Australia & New Zealand | June 2013

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RCSA Awards and Gala Ball

celebrating excellence!

RCSA

2013

In thIS ISSue

•MeettheAwardwinners!

•RCSAInternationalConference:TheLeadershipEdge–BuildingaCompetitiveAdvantageinaChangingWorld

Here’s why: Australia’sleadingindustryfundfortherecruitmentsector.

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PrinciPAL PArtner of

this information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, situation or needs. Before making a decision about recruitmentSuper, you should consider your own requirements and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. for a copy call us or visit the recruitmentSuper website, www.recruitmentsuper.com.au. Professional Associations Superannuation Limited (PASL) (ABn 14 056 917 303 AfSL 222590 rSe L0000352) is the trustee of Professional Associations Superannuation fund (PASf) (ABn 78 984 178 687 rSe r1000429). recruitmentSuper is a Division of PASf. 1. there is no investment choice in easychoice. Super is automatically invested in recruitmentSuper’s Growth option. Members can choose to upgrade to SelectSuper to have a choice from nine different investment options. 2. the Superannuation clearing House is provided through the Link Group of companies and not PASL. the trustee is not responsible for the products or services, views or actions of this organisation. You should use your own judgement before taking up any product or service offered by a third party.

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june 2013 3

Contents

4 President’s report: Lincoln Crawley FRCSA

6 CEO’s Report: Steve Granland

RCSA AWARDS

8 RCSA Awards and Gala Ball 2013

INTERNATIONAL COMMENT

12 Ciett Report: Steve Shepherd FRCSA (Life)

FOCUS: THE LEADERSHIP EDGE

14 RCSA International Conference: The world is changing, but people are not

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ISSUES

16 Bulletproof your business. By Nicholas Beames

18 Steering clear of the iceberg. By Jack Zervos

20 Getting buy-in from procurement: Mark Ashburn

22 Recruitment industry trends. Nigel Harse comments

25 Recruiter’s temp-to-perm fees under attack. By Andrew Wood

26 Have you cracked it yet? Martin Barnett

27 Quality Leaders in the industry. Dianne Gibert

FOCUS: THE LEADERSHIP EDGE

28 Canberra conference draws political focus on the on-hire sector. By Charles Cameron

ASSOCIATION NEWS

30 Get social with RCSA

31 RCSA Strategic Plan

32 New RCSA Director

32 Industry-wide mentoring – a “PEARL” of an idea!

33 In the Media

34 Member groups AMRANZ/ANRA

35 Participation will unlock a future workforce

36 NZ Update – Paul Robinson

38 Life Member Profile

40 RCSA Partners and Premium Supporters

41 RCSA Board, Life Members and Fellows

42 2013 RCSA CPE & Events Calendar

The Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA) is the leading industry body for talent management and workforce solutions in Australia and New Zealand. With approximately 4,400 members, Corporate and Individual, the Association sets professional standards, conducts research, educates and develops members’ skills, monitors industry developments and lobbies state and federal governments on issues directly affecting members.

tHe recruitment and consulting services association limited

The RCSA Journal is published by the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association Limited.

rcsa australia & neW Zealand

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RCSA JOURNAL advertising & suPPorter enQuiries

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Bulk orders and subscriptions are available: contact the RCSA at the address details above.

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NOTE:All material published in the RCSA Journal is subject to copyright and no part may be republished, photocopied or transmitted electronically or in any form without written permission. Opinions expressed by contributors are their own and are not necessarily endorsed by the RCSA or the editor. Advertisers and contributors to the RCSA Journal should be aware of the provisions of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 and the Trade Practices Act 1974 in relation to false and misleading advertisements or statements and other unfair practices. The RCSA and the editor accept no responsibility for such breaches. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, no responsi-bility is accepted for errors or omissions.

© Copyright RCSA 2013 ISSN 1838-8736

142013 RCSA Awards and Gala Ball

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8 Conference: The Leadership Edge

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RCSA JOURNAL4

Dear Members

The RCSA Gala Ball is an excuse to frock up in evening wear or pull out the tuxedo – which is either a blessing or a curse

depending on your perspective. But it is so much more than that as well: it’s a highlight in the recruitment industry calendar, because it’s a chance to connect with the people we work with and celebrate the great work we do.

It’s also a chance to unwind, relax and have fun, which is perhaps something we don’t do enough. It’s no secret that we are working in a tough market, and have been now for some time.

While the business environment has shown signs of recovery in the past few years, it is slow and patchy. It’s not just our industry though – you only need to speak to clients to hear about the challenges in all sectors.

But at the end of the day, we are doing an important job: connecting people with employment opportunities. Yes, we need to make a profit. We need to grow our business. But when we step back and look at the bigger picture, we are doing essential work for our clients and candidates.

In this market, one of the big challenges is holding our nerve in an increasingly challenging environment. At a time where our clients have more options and are more sophisticated in how they procure, we need to sell and recoup the value of what we do for clients to ensure the sustainability of our industry.

What’s even more important is to prove our value to clients: show them why our services are worth investing in. This is where the RCSA can support you. Our Continuing Professional Development program and Service Delivery Standards ensure that members have the tools to provide professional, quality services that make a difference to both clients and candidates.

We know there are challenges for the industry, and we want to take a proactive approach to helping you meet them. We want to set you up for success.

At the same time, we need members to step up and live by the RCSA’s standards – in the spirit of them, as well as to the letter of them.

As businesses get leaner and everyone looks for ways to cut costs and boost revenue, it’s important to ensure we do this the right way. We can’t walk away from good business practices simply because profits are under pressure.

You only have to look at the 457 visa issue to know that our industry is judged as a whole, even for the actions of a few. Regulations to limit our use of 457 visas were brought in several years ago, despite a lack of evidence that there was widespread abuse. A small minority of rogue operators, labelled as “labour hire” companies, acted illegally. But the on-hire sector as a whole was curtailed, and subjected to the need for labour agreements to bring in on-hire employees.

Knowing that this is the kind of response to any hint of poor business practices, we must ensure our standards are above reproach. Whether it’s accessing training subsidies or managing temporary visas, we must not only act ethically and professionally – we must be seen to be acting this way. And of course, we must sanction any members who fall short of the Code and the expectations it sets.

But to return to the main theme of this issue of the Journal – celebrating our work – I’d like to congratulate all the entrants, finalists and winners of the RCSA Awards. It’s inspiring to see the passion and commitment behind all the great work, and I thank you for leading the way. And as always, thank you to our sponsors who make these events possible, and our fantastic RCSA event team who create the magic on the night.

lincoln crawley Frcsa

RCSA President, Australia and New Zealand

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Lincoln Crawley FRCSA

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RCSA JOURNAL6

CEO’S REPORT

Steve Granland

Welcome to the mid-year edition of the RCSA Journal for 2013.

In this issue of the RCSA Journal we feature the RCSA Awards and Gala Ball – the highlight of the recruitment year! A full report begins on page 8. Echoing our theme of celebrating recruitment

excellence, we look at quality leaders in the area of the RCSA Service Delivery Standard (page 27). We also look at several important management issues including bulletproofing your business and steering clear of threatening icebergs.

The world we live in today moves quickly; change is constant and in order to prosper we have to be prepared to adapt. Over the last couple of months I have met with many members and it would be fair to say that the general consensus from the members I spoke to in Australia is that the first half of 2013 has been challenging. Although there have been some positive signs out of the US, and economic troubles in Europe seem to have eased, there has been increased focus on some inconsistent economic data from China combined with political factors in Australia which has impacted on business confidence. The positive I took from member meetings was that they were prepared to adapt to meet challenges head on and there was a level of confidence that a turnaround would come. Interestingly, I have also recently met with a number of New Zealand based members and it is fair to say there is definitely a more positive feel about the state of the New Zealand economy.

Recognising this need to adapt to circumstances, the RCSA Board recently reviewed the Strategic Plan. The Board’s focus for the next three years is very clear and will be driven by five new outcomes (detailed more fully on page 31):

• Strategic Outcome 1: RCSA membership is highly valued.

• Strategic Outcome 2: RCSA is the lead provider of market-recognised Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

• Strategic Outcome 3: RCSA is the centre of influence for member interests.

• Strategic Outcome 4: RCSA Members are recognised as setting the industry benchmark through adherence to RCSA Standards.

• Strategic Outcome 5: RCSA’s future prosperity is ensured through the generation and responsible use of stakeholder funds.

We have identified around thirty projects or initiatives which will need to be completed to achieve these outcomes. The RCSA National office is in the process of developing detailed project plans for these and each will require the approval of an allocated board member. Our commitment to members is to be very transparent with the RCSA Strategic plan and to provide members with regular updates regarding progress. These updates will be provided through the RCSA Journal, Newshub and the RCSA website. Many of the projects will require both direct and indirect assistance from members, so please take the opportunity to be involved.

I was very proud to be part of the RCSA Gala Ball and Awards night held on 30 May in Sydney. The Gala Ball and Awards night is a great opportunity to celebrate excellence in our industry and this year three hundred people gathered at Doltone House for a very successful evening. I would like to publicly acknowledge the hard work of the judges and thank all the applicants for ensuring the judges had a very difficult task by providing the highest quality entries.

Congratulations also to the 2013 winners, including Sam Hazledine, winner of the PEARL Award, safesearch, winner of the McLean Award for Workplace Safety, and DFP Recruitment Services, winner of the new Corporate Social Responsibility Award. I would also like to congratulate Helen Olivier, who was inducted as an RSCA Life Member.

At the Gala Ball, the RCSA also took the opportunity to wish Ross Fisher the very best in his retirement and, more importantly, to thank Ross for his career-long support of the RCSA. Ross is a great example of the way volunteers can make a real and positive difference to a profession and industry.

I started by noting that many RCSA members are facing a period of change brought about by continued economic challenges in Australia and a more economic prosperous period in New Zealand. Whether we face a more difficult trading period or a period of greater opportunity, the changes faced by RCSA members are constant and cannot be ignored. This makes the theme for this year’s conference, “The Leadership Edge – Building a Competitive Advantage in a Changing World” even more relevant. The conference will run from 28-30 August at the Sheraton Mirage on the Gold Coast. Last year was a great success and the line-up of speakers for 2013 is looking very impressive. Based on registrations we have received to date (running well ahead of last year) I urge you to book early to avoid disappointment.

steve granland RCSA CEO, Australia and New Zealand

RecruitmentSuper changes its name to ‘Kinetic Super’

As you will see by the advertisement on the inside front cover, the RCSA’s Principal Partner has just announced a change of name to ‘Kinetic Super,’ effective 1 July. Throughout this issue you will see both names used during the transition period. We congratulate Kinetic Super on their new branding!

june 2013 7

How do you build and sustain superior leadership and performance? And how do you transform yourself into the kind of leader your business needs to maintain a competitive advantage?

Your team members are looking for inspiration and fulfillment – and a guide as to how they can lead too. You might have the theory, but how do you put it into practice? Key areas for discussion at the 2013 RCSA Conference will be around resilient leadership and having the ability to create and seize opportunities; how to develop winning organisations that can drive rapid creativity and how to develop the best tools to become more resilient, such as effective risk management. There is now a greater need for clear and decisive leadership to help businesses adapt to the “Changing World”.

Great leadership makes a difference to how a business performs – this conference will provide you and your key staff with the leadership tools and resources to allow your organisation to take that next step.

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AWARDS

RCSA celebrates excellence - Award winners announced at the Gala BallThe winners of the RCSA Awards were announced at the Gala Ball held last month in Sydney, with thanks to RecruitmentSuper, the Principal Sponsor of the RCSA Awards program. More than three hundred guests from across Australia and New Zealand attended this highlight of the recruitment calendar.

Announcing the Awards, RCSA President Lincoln Crawley FRCSA said, “What we do each and every day impacts the lives of individuals and the success of organisations … I want that

impact to be overwhelmingly positive – enhancing the lives of those we place in work, enhancing the lives of those cohorts who would otherwise struggle to find meaningful work – increasing the productivity of organisations and ultimately, our economy, so it thrives once again”.

Lincoln told the attendees that the RCSA Board has signed off on five key strategic priorities which clarify and capture what the RCSA is focused on for the next three years, and how the Association is working to support you and your careers (you’ll find the Strategic Plan on page 31).

And the RCSA Award Winners are … The PEARL Award (for Professional Emerging and Aspiring

Recruitment Leaders): the winner was Sam Hazledine, Managing Director of MedRecruit in New Zealand. The Award was hotly contested this year, with eight region finalists in the category. The PEARL Award was proudly sponsored by CareerOne.

The McLean Award for Workplace Safety: the winner was safesearch, whose submission focused on the organisation’s establishment of a cross industry forum for safety executives and leaders in Australia. The McLean Award for Workplace Safety was proudly sponsored by WorkPro.

The Corporate Social Responsibility Award: the winner was DFP Recruitment Services, whose submission highlighted the organisation’s range of involvement in community activities and initiatives. The Corporate Social Responsibility Award was proudly sponsored by FastTrack.

Life MembershipThe RCSA Life Membership Award was bestowed upon Helen

Olivier FRCSA (Life). The Life Membership Award recognises outstanding service to the industry and a commitment to promoting the objectives and purpose of the Association.

A special acknowledgement was awarded to Ross Fisher FRCSA (Life) for his outstanding contribution to the industry and RCSA.

RCSA CEO Steve Granland said, “This year’s Award winners and finalists are a very worthy group and I congratulate them on the wonderful work they have produced. The Gala Ball continues to grow in stature each year, and is a fabulous event for RCSA Members, Partners and Supporters to celebrate and recognise their industry.”

The call for nominations for the 2014 RCSA Awards will open in November 2013.

