Recruitment in 2024: How Leaders Will Attract Talented Employees

December 19, 2023

Recruiting employees is challenging for many businesses. Leaders need talented and loyal teams… So how are they responding to the changing recruitment landscape? Here are some recent trends.


Virtual Recruiting


Virtual recruiting has taken hold. It was once unthinkable that an employee could be hired without an in-person meeting with their manager. Virtual recruiting means candidates may not get a close-up look at the company (and vice versa) but businesses increasingly see merit in finding candidates outside their geographic area.


To improve the virtual recruiting experience, employers are providing more control to the job seeker, including the ability to schedule interviews, choose an interviewer, and have visibility into where they are in the process. 


Remote Work


Offices won’t disappear… but remote work is here to stay. Businesses which are good at setting up remote workers will stand out. This includes providing equipment like standing desks, noise cancelling headphones and collaboration technologies, while enabling learning and connection with colleagues.


Automation


Automation can reduce the length of the recruitment process and improve the experience. Examples of automation include applicant tracking, digital interviewing, candidate matching, resume management, scheduling interviews and candidate screenings. One area experiencing huge growth is asynchronous video technology; software that allows applicants to film themselves answering a set of questions. 


Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Predictive Analytics


AI technology is used to source candidates, develop (unbiased) job descriptions, review resumes, schedule interviews and analyse answers to written interview questions. The technology then learns from the data and uses algorithms to push the best candidates forward. 


Chatbots


Career sites with chatbots can convert more applicants and increase the number of candidate leads. They help candidates learn more about the organisation and reduce time spent answering questions on how to apply, the status of applications, benefits and compensation.


Comprehensive Benefits


Medical and dental coverage are important for many employees but employers can stand out by offering programs to help save for retirement, balance work and life and address mental health concerns, for example through mental health apps, activities like yoga or a wellness coach.


Empathy


Candidates will recognise a culture that encourages thinking about the needs and feelings of others. An active recruiter who puts themselves in the shoes of candidates and is ‘present’ throughout the recruiting process is likely to get the best results. 


Flexibility and Adaptability


An employer which demonstrates agility, or the ability to quickly maneuver and adapt, will be positively perceived. This could be through flexibility on the contractual terms but also how the organisation is responding to its own business challenges. The ability to adjust is a desirable attribute. 


Social Recruiting


Recruiting on LinkedIn is old news but use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is growing, especially to attract younger candidates. Successful campaigns should be designed to suit the platform. For example, one employer set a challenge on Instagram asking users to crack a code… and then apply for a job!


Webinars


Webinars may feel like ‘old hat’ but still have a place, especially with the decline of traditional job fairs. Successful webinars will be themed and specific while providing valuable career advice.


Marketing Approach to Recruitment


In marketing, we build ‘funnels’ but this can also apply in recruiting. Break the process into awareness, interest, decision and action stages and be sure to address key questions about the target audience, how to reach them, what content will appeal, how to manage ‘leads’ and how to measure progress. Then focus on continually improving your process and the ROI. 


Internal Recruiting


Some existing employees may want a different role for which they are well-suited. That’s a win-win for employer and employee but it won’t happen by chance. A proactive approach is needed, for example, by tracking employees’ aspirations, skills and interests and matching these with job openings. 


Staying Current with Trends


Candidates are increasingly aware of, and care about, social trends. Priorities will differ, for example, a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion may be a point of differentiation for some employers. 


Employer Branding


Another pathway to differentiation is employer branding. This is best achieved when current employees talk about their positive experience with their employer. The most powerful advocates for the Employer are existing employees.


So, among other things, successful recruiters are taking a long-term approach, embracing technology, improving processes and looking for ways to stand out. This makes sense because someone who is not a fit right now might be a valuable addition to the team later on. Good luck with your recruiting!

