Australian Workplace Agreements - How They Work For You

The employer / employee relations environment has been constantly evolving during the last 25 years. In Australia, as in many western nations, the balance between employers and employees has shifted back and forwards usually in response to supply and demand.

At times worker organisations, such as unions, have caused considerable problems for employers while arguing that unionism protects workers pay and conditions.

While this has been true in some arenas it has also been true that this has come at the expense of enterprise flexibility.

Small business today needs the flexibility to rapidly respond to technological and sociological change and the old award system and its archaic inflexibility have to change.

In the late 80's and 90's there was a shift towards enterprise bargaining agreements and collective agreements which gave an individual enterprise increasing workplace flexibility.

These agreements, at the enterprise level, where parties were normally unions on behalf of workers and small business went some ways in achieving of flexibility but still retained some of the old thinking and inflexible practices. In essence the old award system continued to be a reference point for minimum wages and entitlements for workers.

In 1996 the federal government introduced Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA) which was specifically designed with individual business and worker in mind.

At its fundamental level an AWA is a formal written agreement between an employer and an individual employee. A significant advantage to workers and business is that an AWA can be tailored to cover all particular requirements for your business.

AWAs have a life of 3 years, however if they are carefully written can continue long after the 3 year expiry date.

By way of example you may own a farm where seasonal workers are required. Your AWA can be designed to reflect seasonal requirements that suite both worker and employer.

You employees may want a 4 day working week. Your AWA can tailor this requirement into the agreement and without payment of penalty rates for working in excess of 8 hours per day.

Take Australian Zoo owned by Steve and Terri Irwin. Because of their unique requirements in caring for animals AWA's have provided flexible working times. With a workforce of 450 people they have been able to grow their business in the certainty of wages and conditions.

Other advantages of an AWA may be that an employee is able to cash out sick leave at the end of every year reducing the amount of sick leave taken and providing an added incentive for turning up for work each day. It all adds up to flexibility.

An AWA can override state and federal award provisions, as long as the terms and conditions of the AWA overall do not disadvantage the employee when compared to the award. This gives the employer and employee certainty of conditions in the employment relationship. A business without a written formal agreement between worker and the employer is at risk to claim before industrial tribunals and courts.

Certainly documenting and agreeing on individual workplace wages and conditions means certainty of cost and the ability to be competitive.

Cash, Costs and People are the number one ticket item in many businesses today. For helpful information visit us at www.biz-momentum.com

Philip Lye is the founder of Biz Momentum Pty Ltd providing strategic human resource management to help your business grow.

Prior to starting Biz Momentum Philip was CEO and CFO of two companies. http://www.biz-momentum.com

family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..
In The News:

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Boston Suburban areas a good choice to run a business

BioTechs even with the latest news had shed over 1000... Read More

Venus Transit - and Small Business?

On June 8, 2004, the world witnessed what no one... Read More

Too Many Lawyers in Franchising Today

Attorneys and Lawyers are ruining the franchise industry. It is... Read More

Small Business Stress Buster: Completion not Perfection

Completion not Perfection Five Keys To Doubling Your Productivity and... Read More

Building A Business That Works For You

Before you want to build your business, you need to... Read More

How To Write A Business Plan

Writing a business plan is a fundamental step to ensuring... Read More

Do You Need Accounting Software for Your Small Business?

If you're anything like me then you dislike with a... Read More

Is Your Small Business Name Important?

You bet a name is important. Many small business owners... Read More

Employee Email and Internet Use - A Small Business Guide

IntroductionIt is widely recognised that Email and the Internet is... Read More

5 Steps To Success for Small Business Owners

Everyone wants to succeed in life. Most people want to... Read More

Is It Recess Yet?! Confessions of a Self Employed Workaholic

I have a confession to make. My name is Caroline... Read More

Franchisee; Vacation Managing

Do you own a franchised business? Over 400,000 franchised businesses... Read More

Professional House Cleaning - The Dirty Little Secret

Are you tired yet of all the books out there... Read More

How to Integrate Yourself in Someone Elses Business

When do you need to get more involved with the... Read More

Creating a Power Plan

Part of the power plan is making sure you have... Read More

How to be Annoyed and Make Money

When do annoyances in a relationship become too much to... Read More

How to Find A Group that Needs Speakers

How do you find groups that are in need of... Read More

More Business Card Uses

Why would you use an event pass?Event passes are often... Read More

How to Curb Antique Shop Theft Inexpensively

If you have ever had your antique shop or mall... Read More

Top 7 Small Business Resources for 2005

If you want to start a business in 2005, and... Read More

Uncover Free Veins Of Gold By Prospecting Online Guru Newsletters (Part 1 of 2)

Incredible as it sounds, you have a goldmine of free... Read More

Your Ideal Client ? A Key Concept for Solo and Small Business Marketing

"I don't know the key to success, but the key... Read More

How to Give FREE Advice and Make Money

When is advice free and when should you charge for... Read More

Frodos Journey: What It Can Teach You About Marketing Your Small Business

Just recently, I took a break and caught "The Return... Read More

Trailblazer Interview with Diane J. Levin, Partnering Solutions

Today is a Red Letter Day! It's special because today... Read More

residential cleaning services Deerfield ..