The RCSA Board: Matt Hobby FRCSA, State Manager SA, McArthur; Steve Heather MRCSA, Managing Director, Mining People International; Denis Dadds FRCSA, Manager OH&S Unit ManpowerGroup; Karen Colfer MRCSA, Vice President and Managing Director, Kelly Services Australia & New Zealand; Lincoln Crawley FRCSA, Board President, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup Australia & New Zealand; Robert van Stokrom FRCSA, Chief Executive Officer, DFP Recruitment Services (Board Vice President); Peter Langford FRCSA, Managing Director, HORNER Recruitment; Jacqui Barratt FRCSA, Director, SALT Recruitment (Board Vice President), Bob Olivier FRCSA Board Finance Director and Director HRO2 Research.

8 RCSA JOURNAL

AWARDS

Lincoln Crawley FRCSA, President RCSA; Award sponsor Karen Lawson, CEO CareerOne; Sam Hazledine, Managing Director MedRecruit receiving the PEARL Award.

Lincoln Crawley FRCSA, President RCSA; Julie Honore, Managing Director safesearch receiving the McLean Award for Workplace Safety; Award sponsor Tania Evans, General Manager WorkPro.

Lincoln Crawley FRCSA, President RCSA; Robert van Stokrom FRCSA, CEO DFP Recruitment Services receiving the Corporate Social Responsibility Award; CSR Award sponsor David Page, CEO FastTrack.

Helen Olivier FRCSA (Life) giving her Life Member acceptance speech.

Robert Blanche FRCSA (Life) with a special presentation for Ross Fisher FRCSA (Life). Life Members. Back Row: Peter Gleeson FRCSA (Life), Ross Fisher FRCSA (Life), John Plummer FRCSA (Life), Rodney Troian FRCSA (Life). Front Row: Rosemary Scott FRCSA (Life), Nan Carroll FRCSA (Life), Sylvia Moreno FRCSA (Life), Kaye Strain FRCSA (Life).

9JUNE 2013

AWARDS

The RecruitmentSuper Team: Back row: Phil Seubert, Charlotte Jones, Mark Ashburn, Calvin Lake, Colin Runacres. Front row: Matthew Ball, Julieanne White, Linzie Lee, Megan Bolton CEO, Bindi Smith, Stephen Moad.

OAMPS and Norris & Partners. Kris Flowers, OAMPS, Carmen Gibson, Norris & Partners, Michael Poon, OAMPS, Lisa Norris, Director, Norris & Partners. Seated: Leanna Levings, OAMPS, Rebecca Smith, OAMPS, Ariane Riehs, Norris & Partners.

Standing from left: Ross Fisher FRCSA (Life), Steve Granland, CEO RCSA, Leonie Hill APRCSA, Director FastTrack; Lincoln Crawley FRCSA, Board President, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup Australia & New Zealand; Megan Bolton, CEO RecruitmentSuper; George Lambrou, RCSA Business Manager. Seated: Smita Granland, John Plummer FRCSA (Life) and Leonie Plummer.

The Randstad Team, standing from left: Nick Elsdon, Robbin Brugman, Ximo Soler, Natalie Walderman, Matthew Hodtes. Seated from left Anne Bruinewoud, Nicole Stafford, Deb Loveridge APRCSA Managing Director Asia Pacific, Steve Shepherd Group Director.

The Adecco team, standing from left: Rachel Roberts MRCSA, Jeff Doyle CEO Adecco Group Australia, Jenny Madden, Natalie Zielke-Ryner, Parisa Kahrobai, Natalie Casey. Seated from left Sam Palmer, Melvin Pereira, Rob Cole, Kylie Wiggins.

The WorkPac team, standing from left: Phil Smart Managing Director, Cameron Hockaday, CEO Training Business Group, Wayne Farrell Director, Andrew Crealy CFO, Praanesh Prasad CEO, Nan Carroll FRCSA (Life) Director, Jonathan Cremonini Head of Sales Solutions. Seated from left Arnaud Marion, Zeb Riddell, Katie Meyer, Rachel Pearse.

RCSA JOURNAL10

AWARDS

Steve Heather MRCSA, RCSA Board Member and Managing Director Mining People International; Perry Sandow and Jan Spriggs APRCSA, RCSA WA Councillor and Director Placer Management Group; Robert van Stokrom FRCSA, RCSA Vice President and CEO of DFP Recruitment Services; Leonie Hill APRCSA, Director FastTrack; David Page, CEO FastTrack; Inari Saarinen, Consultant, DFP Recruitment Services; Sharon Dove, NSW Business Development Manager, DFP Recruitment Services. Seated from left: Peter Langford FRCSA, RCSA Board Member and Managing Director HORNER Recruitment and Maria Karpetis; Tania Evans, General Manager WorkPro, John Wilson FRCSA, Executive Chairman at the Bayside Group.

The Enterprise IT Resources Team: left to right top: Margaret Lopes Lynne Fox, John Ernie, Sue Jones, Sarah Reeve, Whitney London. Left to right bottom: Paul White, Sarah McCandless MRCSA, Julie Murfet, Lynda Devon Black, Nicky Davison.

The ManpowerGroup team, standing from left: Julie Capes MRCSA, Joannah Bernard, Guy Bryant-Fenn, Deepa Shetty. Seated from left Jonathon Tango, Holly Gimenez, Denis Dadds FRCSA Manager OH&S Unit and RCSA Board Member, Nikki Grech National Account Director.

The 360HR team: standing from left: Nigel Rayner, Emma Salterod, Rachel Harbers, Di Pass APRCSA, John Pass, Kellie Markham. Seated from left: Marylou Stubbs, Natalie Cavuoto, Myreen Aronowitz, Stuart Hume, Paralympian placed into his career by 360HR via the Paralympic Workplace Diversity Program.

The Rubicor team: Standing: Luke Dunlop, Yasmine Johnson, Kevin Levine, CEO Rubicor Group Limited, Laura Mabikafola FRCSA, Managing Director Locher Human Resources, Mark Johnson, Kate Parker. Seated: Matthew Munson, Sue Turk MRCSA COO Rubicor Group Limited, Andy Bradshaw.

the call for nominations for the 2014 RCSA Awards will

open in november 2013.

JUNE 2013 11

RCSA JOURNAL12

INTERNATIONAL COmmENT

RCSA representative and Ciett Board member Steve Shepherd FRCSA (Life) comments.

A key focus of Ciett (the International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies) is to work with local federations to help them build capacity within their country and to help them strengthen their position as a point of influence with key business leaders including politicians, labour leaders, academics and industry executives.

The Indian Staffing Federation (ISF) was founded two years ago as the voice of staffing

companies across this vast labour market.India is a country with a population of

more than 1.2 billion people and has the youngest working age population in the world. While it is seen to be one of the powerhouses of the future, with more than three hundred laws impacting employment, it has some interesting labour challenges it will need to overcome if it is to realise its dream and compete effectively with countries like China and other BRIC nations.

India’s organised workforce represents just ten per cent of the overall working population with unregulated, unorganised temporary and casual work accounting for most forms of employment and in many cases this leads to unethical work practices and the exploitation of workers. The staffing

industry is yet to be recognised in India as an effective means of employment that can allow Indian business to remain flexible while providing real structure and benefits to workers including work choice, fair compensation and health benefits in an environment where most workers receive none of this.

The Indian Staffing Federation was formed by the major international and Indian staffing firms with the support of Ciett to enhance long-term growth of the staffing industry and to ensure its continued ability to make positive contributions to the Indian economy and society.

In March I had the privilege of participating in a high profile colloquium organised by Ciett and ISF to set the agenda for growing and strengthening the staffing industry in

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june 2013 13

AWARDS

India in the next five years. The Honourable Union Minister of Coal, Mr Sriprakash Jaisawal, was chief guest and discussed how topical the colloquium was since it was taking place at a time when jobs and skills are high in India’s consciousness and stated that the government strongly believed that a good job is the best form of social inclusion. The event was well attended by key stakeholders such as senior members of the government, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), members of the planning commission, trade union leaders, and trade bodies as well as academics and recruitment industry leaders from across India and around the world.

The event provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to voice their views, hear from industry experts and discuss the ways our industry can support India in developing its workforce while creating decent work for its people. Attendees heard how the staffing industry operates around the world and what lessons can be learned to help India to continue to shape its labour structure and manage growth.

As with any of these kinds of events the issue of worker exploitation was high on the agenda of the union leaders and I shared

with the forum our experiences in Australia and New Zealand – combating this through the development of our Code for Professional Conduct and the value of having this ratified by the ACCC. I also shared details of the government’s collaboration with some of our members around privatising our unemployment programs such as the Job Network in order to benefit from the experience in the private sector and, in particular, what our industry can bring to reducing structural unemployment and helping the disadvantaged gain decent work.

The colloquium created great interest from all who attended with a resolute agreement from everyone who attended that it had been a useful process in understanding the way our industry can support India’s goal of social inclusion through better work. As a result, the key stakeholders have agreed to continue to engage in discussion and collaboration while recognising the differing views in some areas on how to achieve this.

Attendees at the ‘India on the World Map’ Colloquium, Steve Shepherd FRCSA (Life), back row third from left, Group Director, Randstad Sourceright, and RCSA Immediate Past President, is the RCSA’s representative with Ciett and a member of the Ciett Board.

RCSA JOURNAL14

The world is changing, but people are notConference presenter Richard Greene introduces some ideas for building a competitive advantage in a changing world.

Yes, the world is changing.But the most important component of this

changing world – people – are not, and the best way to build a competitive advantage is to take advantage of the new breakthroughs in communication science that have emerged to help us understand people better.

For thousands and thousands of years, human beings and our extraordinary minds and emotions have been programmed pretty much the same way. What we now understand though is that there are fascinating and very special codes that we must use to fully reach and connect with the minds and emotions of others. I have identified seven codes, or “secrets”: 1. Words2. Voice tone3. Body language4. How we share our message5. How we approach the listener6. How we speak to the four languages

or codes of our listener’s brain7. “Authentic passion”.

After 29 years of studying this, I can definitively say that a tiny improvement in executing any of these “codes” delivers an enormous and almost exponential return.

1. WordsWe now know that words are actually the

least important thing we use to gain trust and connection in interpersonal communication. The words we do use, however, must be “user-friendly” and free of “ jargon” so that we create a relationship of respect and acknowledgement. And we know that the ancient art of storytelling connects a speaker to his or her audience in a magical and primal way.

2. Voice toneWe now understand that voice tone

actually conveys about five times the connection impact of words and that significant variations in volume, pace and pitch and well-placed pauses are necessary to avoid the hypnotic trance that some speakers seem to put their audiences in when they are “monotone”. We also understand how important punctuation of words and syllables are and that the “resonance” of one’s voice can transmit almost endless amounts of gravitas, credibility and authority, almost regardless of the content.

3. Body languageThe ancient programming of the body

is so strong that – despite our best efforts – we can never truly override it. The body will always speak before our mouth does and will always tell the truth. Those who understand how to read this ancient language, in any communication situation, will, indeed, have an advantage.

4. the messageThe old way of understanding

communication was about “getting the message out”. But what we now know about the human brain is that there are very special ways of doing this in order to hold an audience and to create an emotional response. I call it “The Lasered, Compelling Message” and in order to be effective, it must address the two very specific questions that every audience has.

5. Our relationship with the listener/listenersDo we “perform” at our listener? (Rarely

effective, and it is the #1 reason people are nervous speaking in public). Do we “present” to them? (Better, but too focused on the downloading of data). Or, do we do what the great communicators throughout history do and actually translate our message into the way that human beings are neurologically programmed to receive it?

6. the four languages/codes of the human brainUnlimited advantage and success await

the communicator who can “speak” all four “languages” or codes of the human brain. These four sets of frequencies are part of the five neurological senses (vision, hearing, taste, touch and smell). They are grouped into four distinct “languages” based on the differences in frequency and the words, voice tone and body language of each “language”. To win at the communication game and connect with every person in every audience, one must speak all four. And given that only half of one per cent of the human race does that, massive competitive advantage awaits!

7. emotionAnd we now know that the most ancient

secret of communication lies outside the emotionless human brain. It lies in finding the “code” to connect with one’s own heart and gut and to then transmit these energies to touch and move others in their heart and in their gut. This, above all else, is what the great communicators in human history have done. Do this and you will, without a doubt, go on to shape and shake the world!

© Richard Greene, 2013 Richard Greene will be giving his “Science of Charisma” keynote at this year’s RCSA International Conference

Richard Greene is a keynote speaker at this year’s RCSA International Conference

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june 2013 15

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RCSA JOURNAL16

Australia came out of the GFC relatively unscathed and in some ways stronger. However, we are not totally out of the

woods and persistent gloomy talk of upcoming economic trouble is everywhere.

I’ve been a business owner through a couple of downturns, although not recessions as such. My experiences, both good and bad, are burned into my memory. It’s these experiences I call on to provide some proverbial armour to help you bulletproof your business and sail through 2013 strongly.

Get on top of your cash flowYou have heard this before, and you know it’s

true: “Cash flow is the killer of small businesses” and only through regular finance meetings (weekly for recruitment organisations) can you really get to understand your cash flow.

There are many ways to improve cash flow, such as leasing instead of buying, negotiating new terms with suppliers, chasing outstanding debts, etc. Cash flow is, of course, tied to profit and profit can be boosted in three ways: more sales, higher prices, and lower costs – all of which are still possible in a tight time. But first of all, know your own figures.

Seriously consider invoice financing. There are some really good and innovative suppliers in the Australian space. Some weeks you might need eighty per cent of your invoicing value and other weeks maybe only fifty per cent. This is a great option if you need to get your hands on the cash quickly.

Build-in flexibility and connect like never before

If your business and marketing plans were formed when times were overwhelmingly positive, they will need to change. Avoid splashing out on large items or commitment to fixed long-term costs. Also, review your main costs and consider alternatives.

When it comes to marketing, remember now is the time for starting or, hopefully, maintaining your social media strategy. Make sure your “digital footprint” is what you want it to be. You can be sure customers, candidates, and prospective employees are going straight to Google to search for you and your business. Try it yourself and see what comes up – because this is what sets the impression of you and your business. If you can’t see all your achievements and core messages then you need to work on your website and

your social media pages. For example, check out my organisation’s digital footprint by heading to Google. As a result of years of focus and constant tweaking, your result return includes more than ten pages of hits, including every award we have won, all our core messages, and – most importantly – the “feeling” and “impression” we want people to form of us.

