Finding New Meaning in Life: Griffin, McQuillan take aim at work

A new book for business professionals aims to help handle depression and anxiety, and make them mentally fit.

Paul McQuillan is the co-author of Finding New Meaning in Life

Marcia Griffin and Paul McQuillan have co-written a book for business professionals on handling depression and anxiety, and equipping them with tools to become mentally fit.

In Finding New Meaning in Life, Griffin, a successful businesswoman, and McQuillan, a doctor of psychology, join the dots between positive self-help and mental fitness, particularly where it relates to the workplace.

McQuillan says the book is based on the philosophy of renowned Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl and his bestselling book, Man’s Search for Meaning.

Finding New Meaning in Life discusses how Australians enjoy a high quality of life yet our use of antidepressants is one of the highest in the world per capita.

It is available at bookstores and booktopia.com.au.

Indigenous leaders

Leadership Western Australia is running a series of programs for indigenous women beginning next month.

The workshops are free for participants and are being sponsored by the corporate sector.

The courses aim to equip indigenous women with skills in leading and asserting influence in the community to create links between the disability sector and the wider community, teaching them to be a reputable voice for people with disability, to effect positive change and to assume greater leadership roles in their life, profession and community.

Details:

leadershipwa.org.au.

DON’T COUNT ON RISE

With a tight economy and a tighter job market, recruitment firm Robert Half has found 87 per cent of businesses say a promotion is no longer a guarantee of a pay rise.

The study found small businesses are less likely to give a pay rise with a promotion, and 39 per cent of employers would rather to wait and assess performance before beefing up pay packets.

Three out of 10 refer to the business lacking the financial resources to increase salaries, followed by 10 per cent that say an employee who was overpaid in the first place will not receive a pay rise following a change in responsibility.

Robert Half Asia Pacific managing director David Jones says although a promotion shows confidence in a person’s abilities, a failure to hand on a pay rise can affect their motivation and fuel their interest in leaving the company.

“Salary increases can be a highly effective staff retention tool, especially when employees are asked to take on additional responsibilities,” Jones says.

“When employees are promoted without the benefit of a pay rise it is critical to explain why this is the case, and offer clear guidelines on when their salary will be reviewed together with firm benchmarks that need to be attained in order for the employee to enjoy a salary uptick.”

HR MENTORING

The Australian Human Resources Institute is offering a three-tiered, 12-month mentoring program beginning in October, with applications closing at the end of the month.

The next round of mentoring is aimed at human resources professionals, HR students and people who are new to the field, offering benefits to mentors and proteges.

The program offers mentorships to 700 participants twice each year, with matches made to ensure each participant can learn from a similar professional.

All participants must be an AHRI member or take out membership to be involved.

The program costs $150 for those being mentored, other than students, but there is no charge for mentors.

Details:

ahri.com.au.