Tech leaders and investors from across the US, UK, Asia Pacific region, and Australia are converging on the country’s premier tech festival, West Tech Fest 2022 which will be held at Perth Town Hall next week [Monday].

One of the key events will centre around how tech startups and businesses in Perth wanting to scale-up can secure investment by seizing opportunities in South East Asia.

Australia’s National Centre for Asia Capability, Asia Link business Chief Executive  Leigh Howard says the 10 countries which make up ASEAN form one of the largest economies in the world.

“With a young and technologically savvy population, rapidly growing middle class, and with post-pandemic economic recovery taking place, conditions in ASEAN are ripe to connect to communities and potential investors,” Howard says.

“The region is considered a major destination for foreign investment and opportunities.”

“Perth businesses will be in the box seat to expand and succeed by understanding the start-up landscape in ASEAN, specifically the trends investors are looking for, what opportunities exist and how to shape their business to connect with the region.”

The event will shine a spotlight on key growth areas, discuss pathways to seek funding, share in-region experiences, and explore broader trends within ASEAN.

“Asialink Business is Australia’s National Centre for Asia Capability mandated by the Commonwealth government to work with business and industry to create an Asia-capable Australian workforce,” he says.

The panel of experts will include:

• Austrade Fintech Director, Betty Sun-Lucas.
• Blue-chip technology, finance and data entrepreneur, Neal Cross.
• Founder of payroll company Definitiv Group, Roy Mellon.
• R3i Capital General partner and the pioneer behind The House of MedTech and House of DeepTech, Leesa Soulodre. 

Event Details:

“Pre Seed to Series Funding: Leveraging Opportunities in ASEAN”

12:30pm Monday December 5th

Perth Town Hall, 

601 Hay Street, Perth.

As Australia continues to grapple with an ongoing jobs crisis making sure all members are safe from disease and sick leave doesn’t overwhelm workflows. The Philips UV-C disinfection light might be able to help.

Although Covid-19 has nearly been brought under control and offices have adapted, the likelihood of increased rainfall and renewed flooding is bringing a range of new health issues, such as rising dampness and mould. UV-C light technology could prove the difference in limiting the effects of the weather.

Research has revealed Philips UV-C disinfection upper air wall mount luminaires inactivated 99.99% of SARS-COV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 disease, in the air of a room within 10 minutes. At 20 minutes, the virus was below detectable levels. Further, Multiple studies have confirmed that UV-C light is an established measure for disinfection. With wavelengths between 100-280 NM, it can prevent the spread of other contagious diseases, too including tuberculosis and influenza. It’s a clear indication that UV-C light plays a valuable part in keeping Australians healthy and working. The rollout of UV-C light technology is an affordable and effective tool for protecting workers and businesses from disease-inflicted disruptions. UV-C radiation is a known disinfectant for air, water and surfaces that can help mitigate the risk of acquiring an infection. UV-C can be used in numerous applications and spaces.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has confirmed today the need for governments to focus on tackling construction supply challenges in the building and construction industry.

The release of the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI), building approvals, and construction work done paints a clear picture of the flow on effect if inflationary impacts are not appropriately tackled says Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

“Difficulties with the supply of materials and labour has been placing pressure on new home building activity. These unfavourable cost conditions helped push new dwelling purchase prices up by 20.4 per cent over the year to October 2022.

“The large rise in new home costs is one of the main reasons why the inflation rate has risen across the economy.

“There was a 2.2 per cent increase in the total volume of construction work done during the September 2022 quarter. This was largely driven by the solid increase in civil/engineering construction (3.4 per cent) over the quarter. However, there were also gains for both residential (1.3 per cent) and non-residential building (1.1 per cent) over the same period.

“Looking ahead, newly released approvals data indicate that home building activity will move lower over coming months.

“There was a 6 per cent drop in the total number of new home building approvals during October 2022 and a particularly sharp decline (-11.3 per cent) in the number of medium/high density dwellings.

“Governments at a state and territory level must double-down on their efforts to address issues that continue to frustrate the industry like lengthy delays in approvals for land title, development and building applications, and occupation certificates.