I firmly believe that LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are the best friends a recruiter can have. They are pretty-much free and, when used properly, extend your reach to an unlimited level. If you don’t know how to seriously make use of these tools, search on Google for free webinars and book yourself in for some free learning.

Lastly, remember, the more options you have the better.

Adapt your recruitment offeringThink about how you have been making money

over the last 12 months and question if you will be able to do the same through 2013 and beyond.

If your business is based on winning tenders or through the provision of service to a small number of big companies then you are likely to feel the pinch this year.

Also, look carefully at your current client list and consider how strong it is likely to be over the next 12 months. Regular buyers might become less frequent and good payers can turn bad.

Talk to the banks – all of themI have always said that the best time to see your

bank manager is when you don’t need him/her: not when you do. Banks don’t like surprises and won’t be rushed, so even if you are feeling flush it is a good time to start discussing your business with your bank and seriously consider reaching out to a few others and see what they can offer.

If you haven’t provided them with information on the business during the good times, it will be harder for you than for someone who has. Remember that banks are conservative by nature and need time to get used to ideas.

Pursue your debtsThis might be a tough time for some of your

clients and you might have to be a little choosier when accepting business. However, if you feel that you can’t turn the business away, then build in some safeguards. Check your terms and conditions are clear and legal, and ensure your credit control process is working. But also be prepared to see things from your client’s point of view.

Bulletproof your business Tough times mean tough people get moving on protecting their businesses and their people for the future. Nicholas Beames FRCSA has some great ideas for not just dodging bullets but for making your organisation practically bulletproof.

Nicholas Beames FRCSA is CEO of Astute Payroll, a technology company that helps recruitment and staffing organisations automate the management of their contingent workforce – RCSA members can go to www.astutepayroll.com and sign up for a free demo and trial.

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

june 2013 17

Trim the fatYou need to thoroughly review your

business on a regular basis and find ways to cut costs. Often the biggest cost to a business is employing staff and this means making some tough calls.

Check that you don’t have people who are twiddling their thumbs or working on projects that aren’t profitable. Nearly all companies can reduce labor costs by at least 15 per cent if they carry out a thorough review.

Outsourcing is one way to reduce overheads. Successful recruiters are identifiable by what they don’t have – lots of back office operational staff and other non-sales staff. The number one biggest back office cost to a recruitment firm is managing payroll. As an example, using an organisation to manage this process provides an online software

application that totally automates the process of managing your workforce, including things like compliance, timesheets, expenses, award interpretation, invoicing, and payroll. Recruitment organisations then pay a fraction of the cost of hiring an extensive back office to use the software themselves with just one staff member, or they outsource actual processing as well.

Sell, sell, sell …Don’t start taking resources away from

advertising or marketing budgets, or try to save money by reducing sales commissions. On the contrary, this is the time to be really focusing on bringing in the business – and the business owners and managers need to be intimately involved.

Bond with your teamNever forget your team and be aware that

tight or uncertain times make staff nervous. They have mortgages and rents to pay, and people can get very emotional if they think their future is in jeopardy.

Remember, it has been many years since there was an economic recession downturn in Australia, almost two decades in fact, so many won’t have experienced one before. You are by no means a charity, but use this time to develop loyalty from your best staff – after all, they are relying on you just as much as you are on them.

Your customers are talking.

Phone Bronwyn or Natalie on (02) 9232 0172 to discuss how we can help you to collect and report on actionable insights from the people that matter most to your business - your clients & candidates. Alternatively visit www.peoplepulse.com.au to arrange a free demo request.

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RCSA JOURNAL18

Business leaders today are facing challenges neither they - nor sometimes, anyone else in the world – have ever faced before. How do you face that iceberg looming up ahead? Do you even know it’s there? Time to ask for help.

The sinking of the Titanic reminds us that there is no such thing as an unsinkable ship or a perfect captain.

Look at the consequences when we convince ourselves there is! It was said that Captain Edward Smith was arguably the best captain in the world at the time, but he had never before captained a ship so large nor had he ever experienced how long it would take to change course and avoid the perils of the iceberg. So the best captain in the world, steering the unsinkable ship, could not avoid disaster because he had never been in charge of a ship that size!

As business decision-makers you too are faced with challenges never before experienced and obstacles never before avoided. You also lead businesses bigger in size than you led five years ago. Just like Captain Smith, you become victims of your success and reputations. You are then bombarded with countless offers of support, mentoring, improvement, re-engineering ... the list of “improvement” terms is endless. So, at what point do you decide you need help, and how do you go about getting it? Or do you wait too long before trying to take that evasive or corrective action and end up on the iceberg?

In many cases, you have seen your business grow bigger than anything you have led, managed or navigated previously,

probably in an environment never before encountered. The other challenge you face as business owners is being confronted with the notion of asking for help or trusting an “outsider” with your business. This too can be quite intimidating, and rightly so!

The challenges you face at a business level are no different to those faced by the captain and owners of the Titanic and no different to deciding when to go to the doctor or when to take your car to a mechanic and which one to trust. They are not that different to those we routinely answer in our personal lives all the time: we just seem to freeze when it comes to making business decisions unless we have to, as opposed to when we need to, or freeze at the thought that asking for help or showing fear of the unknown is maybe a sign of weakness.

So, do you wait for your car to break down (usually at the most inconvenient time and place and invariably at a much greater cost to repair) or do you follow a planned routine maintenance program to ensure smooth, reliable, efficient and economical performance?

Do you develop a relationship with a family doctor who gets to know your history, who you have a relationship with and who understands your circumstances – or do you go to the local clinic and see whoever is available?

Asking for helpThe decision to engage a business

consultant is not always an easy one: numerous factors demand consideration and there are many psychological obstacles to overcome. Have I failed? Am I going to be made to look stupid? Is this person going to destabilise or try and change my business?

It’s just like having to overcome the fear of going to the doctor knowing you will be told to lose weight or stop smoking or start exercising. Do you avoid going and possibly bring the inevitable health crisis forward, or do you tackle the issues head on with the primary outcome being a better quality of life?

While there are businesses that succeed

without the assistance of external advisors, and there are some owners who feel they can’t afford the expense (even if they acknowledge the need) many businesses and business leaders would not be as successful or even have survived if it were not for the decision by stakeholders to acknowledge the need and then take the time to identify (and retain) the right specialist advice.

Does your business demand an unbiased outside look? When was the last time you stepped back and had someone else with a different perspective as well as the skills, knowledge, expertise and tools to positively contribute to overcoming your business challenges give you some advice?

This can be helpful, irrespective of where your business is positioned: if you need help starting your business, have run into problems you’re struggling to overcome; or just want some fresh ideas to help your successful business grow and prosper. Even if your business is doing well, an objective, considered and, most importantly, impartial consultant can help you to expand or diversify to reach new or additional profitable clients (or exit unprofitable ones).

Having decided to ask for it, the challenge is where do you find it and how do you know what you’re going to get before it’s too late?

There are independent consulting companies available for every business niche imaginable. It is important to find a consulting company that has experience in the industry in which you operate and that has provided other similar businesses (size, structure, culture and values) with the services you need. If consultants have not worked in, do not understand, and have no experience in recruitment, then no matter how great their system or level of education there will always be a gap or risk in the outcomes. Would you trust a carpenter with the brakes on your car no matter how good a tradesperson they were or a lawyer to give you financial advice – no matter how good their win record in court?

You can always ask friends, colleagues, or other business owners who they can

Steering clear of the iceberg or letting it sink you?

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

june 2013 19

recommend and if a specialist consultant helped their business. You should have a good idea of what you want to accomplish by hiring a consultant, and how much input you want to have; or whether you want the consultant to deliver to you a finished packaged solution. It is always a good idea to interview a few business consulting organisations to get a feel for their experience level and how well they will work with you. Probably, and most importantly, you want to deal with someone you are comfortable working beside. Without a good comfort level, the give-and-take necessary to accomplish your goals may be compromised. Be sure to insist you meet the actual person or people who will be doing the job, not just a salesperson who sells you the consulting organisation and then moves on to the next lead.

With a bit of effort in the first place, and some tears and joy along the way, you and your consultant will work collaboratively and effectively to create an efficient, stable and importantly, more profitable business.

At the end of the day, no matter how good a driver you are, you trust a mechanic with your car. No matter how healthy or fit you are, at some point you will need a doctor to advise you on your health and the risks as you age and your body changes. And no matter how good a captain Edward Smith was, the boat sank because he had never captained one that size before!

Owning a business is no different. Your business needs preventative and planned maintenance so it doesn’t break down and it needs a health program or regular check-up to predict or avoid a potentially life-threatening or debilitating illness with all the emotional and physical pain that comes with this.

So don’t wait until your business breaks down or the iceberg is in sight to get that specialist opinion and advice – because we all know what happened to the unsinkable ship!

By Jack Zervos – Managing Director Execucon Recruitment Optimisation

RCSA JOURNAL20

Getting buy-in from procurementIf the first thing you know about a tender for recruitment services is the RFP hitting your desk, there’s a good chance you aren’t going to win the business. Rather than pulling out your arsenal of tender templates or radioing for bid writing reinforcements, Mark Ashburn’s advice is to take a different line of attack. Forget about responding to the RFP and do some real sales work. Then next time they tender, you can win, profitably.

At a recent breakfast meeting I was listening to people discuss the challenging nature of procurement departments set up as

a centre of purchasing power and started to think about what my experience had been.

One of my previous roles was in the fleet management industry. There, as in the recruitment industry, it’s common to encounter a request for proposal (RFP) issued by the procurement team that contains specific response instructions. These often include dire warnings of instant disqualification for trying to talk about the RFP to anyone in the business except the procurement team. Any questions you do have are also probably answered in an open forum, just to ensure that everyone knows what you are thinking and planning. Sound familiar?

Procurement plays an integral role in the supply chain and yet is often seen as an enemy to be defeated, or at best, circumvented by those trying to do business. However, while guerrilla warfare or resistance movement tactics may work for some, in my experience, when dealing with procurement teams, infiltration and alliance building is likely to be more successful.

Here are a few of the strategies I have found useful in the past.

Know your clientNotice that I didn’t say, know your enemy.

Once we stop seeing procurement people as the enemy and start to understand their drivers, it’s easier to work with them to achieve their (and our) goals. Procurement departments are essentially a go-between, and are in the unenviable position of procuring products and services that they don’t use and in some cases, won’t understand. In an area such as recruitment where the “product” is a service, they have to rely on your integrity and sincerity. Case studies have shown that they will go out of their way to do business with a supplier they favour for their relationship, service, and or quality over price. This kind of relationship needs to be prepared in advance of the release of an RFP and there needs to be a solid basis of trust and operational acceptance.

Know the internal landscapeWhere does procurement fit in and who are

their clients? What are the key strategic goals of the organisation? Who wields the power in this area? It’s important to understand the dynamic between procurement and other departments. How do they interact? What does the organisational chart look like? How do decisions get made? What are the formal rules and what are the informal rules?

Knowledge sharingView procurement as conduits of information.

They do, after all, work with and have a good understanding of, the entire business. They are sources of knowledge that can only be accessed by developing a relationship and being willing to serve them and learn about how they operate. One way to begin opening doors is by allowing them to see you too as a source of valuable information. I am not talking just about your business, but also about the industry as a whole and business in general.

For example, I have in some instances gone to the extreme length of assisting the procurement department in developing an RFP for which we actually intend to compete. It’s essential that you act with probity and integrity, ensuring that advice is unbiased and in the best interests of the client. In this way, the relationship becomes reciprocal, creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and openness. Be willing to take the time to provide information and insights that will benefit the client. In many cases you will know more about the problems that can arise from a poorly-executed RFP for recruitment services. If you develop a trusted position with your prospect, you can share your experience to help them issue a better RFP.

On several occasions I’ve had to find access to the procurement team indirectly. As part of the preparation for an RFP, it’s normal for the procurement team to contact the internal stakeholders to ask them what they want from the end contract. If you already have a relationship with one of these stakeholders, you can seize this

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

june 2013 21

Mark Ashburn, General Manager – Sales, Kinetic Super

Getting buy-in from procurement

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

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as an opportunity to assist your prospect to respond meaningfully to the procurement team. One of the reasons the procurement team often reverts to price as the differentiator is because poor internal stakeholder engagement leads to an RFP that doesn’t address key concerns and doesn’t exact the necessary responses. In this case the procurement team has little else to go on.

Yes, it takes time to position yourself through this kind of knowledge. Whether it’s worthwhile taking this approach depends on your current strike rate for winning this kind of business (profitably). If you are doing well, congratulations, your plan of attack is working. If you lose more than you win, maybe it’s time to look at your tactics.

Samuel Johnson, infamous English writer, famously said that “knowledge is equivalent to force”. I argue that it’s far more powerful. Knowledge is an essential component in building successful and solid relationships based on credibility and trust; which are an essential first step in creating an alliance.

RCSA JOURNAL22

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

Predictions from Nigel Harse, Director, The RIB Report, which collects and reports on industry trends.

Third-quarter (January to March 2013)

profitability plummeted 53 per cent on the

results for the same quarter last year, making

this the weakest quarter since the GFC

recovery (Q4: FY08-09), and dragging

financial year-to-date results down even

further to reflect a 37 per cent erosion to the

bottom line, according to RIB Report figures.

“Putting further pressure on business

owners is the continued negative trend in

that five of the last six quarters have brought

a fall in profit as a per cent of gross profit

(NDR),” says Nigel Harse, director, RIB Report.

“The RIB Average for the financial year-to-

date has fallen to a 16 per cent return, a

substantial 31 per cent decline on last year’s

return of 23 per cent.”

