Are you one of many Australian companies that can’t seem to attract the best talent?

Australia has 5.9% unemployment¹… we’re constantly told about the number of people out there looking for work, yet when it comes to attracting the best talent to grow your business, it can feel impossible.

So how can you make your organisation an employer of choice?

In our competitive world, prospective employees and even contractors look for more than a reliable take home wage.

Much like entering a personal relationship, they need to know they will feel comfortable within your culture, be happy to turn up every day and be appreciated for their mental and physical investment.

It’s quite likely that even before a candidate submits their job application, they’ll have done some intensive research on your company – they want to know the history of your organisation, the philosophy of your brand, about the culture of your organisation and the strength of your leadership team. They’ll want to understand your position in the market and who your customers are. Chances are, they’ll start by looking at your website and social media before searching for articles in the media (the good and the bad). They may even contact your customers or suppliers.

Potential employees and contractors will also want to understand where you sit in terms of corporate responsibility – are you actively involved in fundraising for charity; do you encourage volunteering in the community, are the products you design / manufacture / distribute ethical?

Those with the greatest potential will want to know that once they’re on-board, they’ll become engaged in the development of your business, invited to contribute their creative and strategic ideas and be recognised for their participation. They’ll also need to know there is a strong career path to invest their energy into.

All of this means that well before you start recruiting, you’ll need to have a good think about how your company is positioned, the types of candidates you want to attract and how you can engage them from day one.

Here are a few tips that will position you as am employer of choice:

• Make sure your online presence is up to date and reflects your company at its best.
• Whether you’re advertising online or in print, using a recruiter or word of mouth, avoid generalisations and clichés in favour of being clear about the job requirements and performance expectations.
• Maintain communication and act quickly throughout the process to ensure you don’t lose a good candidate to another employer
• Broaden your options by being open to taking on someone with the attitude and capacity to grow into the role with training and experience
• Be prepared to offer a salary that is at least competitive
• Spell out the potential career path within your organisation
• Consider other incentives that might make the role more appealing: flexible hours; uniform; professional development; performance bonuses etc.

Read more ideas about how to set your business up to attract the best staff here.

References:

1. www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6202.0

Skilled migrants currently working in Australia on a 457 visa can continue to work under their current conditions despite an announcement by the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, that the 457 visa is to be abolished.

However, employers of skilled migrants need to be aware of important changes that will impact employment of new migrants to Australia.

Mr Turnbull announced that the 457 visa program for skilled migrants will be replaced by a new scheme that will comprise a short-term two-year visa and a medium-term four-year visa with a reduced occupation list. He said, “it will be underpinned by more focused occupation lists that are responsive to genuine skill needs and regional variations across Australia”.

Mr Turnbull said the decision to abolish and replace the 457 visa would help protect Australian jobs for Australian workers, “while finding the right balance so businesses can prosper by acquiring the expertise they need”.

Key Reforms

• Key reforms to the temporary skill shortage visa, include but are not limited to:
  • new, more targeted occupation lists which better align with skill needs in the Australian labour market
  • a requirement for visa applicants to have at least two years’ work experience in their skilled occupation
  • a minimum market salary rate which ensures that overseas workers cannot be engaged to undercut Australian workers
  • mandatory labour market testing, unless an international obligation applies
  • capacity for only one onshore visa renewal under the Short-Term stream
  • capacity for visa renewal onshore and a permanent residence pathway after three years under the Medium-Term stream
  • the permanent residence eligibility period will be extended from two to three years
  • a non-discriminatory workforce test to ensure employers are not actively discriminating against Australian workers
  • strengthened requirement for employers to contribute to training Australian workers
  • the Department of Immigration and Border Protection will collect Tax File Numbers and data will be matched with the Australian Tax Office’s records, and
    mandatory penal clearance certificates to be provided.
• Tightening eligibility requirements for employer sponsored permanent skilled visas, including but not limited to:
  • tightened English language requirements
  • a requirement for visa applicants to have at least three years’ work experience
  • applicants must be under the maximum age requirement of 45 at the time of application
  • strengthened requirement for employers to contribute to training Australian workers, and
  • employers must pay the Australian market salary rate and meet the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold¹.
• Concessions for regional Australia will continue to be available:
  • Employers in regional Australia will continue to have access to occupations under the temporary and permanent visas, to reflect their skills needs.
  • Existing permanent visa concessions for regional Australia, such as waiving the nomination fee and providing age exemptions for certain occupations, will be retained. Consideration will be given to expanding the occupations in regional Australia that are exempt from the age requirement.
• Significantly condensing the occupation lists used for skilled migration visas, including the subclass 457 visa, from 19 April 2017.

Applicants for skilled migrant visas will be required to pay a fee of AU$1,150 for the short-term visa, while medium-term applicants will pay $2,400.

The new visa scheme will begin immediately, with full implementation to be completed by March 2018. Detailed information on changes to occupations is available here.

At Ayers we’ve been assisting Australian businesses to employ skilled migrants to meet their business needs for almost 20 years. We understand the legislation and know how to fast track visa applications. For further advice and assistance contact the experts at Ayers. Telephone: 1300 767 391

References:

• www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/putting-australian-workers-first
• www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/457-abolition-replacement

The topic of award wages and fair work agreements is hot on the political agenda right now and Fair Work Australia has been cracking down on organisations that fail to remunerate their employees appropriately.

While there are some organisations in Australia that go out of their way to operate in breach of Australia’s employment legislation, the majority are more likely to be doing so unknowingly. Regardless, the consequences can be costly and damaging to your brand’s reputation.

There’s no doubt that navigating the ever-changing world of payroll legislation is complex – especially if payroll management is just one of many responsibilities you have in your organisation.

To help you along the way, here are a few important steps you can take to minimise the risk of breaching our employment legislation.

Read more