Do you have someone on your team right now where something just feels... off? Maybe you knew when you hired them, maybe it crept up on you slowly — but either way, you're still holding on. And if that's you, this episode is going to hit close to home.

This is one of my most listened-to episodes and I'm bringing it back because I keep seeing this play out in businesses every single week. The hiring market has shifted since I first recorded this, but the problem hasn't changed one bit. Business owners are still holding onto the wrong people for too long — and it's the rest of the team that quietly pays the price.

In this episode I walk you through exactly what a wrong hire looks like in the early stages (because when you're in the weeds it can be surprisingly hard to see), the real reasons we keep people around even when we know we shouldn't, and the three ways holding onto the wrong person erodes your team's morale and motivation from the inside out. The third one in particular — the trust piece — is the one most business owners don't see coming until the damage is already done.

If you've been avoiding a difficult decision about someone on your team, this episode will give you the clarity and the push you need to take action.

In this episode we cover:

• The five red flags that signal you've made a wrong hire
• Why we talk ourselves into keeping people we know aren't right
• The three ways a wrong hire silently destroys team morale
• Why your team will forgive the mistake — but not the inaction

Ready to take action? If you're dealing with a wrong hire right now and need support book a clarity call to find out how I can help:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/

Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode, we are tackling one of the most confusing and high-risk areas for business owners right now, the difference between employees and contractors.

I’m joined by Jeanette Jifkins from Onyx Legal, and together we unpack why this isn’t as simple as choosing what you want to call someone. We explore how recent Fair Work changes, alongside ATO requirements, have made this space more complex than ever, and why getting it wrong can have serious financial and legal consequences for your business.

We dive into the legal perspective on what truly separates an employee from a contractor, including the critical role of control, the “whole of relationship” test, and what courts actually look for when making a determination.

Throughout the conversation, we share practical examples, common mistakes business owners make, and how contractor relationships can easily drift into employment without you even realising. If you’re currently engaging contractors or considering it, this episode will help you understand your risks and what you need to do to protect your business.

Key Takeaways:

• You can’t simply choose whether someone is a contractor or employee, the law determines it
• The level of control you have is a major factor in defining the relationship
• The “whole of relationship” test looks beyond contracts to how the working relationship actually functions
• Contractor arrangements can evolve over time and increase your risk if not managed properly
• Documentation, clear agreements, and ongoing management are essential to protecting your business

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/

Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

To Connect with Jeanette:

https://onyx.legal/

https://www.instagram.com/onyxlegal_bris/

In this episode, we are diving into how to write a script for any tricky team conversation, whether it’s performance-related, awkward, or just something that’s been sitting on your to-do list for far too long. I walk through why these conversations are often avoided and how that avoidance is actually costing your business more than you might realise, from disengaged employees through to missed performance opportunities. I also unpack why this isn’t a “them” problem, it’s an “us” problem, and how our hesitation as leaders is often the very thing holding our teams back.

I also take you through a practical, step-by-step framework to help you confidently prepare for and navigate these conversations. From getting crystal clear on the real issue, to preparing for objections, to structuring your conversation in a way that leads to clarity and action, this episode gives you a repeatable approach you can use anytime. If you’ve ever found yourself overthinking, avoiding, or second-guessing a tough conversation, this is the structure you’ve been looking for.

Key Takeaways:

1. Avoiding difficult conversations leads to bigger performance and engagement issues over time
2. Clarity is the foundation of any effective team conversation
3. Preparing for objections reduces fear and builds confidence
4. A structured conversation framework creates better outcomes and accountability
5. Following up and documenting conversations is critical for long-term success

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/

Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

In this episode I’m tackling a leadership trap I see all the time in small and growing businesses: confusing being a nice boss with being a good boss. With recent research showing that four in five Australian employees are disengaged at work, and a significant percentage actively looking for a new role, it’s worth asking an uncomfortable question.

How much of that comes down to leadership? The reality is that managers influence the majority of employee engagement outcomes, which means the way we show up as leaders has a direct impact on retention, performance and ultimately profitability.

I explore the difference between leading with kindness and prioritising being liked. When we focus too heavily on being nice, we often avoid the conversations that actually help our teams grow. We soften feedback, let issues slide and delay addressing underperformance because we don’t want to upset anyone. But strong leadership isn’t about being harsh. It’s about being clear. A good boss cares enough about their team to set expectations, hold boundaries and have honest conversations even when they feel uncomfortable. As the saying goes, clear is kind, and unclear is unkind.

I also share practical ways you can shift from being simply a nice boss to being an effective one without changing who you are. This includes setting clear expectations early, addressing issues while they’re still small, giving honest but respectful feedback and creating regular check-ins so difficult conversations become easier over time. Your warmth and care are strengths as a leader. The key is making sure they support clarity and accountability rather than replacing them.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/

Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Articles Mentioned:

https://www.ibtimes.com.au/employee-disengagement-australia-leads-au223-billion-loss-42-actively-job-hunting-poll-1858187

https://www.ahri.com.au/articles/cost-of-employee-disengagement

In this episode I’m talking about something most business owners know they need to do but often avoid: difficult conversations. We’ve been exploring why these conversations feel so uncomfortable and how to approach them, but today I’m focusing on something different – the real cost of not having them.

Whether it’s the high performer who knows they’re indispensable, the team members who simply can’t work together, or the employee whose attitude has quietly shifted, avoiding the conversation might feel easier in the moment but it comes with a price.

I unpack the three hidden costs that show up when we delay these conversations: the time and mental bandwidth it takes up, the opportunity cost of what your team and business could achieve if the issue was resolved, and the very real material costs that can appear through mistakes, disengagement, lost customers or team turnover. When you start adding those up, many business owners are effectively paying somewhere between $50 and $100 every single day just to avoid a conversation that would likely take 30 minutes to have.

If you’ve ever put off a tough conversation because you care about the relationship or you’re worried about making things worse, you’re not alone. Avoidance isn’t laziness, it’s often a sign that you care deeply about your team and the outcome. But understanding the true cost of avoiding the conversation is the first step toward addressing it.

In the next episode, I’ll be sharing the three reasons these conversations often don’t go the way we expect, even when we finally decide to have them.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/

Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

In this episode, I’m diving into the real reason you’re avoiding that conversation you know you need to have. You’ve thought about it, rehearsed it and told yourself you’ll deal with it next week. But avoidance isn’t laziness. It’s protection. I unpack why so many business owners put off difficult conversations around performance management, behaviour issues and team accountability, and why it’s not about being a bad boss or not knowing what to say. It runs deeper than that.

We explore the four big reasons these conversations get delayed, including fear of escalation, worrying about back chat or Fair Work claims, not wanting to be the bad guy in a close knit team, not trusting the structure of the conversation and letting issues go on for too long. I talk about how avoidance quietly shapes workplace culture, how behaviour becomes pattern and pattern becomes precedent, and why what you tolerate never stays neutral.

Most importantly, I share why the real issue isn’t courage. It’s clarity. When you have a clear structure for managing hard conversations, you reduce emotion, protect yourself legally, strengthen your workplace culture and create better performance outcomes for your team.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/

Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

In this episode, we’re unpacking a confronting but powerful question: is your team’s performance actually a reflection of your leadership?

When something goes wrong in our teams, it’s easy to look straight at them.

But what if under-performance isn’t about capability at all?

What if it’s about clarity, communication and consistency?

I’m sharing why most performance issues are actually clarity issues, how undefined standards and unspoken expectations create confusion, and why emotional reactions instead of structured leadership conversations keep us stuck. If someone keeps getting it wrong, we need to ask ourselves what we’ve clearly defined as ‘right’.

We also explore the idea that what you tolerate becomes the norm. If lateness has no consequence, it becomes culture. If attitude slips and nothing happens, that tone spreads. If you quietly redo work instead of addressing it, quality control becomes your job forever. Teams calibrate to the lowest enforced standard.

Culture is not what we say, it’s what we repeat, what we ignore, what we reward and what we fix for them. The good news is that if standards are created through repetition, they can be reset the same way. I’ll challenge you to choose your next action step. Is it clarity, tolerance or culture alignment?

And over the next few weeks, I’ll be diving deeper into the leadership behaviours that reset standards faster than anything else.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that so many business owners struggle with but don’t always want to admit, micromanagement.

Are you a micromanager? Do you find yourself swooping in, rechecking work that has already been delegated, rewriting emails that were perfectly fine, or feeling anxious when someone else is responsible for the outcome? We explore what micromanagement really is, how it differs from being hands on or caring about quality, and the subtle behaviours that signal a lack of trust within your team.

I unpack why even experienced leaders fall into the micromanagement trap, from perfectionism and fear of mistakes through to burnout, decision fatigue and scar tissue from past disappointments. When the business feels like your baby, it is easy to justify controlling every detail. But I also share what micromanagement feels like on the other side, and how it impacts employee engagement, team morale, productivity and retention. When autonomy disappears, so does motivation, and good people eventually walk away.

Most importantly, we talk about how to break free from the micromanagement spiral. I introduce a practical delegation framework using the 4Cs, Context, Clarity, Check-ins and Consequences, to help you set clear expectations and step back with confidence. This episode will help you shift from directing to coaching, focus on outcomes instead of control, rebuild trust in your team, and create the leadership capacity your growing business needs.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am sharing a conversation had on The Australian Small Business Show, another podcast that I cohost with my husband Matt Heighway.

In this episode, we tackle a big question many small business owners are asking right now, is employee loyalty dead?

Drawing on our experiences and observations of the next generation entering the workforce, they explore how the traditional idea of loyalty as a trade for long-term job security has shifted. With changing expectations, generational differences and the lasting impact of the pandemic, the old rules around work and loyalty no longer seem to apply in the same way .

