Case Studies
A newcomer to industrial relations
The issue: Company X is a small family company which operates in an industry with a militant union presence. Despite the union presence in the industry, Company X had no exposure to the union in its first 40 years of operation. However, 12 months ago it found itself suddenly confronted with a myriad of demands made [...]
Why ignorance is not bliss!
The issue: Company X is a medium sized business that has transformed in recent years from a single private and family company into a publicly listed company which is part of a much larger corporate group. The expectations of staff had changed, especially with respect to compliance. HR data made it clear that many managers had [...]
Be careful what you wish for – the risk posed by resignation letters
The issue: Company X is a medium sized enterprise which encountered a problem in its head office when a key member of the accounts team delivered a threatening resignation letter to his manager. The Manager’s initial response was relief, thinking that the “problem” employee would soon be out of his hair. Nevertheless, he had a feeling [...]
An effective response to a sexual harassment complaint
The issue: Company X is a multi-national company with a large workforce in Australia. It had excellent resources, including well written employment policies and procedures. When faced with an allegation of sexual harassment made by a junior employee against a senior manager, the Company found itself in very unfamiliar territory. Company X wanted to ensure both [...]
