Latest
‘Productivity theatre’: The false promise of a clear inbox and other ‘busy work’
Workers are undermining their output by focusing on “short-term wins” such as responding to emails and ticking off menial tasks on their to-do list instead of prioritising high-value work.
- Euan Black
‘Weak’ PM, Allan blamed over Setka’s AFL threat
Anthony Albanese and Victoria’s Labor government have been accused of failing to stand up to the CFMEU chief over demands the AFL sack its umpiring boss.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman and Patrick Durkin
Unions launch landmark ‘same job, same pay’ case against BHP
The wave of cases involving three mines in Queensland will be a key test of the Albanese government’s new laws on labour hire firms, and the mining giant says it could cost the company an extra $1.3 billion a year.
- David Marin-Guzman
Inside Amazon’s art of decision-making
Janet Menzies, Australian country manager for the online retail giant, discusses business dinners and the surprising way decisions are made at the company.
- Sally Patten
Businesses hit the brakes on large pay rises
The pandemic era of inflated salary increases appears to be over as the economy slows and skills shortages ease.
- Euan Black
Cranbrook settles with former headmaster, but ABC in line of fire
Nicholas Sampson says he has been “vindicated”, but he still has an axe to grind with the national broadcaster over its “Four Corners” program.
- Julie Hare and Kylar Loussikian
Recent columns
Why workers are shunning plum foreign postings
Some companies have found that the impact of the pandemic has intensified a reluctance to move abroad for work.
Columnist
Voice notes are taking over the internet. Here are some rules
As billions of the messages are sent daily, the recipient of a one-minute group voice message (directed at someone else) explains how to make them inoffensive.
Contributor
The power brokers behind the scenes at ACTU Congress
ACTU leaders Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil led a successful congress but they are assisted by powerful union leaders on the left and the right.
Workplace correspondent
The humble email sign-off is not what it used to be
It is not exactly clear when the sign-off turned into yet another tool in the arsenal of self-promotion deployed in so much of modern corporate life, but I do not see it fading any time soon.
Columnist
This Month
- Opinion
- Workplace
Why workers are shunning plum foreign postings
Some companies have found that the impact of the pandemic has intensified a reluctance to move abroad for work.
- Pilita Clark
Top CEO reveals the biggest mistakes he ever made
Koda Capital CEO Paul Heath says among the worst errors he has made is failing to realise how difficult change can be for staff.
- Ciara Seccombe and Lap Phan
- Exclusive
- Trade unions
Split over ‘unbalanced’ ACTU policy on Israel-Gaza
A Left-aligned union leader has claimed officials quashed debate over Gaza at last week’s ACTU Congress by allowing criticism of Israel without mentioning Hamas.
- David Marin-Guzman
Gender, sexuality reveal plan for boards should go further: advocates
A proposal that boards state the sexuality, age, Indigenous heritage and disabilities of directors does not go far enough, say advocacy groups and some directors.
- Sally Patten
The Aussies fuelling a travel boom that’s defying the cost crunch
Interest rates and inflation are up, but hundreds of thousands of Australians are still managing to holiday abroad this year – sometimes helped by mum and dad.
- Euan Black
These high flyers have money and status. This is what they did next
Meet the former high achieving, highly paid executives who, having had it all once, are determined to have it all again. But they are striving for different things.
- Sally Patten
- Opinion
- Web culture
Voice notes are taking over the internet. Here are some rules
As billions of the messages are sent daily, the recipient of a one-minute group voice message (directed at someone else) explains how to make them inoffensive.
- Jemima Kelly
- Analysis
- Industrial relations
The power brokers behind the scenes at ACTU Congress
ACTU leaders Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil led a successful congress but they are assisted by powerful union leaders on the left and the right.
- David Marin-Guzman
Union push to raise teen pay by up to 42pc
The retail and fast-food workers’ union says 18- and 19-year-olds can drink, vote and join the army so they should be paid the same as people aged 20 and older.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- Workplace
Domestic violence leave has been law for a year. Almost no one uses it
Employers are being urged to do more for victim survivors of domestic violence after a survey revealed new leave entitlements were hardly being used.
- Euan Black and Ronald Mizen
IDP Education dives on fears international students will stay away
The country’s largest listed provider of international education services says the restrictions in Australia, Canada and the UK are “linked to election cycles”.
- Kylar Loussikian
- Exclusive
- Workplace
Why KPMG employs four full-time ‘prompt engineers’
Amid warnings that AI could destroy millions of jobs, the emergence of prompt engineers offers an insight into the type of job the technology might create.
- Euan Black
- Exclusive
- Industrial relations
Union push for five weeks’ annual leave for everyone
Unions are preparing to lobby Labor to change laws so that 25 days paid holiday is the new norm as part of a triumphant ACTU Congress.
- David Marin-Guzman
Labor’s rule our chance to reverse membership rout: unions boss
Union leaders have told the ACTU Congress they will seek to recruit workers and “free riders” after winning sweeping reforms.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- Industrial relations
Unions push for ‘total ban’ on non-compete clauses
The ACTU’s main policymaking body will consider a campaign to prohibit all post-employment restraints regardless of pay and push to allow non-full-time staff to work for multiple competitors at the same time.
- David Marin-Guzman
Gender pay cases loom large over budget
The federal government may have to boost funding to the National Disability Insurance Scheme to cover off potential wage increases flagged by the minimum wage decision.
- David Marin-Guzman
How this CEO survived two dud product launches
oOh!media chief Cathy O’Connor’s former boss told her the mistakes she made were the best thing that ever happened to her. He was right.
- Lap Phan and Ciara Seccombe
- Exclusive
- Governance
ASX warned its race, sexuality push on boards is misguided
Company directors would be asked to disclose their sexuality, any Indigenous heritage and disabilities under controversial updates to diversity reporting rules.
- Patrick Durkin and Sally Patten
- Updated
- Minimum wage
Weak productivity halts minimum wage rise
The Fair Work Commission has warned that stalled productivity and falling profits in the retail and hospitality industries remain barriers to reversing the fall in real wages since the pandemic.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- Workplace
Gen AI tools for lawyers ‘hallucinate’ up to one in three times
Generative artificial intelligence tools designed for the legal industry make up false or misleading information up to one in three times, a study has found.
- Euan Black
