Let's talk fair: What about the Right to Connect?
Fair Work protects Australian employees' right to disconnect — and for good reason.
Exactly one year ago (or next week if you're a small business) the Right to Disconnect was a much-welcomed addition to the Australian workplace landscape.
Setting expectations, creating boundaries and protecting work-life balance (and by extension, our health and relationships) is critically important.
If you've ever worked with someone who calls, messages and emails at all hours of the day/night/weekend and expects a response (as I have), the Right to Disconnect is a game-changer.
Legal protections that respect employees' personal time and lives are a sign of the modern world of work — and an appropriate response to the 'always on' digital world we live in.
In the modern landscape, work is a relationship more so than a 'contract'.
In any good relationship, there are some unwritten rules and norms: respect, honesty and open communication come to mind.
If we're talking about what's fair in a modern work relationship, I think we also need to talk about this:
The right to connect: clear, fair communication in hiring.
Just as work is more than a contract, recruitment is not a transaction. It's not simply a process.
At the end of recruitment is a decision that shapes not only your team and organisation — it shapes the next chapter of a person's life.
Despite all of the work that's being done to improve employee engagement and create positive workplaces and cultures people want to be part of; there is an important missing piece:
Transparent, respectful and timely communication during recruitment.
It's not rocket science. Honestly, I don't know why this is still a problem, but it is.
Data from LinkedIn earlier this year showed more than half of Australian job seekers have been ghosted by hiring managers — and 57 per cent say they're hearing back from hiring managers less than ever.
Connection and good communication are notably absent from recruitment.
After 20 years doing this work, I know this anecdotally — and I've also done the research.
Poor communication was the dominant theme across all interviews and survey responses Heart Talent received this year.
67% of people said they couldn't find all of the information they needed about a job or employer.
40% have decided not to apply because they can’t find enough information.
Good communication and candidate experience matters. This is my personal philosophy but it's also backed by science.
You don't need Fair Work guidelines to tell you that how you treat people during recruitment matters. That connection is an essential part of all relationships.
If we care about what's fair in work, we should put the human back into hiring.
Flexible talent support for NFP leaders
I am deeply committed to making recruitment easier for nonprofit leaders.
I support leaders and organisations to attract the right people through:
traditional recruitment solutions
flexible unbundled recruitment support
helping you review and improve your recruitment approach
helping you understand and articulate your real EVP through employee research
leveraging this research to develop authentic recruitment content
building campaigns that reflect culture and the employee experience
consulting and advisory work to develop talent attraction strategy and capacity.
If you’re curious to know more, send me a message or get in touch for a chat.
As a communications professional and writer turned recruiter, I know modern recruitment is marketing, and I'm on a mission to share this approach with the sector.
Each Friday, I share talent attraction advice and insights. The Nonprofit Talent Edge will help you become more intentional, creative and proactive with your recruitment.
Have a great week.
Cynthia