“Government must be strategic when it comes to significant policy changes, like the proposed IR Bill, and carefully consider its impacts against a challenging economic backdrop,” said Ms Wawn.

Salary underpayments are adding to Australian workers’ financial burden, as they struggle with rising inflation and increasing cost of living expenses. Two in three workers (64 per cent) are still experiencing underpayment issues, according to new data from global payroll and HR provider ADP – up from one in two just 12 months prior.

Findings from ADP’s annual People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View, a survey of 1,400 workers in Australia, also found that one in nine workers (11 per cent) have reported that they are ‘always’ underpaid by their employers. Worryingly, this represents a doubling in underpayments in the last year alone. Additionally, over half of workers surveyed have experienced other underlying issues with their pay (57 per cent), such as failed payments or incorrect tax codes.

Australia’s growing underpayment issue is worsened by a reported lack of action from employers to correct payments quickly. More than 6 in 10 workers (61 per cent) say their employer has failed to resolve their underpayment issue within the next pay cycle.

Irina Shainsky, Legal Director ANZ at ADP, said, “At a time when inflation and the cost of living is at an all-time high, more and more Aussie workers are finding it difficult to pay their rent, bills, and basic necessities.

“It is more important than ever that employees are closely reviewing their pay and having conversations with their employers if issues arise. Employers have a responsibility to ensure they have the right systems in place to address payment issues.”

Issues with payments do not only affect employees, but have significant impact on businesses.

“Incorrect and late payments have the potential to create cash flow and staff retention issues for employers. These can also have knock-on effects on a business’ reputation,” says Ms Shainsky.

“Higher inflation impacts consumers and businesses alike. Organisations are struggling with higher inflation and increased costs across the board. As a global recession looms, their commercial success will depend on their ability to track and review business expenses as early, efficiently and accurately as possible.

“With States starting to legislate against wage theft, the focus has increasingly shifted to businesses’ legal obligations when it comes to correct payments. Employers must be aware of all relevant legislation to ensure they are compliant,” adds Ms Shainsky.

To help manage the complexity of pay, businesses are increasingly turning to integrated technology solutions to essentially ‘outsource’ payroll services. These technology solutions can help businesses pay their employees accurately and on time, while also having access to a secure portal to easily manage reporting and compliance.

“Employee salary underpayments have wide ranging implications on the Australian workforce and businesses alike, especially in the current financial climate. It’s imperative that companies source the expertise and tools required to address this issue to ensure their longevity as cash flow and employee retention continue to increase in importance for businesses,” concludes Ms Shainsky. For more information on ADP’s payroll and HR software solutions, go to au.adp.com.

Xero, the small business accounting platform, hosted key government and business leaders in its Sydney office to discuss the benefits of accelerating eInvoicing adoption.

The event, hosted as part of NSW Small Business Month, was focused on sharing the lessons from early adopters of eInvoicing ‘send’ capability, and discussing how to accelerate the release of eInvoicing’s $28 billion productivity opportunity as estimated by the Australian Taxation Office.

Xero is supporting  small businesses to adopt eInvoicing – however, in order for it to truly take off, government and big business need to get on board and show leadership by sending eInvoices. 

eInvoicing is a key step in the digital transformation of Australia’s small businesses; it helps make the entire invoicing process not only faster, but also safer, more efficient and more secure (something that is especially pertinent in the current environment). 

Speakers for the event included Minister Victor Dominello, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson  and Joseph Lyons, Managing Director, APAC, Xero.

Joseph Lyons, Managing Director, APAC, Xero, said: 

Hosting an event for NSW Small Business Month was a privilege – it created an important opportunity to bring key business and government leaders together to have valuable conversations about the clear opportunity to drive Australia’s economy forward.

We know that eInvoicing goes a long way in boosting productivity and helping small business’ bottom line. But it doesn’t just increase efficiency and facilitate faster payment times; it’s also safer and more secure. 

By investing in digital capabilities such as eInvoicing, big business and governments play a critical part in driving the adoption of technology forward for small businesses, which will ultimately help Australia’s small business economy thrive. 

