Sedgwick’s Post

Some great practical tips on the new #righttodisconnect from my colleagues Shiv Jhinku, Jessica Light and Nick Lamanna.

The decision to force employees back to work has been met with plenty of resistance, and employers are now rethinking just how effective RTO mandates actually are for their workforce. Yet deciding where and how to work doesn't have to be so black and white. Finding a balance should be the goal. #RTO #FlexibleWork #HybridWork #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture

Our Director, Elizabeth McLean shared some valuable insights on the upcoming “Right to Disconnect” in a feature article with The West, on what the changes mean and what employers should be doing now to prepare. Be proactive and contact our team for advice and guidance on how to prepare for this new workplace right. #humanresources #employmentlaw #workplacerelations #righttodisconnect #closingloopholes

A recent #FWC decision confirms that a business’s needs outweigh employee's personal reasons for requesting to #WFH… In the matter referenced in the article below, the workplace was able to successfully argue that in that specific case, full remote working was not in the best interests of the business. It is important to ensure that each request is assessed and analysed on its merits, rather than applying a blanket approach. In this case, the issue of the workers performance, and, the business’s desire to ensure face-to-face coaching and support was a key factor. Assessing requests for flexible working arrangements can be complex, especially when complaints or appeals arise as a result of an employee being unsuccessful in their claim. Does your organisation need assistance in navigating complaints, appeals or general workplace culture issues? Get WISE! https://loom.ly/TAL8KTQ #WiseWorkplace #FairWork #EmploymentLaw #IndustrialRelations #RemoteWork

Return to Office mandates The results from a recent analysis suggest what many of us already know: - Return to work mandates are about management control, not values, culture or collaboration. - Mandates don't just fail to improve productivity, they also seem to have a negative impact on job satisfaction that could drive employee turnover. #leadership #flexibleworking #homeworking #wellbeing https://lnkd.in/ekFU84vM

At businesses large and small, when employees operate in shared spaces, workplace conflict can easily crop up—and morph into significant challenges. https://bit.ly/3UZEluy #workplaceinvestigations #workplaceconflict #HRconsulting #advisory #lndont

In today's digital world, work and personal life often blend together, leading to stress and burnout for many employees. Australia has introduced new "Right to Disconnect" legislation, aimed at easing the pressure of work-related communication outside of regular hours. This law applies to everyone, but it's flexible. For example, if your job requires being on-call, some after-hours contact may be expected. I'm a huge champion of flexible work arrangements, but clear boundaries are crucial. Employers and employees need to work together to set these boundaries and communicate effectively about expectations. In my newest role, I discussed remote work expectations with my managers from the offset. As an Executive Assistant, I understand the need for after-hours calls, but we agreed that emails can wait until office hours. A simple text suffices for urgent matters. Establishing these expectations from the outset has cultivated a work environment centered on trust and flexibility. As we navigate flexible work, let's keep communication open and respect each other's boundaries. It's the key to a healthier work-life balance for everyone.

The recent introduction of the "Right to Disconnect" legislation in Australia has sparked conversation across industries. This new amendment, coming into effect in August 2024, provides employees with the right to refuse to engage in work-related communications outside of normal working hours unless their refusal is deemed unreasonable. But I don’t think good employers need to worry. The purpose behind the legislation is threefold: protecting employee well-being in a world of work where the prevalence of remote work and digital comms will continue to grow. We all need clear boundaries between work and personal time to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It's about clarifying expectations. By defining the right to disconnect, the legislation creates clear expectations for employers and employees, reducing potential conflicts and misunderstandings over out-of-hours contact. And it's about preventing unreasonable demands. It safeguards employees from unreasonable demands to engage in work communications during their personal time unless justified by specific circumstances. Really, no biggie and no barrier to reasonable communication. The main concern that gets raised is that this change will have a negative impact on productivity, but I don't see it. Giving people time to recharge leads to higher engagement and improved overall productivity. In reality, only bad behaviour is impacted. Employers operating ethically and fairly have little to worry about. The legislation simply enforces best practices and curbs unreasonable expectations, like expecting round-the-clock availability from employees without appropriate compensation. Organisations that respect employees' work-life balance will not be negatively impacted. There are some practical steps that employers can take. Contracts and policies should be reviewed to ensure they reflect the new right to disconnect and set clear expectations around out-of-hours communication. Design internal processes that minimise unnecessary out-of-hours contact while enabling essential communication. And lead by example. Managers and leaders who respect boundaries and set a positive precedent by limiting after-hours communication will never fall foul of this law and will create better experiences for their teams. My view is that the Right to Disconnect legislation is a step towards a healthier, more balanced work environment. It only impacts those engaging in unreasonable behaviour and ensures that employers respect employees' time. If you're already doing the right thing, this change will bolster your positive practices and reassure your team that their well-being is a priority. Let's embrace this change and create a more balanced and productive workforce! Feel free to connect and share your thoughts on this important topic. #RightToDisconnect #FairWorkAct #WorkLifeBalance #EmployeeWellbeing #LegislationUpdate #WaysOfWorking #Leadership #loveAIpicslol

It’s been nearly four years since the pandemic first hit the world, and as a result, the workplace changed forever. While many organizations have returned to the office in some capacity (according to WFHResearch only 12.7% of full-time employees work from home full time), many are fumbling through the specifics of what their policy should be and how to enforce it once they decide, leaving RTO mandates a stressful and contentious operation. If your organization is planning on implementing or already has a RTO policy, here are some tactics you can use to renew collaboration and innovation, enhance employee experience and wellbeing, and improve productivity and performance. https://lnkd.in/eYfurz-f

Navigating Flexibility in the Accountancy & Finance Sector: We Need Your Insights! 📊 We're living in an age of rapidly evolving workplace norms, particularly in Accountancy and Finance. As industry experts, your perspectives are critical in understanding these changes. 🌐 Hunter Savage is conducting a Flexible Work Practices Survey, targeting key issues from workplace flexibility to career aspirations in the Accountancy & Finance sectors. 📝 Why Join the Survey? 🔒 Your confidentiality is our priority. 📈 Receive a summary report to compare your experiences. 🌟 Influence the future of finance work culture. The survey will conclude at the end of this month, and we'll be sharing the valuable insights from across our sector in Q4. 🔗Take the Survey Here: https://lnkd.in/e4RWThYd Thanks for taking part, we look forward to sharing our full report. #Flexibleworking #Survey #hybrid #remote