The conversation dives into why job security is no longer the primary driver of loyalty, and how employees are increasingly taking ownership of their own careers. We discuss why modern loyalty looks less like a lifetime commitment and more like being engaged, committed and aligned while someone is part of your business. We also unpack how leadership, development, flexibility and feeling valued now play a far bigger role than simply a pay cheque.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode, we are talking about something every leader has to do, but many quietly avoid: giving staff feedback.

Giving feedback isn’t just part of your job, it is the job. When it’s done well, it drives improvement, builds trust and shifts behaviour. When it’s done poorly, it creates confusion, defensiveness and disengagement. Today, we are unpacking the three biggest feedback mistakes I see business owners make and how to fix them.

First, we look at the problem of being too vague or making feedback personal. Comments like “you need to communicate better” or “you’ve got a bad attitude” don’t help anyone improve. Vague feedback confuses people and personal feedback puts them straight into defence mode. I walk you through how to use the SBI framework so feedback stays factual, fair and focused on behaviour, not personality. We also talk about the power of following feedback with curiosity and questions, rather than assumptions.

We also cover why delaying feedback until it becomes a bigger issue is damaging your team and your relationships. Waiting until you’re frustrated or until a formal review often means the moment for change has passed. Feedback works best when it’s timely and part of your everyday leadership rhythm.

Finally, we talk about the difference between telling and coaching. Real behaviour change doesn’t come from instructions alone. It comes from helping people reflect, understand the impact of their actions and build capability through coaching-style conversations.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we’re digging into the vault and rereleasing one of our most popular episodes, back from late 2020.

Today we are taking a look at the other side of employee engagement. We have spoken a few times on the podcast about employee engagement, what it is, why it’s important and how you can improve it.

However, we haven’t before spoken about how to identify a disengaged employee and what you need to look out for. Today we take a detailed look at 7 key signs that your employee may be disengaged.

Specifically we discuss:

- Changes in behaviour and routine;

- Withdrawal from social connections at work;

- Employees becoming distracted and losing focus at work;

- Missing deadlines and work quality starting to slip;

- The importance if you notice a change in their demeanour;

- Communication becoming frustrating or non existent;

- The rise in absenteeism.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode, I’m diving into hiring in 2026 and unpacking what’s actually changing, what’s staying the same, and why many of the old recruitment tactics just aren’t cutting it anymore.

Whether you’ve hired recently or it’s been a while, the reality is the hiring market is still competitive, candidates are moving fast, and business owners need to be far more intentional about how they attract and select the right people. I talk through why speed still matters, but only when it’s backed by clarity, strategy and a strong understanding of what you actually need in your business.

We also explore the rise of passive candidates and why relying solely on job ads is no longer enough. Hiring in 2026 looks a lot more like marketing, building your employer brand, using your networks, and clearly communicating your values and flexibility. I share my thoughts on the growing role of AI in recruitment, how both candidates and employers are using it, and where the risks sit if it’s not used thoughtfully. Most importantly, I explain why hiring decisions are now deeply connected to retention and culture, and how getting it wrong can cost you far more than waiting for the right person.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

• Why speed in hiring still matters, but strategy matters more

• How to reach great candidates who aren’t actively job hunting

• The role of AI in modern recruitment and where human judgement is still essential

• Why values, flexibility and culture need to show up in your hiring process

• How better hiring decisions support stronger retention and team performance

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that sounds simple but is far harder than it should be: delegation. If you constantly feel like you’re the only one who can do things properly, or you’re frustrated that your team just doesn’t get it, the issue usually isn’t your people, it’s your delegation process. I unpack why delegation feels so hard for so many business owners and leaders, especially when no one ever taught us how to do it properly and our teams can’t read our minds.

I then walk you through my five-step framework for effective delegation, starting with deciding what you should actually be delegating, not just offloading tasks out of frustration. We talk about getting clear on the outcome so success is tangible, giving context so your team understands the bigger picture, agreeing on boundaries to create clarity and trust, and setting follow-ups that support accountability without micromanaging. Delegation done well isn’t about control, it’s about coaching, building capability and freeing you up to focus on the work that really matters in your business.

Your action after listening is simple: pick one task you’re currently holding onto and delegate it using all five steps. Notice how different it feels when expectations are clear, context is shared and follow-up is planned from the start.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Happy 2026 and welcome back. After a short break, I’m diving straight into a question I’m hearing more and more from business owners as hiring ramps up again.

Are cover letters redundant?

In this episode, I reflect on what season many of us are in right now, growing teams, reviewing recruitment processes, and trying to hire well without wasting time or creating unnecessary complexity.

I unpack why so many businesses still rely heavily on cover letters and why, in the traditional sense, they’re no longer giving us the insights we think they are. With the rise of AI, most cover letters now sound the same, polished, impressive, and often disconnected from how someone will actually perform in your business. I share my own approach, the common bias business owners have towards strong writing and compliments, and the so called ‘trick’ application strategies that don’t always tell you what you need to know. Ultimately, it comes down to who you trust and how that aligns with your leadership style.

I also walk through what to do instead. This includes thinking more intentionally about what you actually want to assess, how to screen candidates more effectively so you don’t over interview and confuse yourself, and how to rely more on what you can witness rather than what’s written. Resumes still matter, and interviews are still critical, but only when they’re designed well. I also share how you can use AI to your advantage in recruitment rather than letting it blur your decision making.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Leading and motivating transient and seasonal team members

Many rural and regional businesses work with seasonal workers, volunteers and ’88 dayers” - those young international travellers with holiday visa who need to work for 88 days in a rural or regional area in order to have their visa extended. Christmas, school holidays and other occasions mean we are often taking on staff ‘for the season’ wherever we are. In this episode Juliet and Kristy-Lee are talking about some of the challenges and opportunities in leading these people whilst keeping your core team motivated.

Anytime someone joins or leaves our team it has an impact on the culture of the team and seasonal or transient team members can bring strengths and energy or can dislocate a team and throw everything off balance.

We discuss how to bring these people into the team in ways that get the best from them and integrate them into the team as effectively as possible.

Have you had seasonal or transient workers join your team? What was your experience? We’d love to hear!

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode we’re continuing with our special three-part series to help you plan for a powerful 2026, and looking at what to start doing when it comes to managing your team.

This episode focuses on three key things to start doing for your team as you head into the new year. We’re talking about the importance of building leadership skills within your team and investing in leadership skill development, I’m also encouraging you to start having braver conversations sooner, and to start measuring what really matters.

💡 Bonus AI Tip: Start putting AI guides in place for your team.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode we’re continuing with our special three-part series to help you plan for a powerful 2026, and looking at what to keep doing when it comes to managing your team.

This episode focuses on three key things to keep doing for your team as you head into the new year. We’re talking about the importance of continuing with regular meetings, consistency with curious conversations and of course the key to continued clarity.

💡 Bonus AI Tip: Keep exploring AI and looking for opportunities to integrate it in your work.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

The 12 Days of a People Powered Christmas Specials:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/12-days-christmas

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

As we head toward a brand new year, it’s the perfect time to take stock of what’s not working, and let it go.

In this episode of the People Powered Business Podcast, we’re kicking off a special three-part series to help you plan for a powerful 2026, starting with what to stop doing when it comes to managing your team.

If you’ve felt like you’ve been micromanaging, cleaning up after your team, or spending too much time on reactive people issues, this conversation will speak directly to you. We’ll cover the habits, leadership patterns, and outdated processes that are quietly draining your time, energy, and team morale, and why clinging to them might be holding your business back more than you realise.

You’ll walk away with permission to stop being the default problem-solver, the reminder that you don’t need to keep tolerating average performance, and a reality check about what it really costs to ignore toxic behaviours in your business.

💡 Bonus AI Tip: Stop assuming your team know how to use AI well, or responsibly.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

The 12 Days of a People Powered Christmas Specials:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/12-days-christmas

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Wow! 300 episodes! Who would have thought that when I started planning this podcast back in 2019, and launched it in early 2020 the world of work would go through the changes it has?

Yes that’s right, the world of work is changing. More so now than in the last 5 years. So today I’m unpacking my top 3 predictions for our teams in 2026 and beyond.

From full AI integration and managing the tension and skills required, to rising to the challenge of engaging a largely disengaged workforce who are craving connection now more than ever. The business owners who stay ahead of these trends will be the ones with thriving business in 2026 and beyond.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au  

The 12 Days of a People Powered Christmas Specials:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/12-days-christmas

An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are discussing the value of a clean slate! Sometimes in business, and in life, it can be simpler to wipe the slate clean and start again than it can be to untangle and rebuilt an existing mess. In today episode I walk you through an exercise around creating a structure to achieve your vision, which I call quite simply The Clean Slate Exercise. We look at how to ensure you’re not putting square pegs in round holes, training and developing your best people and how to fill gaps and deal with over resourcing, or leakage.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au  

An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Is your team member just going through a rough patch, or have they checked out entirely?

In this week’s episode of the People Powered Business Podcast, we’re diving into a topic that many business owners and leaders quietly wrestle with: how to tell the difference between burnout and disengagement in your team.

At first glance, burnout and disengagement can look almost identical. You might notice someone who’s normally reliable and upbeat suddenly becoming withdrawn, missing deadlines, or not showing the same drive they once did. But beneath the surface, these two experiences come from very different places. and require completely different responses from you as a leader.

In this episode, I walk you through clear, easy-to-understand definitions of both burnout and disengagement. We cover the key signs and symptoms to look out for, and why it’s essential to understand what’s really going on before you jump in with a solution. Because what helps someone who’s burnt out won’t help someone who’s disengaged, and vice versa.

