Hello!
I have been busy compiling your favourite workplace newsletter – a combination of things you need to know and things that will make you laugh out loud.
In this issue there’s a workplace trend, news snippets, case updates and sage advice in the “Dear Jen” column.
And of course, I share my recommendations for your viewing pleasure.
I hope this newsletter brings you some wisdom and joy!
Cheers,
Jen
What trend am I seeing out there in the workplace world?
A shift back to remote‑working mode as concerns grow about petrol and diesel supplies. Employers are dusting off their hybrid plans, and employees are doing the maths on whether they’ve got enough fuel to make it to the train station and back.
It’s déjà vu, but without the sourdough starters or the frantic hunt for toilet rolls.
Job of the Week: Professional Sleeper
Apparently people are paid to sleep in new hotel beds to test their comfort levels.
Where do I sign?
Buzzword of the Week: FOBO – Fear of Becoming Obsolete…
The feeling each time you use AI you might just be training your replacement.
Task Automation vs Human Capability
AI-linked redundancies continue with Atlassian cutting 1,600 jobs and shifting more spending into AI.
The trade off between AI content and productivity, compared to the inherent knowledge within a workplace, continues to play-out, notably in the tech sector. Will stripping out experience, or cutting back new or young talent, actually offset AI gains?
Employers who invest in AI, without also investing in skills, learning, and role redesign could find they have generated a workforce problem.
Take Out Point: The potential benefits of restructuring through AI adoption, should be weighed against the benefits of strengthening your team, and ensuring that there continues to be a pipeline for quality staff to join your organisation.
See: Atlassian’s AI job cuts spark warnings of a ‘chaos tsunami’ for the workforce
NSW Long Service Leave Guidance
NSW Industrial Relations has launched the updated Long Service Leave guidance which is designed to support clearer and more consistent application of the Long Service Leave Act 1955.
The Act itself has not changed, however NSW Industrial Relations has updated its guidance on how certain provisions of the Act should be interpreted and applied.
See: Long Service Leave Guidance
FWC Draft Guidance for Use of Generative AI
The Fair Work Commission’s workload has increased by almost 70% in 3 years. One of the reasons for this is that Artificial Intelligence is making it easier for Applicants to bring claims.
The President of the FWC has published a statement and an exposure draft of the proposed Guidance Note: Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Commission cases.
The draft Guidance Note sets out requirements that will apply when generative artificial intelligence is used to prepare an application or any other document to be lodged in a Commission case.
The Guidance Note is one of the reforms being put in place to help manage the increase in the FWC’s workload.
Take Out Point: The Commission is moving to put guardrails around AI use, with disclosure and accountability a clear focus.
See: Fair Work Commission draft guidance for use of Generative AI
President’s statement: Exposure draft of the Commission’s Guidance Note
Guidance Note: Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Commission cases
Exposure draft: Example GenAI section for Commission forms
CASES YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
FWC Backs Phone Use Dismissal
The Fair Work Commission has upheld the dismissal of an apprentice roofer who repeatedly used his personal phone at work when he had been told not to.
The FWC found he knew the conduct was a problem, understood his job was at risk and had been given plenty of opportunity over many months to address his phone use.
Although the dismissal by email was described as a less than satisfactory way to end the employment of a young apprentice, the FWC said that did not make it unfair in the circumstances. The employer was a small business, had given a valid reason and had allowed a reasonable chance to rectify the issue.
Take Out Point: Repeated phone use at work can be a valid reason for dismissal where the employee has been clearly warned and given a real chance to improve.
See: Mr Sam Murray v The Trustee for SDM Trust [2026] FWC 896 (24 March 2026)
Dismissed by WhatsApp
The Fair Work Commission has confirmed that being removed from a workplace WhatsApp group can amount to a dismissal.
A Sydney bakery worker discovered he no longer had a job when his access to the team roster chat disappeared. There was no termination letter, phone call or formal explanation.
