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Welcome to the October issue of our monthly newsletter.
With Spring at our doorstep we look forward to the new and exciting
opportunities this month has to
offer.
| Minister
calls on fair go for people with
disability.....
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A
newly released government funded study has revealed that many
employers still hold the belief that people with disabilities
will be less productive, despite most recognising good work
attitudes within the demographic. The study sheds new light on
the challenges faced by those living with a disability, with
the minister for employment participation.Kate Ellis yesterday
releasing the study titled, employer perspectives on
recruiting people with disability and the role of Disability
Employment Services. The study found that employer opinions
have changed little since its last empirical study conducted
in 2007.
Ellis
commented, "I am calling on Australian employers to recognise
the many benefits of hiring someone with a disability and
giving them a chance to have a decent job and contribute to
our economy." She added, "The Australian Government believes
all Australians deserve to be included in the economic and
social life of the community and one of the best ways of
achieving this is through having a job. Addressing the
findings of the study, the minister called for Australian
employers to recognise that productivity comes with matching a
person to the right job, and pointed to the government's own
employment services scheme which links disabled people with
jobs and provides assistance with workplace adjustments.
"Everyone needs time to settle into a new job and when it's a
job seeker with disability", Disability Employment Services
can make this a smooth transition for the employee and their
employer" Ellis said. During
yesterday's press conference, the government took the
opportunity to announce several new initiatives to encourage
employers employ people with disability from 1 July 2012. Some
of the initiatives include:
- $94.6m investment to
increase the amount of wage subsidies available for unemployed
people and for people with disability;
- $11.3m
investment in a new Supported Wage System Employer Payment
available to employers who employ eligible people whose work
productivity is reduced as a result of their disability
- $1m injection of funds to implement up to 10
Disability Employment Broker projects which are aimed at
creating new jobs for people with
disability. |
| This Month's Hot
Candidates |
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Admin/Receptionist
Excellent candidate, very confident in her skills, relaxed
but switched on personality type. Presents very well. Good
computer skills, experienced in PA/Office Manager role. Good
with Excel and spreadsheets. Looking for a full time permanent
position in Administration, flexible with industry type.
Data
Entry Clerk
Experience candidate with acurate and speedy data entry
skills, has been temping with Shell with excellent feedback on
all her assignments. Confident in her skills and is looking
for Temp work, available every day but Thursdays.
Receptionist
"Corporate Receptionist" looking for Temp work in the
eastern suburbs. Experienced with switchboard and basic admin.
Flexible with hours and industry type, has been temping with
Shell for several years and been a loyal employee.
Junior
Accountant
Motivated and enthusiastic young guy, looking for a junior
accountant opportunity to start off his career. Has completed
Advanced Diploma of Accounting, with experience in the
multimedia industry. Is currently happy to do Temp data entry,
web design and administration..
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| Sleeping
on the job recommended! |
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Research
published in the Harvard Business Review has shown that
employees can greatly improve their productivity by taking a
short nap during their workday. The research showed that the
more hours one works continuously, the greater the toll on
performance, and it was recommended that three ways to fit in
nap include:
1.Schedule
a time:
Between 1pm and 3pm is the best time. Mark it in your calendar
so you are more likely to take it.
2.Find a quiet
place: Close your door and put up a "do not disturb" sign.
If you work in a cubicle, look for a conference room, or a
local coffee shop or library.
3.Tune out: Turn
off your technology and set an alarm for 20 or 30 minutes
(longer naps can leave you hazy). Close your eyes and breathe
deeply. Even if you don't fall asleep, this relaxation will
ensure you rest.
The
power nap phenomenon is not simply a wacky notion, and taking
a short rest during the workday has been facilitated by a
growing number of Australian workplaces.
Alla Keogh,
iSelect HR director, said her company has a 'nap pod' and
allows people to take 15 minutes out of their day to switch
off from the busy work environment and emerge feeling
refreshed.
Keogh said the privilege was never abused,
because of a "performance driven environment, ...so people
come here to work, they don't muck around. We just provide
them with some opportunities to break out during the
day."