The Hon. Victor Dominello MP – Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Small Business and Fair Trading, NSW Government said:

At a time of heightened cyber security awareness and growing cost of doing business pressures, it is a perfect time to be talking about increasing the adoption of eInvoicing as part of Small Business Month.

Government and business should work together to explore what we can do to accelerate adoption of eInvoicing, and I am confident today’s gathering of key eInvoicing stakeholders will do just that. 

FedEx Corporation has released the findings from its 2022 report that analyzed the company’s impact on the global economy with key regional and market-specific analyses from around the world at the conclusion of its 2022 fiscal year (FY 2022). The report, produced in consultation with Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB), a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, for the first time analyzed the impact FedEx has on economies around the world.

The report found that FedEx played an integral role in helping businesses recover from the pandemic while overcoming strained supply chains and economic challenges. With nearly 550,000 employees worldwide, FedEx moved an average of 16 million shipments each day through its 5,000 facilities in FY 2022. The company’s network optimization and investments improved efficiency and capacity for FedEx customers.

“All around the world, FedEx helped individuals, businesses, and communities emerge from the pandemic by moving goods and providing services that connect us and power the global economy,” said Raj Subramaniam, President and CEO, FedEx Corporation. “The report illustrates the ongoing and important work we do every day, including supporting small- and medium-sized businesses which are the backbone of our local communities. We call this, the ‘FedEx Effect.’”

Measuring the FedEx Effect:

The shipping and logistics company plays a role in fueling innovation, creating, and supporting local jobs, as well as helping lift individuals and their communities regionally and in major markets around the world. For example:

• FedEx worked with 360,000 suppliers globally who employed more than 16.5 million individuals. These businesses, many of which are small businesses, created significant economic activity within their local or regional markets and had a combined annual revenue of $700 billion.

• FedEx global economic activity supported 193,000 additional jobs beyond the FedEx worldwide employee base in FY 2022, which is 20,000 more jobs than FedEx indirectly supported in FY 2021.
• Small businesses made up 88% of the FedEx supply chain, and more than half of the FedEx supply chain spend in each region went to small businesses—which collectively supported roughly 810,000 small business jobs around the world.
• In FY 2022, FedEx invested $6.8 billion—a 15% increase over FY 2021—in facility improvements, network optimization and infrastructure improvements, which correlated to direct economic growth in the respective markets.

Impact Across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA)

The company’s presence in Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa serves more than 100 countries and territories in a highly inter-connected region that is playing an increasingly prominent role as a driver of global trade. To support the region’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, FedEx made strategic investments, as outlined in the report, that contributed to a 13% increase in employment, supporting more than 58,000 jobs beyond its 37,000 team members in the AMEA region.

“Through our continuous commitment to the region we have helped support hundreds of thousands of businesses and communities still recovering from the pandemic,” said Kawal Preet, Regional President, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA), FedEx Express. “Our investments in our hubs in Guangzhou, Osaka and Dubai enable us to meet demand and optimize routes for our customers as supply chains fluctuate. Our new and improved facilities like the Clark gateway facility in the Philippines, as well as the consolidation at our Delhi hub create greater access to emerging markets and increase efficiency.”

Across the region the economic footprint continues to grow. The company recently established a direct commercial presence in Cambodia as well as in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. FedEx also announced the plan to expand its gateway facility in Guangzhou, China by establishing a new South China Operations Center.

Moving to the Australian region

In Australia, FedEx began operations in 1989, and now employs over 5,600 team members across an extensive national domestic network with the ability to deliver to every address in the country. The company has more than 2,400 vehicles nationally and operates multiple flights in and out of Australia. FedEx continues to extend its footprint by creating access to more international markets and investing in new and upgraded facilities that will further enhance its delivery times for its international and domestic customers.

In October 2021, FedEx Express Australia announced additional weekly flights from Singapore to Sydney, Australia, doubling flight operations between the two countries. Australia is currently Singapore’s fourth-largest trading partner for exports, while Singapore is Australia’s largest two-way trading partner. FedEx Express Australia shipment volume in Singapore increased 22 per cent during FY 2022.