I also share a simple, three-question diagnostic tool you can use to figure out what’s really happening. It will help you decide whether you’re looking at a team member who’s under stress and needs support, or someone who’s mentally checked out and needs a different kind of leadership response.

We also explore how burnout is often a result of prolonged stress, overwork or emotional exhaustion, while disengagement tends to stem from a lack of connection, meaning or motivation in the role. One is about depletion; the other is about disconnection.

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to figure out how to handle a team member who just isn’t showing up the way they used to, this episode will give you clarity, confidence and a practical next step.

Plus, I share strategies you can implement right away to address both burnout and disengagement. whether it’s adjusting workloads, re-engaging a team member in their role, or simply starting a powerful conversation that gets to the root of the issue.

Tune in now for a grounded, honest conversation about one of the most common leadership challenges. and why getting this right is essential for a healthy, high-performing team.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode, we explore a significant new ruling from the Fair Work Commission that could impact every Australian employer managing flexible work arrangements. The case involves a long-term Westpac employee and her right to continue working from home, and the decision has sent ripples through workplaces of all sizes.

We unpack what happened, what the Fair Work Commission decided, and what the case means for business owners navigating the tricky terrain of hybrid and remote work. You’ll also hear about other developments you should have on your radar.

What You’ll Learn

• The details of the Westpac flexible work case and why it matters
• What “reasonable business grounds” actually means under the Fair Work Act
• Why following process is just as important as your policy
• The risks of rejecting flexible work requests without proper documentation
• Upcoming changes and trends in remote work regulation

Key Takeaway:

This case is a wake-up call for every employer. Flexible work isn’t just a cultural conversation, it’s a compliance issue. If you're going to refuse a request, you need to back it up with detailed, evidence-based business reasons and follow the process to the letter.

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

As the year winds down, things often ramp up for business owners, and it’s no wonder Q4 burnout is real.

In this episode, we’re talking about that end-of-year exhaustion, what causes it, how it shows up in you and your team, and what you can do to avoid limping toward the Christmas shutdown. Whether you're feeling flat yourself or seeing signs your team is running on fumes, this episode will help you reset and finish the year strong, without burning out.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

Why Q4 burnout happens, and why it’s so common in small businesses

The subtle signs that you or your team might be close to burnout

Simple, practical ways to re-energise your team and yourself

Why now is the time to reduce pressure, not pile more on

How to end the year on a high note (without needing to sprint)

Links & Resources:

💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and share how you’re managing Q4 fatigue

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this weeks episode we’re talking about ‘resignation season’ which is of course January every year. 31st January is in fact the most popular day for resignations, but the resignations start flowing the very first day back from the Christmas break.

Resignations are rarely spontaneous, and the January resignations most businesses deal with are thought about months before. So right now is the time people are starting to consider a new year resignation.

In this episode we talk about why this happens, what to look for in your people to see if they are starting to check out, and I share some practical strategies for you to implement right now to avoid the January resignation rush.

An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today’s episode, we’re exploring why good people leave organisations, and what it really costs you when you lose someone from your business.

Most business owners assume staff leave for better pay or new opportunities, but more often it comes down to three things: lack of clarity, lack of direction, and inconsistent leadership. When your team isn’t clear on what’s expected of them, can’t see where they’re heading, or don’t feel supported by steady, consistent leadership, even the best employees start to disengage.

We’ll also unpack the hidden costs of turnover that most business owners underestimate. It’s not just the cost of recruitment or training. It’s the time you lose filling gaps, the emotional energy it takes to start over, the trust that’s eroded, and the morale that dips each time someone walks out the door. The ripple effect of turnover can quietly damage your business far more than you realise.

You’ll also hear how business owners can unknowingly create the very conditions that push good people away — even when they genuinely care about their team. The good news is that all of this is fixable. Once you understand what’s really driving turnover, you can take simple, practical steps to keep your best people engaged, loyal, and performing. Because keeping great people isn’t luck — it’s structure, leadership, and clarity.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today’s episode, we’re diving into a challenge that so many business owners face (even if they don’t talk about it): what happens when your team starts calling the shots… and you’re no longer in control of your business?

It happens more often than you’d think.

You start out delegating a few tasks to make life easier… then one day you realise you're asking your team for permission to make decisions. You're walking on eggshells. You’re avoiding the hard conversations. And your business? It no longer feels like yours.

If any of that sounds familiar — this episode is for you.

Here’s what we cover:

✅ How it happens – The subtle shift from leading to reacting

✅ Why it happens – The mindset traps and leadership habits that leave us overrun

✅ Red flags to watch for – Signs your team might be running the show

✅ How to take back control – Practical, non-confrontational ways to reset and reclaim your role as the leader

Whether you have 2 team members or 20, this is about setting a strong foundation to lead with confidence, clarity, and authority.

This episode is especially relevant if you're the kind of business owner who wants to create a high-performing team — without being the one everyone walks all over.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today’s episode we’re dipping our toes into a very hot topic at the moment – set off clauses in employment contracts and why they are proving to be such a problem.

We start by unpacking what are set off clauses actually are – a clause in a contract that allows the employer to pay a salary which incorporates base rates + allowances etc and other award conditions that would otherwise be an entitlement the employee should receive.

We then look at when can they be used and how, when written correctly they can protect you as the employer and cover a lot of things.

Finally we take a look at a case involving Coles and Woolworths that really has the experts talking, and highlights how these clauses can and can’t be used, and why so many businesses are currently at risk of huge back payment claims as a result.

An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today's episode we are talking about using AI in your workplace, and how it can be valuable for you and your team, but where you may need to be cautious.

The reality is your team is likely already using it, even if you haven’t officially introduced it. And while it can be an amazing productivity tool (I love it myself for getting past blank pages, speeding up thinking, and yes - it’s replaced Google for me!), it also raises real questions for business owners:

How do we manage AI use at work?

What are the risks and rewards?

And what do we do when our team isn’t on board?

In this episode, I’m diving into what I’m seeing with clients around AI in the workplace, how to use it well, and what to do when team members resist or misuse it.

What I’m seeing right now is team members using AI for internal comms (and business owners being surprised—or concerned), AI-written job applications, ads, and emails: how to spot them and decide what’s acceptable and a growing concern from business owners around privacy and misuse.

So how can you use AI well in your business and your team? Consider embedding AI into the tools you’re already using (like Canva’s Magic tools or Microsoft CoPilot). I love the use of custom GPTs or Chrome extensions to fast-track SOPs and admin.

But what about when team members are resistant or reluctant to use AI? You really need to get down to what’s causing the fear to implement and addressing it head on.

What about you? How are you and your team using AI?

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today's episode we are talking about why DIY HR might be holding you, your team and your business back.

As business owners we often think we need to figure all the things out for ourselves, but just like you take your car to a mechanic, and see your accountant for tax advice, HR is one of those areas where going it alone is not always the best approach.

When you rely on DIY HR, your team feels the gaps—uncertainty, confusion, no clear path forward. People leave more often when feedback isn’t consistent, or when their role feels vague. That’s lost momentum for your business.

On the business side, the financial cost of misclassification or non‑compliance isn’t just about fines—it’s about the time, resources, and stress it takes to clean up. And in a tight SME, that clean‑up eats into profit or growth that could’ve been reinvested.

As the owner, when you’re constantly firefighting HR, you can’t lead. Your energy goes to fixing issues, not setting direction. That’s when burnout sets in, and your capacity to steer the ship gets compromised.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Most small business owners are stuck doing HR in bits and pieces: a contract here, a policy there, some software that never really gets used. But at the end of the day, they’re still chasing staff, second-guessing decisions, and carrying all the pressure.

In this episode, I’ll share:

Why HR still feels hard, even when you think you’ve “ticked the boxes.”

Why expensive HR software isn’t the fix for small business teams.

The real missing piece that changes everything - a simple HR framework designed for small business.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “something” with HR but it’s still not working, this episode will show you what’s missing - and how to finally get it right. Feeling stuck? Email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au and let’s chat.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Running a business with a team is hard enough - and when it comes to HR, most small business owners admit they’re just “winging it.” A contract here, a policy there, figuring it out when problems pop up.

The trouble is, winging it only works for so long. Eventually, it costs you time, money, and stress, and leaves you stuck chasing your staff instead of leading them.

In this episode, I’ll share:

• Why winging it feels fine at first, but always backfires in the long run.
• The hidden costs you’re already paying (even if you don’t realise it).
• How “making it up as you go” keeps you stuck in the day-to-day.
• What to focus on instead if you want your team to step up.

If you’ve ever felt like HR in your business is messy, ad hoc, or just one more thing on your plate, this episode will show you why winging it isn’t the answer. Feeling stuck from winging it? Email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au and let’s chat.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

We’ve spoken about our employees rights a lot lately, specifically most recently about our employees right to disconnect from work.

Posting in our People Powered HR members community about these changes and a member asked ‘does that apply to us too’? And it’s a good question.

Because often as business owners we are bad at disconnecting, at setting and upholding boundaries and at protecting our self care when things are busy.

So today we will discuss the real technical answer to the question as to whether these new rules apply to us.

But more importantly this is a conversation about the need to set or re establish boundaries with our teams, our customers and ourselves, and to protect our energy and look after ourselves to show up as the best leaders we can be.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

I’ve been having some great conversations  about leadership – team leadership, business leadership, self leadership, thought leadership and I wanted to explore common threads that I've been seeing.

We are all leaders, CEO of our business - You are a leader if you listen to this podcast - so let's talk leadership.

Firstly I want to start with why it’s important to consider yourself a leader (even if you only have contractors, VA’s or casual staff).

Then I'll share 3 common traits of people powered leaders.

Finally I discuss why this is a skill anyone can (and should learn), and why you don’t need to go it alone.

