With the party season just around the corner, a leading employment lawyer has reminded employers to consider their risk exposure when hosting Christmas parties for staff and customers or clients
With the party season just around the corner, a leading employment lawyer has reminded employers to consider their risk exposure when hosting Christmas parties for staff and customers or clients. Andrew Wood, a partner with national law firm Hunt & Hunt, said employers sometimes overlook their responsibility to staff and guests who are attending social functions at their invitation. In the case of staff, employers are generally exposed where an injury arises out of or in the course of employment, or when work is a substantial contributing factor. Therefore, employers are liable – and employees are protected – for injuries sustained at office arranged or condoned functions, such as Christmas parties.
Understanding Generations X&Y is essential for communication
Organisations need to master the communication preferences of Generations X&Y to ensure their message will hit home with younger people, according to Aon Australia’s communications practice leader, Ingrid Selene. Speaking at a recent ASFA seminar, she said many organisations were not effectively communicating with generations X&Y, and were missing the mark. When it comes to recruitment, retention and superannuation, she said, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all communications approach. “The way the Y generation uses print or electronic media is different from the way baby boomers do. Tools like SMS and blogs will connect with the X&Y generation while print is still the standard for baby boomers.”
More than half of Australian workers unhappy in their jobs
Fifty-six per cent of Australian workers are unhappy with their jobs, according to the 2005 SEEK Survey of Employee Satisfaction and Motivation in Australia. The survey, based on more than 7,100 responses, found management issues were at the core of much dissatisfaction with employees surveyed. For example, 69 per cent do not believe their management is open and honest, 48 per cent state management is not listening to employees, 45 per cent say that their management is not inspiring trust, 69 per cent do not agree their management is providing regular feedback and 71 per cent do not believe that their management responds to suggestions and criticism.
