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Saturday, 04 July 2009 - 9:21 AM EST

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WORK SPACE ARCHIVES

 

Fiona SmithThe people are the stars of Work Space, a popular section in The Australian Financial Review every Tuesday. Edited by Fiona Smith, Work Space investigates the way we work and offers some insight into how organisations and individuals can find the right balance.

To read the latest on Work Space, pick up a copy of Tuesday's AFR. Archives updated weekly.

2009

JUNE 23

May be problems if staff find pleasure in more leisure

Once staff accept fewer working hours, it may be difficult to get them back again, writes Fiona Smith.

JUNE 16

Slow down and let the ideas roll in

Technology and the pace of living is squeezing out time for serious thinking, writes Fiona Smith.

Challenge yourself to live your dream

Educationalist Sir Ken Robinson says people find true happiness when they embrace their 'element'.

JUNE 9

Hold the froth, make it real

Company reputations can be destroyed if staff are made to feel like the dregs in the coffee cup, says Fiona Smith.

Inside Google's palace of wackiness

The search engine's new premises highlight the efforts involved in keeping staff motivated, writes Fiona Smith.

JUNE 2

Juggling jobs and bringing up baby

On January 1, 2011, women will have paid maternity leave and employers will have to adapt, writes Fiona Smith.

MAY 26

PS beckons but fewer are called

Right now, a career in the public service looks like a pretty good option. It is not likely to collapse, be merged or shed jobs at the same rate as the private sector - and it has been struggling to fill positions for years.

Slickers adapt to work in the 'burbs

After the initial shock, bank employees are coming round to 'tea points' and meetings in the park, writes Fiona Smith.

MAY 19

Hanging on to jobs is hard to do

Temping and contract work are no longer attractive options for employees, writes Fiona Smith.

Businesses on the hunt with boomerangs

Companies are learning to turn employee defections into opportunities, writes Fiona Smith.

MAY 12

Sharpen your wits and thrive

You need to be on the front foot in this era of corporate cliffhangers, so you're not the one stabbed in the back, writes Fiona Smith.

Talent a question of nature or nurture

Do you train or hire a workforce? That is the dilemma for employers building a talent pool, writes Fiona Smith.

MAY 5

Take steps to handle swine flu

Companies have a duty of care to be proactive in protecting staff from swine flu, writes Fiona Smith.

They're shooting blind in lay-off frenzy

Executives in a hurry to cut staff numbers are in danger of losing people vital to a company's wellbeing, writes Fiona Smith.

APRIL 28

Lifelong learning yields an all-round benefit

A flexible approach to human capital will enable firms to be prepared when the upturn arrives, writes Fiona Smith.

So you thought employees were honest

A conversation with Stephen Ackroyd can be an uncomfortable experience if you are of the view that people are basically decent, honest and diligent in their work, writes Fiona Smith.

APRIL 21

Future firms will go by the (open) book

A demand for transparent and accountable companies will be the legacy of this recession, writes Fiona Smith.

The cost of staying motivated

As the economy sours, employers should know how to retain their best workers and motivate the others, writes Fiona Smith.

APRIL 14

Crisis is no time to keep old ideas in tow

Companies are being urged to look past short-term fixes in navigating the downturn, writes Fiona Smith.

APRIL 7

Time to tackle the rise of burnout, depression

It was a hell of a weekend for Paul Mooney. First, he tried to take a slow one-way walk into a cold Irish lake. Then, after waking in his room with memory loss, he drove his car into a brick wall.

Dog of a time, but at least we're all in it together

The financial crisis is posing difficult challenges, but it may be good for us too, writes Fiona Smith.

APRIL 4

. . . and you have to work harder just to stay where you are

Like it or lump it - for many, that's how the workplace is shaping up.

MARCH 31

A mate's guide to retrenchment

The best way to help a friend or colleague who has just lost their job is to give them your time, writes Fiona Smith.

The dragon maintains its friendly face

St George may have been swallowed by Westpac, but is confident its reputation for warm service and friendly employment conditions has been preserved, writes Fiona Smith.

MARCH 24

Switched off - and employed

Survivors of a company restructure suffer an alarming loss of connection to their workplace, writes Fiona Smith.

Rewarding excellence and creativity

3M gives its scientists time to think - and doesn't force them to try to be managers, writes Fiona Smith.