Want to work with me on this? Just email hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

Today we’re bringing you a tech tip episode – but I’m not recommending a system – in fact the opposite. I’m sharing how you can use what you’ve already got to solve your HR admin headaches and why you don’t need a HR system or expensive software subscription to do that for you.

To start with I encourage you to do an audit of what you already have, what those systems can do for you, and then really looking at where you do have gaps, and what specifically you need to solve them.

We then look at using your existing workspaces, whether it’s MS Office, Google Suite or something else and leverage and that more effectively. Are you using the integrated AI in those programs to shortcut things and create tools such as spreadsheets to support you?

And of course we touch on AI and I share how I’m using Chat GPT and Chrome Extensions to help with HR tasks in my business and to support members of our People Powered HR Community.

The truth is – a HR system is often unnecessary, they are hard to set up effectively and time consuming to manage. You can often achieve everything you need using the systems that you have.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

I have a bit of a theme going at the moment which I’m calling ‘Compliance Quarter’ and today we’re taking a look at the looming deadline for small business to comply with the new right to disconnect laws.

In this episode we unpack what the right to disconnect is and what it actually means, we discuss the implementation, pathway and why this matters for small business now and we take a look at what will it actually mean for your businesses in practical terms.

I also share some real life examples of what I am seeing play out with the clients I am working with and how they are implementing the right to disconnect.

An Invitation:

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

I have a bit of a theme going at the moment which I’m calling ‘Compliance Quarter’ and today we’re taking a look at the recent changes to casual employment.

We discuss what changed and when, the new definition of a casual that was inserted into the Fair Work Act last year, an update to Casual Conversion pathways and why the onus is on you as the employer to get it right.

In  August 2024 a new definition of what constitutes a casual was inserted into the FWA (so it’s law). From this point of time onwards, employers had a legal obligation to ensure that if they engaged someone as a casual employee, they had to meet this definition.

The casual definition requires that an employment relationship must:

1. Have no firm advance commitment to continuing and indefinite work (like a guaranteed weekly roster); and

2. Entitle the worker to casual loading or a specific casual rate under a modern award, enterprise agreement, or contract.

So even if the contract says casual, the actual work arrangement determines status.

In addition, we have seen changes to the casual conversion pathway and the provision of the Casual Employment Information Statement (CEIS).

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I’m sharing a conversation I recently had with Juliet Robinson over on the Grow Your Influence Podcast.

So often when we are recruiting new people into our teams, we are doing it under pressure. We need someone NOW and it can be tempting to just fill the job that has been created, rather than thinking strategically about the skills we need in our team.

When we’re recruiting we often bring in people like us. People we can relate to in interviews so we think they will fit in the team and we can train them up for the job. Sometimes that works. Often it doesn’t. And either way, it takes a lot more time and energy that taking a skills-based approach in the beginning.

In this episode Juliet and Kristy-Lee talk about the challenges of recruiting for a skills-based team that also ‘works’. That is, the new joiners ‘fit’ with the team culture and have the skills to contribute immediately, even if the way they work and communicate is a bit different from the existing team. There are some key steps you can take to ensure the role you’re filling is what’s required and that your next hire hits the ground running.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we’re tackling a topic which I can’t believe we haven’t discussed before in isolation on the podcast – productivity.

I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently about team productivity – and a lot of business owners seem to have busy confused with productive.

In addition there is a lot of chatter more broadly about productivity declining, ways we can improve it and why it matters.

So in this episode we will look at what productivity actually means, why it’s important to monitor it, and how you might go about measuring (and improving) productivity in your business.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode we’re unpacking a recent Fair Work Commission decision that has seen a worker based in the Philippines being deemed to be an employee of an Australian based business, and what that means for those engaging offshore workers.

In the case, the worker, based in the Philippines, was working for a Brisbane based business. Her tasks were to work as a Paralegal. She worked from her home, and was required to work Australian hours – 8:30am to 5pm QLD time.

Her engagement was terminated by the business (because she allegedly copied company data onto a personal computer drive – an allegation she denies).

Upon termination she felt wronged and unprotected. She felt unprotected by Philippines workplace law because of how her engagement was set up, but also wasn’t sure she was covered by Australian workplace law, but because she felt like she was acting just like an employee – she would make an unfair dismissal claim with the Fair Work Commission.

The company of course argued that she wasn’t in Australia, and therefor was a contractor, not an employee, and as a result not eligible to make the claim.

However, the worker pointed out that the Fair Work Act does not in fact state that you need to be physically in Australia for this to make such a claim.

The outcome? The first thing that needed to be determined, was whether she was an employee and therefore eligible to make the unfair dismissal claim.

The Fair Work Commission ruled that she was an employee of the Australian company, and that she was not conducting her own business and therefore not a contractor.

They ruled that as an employee, she was entitled to all of her workplace rights under the Fair Work Act, including the national minimum wage, which was at the time of the termination $6.87 per hour higher than what she was getting paid.

The result This has paved the way for her to make a claim for back payment of wages, and to pursue the unfair dismissal claim, amongst other things.

You can read the full article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-03/filipino-woman-changed-game-for-australias-offshore-workers/104750996

We unpacked what this case might mean for you if you engage offshore workers in your business.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this episode we’re talking about workplace relations changes and what’s on the horizon.

Recently HRM Online shared an article where they interviewed the Federal Workplace Relations Minister, Amanda Rishworth, on what we can expect and what’s on the Governments agenda when it comes to Industrial Relations law changes over the next few years.

You can read the full article here: https://www.hrmonline.com.au/organisational-enablement/new-workplace-relations-minister-governments-upcoming-agenda

Today we look at what we know is changing, what we don’t yet know, and what you need to do to be prepared.

I also shared that the best way to ensure you are up to date with all the changes is to get support, which we can offer you through People Powered HR - This simple membership gives you everything you need to handle HR the right way. From compliant plug and play resources to expert answers, you’ll have the tools and support to make smart people decisions - and finally feel in control.

You can see all the details and join us here: https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/pphr

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Happy new financial year – how is the middle of the year feeling for you?

I for one am feeling tired, cold and a little bit over it all – and I’m getting the same vibes from my clients – both in terms of how they are feeling, and how their teams are feeling.

So today we’re talking about the mid year motivation slump.

We’re going to start by looking at why motivation wanes at this time of year. Then we’ll get into why it’s important to give your team a motivation boost right now and why a mid year reset is a great idea then I’m going to share 3 mid year motivation boosters that will help you and your team.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are joined by Kate Russell from The Huddle for a discussion on dealing with conflict in the workplace.

Kate is the Founder of The Huddle—a business built on deep listening, emotional safety, and the belief that conflict can be transformative, not destructive.

She’s not a lawyer, nor does she have a master’s degree in conflict resolution. Kate does have over 30 years of lived, professional experience navigating some of the most emotionally complex and high-stakes environments you can imagine—from child support and family services to workplace conflict and leadership breakdowns.

Kate has worked with people in crisis, in silence, in fury, in heartbreak—and she has walked beside them without flinching. Not to fix them. But to hear them. To reflect them. To help them find their way back to themselves and each other.

Kate created The Huddle for leaders and teams who are ready to have real conversations—the kind that heal fractures, build trust, and reshape culture from the inside out.

Her approach blends conflict transformation, trauma-informed practice, emotional intelligence, and good old-fashioned human decency. She is noy here to tell people what to do. She is here to help them listen better, lead better, and live better—at work and beyond.

If you’d like to connect with Kate her website is: https://www.thehuddle.net.au/

Or connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conflictcoachandteambuilder/

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This week we are looking at your critical end of financial year compliance updates.

We start by taking a look at what happens on the 1st July 2025 including the National Minimum Wage increasing by 3.5% to $24.95 per hour or $948 per week. in addition the Modern Award minimum rates increasing by 3.5% from the first pay period on or after 1 July.

This is the time to be checking those Individual Flexibility Agreements and Annualised Wage Agreements to ensure you’re still passing the better off overall test.

Finally we have the Super Guarantee increasing to 12% on 1 July as well.

Then we look at some of the key changes you may have missed in the last 1-2 years including wage theft criminalisation which came into effect 1 January 2025, the changes to the definition of Casual Employment and the new casual conversion pathway. Of course there is the ongoing contractor debate – but do your contractors meet the new definition? We touch on the Respect at Work Act and your positive duty obligations and of course the right to disconnect.

We sum up by looking at what’s coming in terms of further changes. This includes the final piece of the right to disconnect laws, the current Gender Undervaluation decisions, the likely ban in non compete clauses and what else might be in store.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

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This week we have a brief but important technical update for you after the Fair Work Commission announced its decision around the National Minimum Wage increase effective 1 July.

This year we have a 3.5% wage increase being applied to the National Minimum Wage and all Modern Award Minimum Wages effective 1 July 2025.

But really, in the scheme of the changes happening in the Industrial Relations legal landscape over the last 2 years, this isn’t the biggest change we need to ensure we’re across.

We have yet another increase to Superannuation on the 1st July 2025, and of course the final implementation phase of the Right to Disconnect laws in August 2025.

This is on top of the last 12 months significant changes to the casual employment definition, the new pathway for casual conversion and the constantly murky area of employees v’s contractors conundrum – all of which employers are still struggling to grapple with.

The reality is, as an employer it is our responsibility to proactively keep up with these changes, so if you’re not across them, now is the time to get support and ensure your business is not at risk.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are talking about probationary periods. What they are, why so many businesses get it so wrong in using them effectively and how to leverage them better.

Legally, the concept of probation isn’t defined in the Fair Work Act. What matters instead is the “minimum employment period”, which is 12 months for businesses with fewer than 15 employees or 6 months for businesses with 15 or more employees.

