About Us
Workplace Strategies CC is a consultancy set up by Paul Cooley, a labour lawyer with a unique mix of legal experience, human resource knowledge and conflict resolution skills. From time to time Paul calls upon trusted affiliates, dependent upon client needs.
Founder: Paul Cooley
Paul’s professional life started as an attorney in Australia in 1995, acting in industrial relations matters for trade unions in the construction, forestry, mining and transport industries. He then worked for a very different type of clientele at one of Australia’s most high-profile employer labour law firms, where his clients where typically publicly listed or entrepreneur-owned companies seeking innovative solutions to labour law challenges. After a stint in the United Kingdom working with a Fleet Street firm, Paul returned to Australia and continued to advise on employment law issues, industrial relations and human resources.
Marriage resulted in Paul relocating to South Africa in 2005 where he set up Workplace Strategies CC.
Paul’s passion is mechanisms to improve employment relationships and he fervently believes that competent management of human capital invariably improves an organisation’s bottom line results. He has particular interests in employee retention strategies and the human capital element of restructuring. Paul is well placed to assist with the management of people in changing times. He has advised on the employee ramifications of company acquisitions and understands the complex labour laws regulating restructuring. Paul also has experience in conflict resolution and is frequently asked to mediate or arbitrate workplace disputes. The third skill set that Paul brings to the table are facilitation techniques; he routinely conducts workplace-based facilitations that seek to align staff to their employer’s strategic objectives.
Paul’s qualifications:
• Accredited facilitator (Participlan) (2006)
• Certificate of Labour Law, University of Cape Town (2006)
• Graduate Diploma of Labour Relations Law, University of Melbourne (2005)
• Admitted as a Practitioner of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1998)
• Admitted as a Practitioner of the Federal Court & High Court of Australia (1997)
• Admitted as a Practitioner of the Supreme Court of Tasmania (1996)
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, University of Tasmania (1995)
• Bachelor of Arts/Law, University of Tasmania (1994)
Paul’s professional memberships (past and present):
• Western Cape Committee Member, South African Society for Labour Law (SA)
• Member, Industrial Relations Society of South Africa (SA)
• Member, South African Reward Association (SA)
• Executive Committee Member, Industrial Relations Society of Victoria (Aust)
• Chartered Member, Australian Human Resources Institute (Aust)
• Member of the Industrial Relations and Employment Law Committees, Law Institute of Victoria (Aust)
• Member of the Employment Lawyers Association (UK)
Additional Resources
Workplace Strategies is able to draw on a number of trusted affiliates to assist with client projects on an as-needs basis. This talented group of people compliment our work and operate in the following types of fields:
• industrial psychologists
• executive recruitment
• compensation specialists
• taxation experts
• payroll providers
• organisational development experts
• executive coaches
• career planning
If you provide specialist skills that might complement our services, please fill in the enquiry form to express your interest about working with Workplace Strategies.
Clients
Over the last decade Paul’s clients have ranged in size and scope; from publicly-listed companies to industry associations to family-owned businesses. He has worked with national retailers, international extractive companies, a regional airline, gaming companies, internet service providers, government business units, major road freight companies and insurance underwriters/brokers.
Current clients of Workplace Strategies emit from the building & construction sector, information technology, agricultural, retail, manufacturing and printing industries.
