18.11.08
23.7.08
About Us
Our expertise is in the specialised areas of Industrial Relations, Human Resource management, and Occupational Health and Safety. We also provide mediation services.
What can you expect?
- Experienced Consultants who are interested in your business and will make the effort to understand and meet your needs;
- A strategic approach to meeting your business's industrial relations, human resource management and management training needs;
- Tailor-made services- not just an "off the peg" answer
- Practical advice in terms that mean something to you;
- Prompt service;
- Competitive rates with comprehensive invoices so you know what you are paying for;
- Access to a network of contacts that can provide any necessary specialist skills that we don't have- we don't expect you to pay for us to learn about new specialist areas!
Our People
Greg Kerr, who is the principal of Effective Workplace, has over 16 years' experience as an industrial relations specialist for employers, including 5 years as an industrial officer with major public sector organisations and 8 years as IR Manager with the Newcastle Master Builders Association. His work over the years has spanned organisations from the very large (over 6,000 employees) to the very small (1 to 2 employees) in a range of industries.
He has had extensive experience in negotiations with employees and unions on both wages and conditions matters and in disputes. He has also drafted and negotiated awards, enterprise agreements and Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs), employment contracts and various other employment related documents (such as personnel policies and procedures and staff manuals).
As an experienced line manager and adviser he also has expertise and experience in staff recruitment and in dealing with performance management and discipline issues and other human resource management issues "at the coal-face".
He is an experienced advocate, having appeared regularly in both NSW and Australian Industrial Relations Commissions, the NSW Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court and various other courts and specialist Tribunals.
Greg has also worked as a lawyer in private practice with a major Newcastle firm. Employment and industrial law were major parts of his work. Other areas of practice included commercial and business law and litigation (including building disputes). Having worked in an organisation which specialised in assisting and advising small to medium enterprises and as a commercial lawyer, he has a good understanding of the commercial needs and realities faced by businesses, especially small to medium enterprises.
Apart from industrial relation matters he has also had extensive experience at both a site and organisational level in OHS matters. This work has included on-site OHS inspections, the preparation of OHS policies, and assisting employers and managers involved in Workcover accident investigations and prosecutions.
Greg is also a trained mediator, accredited with LEADR (Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution). He is committed to designing arrangements which will avoid disputes as far as possible, but when the inevitable dispute does arise, to resolving it as far as possible by negotiation or other processes (such as mediation) which avoid the need for lengthy and costly litigation and the consequent harm to ongoing employment and commercial relationships.
A brief outline of Greg's qualifications and experience is available by following this link.