“We are continuously strengthening our operations in Australia to ensure we offer our customers the most robust solutions possible to support their needs,” said Peter Langley, Vice President of FedEx Express Australasia. “Throughout the pandemic, SMEs have been the most severely affected and FedEx has been supporting small and medium businesses as well as e-retailers in tapping domestic opportunities or accessing more international markets. This includes providing solutions that offer a personalised experience that will help businesses exceed customer expectations.”

              FedEx is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, an important contributor to recent accolades including ranking on the World’s Best Workplaces list compiled by Fortune magazine in 21^st place and being named as one of the best places to work in markets in AMEA including Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. In October 2021, Kawal Preet signed the CEO statement of support for the Women’s Empowerment Principles established by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the United Nations Global Compact. 

Giving Impact

The report shows that in FY 2022, FedEx donated over $86 million globally to charities and local non-profits in the communities where its team members live and work. In the AMEA region this includes environmental programs, childhood education, entrepreneurship, and healthcare initiatives to help improve lives. The company also served as a critical conduit for food aid deliveries to residents in Shanghai, China during COVID-19 lockdowns in the city and delivered vaccines and critical medical supplies to India, Korea, and Vietnam among others.

              FedEx is committed to connecting the world responsibly, through its stated goal of carbon-neutral operations by 2040 and pursuit of investments in renewable energy to power its operations.

Read the full FedEx Economic Impact Report and explore the FedEx Effect in communities and regions around the world.

Employees screening prospective hires to find out if they’re the right fit for your business is commonplace, but employee suitability shouldn’t stop at just the initial hiring process.

According to CEO at ‘know your people’ (pre-employment screening, verification and workforce compliance) technology company Kinatico, Michael Ivanchenko, by not regularly screening your employees, you could be exposing your business to unnecessary risk.

“Businesses that do not conduct regular ongoing employee screening can miss the warning signs that an employee is no longer competent to remain in their role or is unsuitable for an upcoming promotion,” said Mr Ivanchenko.

“Background checks are a hiring no-brainer. You want to ensure candidates are who they say they are. But after you’ve hired someone – you should be re-screening them on a regular basis.”

“While someone’s education credentials and previous employment history will remain constant throughout their career, it’s possible that other things may shift.”

“I would advise all businesses to really give serious thought to ‘who’ is working for you long-term.”

Mr Ivanchenko said having people in your business who have lied about their background, or their qualifications is serious, potentially criminal, and can have huge ramifications for the businesses who employed the individual.

“An employee’s criminal, driving and financial records can change over time, and in many instances, this won’t impact the ability of the individual to carry out their role,” said Mr Ivanchenko.

“But what would happen if a financial advisor at your business went bankrupt and didn’t disclose this information?”

“While we usually focus on the price paid by the individual at fault, a business can still suffer significant brand damage, even if they’re found not to have breached any laws and did the right thing by reporting a crime as soon as they became aware of it.”

Mr Ivanchenko said if your business failed to carry out ongoing background screening, you could be putting your clients (and possibly their investment) in jeopardy, with you being potentially liable for any fallout.

Employee Screening obligations for a business included:

• Providing a safe working environment: It is an employer’s duty to protect the interests of clients, stakeholders and staff. Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe working environment, including ensuring all employees are appropriately screened on a regular basis.One-off checks before an individual is hired will not suffice long term, as any changes to their criminal or financial history, for example, may not be uncovered until it is too late. Government regulations within specific industries are also important. If found to be non-compliant – such as not conducting the appropriate level of screening, or not re-screening employees regularly – then hefty fines, reputational damage or prosecution could result.
• Promotions should always involve re-screening: As well as a background screening policy that covers re-screening, in-house promotion policies are important.Often, the new responsibilities that come with a promotion won’t encompass a specific check that will prevent the individual from getting the position. But it may uncover a problem in the original hiring process, such as a criminal conviction that impacts their ability to do their job safely, or a bankruptcy that affects the trading license of a business.Another example isan aged-care worker applying for a more senior role – this new position may require them to drive a business car to collect and return residents to the facility. When joining the business initially, there was no need for a driver’s licence check, since the employee had no driving duties. Or they did have that check, but in the years since they have had their licence suspended.Not completing a re-screening check like this can be devastating for both the business, and the safety of the facility’s residents.
• Different checks for different industries and duties: Businesses will need to work with their hiring managers and HR team to determine the order – and frequency – of ongoing checks. (Common background checks are at the end of the release.)

