 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Welcome to the March & April edition of our newsletter.
2009 has been eventful in many ways and even in HR recruitment circles there has been some considerable activity, perhaps a little less than usual for this time of year, but we have still had a reasonable flow – of course some sectors are busier than others. This year we look forward to working with HR Professionals in many environments as they work towards delivering better business results through more engaged workforces, enhanced engagement, lower attrition and more appropriate reward management.
I hope you enjoy this brief newsletter with it's salary market data, interview with one of Australia’s best HR Leaders, an update on upcoming HR Networking events and some information about our latest recruit. |
|
If you have a great HR story or if you know of an HR Leader who you would like to see interviewed please feel free to pass on the suggestion - drop me a line at  dowens@hrpartners.com.au.
Wishing you all the best,
David Owens
Managing Director |
|
 |
| We are pleased to announce the addition of Meg Wardlaw to the team in Sydney.
After graduating in 2002 from Tasmania University with a Bachelor of Commerce , Meg relocated to London, spending four years working with an Executive Recruitment business mainly within their specialist HR brand.
During her time there Meg covered mid to senior HR Professionals with primarily banking and professional services clients. During her final year Meg managed the HR brand and oversaw all industry sectors. In Sydney Meg specialises in the senior HR professional space across a variety of sectors.
Meg can be contacted on 02 9019 1608 or email at mwardlaw@hrpartners.com.au. |
|
|
|
| Annual membership registrations are still available for HR Network Group 2009. To become a member or for more information including a full breakdown of pricing simply visit www.hrnetworkgroup.com.au.
Upcoming confirmed dates, speakers and topics for HR Network Group between March and May 2009:
Brisbane
Topic: HR - How we can communicate positivity during uncertain times
Date: Wednesday 18th March 2009
Presenter: Tracey Voyce from Bloomtools |
Norwest
Topic: HR strategy & culture change at Wyeth
Date: Tuesday 7th April 2009
Presenter: Gayle Philpotts from Wyeth |
North Ryde
Topic: Culture, engagement and great leaders
Date: Tuesday 21st April 2009
Presenter: Angela Café from George Weston |
Sydney City
Topic: Does HR have a role to play in sustainability?
Date: Wednesday 29th April 2009
Presenter: Paula Ward from PKF Australia |
Melbourne
Topic: Creating an employer of choice in the health sector
Date: Wednesday 20th May 2009
Presenter: Kate McCormack from Mercy Health |
For a full listing of all events please visit the HR Network Group website. |
 |
| The staff of HR Partners wish to express their sympathy to all those affected by the Victorian bushfires. Many made personal contributions and an orchestrated effort raised over $1,300 which was subsequently donated to the bushfire appeal via the Australian Red Cross. |
|
|
 |
David Owens, Managing Director of HR Partners, talks to Andria Wyman-Clarke, Vice President of HR at Thales Australia.
Why did you decide to practice HR?
I was drawn to the intellectual challenges of how you get people to behave in a different way and how you get groups of people to behave in a different way to effect sustained cultural change. Additionally, the conceptual challenge of being accountable for the organisational culture while having no direct control over that culture is always an intriguing dilemma.
What has been your biggest achievement in HR?
Our major achievement has been to help shape the company’s culture, laying the foundations for future growth. We all believed we could feel the shift in our culture, but the acid test was the outcome of our recent employee survey. The improvement in our results was the largest the survey company had seen in 12 years of surveying and 4,000 surveys. For me this rewarded all the hard work, having set an exhausting pace to reposition HR within Thales and introduce key initiatives. The results clearly indicated we were on the right path.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
When I was first appointed to a HR role, a friend told me that because I was now in HR that I had to ensure consistency in thought, word, and deed. He pointed out that everything I did and said would be examined by others for inconsistency. Since then, I have aimed for consistency and to set a high standard for myself and my team.
What is special about your current role?
I feel that I have reached a zenith at Thales – all the key ingredients that bring joy to an HR professional are here. I have a fantastic boss who is deeply passionate about the company and people; my peers are all good leaders who are aligned; we have excellent global HR processes; and the company truly holds HR in high regard. These elements have ensured that Thales had a very successful year and is well positioned for the future.
What does the next career challenge for you look like?
We have been successful in the past year in reshaping our culture at Thales. The continuing challenge for me is to embed so that it is sustainable, and to further refine the culture. |
|
 |
With 5500 salaries the HR Partners Salary Survey website is without peer in Australia.
A snapshot of the Median HR Consultant salary packages across Sydney (102 salaries), Melbourne (87 salaries) and Brisbane (50 salaries) can be seen in the graph (pictured right).
The median salary package for permanent HR Consultants across Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne is $92,105, $82,022 and $83,930 respectively.
A key theme across all cities was that 30% of staff enjoyed the benefits that flexible working hours can bring and 29% of staff received paid company training.
Know Your Value. Find out what you're really worth. Visit www.hrsalarysurvey.com.au - it's anonymous and free. |
|
 |
Mid last year I joined The Lost Dogs' Home in Victoria on a short term contract to provide HR support and resolve some unusual employee issues. While there I was involved in the standard complement of HR duties for a small organisation as well as some interesting special projects. These included a stint as General Manager for a business unit, planning and implementing a restructure to ensure ongoing profitability and developing a commercial focus in the management team. This was followed by a project managing a contract to provide animal registration services and a door knock throughout a large municipal council.
These projects were completely overshadowed by my involvement in the Home’s response to the Victorian bushfires. I feel privileged to have been witness to and involved in the extraordinary efforts of our staff to provide relief and resources to the pets and families affected by the fires as well as those under threat of fire. In Marysville only one animal survived, a ginger tom cat. Our staff were among the first ‘animal rescuers’ allowed into the Kinglake area. We located many animals, transporting them to safety, vet care and finally their owners. We also provided practical support such as providing water bowls the length of the main street and refilling these daily.
The home was deluged with donations such as food, bedding, towels, leads, collars and veterinary supplies which we had trucked into the affected areas.
I found myself heavily involved in the coordination of the response, it was a new experience to be writing animal welfare press releases, using my network of friends to gain access to radio producers and CEO’s of media networks to broadcast our ability to send our ambulance fleet into areas under threat to evacuate domestic pets, coordinating animal ambulances to attend various sites, writing and preparing information packages and resources for the public and our volunteers.
I also attended community meetings in affected areas representing the Home, offering free pet boarding and evacuation services and free identification tags. It was an uplifting experience to attend these meetings, providing practical support that was gratefully received and relocating pets to safe areas.
The effort of our team was extraordinary with many working until late in the night for days on end. It is certainly an ‘HR role’ that will be impossible to forget.
Thank you,
Georgia Murphy
Human Resourcess
The Lost Dogs' Home
2 Gracie Street, North Melbourne
|
|
 |
|
