Navigating through the Great Resignation | 5 ways to prevent and manage bullying and harassment

NAVIGATING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE GREAT RESIGNATION

When we aren’t consumed with talk of COVID, the other major issue that business owners are facing is attracting talent with the looming “Great Resignation” hanging over our heads. There is no doubt that the recruitment market is extremely challenging and there aren’t enough candidates to support the volume of vacant jobs, but is the Great Resignation actually real, or just hype?

Even with all the talk about the Great Resignation, there is limited data to support that it’s currently affecting Aussie businesses. An Australian Bureau of Statistics survey conducted in November 2021, indicates that the major reasons businesses are hiring is due to expansion and increased workload, not resignations. So rather than a Great Resignation, we could just be in the midst of a talent shortage. Having said all that the pandemic has shifted people’s mindsets, allowing time to reflect on what is really important, and for a lot of people that isn’t the 8 till 5 Monday to Friday daily grind.

Businesses now have to act smarter and be prepared when looking to hire staff. Last month we talked about the importance of business planning and similar to this, organisations large or small should also be planning their talent strategies to identify how and what they are doing to attract and retain top talent.

Here are a few things we recommend:

1. Diversify sourcing activities - Gone are the days that you could post a Seek advert and have hundreds of applications to choose from. When recruiting, think about where else you could promote the job such as LinkedIn, industry groups, referral programs, social media and your own networks

2. Passive candidates – In a competitive market, it pays to spend the extra time searching for candidates that may be a good fit for the role and your business. Platforms like LinkedIn and Seek have search functions that allow you to contact candidates who have the skills and experience you are looking for.

3. Past candidates – You may have hired for a similar role in the past and have a handful of candidates that didn’t make it to the final stage of the process but meet the requirements for the new role. It pays to go back through candidates and reach out to anyone who looks like a good fit.

4. Employee Value Proposition – According to LinkedIn, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before applying for a job, so understanding why your business is a desirable place to work, is key to successful recruitment. Spend time talking to current employees to help determine the key selling points of your business and then actively promote and discuss with candidates.

5. Don’t forget about your current employees – A good way to attract talent is to make sure your current team are happy and engaged. As business owners and leaders your behaviour directly impacts an employee’s experience and if they are engaged, they are more likely to share their experience with others.

In summary there is no easy fix when it comes to current recruitment market we are operating in, and whilst It doesn’t appear that we have felt the full force of the Great Resignation yet, it is important that business get ahead and start preparing. We know that its far more time consuming attracting those ideal candidates these days so if you need any assistance with implementing a talent sourcing strategy please contact one of our team.

5 WAYS TO PREVENT AND MANAGE WORKPLACE BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

Its understandable that policies and training can slip under the radar with day to day operational issues taking precedent, however it’s important for business owners to remember that not having these functions in place can have a big impact in the workplace. When it comes to bullying and harassment protocol, business owners and leaders should always be on the forefront and have clear policies in place.

As an employer, you need to be up to date with bullying and harassment legislation and how it affects your business. In case you missed it, last year the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Act 2021, announced various changes that employers need to be aware of. These included the introduction of employees being able to apply to the commission for “stop sexual harassment orders”, the serious misconduct definition now including sexual harassment, and prohibiting harassment on the basis of someone’s sex. For a full list of changes, you can look at our previous article.

So, what do you need to do?

As an employer, you have an obligation to keep your employees safe; and with the recent changes, it is a good time of year to reflect on your policies and what you are doing to prevent bullying and harassment occurring.

Here is what we recommend:

1. Review your current workplace contracts, policies and grievance procedures to ensure they comply with the law and your duties as an employer.

2. Make sure employees know where to find these documents. It sounds simple but I bet there is someone (or many people) in your business right now that couldn’t tell you where your bullying and harassment policies are located.

3. Set the standards from the start and ensure that employees know that your culture is one that promotes respectful behaviour in the workplace.

4. Conduct bullying and harassment training that covers off obligations for both managers and employees. Make sure you keep a record of who has completed the training and do refreshers at least every 2 years.

5. Ensure that leaders are sending a clear message to employees by modelling the expected behaviours, values and standards of conduct.

As employers, it is important to showcase that you have reasonably done everything you can to manage and prevent bullying and harassment. Implementing these recommendations will assist in protecting your business.

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY IN MARCH

March is all about diversity with celebrations taking place for International Women’s Day (March 8th) and Harmony Week (21st – 27th March). Creating a diverse workplace is important as it cultivates an inclusive environment where employees can contribute their unique experiences which has a positive impact on the environment, culture and productivity.

So why not celebrate diversity in the workplace by:

Wearing purple or orange – the colours to represent each celebration

Taking your team to a registered event that showcases diversity

Hosting a morning tea or lunch

Having your team share stories of how diversity is celebrated in the workplace

Using online branding and communications

 For further information you can visit the International Women's Day website or the Harmony Week website

Please contact us if you need help or advice regarding any of these topics or laws, policy reviews or workplace training.