HR: ‘We’ve got a huge job ahead’
A recruitment agency for HR professionals in Australia has raised concerns about the impact of the globalisation of HR.
The company, HR Systems, says it will continue to work with employees and recruiters from across the globe.
“We have a huge opportunity ahead, and we’ve got to find the right way forward,” said CEO Chris Hynes.
“It’s not a job for the faint of heart, and it’s not for someone who’s not well-versed in the industry.”
The firm has worked with HR departments in Sydney and Melbourne to prepare its workforce for the challenges of the coming globalisation.
It is the second Australian HR company to be criticised for recruiting from abroad.
In 2014, HR Solutions Australia was forced to apologise after it was found to have hired from China instead of Australia.
The HR company had said the move was made to increase recruitment and retention opportunities.
“The recruitment of overseas staff from China to work at HR Solutions has resulted in a shortage of qualified staff across HR, which has been impacting on our business, our organisation and our employees,” HR Solutions chief executive Peter Meehan said in a statement at the time.
“As we’ve said from the outset, this has been our intention from the start, and our goal from day one has been to recruit and retain the best and brightest to support our growth.”
The company has now raised concerns that it will not be able to meet demand in Australia and has hired overseas employees to fill vacancies.
It has also said it is investing in its Australian operations to help it cope with the global downturn.
The organisation’s CEO, Chris Hales, said the recruitment of Chinese staff would not change its focus on the recruitment and development of employees in Australia.
“What’s important to us is to have a healthy, thriving HR team here in Australia,” he said.
“That’s what’s driving us in the direction we’re going and that’s why we’re investing in Australia.”
HR Solutions says it is looking to hire more Australians.
“There’s a lot of work to do, and if you look at the numbers, we’re not even in the top three in Australia for recruiting in the whole world,” Mr Hynes said.
The recruitment firm has also faced criticism from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which said its recruitment practices were not aligned with the Fair Work Act.
“They don’t really have a culture that encourages good recruitment,” Ms Meeham said.
“[HR Solutions] has a culture where they just hire people that have no skills or qualifications, or people that are just doing the job,” Ms Fenton said.
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