Mr Ivanchenko said the best way businesses could feel more assured they truly “know their people” was to sign up to an online monitoring platform, like Cited (see below).

Common Employee Screening background checks:

• Driving Licence and Traffic Checks
  For driving-based roles where companies need to ensure employees are still licensed and have a solid driving history.
• Working with Children Check
  In Australia and New Zealand, it’s mandatory for people working in the paid and volunteer children’s workforce to complete a Working with Children Check every three years (or Children’s Worker Safety Check as it’s known in New Zealand). It is illegal to engage anyone in child-related work if they don’t have a valid check.
• VEVO Visa and Work Entitlement Check
  Work entitlements may change over the course of an individual’s employment, so a quick check can provide verification. Likewise, an employee’s visa status will probably change over the course of their employment – failing to comply with TSS Visa conditions could see your business face significant fines.
• National Police Checks

Whether it’s a National Police Check, an AFP Check or a Criminal Record Check (NZ), regular employee screening will give you the relevant insight you need to ensure the appropriate people are in their roles.

• Credit, Financial and Business History Checks
  Particularly for customer-facing companies that manage clients’ finances, bankruptcy and anti-money laundering (AML) checks can be a valuable tool in maintaining your brand’s reputation, and ensuring you continue to comply with industry and government regulations.

The rising prevalence of video-based ecommerce platforms has equipped retailers with a new tool to enhance their close relationship with consumers, and it’s letting them cut all the middlemen out, for good. 

This seismic shift towards video has given rise to a new era of independence amongst direct-to-consumer retailers, a cohort that cut its teeth competing against big business in the arena of online shopping. Having to go toe-to-toe against dominant brands in huge markets, D2C brands inherently understand the value of independence and how it relates to their capacity to react with agility and creativity. 

For the first time these brands are being given the opportunity to really own the customer experience and reduce their dependence on social media giants through shoppable and interactive video which allows them to offer a vastly improved customer experience and build on their social capital. 

Social commerce 2.0

The use of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to market and sell products and services within the app has had a transformative effect on customer buying habits. Data shows that Gen Z in particular use social media to seek inspiration, research products and connect with their favourite brands. As a one-stop shop, social commerce platforms bring together all elements of online shopping in a single convenient package complete with customer support and easy check out. 

Shopping has never been so streamlined, and it’s for this reason that the value of social commerce has skyrocketed. By 2026 it’s estimated that the value of this seamless form of shopping will reach $2.9 trillion in the US. Live shopping is another form of video and social commerce that has already gained massive traction in Asia and Latin America. Worth an estimated $600 billion in China alone, the format is being rolled out across rival platforms including Amazon Live, TikTok Shop/Live, Instagram Live and Twitch. 

For the average social media user who spends 15% of their waking life on social platforms, the melding of entertainment and socialising with online shopping represents convenience, fun and a more authentic brand experience. 

The emergence of independent shoppable video platforms means that D2C brands that have previously exclusively relied on social media to drive brand awareness, strengthen customer connections, and generate revenue are able to do so outside of social media monopolies by turning their websites into their own self-contained platforms. These retailers are empowered to create their brand narratives, build communities, and access full analytic data without being beholden to unknown algorithms, restrictive guidelines, or sudden loss of access to social media accounts.

Leveraging independent shoppable video platforms to fast-track growth

As the internet is a great leveller for D2C brands, the development of integrated shoppable video for ecommerce retailers has given them advantages that have until recently only been accessible to social media heavyweights. Brands are able to leverage in-depth data to hone product offerings, personalise the customer shopping experience and build on community engagement.