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Division 7A in Simple Terms: Don’t Treat Your Company Like a Personal ATM

By Regina Chia • February 3, 2026
When you take money out of your company for personal use, it’s not automatically a tax-free loan. To the ATO, that payment must be one of these: Salary and wages A declared dividend A properly set up loan If it’s none of the above, the ATO can treat the amount as a dividend and add it to your personal taxable income. This rule is called Division 7A. A common situation is when a business owner transfers money from the company account to their own account, planning to “put it back later”. Without the right paperwork, the ATO may say that money was actually a dividend, not a loan. For example: You take $50,000 from your company to renovate your home. If you do nothing, that $50,000 can be treated as a dividend. You will need to pay personal income tax on the full $50,000, and you don’t get any franking credits to reduce the tax. To avoid this, you can either: pay the $50,000 back to the company before the company’s tax return is due, or put a formal Division 7A loan in place. A proper Division 7A loan means: a written loan agreement interest charged at the ATO rate minimum yearly repayments over up to 7 years (or longer if secured by property) If you set up the loan correctly, you might repay roughly $9,000 per year (principal plus interest, depending on the rate and term). As long as you make those repayments on time each year, the ATO treats it as a loan, not a dividend. Problems usually happen when people: take money out casually don’t sign a loan agreement miss the required yearly repayment If a repayment is missed, the unpaid amount for that year can still be treated as a taxable dividend. In short, company money is not your personal spending account. If you use company funds for private purposes, either repay it quickly or set up a proper loan and stick to the repayments, or you risk an unexpected personal tax bill.  If you have any questions or would like to discuss how Division 7A applies to your situation, please feel free to contact our office for appointments.

Division 296 tax legislation (revised)

By Matt Richardson • January 27, 2026
For nearly 3 years now the Government has been proposing to bring in a new tax on taxpayers with high total superannuation balances. It has been referred to as the $3 million tax. Previous versions of the draft legislation resulted in significant opposition from both industry groups and political parties due to the unfair and unintended consequences of poorly worded legislation. Most significant was the taxing of unrealised capital gains within Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs). Prior to Christmas, the Government finally released their updated draft legislation for the introduction of the new Division 296 tax. The main points are as follows: · The introduction of the tax will commence on 1 July 2026 (rather than 1 July 2025), which means the first financial year will be the year ending 30 June 2027. · The tax of 15% will apply on the portion of earnings on total superannuation balances above $3 million. · An extra tax of 10% will now also apply on the portion of earnings on total superannuation balances above $10 million. · The $3 million and the $10 million thresholds will now be indexed in line with CPI (previous legislation had no indexation). · After the first year the calculation of the portion above the $3 million will be based on the higher of the opening and closing total superannuation balance during the financial year. This is a significant change as previously it was only based on the 30 June balance at the end of each year. This allowed taxpayers to withdraw superannuation assets prior to 30 June to reduce their member balance and therefore avoid any application of Division 296 tax. · The definition of earnings has also changed. Earnings will now be based on normal tax principles and be closer to the calculation of taxable income (which is much fairer). Unrealised capital gains will no longer be considered as part of earnings.  · Special protections will be included to ensure any capital gains accrued up to 30 June 2026 will not be included in future earnings calculations. The draft legislation was open for industry comment up to 16 January 2026. The Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) Association and other industry groups have tabled concerns regarding the complexity and over-complicated nature of the draft legislation. In their eyes this can only lead to higher compliance costs (in addition to the tax). We will keep you informed if there are any further proposed changes prior to this legislation becoming law.

