in the context of work design and why it’s important to consider them hand in hand. The podcast also touched on how data can be used to facilitate work redesigns. Listen to part one of this two-part special below.

Here, the head of people and culture at a Sydney-based law firm unpacks the headline hurdles facing human resources departments in professional services businesses, and how HR can and should manage those issues.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Swaab head of people and culture Angela Sharpe about her work at the mid-sized Sydney-based firm, what motivates her about working in the HR space, navigating talent shortages and increased competition for top candidates, the need to think more creatively about identifying ideal talent, the ever-present mental health challenges in such firms, and the role of HR teams in improving workplace wellness.

Sharpe also delves into the myriad legislative changes that HR teams have to grapple with, including the recently-introduced Right to Disconnect, the corresponding duties that HR teams must undertake, the emergence of new technologies and how HR teams can best adapt, and striking a balance between streamlining processes and ensuring the human touch doesn’t get lost. She also reflects on whether it has ever been more difficult to be in HR in a professional services environment.

Michelle Novotny, managing director at Discovering People, joined The HR Leader to talk about her experiences as a business owner, parent, and mentor in the recruitment industry.

Ms Novotny discusses how she achieves work-life balance as a busy parent and managing director. She delves into why she believes it’s important to give people professional opportunities, and why this has been rewarding for her, too.

Given the current talent shortages in the marketplace, Ms Novotny also shares her tips for success in such a market based on her years of experience in recruitment.

Lesley Horsburgh, managing director at the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) shared with The HR Leader her journey to her current role, the evolution of APSCo to what it is today, and the market challenges that they’re learning about via their members.

Ms Horsburgh discussed talent shortages both within and outside of the recruitment industry — not only is the industry under pressure to help clients find talent, it’s hard to find recruitment talent too.

The podcast conversation also delved into the challenges associated with Australian legislation trying to accommodate both ‘white’ and ‘blue’ collar work with the same rules, where a more nuanced approach may be beneficial.

Joe Hart, principal psychologist and director at True Perspective sat down with The HR Leader to talk about leadership, culture, and performance management.

Mr Hart related why he feels that perspective is so important as a leadership quality, explaining that to be an effective leader, one needs to be empathetic to their employees’ perspectives. Mr Hart also explained where he feels the line is between quantitative and qualitative data-backed decision-making.

The podcast conversation was rounded out with a discussion on why culture change needs to start with the leaders in an organisation, with the view that ‘you can’t beat Mother Nature!’