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- Updated
- Workforce Summit
No scrutiny of Labor’s workplace laws
Labor did not consult its top productivity adviser over its latest workplace laws, including the right to disconnect, a change industry says ‘shows common sense has left the room’.
- David Marin-Guzman, Patrick Durkin and Euan Black
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Workforce summit exposes IR inflexibility mismatch
The government calls its new industrial relations laws ‘closing loopholes’ when it is really about closing off flexibility.
- The AFR View
How bosses are using generative AI to work smarter, better
Companies are still divided on whether automation and new AI will guarantee productivity and efficiency gains.
- Samantha Hutchinson and Patrick Durkin
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This Month
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
We’re all guessing on WFH, but firms may soon need to pick a side
From Canva to JPMorgan, leaders are still feeling their way when it comes to working from home. But employees may be about to force the issue.
- James Thomson
Aussie bosses falling behind in tech race
Local business leaders are lagging rich countries in adopting technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, contributing to the economy’s productivity slowdown, Productivity Commission chairwoman Danielle Wood says.
- John Kehoe
Four-day week v office mandate: One size does not fit all
Medibank’s Kylie Bishop says its workers on a four-day-a-week trial are less stressed, but JPMorgan says it needs its merchant bankers in the office every day.
- David Marin-Guzman
Right to disconnect ‘a real challenge’ for global firms: Woodside
With offices around the world, Woodside fears the new labour rules could be stifling, and HR boss Julie Fallon says same job, same pay laws sap productivity.
- Euan Black
Gender pay gap shrinks at fastest rate in 20 years
The “encouraging” change is largely thanks to fathers spending more time looking after their children and doing housework, according to the latest HILDA survey.
- Hannah Wootton
Dutton pledges to cut off employees’ right to disconnect
The opposition will present voters with a “targeted package” repealing key parts of Labor’s pro-union industrial relations regime, shadow ministers say.
- Andrew Tillett
- Opinion
- The AFR View
A bad week for Australian productivity and prosperity
Michele Bullock may be a glass-half-full optimist, but Labor’s latest moves will make economic recovery that much harder.
- The AFR View
Businesses’ guide to the new IR laws
Human resources and workplace lawyers explain how to manage the swath of workplace changes about to hit business.
- David Marin-Guzman
How to manage staff who work from home
Managing staff who work partly, or mostly, at home is no mean feat. Senior business leaders reveal how they do it.
- Sally Patten
More staff expected back in office: Lendlease, Seek, SBS chairmen
Senior directors are predicting an increase in office attendance the coming months as benefits of spending time in the workplace increase for workers.
- Sally Patten and Patrick Durkin
Burke’s workplace changes will undercut bargaining
Business groups say Labor’s industrial relations changes will lock in decades-old union conditions in workplaces and undermine the enterprise bargaining system.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Explainer
- Industrial relations
What’s in Labor’s new workplace laws
Labor’s third tranche of workplace laws since its election is set to pass the Senate on Thursday. Here’s what businesses need to know.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Labor’s IR bill as bad as the poor process
The changes extend the archaic inflexibility of Australia’s complex, legalistic and proscriptive industrial relations regime.
- The AFR View
- Updated
- Industrial relations
Crossbench and Greens seal deal on workplace changes
Labor has reached a deal with the Greens and crossbench, but business slammed the secret process and “attempt to legislate common sense”.
- David Marin-Guzman
CBA claims AI is already making it work 30pc better
AI is making the bank’s highly paid staff more efficient by doing some of their boring work, CBA’s tech boss says, while its customers will deal with AI more.
- Paul Smith
Burke and crossbench near deal on right to disconnect, casuals
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has backed not fining bosses who contact staff after hours as part of critical IR talks with the crossbench.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Interest rates
Bullock bets on sharp lift in productivity
The problem is that if productivity growth remains disappointing, the RBA’s hopes for a gradual reduction in inflation will be thwarted.
- Updated
- Karen Maley
Meet ChatPwC, the custom-built AI tool being rolled out at the firm
All 8400 partners and staff at PwC Australia now have access to a custom-built AI assistant that can research, summarise and write documents for them.
- Tess Bennett
Burke flags fines for bosses that breach ‘right to disconnect’ orders
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says he’s willing to compromise with the Senate crossbench on facets of the government’s industrial relations reforms.
- Tom Rabe
Office mandates offer no financial benefit and staff hate them: study
Return-to-office mandates upset workers and fail to significantly improve business performance, an analysis of S&P 500 firms has found.
- Euan Black
