A Case Study: Strengthening Employee Bargaining Capability at Telfer Mine: How Greatland Gold Partnered with Humanify HR
Enterprise bargaining is a critical moment for Australian organisations. It shapes wages, conditions, engagement and trust, and it sits squarely within a rigorous compliance framework under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). For organisations operating in complex contexts, such as Greatland Gold’s Telfer Mine in Western Australia, the stakes are even higher. FIFO rosters, diverse workforce arrangements and safety-critical environments mean bargaining outcomes must be legally compliant, operationally sound and culturally aligned.
Despite this, many Employee Bargaining Representatives (EBRs) step into bargaining with limited preparation. Without structured capability, organisations risk non-compliance, poor engagement, protracted negotiations and agreements that fail to translate into practice.
Humanify HR’s Effective Employee Bargaining Representative Workshop was created to meet this need. Our recent tailored delivery to Greatland Gold demonstrates how targeted training can lift capability, enhance compliance and support constructive bargaining outcomes.
Workshop overview
The Effective Enterprise Bargaining Representative Workshop is designed for organisations seeking a professional, compliant and modern approach to bargaining. For organisations operating in remote work locations, just like Greatland Gold at the Telfer Mine site in Western Australia, Humanify HR delivered the workshop via our online learning environment, supporting participants to:
Understand the role, responsibilities and legal boundaries of EBRs under the Fair Work Act
Interpret and apply good-faith bargaining obligations
Understand the Fair Work Commission’s requirements for agreement-making and approval
Develop credible, evidence-based claims
Understand how enterprise agreements interact with NES minimums and other statutory instruments
Build negotiation confidence, styles, strategies and behaviours
Communicate effectively with employees throughout the bargaining cycle
What the feedback tells us
The Greatland Gold EBR cohort provided highly positive feedback, reflecting the practical value and immediate relevance of the program.
High-impact participant results
100% agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop improved their understanding of the EBR role
100% agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop was organised in a way that supported learning
100% agreed or strongly agreed communications were timely and helpful
100% agreed or strongly agreed that the learning portal improved their experience
These results indicate strong uplift in role clarity, confidence and practical understanding of bargaining obligations.
What participants enjoyed most
“Very interactive, very engaging and very informative.”
“Easy to understand.”
“New information relating to the EBA and how it gets executed.”
“Open workshop between everyone.”
“Recommended to all people interested because it is highly valuable.”
“I learnt so much, even as an experienced EBR, that I didn’t know before.”
These insights demonstrate the workshop’s ability to engage, simplify complexity and add value for both new and experienced representatives.
Key takeaways for Australian employers and HR teams
1. Investment in EBR capability supports compliance and efficiency
When representatives understand their obligations, are confident in their role and communicate effectively, bargaining cycles run more smoothly, minimising risk of disputes or escalation.
2. Bargaining is a cultural lever, not just a transactional exercise
How representatives behave shapes perceptions of fairness, employee engagement and leadership integrity. Capability building enhances trust.
3. Strong implementation planning ensures agreements work in practice
The best agreements are those that can be operationalised and support a healthy workplace culture. EBRs who understand their can help ensure compliance and behavioural alignment long past the bargaining table.
Why organisations choose Humanify HR
Humanify HR is trusted across Australia’s government, private sector and resource industries because:
We bring strong industrial relations expertise
We integrate Fair Work Act compliance into every learning module
We adopt a human-centred, integrity-driven approach
We apply practical experience across multiple sectors, including mining
We build capability that strengthens culture, negotiation behaviour, including both cultural and operational alignment
With enterprise bargaining increasing in complexity across Australian workplaces, investing in EBR capability is no longer optional, it is essential.
Final thought
The Greatland Gold case study shows how structured capability-building empowers representatives, strengthens culture and supports compliance under the Fair Work Act. Effective bargaining is not just about negotiations, it is about building confidence, trust, integrity and engagement across the organisation.
If your organisation is preparing for a bargaining round or building internal capability, the Effective Employee Bargaining Representative Workshop is designed to set your teams up for success.
To discuss tailored in-house delivery or view upcoming course dates, connect with Humanify HR today.
More information
Enterprise bargaining doesn’t have to be complex, conflict-ridden or reactive. With the right preparation, it can become a constructive tool for alignment and engagement.
If your organisation is preparing for an upcoming round of bargaining, or wants to upskill HR and leadership teams, Humanify HR offers a suite of resources to support you:
Tailored Bargaining Strategy Sessions
End-to-end management of Enterprise Bargaining
Negotiation and Leadership Coaching for Lead Negotiators
Contact us at hello@humanifyhr.com.au to see how we can help. To be the first to know about our useful workplace relations, leadership and culture insights and complementary HR resources, you can subscribe to our mailing list here.