MARCH 17

Key to the bottom line is democracy

Survival is the only recurring topic in any workplace at the moment, so it may seem a strange time to talk about reawakening the idea of bringing democracy to work.

MARCH 10

There's net worth in networks

Analysing employees' social networks may reveal some hidden gems in the workplace, writes Fiona Smith.

In touch, in tune and out of a job

With the number of jobless rising, savvy work seekers know success depends on marketing themselves well, writes Fiona Smith.

MARCH 3

Message wins workers' hearts and minds

Communicating trust, stability and compassion will keep staff motivated in bad times, writes Fiona Smith.

Minefield for creative employers

Companies trying to save jobs and money must first check their legal position and then consult staff, says Fiona Smith.

FEBRUARY 24

Explosive tactics to steal rainmakers

The economic meltdown is an opportunity for companies to pick off their rivals' best talent, Fiona Smith reports.

When accountants start grooving

A bit of job tweaking can put an end to the office drudgery, as Sean Unwin quickly discovered, writes Fiona Smith.

FEBRUARY 17

'Sorry' not the hardest word

Macquarie Telecom has won a global award for telcos, the old-fashioned way, with good service.

Workers mobilise to save their skins

There's no point sitting around just waiting for the axe to fall, writes Fiona Smith.

Less risk for volunteers

The right of volunteers to take time off work to fight bushfires or do other important community service work has been enshrined by the new National Employment Standards, which become effective next January.

FEBRUARY 10

Recognition a bonus for a job well done

Money is no longer everything when it comes to incentives for staff, writes Fiona Smith.

Workers as disengaged as ever

Modern management still fails to motivate workers, and it's both infectious and costly, writes Fiona Smith.

Bosses aren't trigger happy

With mass sackings under way and more to come this year, it may provide a little reassurance that employers are "gun shy" when it comes to firing their workers.

FEBRUARY 3

Considerate firing squads keep parting shots amicable

US restructuring expert Wayne Cascio is all too aware of the dangers of recklessly shedding staff, writes Fiona Smith.

2008

DECEMBER 2

Someone's watching your other selves

So what if you're grumpy at work? If you do your job well, does your boss really have the right to burrow into your personality and ask you to change those things that don't fit the profile of the ideal worker?

Putting fun into learning pays off

It is enjoyable, interactive and effective, so little wonder gaming is the new teaching tool, writes Fiona Smith.

November 25

A most unusual type of legal practice

Anyone who has sent a lawyer a thank-you note, and then been charged $75 for them to read it, will be thrilled to hear there are people in the profession who are determined to break free of the image of the the hard-bitten, nit-picking, time sheet-ruled law firm.

They're older - and they should know

Employers simply do not value older workers, writes Fiona Smith.

November 18

Story of survival throws light on nature of resilience

When management guru Roger Collins lectures companies on the need to develop resilience in tough times, they can be sure he knows what he is talking about, writes Fiona Smith.

Company where being 'different' is a bonus

A Danish IT company has found the traits of its 90 per cent autistic workforce are a benefit, writes Fiona Smith.

November 14

Crisis sparks more calls to counsellors

Calls to counselling services have increased over the past few months as more people seek advice about the economic crisis, writes Hannah Tattersall.

November 11

Employers call a temporary halt

The casualised workforce faces a difficult year as businesses are forced to trim staff numbers, writes Fiona Smith.

November 4

Women tied up in knots

To become executives, women are still forced to change their personalities, writes Fiona Smith.

October 28

Hiring on the backburner

Temporary staff and contractors are the order of the day as employers turn cautious, writes Fiona Smith.

October 28

Job market worsening, but not fatal

Predictions have unemployment rising in specific sectors, but differ on how much, writes Fiona Smith.

October 21

Parents and carers flex their muscles

The onus is shifting to bosses to accommodate requests for flexible working arrangements, writes Fiona Smith.

October 14

Either talk the talk or take a walk

Cultural differences can be a major headache when companies merge, writes Fiona Smith.

October 7

Faced with change, the CEO just did it

A difficult product launch taught this CEO the need to remake his leadership style, writes Fiona Smith.

Attitude is all in a day's work

Australian managers have been found to be more oppositional than their counterparts in the US, writes Fiona Smith.