Changes in market demandChanges in market demand is another

factor of increasing concern, with a greater

percentage of sales now being achieved

in the professional and technical sectors

through higher pay and charge rates, and

much less being achieved within the lower

pay/charge, higher-volume sectors.

This change, Nigel says, has been propping

up top-line sales in the businesses that have

been able to obtain, adapt and service this

higher-value mix of business. “However,

because lower volumes and returns will

inherently put pressure on cash flow, the

situation needs to be the subject of

micromanagement without delay,” he cautions.

RIB Average top-line sales-per-participant

in Q3 fell 18 per cent on the previous quarter,

and is down nine per cent on last year,

reflecting a decline of just one per cent

for the financial year-to-date. Temp and

contractor sales have been propped up and

remain equal to last year, while perm sales

have dropped by 19 per cent. “The significant

reduction in positive cash generated by

perms is really starting to hurt some

organisations,” Nigel says.

“While most businesses will be happy

they’re maintaining top-line sales, the RIB

Average percentage return on sales for the

financial year-to-date is the lowest in the past

seven years, having dipped to 3.5 per cent,”

he continues. “For many businesses, this is

a long-term problem. The impact of these

shifting dynamics is reflected in the fact that

gross profit (NDR) in Q3 fell 13 per cent on

the previous quarter, and is 15 per cent down

on Q3 of last year. Year-to-date results reflect

a RIB Average fall of between ten and twenty

per cent.”

expenditure cutsGiven this painful level of decline in

operating income (gross profit or NDR), an

associated tightening of expenditure levels

would be expected. “However, the RIB

Average participant has been slow to

implement cuts, spending just two per cent

less than last year,” Nigel notes, adding that

while management and staffing costs for the

financial year-to-date are equal in value to

last year, they now account for 61 per cent

Recruitment industry trends

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june 2013 23

of gross profit (NDR), and in Q3 hit the unsustainable

level of 64 per cent. Total operating expenditure

for Q3 accounted for 88 per cent of gross profit,

and for the year to date has reached an increasingly

uncomfortable 84 per cent, where last year it sat

at 77 per cent.

Three of the last four quarters have seen a fall in

the RIB Average productivity-per-person. The Q3

gross profit result of $39,500 per person reflects

a nine per cent decline on the previous quarter,

making it the weakest result since Q4 in FY08-09.

For the financial year-to-date, gross profit per

person sits at $130,100, which equates to an eight

per cent decrease on last year. At the same time,

the RIB Average business cost per person has

been creeping up and now sits at $108,900 for

the year, resulting in profit per person falling from

a healthy $33,000 last year to just $21,200 so far

this year.

“It appears many organisations are trying hard

to weather the tough conditions and hold onto

their people and teams,” Nigel comments.

“However, this stance may need to be reconsidered

if conditions don’t improve soon. Now is the time

to take a hard look at projections for the next six

months, and then stay highly focused on achieving

a sustainable level of expenditure, ideally no more

than 76 per cent of gross profit.

“Sadly, we see little to suggest market conditions

will improve any time soon, so it’s really a case

of battling on through these interesting and

challenging times!”

Nigel Harse was interviewed for the RCSA

Journal by Rosemary Ann Ogilvie.

Nigel Harse, Director, The RIB Report

Greg Savage has thirty years’ experience at the coalface of the Australian recruitment industry, holds Board positions with five recruitment companies and consults to dozens of others. He has a compelling insight into how a recruitment company should operate in the new world, and in this series he shares what he would do if he started a new business tomorrow.

How it would be different? What would the strategy be? What sort of people would work there? What kind of technology? How would it be managed? What about sales and marketing? How would talent sourcing evolve?

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Adelaide Thursday 17 Oct 9am-12:30pm

Sydney Tuesday 22 Oct 9am-12:30pm

Melbourne Wednesday 23 Oct 9am-12:30pm

Auckland Thursday 24 Oct 1:30pm-5pm

For further information contact Vicky Wong: vwong@rcsa.com.au or call +61 2 9922 3477

ACUMENSPEAKERSERIES

2013RCSAACUMEN

SPEAKERSERIES

2013RCSA

ACUMENSPEAKERSERIES

2013RCSA

ACUMENSPEAKERSERIES

2013RCSA

RECRUITMENT

COACHING RECRUITERS

TOOLSSOCIAL NETWORKING

LEADERSHIP

TRENDS

CANDIDATECARE

CLIENTSKILLS

FUTURE-PROOF

TECHNIQUES

TECHNOLOGY

RECRUITMENT

COACHING RECRUITERS

TOOLSSOCIAL NETWORKING

LEADERSHIP

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FUTURE-PROOF

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RECRUITMENT

COACHING RECRUITERS

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TRENDS

CANDIDATECARE

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FUTURE-PROOF

TECHNIQUES

TECHNOLOGY

Brisbane

Melbourne

Auckland

Adelaide

Perth

Sydney

LAUNCHING THE INAUGURAL ACUMEN SERIES

RCSA Individual members – are you promoting yourself as an industry professional?Your RCSA membership sets you apart.If you are an Accredited Professional Recruiter, Member or Fellow of the RCSA you should be promoting your commitment to your profession and ethical conduct. Display your post nominal (APRCSA, MRCSA or FRCSA) and individual member logo on your business cards, email footer and online profiles.

You can download your logo after logging on to the RCSA website www.rcsa.com.au under Membership> Individual> Icons to use

Need help? Contact Victoria Hughes, Membership Manager on +61 3 9936 9414 or vhughes@rcsa.com.au

Principal Partner

FELLOW

june 2013 25

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

This recent RCSA Memo was prepared by Andrew Wood Hon FRCSA (Life), Barrister, Derwent & Tamar Chambers.

The purpose of this memo is to alert members to a trend that may constitute a serious challenge to a well established

business model in on-hire recruitment. We have been saying for some time that

temp-to-perm, contractor-to-perm and agency switching fees are susceptible to attack under the restraint of trade doctrine and, in some cases, under competition and consumer laws.

We have now started to see it happen and recently a member had to deal with a well-informed, sophisticated and mostly sound challenge to its contractor-to-perm fee, which was mounted by one of its workers.

It is worthwhile, therefore, spending some time outlining the nature of the issue.

Restraint of trade – not just an anti-poaching issue

Most members would be familiar with restraints of trade (RoT) in the guise of various “non-compete”, “non-solicitation”, and “anti-poaching” provisions.

Some members would recognise that they extend to various “no-direct-engagement” provisions found in temping, on-hire, contracting and locum documents both with the client and with the worker. The provisions that were challenged recently in the Informax v Clarius litigation were of this type.

However, only a handful of members would be likely to recognise that their temp-to-perm, contractor-to-perm and agency switching fees are equally susceptible to attack under the RoT doctrine and may be void. That was the outcome that awaited Earth Force Personnel when it sued Negri Pty Ltd to recover a temp-to-perm “introduction” fee. When it was unsuccessful in the Victorian Magistrates Court, it

appealed to the Supreme Court and Hargrave J found that its temp-to-perm “introduction” fee was void as it operated in restraint of trade.

“Whose trade?” you might be asking.The answer appears to be: the trade of

the client and the freedom to structure its workforce as it wished without the impediment of having to pay a fee; and the trade of the worker, whose ability to obtain work was impeded by the fee that Negri would have had to pay to Earth Force Personnel, had it employed him. That fee was a “disincentive” to Negri’s direct employment of the worker and therefore operated to impede his employment by Negri and limit his opportunities.

The RoT doctrine is not concerned with the form of the restraint; it is concerned with its effects – both on the party on whom it is imposed and on third parties (such as the worker in the Earth Force case), who are able to seek relief against enforcement.

Applications in two casesIn Earth Force, the recruiters argued that

temp-to-perm fees were such a common feature of on-hire transactions that they should be exempt from the RoT doctrine. The Victorian Supreme Court did not agree. In particular, it did not agree that temp-to-perm fee provisions were part of any industry standard or that the practice of charging them was of such uniform application with regard to the amount of the fee or the duration of the “introduction period” that they could be exempted. What is more, the Court found that the fees were excessive and unreasonable having regard to any legitimate interest that Earth Force might have had in preserving its workforce connection. Even if they had been a part of regular “trading society”, they would not have qualified for exemption from the RoT doctrine.

Towards the end of 2012, the Full Court of the Federal Court handed down its decision in Informax International Pty Ltd v Clarius Group Limited. That case was important for what it said about the legitimacy of the interests which Clarius sought to protect via a no-direct-engagement provision and the

reasonableness of the duration for which it was to operate.

It is now recognised that there are two approaches to assessing the reasonableness of the length of a restraint. 1. How long would it take a reasonably

competent replacement employee to show his or her effectiveness and to establish rapport with customers?

2. How long would it take to sever the relationship built up between a former employee and clients for whom the work was performed?These tests may produce different results.

The choice of tests depends on circumstances. Previously, they had not been worked out in an on-hire context.

In Clarius, the Full Court said that the risk to which the on-hirer was exposed was less than ordinarily faced by an employer from former employees, who were serving a customer or customers. There was no risk of Informax’ taking the whole of the work or custom from the recruiter. The risk was far more limited. It was confined to that custom which the recruiter would expect to provide through the contractor.

The Full Court could see no basis for a 12 months restraint (the client restraint) irrespective of the length of time of the contractor’s contract.

Working out a reasonable timeThe Full Court in Clarius said that the

short-term nature of the engagements organised by labour hire firms and the diminished nature of the exposure to risk compared to that generally faced by an employer from the solicitation of customers by a former long-term employee suggested that, ordinarily, adequate protection would be afforded for a labour hire firm by a shorter period of restraint than that which would be required by a former employer.

That view led it to outline the approach to be used when assessing the reasonableness of restraints of this type:

“Accordingly the preferable course is to focus on the time it would take for the labour hire firm to organise the introduction of a replacement worker including the time

Recruiter’s temp-to-perm fees under attackRCSA Individual

members – are you promoting yourself as an industry professional?Your RCSA membership sets you apart.If you are an Accredited Professional Recruiter, Member or Fellow of the RCSA you should be promoting your commitment to your profession and ethical conduct. Display your post nominal (APRCSA, MRCSA or FRCSA) and individual member logo on your business cards, email footer and online profiles.

You can download your logo after logging on to the RCSA website www.rcsa.com.au under Membership> Individual> Icons to use

Need help? Contact Victoria Hughes, Membership Manager on +61 3 9936 9414 or vhughes@rcsa.com.au

Principal Partner

FELLOW

RCSA JOURNAL26

bUSINESS mANAgEmENT ISSUES

that it can be expected that a competent replacement will be able to show his or her effectiveness and develop a rapport with the customer.”

In this case the Full Court considered that a restraint of four weeks was reasonable.

The Full Court rejected earlier decisions that had suggested that the proper approach was to work out how long it would take the recruiter to recover the cost (with a reasonable margin) of establishing the worker in the role.

What does it mean for recruiters?Several lessons can be taken from these

cases.1. Even though a fee provision might not

be considered as onerous a restraint as a “no-direct-engagement” provision, many temp-to-perm fee arrangements with restraint periods of six and 12 months are at risk of being considered unreasonable.

2. Restraint provisions that calculated duration according to the “cost recovery” approach will now be out of touch with the Full Court’s findings and should be revised.

3. Unless there is some “standardisation” of temp-to-perm fees (or at least the duration in which they may operate) temp-to-perm, contractor-to-perm and agency switching fees will continue to be subjected to the RoT doctrine. Standardisation may be difficult to achieve outside industry

regulation (as has happened in the U.K.) or by an authorised industry code (which would require a carefully prepared public benefit case focusing on several aspects of the “right to represent” and fee charging models)

4. Various drafting approaches to client and contractor documents utilising acknowledgments and similar techniques might go some way toward strengthening the contractual position of recruiters; but it will be important that recruiters who choose to use these techniques understand their limitations and do not engage in any conduct that would allow their contractual position to be weakened – e.g. misleading conduct that would see the contract set aside or varied.

5. Recruiters, who do not negotiate their temp-to-perm, contractor-to-perm and agency switching fees openly with clients, but embed them in standard form documentation; and who do not disclose their fees to their temps or contractors may be most at risk.

6. Recruiters, who do not match the restraints in their client documentation to those in their contractor documentation, will also be at risk.

7. Recruiters, who encounter resistance to their temp-to-perm; contractor-to-perm

and agency switching fees, should think

very carefully before they place their fee

claims in the hands of debt collectors as

they may find that, despite what may be

written in their contracts, they have no

legal basis for their claims.

We have looked here only at introduction

fees and restraints in on-hire and similar

environments. Permanent recruiters, with

“deemed introduction” provisions and long

duration “trailing placement” provisions will

not be exempt from the RoT doctrine.

RCSA Memos are prepared by RCSA Business Solutions service providers to assist RCSA Members to understand factual matters which impact upon operations. Further memos are available to RCSA Members at www.rcsa.com.au Members wishing to seek further information about this case or on other workplace relations, employee relations and human resources issues may do so by submitting any questions to bussolutions@rcsa.com.au

Disclaimer

This memo has been drafted to assist RCSA Members with a general understanding of the subject matter. This memo does not purport to be an exhaustive statement of all the legal or best practice requirements in the area. It is provided to RCSA Members as a guide only. Members are encouraged to obtain further advice from an appropriate professional source.

RCSA Workforce Info Line is a new arm of RSCA Business Solutions and an additional benefit for Corporate Members. WIL is an immediate telephone advice service in the three key areas of workplace/employment relations, work health and safety, and independent contracting.

Newsflash! Have you cracked it yet?No, we’re not referring to monthly targets, bicycle combination locks or the Da Vinci Code, but we are talking about a very specific Code – the RCSA Code for Professional Conduct.

All RCSA members agree to abide by the Code for Professional Conduct, but how many of you have actually read the Code and completed the online Code assessment training?

It’s a mandatory requirement for all members – corporate and individual – to complete the Code training within six weeks of becoming a member, and we would like to remind corporate members that this extends to all employees within your organisation.