Cash Clarity - Why Early Discipline Sets the Tone for the Year

January 27, 2026
January is when many business owners review their profit targets for the year ahead. That’s understandable — but in practice, it’s cash flow that determines how calm or stressful the year will feel. Clients who enter the year with clear cash visibility tend to make better decisions, move faster, and sleep better. Those who don’t often spend the year reacting rather than leading. Here’s why January is the right moment to reset your cash discipline — and where to focus first. 1. Cash flow is a timing issue, not just a performance issue Many profitable businesses still experience cash pressure. The reason is usually timing, not effort or demand. Common issues we see include: Invoices going out later than expected Payment terms that don’t match cost cycles Large expenses landing before revenue catches up January is ideal for mapping these timing gaps while the year is still flexible. Even a simple month-by-month view of expected inflows and outflows can highlight where pressure is likely to arise. 2. A rolling forecast beats a static budget Annual budgets often look impressive in January — and are forgotten by March. A rolling cash forecast, updated monthly, is far more useful. It allows you to: Anticipate short-term funding needs Make confident decisions about hiring or investment Spot problems early, while there are still options This doesn’t need to be complex. The goal is visibility, not perfection. 3. Client payment behaviour deserves attention Late payments are one of the most common causes of avoidable cash stress. January is a good time to ask: Are our payment terms clear and enforced? Do we follow up consistently? Are some Clients always slower than others? Often, small changes to invoicing timing or follow-up processes make a noticeable difference without harming relationships. 4. Cost creep is easiest to fix early Costs have a habit of accumulating quietly. Software subscriptions, contractors, and discretionary spending often feel manageable in isolation but add up quickly. Reviewing these early in the year gives you more control — and avoids rushed decisions later. Software subscriptions, contractors, and discretionary spending often feel manageable in isolation but add up quickly. Reviewing these early in the year gives you more control — and avoids rushed decisions later. 5. Strong cash control creates optionality The real benefit of cash clarity isn’t restriction — it’s choice. Businesses with healthy cash visibility can: Invest when opportunities appear Absorb surprises without panic Negotiate from a position of strength That flexibility is one of the biggest competitive advantages a business can have. January cash discipline isn’t about being conservative. It’s about giving yourself room to manoeuvre as the year unfolds. If you’re unsure how robust your current cash position really is, a short review now can save a lot of pressure later.

Payday Super

By Karen Grainger • January 12, 2026
Payday Super rules introduced by the Federal Government is now legislation and we can provide more detail for the new rules for employers. Currently employers have 28 days from the end of a quarter to process the quarter’s super guarantee (SG) amounts for employees through an approved clearing house. This means the December quarter SG is due for lodgement and payment by 28 January. The Payday super rules require an employer to lodge and pay the employee SG at the same time they are lodging and paying the employees. These are the new rules: New Deadline From 1 July 2026 the deadline for super payments will be 7 days from the day an employee pay is paid. This means a super fund must record receipt of the employee SG via an approved clearing house within these 7 days. There is an exemption for new employees where an extension is provided of 20 days when it’s the first payment of a new employees super. Calculating Super Amounts From 1 July 2026 you will calculate an employees’ superannuation based on their qualifying earnings (QE). Qualifying earnings is made up of: - An employee’s Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE) - Amounts of OTE that have been used as part of a salary sacrifice arrangement for super contributions - Other amounts which are currently included in an employee’s salary or wages for SG Late Payments and Super Guarantee Charge Super Guarantee charge (SGC) applies to amounts not received by a super fund within the 7 business days of payday. From 1 July 2026 Super Guarantee charge will be: - Assessed by the ATO (previously it was self-assessed by the employer) - Calculated based on Qualifying earnings - Includes interest that compounds daily at the general interest charge rate - Includes an administrative uplift based on the employer’s history of meeting super guarantee obligations - SGC will be tax deductible - Penalties start at 25% of unpaid SGC and will increase to 50% depending on prior history Small Business Superannuation Clearing House As previously advised the small business superannuation clearing house will no longer be available. Other Important Points - Super Choice Forms are still required to be provided to new employees - Employers can request Stapled super details for new employees at the time of suppling the super choice form rather than waiting until their first pay allowing employers to gain their super details in a timelier manner. - Super funds will have 3 days to advise and return super contributions rather than the previous 20 days Our tip is to start Payday super now. If you are already using a software based super option than consider building into your pay process of processing a super payment at the same time If you are using the ATO SBCCH as your super clearing house you need to consider your options to what super clearing house you will be using from 1 July 2026. Our team at Green Taylor Partners can assist you with the move to Payday super.

The True Cost of Hiring Your First Employee in Australia

By Jarrod Kemp • January 7, 2026
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