September 30

How to profit by keeping staff during downturns

Not every company thinks sackings are smart management worthy of a reward, writes Fiona Smith.

Find the good even in toughest times

Optimism, resilience - in times of adversity they are the key not only to survival but even happiness, writes Fiona Smith.

September 23

Oscar winners give the best service

What we want is a positive, smiling attitude and we want sincerity. So, cherished are those workers who have mastered the art of faking authenticity. By Fiona Smith.

September 16

The alternative to networking is failure

You may feel funny asking friends to help you get a job - but it's the only way, writes Fiona Smith.

Flexible? Take an AQ test . . .

When the heat is on, some people fall apart. Others rise to the challenge, take charge, look for solutions and emerge from the crisis stronger and better than ever. But what is it that makes one person resilient and another collapse? By Fiona Smith.

September 9

Pair splash in the talent pool

Nobody says executives need to work full-time, writes Fiona Smith.

Civility rules in the new era of negotiating

Unions and management are breaking the hostile mould of the Howard years, writes Fiona Smith.

Well-oiled machine

The relationship between unions and management could hardly be closer than that of Harley-Davidson's manufacturing operations. By Fiona Smith.

August 26

Telling tales gets the tails up

Fiona Smith looks at how business leader can distil company objectives into compelling stories.

When skeletons tumble out of closets

An error of judgement in the heady days of youth can later sink a career, writes Fiona Smith.

August 19

Getting into the flow helps to lift one's game

'The flow' means hard slog and exceptional results to athletes, but the technique is widely accessible, writes Fiona Smith.

August 12

Poaching the fruits during winter

As many sectors feel a chill wind, canny firms are poaching anxious staff in preparation for the inevitable upturn writes Fiona Smith.

Stockland sets a standard

At Stockland's head office in Sydney, you can lean over the third floor balcony into the atrium and look down into the reception area to see if your 10.30 appointment has arrived, peer across to see if there is a free table at the in-house coffee shop, and scan up and down the stairs in case there is someone there that you need to catch up with. By Fiona Smith.

August 5

A humane way to terminate 'surplus labour units'

Jobs will disappear and managers will have to dispense bad news,but it need not be all bad, writes Fiona Smith.

July 29

Ungodly power of boss's moniker

When it comes to nicknames, a surprisingly large number of male CEOs are known simply as "God". The names underlings bestow often point to the omnipresent nature of the boss, the power wielded and the leader's elevated nature. Fiona Smith looks at what's in a name.

Staff care about the company they keep

Asking what someone does for a crust is a sure way to ruin a dinner party. Fiona Smith looks at what employees say about work when the boss isn't watching.

July 22

Old business cultures die hard on the shop floor

As the new millennium dawned in 2000, accountants realised they had to move with the times and dump their old image in favour of a new credential and a revamped culture.By Fiona Smith.

Toiling towards an early grave

Young people are working harder than ever to succeed - and often it is at the cost of their health, writes Hannah Tattersall.

July 15

Daredevils get a jump ahead

There is a certain sort of person who chooses to work in the emergency department of a hospital - where the only thing you can be certain of is that the unexpected will happen. The same type will be in the thick of the bear pit at the stock exchange, loving every minute of it, or negotiating high-risk business deals in boardrooms across the world. These are the sensation seekers. By Fiona Smith.

Thrills and skills for Leighton chief

Every now and then, a couple of directors on the board of Leighton Holdings attempt to put the brakes on chief executive Wal King's adventurous spirit. "They say to me: 'You don't have approval to do these things you are doing.' And I say 'Is that right?' I don't create a storm about it or anything, but then I go ahead and do it anyway," says an unrepentant. King, one of corporate Australia's long-standing thrill seekers. By Fiona Smith.

JULY 8

Fun recipes for successful teamwork

From cooking classes to making cheese and wine, tastes are changing in corporate bonding, writes Rachel Lebihan.

It's OK to show some emotion

Leaders who are willing to reveal their human side, with all its frailties, can be far more effective, writes Fiona Smith.

JULY 1

Peck on the cheek out of order

A kiss at work is at best considered inappropriate, but it could also be seen as harassment, writes Hannah Tattersall.

A dirty job, and somebody's glad to do it

The founder of forensic cleaning company BVM Clean Scene loves her work, writes Fiona Smith.


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