The law moved. Has your business actually moved with it?
A lot of 2026’s HR changes are no longer “upcoming”. They are already in force. For SMEs, the risk is rarely that nobody heard about them. The risk is that thebusiness kept running on old habits after the law moved. If your payroll rhythm, documentation, manager behaviour, or WHS approach hasnot changed this year, that […]
AI can speed up recruitment. It cannot make the hiring decision for you.
Hiring for a role where fit, judgment, and long-term impact matter? Book a confidential conversation with ForgeHR. There is a lot of conversation right now about AI in recruitment. Faster screening. Smarter matching. Less admin. And yes, technology can help. Used well, it can speed up parts of the process, reduce manual work, and make […]
Small people problems do not stay small in 2026
Most HR issues do not begin with a formal complaint, a Fair Work matter, or a serious culture or people problems. They usually begin with something small that gets left too long. A leader notices a shift in someone’s behaviour.A performance issue is raised, but not followed through.A manager avoids a conversation because they are […]
Are You Replacing a Person, or Hiring for the Next Stage of the Business?
The start of a new financial year often brings fresh hiring plans. A budget gets approved. Growth targets are set. Teams ask for support. A leader leaves. A role opens up. The natural response is to start recruiting. But before you do, there is a question worth asking: Are you replacing a person, or hiring […]
Is Your HR Setup Still Fit for the Business You’re Running Now?
As the new financial year begins, many business owners are reviewing budgets, setting targets, and planning for growth. What often gets less attention is whether the HR setup and foundations behind the business still match the way the business operates today. For small and medium-sized businesses, this is a common issue. The business grows. Teams […]
When SEEK isn’t enough
Most roles do not need a recruitment partner. If the brief is clear, the market is active, and the right candidates are applying on SEEK, a job ad may do the job perfectly well. But some roles start to drag for a reason. That is usually when leaders start feeling pressure to just pick someone […]
2026 Annual Wage Review decision
Fair Work Commission has handed down its 2026 Annual Wage Review decision this morning. The National Minimum Wage will rise by just under 6%, lifting it from $24.95 to $26.44 per hour (or $948 to approximately $1,004 for a 38-hour week), effective 1 July 2026. For workers covered by modern awards, the increase is 4.75%, with the FWC finding a larger increase would […]
Your HR foundations are either protecting you, or quietly setting you up
Most HR problems do not begin with a complaint, a resignation, or a Fair Work issue. They begin much earlier. In your HR Foundations. Usually with something small that felt efficient at the time. None of this feels dramatic in the moment. That is exactly why it gets missed. In growing businesses, HR risk often […]
Why good candidates drop out of the hiring process
Last month, we talked about why the best candidates don’t apply to your ad. This month is the next part of the problem. Even when you do get a strong candidate’s attention, that doesn’t mean they’ll stay in the process. Good candidates drop out quietly. Not because they’re flaky. Usually because something in the hiring […]
The HR exposure gap: what’s fine until it isn’t
HR Exposure gap: The things that look fine in a growing business, until you need to make a decision that has to hold up. Here’s what it looks like in real life. Most HR problems don’t start as disasters. They start as a normal Tuesday. A manager pokes their head into your office and asks, […]