In line with the Code review, RCSA is also undertaking a number of complementary projects to support the Code. Some of these include a review of the RCSA’s Service Delivery Standard (SDS) and the implementation of a new Code Training Enforcement process.• The RCSA SDS scheme is available to all

corporate members and is designed not only to support your business, but also to assist with compliance and risk management processes.

• More information on the Code Enforcement process will be communicated to members later this year.The aim of the RCSA is to offer relevant

industry-specific training, tools, resources and solutions and where necessary, access to specialist professional services, to our members. We continue to listen to member feedback and incorporate this feedback where possible with our own innovation to ensure that we are able to continually support members and our industry by judiciously promoting an ethical, socially responsible and sustainable range of industry specific services and solutions.

“In truth, whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.”

Lord Chesterfield of England, 1746.

Martin Barnett, RCSA Ethics, Compliance & Risk Manager

june 2013 27

The RCSA’s Service Delivery Standard sets a benchmark for recruitment best practice across Australia and New Zealand. The standard is similar to the international quality standard AS/

NZS ISO 9001 in many respects, but has been adapted to suit the activities of a recruitment service provider and addresses the specific areas relevant to recruitment such as candidate privacy.

Performance ratings have been collected on all RCSA members who are certified in the standard. This is a detailed, objective assessment made by a third party. The League Table lists the top performers – those who have achieved the highest ratings in performance. These are the Quality Leaders in the industry.

Current Ratings ProfileThe current rating of all agencies currently certified in the RCSA

SDS is shown in the profile below.

Seventeen per cent of the members certified have scored over eight out of ten. This is an increase on the results this time last year, when 14 per cent of the members scored eight or above.

These are members who have been certified for a number of years. One of these members originally became certified in 2005, one of the first members to take on this certification. The “youngest” member in this category took on the standard early in 2010.

At the other end of the profile, we have 17 per cent of the certified members scoring between 5.5 and 5.9. These are generally the “newbies”, those who achieved certification in recent years and are improving their quality system and embedding it in the way they work.

In the middle, we have the two-thirds of agencies whose systems are maturing and becoming self-sustaining. This means they will have clear and effective procedures for employment screening practices, suitable safety management systems in place, effective internal audits and ongoing service monitoring to address problems as they arise.

Some of the benefits of implementing a quality system are greater clarity in what is done, and greater control over the quality of the work performed. Many agency owners/managers have reported that they feel more confident they know what they are doing and what their staff are doing.

It is also interesting to note that quality is being asked for in more tenders. Particularly from government, but also from corporations who might themselves be certified in a quality standard, more tenders are asking for evidence that the recruitment agency has effective quality controls in place. The RCSA SDS, while much more recent onto the market than the AS/NZS ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard, is becoming more widely recognised as a useful and relevant quality standard for the industry.

League TableThis year at the top of the League Table we have nine RCSA

Members. Five of these companies were in the top place last year as well. Congratulations to all these agencies as this reflects the effort and the attention they put into achieving industry best practice.

League Table (rated 8.0 and above)• Beat Medical, Wollongong• Davidson Recruitment Group, Brisbane• Effective People, Canberra• Integrity Staffing, Perth• Medic Oncall, Melbourne• Nightingale Nursing, Sydney• Placer Management Group, Perth • Skilled Medical, Melbourne• Wavelength International, Sydney

The common factor across these nine agencies is not size. You might assume that a larger organisation has more resources to dedicate to quality management, but this is not the case. Three of the agencies have less than ten staff; in fact, as few as four staff.

The common factors are commitment and passion for providing service to candidates and clients that is reliable, transparent and meets relevant legislative obligations and customer requirements. The other factor is the years of experience as a quality business. Quality may be natural to some, but to develop the quality culture to a point where all staff and all procedures assume a quality commitment does take time and dedication.

Congratulations again to all who have achieved certification in the RCSA SDS, and in particular to those who have joined the elite group at the top of the League Table.

Dianne Gibert is the founder of Certex International Pty Ltd, (previously Fathom Business Architects). Certex is an accredited certification body providing certification services in the RCSA SDS and other recruitment industry standards, as well as the well known 9001 Quality Management, 4801 Occupational Health and Safety and 14001 Environmental Management standards.

If you have any questions about the RCSA Service Delivery Standard, or other certification standards relevant to the recruitment industry, please contact Dianne on 03 9585 8241, or email to info@certex.com.au.

SDS Awards: Quality Leaders in the industry

RCSA JOURNAL28

I’m a big believer that good comes from bad and while the self-preserving “secure work” campaign of the union movement frustrates me for its lack of real world awareness, the unity it has inspired across the business community has been a real plus.

I was recently invited to attend the Australian Industry Group PIR Conference in Canberra, where workplace relations

specialists from across the country meet, compare notes and are informed and “entertained” by a broad range of speakers. With the forthcoming Federal election front of mind, it was timely to hear presentations from the government, Coalition, ACTU and Greens on workplace relations and to compare their policies.

The Coalition’s Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Senator Eric Abetz, certainly didn’t give too much away, given the presentation was made prior to the recently released coalition policy on workplace relations. However, having met Senator Abetz on behalf of the RCSA only two weeks earlier, I was comforted to know that they understood the critical role played by the recruitment and on-hire sector in accommodating the ever-dynamic workforce needs of enterprise and government in a volatile world economy. Senator Abetz has since, within their policy, expressed a commitment to returning the scope of enterprise bargaining content to “matters pertaining” to the employment relationship in line with the High Court decision in Electrolux. This commitment is a great start for the recruitment and on-hire industry in that it is likely to result in greater restriction of EBA content which limits host organisation use of on-hire.

While I have a genuinely held belief that the ALP government recognises the importance of the on-hire sector within Australia and its contribution to job creation and productivity, I was concerned that the presentation by Senator Jacinta Collins, Parliamentary Secretary for Workplace Relations, focused only on the absence of policy at the time of the Coalition. That said, Minister Shorten’s adviser has always made herself available to the RCSA and we have welcomed the Minister’s focus on the future organisation of work rather than the backward-looking union campaign which is seeking to introduce further restrictions on non-traditional forms of employment and engagement. I was also encouraged by Senator Collins’ position that we “need a debate about the needs of the modern workplace”, something the Minister has been consistent on for some time now. This is a debate RCSA believes is sorely needed, without ideology or politics driving it.

Adam Bandt, the Green’s spokesperson on workplace relations was, not surprisingly, very much aligned with the union position that permanent employment was more preferable to other forms of employment and he continued to push the concept of “sustainable employment”. The Greens have presented three Bills which seek to promote the capacity of non-permanent employees with the opportunity to convert to permanent employment, and the RCSA is very clear that the Greens have limited interest in the contribution of the on-hire sector to the Australian economy. One of the more interesting aspects of the Adam Bandt presentation arose when he was asked whether the proposed new bullying complaints rights within the Fair Work Commission would extend to persons complaining of union officials’ behaviour. Mr Bandt argued that there was other law which could be used to prosecute such officials, including criminal law. When Mr Bandt was reminded that these laws equally apply to all other persons in the workplace and that union officials were seemingly being protected by the proposed

changes, he had little to say. Such double standards are, and will remain, concerning for all industry groups, including the RCSA. I found it interesting that Mr Bandt went out of his way to advise the audience that the Greens were not looking to take employment regulation back twenty to thirty years when, in my opinion, the lack of recognition of the critical role played by on-hire suggests otherwise.

When Dave Oliver, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), presented to the conference I was ready for a suite of allegations as to how non-traditional employment and “labour hire” was the cause of most problems in Australian society and I wasn’t disappointed. However, what intrigued me most was that Mr Oliver began his address with a focus on the consequences of “blind ideology”. While he was directing the criticism at the Victorian Government and their Building and Construction Code, he backed up with a similar claim that the Australian car industry was being “sacrificed on the altar of ideology” as well. My intrigue arises because one doesn’t need to look too far to see how ideology is driving the ACTU focus on turning back the work regulation clock by seeking to restrict “labour hire” in Australia.

Mr Oliver went on to articulate the four pillars of the reform being demanded of the government to address “insecure work” problems within Australia. The ACTU are arguing that:• insecure working arrangements such

as “labour hire”, fixed term contract employment, casual employment and independent contracting should only be used for “legitimate purposes”;

• employees should be given further rights to demand enforceable flexible working arrangements;

• a national scheme of portable leave entitlements should be introduced; and

• there should be better protection of ‘labour hire” workers through the introduction of unfair dismissal liability for host organisations where they exercise “substantial control”, as well as the

Canberra conference draws political focus on the on-hire sectorCharles Cameron reports.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

june 2013 29

introduction of licensing of “labour hire”, a legal concept known as “joint-employment”.

Mr Oliver’s focus on restricting “labour hire” to “legitimate purpose” was interesting, so I asked him what the ACTU believed was the “legitimate purpose” and what the basis for this determination was. Mr Oliver said that the legitimate purpose was to provide “top up” labour and to replace other workers on leave. He didn’t address the question of how this “legitimate purpose” had been determined, other than to rely upon his experiences within the manufacturing and metals sector as Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union.

However, what amused me most

about the ACTU presentation to the PIR Conference was Mr Oliver’s assertion that unions have a “history of working with the labour hire industry” and in support of this referred to the making of the Victorian Labour Hire Contractors Agreement, a pattern agreement made with an increasingly limited number of specialised on-hire organisations providing mechanical maintenance and shutdown labour hire services. Not surprisingly, there was no reference to the approaches made by the RCSA to determine points of common interest, to which the ACTU has not responded. This limited view of how to “work with” an industry tells me that it is

highly likely the on-hire sector will maintain its place on the union “altar of ideology” for many years to come – but there’s nothing new in that insight.

Contact Elise Zervos on 1 300 076 233 or email elise@execucon.com.au - www.execucon.com.au

Simple, affordable, effective solutionsoptimising the performance of

recruitment, on-boarding andlabour hire organisations

across Australia and New Zealand

Charles Cameron, RCSA Issues and Policy Advisor, Partner and Executive Director of FCB HR

ASSOCIATION NEWS

RCSA JOURNAL30

Discover how RCSA is utilising the social media space and find out how you can become better engaged with your association.

In 2012, RCSA embarked on a social media

strategy to provide greater service to its

members, increase attendance at its events

and to act as a facilitator to connect members

and the industry together. Twelve months

on, here’s how RCSA currently utilises the

social media space:

twitter RCSA’s Twitter profile might just be the

success story of the social media strategy,

with more than a thousand followers

choosing to follow the RCSA’s Twitter Feed.

RCSA uses Twitter to promote upcoming

events, post videos and share interesting

titbits with its followers. RCSA also encourages

its conference and workshop attendees to

tweet at live events and produces designated

hash tags for each occasion.

Join the RCSA Twitter Feed at:

Facebook

(recruitment and consulting services association australia & new Zealand)

Engagement with members and followers

on Facebook is building slowly. In the past

year, Facebook has allowed the association

to create and share a number of event photo albums. This year’s PEARL Cocktail evening features, as does the Gala Ball at Sydney’s Doltone House. Take a closer look – you just might find yourself in one of the photos – and don’t forget to add a tag!

Facebook allows RCSA to provide newsworthy information to its followers in real time – a real bonus as the association’s Newshub email is delivered fortnightly and the RCSA Journal quarterly.

In recent months, the Association has renewed its vigour to provide useful, timely and entertaining information to its Facebook followers. In early 2013, RCSA launched a Facebook campaign to build its following – with a goal of reaching 300 Likes.

To contribute to the Facebook discussion and get daily updates from RCSA on your newsfeed, click “Like” on the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association Australia and New Zealand page.

LinkedInRCSA has a number of specialty groups

that promote open discussion.RCSA Australia and New Zealand (over

1000 followers): Follow the group and promote your membership and support of RCSA.

Australia and New Zealand 3.0 Recruiters: This group is for Australia and New Zealand based Recruitment and HR professionals who wish to share resources, network and be part

of a successful online networking group. RCSA PEARL Mentoring Group:

Stay in touch with the current issues facing emerging and aspiring recruitment professionals.

RCSA Western Australia: RCSA’s first state-based group for Western Australian recruitment professionals. Would you like to start a dedicated page in your state or territory? If yes, contact RCSA Marketing Co-ordinator, Carly Fordred: cfrordred@rcsa.com.au

AMRANZ: The Association of Medical Recruiters of Australia and New Zealand (AMRANZ) is a member group under the auspices of RCSA. The AMRANZ group provides a network for recruitment consultancies whose business is the recruitment of medical practitioners into and within Australia and New Zealand.

ANRA: The Association of Nursing Recruitment Agencies (ANRA) represents the interests of nursing and healthcare recruitment agencies in Australia and New Zealand. ANRA is also a member group under the auspices of RCSA.

Simply enter the name of the group in the LinkedIn search bar and join your fellow RCSA members and industry colleagues.

Carly Fordred, RCSA Marketing Co-ordinator.

Get social with RCSA

ASSOCIATION NEWS

www.facebook.com/rcsaausnz

twitter.com/rcsaevents

www.linkedin.com/company/rcsa-australia-and-new-zealand andwww.linkedin.com/groups/australia-new-Zealand-30-recruiters-4524099/about

june 2013 31

Our VisionShaping our profession through standards, knowledge and influence.

Strategic Outcome 1RCSA membership is highly valued. RCSA membership is seen as being necessary for success. RCSA corporate and individual membership is attractive, understood, sought after and retained. RCSA membership provides highly valued and distinguishable benefits by identified member segments.

Strategic Outcome 2 RCSA is the lead provider of market-recognised Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The RCSA Learning Centre is recognised by corporate and individual members as the default source of education and training requirements. The RCSA Learning Centre provides consistently high quality continuing professional development across multiple channels both publicly and on a tailored inhouse delivery basis.

Strategic Outcome 3 RCSA is the centre of influence for member interests. RCSA input, research, guidance and advice is sought after by key workforce management stakeholders including government and regulatory bodies. RCSA’s position in relation to key industry issues is clear and understood by all stakeholders.