During this period, employees can’t make an unfair dismissal claim — which is why it’s often confused with “probation.”

BUT — if you don’t manage this properly — you can still face general protections claims, adverse action issues, and more. The employment contract wording is critical to protect you here.

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Today we are joined by special guest Dr Shae Wissell from Re:Think Dyslexia.

Dr. Shae Wissell is a thought leader, researcher, and internationally recognised advocate for adults with dyslexia and neurodivergence. A certified practicing speech pathologist, she holds a Master of Public Health and Health Administration and a Doctor of Public Health.

With extensive experience in health, not-for-profit, and social enterprise sectors, Shae directs re:think dyslexia and founded the chair of the Dear Dyslexic Foundation, leveraging her lived experience and diverse expertise to provide coaching, advocacy, and workforce solutions.

Her research focuses on the lived experiences of Australian adults with dyslexia, examining social inequalities in healthcare, education, employment, relationships, and mental health. A published author and presenter, Shae’s work has been research has been recognised locally and internationally. Shae recently published her second book based on her research and lived experiences Dyslexia: Insights into the hidden disability In and Out of the Workplace.

As a coach, Shae empowers dyslexic individuals and entrepreneurs to achieve their goals through empathetic and impactful coaching. She also advises workplaces on creating inclusive environments and shaping policies and training programs to maximise the potential of neurodiverse employees.

If you’d like to connect with Shar, you can find her website here:

https://rethinkdyslexia.com.au/

Or connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-shae-marie-wissell-b95aaa31/

To contact their helpline call: 1800 13 63 27

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Today we are getting a little technical and unpacking a recent announcement and decision from the Fair Work Commission in relation to the Gender Undervaluation Review.

In this episode we will look at what’s changing – for sure, what is on the table to change, when will we know more and what’s coming next?

What we know is changing, for sure is the minimum pay rates for Pharmacists, including Pharmacy Interns, covered under the Pharmacy Award. They are getting a 14.1% pay rise, in 3 phases, starting 30 June 2025!

Also on the table are a number of provisional recommendations relating to the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award, the Children’s Services Award and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Controlled Health Services Award.

These provisional recommendations include changes to classification structures, simplifying of awards and significant minimum wage increases.

So, when will we know for sure about these provisional changes? The Fair Work Commission is currently planning to list conferences with interested parties – so we will know more in the coming months.

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Have you ever felt like your team is… almost great?

You’ve hired well, you’ve delegated, yet you’re still stuck in the weeds.

It’s not that they don’t care — but you’re still the one they lean on for every answer, decision, direction.

So if you’ve built a capable team… what’s missing?

Today we are unpacking The 3 Things Your Team Needs From You — but Won’t Ask For

The first is Clarity

Not just what to do, but why, when, and how success will be measured. Without this, they hesitate, double-check, or avoid taking initiative.

The Second is Structure (and rhythm)

Teams thrive on predictable systems — not daily chaos. When you lead “on the fly,” your team feels just as disorganised as you do.

The Third is Boundaries

The team need you to say no, make decisions, and draw lines — not always please, fix, or say yes. Your people want to grow — but can’t if you’re always swooping in.

This isn’t about being tougher or working harder. It’s about having a leadership rhythm your team can rely on — so you’re not at the centre of every fire. What your team needs isn’t more of you — it’s the right version of you, showing up with clarity and structure.

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Today we’re talking about how to shift from Chaos to Clarity with Small Shifts That Make a Big Impact on Your Team.

We start with discussing why big changes aren’t the answer. Most business owners think they need more systems, a full restructure or to hire a unicorn when things aren’t going to plan with their team. Often it’s not a structural problem — it’s a leadership rhythm problem.

So I’m sharing 3 small shifts that can have a bigger impact than one big change.

1. Shift #1: Get Clear on Roles
2. Shift #2: Introduce a Weekly Rhythm
3. Shift #3: Set and Share Expectations Out Loud

These changes are not just shifting what you do — you’re shifting how you lead. These changes build trust with the team and remove their reliance on you.

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Today we are talking about understanding your Boss Type.

Understanding this is something that most business owners overlook… and it’s the reason so many people feel like they’re constantly fixing things, chasing people, and wondering why their team still leans on them for every little decision. The way you naturally lead — your Boss Style — is either helping your team step up… or keeping them stuck.

Today we are going to unpack why knowing your style matters. Then I’m going to share the 4 Boss Type Profiles that I have developed after working with thousands of business owners and finally I’m going to share why I thought this was an important conversation to have.

This is not about changing who you are. It’s about leveraging your leadership superpowers and filling the gaps.

An Invitation

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In this weeks episode I’m chatting about why you might still find yourself doing everything – even though you’ve hired a team.

We start by looking at the common misconception we have that more people will immediately reduce our workload. In fact the opposite can be true. More people can often mean more work when we haven’t hired the right people, for the right roles, and created the right structure.

The key to having a business that delivers success and freedom to you, the business owner, is the right team (not just any team) and this includes the right team structure.

When we get that wrong – we end up building a team which has a dependency issue – a dependency on us. And this can sometimes be exacerbated when we are a natural control freak.

In truth, the real issue might just be us – not because we are intentionally sabotaging things, because this is new, this we need to learn, we are often modelling off poor examples, or big business – and it doesn’t work.

We need to learn to lead our teams, we need to learn how to be a boss. How we show up to lead our people is everything – but so often we are flying blind – because there isn’t a playbook.

So instead, we avoid structure and clarity because we think people want autonomy – and they do! But it’s a balance, our people also want to know what’s expected of them.

The consequences of these patterns going unchecked, when your team are dependent on you - you become the bottleneck: and that leads to a negative impact on business growth, personal burnout, and poor team morale.

It leads your team to feel micromanaged, and that stifles creativity, innovation, initiative – they end up being less autonomous, less productive and less willing to be solutions focused.​

So what’s the solution? It’s time to level up as a boss and leader. Create structure, provide clarity, become the ‘boss’ that your team want you to be.

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Today I am sharing a conversation I had with Juliet Robinson over on our Grow Your Influence podcast about the power of owning the problem as a leader in our business.

We’ve all had that feeling when someone behaves badly: maybe if I just leave it, they will sort themselves out/the problem will just go away…

Juliet and I talk about an example of a client who knew they needed to deal with a toxic person in their team but had been avoiding the issue. As soon as they decided to deal with the person, they felt so much better about themselves. The team’s morale was almost instantly improved and the manager gained so much confidence from realising their response didn’t need to be perfect, they just needed to need to do it.

We talk about the importance of leaders being aware of boundaries, both personally and within the team, and tackling issues directly when people are pushing those boundaries.

As managers we can feel overwhelmed when someone on our team is behaving badly and their negativity starts to infect the team. It can be tempting to hope that they will realise they are being unreasonable and start behaving better. The reality we talk about in this episode is that our team is watching to see how we deal with these things and whatever we do gives them signals about what’s ok. We will also feel better about ourselves when we deal the situation.

If you find yourself in this situation, remember you just need to take small steps. Plan a first conversations and be clear about what you want to change. It is your role as a leader to deal with difficult people, both within and beyond your team, and you will feel better when you do this.

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In this episode we are talking about the 80/20 rule and how it applies to your team.

There are two sides to this coin.

Firstly, are 20% of your people responsible for 80% of results in your business? Look around your team, who are you high performers? Who drive things forward? What would happen if they weren’t there? As your teams grow, you may find yourself here – where a small portion of your team are responsible for a lions share of results. They might not the doing all the things, but without them things will fall apart. I want you to check in, are these people getting your time, attention and recognition?

Conversely, are 20% of your team taking up 80% of your time? The other way this shows up is in the opposite, where the bottom 20% are ‘problem children’ and they are taking up 80% of your time. You’re constantly training, mentoring, coaching, performance managing and course correcting. It’s exhausting right?

So how can you adjust if you have one or both of these imbalances? That’s exactly what we’re chatting about in this episode.

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In this weeks episode we are chatting about the Federal Governments recent Budget announcement around their plan to ban non-compete clauses in employment contracts.

Today we will break down what non-compete clauses actually are and what they do, what is the Government saying they plan to do and what this means for your business.

Put simply, non-compete clauses are clauses in employment contracts that prevent an employee from working in competition with the employer after they leave. Also referred to as non-poach or restraint of trade agreements, they are largely designed, or at least in part to protect an organisations Intellectual Property and aim to protect the livelihood of the business.

The Federal Government recently announced their plans to ban these clauses from sometime in 2027. They have suggested the ban will employ to employees who earn under the high income threshold, currently $175 000.

So what does it mean? In reality these clauses have always been legally difficult to uphold legally – I learnt this the hard way. For now, no need to panic, but sure up your relationships with clients, do great work and remembers this is not definite yet.

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Today I have a question for you: What if I told you that your business could completely change with just ONE key hire?

So often I see business owners feel stuck in the day-to-day grind instead of leading.

They’re answering every question, fixing every problem, putting out fires.

They think hiring more people will fix it, but somehow, they’re still overwhelmed.

If this is you, the truth is there is a missing piece on your team. You’ve got growing pains, you know that, but you don’t know who to hire to solve it.

You could duplicate a role, and add another member to a key team, and that might stop the bottleneck there and let you service more customers.

You could create a role, and add skills to your team to improve your customer experience and reduce the need to outsource.

But neither of those solutions solve the key problem: they won’t stop you being overwhelmed, spending 10 hours + per week managing people and stuck in the weeds.

The role that will stop that is simple: it’s a buffer role.

In this episode I talk through the different types of buffer roles and which to consider when.

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Today we are joined by special guest James Brown from BizTech Guru to talk all things systems and processes in your business.

