Expert Advice

Twenty-three per cent of organisations now employ temporary and contract staff on a regular ongoing basis, up from 16 percent in 2009. Estimations vary but the consensus is that around 30 to 40 per cent of the workforce is now a temporary, contractor or freelancer. While non-permanent employees are nothing new, the recent rapid rise in this form of working...

Many readers of this column may be aware that for the last few years I have held the position of President of Strata Community Australia in the ACT. Towards the end of November just past I made the decision to step aside in order to concentrate on other priorities. Reflecting on my years as president over the past couple of...

Steve Jobs once said: design is not just what it looks like or feels like, it is how it works. Every user is different and so is every website or app. In many cases, the engagement and interactivity boils down to one thing; how userfriendly it looks and feels to your users. User experience (abbreviated as UX) is exactly that;...

ASIC has recently written to company directors highlighting the need for caution when contacted "out of the blue" by advisers seeking to assist them in cases of financial distress. Notices of winding up applications are readily available for public inspection. A number of organisations distribute daily lists of such Notices to professional (and other) contacts. A Notice of winding up...

XERO entered Australian accounting software market seven years ago. They used to be a boutique-sized business; however, they brought a disruptive innovation that has changed the landscape of accounting industry. Software used to be installed in our computers; and accounting data were handled mostly offline from our desktops. When XERO came out, we just loved it. It allows us to...

Guarantees form a fundamental part of many loan contracts; for most lenders, having one or more guarantors for the borrower's obligations under the contract is essential, as it provides additional security for their loan. However, there are several issues to consider where a borrower defaults and you attempt to enforce the guarantee, especially in circumstances where you may only get...

The Christmas period for small businesses seems to lead to cash flow problems. From there, things can go from bad to worse, seeing a rise in insolvencies in the New Year, typically in February. To avoid these cash flow shortages, small businesses should start to plan for the cash flow crunch now. The Christmas shut down period sees the normal...

Risk management and business continuity planning are often seen by organisations as distractions from their day-to-day business. Many organisations approach these areas as a compliance activity required to meet certain standards, because their clients expect them to have policies and procedures in place, or because senior management have said they need them. However, approaching risk and business continuity from this...

The recent NSW Supreme Court case, In the matter of Condor Blanco Mines Ltd NSWSC 1196, once again serves as fair warning to an already wary insolvency profession that the highest standards of independence, neutrality and professionalism are expected of insolvency appointees, and those standards will be enforced by the Courts. In this case, questions were raised against the...

If you are reading this B2B article, it is likely you are interested in B2B transactions. The Australian Consumer Laws (the ACL) protect consumers from unfair contract terms in standard form contracts. With effect from 12 November 2016 these protections will extend to B2B transactions for small business. These extensions will allow for unfair contract terms in small business contracts...

The demand for knowledge workers is increasing as employers recruit these highly-skilled professionals to add immediate value and adapt to the rapidly changing and digitising world of work. Of the new jobs added to the latest Hays Quarterly Report of skills in demand (for October to December 2016), almost all require knowledge workers. Knowledge workers are candidates who require a...

If you are anything like me, you appreciate a good yarn about funny / interesting work place incidents. Some industries bear more fruit when it comes to tall tales than others. Strata management is fertile ground in this department. A colleague of mine from Victoria, Stephen Raff (CEO of Ace Body Corporate Management) has recently published a book on this...

Some people say, they have spent money on Google Adwords, but it didn't work for them or someone tried using Facebook advertising for their business and it did not give them any business. I often come across businesses with such issues and I believe the solution is as simple as understanding the advertising platforms better. So, I have put together...

Have you ever looked up as you entered your local super market? There's a whole host of banners and posters up there. Have you wondered why the local bakery at 11am smells like pies instead of baked bread, like it did when you got your coffee at 8am that morning? There are a lot of things like that, sitting in...

Coming back from XEROCON SOUTH in Brisbane, I kept asking myself about what have we learnt from the event. In the past, we tried to figure out the most suitable accounting software for our business and clients. XERO was the best choice. When at XEROCON SOUTH and talking to my colleagues, I realised that XERO is embarking in a leadership...

When it comes to a company, the corporate "constitution" is often assumed to be the most important document when it comes to governing its day-to-day affairs and operations. In reality, there are a range of issues which are not covered by a constitution and implementing a Shareholders Agreement can be key; giving certainty and clarifying shareholder "rights", expectations and procedures....