D2C retailers can also capitalise on their nimbleness to create compelling brand narratives that will add credibility and meaning to their campaigns. As a medium, video is a powerful vehicle for immersive storytelling – more pertinently, video also offers consumers product information that is otherwise unable to be conveyed via text and images alone. From the look of a product to its colour and proportions, shoppable video reveals far richer details than the standard ecommerce format. 

Retailers are now able to tap into the power of shoppable video to replicate its benefits on their brand’s own page instead of only selling through social media, and they can do it armed with targeted insights gleaned from the platform. Businesses can see how customers react to certain products, what content they engage with the most, which areas or products underperform, which do well and more. 

These insights are critical to personalising the customer experience and assists with product development and retargeting of customers. For D2C businesses accustomed to overseeing all aspects of the business from production to distribution, independent shoppable video platforms add an extra layer of control. No longer do social media middlemen have exclusive access to valuable customer information, brands can solely focus on their own D2C strategy to increase loyalty and sales. 

Quick tips for making the most of video based ecommerce

Brands looking to maximise their shoppable video ROI should keep the following in mind:

• There’s no need to spend a lot to make a great video, keep it simple and stick to these guidelines and you’ll be well on your way. Don’t forget, audiences favour unfiltered and authentic content over slick productions. Taking a low key approach works in favour of your business. 
• Try embedding a Founder story to greet customers with. This should quickly introduce them to your brand and its products and direct them to where they need to go. Consider your Founder story and how it connects to your overall brand story. Work through it if necessary to identify your business’ values, mission, and goals.
• Keep it simple and authentic. Utilise influencers and user-generated content. Reviews are especially essential to credibility, so make the process as hassle-free as possible for your customers.
• For a start, you can use videos you already posted on social without creating new ones and make them shoppable. Make sure that you choose the most engaging videos. You already know what works well on your socials so use the information you already have.
• Make sure that every piece of content represents this brand narrative. Consistency is key to reinforcing brand messages. 

By reclaiming their right to dictate their own direction through use of independent shoppable video platforms, D2C retailers are making it clear to the big names in social media that their era is officially over and the playing field is now even for businesses of all sizes

By Dov Kauffman, Co-Founder and CEO of Tolstoy

.

A free training program from Navitas Skilled Futures is helping improve communication skills, confidence and retention of vital company staff resources in workplaces across the hospitality, tourism and healthcare sectors.  

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, around three million working age Australians have low literacy and/or numeracy skills and are at high risk of poor employment outcomes. Foundation Skills for Your Future is a free government-funded program aimed at combating this issue by encouraging employers, managers and HR teams across Australia to upskill their staff by improving their language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills.  

Industry-specific workplace training is developed in conjunction with employers to deliver bespoke programs that meet individual learning and development needs. The average length of training program is three months with an average class size of 15 people.   

Navitas Skilled Futures Executive General Manager, Michael Cox, said: “Once a business approaches us for training, our team works closely with managers to identify gaps in their employees’ skill set. This allows us to design and deliver a tailored program to improve workforce capability and productivity. The outcome for employees is greater confidence and job satisfaction, which in turn is a competitive advantage for businesses.”  

As a young refugee working on an Australian construction site, Hedayat Osyan learned first-hand how having limited communication and digital skills could be a fast path to exploitation and hopelessness. Many years later, he didn’t hesitate to engage Navitas Skilled Futures to upskill workers at his Sydney social enterprise, CommUnity Construction. 

“After this program [my workers] became more engaged; they wanted to speak with people, to help the business and have more involvement. It led to a happier and safer workplace with employees who felt more connected, could communicate better with each other, and who had a better understanding of their role and business outcomes,” said Hedayat.  

Since participating in the program, CommUnity Construction has raised its profile, seen an increase in referrals and grown its business. Improved employee skills have enabled the business to expand its service offerings and reach. Some staff members have even started their own business. For more on Hedayat’s story, READ or WATCH.  

Employers are encouraged to contribute to the program by giving employees time during work hours to complete the training. Programs can also be delivered onsite or online and are accredited or non-accredited up to the Certificate II level. 

To be eligible, participants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident aged 15 years and over, have left secondary school education, be employed (or recently unemployed within the past nine months) and not registered with an Australian Government employment service provider.