James is a Certified Master SYSTEMologist® | SME Technology Expert | Time-Saving Specialist | Business Systemisation Pro.

James stands at the forefront of business operation simplification, with a rich 20-year history spanning from manufacturing to tourism, currently specialising in construction and building trades.

Through his venture, BizTech Guru, he introduces business owners to SYSTEMology and works closely with David Jenyns, the founder of systemHUB and the SYSTEMology movement, diving deep into the methodology and building out course curriculums.

James has presented to over a thousand people about SYSTEMology and has worked directly with over a hundred business owners himself to implement this methodology.If you’d like to connect with James, you can find his website here:

https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Or connect with him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/systemologist/

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Today I have a question for you: is fear holding you back as a leader within your small business?

Fear of hiring the wrong person;

Fear of having that difficult conversation;

Fear of failure;

Fear of change, and technology;

Fear of delegating;

Fear of staff doing the wrong thing.

When fear shows us for us as business owners it holds us back, our team back and our business back.

In this episode we look at where fear is showing up for you, the impact it is having and I share some strategies that you may want to consider if you’re stuck in fear.

Also mentioned in today’s episode is my Power Boss private mentoring – if you’d like to know more click here:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/powerboss

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Today we are talking about employee appreciation, and the celebration of Employee Appreciation Day on the 7th March 2025.

In this episode we are discussing why appreciation is so important, some creative ways you might want to celebrate your people on Employee Appreciation Day and why it’s important to recognise and celebrate our people all year round.

An Invitation

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Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – The People Powered

Business Community. Click here to join us.

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In today’s episode of the podcast, I have another tech tip for you.

Today we’re talking about job boards, specifically Seek, and the various features available to help you hire staff for your business.

In this episode I am taking a closer look at Seek’s screening questions function, and how you can use this effectively to help you screen applicants and remove the overwhelm which can sometimes happen when you get a large volume of applications.

An Invitation

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In today’s episode I’m joined by Angela Counsel of Embrace Menopause – and you guessed it, we’re talking about menopause in the workplace.

Angela Counsel is a leading Naturopath, Kinesiologist and Mindset Coach who specialises in helping women to navigate their menopause transition with ease.  She is on a mission to spread the word that menopause does not have to be a tough time in life, in fact it can be a time of stepping into your wisdom and falling in love with yourself and your life.

Angela ran her own successful natural therapies clinic in Sydney, The Ambaa Tree for 10 years, and for the past 7 years has continued to consult on-line with her clients as well as running regular retreats and women’s circles.  She is also a self-published author of the book Secret Mum’s Business which reached #1 status on Amazon in the Health & Lifestyle and Business categories.

Angela has been featured in several magazines, television and radio programs including Prevention, Good Health, Channel 7’s The Morning Show and Channel 10’s The Project, 2UE & 3AW Radio, Nature Spirit Speaks, Casey Radio 97.3 and many other podcasts and radio shows.

Angela is a mum, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a dog owner, in addition to being a naturopath, a kinesiologist and a business owner.

To access Angela’s free workshop, simply click here - https://angelacounsel.com/register_7dhr/

To connect with Angela:

Website: https://embracemenopause.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelacounsel/

Or you can find her at @angelacounsel on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

In this episode I discuss why the quality of the questions we ask at interview count so much, and how the quality of the questions determine the quality of the information we gain from applicants.

I then share 5 thought starters to help you when thinking about when curating your questions for any interviews you may be conducting.

Finally, I share the worst types of questions I think you can ask, and offer some reframes as to what you might want to ask instead.

If you’d like to ask questions or start a discussion about interview questions, I have an invitation for you.

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us.

In today’s episode I am sharing 3 common but completely avoidable hiring mistakes that businesses make.

The 3 big mistakes are:

Lacking Clarity – when you are not clear on the specifics of the role, and the ideal applicant you are looking for, it’s impossible to attract the right people, and repel the wrong ones;

Rushing the Process – not putting appropriate time, energy, expertise and resources into a recruitment project is another common mistake. Hiring well takes time, knowledge and energy.

Failing to Reference and Background Check Effectively – quality reference checking processes remain the most effective way to assess a candidates work history, but few people do them effectively.

These are certainly not the only hiring mistakes, but they are three of the most common, and as you can see they are all easy to avoid.

An Invitation

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In today’s episode I am bringing you an excerpt from a best of episode of the podcast – today I am sharing my proven framework for effective resume screening.

The thing is, when we are short on applicants for a role, our usual screening methods tend to go out the window, and as a result we don’t shortlist effectively, which means we are at risk of making poor hiring choices. And what I know to be true is that you can’t outrun a bad hire.

So whether you have 5 applications or 5000 effective screening is essential, and this 5 step framework is super simple to follow and will keep you on track for great hiring choices.

If you’d like to ask questions or start a discussion about note taking, I have an invitation for you.

An Invitation

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Also mentioned in today’s episode was a great clarity creating exercise – The Clean Slate Exercise, you can take a listen to that episode here:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/clean-state

In today’s episode I am bringing you the first of our tech tips for 2025. Each month I’m going to be dedicating one episode to sharing with you how you can leverage new technologies to help with your HR.

Today we are looking at how you can use AI to help with your recruitment campaigns, and I’m focusing on specifically how I have seen Chat GPT used effectively.

The 5 ideas I share are using Chat GPT to:

• Help you write or improve your job descriptions;
• Write your job ads and ensure they are compelling;
• Craft direct outreach or head hunting messages;
• Draft interview questions;
• Create a candidate communication plan.

This is far from an exhaustive list, but these are all ideas that will save you time and stop you staring at the blank screen.

So, how are you using AI to help with your recruitment campaigns? I’d love to know.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join here - www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today’s episode I’m joined by Lexi Smith, Founder and Financial Coach with Moneyvine.

Lexi helps individuals and couples gain clarity, create a plan and take confident steps with their money.

In 2020, after a decade as a Financial Adviser, she side-stepped into Financial Coaching.

She has an energetic ENTP personality, which gives her a knack for problem solving and offering fresh perspectives.

Lexi’s team sessions focus on optimising cashflow - boosting income, understanding expenses and finding ways to improve your financial trajectory.

To connect with Lexi:

https://moneyvine.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/moneyvine.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexi-smith-moneyvine/

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

In today’s episode I’m following up on last weeks episode where is shared 5 strategies to help set your team up for success in 2025. Today I am sharing my top predictions for your team for 2025.

My 5 top team predictions are:

Job mobility will be on the rise: for a range of reasons, I believe we are heading into a season where more employees will be looking to change employers – this may be good news for you if recruitment has been tough for the last couple of years.

Increase in the use of AI and associated technology: we’re already seeing job applicants actively using AI in their application process – so your hiring skills really need to be on point right now. But on the flip side, how can your team leverage these tools to help them at work?

The right to disconnect implementation will be closely watched by your team. If you haven’t yet put any thought into the practical implementation of this new legislation now is the time.

Focus on wellbeing at work will increase, and I expect this will ultimately become a non negotiable expectation of employees.

Employee expectations will continue to increase. People are no longer looking for ‘just a job’ – they want to feel part of something bigger, like they are contributing and adding value, that they are valued. They want to work for purpose and values led businesses – and they will move if their expectations aren’t being met.

So, what about you? What are your team predictions for 2025? I’d love to know.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Happy 2025 to you! I’m wishing you all a wonderful start to this year.

In today’s episode I’m sharing 5 strategies to help set your team up for success in 2025.

Specifically, we’re looking at:

• Setting Clear Goals and Expectations – both at a team level and for your individual team members.
• Setting Up Effective Communication Protocols – including having the right meetings, with the right structure and cadence.
• Professional Development and Fostering a Workplace Learning Culture. This includes not only structured training and development programs, but also simper things like knowledge sharing.
• Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and encouraging your team to use AI tools to improve efficiencies in their roles.
• Implementing Workplace Well-being Initiatives. Business who can do this effectively in 2025 will have the edge when it comes to attracting, engagement and retention of great talent.

So, what actions will you be taking to set your team up for success in 2025? I’d love to know.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

In today’s episode I am sharing a conversation which we had over on the Grow Your Influence podcast, where my cohost Juliet Robinson and I were talking about dealing with difficult people at work – in fact it’s one of our most popular episodes ever!

We waste so much time and energy dealing with people who behave badly. Often we put the conversation off for as long as possible and sometimes we avoid these conversations altogether. What we know is that avoiding dealing with difficult behaviour is not going to change anything. As leaders, there are some simple things we can do to connect with and manage difficult people, particularly if they are on our team. Starting with a plan is important and what you role model for your team gives them an idea for how they can also deal with these situations. We give you our top tips for dealing with these difficult people.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Today we are celebrating 250 Episodes 🥳

To celebrate, I’m recapping our top 10 most listened to episodes, and one takeaway from each. Here is the list:

• # 10 – Why KPI’s are Critical to Team Success (Episode 122)

• # 9 - Why Hiring (and holding onto) the Wrong People Impacts Team Morale (Episode 159)

• # 8 – How To Motivate Disengaged Employees (Episode 116)

• # 7 - Document, Document, Document! (Episode 129)

• #6 - The 2 Types of Motivation (and why you can't have one without the other) (Episode 127)

• #5 - Competing with Sign On Bonuses and Other Hiring Tactics (Episode 126)

• #4 - Engaging a Recruiter - What You Need to Know First (Episode 124)

• #3 - 3 Reasons Your Employees Motivation Might Be MIA (Episode 125)

• #2 - Using Psychometrics in the Recruitment Process with Charissa Lim (Episode 128)

• #1 - The 5 Step Framework to Screening Resumes in a Competitive Market (Episode 130)

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Wow! Isn’t December just the gift that keeps on giving?

