| | NOVEMBER 2024MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM8In MyOpinionBy Nikki Klinkert, Group HR Manager, Keolis DownerNAVIGATING INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS: IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE AND TEAMWORKAustrian neurologist and psychologist, Victor E Frankl said, "If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering."It has taken me a couple of months after the Enterprise Agreement negotiations on the Gold Coast to reflect and understand this. The words below are in part a survival strategy and in part commiseration for those who are still negotiating.Industrial Relations vs Human ResourcesThis editorial piece is not for IR specialists. They are incredible humans who have mastered the art of battle in the boardroom. They are the Subject Matter Experts. They have legislative knowledge that will make your jaw drop and a game plan more agile than the national rugby team. We were fortunate enough to have external IR for support, but the day-to-day negotiations were up to us. If your business can leave the entire process to the IR gurus, I highly recommend it. My specialisation is Industrial Psychology and HR, and I can state, hand on heart, that some of the moments were testing. If you can't, as was the case for Keolis Downer Gold Coast, then you'll need to take what you can from the SMEs and get ready for the scrum.Nikki Klinkert
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