Employee Lifecycle & Termination

• Study notes on key aspects of employee management, training, performance evaluation, workplace relations, and legal frameworks governing employment.

Termination Management

• Involves the process of ending an employee's employment, either voluntarily or involuntarily.
• Resignation occurs when an employee chooses to leave.
• Retirement happens when an employee permanently exits the workforce.
• Redundancy takes place when a job is no longer necessary because of restructuring, technological advances, or downsizing.
• Dismissal is when an employee is fired due to poor performance or misconduct.
• Summary dismissal refers to immediate termination for serious misconduct, like theft or violence.
• On-notice dismissal involves giving an employee a warning and an opportunity to improve before termination.

Training

• Training is the process of developing employees' skills and knowledge to improve their job performance and efficiency.
• On-the-job training involves learning while working within the business.
• Mentoring is when a senior employee guides and supports a junior one.
• Coaching involves a supervisor providing hands-on training and feedback.
• Job rotation involves employees rotating through different roles to gain diverse skills.
• Apprenticeships involve a structured program combining work experience and learning.
• Off-the-job training involves external learning outside the business.
• Workshops/seminars involve employees attending training sessions to enhance skills.
• Online courses involve employees completing digital training programs.
• University or TAFE courses involve employees studying formally to gain qualifications.
• Industry conferences enable employees to learn from experts and network with industry professionals.

Performance Management

• Performance management is a system businesses use to evaluate, monitor, and improve employee performance to ensure productivity and goal achievement.
• Management by Objectives (MBO) involves employees and managers setting specific goals, with performance measured by achieving these objectives.
• Appraisals involve a formal performance review where employees receive feedback on their work, typically annually.
• Self-evaluation involves employees assessing their own performance and reflecting on their strengths and areas for improvement.
• Employee observation means managers or colleagues observe employees in action to assess their work and provide feedback.

Workplace Relations & HR Managers

• Workplace relations involve interactions between employers and employees, especially in negotiating wages, working conditions, and resolving disputes.
• HR (Human Resource) Managers manage employee relations, ensuring a positive work environment.
• HR managers handle workplace disputes and negotiations with employees and unions.
• HR managers oversee contracts, pay agreements, and workplace conditions.
• HR managers ensure compliance with industrial relations laws and regulations.

HR Management

• Human Resource Management (HRM) manages employees to maximize their productivity and satisfaction.
• HRM responsibilities include recruitment & selection, training & development, performance management, employee relations, and workplace health & safety.
• Recruitment & selection focuses on hiring the right people.
• Training & development focuses on improving employee skills and career growth.
• Performance management focuses on monitoring and improving employee performance.
• Employee relations focuses on maintaining a positive relationship between employees and management.
• Workplace Health & Safety focuses on ensuring safe working conditions and compliance with laws.

Awards and Agreements

• Legal documents defining employees' pay and working conditions.
• Modern Awards legally bind minimum employment standards set by the Fair Work Commission for specific industries.
• Modern Awards cover pay rates, working hours, overtime, penalty rates, allowances, and leave entitlements.
• An example of a Modern Award is the Hospitality Industry Award, which sets minimum wage and conditions for waiters, chefs, and bartenders across Australia.
• Enterprise Agreements are negotiated contracts between an employer and employees (or a union) that set specific workplace conditions.
• Enterprise Agreements must be better than the minimum conditions in an Award and approved by the Fair Work Commission.
• Enterprise Agreements cover wages, working hours, leave entitlements, overtime, dispute resolution processes, and job classifications.
• An example of an Enterprise Agreement is a supermarket chain negotiating an EBA with its employees for higher wages in exchange for more flexible shifts.
• Individual Employment Contracts are private agreements between an employee and employer that must meet at least the minimum standards set by the National Employment Standards (NES).
• Individual employment contracts cover salary, working conditions, benefits, and termination terms, as long as they meet legal minimums.
• An example of an individual employment contract is a software engineer negotiating a higher salary and extra leave benefits.

The National Employment Standards (NES) are a set of minimum employment standards that provide a safety net of basic rights for employees in Australia. They are part of the Fair Work Act 2009 and apply to all employees covered by the national workplace relations system, regardless of their award, agreement, or employment contract.

In simpler terms, the NES ensures that all Australian employees have the same basic employment rights, such as:

• Maximum weekly hours of work
• Requests for flexible working arrangements
• Parental leave and related entitlements
• Annual leave
• Personal/carer's leave, compassionate leave, and unpaid family and domestic violence leave
• Community service leave
• Long service leave
• Public holidays
• Notice of termination and redundancy pay
• Fair Work Information Statement

Think of the NES as the ground floor in a building - everyone starts there. Awards and agreements can offer better conditions than the NES, but they can't offer worse.