In today’s episode I’m bringing you a raw and honest conversation about what I’m noticing right now – because it is utter chaos!

There are big decisions being made, huge reactions, overwhelm and high stress.

Today I share with you that one of my secret super powers is seeing patterns – seeing patterns in lots of ways, but particularly around patterns of behaviour.

What I see is that there are often common themes, and when I see them showing up, I know it’s not just these few people I might have spoken to that week, it’s a broader trend.

What I’m seeing right now is quite high stress – zero tolerance, lack of resilience. I’m seeing successful business owners wanting to fire their whole team and just throw it all in. It’s very reactive, not responsive, not proactive. And there are lots of reasons.

So today I’m talking about what I’m seeing and why it might be happening with business owners right now and how it impacts you as a leader and what your team see.

I’ll also share some strategies and hacks to get you get this through this silly season with your sanity in place.

If mentoring, coaching and support to master this mental game of being the boss is something you’re interested in, check out Power BOSS private coaching and mentoring here:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/powerboss

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Can you believe it’s already December?

I’m excited because inside our People Powered HR community, November is Planning Month!

I really believe this is the best time of year to work on your 2025 plans – because let’s face it – none of us will do it in December, and if we wait until January we’ll be in February before we put our plans into action.

Over these 3 episodes we’re talking planning. Last week we spoke about your 2025 business protection plan, and the week prior we focused on your 2025 resource plan, today we are getting into your retention and motivation plan and why you actually need to start this side of Christmas.

In today’s episode we are looking at:

• Why starting now, before the Christmas break is incredibly important;
• Some ideas of key elements of a retention and motivation plan – and how you can get creative with this;
• The importance of aligning individual goals and objectives with business goals to create true engagement.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Can you believe it’s already November?

I’m excited because Inside our People Powered HR community, November is Planning Month!

I really believe this is the best time of year to work on your 2025 plans – because let’s face it – none of us will do it in December, and if we wait until January we’ll be in February before we put our plans into action.

Over these 3 episodes we’re talking planning. Last week we spoke about your 2025 resource plan, today we are  getting into your HR compliance business protection plan, and finally next week we will be talking about your engagement and motivation plan.

In today’s episode we are looking at:

• Why being across your compliance obligations is more important now
• than it has been before, and why sticking your head in the sand is
• definitely not the solution;
• The key elements you want to be considering in creating your compliance and protection plan;
• How to go about creating your compliance to do list.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Can you believe it’s already November?

I’m excited because Inside our People Powered HR community, November is Planning Month!

I really believe this is the best time of year to work on your 2025 plans – because let’s face it – none of us will do it in December, and if we wait until January we’ll be in February before we put our plans into action.

Over the next 3 episodes we’re talking planning. Specifically in today’s episode we’re talking about your 2025 resource plan, next week we’ll get into your HR compliance business protection plan, and finally your engagement and motivation plan.

In today’s episode we are looking at:

• The fact that the team that got you to where you are no, may not
• be the team to get you where you want to go in business – and that’s ok!
• I showed you how to create clarity with your ideal team structure through the Clean Slate Exercise; and finally
• We looked at your 2025 dream team hiring plan.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Today on the podcast I’m joined by Ryan Griffin, MD of Chunky Duck, to talk about leading and managing a remote team.

Like many of us entrepreneurs, Ryan’s journey to his current business has not been a straight line. Initially a professional baseball player, he returned to Australia ready to start his career in digital marketing. He worked for many years in marketing agency before turning to scuba diving and juggling freelancing. As Covid hit he went all in on his own digital agency – now known as Chunky Duck.

In today’s discussion Ryan shares the benefits and challenges of managing a remote team, some of the great initiatives he has put in place to create connection and enable collaboration, and why he thinks it’s a great move in terms of attracting and retaining the best possible people.

If you’d like to connect with Ryan you can find him on LinkedIn here, or head over to Chunky Duck to check out their work.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

Can you believe it’s already November? The year is flying by, and here we are with another important topic for business owners just like you.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into an area that’s critical but often misunderstood: redundancies.

Recently, I’ve been hearing about a surge in redundancies, especially in business groups, networks, and conversations with peers. But the big question is – are all of these redundancies legitimate, or are they sometimes being used as a workaround for performance issues that should have been managed differently? In this episode we explore why it’s so essential to get this right and discuss the real reasons for this trend.

Inside our People Powered HR community, each month we focus on a specific theme from The P.E.O.P.L.E Pathway. October’s focus was on ‘Exit’ – a challenging but necessary part of business and people management.

The reality is that people will exit our business, whether we choose to exit them or they resign. If we need to exit someone from our business, a redundancy may well be a valid way to do this, but we need to understand when and how they should be used. So today, I’ll share three key insights to help you navigate redundancy in a way that’s both compliant and compassionate.

In This Episode:

What is a Redundancy and When is it Genuine?

Redundancy is not as simple as many think. According to the Fair Work guidelines, redundancy is genuine when an employer no longer needs a role to be performed by anyone – not just one person – due to reasons like new technology, restructuring, or closing of operations. But here’s the critical part: redundancy cannot be used as a substitute for poor performance management. Following the correct consultation process, especially if employees are covered under awards, is a requirement to avoid the risk of unfair dismissal claims.

The Difference Between Redundancy and Performance Management

I’ve observed that some employers, especially during slower business periods, may attempt to label dismissals as redundancies. Often, this is because performance issues were allowed to continue unchecked, making redundancy seem like a convenient solution. However, if not managed properly, this can lead to costly repercussions, including redundancy pay in small businesses or even an unfair dismissal claim. It’s essential to distinguish between a genuine redundancy and cases where performance management should be applied.

Top Tips for Exiting a Staff Member with Integrity and Care

Exits are never easy, but there are ways to make the process smoother for all involved. First, get comfortable having difficult conversations, and address performance concerns early. Use the probationary period to its fullest extent, keeping minimum employment standards in mind. Practise compassion and approach every exit with honesty and facts, avoiding emotional responses. And finally, don’t be afraid to get help – navigating exits properly can protect your business and uphold dignity for all parties.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here.

And as I mentioned, if you’d like to learn more about People Powered HR, you can get all the details and join us by clicking here.

In today's episode, we’re exploring a topic that is no longer just a ‘nice-to-have’ for organisations but an absolute necessity—workplace flexibility. We’ve touched on some of the legalities and frameworks before, but today, we’re going to dive deeper into why flexibility is a critical component of retaining top talent.

What We’ll Cover

Last week, we revisited the foundations of workplace relations laws, including the National Employment Standards (NES), and one of the cornerstones of these laws is the right to request workplace flexibility. Interestingly, in our Facebook Group, a recent discussion around a redundancy situation brought up some really important questions around flexible working.

So, today we’ll address key aspects of workplace flexibility, including:

Understanding the legal side of flexibility – what the NES says about requests for flexible work.

Why flexibility is so important to employees – it’s more than just a perk, it’s an expectation.

The business case for flexibility – why offering it is essential for attracting and retaining talent, improving morale, and boosting productivity.

What Does Flexibility Mean Under the NES?

Under the National Employment Standards, certain employees, like parents or caregivers, have the legal right to request flexible working arrangements. This can involve changes to working hours, work patterns, or even the location of work (e.g., working from home).

Eligible employees need to have been with the employer for at least 12 months, and these requests must be related to specific circumstances such as being a parent of school-aged children or younger, being a carer, living with a disability, being 55 or older, being pregnant, or supporting someone experiencing family or domestic violence. There are clear guidelines around how these requests should be made and how employers are required to respond.

Why Flexibility is Vital to Employees

Flexible working arrangements are no longer seen as a luxury; for many employees, they’re a dealbreaker. According to a recent HRM article, 78% of employees won’t consider working for a company that doesn’t have a formalised flexibility policy. In fact, almost half of the candidates surveyed said they’ve declined job offers due to a lack of flexibility.

This shift in employee expectations highlights how crucial it is for businesses to adapt. Flexibility isn’t just about working from home; it can encompass working hours, patterns, and arrangements that cater to individual needs.

The Business Case for Flexibility

If you’re looking to attract and retain top talent, offering flexibility is a must. It’s not just about ticking a box – it has real, tangible benefits for businesses:

• Improved employee engagement: 61% of employees report feeling more engaged at work when they have flexible arrangements in place.
• Increased productivity: When employees can work in ways that suit their personal lives, productivity often gets a boost.
• Better morale: Flexible work has been shown to reduce stress, burnout, and absenteeism, which creates a more positive work environment.
• Cost savings: From lower office costs to fewer lost workdays, businesses that offer flexibility often see financial benefits.

There’s also the principle of reciprocity, as highlighted by Robert Cialdini in his work on persuasion. When businesses offer flexibility, employees tend to respond with increased loyalty and effort, creating a win-win for both parties.

Beyond Location: Thinking Creatively About Flexibility

When we think about flexibility, it’s easy to focus only on working from home. But flexibility can take many forms. It could mean adjusting hours or work patterns, like offering a 4-day work week or compressed work schedules. The key is to think creatively and tailor flexibility options to suit both the needs of the business and its employees.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, workplace flexibility is far more than a trend—it’s a critical component for any business that wants to thrive in today’s competitive market. By understanding the legal framework, recognising its importance to employees, and building a strong business case for it, you can create a work environment that attracts and retains the best talent while boosting engagement and productivity.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia.

Today we’re diving into a fundamental piece of legislation that every small business owner in Australia needs to be aware of: the National Employment Standards, or NES.

If you’ve ever wondered what your minimum obligations are as an employer, or if you want to make sure you’re compliant with Australian employment laws, then today’s episode is for you. We’ll cover what the NES is, what it means for your business, and why it’s critical to understand the rights and entitlements of your employees under this legislation.

