October 11, 2023 Human Resources, Legal Issues, Recruitment & HR Technology

Three things you urgently need to do to ensure your employee data is safe from cybercriminals

Keep your employee data safe from cyber criminals

Last month cybercriminals stole “highly sensitive documents like police checks, child support documents, pay negotiations, HR incidents, immigration sponsorship details, COVID vaccination credentials, tax file numbers, passports and licences” from employees of Pareto Phone, a supplier to many of Australia’s largest and most well-known NFPs.

With data breaches and cyberattacks on the rise, are you one of those employers who also doesn’t have appropriate systems to protect your employee information?

If so, we’re glad to be able to outline the key things that you should be doing today to protect your employee and volunteer data from cyber threats.

October 28, 2026 Bullying, Harassment & Inappropriate Behaviour, Legal Issues, Risk Management

Your employees could be wearing ‘smart’ glasses at work right now. What do NFP leaders need to know and do?

Smart glasses in the workplace: What to know and do

‘Smart’ sunnies and specs made by household names like ‘Ray-Ban’ and ‘Oakley’ now allow you to take high-resolution photos, record high-definition video, speak with an AI assistant, and more. Facebook owner Meta has sold more than 7 million pairs of its glasses, and Google and Apple are both preparing their own versions. Even Kmart was selling ‘camera glasses’ for just $89 until a few weeks ago.

But there are significant risks associated with the technology, especially when it comes to the workplace. Many models available today are almost indistinguishable from a normal pair of reading glasses or sunglasses, meaning they can record people without those around them realising it is happening – raising serious concerns around privacy and consent. An employee could record a conversation with a colleague or capture information on a computer screen without making it obvious that they are doing so.

We spoke with two experts to unpack how to respond to key risks of employees wearing smart glasses in NFP workplaces.

August 19, 2026 Human Resources, Legal Issues, Remuneration

Big changes to the SCHADS Award: What NFP employers need to know

On 1 June 2026, the Fair Work Commission handed down a significant decision that will reshape pay and classification structures for most of Australia’s social, community, and disability services employers.

Back in June 2024, the Commission launched a review of five modern awards to understand whether they had been undervaluing work because it was done predominantly by women.

The FWC found that the previous system – inherited from older awards – was outdated, overly complex, confusing, and frequently led to misclassifications and workplace pay disputes due to unclear role descriptions.

The result of the review is a complete overhaul of the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award – the most significant reform to the award in more than 15 years. To help unpack the changes, we spoke with Ben McAlpine, director of policy and advocacy at the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS).

July 22, 2026 Culture and Values, Health & Wellbeing, Legal Issues

The right to disconnect: is your organisation doing enough?

Going above and beyond is often part of the culture in many NFPs. Employees answer messages out of hours because a client is in crisis, stay back because an event needs to run, or volunteer extra hours because they believe deeply in the mission.

But when passion quietly becomes an expectation of being constantly “on”, even the most committed employees can reach their limit. Burnout, resentment and staff turnover can follow – particularly in organisations already stretched by limited resources.

June 17, 2026 Legal Issues

An employee gift policy is more important than you may realise. Here’s how to write a good one

A box of chocolates from a grateful supplier, a bottle of wine at Christmas, a thank-you lunch from a client – gifts at work can seem like small gestures, but in NFPs especially, even the most well-meaning gift can create complexities.

So how can you be sure that exchanging a gift won’t land you in a compromising situation? We asked employment and workplace relations lawyer Warwick Ryan to explain where the line sits, and how to stay on the right side of it.

May 20, 2026 Legal Issues, Recruitment

When is it okay to discriminate when hiring new employees for your NFP?

Mostly, discrimination is something people want to avoid – because it’s unfair, and can be incredibly harmful. But what about situations in which discrimination might actually be helpful – either for candidates or for your organisation?

In some circumstances, particularly for NFPs, the law does provide carefully defined exemptions to state- and federal-based anti-discrimination laws.

But this is a complex area, with different rules in different states and territories, so it can be difficult to work out what exactly the laws and exemptions are, and how they apply to your organisation.

April 22, 2026 AI in the Workplace, Human Resources, Legal Issues, Organisational Strategy

Why your NFP needs an AI policy – and how to write one

Generative AI has quickly made its way into almost every organisational workflow, and left the door open for a range of ethical grey areas to become potentially serious issues. From privacy breaches and the misuse of sensitive data, to biased outputs, misinformation and reputational risks – the risks that AI use pose to NFPs are new, varied, and often invisible until something goes wrong.

(And if you think your organisation’s employees aren’t really using AI, then think again – as many as a quarter (21-27%) of all employees are using AI tools secretly at work.)

So where should you start when it comes to writing an effective AI policy for your organisation, and what elements should one include?

March 11, 2026 Human Resources, Legal Issues, Remuneration

Could you be underpaying your employees? Here’s how to know and what to do

Could your NFP be underpaying employees?

As an NFP leader, how confident are you that the people delivering your organisation’s mission are being paid what they’re entitled to? Underpayment is broad problem that affects hundreds of employers and around 250,000 underpaid Australian workers each year. Recognising the early warning signs and taking corrective action can help protect both staff and organisational integrity. Here’s where to start.

October 21, 2020 Bullying, Harassment & Inappropriate Behaviour, Culture and Values, Human Resources, Legal Issues

Should your NFP have an employee code of conduct?

Every organisation has expectations of how their staff should behave at work. But without writing down those expectations, it’s easy for misunderstandings or differing expectations to form among your staff and volunteers.

To help avoid this, more NFPs are turning to a written employee code of conduct to provide clear expectations about what how staff should or shouldn’t behave at work.

June 21, 2018 Bullying, Harassment & Inappropriate Behaviour, Legal Issues

Inquiry into workplace sexual harrassment launched by the Human Rights Commission

Spurred into action by the global #MeToo movement, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has announced a national inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says the global conversation about sexual harassment and the #MeToo movement has exposed the true prevalence of the problem and the harm it causes to individuals, workplaces and society.