Australian Employment Law Essay Example

Australian Employment Law Essay Example Australian Employment Law Essay Australian Employment Law Essay Australian Employment Law Name: Institution: Australian Employment Law The feudal concept of status is part of the law of master and servant. The laws reflect a reliance of colonial laws regarding statutory regulations of labor. This law governed Australia for some time. The feudal system maintains a hierarchy and each person has his place in society. The status of someone’s position is determined at birth, and it is not possible to change it. Masters and servants are born to their position, and they have certain roles and responsibilities, which they must fulfill. Servants are expected to do their work and serve their masters faithfully. Masters on the other hand have the responsibility of ensuring that their servants are protected (Abbott, 2006). Although the use of the terms master and servant has faded, the essence of the concept has remained in the relationship between employer and employee. The applicability of the feudal system within the work environment differs in different countries. It may not be as pronounced as it was before, especia lly since many countries have made it possible for people to change their social status. Someone who started out as an employee has the possibility of becoming an employer. There are different aspects of the feudal concept of status, which remain in the workplace. The feudal system is a legitimate authority and the employer and the employee are aware of their obligations to each other. Any employment relationship requires that an employer has the power to give orders, which the employee should follow. Employers can change the employees’ duties to suit the needs of the organization, so long as they are not breaching any contract (Stewart, 2011). The employee submits to the employer at the work place. The law gives employers extensive control over the employees. The employers control the discipline of the employees. They have the power to discipline the employees for any misconduct. The law encourages the doctrine of employment at will. People have no obligation to be employed at a certain company, and they can always leave their jobs if they feel that they are not satisfied. Employers have the right to hire whomever they want. In the absence of a contract, employers can fire at will. They do not need any reason to terminate someoneâ€⠄¢s employment (Kaufman, 1997). Employers do not have to give several warnings before they decide to fire their employees, especially on issues relating to poor performance and misconduct (Stewart, 2011). Because of the master-servant relationship that exists between the employer and the employees, the workers have little power and control in their negotiations. The employees feel a need to join trade unions to increase their bargaining power, and to have more control over their welfare (Gardner Palmer, 1997). Lack of jobs and other opportunities have meant that people hold on to their jobs, irrespective of the challenges they are facing. Granted, every job has challenges that the employees have to deal with and overcome. However, under the feudal system, employees face greater challenges because of the level of control that their employers have over them. Because of the prevailing social order, the employers are superior to the employees, and they have a natural right to coerce them to do what they want. Some employees have to live on call any time of day, because their employers require them to do so. This may be in the contract, and if the employees signed the contract, then they have to follow it. Employers can call on their employees even when they are not supposed to be working, and the employees have to ensure that they are available if they intend to keep their jobs. Employees are obligated to serve their employers faithfully in the course of their employment. In some cases, this extends beyond their employment. Employees cannot run a business similar in nature to their employers business. After the end of their employment in a particular organization, former employees should not do anything that undermines their employer or his business. The employees should not recruit workers from their previous place of employment, and they should not entice their former employer’s clients to the new business. Moreover, employees should not remove or memorize any valuable information from their former place of employment. Such acts undermine their former employers and they are a breach of contract (Stewart, 2011). The state has the power to balance the rights and powers of the employers and employees by enacting legislation. However, some of the government legislations augment and increase the powers of the employers at the expense of the employees. For instance, the establishment of the Work Choices reduced employees’ rights and power by reducing the role of the trade unions. It had many regulations and boundaries, which determined how the employers and the employees interacted with each other. New employees did not have the option of deciding their preferred employment agreement, and it was not easy for them to negotiate their contract. The Employee Greenfields Agreement gave leeway to the employer to make an agreement without consulting anyone, and without bargaining and negotiating with the employees. The unions had less power to bargain and negotiate for the rights of employees under the legislation. Those who supported the law claimed that employers were in a better position to in crease productivity without interference from the trade unions or industrial tribunals. It increased the ability of the employers to coerce the employees. The legislation removed the power of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in intervening and arbitrating work disputes (Gardiner, 2009). The members of the capitalist class, or those who have the most wealth, also have the most power, not only in their places of work or in their industry, but also regarding national issues. Their influence determines the legislations made, especially when that legislation will affect their trade. The politicians depend on them, and they are keen to listen to their suggestions concerning different laws. They are the masters, and they continue giving orders and having people submit to them. They have become more powerful in that other than their immediate employees, other people listen to them and heed their instructions. Class divisions in the society have led to the exploitation of one class by the other. In a capitalist economy such as Australia, the workers produce more value than they are paid for by the capitalist (Mathews, 2007). References: Abbott, K. (2006). A review of employment relations theories and their application. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 1, 187-200 DSP (2006). Development of the Australian capitalist nation-state. Democratic Socialist Perspective. Retrieved from dsp.org.au/node/41 Gardner Palmer, G. (1997). The Employment Relationship. Australia: Macmillan Education AU Gardiner, M. (2009). His master’s voice? Work choices as a return to master and servant concepts. Sydney Law Review, 31 (53), 53-81 Kaufman, E. B. (1997). Government regulation of the employment relationship. Cornell University Press Mathews, G. (2007). Class in Australia today. Democratic Socialist Perspective. Retrieved from dsp.org.au/node/167 McMichael, P. (2004). Settlers and the agrarian question: Capitalism in Colonial Australia. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press Scott, B. (2011). Capitalism: Its origins and evolution as a system of governance. New York, NY: Springer Stewart, A. (2011). Stewart’s guide to employment law. Annandale, Australia: Federation Press Trainer, T. (2010). Marxist theory: A brief introduction. Retrieved from http://socialsciences.arts.unsw.edu.au/tsw/Marx.html