Strategic Outcome 4 RCSA Members are recognised as setting the industry benchmark through adherence to RCSA Standards. The RCSA Code for Professional Conduct and Service Delivery Standard are recognised as the quality industry standard and are a key member attraction and retention tool. Existing and prospective clients and candidates understand and value this important tangible difference between a member and a non-member. Are you an RCSA member? is the first question asked by clients and candidates of recruitment firms and recruitment professionals.

Strategic Outcome 5 RCSA’s future prosperity is ensured through the generation and responsible use of stakeholder funds. The RCSA operates at all times with a commercial focus.

RCSA Strategic Plan July 2013-June 2016

A brief introduction to your Association’s three-year plan

ASSOCIATION NEWS

RCSA Member Benefits

Qantas Club MembershipMembers have access to generous savings

when joining The Qantas Club via our travel provider’s* corporate scheme. With The Qantas Club, you can find a comfortable retreat where you can relax or keep working and enjoy a range of priority travel services. The more you fly, the more you will be rewarded!

For more information and prices contact your RCSA Member Benefits team on 1300 657 227 or email rcsa@memberbenefits.com.au.

*Our travel provider is the Cruise Traveller.

Motor Vehicle PurchaseThe Australasian Vehicle Buying Service

(AVBS) ensures the next new vehicle you purchase will be the easiest ever. Their sales consultants take all the time, stress and effort out of buying your new car and save you money with the equivalent of fleet pricing on a range of brand new makes and models.

Contact your RCSA Member Benefits Team by phone on 1300 657 227 or email rcsa@memberbenefits.com.au to be referred to an AVBS consultant. Offer only available on purchase of new make and model vehicles.

Oxford Funding rebrands to Bendigo Debtor Finance

In a move to expand the delivery of their specialist cash flow solutions, Bendigo Bank has rebranded its

wholly-owned debtor finance subsidiary Oxford Funding, integrating it with its equipment finance and trade finance teams.

Bendigo Bank’s Head of Business Finance Sales Chris Charleson said that this alignment would assist new and existing customers across the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group to better understand and benefit from the three complementary business finance solutions.

“We were operating under the Oxford Funding brand until April 2013 – now as Bendigo Debtor Finance, we are the same experienced debtor finance specialist and will continue to lead the way in providing tailored solutions for a broader customer base,” he said.

RCSA JOURNAL32

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The RCSA has been providing skills training to members for many years. Recently they set out to provide a pathway for emerging and aspiring leaders and to support the perception of professionalism in the industry. The solution – a mentoring program run across the industry, and across Australia and New Zealand at the same time! Vanessa Fudge and Ben Marris explain.

The 2012 mentoring program was designed by the PEARL (Professional Emerging & Aspiring Recruitment Leaders) committee in conjunction with AltusQ. The objectives of the program were to foster relationships that were mutually beneficial for mentors and mentees and to contribute to the profession and the industry. The vision – to create an industry that will attract new leaders due to its image as a reputable profession.

To achieve a professional and consistent experience, the RCSA needed to develop a program with clear objectives, structure, training, and review processes built in. They also needed consistent delivery of the program across all states of Australia and in New Zealand, preferably by locally based experts.

“AltusQ has strong experience with corporate in-house mentoring programs over a number of years, great intellectual property and materials, a network of offices across Australia and New Zealand and they know how to engage with professionals from across our industry,” RCSA CEO Steve Granland commented. AltusQ helped RCSA

develop the complete mentoring program. This included the design of the program, confirmation of measurement of success, development of supporting material and agreement on ethical guidelines – as mentors were being matched with mentees from different organisations.

AltusQ then bought in its team in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Auckland to run:1. induction sessions for mentors and mentees 2. training for mentors and mentees3. quarterly mentor and mentee meets,

and the closing sessions.The results of the 2012-2013 program

speak for themselves• one hundred per cent of mentors and 94

per cent of mentees would recommend the program to others! (likely or highly likely)

• 75 per cent of mentees reported a better perception of how professional they believe the industry is as a result of their experience in the program

• 79 per cent of mentors have volunteered to be a mentor again with the second intake of the mentees in the 2013 program.Both mentors and mentees also reported

that they were able to apply the skills they learned to their core roles. Mentors also reported that they had developed their leadership skills including better listening skills, better insight into their own biases, how to effectively provide feedback, and how to manage their own staff’s self awareness.

RCSA and AltusQ have now taken the key learning’s from the PEARL Mentoring program 2012 and are applying it to this year’s 2013 program.

Industry-wide mentoring – a “PEARL” of an idea

Vanessa Fudge and Ben Marris, Altus Q, experiential coaching

New RCSA Director appointed

Karen Colfer MRCSA was recently appointed to the RCSA Board. Karen is Vice President and

Managing Director of Kelly Services Australia and New Zealand.

Karen has more than 25 years’ experience in the operational and strategic management of large-scale, multi-divisional recruitment businesses. She oversees all Kelly Services’ operations, its Staffing, Professional and Technical divisions and corporate functions as well as leading the growth and expansion of Kelly’s businesses and investment opportunities in the trans-Tasman region.

Region COunCILS

Region Chairs

NSW/ACT Tracy Morgan FRCSA

New Zealand Paul Robinson MRCSA

QLD/NT Denis Dadds FRCSA

SA Matthew Hobby FRCSA

VIC/TAS Phil Isard FRCSA

WA Scott Van Heurck FRCSA

Sub-Region Chair

ACT Des Linehan FRCSA

Member Groups Chairs

ANRA Council Alan Bell FRCSA

AMRANZ Council Shaun Hughston APRCSA

june 2013 33

ASSOCIATION NEWS

In the mediaThe RCSA has distributed twelve media releases in the last quarter and achieved excellent media coverage.Media releases• Recruitment and Consulting

Services Association announces Kelly Services appointment to Board

• Recruitment and Consulting Services Association Conference: Building a competitive advantage: Cameron Judson and Damian Johnson

• RCSA details results of On-hire Sector Safety Symposium

• Leading into the Future - 2013 RCSA International Conference keynote speaker, Bob Anderson

• Transitioning through the “third space” with Dr Adam Fraser

• 2013 RCSA PEARL Award region finalists announced last night

• Labour hire safety performance excellent again in Victoria

• Scholarship announced for agency nurses

• Speakers set to dazzle at RCSA PEARL Consultant Forum

• 2013 RCSA Awards – nominations closing soon

• CEOs to headline RCSA breakfasts• Union calls for portable leave

funds misaligned with workers preferences.

Media coverageSource: Shortlist• Chandler Macleod CEO and

staffing boss to address RCSA conference

• Karen Colfer joins RCSA board• Employment Services system

worse off for lack of recruitment industry participation: RCSA

• More co-operation needed to improve on-hire safety: RCSA

• How many on-hire workers are there?

• Leadership expert to address RCSA Conference

• Staff turnover driven by structural change, not billing expectations: RCSA president

• Recruiters urged to use the “third space”

• “No commission” doesn’t work, says sales trainer

• No more quick wins from internal recruitment teams, says industry trainer

• Coach consultants to use deep interviewing techniques

• RCSA recognises emerging leaders • How to prevent employee fraud

and theft: RCSA • High-volume job boards can

damage your brand: LinkedIn • RCSA calls for recruitment mentors • Recruiters have two sets of

concerns: RCSA • We’ve yet to see evidence of

overuse: RCSA • On-hire workers’ comp claims

decline in Victoria • Speakers set to dazzle at RCSA

PEARL Consultant Forum • How to be a successful

recruitment leader • ANRA launches scholarship for

agency nurses • Recruitment sector a scapegoat:

RCSA • Uncertainty affecting acquisition

talks, says DFP CEO • RCSA award nominations closing • What the hell’s a generalist

recruiter? • RCSA secures university pathway

for diploma graduates• Unpaid internships not a real issue

in recruitment RCSA• ACTU portable leave scheme

unworkable, says RCSA• Fake candidate scam still around• RCSA event targets emerging

recruitment leaders.Source: humanresourcesmagazine• Stay ahead of change and

remain relevant.

Business Solutions Memos & Guidance NotesRecently issued for Corporate Members:• To assess or not to assess

- that is the question: the case for compliance training without a component of formal assessment

• Migration amendment (Reform of Employer Sanctions) Act 2013

• The Face Off, online training vs. face-to-face delivery 

• Fair Work Commission confirms that casuals are not entitled to redundancy

• New employer sanctions legislation to affect the way recruiters and employers manage their temporary resident employees in Australia

• Recruiters temp-to-perm fees under attack

• UNSW fined $135,000 for simply sitting back after producing safety rules

• Superannuation Guarantee compulsory contributions to increase from 9 per cent to 12 per cent by 2019

• The effects of ATO Taxation Determination TD 2013/14 regarding the living-away-from-home allowance (LAFHA)

• Power of one not enough: workplace agreements must cover more than one employee

• Weather forecast - adverse action followed by reinstatement

• Further amendments to the Fair Work Act will impact the on-hire sector

• FWO Commissioned Report into Unpaid Work says recruitment sector a problem

• The importance of business valuations

• Update on superannuation reporting on payslips

• Keep Calm and Carry On: information for employers on responding to natural disasters

• Candidate background checks: are they worth the money.

RCSARESEARCHCENTRE

RCSA JOURNAL34

ASSOCIATION NEWS

AMR AnzAnR A

By Shaun Hughston, AMRANZ PresidentEvery now and again, we receive a call

from a candidate looking for a second chance. Sometimes a third or fourth chance, or more likely, a last chance. This isn’t unique to medical recruitment, and it’s a call every consultant gets at least once in a career - probably many times. In fact, our recent survey of AMRANZ members pointed to a tougher candidate market with members saying they felt a key challenge is the growing number of second chance candidates.

In healthcare recruitment, it is somewhat easier for us to spot candidates with a history of problems, because we can access an online professional registration database, which should tell us of any suspensions, conditions, or warnings.

The conversation usually goes something like this, generally towards the end of the interview:

Candidate: “There is something else I need to let you know”.

Consultant: “Uh huh” (knowing where this is heading).

Candidate: “I have conditions on my professional registration that relate to (insert theft of medication, medicare fraud, criminal charges, or gross incompetence). This all happened a long time ago. Of course, none of that is true, and I am mounting a case against XYZ to exonerate myself. Please can you find me some work, as no employer I have spoken with will work with me. You’re my last chance. I am perfectly competent”.

I have been in this situation as a consultant more times than I can remember. The stories are almost always compelling, often very sad, and I have genuinely felt for some of the people in these situations. What has always surprised me is the candidness of candidates - they are willing to tell you their story, warts and all (albeit from their own view of the world).

Do consultants show them the kerb, ask more questions, or do they actually take them on as a candidate? What will our clients think when we send them a candidate who has committed fraud, or taken all the morphine supplies home?

In healthcare, most of the candidates of this nature have had their professional registration reinstated with conditions (e.g. supervision, consultation with a medical specialist, etc). Therefore, a professional

body has ruled that they can now work. Should we place all faith and trust in the almighty regulation authority?

The central question here is the one of the second chance. If someone has shown gross incompetence in the past, should we look at what they have done between then and now to improve or change? How long do we need to wait between the initial incident and when they start working again? Two years? Five years? Ten years? Are there some transgressions that can never be forgiven, even if they are now registered?

There are so many “what ifs” and variables that it is sometimes impossible to get these candidates back into work. My advice is to listen, and take a compassionate view - don’t dismiss a potential candidate out of hand. Obviously, commercial considerations come into play, but it’s worth hearing their side of the story.

During the last AMRANZ members meeting we asked recruitment industry commentator, Paul Slezak for a few tips on how consultants may handle situations such as these.

“Candidate care is critical for any recruitment consultant who wants to be successful. This is part of your job. You’ll lose candidates if you don’t look after them” he said. “Looking after your candidate is about staying in regular contact, finding out what other interviews they are attending, providing timely feedback, and letting them know that you are representing them to the best of your ability”.

Tips when dealing with candidates who have “a story to tell’ include:• Remove emotion at all times.

Deal only with the facts.• Ask yourself if you were hiring this

person and were made aware of a certain piece of information, would you personally make the hire. If the answer is no, then don’t represent them.

• Conduct even more in-depth reference checks than you would normally do. You have to get to the bottom of it.

• It’s better to be frank and direct with the candidate than to lead them on with promises you won’t fulfil.

ANRA, the ANF and ME Bank have launched the ME Bank Agency Nurses Scholarship, a $10,000 scholarship specifically for agency nurses. The scholarship will provide a unique opportunity for nurses, midwives, assistants in nursing and personal care workers working with ANRA member agencies to access continuing professional development (CPD) through a national scholarship program.

Applications for scholarships close on June 30, 2013. Application forms and further information are available by following the ME Bank Agency Nurses scholarships weblink from the RCSA website at www.rcsa.com.au

The Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer from Queensland Health, Padraigh O’Luanaigh spoke to ANRA members on 23 April to provide an update on arrangements following the demise of the Nurse on Q system and an insight into future trends and structures for the delivery of health services in Queensland.

ANRA has also held several meetings with Health Purchasing Victoria (HPV) during March and April to address issues that restrict contracted agencies from revising their rate cards at the time of changes in industrial instruments and the EBA. HPV will release a tender for an expanded scope of Clinical and Support services to public health facilities in Victoria in early June.

The recent ANRA Professional Development Series meeting was held on 13 June in Auckland New Zealand - the first time a meeting of ANRA Members has been held in New Zealand. This will be followed on 23 August by the ANRA Industry Forum in Sydney.

Details of the ANRA Industry Forum and the last ANRA Professional Development series meeting for the year on 15 November in Brisbane will be available from the ANRA Events listing on the ANRA website at www.rcsa.com.au

anraAssociation of NursingRecruitment Agencies

june 2013 35

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Participation will unlock a future workforceIn 2010 the Australian Government’s Intergenerational report identified increasing participation in the workforce as key to unlocking greater productivity and economic and social benefits for the country. But, economic growth is not the only reason why participation matters, Simon Schweigert reports.

