NewsBite

Workplace

December 2025

RBA governor Michele Bullock made the tough call.

Why Bullock cancelled the RBA Christmas party

Michele Bullock explains that while some staff members were not happy with the decision, she believes it was not right to hold a big Reserve Bank celebration.

Vik Bansal knew from an early age that he wanted eventually to run a business, either his own or someone else’s.

Leaders fail because they don’t understand one thing, says this CEO

Outgoing Boral chief Vik Bansal discusses common leadership errors. For starters, there is a misconception that bosses don’t have to get their hands dirty.

Jane Halton sat on the ANZ board for nine years but left in March, before her term had concluded.

ANZ investigated complaints against Jane Halton before board exit

The previously undisclosed review came amid serious strain among directors as the bank dealt with regulatory issues and the purchase of Suncorp Bank.

McDonald’s and Woolworths have said they will defend the claims.

Labor to ‘close loophole’ in McDonald’s, Woolworths underpayment cases

The fresh class actions invoke a pre-First World War law to argue companies in South Australia should have treated every Sunday like a public holiday.

‘Skip’ meetings, the slow lift: Inside the RBA’s cultural revolution

Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock is dismantling its hierarchy, talking more to staff, encouraging respectful challenge and fighting “groupthink”.

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The Electrical Trade Union has placed strike ads at Karratha airport where fly-in fly-out workers land to work on Pluto2.

Woodside workers offered Christmas gift to avoid new year strike

Woodside’s lead contractor on Western Australia’s biggest construction project has upped its pay offer again as unions plan to strike within days.

Sophie Galaise and Leanne Coddington celebrate QPAC at Government House.

MSO’s star witness Sophie Galaise returns from hide-and-seek

Most arts institutions are sprinting away from any Israel and Palestine-related scandal. QPAC is running towards it.

Lessons have been learned from embarrassing, and costly, mistakes and misuse of AI .

The AI workplace stuff-ups from 2025

From embarrassing “hallucinations” to privacy breaches, potential pitfalls have been laid bare – and provided lessons in how to avoid similar mistakes.

ASIC is questioning KPMG over staff misconduct. Only informally, of course.

ASIC questions KPMG over employees using AI to cheat on tests

It’s not a formal investigation, but it’s still a quicker response from the watchdog than the last time news of auditors cheating came to light.

Stuart McDonald got a job in an AI start-up company after performing a trial interview that lasted three days.

After a 72-hour interview, Stuart got the job

Trial interviews are coming in 2026. With some companies expecting three to five trial days in the office, recruiters say you better save your sickies.

A graphic depicting the difficulties of accessing crypto from a will: a hammer attempting to break a block of ice with Bitcoin inside.

It’s evident which way bitcoin is headed

Readers’ letters on the bitcoin craze, investor diligence, psychological injury claims, the Nats’ views on renewables ‘costs’, and solutions to the energy crisis.

Skydiving instructors say they have little to no pay rises in decades.

Free fall: Skydivers strike for first time as pay plummets

Rolling stoppages will include no tandem jumps with anyone over 85kg, as the union asks: “Would you want your mum strapped to an underpaid instructor?”

How this CEO gets the most out of his workday

Discover why Tim Helyar, the country head for State Street in Australia, holds key meetings in the mornings, and makes decisions on Mondays rather than Fridays.

Back to the workplace - the trend is catching on.

Unions put holidays, redundancy pay in their sights

Employers are preparing to fight an ambitious union agenda in the new inquiry following campaigns for increases in annual leave and redundancy pay.

A wave of jargon is swamping office workers.

Tracking and decoding corporate jargon

A tracker of our growing list of corporatespeak – and our suggestions for plain-language alternatives. Consider it your jargon dictionary.

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November 2025

According to the Offshore Alliance, its posts about Chevron are just Aussie humour.

Chevron’s unprecedented war with unions over a Facebook page

Of all the efforts of gas giants to shut down the Offshore Alliance’s spicy social media activity, it was cut and dry copyright law that (temporarily) worked.

Popcorn brain is a state of reduced attention span caused by constant digital stimulation.

3 signs you have popcorn brain and how to overcome it

Having your attention pulled in multiple directions at once affects your relationships at home and has an impact at work too.

 AI becomes just another layer of software sitting on top of yesterday’s organisation structure.

Why the productivity payoff from AI at work is so poor

The technology is ready. The problem is our workplace relations framework requires prior permission to use artificial intelligence.

Usman Khawaja.

What Usman Khawaja got wrong about discrimination in corporate Australia

Instead of encouraging Asian-Australians to do the hard yards that lead to the top, the cricketer is promoting an entitlement culture that is a sure road to failure.

The Christmas throngs may be muted this year as shoppers go online for their gifts.

Fines a warning to bosses who don’t ask first about working Christmas

A judge in a test case has ruled that BHP must pay almost $100,000 for rostering workers on without talking to them about it first.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/workplace-hzd