She also emphasized the importance of understanding
individual workforces and finding something everyone can
benefit from. "There's no point putting in all these funky
benefits if your culture doesn't support them and if they
don't sit comfortably in the culture. Leadership and culture
have to underpin whatever it is you're trying to achieve with
your benefits program," Keogh said.
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| Affiliations |
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The RCSA (Recruitment and Consulting Services
Association Ltd) is the leading professional body for the
on-hire, recruitment and workforce solutions sector in
Australia and New Zealand. It represents over 3,600 Member
Companies and Accredited Professional Recruiters.
The
RCSA sets the benchmark for the profession's standards through
representation, education, research and business advisory
support so the sector may concentrate on its core business.
All Members of the RCSA agree to abide by the ACCC-authorised
Code for Professional Conduct.
The mission of the RCSA
is to represent and serve the interests of its Members for the
increased profile and professionalism of the sector.
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|
Testimonial
from Eastern Health- Box
Hill | | "Eastern
Health has been utilising Shell Personnel for over six years, and
remains extremely satisfied with their service. This is a
consequence of dealing with professional staff who always refer
candidates that are of an anticipated high
standard."
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Teambuilding
exercises go circus wild |
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Australian
workplaces are taking a new approach to teambuilding and
improving engagement, with companies getting creative and
taking employees through the desert and up on trapeze.
Collaborative teamwork and motivation is what most
organisations herald as the hallmarks of a quality staff.
However, not all teams naturally work together cohesively and
they sometimes need a nudge to get them going. A far cry from
the days of corporate-seminar style retreats, many workplaces
have embraced the new opportunities to engage their staff, and
business is booming for companies hosting the new wave
activities.
Dean Sappey, HR director. Frucor Australia
said his organisation has "taken leadership training out of
the office and into challenging physical environments.
We
encourage staff to be straight up and honest with their
opinions and ideas, and we believe in distributed leadership
in order to create a successful company. (I think it's ok just
to go straight into the teambuilding choices on
offer).Companies are spoilt for choice when it comes to
alternative teambuilding activities and venues, with the best
offering varied itineraries a spacious location to accommodate
the entire team as well as a variety of activities to choose
from.
Human Rhythms is one Australian company offering
alternative teambuilding exercises, and uses music and rhythm
to inspire and motivate teams of people whether it is for a
conference, seminar workshop or product
launch.
Participants are divided into teams and given
various musical instruments from drums to musical tubes and
even tambourines. Facilitators then guide individual
contributions into one unified rhythm that comes from the
whole team. Another craze taking engagement by storm is
teambuilding through circus activities. CircusOz offers its
successful program called High Flying Teams, which aims to cut
through 'team building jargon' and address the key stages and
issues faced by business teams.
Mike Finch, artistic
director, Circus Oz, said the company aims to "provide the
all-important reminder of what can happen when a small group
of diverse, yet co-operative people set their minds and bodies
to the task of making something spectacular successful and
fun".
The
benefits of these new-wave programs are also said to come
though different avenues, such as corporate secondment
programs. Cary Holm, NAB global markets operations manager
says his involvement with the Wunan Foundation in Kununurra to
promote engagement in the Warmun community through a supported
employment re-build program has not only changed him
personally, but also the way he does business. Being caught in
one of the Kimberley's biggest wet seasons on record was
certainly different to my usual routine in Melbourne," Holm
said, adding "Now in my work as a manager, I am more resilient
and have more confidence working in unfamiliar and changing
environments.
Some
points to consider when choosing a great teambuilding venue
include:The venue should be able to accommodate all
participating employeesThe venue should have various activity
packages or itineraries for companies to choose from, it
should also be able to offer customised packages.
If the
activities run more than one day, the venue should have good
accommodation or facilities for
participants.
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| Industry Specialisations
Accounting, Banking & Finance,
Business Support
Construction & Engineering,
Customer Contact, Hospitality
Human Resources, IT & T, Legal,
Management Consulting
Marketing & Communications,
Medical Admin, Resources
Retail, Sales, Supply Chain &
Manufacturing |
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