Higher workforce participation can also reduce the fiscal pressures associated with providing welfare

support and serve social inclusion and equity goals. Against a backdrop of population ageing, reducing labour supply growth and diminishing future growth prospects, discussion about levels of participation in the workforce has remained a constant for policymakers.

In the post-GFC labour market, participation in the workforce presents a number of challenges. While Australia enjoys an overall labour force participation rate of 65 per cent today, this is expected to drop to 61 per cent by 20501 focusing on the need to increase the level of workforce participation within all sectors of the population. Australia is ranked ninth among OECD countries, and opportunities exist to increase the participation rate in cohorts such as older men and women (55 to 64 years), women of child-bearing age (25 to 44 years), and people receiving disability benefits who continue to face significant barriers to work, as well as school leavers and younger Australians.

Research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported recently in the media identifies a growing number of young Australians who are not in work or full-time education2. While school retention rates have soared, in part as a result of the changing jobs market, this highlights the need for a

focus on workforce participation across all sectors of the population.

In response to these challenges, the RCSA has established a Workforce Participation Forum to co-ordinate an industry-wide response. The Forum will represent the recruitment industry and RCSA members with an industry voice and perspective to government, industry and employers, around the key opportunities and challenges regarding increasing participation in the workforce.

This is a member forum of the RCSA with participation open to all Corporate and Individual RCSA members. A Steering Panel has been appointed to provide leadership to the Forum in developing a work-plan for its activity. Steering Panel members are: Lincoln Crawley, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand of Manpower Group and RCSA President; Steve Shepherd, Group Director at Randstad; Sally Sinclair, CEO of NESA (National Employment Services Association); Chris Turner, Group Manager – Workplace Relations at Adecco; and John Cooper, Managing Director of Circle Recruitment.

Aside from the economic and long-term benefits to the economy of participation in the workforce, much has been written about the social benefits of participation. Lack of employment is a key contributor to social exclusion, and is connected with a range of problems from mental health through to intergenerational poverty. RCSA’s Participation Forum will bring together research and information from Australia and internationally to provide members with insights and resources in this area.

Retaining a workforce is another key strategy to increasing workforce participation. While the rate of workforce retention within an organisation tends to fluctuate as economic cycles and the demand for labour changes, the benefits of striking the right balance between providing a workplace that meets the needs and expectations of the workforce and one that is productive and meets the needs of customers are widely recognised.

An illustration of this is shown in the

exit rate for nurses and healthcare workers during the past decade which in the period 2007-2009 was a low 0.5 per cent nationally, compared with two to three per cent during the period 2001-2006, and as high as seven per cent for new entrants leaving the profession within the first two years3. With that in mind, Health Workforce Australia estimates that if Australia’s healthcare organisations increased their retention of staff by twenty per cent, this alone will reduce by 23,000 a predicted shortage of 80,000 nurses in 2025. A particular characteristic of this workforce has been a substantial reduction in the exit rate of nurses after they reach 55 years which has fallen from 14 per cent in the period 2001-2006 down to two per cent in the period 2007-2009.

However, increasing the level of workforce participation requires a balanced approach that addresses a number of areas such as education and pathways to work, productivity reforms and the design of workplace structures.

if you would like to learn more about the rcsa Participation Forum please contact simon schweigert at the rcsa via email: sschweigert@rcsa.com.au or telephone: (03) 9663 0555.

1. Intergenerational Report 2010

2. Grey force for a new age, The Age May 18 - www.theage.com.au/national/-2js5w.html

3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Nursing and Midwifery Labour Force Survey, 2001 to 2009

RCSA JOURNAL36

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The future of the recruitment industry Paul Robinson MRCSA, NZ President reports.

The past few months has been an

exciting time in the recruitment

industry with key developments

receiving airtime in recent weeks. A major

player in our industry confirmed it has plans

in place to open its candidate database to

clients in the near future. This news certainly

had some impact in our region, leaving some

to assess how this will affect our industry in

the long term.

While it’s true that it will certainly shake

things up, it will pay to be mindful that the

true value of the recruitment partner-client-

candidate relationship remains at the

core of what we do. Simply put, matching

the best people with the best companies in a

timely and cost effective way is still the art of

the recruitment partner.

With the emergence of LinkedIn, Facebook

and other digital channels, access to a vast

pool of candidates has been a reality for

some time and with ever more sophisticated

ways of targeting candidates digitally, the

ability to reach the best candidates will soon

be a question of how smart your sourcing

strategy has become. However the key

questions remain: are they the best fit for the

organisation and is it the best career choice

for your candidate?

Ultimately, clients expect the industry to

provide the best, most seamless matching

process to not only enhance their own talent

acquisition strategies, but to provide the

guarantee of a back-up plan if things don’t

work out. Our industry is in a very strong

New Zealand Update

Paul Robinson MRCSA, RCSA NZ President and Director of Randstad New Zealand.

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As an industry, our focus has to remain on the service we provide, the additional value we add to clients...

june 2013 37

ASSOCIATION NEWS

WIL is the Workforce Info Line for RCSA NZ Corporate members.Instant and expert advice just a phone call away for:

Employment relations

Work health and safety

Independent contracting

The Workforce Info Line will be delivered in New Zealand by Adelhelm & Associates.

Have your Corporate Member ID ready to quote and phone WIL direct on

0800 7272 69(0800 RCSA NZ)

For all other business operations enquiries email bussolutions@rcsa.com.au

For full details on the WIL service go to

www.rcsa.com.au

WIL’scomingto NZ

andhe’s here

to stay!

3

2

1

 

 

   

Recruitment Firm’s Advertisement breached the Advertising Standards Code 9 October 2001

Recruitment Agency puts forward candidate now facing fraud and dishonesty charges posted kiwiblog.co.nz November 24, 2008

Recruitment firms fined for boycotting rival 30 September 2009

Recruitment Consultant Unjustifiably Dismissed. 7 January 2008

Insurance  Specialists  for  Recruitment  Agencies  

 www.i2ibrokers.co.nz    

Contact  Kirsty@i2ibrokers.co.nz  

 

         

 

Recruitment agency discloses applicant's email address to other email recipients August 2008

 Recruitment Company recommends convicted fraudster for $75,000 job 12 February 2004

Are  you  and  your  Insurance  Broker  on  the  same  page?      Time  to  revisit  exactly  what  you’re  covered  for  don’t  you  

think?  

Recruitment firms need more checks May 08, 2002  

Are you and your NZ Insurance Broker on the same page?

Time to revisit exactly what you’re covered for don’t you think?

Recruitment Firm’s Advertisement breached the Advertising Standards Code

9 October, 2001

Recruitment firms need more checks

8 May, 2002

Recruitment Company recommends convicted

fraudster for $75,000 job12 February, 2004

Recruitment Consultant Unjustifiably Dismissed

7 January, 2008

Recruitment Agency puts forward candidate now facing fraud and dishonesty charges

(Posted kiwiblog.co.nz)24 November, 2008

Recruitment firms fined for boycotting rival

30 September, 2009

position to deliver this service in

ever more innovative and cost

effective ways.

As an industry, our focus has

to remain on the service we

provide, the additional value we

add to clients, the way we

deliver talent to organisations

and remaining focused on

long-term solutions. But don’t

lose sight of the power of

candidate relationships.

Assisting your candidates to

make sound career choices

through learning about their

goals and aspirations and

providing them with sound

advice makes the recruitment

consultant uniquely placed to

create a match where others

might see no possibility.

It goes without saying: to

remain at the forefront of new

and innovative sourcing

channels to develop your

candidate network more

effectively is critical to the

long-term survival of the

industry. What will be of

increasing importance and

relevance is the speed with

which you do so and being able

to offer a cost-effective and

mutually beneficial solution.

Staying focused on your clients

and how their organisations

evolve over time, while

developing your candidate

relationships is paramount to

the long-term value of your

relationship as a key business

partner.

RCSA JOURNAL38

Where does one begin? I joined the recruitment profession in 1980, having spent several years

predominantly in service oriented roles, in Christchurch. A strong customer service background was a pre-requisite for consulting in the ‘80s. I’m told it’s called “customer relationship building” nowadays. Although I was to commence in perm consulting, my employer at the time lured me back on the basis of my desire to pursue a sales role. This lasted about six months before I finally started consulting for Drake, fortunately in the temp consulting arena. I say fortunately because, as I was to find out much later, perm consulting simply wasn’t fast enough for me.

Technology, as we know it today, didn’t exist on a global basis. Email? Client/candidate database? Never mind social media? No! Top technology of the day were telex machines, fax machines and electric typewriters (very few computers/word processors). Significant numbers of forests were milled for the amount of paper utilised for our clients and candidates. The mobile phone did arrive in the early ‘80s; as many will recall it was more of a brick that we carried around. And yet, the speed with which we filled temp assignments then, and I still believe this, was actioned faster than the databases of today.

Transferring via Wellington for a year to Auckland in early 1984 to manage the three branch temp operation, we continued the fast growth phase. Before the “crash” of ’87, we had somewhere in the region of 300+ temps on assignment every day; usually managed by only two to three consultants. It was normal to “fill” 15-20 assignments every Monday. Assignment duration, then, was somewhat shorter than now. A “long-term” assignment was a month. The tendering process did, fortunately, lend itself to the advent of three to six month assignment timeframes.

In 1989 Drake secured the project for the employment of both contract and voluntary personnel for the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. During the screening phase of locating 5,000 voluntary individuals, I was “head hunted” by the Executive Officer

for the Games Village in Glen Innes. I’d had prior experience in hospitality and I was “persuaded” or “sweet-talked” – not quite sure which really – into the role of “House Manager” for the Village. Three hundred houses for athletes and their team officials; just as many volunteers to assist me and 16-18 hour days were the norm in the planning, implementation and physical setup of the village “houses”, dining area and security processes, before the athletes arrived. The sheer scope of this exercise was daunting. Some of the stories I might recall could probably have me litigated against today.

Where to from here? Back to recruitment, of course. Why? Simply put, as many others have also said, it’s in my blood. It’s my passion! There is nothing more satisfying than placing a talented individual with a like-minded employer … for a day, a week, months, permanently!

A brief return to Drake. Initially in the executive placement market, back into management of the perm and temp office divisions … then, redundancy. Fantastic! Self-employment, here I come! From the late ‘80s, I had taken up the challenge of volunteering for the RCSA on the Auckland Committee. My company encompassed consultant training, strategic planning and trouble-shooting projects for numerous recruitment companies in New Zealand. This evolved, naturally, into the first recruitment-to-recruitment company in NZ, having provided consultancy services for Rosemary Scott, another Life Fellow of the RCSA, from time to time. I’m not sure how to explain the ability I seem to have in locating individuals that, ultimately, have become outstanding recruiters and managers in our profession; a great many of whom who have gone on to open some of NZ’s leading recruitment agencies and take up roles on the RSCA and also took up the challenges of advising government/select committee regarding policy changes.

From 1996 to this current day, feeling a little short on having sufficient challenges, the distribution of SkillCheck testing software and – subsequently - internet-based licenses was encapsulated into my business. The “rec to rec” business arm had – by about 2004 –

been closed; largely as a result of too much travel, enjoyment of voluntary work … with more to come in a different arena altogether, and the acceptance of running the RCSA NZ Secretariat in 2003 for a few years.

My friend, Vanessa, was responsible for encouraging me to assist (voluntarily) a certain political party in NZ about 2008.

The electorate candidate, who had been placed by me in recruitment some years ago, is now a prominent Cabinet Minister. I still run her events and continue to have the privilege of meeting a number of government ministers as well as our Prime Minister on a regular basis.

Highlights? No shortage of them. I love the recruitment industry and will continue to be of service till death us do part, most likely. The 1990 Games project, regardless of the hours.

Although now out of the “coalface” of recruitment, being a small part of the profession’s evolvement and growth over thirty-odd years continues to inspire me.

There is absolutely no alternative for a solid foundation of training and on-going professional development in the pursuit of a successful career in this worthy profession of ours. I am an absolute believer in this.

Going forward: the challenges of operating in a global environment will continue as has already been proven with the internet and social media. However, a word of caution. I consider that social media, while here to stay, is now creating a style of employment discrimination that may well become a topic of debate in the very near future. Don’t get me wrong. I use some social media myself, albeit very cautiously.

In the meantime, finding a bit of time for a spot of trout fishing, jumping out of the odd plane, enjoying the company of many friends made in – and outside – the industry and zooming around the countryside in my lad’s classic sportscars continues to be regarded as a competition between that and work. And … if I can’t have a laugh at least once a day, I’m in danger of being a bore.

Kris Hope-Cross FRCSA (Life)Life member Profile

ASSOCIATION NEWS

june 2013 39

More organisations are seeking to work with suppliers who have a commitment to an industry or professional associationAn increasing number of recruitment and on-hire requests for tender are looking for membership of a peak body.

In recent tenders the following organisations included a question related to membership of a professional or industry association:

• OriginEnergy• BrisbaneCityCouncil• NationalBroadband

Network• GMHolden• CSR• LandInformationNew

Zealand

• RegencyMedia• LG• WaterCorporationWA• Toshiba• EdithCowanUniversity• Westpac• Deloitte• CityofStirling

• DarwinCityCouncil• AustraliaPost• TAC&WorksafeVictoria• WalgaWAGovernment• NSWGovernment• NSWHealth

• ATO.

Your RCSA Corporate membership is valued by decision makers who are searching for recruitment and consulting expertise and services.

Your RCSA Corporate membership sets you apart.

Principal Partner

Find us online at: FREE CALL: 1300 133 151 | www.learningseat.com/demonstra�on

RCSA JOURNAL40

ASSOCIATION NEWS

RCSA Partners and Premium SupportersThe RCSA Supporters Program, launched in November 2010, provides a tangible and strong connection to the recruitment industry. Becoming a RCSA Supporter sends a message of commitment to the recruitment industry and to your existing and prospective clients. You can use the RCSA Supporter program to expand your profile, grow networks and

improve business opportunities with the recruitment, on-hire and workforce consulting sector.