The dispute began when the employee travelled to Nepal after requesting six weeks of leave. He had less than a week of leave accrued and approval was never granted. Despite this, he left the country. The bakery advertised for a replacement the next day.
When the employee returned to Australia, contact with the employer stalled. Soon after, his access to the workplace WhatsApp group was removed. The FWC found that the extended unauthorised absence provided a valid reason for dismissal.
Take Out Point: Digital tools may be how workplaces communicate, but relying on them to deliver a dismissal is risky. Even when the outcome is lawful, the process is not ideal.
See: WhatsApp removal constitutes a valid dismissal: Fair Work
15 April 2026 – World Art Day. Creativity, office culture, and finding out you should perhaps not quit your day job.
21 April 2026 – World Creativity and Innovation Day. Perfect for celebrating fresh ideas, smart thinking and the colleague who keeps calling it “blue sky thinking” with a straight face.
27 April 2026 – Additional Public Holiday for Anzac Day (NSW, ACT and WA).
28 April 2026 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work. A useful reminder that appropriate safety practices are not red tape – they are what stop good days becoming bad days.
1 July 2026 – Payday Super commences. Start preparing now! Please don’t leave it until 30 June.
1 July 2026 – Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave Scheme increases again and reaches 26 weeks, paid at the minimum wage.
Difficult Conversations Suck – But You Don’t Have to Suck at Them
No one hands you a manual for tough workplace talks – so I wrote one, turned it into a workshop (and added an interpretive dance).
In my “Awkward to Awesome” workshop, you’ll learn:
✅ A simple, step-by-step way to handle tricky conversations without making it weird
✅ Exactly what to say when it matters (and what not to say)
✅ How to give feedback that actually lands (instead of backfiring spectacularly)
✅ How to avoid putting your foot in your mouth (and what to do if you already have)
✅ How to handle performance issues before they become disasters.
I’ll give you:
✔ A practical skillset you’ll use forever
✔ A serious upgrade to your leadership skills
✔ A major confidence boost for your next tough talk
✔ A few laughs (possibly at my expense)
✘ No cringey role-plays. (We practice, but in a way that makes you better – not more uncomfortable).
REMEMBER… AVOIDANCE ISN’T A STRATEGY!
Contact Jen on 0411 275 920 or at jen@jenniferbicknell.com.au
Dear Jen,
My boss keeps asking me to upload my day-to-day duties into our AI platform, including how I actually do them.
He says it is to help the business find smarter, more productive ways of working. I think it sounds suspiciously like I am being asked to hand over the recipe before the chef gets replaced by a microwave.
Is there any way I can avoid training my non-human replacement?
Cheers,
Wary Wendy
Dear Wary Wendy,
Nothing unsettles a person quite like being asked to write their own “how-to” manual while management smiles supportively nearby.
You probably cannot refuse outright if the direction is lawful and reasonable, but by all means ask questions.
After all, if the robots are joining the team, it’s fair to ask whether they are there to assist, or auditioning for Employee of the Month.
Cheers,
Jen
Oh the joy! Finally we have season 2 of Last One Laughing UK (Amazon Prime). This show makes me laugh out loud. Hosted by Jimmy Carr, 10 of the UK’s sharpest comedians are locked in a room for 6 hours where the only rule is – don’t laugh. It’s chaos. It’s clever. It’s champagne comedy.
The hardest working man in television – Taylor Sheridan (think Yellowstone, Landman, etc) has now delivered The Madison (Paramount). Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, an awesome ensemble cast, NYC and Montana star in this 6 episode love letter. I inhaled it.
Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (Netflix) is no easy watch. In this 90-minute documentary Theroux explores the extreme, anti-feminist online communities known as the “manosphere”. Expect your jaw to be on the ground for much of this…
Some say that Virgin River (Netflix) and Sullivan’s Crossing (Stan) have jumped the shark, but for those of us who want to escape at night, they are pure delight. New seasons of both have landed.
