Recent Changes to Payroll Tax

Tax: the most dreaded word when it comes to a business.

I know, I’m sorry. Why did I even bring up this topic, I hear you say? Because some recent changes to the tax legislation means some of you may be able to claim some more money. Hooray! Who doesn’t love a bit more money in the bank.

Payroll Tax Rebate Scheme – Jobs Action Plan

Changes to Superannuation System

Reblogged from ABC News

The Federal Government has announced much-anticipated changes to the superannuation system that it says will affect about 16,000 of Australia’s highest earners in the first year.

From July next year, earnings of more than $100,000 on superannuation pensions and annuities will be taxed at 15 per cent instead of being tax-free.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the move will improve the fairness and sustainability of the system, given Australia’s ageing population.

Are you recruiting the right role?

Sally has recently left her role as secretary at the company, meaning her position needs to be filled. That’s ok though…administrative roles are easy to fill, right? We just need to find someone with the same skillset that can start immediately and the problem solves itself.

This way of thinking is what often traps businesses into making the wrong decision when it comes to recruiting the right person. Whether you’re looking to fill an entry-level administrative role, an intermediate finance role or the Head of Sales, you need to be clear in exactly what you are and are not after in this role, or pay the price later down the track.

Before you begin the process of recruiting a new team member, it is necessary to ask yourself the following questions:

National Volunteer Week (13 – 19 May)

National Volunteer Week is fast approaching us, with the theme of this year’s being “thanks a million”.

In 2013, more than six million Australians will choose to dedicate their time and skills to help those organisations and individuals in need. But while these volunteers are busy supporting the communities we live in, how can we show our support for the tireless work that they do?

National Volunteer Week aims to recognise the incredible work done by volunteers and volunteer groups that ordinarily would go unrecognised. Through Volunteering Australia’s website, Facebook and Twitter, you can post your message of thanks to these 6 million Australians, as well as attending or hosting an event for volunteers, or writing a letter of support to your local newspaper or MP.

Effective Organisational Development with Systems Leadership Model

Most business leaders will tell you it’s virtually impossible to run a business where employees are motivated and working to their potential, and at the same the organisation is working to achieve its goals. A utopia, if you will. A mystical land where businesses run smoothly without anyone really lifting a finger. The problem with this sort of thinking is that it fails to teach you any real way to get there, besides blindly crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. As business leaders, it is your responsibility to source and implement principles and frameworks available to foster a business culture where this utopia can become a reality. A favourite of ours at performHR is the Systems Leadership Model, which can assist business leaders in better recognising the behaviours of employees, and in turn, utilise their strengths to the benefit of both the employee and the business.

The model, drawn largely from the work of Jacques’ Stratified Systems Theory, is based on the following fundamental premises (taken from Macdonald Associates Consulting):

Changes to Workplace Bullying Policies and Procedures

Earlier this year, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten, announced proposed amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 following the parliamentary inquiry into workplace bullying report, ‘We just want to stop it’.

The proposed amendments to the Fair Work Act will adopt the Committee’s recommendation for a national definition of bullying as “repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety”. This definition recognises that management practices, including performance management and improvement processes, are not to be recognised as workplace bullying when conducted in a professional and reasonable manner.

Workplace Bullying and Harassment: An Employer’s Obligations

It seems like every few months we’re writing another article regarding bullying and harassment in the workplace. No, we haven’t run out of other things to talk about: the problem is that such negative behaviour is still at large in Australian workplaces.

Bullying and harassment, as defined by WorkCover NSW, is “persistent and consistent, unwelcome or offensive behaviour”. What that definition doesn’t say, however, is that the nature of the behaviour is determined by the recipient themselves – meaning that just because one person’s values, culture or belief dictate that it is okay to act a certain way, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone agrees. That’s where the issue of bullying and harassment in the workplace hits a grey area: it is often not reported by witness or the victim themselves, as they do not personally consider it harmful behaviour, or believe that the perpetrator did not mean to offend or cause harm. Regardless, any actions that cause an employee to feel uncomfortable, victimized or unsafe in the workplace could be bullying and harassment, and should investigated by an employer immediately following notification.

Person Centred Care – How will it affect your HR?

One of the major challenges facing social enterprises today, including aged care and disability services, is the introduction of the concept of “person-centred care” to the workplace.

“Person-centred care” is focused on encouraging organisations to adopt a more flexible, non-traditional style of service, where clients enjoy a higher level of choice and flexibility to choose their own services and support in a personalised way rather than a traditional pre- existing service option. This approach provides service users with more control over their relationship with organisations, participating in the decision-making process regarding the level and types of services needed.

performHR partners with nib

Here at performHR, we pride ourselves on always thinking (and delivering) outside the box. We want to offer our valued clients services that reflect not only the changing nature of business, but the diversity of needs of each and every business. One of the things that we are always considering is how we can bring products, services and knowledge that are normally only available to corporates, to our clients.

So we’re particularly excited to announce that earlier this year we signed off on a partnership with nib that no other HR company has done before; a partnership that will put our clients at the forefront of businesses competing for the best talent as well as retaining current talent.

Thanks to nib, any retaining clients of performHR and their employees now have access to health care with an up to 8 per cent corporate discount previously made only available to organisations with other 1000 employees. Some of other benefits include:

performHR partners with Aged & Community Services Association of NSW & ACT (ACS)

2013 is already shaping up to be a big year for performHR – we have new employees’, we have new clients, and most importantly, we have new opportunities that we’re excited to bring you; opportunities that will improve the way we provide our services.

Late last year we signed off on a partnership with Aged & Community Services Association of NSW & ACT (ACS), reflecting our increasing focus and passion for the aged care and not-for-profit sectors. ACS is a registered industrial organisation of aged and community care providers in the NSW region: in a nutshell, they provide a comprehensive, one-stop shop for aged care providers. No other industry association in NSW or the ACT covers the full spectrum of residential care, self-care and community care like ACS.

So you can see why we’re so excited to partner with such an amazing organisation, ACS members will have the opportunity to reap the rewards of our partnership through our new product, myHR.  performHR have been working with ACS to design a product specifically for the Aged Care Industry to meet their HR requirements.