The RCSA is proud to welcome the organisations listed below to the Supporters Program, led by Principal Partner Kinetic Super and Business Partner OAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd.

For information about joining the RCSA Supporters Program, contact Julie Morrison, RCSA Manager Marketing & Communications, Telephone +61 3 9663 0555 or email jmorrison@rcsa.com.au

RCSA PREMIUM SUPPORTER PROFILES

RCSA Premium Supporter & Principal PartnerKinetic Super

RCSA Premium Supporter & Business PartnerOAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd

RCSA Premium Supportersastutepayroll.comCareerOneFastTrack Pty LtdFairfax MediaLearning Seat Pty LtdNews AustraliaPendragon ManagementRecruitment Systems Pty LtdSDP Solutions Pty LtdScottish Pacific BenchmarkWorkPro Workdesk Recruitment Software

NZ RCSA Premium SupporterSEEK NZ

RCSA Supporters Absolute Immigration Services

Advertiser Newspapers Pty LimitedAHRI – Australian Human Resources InstituteAltusQAndrew Cameron SolicitorsAyers Management Pty LtdBank of QueenslandBendigo BankBibby Financial Services Australia Pty LtdBook Builders Pty LtdBULLHORNCDAACertexConsortio Pty LimitedCXC Global – Head OfficeDeloitteDingu BlueEtz Timesheet Solutions Pty LtdExecuCon Pty LtdFathom Business ArchitectsFCB Group Geoffrey Nathan Consulting IncGlimmer Management ConsultantsGreenBizCheck

HHMC Australia Pty LimitedInsideTrakIProfileJob CapitalJXT ConsultingKandula Pty Ltd Lander & Rogers LawyersLexin Technologies Pty LtdLifestyle CareersLipman JamesMatheson PublishingMemberBenefits Pty LtdMindset GroupNewsLocalNext Telecom NFC Global Pty LtdNMIT – Preston Campus – BECNPA Worldwide Recruiting NetworkOnetest Pty LtdPerry Watson DesignQuinntessential Marketing Consulting Pty LtdRigzoneSage MicrOpay Pty LtdSaxton Corporation Pty Ltd

Selectus Pty Ltd

SGMC Australia Pty Ltd

Skillcheck Pacific Pty Ltd

SymbionHR Pty Ltd

The Canberra Times

The RIB Report

Verify Holdings Australia Pty Ltd

Voyager Software (Australia) Pty Ltd

vSure

NZ RCSA SupportersEEO Trust – Equal Employment Opportunities Trust

First Business Connects Limited

Human Resources Institute of New Zealand – HRI

I2I Insurance Brokers Ltd

Jobs.co.nz

Ministry of Social Development NZ, Work & Income

Secured Signing Ltd

The Dominion Post

The Press

Kinetic SuperRCSA Premium Supporter & Principal PartnerKinetic Super is an industry fund with over 20 years’ experience in managing super savings. Previously, Professional Associations Super was made up of four divisions including RecruitmentSuper, Accountants Super, Australian Enterprise Super and SMARTpension, which have now been brought together under one new name, Kinetic Super.

We have been a partner to the RCSA for over 20 years, and we are excited by the opportunities ahead of us.

To learn more about Kinetic Super visit: www.kineticsuper.com.au

OAMPS Insurance Brokers LtdRCSA Premium Supporter & Business Partner

OAMPS Insurance Brokers is one of Australia’s leading insurance brokers with strong relationships with all major insurers across Australia and overseas. We are the leading insurance broker for recruitment agencies and their contractors and have provided the industry with insurance and risk management solutions for over ten years. Our ability to provide innovative products in local and global insurance markets is what sets us apart from our competitors. Contact OAMPS today www.oamps.com.au/recruit Phone: 1800 552 551

CareerOneRCSA Premium Supporter

CareerOne offers national reach through its website and across 130 metropolitan, regional and local News Limited papers. Whether you’re looking for a single new employee or an entire team, CareerOne.com.au makes it easy to advertise online. With an audience of over 1.7 million searching for jobs on CareerOne.com.au every month, shouldn’t one of Australia’s leading online job boards be part of your recruitment strategy?

1. Source: Nielsen Online, Market Intelligence, Domestic Unique Browsers, November 2010

june 2013 41

ASSOCIATION NEWS

RCSA Premium Supporter & Principal Partner

RCSA Premium Supporter & Business Partner

RCSA Board, Life Members and Fellows*

RCSA Australia & New ZealandPO box 18028, Collins Street East, VIC 8003 Australia

Toll free Aus: 1300 727 504 Toll free NZ: 0800 448 299

fax: 61 3 9663 5099

Email: info@rcsa.com.au Website: www.rcsa.com.au

RCSA Board PresidentLincoln Crawley FRCSA

Vice PresidentsRobert van Stokrom FRCSA

Jacqui Barratt FRCSA

DirectorsBob Olivier FRCSA

Matthew McArthur FRCSA (Life)

Denis Dadds FRCSA

Peter Langford FRCSA

Steve Heather MRCSA

Alan Bell FRCSA

Matthew Hobby FRCSAKaren Colfer MRCSA

RCSA Life Fellows Pauline Ashleigh-Marum FRCSA (Life)Jim Bailey FRCSA (Life)Robert Blanche FRCSA (Life)Dorothy Caldicott FRCSA (Life)Mike Carroll FRCSA (Life)Nanette Carroll FRCSA (Life)Jane Fanselow FRCSA (Life)Ross Fisher FRCSA (Life)Peter Gleeson FRCSA (Life)Larry Grima FRCSA (Life)Michael Hall FRCSA (Life)Sue Healy FRCSA (Life)Kris Hope-Cross FRCSA (Life)Malcolm Jackman FRCSA (Life)Graham Jenkins FRCSA (Life)Dawne Kelleher FRCSA (Life)Barry T Knight FRCSA (Life)Roger Lampen FRCSA (Life)Ruth Levinsohn FRCSA (Life)Reg Maxwell FRCSA (Life)

John McArthur FRCSA (Life)Matthew McArthur FRCSA (Life)Sylvia Moreno FRCSA (Life)Helen Olivier FRCSA (Life)E. Leigh Olson FRCSA (Life)V John Plummer FRCSA (Life)John Plummer FRCSA (Life)Wendy Rae FRCSA (Life)Beryl Rowan FRCSA (Life)Julie Sattler OAM FRCSA (Life)Greg Savage FRCSA (Life)Rosemary Scott FRCSA (Life)David Shave FRCSA (Life)Kim Shearn FRCSA (Life)Stephen Shepherd FRCSA (Life)Geoff Slade FRCSA (Life)Kaye Strain FRCSA (Life)Jean Tait FRCSA (Life)Rodney Troian FRCSA (Life)Janet Vallino FRCSA (Life)Paul Veith FRCSA (Life)Hugh Whan FRCSA (Life)John K Williams FRCSA (Life)George Zammit FRCSA (Life)

RCSA Fellows Julian Azzopardi FRCSAJacqui Barratt FRCSA

Nicholas Beames FRCSAJane Beaumont FRCSANikki Beaumont FRCSAAlan Bell FRCSAVictoria Bethlehem FRCSAKevin Blogg FRCSALisa Bousfield FRCSAGraham Bower FRCSANicky Brunning FRCSASandra Chiles FRCSA

Ross Clennett FRCSAMichael Close FRCSAJohn Cooper FRCSALincoln Crawley FRCSAChristine Crowe FRCSADenis Dadds FRCSABill Dalby FRCSAPam Dew FRCSACharlie Duncan FRCSAJason Elias FRCSADiane Epps FRCSAKen Fowler FRCSANorm Geist FRCSAAngela Giacoumis FRCSATony Greaves FRCSAAllison Guy-Ritchie FRCSAIan Hamilton FRCSAMichael Hannaford FRCSAAndrea Hardy FRSCANigel Harse FRCSANick Hays FRCSAJennifer Hobbs FRCSAMatthew Hobby FRCSAAlison Hucks FRCSAPhil Isard FRCSATim James FRCSALinda Kemp FRCSAMaria Kourtesis FRCSAPeter Langford FRCSAColin Levander FRCSADes Linehan FRCSAGaynor Lowndes FRCSALaura Marbikafola FRCSANina Mapson-Bone FRCSAAndrew McComish FRCSAFraser McKechnie FRCSAIan McPherson FRCSA

Annie Milne FRCSATracy Morgan FRCSAStephen Noble FRCSAKathie O’Malley FRCSAPenny Perkins FRCSAStephen Porter FRCSABruce Ranken FRCSATony Ricketts FRCSAScott Roberts FRCSASophie Robertson FRCSADeborah Ross FRCSACourtney Rowe FRCSAMichael Sacco FRCSALee-Martin Seymour FRCSAAlan Sherlock FRCSAIan R Stacy FRCSADavid Styles FRCSALyn Tanner FRCSACorrine Taylor FRCSAScott Thomas FRCSAGayleen Toll FRCSANicole Underwood FRCSARosemary Urbon FRCSAScott Van Heurck FRCSARobert van Stokrom FRCSACraig Watson FRCSAPaula Watts FRCSAJohn Wilson FRCSA

RCSA honorary Fellows Julie Mills Hon FRCSA (Life)Joan Page Hon FRCSA (Life)Malcolm Riddell Hon FRCSA (Life)Reg Shields Hon FRCSAJill Skafer Hon FRCSAAndrew Wood Hon FRCSA (Life)

* Correct at time of printing.

Advertise in the RCSA JournalYou can reach owners, managers and consultants

in the recruitment industry across Australia and

New Zealand through the RCSA Journal.

Contact Julie Morrison, RCSA Manager Marketing

& Communications for information:

jmorrison@rcsa.com.au or call +61 3 9663 0555

RCSA JOURNAL42

ASSOCIATION NEWS

RCSA CPE & Events CalendarDate City Type Event Name

All year Online Flexible Learning

Australian Entry Level Program (January – March 2013)

All year Brisbane Certificate Brisbane 2013 RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate

All year Online Certificate Certificate in Advanced Recruitment Practices (NMIT)

All year Online Certificate Certificate in Recruitment and Selection (NMIT)

All year Online Certificate Certificate in Recruitment Management (NMIT)

All year Online Certificate Certificate in Work Health and Safety (NMIT)

All year Melbourne Certificate Melbourne 2013 RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate

All year Sydney Certificate Sydney 2013 RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate

5-Jul Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

5-Jul Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

5-Jul Perth Certificate Perth RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate (July 2013)

5-Jul Perth Workshop Perth Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

5-Jul Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

9-Jul Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Calculating Charges and Rates

11-Jul Online Webinar CPE Webinar, Skills - Setting targets for 2013/14

12-Jul Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

12-Jul Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

12-Jul Perth Workshop Perth Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

12-Jul Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

16-Jul Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, The Recruitment Jigsaw

17-Jul Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, The Recruitment Jigsaw

17-Jul Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Calculating Charges and Rates

18-Jul Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Calculating Charges and Rates

19-Jul Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

19-Jul Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

19-Jul Perth Workshop Perth Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

19-Jul Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

25-Jul Melbourne Breakfast Melbourne Breakfast, The Mindset and Focus of Top Performers

26-Jul Sydney Breakfast Sydney Breakfast, The Mindset and Focus of Top Performers

30-Jul Brisbane Breakfast Brisbane Breakfast, The Mindset and Focus of Top Performers

30-Jul Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, The Recruitment Jigsaw

Date City Type Event Name

9-Aug Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

9-Aug Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

9-Aug Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

12-Aug Online Diploma BSB51107 Diploma of Management, Semester 2

28-Aug Gold Coast Conference 2013 RCSA International Conference - The Leadership Edge

6-Sep Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

6-Sep Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

6-Sep Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

13-Sep Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

13-Sep Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

13-Sep Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

20-Sep Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

20-Sep Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

20-Sep Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Sales & Marketing from the Desk

11-Oct Brisbane Workshop Brisbane Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

11-Oct Melbourne Workshop Melbourne Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

11-Oct Sydney Workshop Sydney Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

Date City Type Event Name

9-Jul Auckland Workshop Auckland Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

10-Jul Auckland Workshop Auckland Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

11-Jul Auckland Workshop Auckland Workshop, Sales and Marketing from the Desk

12-Jul Online Diploma BSB51107 Diploma of Management, Semester 2

12-Jul Auckland Forum New Zealand PEARL Consultant Forum, Breakthrough to Excellence

31-Jul Auckland Certificate Auckland July RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate

20-Aug Christchurch Workshop Christchurch Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

31-Aug Christchurch Certificate Christchurch August RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate

10-Sep Wellington Workshop Wellington Workshop, Introduction to Recruitment Consulting

11-Sep Wellington Workshop Wellington Workshop, Interviewing Essentials

12-Sep Wellington Workshop Wellington Workshop, Sales and Marketing from the Desk

30-Sep Wellington Certificate Wellington September RCSA Recruitment Consulting Certificate

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Principal Partner

WorkDESK - for Management, for Consultants, for Support staff, for Payrollers

Recruitment SoftwareWorkDESK software is the complete solution – Candidates, Clients, Job Orders,

Payroll and Billing, CRM, Search, Scanning, Outlook integration, SMS Text Messaging, Marketing, General, Debtors and Creditors Ledgers (and much more).Yes, WorkDESK can operate in the cloud, WorkDESK can work with Office 365, WorkDESK can pay

a single pool of Temps and Contractors through multiple companies. WorkDESK also manages portable Long Service Leave, tracks Annual Leave, Personal Leave, Rostered Days Off and Parental Leave in detail for each Employee. WorkDESK imposes no limit on the number of Employees or number of

Timesheets you can pay and from 1st July WorkDESK options include a Rates Interpreter.

Try WorkDESK yourself - order your free demo pack today.FreeCall 1800 777 004 (in Australia) FreeCall 0800 445 885 (in New Zealand) Email sales@workdesk.com.au

www.workdesk.com.au