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      Empowering organisations to lead with confidence in a changing industrial landscape

      Australia’s workplace relations environment is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by industrial reforms, rising union activity and intensified scrutiny on wage compliance. For organisations, this means navigating a complex web of obligations while striving to remain agile, productive and compliant.

      Our Workplace Relations offering provides expert guidance to help clients manage these challenges head-on. We support clients across the full spectrum of workplace relations – from strategic enterprise agreement planning and union engagement to wage compliance investigations, productivity and cost analysis, and governance assessments.

      Service offerings

      KPMG provides the following services to businesses:

      business people, business women, businesswomen, glasses, Businesswomen working in the office. Sitting and talking. mature woman, mature women

      Bringing agility and compliance to the industrial landscape

      Our tailored Workplace Relations offering is designed to enhance compliance, reduce risk and align workforce strategies with your business goals.

      Enterprise agreement negotiation planning

      We help clients strategically plan for enterprise agreement negotiation, including union and workforce engagement, cost modelling and bargaining tactics.

      Labour cost strategies and pay compliance

      We work with clients on strategies to manage labour costs while increasing workforce flexibility and productivity, and ensuring employment and pay compliance obligations are embedded into HR and payroll systems, hire-to-retire HR processes and culture.

      Industrial relations planning

      We support organisations to understand and plan for the impacts of current and future industrial relations legislative changes on their workforce, so they can navigate complexity with confidence.

      How we help you cut through industrial relations complexity

      • Improve compliance

        Ensure alignment with evolving industrial relations laws and wage compliance obligations, reducing legal and reputational risks.

      • Align enterprise agreement planning with business goals

        Gain support for enterprise agreement negotiations and union engagement to align workforce strategies with business goals.

      • Enhance productivity and flexibility

        Identify cost drivers and optimise rostering and workforce structures to boost operational efficiency.

      • Reduce risk

        Proactively assess and address industrial relations risks, including wage underpayment exposure and governance gaps.

      • Strengthen employee engagement

        Foster more effective communication and consultation with unions and employees, improving trust and workplace culture.

      Download our Workplace Relations service factsheet

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      Workplace Relations

      Service factsheet
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      Frequently asked questions

      Our services are ideal for Australian organisations navigating complex industrial relations environments, particularly those undergoing enterprise bargaining, workforce restructuring or facing wage compliance risks. We work across sectors where labour costs and compliance are critical to operational performance.

      We help clients strategically plan for EA negotiations by developing negotiation strategies, modelling claims, and supporting union and workforce engagement. Our approach ensures alignment with business goals while managing risk and maintaining compliance.

      Yes. We conduct end-to-end wage compliance investigations, quantify exposure and support remediation programs. We also review systems, processes and governance frameworks to ensure ongoing compliance with pay obligations.

      While we offer deep expertise in workplace relations, we do not provide legal representation in court or tribunals. We collaborate with legal counsel where required and focus on strategic, operational and compliance advisory services.

      Clients typically see improved compliance, reduced IR risk, enhanced workforce productivity and stronger employee engagement. Our support helps organisations confidently navigate legislative changes and align workforce strategies with business objectives.