Workskil Australia’s Post

Social workers conducting home visits can be exposed to particularly unpredictable and unstable environments. While many visits are uneventful, others can escalate into dangerous situations, requiring preparation and quick thinking. In this web exclusive, a social worker shares key tips to stay safe during home visits: tinyurl.com/77y3vvx4

🎄 It’s Christmas Tree Time! 🎄 This year instead of heading to my local tree shop where I’ve always found perfectly pruned, ready-to-go options I decided to save some cash and go direct! This will be perfect what possible could go wrong I’ve got all the tools I need: 1️⃣ An axe 2️⃣ A map to find the nearest forest 3️⃣ Hours to wander around looking at all the wrong tress, hoping to spot the one 4️⃣ Boom! Eventually find a tree that’s… not quite the right fit (Its getting dark its grand) 5️⃣ Bring it home and realise it’s actually… a bit wonky.... Kids are crying...wife is giving out as it took 12 times the length it should have 6️⃣ Sigh… Go back to the local tree shop anyway In a market where 81% of employers in Ireland struggle to find skilled workers (ManpowerGroup) and Ireland is at full employment (Government), relying on inbound applications is like waiting for the perfect Christmas tree to wander into your living room. Spoiler alert: It’s not going to happen.

Feeling overwhelmed with work and family commitments? Find out how flexible work arrangements (FWAs) helped this employee when she was thinking of quitting to care for her mother. The employer benefits too, as he was able to retain her! ✅ When requesting and using FWAs, employees should do so responsibly. Employers should also consider FWA requests based on business needs. Learn more: go.gov.sg/fwa

FWAs: Pros & Cons are surely there! I think the arrangement suit the modern workforce of today in Singapore. Employees has more flexibility thus they strive to be more productive. Employers are now evolving to keep talents to further grow their companies. But what if remote is so common that the workforce market becomes larger than our shores? How will that impact Singaporean?

Ticket offices saved? Talking on BBC Radio 5 Live last week about Labour’s plan to re-nationalise the railways, I was emphasising that 1-in-5 of the population are people with disabilities.  Add a travelling companion, carer, family member or friend, and the numbers affected by good accessibility double.  While the plans don’t include closing ticket offices, the devil will be in the detail. Another speaker seemed to think that “disability” means people who use wheelchairs.  Staggering that many don’t realise that most life-changing conditions are hidden.  Just think of all those other physical and mental health problems that aren’t obvious to those of you who can see! The possible Passenger Standards Authority will be the key to fair and legal treatment for everyone.  But it needs to take charge from the outset. We need a partnership of rail workers, public and private sectors all working well for those of us who pay: all of us who make up “the public”.  Too often, we are the last in the queue when it comes to priorities. Meanwhile, I’ve been perfecting roasting duck (brine and long slow cook) and experimenting with mini focaccia: try offering around “focaccini” at your next social gathering! Just saying the word nearly put postie Bev off trying a sample. But they are delicious and so simple with a bread-maker to create the dough. #bbc #radio5 #nationalisation #disability #blind #ticketoffice #roastduck #focaccia #focaccini

[Today's business news roundup comes from my PA, Lee who is a PhD in 19C history!] Apparently some businesses in Ireland are buying or building accommodation for their workers because of the dire housing shortage there. This was a common practice in the nineteenth century. The danger here is that created an even bigger power-divide between organisation and employee. Workers became more susceptible to poor treatment, for fear of eviction and destitution. In some instances, employees had to send their children to company-owned schools, and could only buy their groceries/supplies in the company-owned shop. Now that's an extreme historical example, and a lot has changed since the 19C, but there is a warning echoing through time here. #linkedinconversations #housingshortage

Great to see this new global campaign launch today. 🚀 It will undoubtedly help to put the shorter workweek on the agenda of policymakers, starting with my native country of Ireland ahead of next month's general election, as well as next year's Canadian federal election. 🇮🇪 🇨🇦 I'm also really looking forward to supporting the campaign's rollout of comprehensive professional training for activists and advocates who want to win a shorter workweek for their workplace. 📣 The campaign's 3 major asks for the new programme of government are as follows: 🗳 Incentivize businesses and charities to test reduced-hour models through tax credits, training and administrative support ✅️ 🗳 Establish a working time council to examine research on the feasibility and impact of reduced work time across different sectors ✅️ 🗳 Launch a substantial pilot of the shorter workweek in the public sector ✅️ I'm proud that Ireland was the country that pioneered the first major coordinated private sector trial of a four-day workweek. 👏 The next government should grasp the opportunity to build on this early success and be at the forefront of the future of work. 🔮 #GE24 #ShorterWorkweek

It's been a very tough start to the year for those in safety, particularly the men and women who work in and around Cranes. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families and friends who have lost someone on the job. #safetyfirst #arrowtransportation #arrowmarineservices #bccsa #wsbc #NationalDayOfMourning - #ConstructionSafety - #WorkplaceSafety - #WorkersMemorialDay - #ConstructionIndustry - #SafetyMatters - #RememberingTheFallen - #HonoringTheFallen - #ConstructionRespect #Canada. #DayOfMourning2024

🌟 Ready, Set, Click! 🌟 Mark your calendars, folks! 📅 The countdown to submitting your applications is on! Here’s the scoop on the Click-days you don’t want to miss: 👉 February 5, 2025: Subordinate non-seasonal work. 👉 February 7, 2025: Non-seasonal work in family and social assistance. 👉 February 12, 2025: Agriculture and hospitality sectors. 👉 October 1, 2025: 30% of remaining hospitality quotas. And here’s an exciting twist: Starting February 7 at 9:00 AM, you can submit up to 10,000 extra applications for family or social assistance work for the elderly and disabled! 🚀 Did you know that employing a good foreign worker in these sectors has never been easier? 💥 Ready to take the leap? Hit that reminder button and let’s get clicking! 💥

Has it started to feel harder for you or a loved one to get around at home? Or maybe it's time to take that next step toward moving out of the family home and living more independently? Supported Independent Living (SIL) could be the perfect solution—offering the right support when it's needed while empowering greater freedom and independence. Here's how SIL can make everyday life easier and more fulfilling for you or someone you care about: 💙 Personalised Daily Support – From personal care to household tasks, support is tailored to individual needs. 🌿 Stay Connected – Social activities and community programs keep you or your loved one engaged and involved. 🔄 Flexible Care Options – Ongoing, short-term, or temporary support that adapts to changing lifestyles. 🕒 Seamless Support Coordination – Expert staff management and rostering ensure smooth, consistent care. Everyone deserves to feel safe, supported, and independent in a space they can truly call home. 🏠 We currently have SIL vacancies across Australia. Please reach out to enquire about availability in your area. #SupportedLiving #IndependentLiving #DisabilitySupport #EmpoweredLiving #LumiaCare