Issues or Challenges of the Employment-Related Practices in Australia | Report

you are required to identify an employment relations issue/problem, which is currently or has very recently been in the Australian news media. The issue/problem should relate to some aspect of one of the topics covered in Weeks 2, 3 or 4, those topics being: ? Week 2: What is SHRM? Models of SHRM and HRM ? ? Week 3: External and internal influences: Managing people ethically ? ? Week 4: Perspectives on the employment relationship: HR and the Law ?Examples of issues that students may be interested to address include: ? ? Harassment and bullying in the Australian Defence Force ? ? Qantas restructure and impact on HR activities ? ? LUSH’s revelation that they failed to pay correct wages ? ? The AFL “affairs” resignations. ? The reflective questions you need to address are: ? . a) What are the major themes and issues in the situation? ? . 

RUNNING HEAD: HRM 0
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
The major identified themes and issues in this situation.................................................................2
Employers’ perspective in relation to employees’ perspective for this issue..................................3
Implications of the issue..................................................................................................................4
Resolving the issue..........................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
In this report, the discussion will be done regarding the current issues or challenges of the
employment-related practices in Australia. This report selected the article titled "Sexual
harassment and discrimination persist in Australia's top defence companies". This article was
published on the website of ABC news on 11th July 2019 by Andrew Greene. In this article, the
reporter has analysed that Australia's largest defence companies are massively facing challenges
in maintaining the female employee's retention rate because of workplace sexism and
discrimination (Greene, 2019). In this study, there will be a discussion about major themes and
issues in this situation, the perspective of the employees and employers, implication of this issue
on the organization reputation and suggestion.
The major identified themes and issues in this situation
In this news article, it is estimated that the Australia's largest defence companies are facing
challenges in attracting and retaining the female workforce. The reason behind this issue is
extremely surprising and shameful. Australia's largest defence companies are falling in retaining
female staffs because of women's encounter with workplace sexism and discrimination issues.
Female staff in the Australian defence companies is not feeling comfortable and secure because
of the ongoing issues of workplace sexism and discrimination (Greene, 2019). Apart from this, in
this article, an analysis of the country's top 20 largest military firms is conducted. Through this
analysis, it is concluded that one in every five workers are women at the associate level and at
the higher authority level there is only one women employee in 7 employees at the managerial
post.
This analysis is conducted by the Canberra-based consultancy Rapid context. Apart from
this, in this analysis it is also concluded that women are leaving their jobs in defence industry
because of sexism, sexual harassment and gender bias issues. It is painfully said that the ratio of
women employees leaving from defence industry has reached to the high attrition rates (Smit &
Viviers, 2016). In this starting of the next decade (from 2020) the federal government is
effectively planning to invest $200billion dollars in defence industry (Greene, 2019). Thus, it is

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suggested to the federal government that before making this huge investment first they should
outperform such issues.

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Employers’ perspective in relation to employees’ perspective for this
issue
I investigated from the perspective of the employers this ongoing issue is creating
challenges in the workplace because due to this issue employer have to deal with adverse
challenges arisen from increasing attrition ratio. The higher-level authorities of the defence
companies are also expressing their concern and they also do not want that women employees
face such problems in the workplace even after having such strong and zero-tolerance policies
(Aeberhard-Hodges & McFerran, 2018). According to the higher-level authorities, if any women
face any harassment, gender bias issues, a bullying issue, etc then they have the right to approach
the human resource department and all the defence companies have zero tolerance policies
(Greene, 2019). Thus, immediate action will be taken against all those men who are engaging in
this shameful act irrespective of their position in the company. Apart from this, as per the views
of the employers it is analysed that there are ready to help their female employees on such issue
but problem is that when an individual encounter with such issues then they immediate plans to
gives a resignation with different reasons instead of taking stand and fight with such issues.
From the perspective of the employees I analysed that when they face adverse challenge
from such issues, they immediately plan to resign instead of putting any allegation and
approaching the human resource department. The reason behind doing this is they do not want to
engage in any legal dilemma and it will also hamper their reputation (Roehling & Huang, 2018).
Thus, instead of approaching to the human resource department then choose to file resignation
and become free from all such issues related to harassment and gender biases. Apart from this, it
is also analysed that this is the extremely surpassing and shameful for them to encounter with
such issues in the defence industry and women employees expected that federal government
should take immediate actions on such issues because this act is damaging the reputation of
defence industry in an adverse way (Greene, 2019). Apart from this, the women employees also
suggested that government and legal authorities should conduct a string operation and they
should catch people red handed. Moreover, the federal government is planning for investing
$200billion dollar in the defence capabilities but the first federal government should work on
such ongoing issues.