3 key employee retention strategies to keep turnover low

3 key employee retention strategies to keep turnover low As an HR professional, you are keenly aware of the importance of employee retention- both for achieving target department milestones, as well as for the long-term success of your company. Beyond the sunk costs and organizational chaos that take place when there’s a constantly revolving door of employees entering and exiting a business, companies often cite employee retention as a key metric for effective daily operation and overall success.In fact, it goes further than that: companies that build reputations for consistently impressive employee retention rates bolster their brand identities- and you better believe that word travels fast, so you can count on active and passive future candidates discovering that people enjoy working at your organization for the long haul.Your company’s bottom line- and opportunities for achieving industry growth, attracting talent-rich candidates, and realizing long-term success- is dependent on effective employee retention, so you better have a strategy. If your HR team needs to take its retention plan to the next level, consider utilizing the following strategies for keeping turnover low in your organization.Know your industryThe truth is, not all industries are created equal- and neither is how employees are typically treated. What employees expect in one field may be completely different than another, and you better believe that all of the employees in your organization- including everyone from new hires to seasoned veterans- will have some level of expectation regarding how they should be treated by their employer and will respond accordingly based on their perception (regardless of whether or not it’s completely aligned with reality).This mindset isn’t relegated to just your most talented star employees or any specific department- it’s at the core of human psychology. How you’re treated or, more accurately, how you perceive that you’re treated, impacts your resultant behavior. This holds true at home, in the world, and on the job.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});So, make sure you’re keenly aware of what the standards are for your industry, and make sure your company is on target in all key areas- including salaries, benefits packages, and additional perks. Even things like your office layout and organization are going to impact employee perception. So, if you want to keep turnover low and employee satisfaction high, make sure you’re meeting their expectations regularly, which includes both current and future industry standards (so be sure to stay on top of industry shifts and trends).Lead the wayNow that you know how important it is to meet industry expectations for employees in your company, create a plan to exceed them. That’s right- in today’s ultra-competitive job market, where hungry and lean new startups are emerging every day and are eager to source new talent for their teams- todayâ⠂¬â„¢s talented job candidates have options, and the laws of attraction apply in the professional world as much as anywhere else. Progressive companies know that investing time, energy, and resources towards developing truly innovative, first-in-class employee incentives will not only attract new talent, it will help keep your existing teams from thinking about whether or not the grass is greener somewhere else. Doing so will also have the added benefit of helping to bolster your company’s brand identity- and trust us, word will spread. Pique candidate interest, and then keep hold of their attention and loyalty as employees, by offering them industry-leading incentives to keep them satisfied and doing their best work over the long haul. Don’t just keep up with other companies- innovate.Listen to your employeesThis one might seem obvious, but you may be surprised to learn that the communications pipeline between employees and leadership in many organizations tends to wo rk slowly- and oftentimes seems as if it barely works at all. Big mistake- and one that your company should actively seek to avoid. Make sure the employees on your team have the tools to voice their opinions regarding the direction of the company and their place in it- think everything from offsite gatherings to regular feedback meetings and annual employee satisfaction appraisals- and make sure that it’s not just smoke but is treated like the valuable data that it is.If employees are telling you that something is working, then keep doing it; if something is broken, then fix it. Don’t forget, active and attentive listening is a key component of any healthy relationship, including the one between employer and employee, and great companies treat their employees as more than cogs in their machines.If you’re looking to reduce employee turnover in your company, consider using the strategies presented here to keep your teams happy and eager to come to work- and do the ir absolute best- every single day of the week. If you put in the work up-front, you’ll create a warm, thriving atmosphere that’s sure to retain talented workers who will bring the results your company wants.