This article is written by Deputy Secretary Cindy Briscoe from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Workforce planning is not a new concept. However, as with most HR functions, 2020 has cast renewed interest and enthusiasm in the pursuit of understanding and planning for the workforce needs of an organisation.

Rachael Jackson certainly knows the value of HR. An AHRI-Certified HR Practitioner with many years of experience and a member of the Stream’s SES Working Group, she knows exactly what HR can bring to the table and how it can influence an organisation for the better.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) is another government agency that’s been hugely impacted by change due to COVID-19. As international travel remains severely limited (with Sydney airport seeing a drop from 30,000 passengers per day to a few hundred), the task of managing Australia’s borders has changed significantly.

HR is an incredibly varied profession, containing everything from technical policy to case management to learning and development, and requiring equally diverse knowledge, skills, and experience. It should come as little surprise then, that the career paths taken in HR are as varied as the profession itself.

It’s time we had ‘the talk’.

When an employee is underperforming, it can be challenging to know what to say or how to manage it. Often staff may not want to engage with their manager to get back on track or address concerns about not meeting outcomes. They might have a negative perception of the process, be unaware there’s a problem, or know there’s an underlying issue but not have the confidence to address it.

Almost every team has one of those people who work in the background, never making a fuss, just quietly working away to get things lined up and delivered on time every week.

In the HR team, that person is often Payroll.

So, we spoke with two payroll directors to find out more about this critical function – what it is, why it’s important, and why you should want to work there.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Mental health has been a focus for HR professionals this year, as the pandemic impacts all of us in various ways.

But the challenges of some roles have proven to be more taxing than others, placing some people at greater risk of mental health struggles. Whether it’s a law enforcement officer, a health care worker, or a call centre operator, there is evidence to suggest those exposed to traumatic or tragic circumstances are at greater risk of developing mental health issues.

This article is written by Director of Workplace Relations Gary Williamson from Services Australia.

Workplace relations can sometimes have a bad reputation.

The goal and core function of the APS HR Professional Stream strategy is to build strategic HR capability in the APS. As part of the Network, you’ve seen our focus on developing strategic HR skills through articles, webinars and other activities over the past year.

But we’ve also been working on changes at the senior leadership level.

What has the APS Digital Professional Stream been up to since they launched in April? So glad you asked!

Similar to our own HR Stream, the Digital Stream has been working hard to uplift capability and improve career pathway options in the digital space. One way they’ve done this is through their Digital Career Pathways program – specifically, via the brand new APS Career Pathfinder tool.