Today is April Fools’ Day and I think that everyone agrees that humour is an essential ingredient for keeping us all sane and grounded in what are very challenging times. That said, it is still important remember that what what you think is a joke, others may find offensive and that the intentions behind the […]
We truly are living in unprecedented times. The rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 is unpredictable and beyond our control. The shattering impact the protective measures are having on many of our professional and personal lives and the constant stream of more bad news makes it hard to think about anything else and it is easy […]
Many Australian businesses that are able to function with remote workers are closing their offices and worksites. Asking staff to work from home, employers are cancelling meetings, conferences, events and travel, and even banning customers and visitors from their sites. Working from home is a wonderful career-enabler for many people, particularly parents and carers. But […]
The #MeToo movement was propelled by the revelations of Harvey Weinstein’s abuses and so what does his convictions for rape and sexual assault on 24 February mean for the workplace? The #MeToo movement has shattered cultural norms and altered what is considered acceptable behaviour and the guilty verdict will reinforce that. Women, and men, are […]
In the crazy busy pre-Christmas rush, we Worklogicians clutched our pearls when we read that British start-up StandardToilet had patented a sloping toilet designed to increase productivity by decreasing the amount of time employees spend lingering in the loo. Standard Toilet’s website lamented that the toilet has become a “private texting and social media usage […]
As the nation endures a frightful summer, again and again we see images and stories of volunteers putting their communities ahead of their own interests (and in some cases losing their own homes and properties or being injured and tragically killed). These examples demonstrate clearly and unequivocally the important role that volunteers play on the […]
It is always a matter of curiosity to me that we are so wedded to the idea that the appropriate number of hours work in a week is 37.5 or perhaps 40. After all, this is an entirely fabricated construct, though I assume rooted in the belief in the early 20th century that people were […]
What is it to motivate? The Macquarie Dictionary tells us that the meaning of motivate is “to enthuse or inspire”; that the meaning of motivation is “purpose, drive”; that the meaning of motive is “something that prompts a person to act in a certain way or that determines volition, an incentive”; and that the meaning […]
It’s 2020, and so, if you are a manager or leader, now is the time to ensure you have 2020 vision! You may already have a number of things on your radar as you come back into the swing of things: projects left unfinished, that never-ending “important but not urgent” list, and strategic ponderings for […]
To channel that Australian classic film, “The Castle”, regardless of whether your summer break this year is destination Bonnie Doon or destination Buenos Aires, the rule remains the same: Leave means leave. There is no point saying (to yourself, and others) that you will be on leave, and then actually working. It’s actually a binary […]