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Implications of the issue
In my opinion defence companies of Australia face a shortage of female workers due to
increasing the issue related to sexual harassment and gender bias. I also perceive that employers
of companies believe that female workers are lacked shortage with the skills and knowledge.
Through reporting I also find that organization believe that female are not getting with the shift
timing and the structure of the companies. Therefore, the reality demonstrates that the reason for
less female is due to the sexism, that is sexual harassment as well as gender bias, it is considered
the main reason for increase in the rate of attrition. (Greene, 2019)
This leads in affecting the reputation and status of the defence industry companies such
as ASC Pty Ltd., ASC Shipbuilding. It is because through this the rate of employees and
retention rate of companies decreases. This result in reducing the profitability of the companies it
is because it cannot attract talented and specialized employees in the company (Greene, 2019).
Further, in the year the market share of the defence industry reduces and it is estimated that in
the year 2018, the large number of females leave their position in comparison to the male and
this also decreases the expansion and manufacturing of the companies (McDonald,
Charlesworth, & Graham, 2016).
Resolving the issue
According to me, I could develop various principles and code of conduct which is equal
for the workers in the companies of defence industry. Through this discipline will be maintained
in the companies and all the functions will be performed under the strict rules, policies and
procedures. Further, the already mention principles will also describe the penalization which is to
be suffered from each of the workers who perform unethical duties and work and does to work
according to the policies of the companies. It is because this can support the company to
maintain the code of conduct and to follow all the rules and regulations in the largest companies
of Australia which includes ASC Pty Ltd., ASC Shipbuilding etc (Stone, Deadrick, Lukaszewski,
& Johnson, 2015).
I will also develop the sexual harassment committee to handle the cases and problems of
the females which they are suffering in companies such as ASC Pty Ltd., ASC Shipbuilding.
Through this status of the company will be maintained and strict action will be action regarding

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non-violence, affecting the rights and equality. The committee will support and continuously
explains the sexual harassment and gender biases policies as well as penalties that can be
suffered by all regarding misappropriation. The training session is also conducted within 2 weeks
in which all the workers can discuss the problems and provide suggestions so that coordination
and equality are maintained in the companies of defence industries. This strategy is suited for
companies such as ASC shipbuilding, Austal because of more number of cases about sexual
harassment.

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References
Aeberhard-Hodges, J., & McFerran, L. (2018). An International Labour Organization instrument on
violence against women and men at work: The Australian influence. Journal of Industrial
Relations , 60 (2), 246-265.
Greene, A. (2019). Sexual harassment and discrimination persist in Australia's top defence companies,
report finds. Retrieved from ABC: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-11/sexual-harassment-
discrimination-persist-in-defence-companies/11298910
McDonald, P., Charlesworth, S., & Graham, T. (2016). Action or inaction: Bystander intervention in
workplace sexual harassment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 27
(5), 548-566.
Roehling, M. V., & Huang, J. (2018). Sexual harassment training effectiveness: An interdisciplinary
review and call for research. Journal of Organizational Behavior , 39 (2), 134-150.
Smit, D. M., & Viviers, M. D. (2016). Vicarious” liability of the employer in sexual harassment cases: A
comparative study. Journal of Business , 1 (1), 41-59.
Stone, D. L., Deadrick, D. L., Lukaszewski, K. M., & Johnson, R. (2015). The influence of technology
on the future of human resource management. Human Resource Management Review , 25 (2),
216-231.