We start out by zooming up and taking a big picture look at the NES and where it fits into the industrial relations system, including who these minimum entitlements apply to.

We then take a deep dive into the 12 entitlements.

Finally I share some of the most common misconceptions I hear and share why compliance is so important for your business.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are bringing you a discussion from the archives, that we featured back on Episode 128 of the podcast, and that has proven to be one of our most popular episodes yet!

In this discussion I am joined by Charissa Lim of Impact Persona to chat all things Psychometrics Assessments, especially in the recruitment process.

Charissa is a Certified Behavioural Consultant and DISC advocate who’s passionate about helping businesses gain first-hand insights into the people's behavioural traits through one of the world's most popular personality profiling tools.

She's on a mission to save businesses and hiring managers time and money - especially those who find psychometric assessment reports complex and not to mention, costly.

Working with hiring managers, recruiters and career coaches, Charissa has created a variety of bespoke DISC reports that are not only cost-effective but are also very simple to digest.

People come with different personalities. Charissa's goal is to harness the power of DISC Profiling to help her clients make informed hiring decisions, and identify the most ideal candidates that would best fit the business culture or role requirements.

If you’d like to contact Charissa you can reach her on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charissalim/

Or via her website:

https://www.impactpersona.com.au/

If you’d like to ask questions or start a discussion about using psychometrics in the workplace, I have an invitation for you.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are continuing the conversation on performance reviews, but shifting to a sightly more practical, and sometimes challenging element of the review process – setting Key Performance Indicators – or KPIs as part of the review.

In this discussion I unpack the synergy between KPIs within Position Descriptions and at review time, and how they are both important.

We then look at the SMART goal setting framework as a great model to create KPIs using. Ensuring KPIs are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound is essential to crafting KPIs that are clear and aligned to the role, the individual and the business objectives.

Finally we discuss the importance of engaging employees in the KPI setting process to give them ownership over their goals and help to engage them in the future direction of their career.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are continuing the conversation on performance reviews, but today we are focusing on retention – and looking at how conducting effective performance reviews improves retention and reduces turnover.

We kick off this episode by taking a look at some of the ways reviews create engagement and ultimately this drives improved retention. We look at reviews as development opportunities and aligning the right development plans with individuals career goals and objectives. We go on to look at the role of reviews in succession planning in your business and how it can highlight training and development requirements.

Finally we look at the feedback you receive as a business owner or manager in review meetings, and how taking this feedback and information to create positive change in your business plays a role in improving retention.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are continuing the conversation we started last week on performance reviews, but today we are focusing on timing – and looking at how often you should be doing performance reviews.

We start today's episode by discussing how the regularity of reviews impacts engagement and productivity. I shared some statistics and data to help demonstrate this including:

An article from Cultureamp that found that “companies that conduct effective performance reviews are 30% more likely to meet their financial goals”.

Research from Gallup that found that “80% of employees who have received meaningful feedback in the last week are fully engaged”

And finally an article from Smartcompany referencing Gallup research that showed that conducting performance reviews boosts productivity by 56%!

We then looked out how to choose the right cadence and timing cycle for reviews in your business. The thing is, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to performance reviews, factors like your business size, industry, and team dynamics will all impact and dictate the cadence.

Finally we discussed whether you can do reviews too often, and what review fatigue looks like.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are tackling a topic that I know many business owners struggle with, and that is conducting effective performance reviews.

Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you’ve found that your reviews aren’t very meaningful, or that you want it to be consistent – but time constraints get in the way. Maybe you aren’t sure what questions to ask, or you have managers in your business that need training on how to do them. Like many people you may be worried about how to do reviews that don’t result in a pay rise request, or you aren’t sure how to give specific feedback. Let’s face it, we know reviews can be anxiety provoking for everyone involved.

So today I am going to share with you why reviews are so important, the 5 most common mistakes I see business owners make when it comes to conducting reviews, and I’m encouraging you to take one action step towards implementing or improving your reviews.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

We talk a lot in business and leadership circles about our communication styles don’t we?

About how we deliver our message, how we give feedback, the words we use, our tone, pace, timing.

We talk a lot about talking, but less about listening, so that’s what we’re tackling today.

In today’s episode we look at why listening effectively as a leader is so important, I unpack the 4 types of listening as discussed in this HRM article and we look at how to adapt and leverage your style and the different styles to the occasion.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am delighted to be joined by guest expert Stacey Hughes from Stacey Hughes Co to talk all thing Meta and LinkedIn paid ad campaigns for your recruitment projects.

Stacey spent years learning how to craft compelling recruitment ad campaigns via Meta in her Allied Health practices, and now specialises in working with business owners to learn how to run profitable ads through her Fab Ads Club.

In today’s discussion we unpack:

• When Meta or LinkedIn ads can work for recruitment;
• The various strategies to consider;
• What types of content and visuals work best;
• Thinking about which platforms your ideal applicant is spending time consuming content on;
• What application processes work best;
• And much more!

If you’d like to connect with Stacey, her website is:

https://www.staceyhughes.co/homepage

Her Instagram handle is @staceyhughes.co

And you can find her on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyhughes/

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are answering a question from our listener Virginia who asks: "How do you pass on feedback regularly to let staff know they’re doing good (other than saying that… it gets repetitive and seems… contrary?) What are appropriate ways to show your appreciation?”

What a great question! To help answer this I am going to zoom up and look at:

• What are the different types of feedback we should all be giving our teams?
• Explore the different ways to deliver any feedback;
• Discuss what we should be giving feedback on;
• Unpack when is the best time to give feedback
• Then we’ll delve into the core of Virginia’s question and discuss the different ways to show appreciation to your team members;
• And we’ll finish of by discussing what matters to the employee when it comes to getting feedback.

Giving feedback is such an important part of a role as a leader within our business, and I loved this question because it focused on positive praise and appreciation rather than dealing with negative performance.

If you have a question you’d like me to answer in a future episode, simply email it to hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au or join our Facebook Group – details below.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Did you know that nearly 46% of new hires fail? Almost half! If you have ever been through a recruitment process for it only to end in disaster you will know the pain, frustration, cost and time associated with having to start the process again.

The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way! By following a few fundamental tips that I share in this episode you can really simply increase the success of your recruitment project and hire the right person the first time for your business!

Join us in this episode as I share the 3 key ingredients to hiring success.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are taking a look at an important HR metric that every organisation should be measuring – employee turnover.

We start by defining employee turnover, and the different types of turnover we may want to measure.

We then look at why it’s such an important metric to measure, no matter the size of your business.

And then is share the simple way to calculate your current turnover rate.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am delighted to be joined by guest expert Ange Fragiacomo from Conscious Living Hub to talk Workplace Wellbeing.

Ange has over 20 years of experience in the wellbeing space, and is dedicated to supporting workplaces in enhancing their organisational wellbeing. Ange’s wholistic program offers an opportunity to assess current workplace practices, identify business needs, and evaluate team functionality. By fostering honest conversations and empowering organisations to find immediate solutions, Ange facilitates meaningful change at all levels.

If you’d like to connect with Ange you can visit her website here: https://consciouslivinghub.com.au/

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are taking a look at yet another legislative change that is upon us – this time relating to casual employees.

We start by discussing what these key changes are including:

• The new definition of a casual employee;
• The fact that the contract is no longer king;
• The need to consider the totality of the employment relationship;
• The obligation of employers to get the engagement right from the outset;
• The new casual conversion pathway;
• Updates to the provision of a new Casual Employment Information Statement.

We then take a look at the risks, and incredible fines, that employers may face if they get this wrong.

Finally we discuss how these changes impact your current casual team members.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are answering another listeners question which is: what can I do when an employee is taking sick leave but I know they are not actually sick?

Sick and Carers Leave can be one of the trickiest types of leave to manage, and because it is a protected workplace right, there is often little an employer can do if they think an employee is using sick leave for other purposes.

In this episode we unpack what Sick and Carers leave is, and what the entitlement each employee has to this sort of leave.

We discuss an employers rights if they feel sick leave is being used inappropriately.

And finally we look at what we can do to protect our businesses around excessive and inappropriate sick leave usage.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we’re chatting about something that I can’t quite believe we have never discussed on the podcast – whether an employee should work through their notice period.

Today I discuss what notice period might apply and when notice needs to be provided, I share some thoughts on what your notice periods should look like and we cover off whether employees get to make their own decisions on their notice period and what should happen during this time.

Then we shift focus to whether you should have an employee work through their notice period, or pay them out in lieu. I share my considerations when making decisions about this, and that it’s something to very much consider on a case by case basis.

As always, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am sharing with you a conversation that Juliet Robinson (Big Goals) and I had over on the Grow Your Influence podcast a little while back.

Dealing with toxic employees, and navigating a workplace culture that has become toxic is something I get asked about often – and it can be incredibly stressful and challenging as a leader and business owner.

But there are things you can do to change a toxic culture, and that’s what we share in this discussion.

I’d love to hear from you, and how you have navigated challenges with toxic team members in the past. I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Well we have hit the time of year where motivation tends to be low – so today we’re talking about giving your team a mid-year motivation boost with a mid-year reset.

Firstly I’ll chat about why motivation wanes at this time of year. From the high energy and enthusiastic start to the year, post Easter we always see a decline in motivation. Coupled with that it’s cold and miserable, we’re tired and on any given day every second person is sick!

And that’s why it’s so important to give your team a motivation boost right now. You can rest assured if you’re feeling blah – your team are too! Focusing on motivating the team right now will certainly set you up for a better second half of the year and let’s face it, we all need something to focus on and look forward to.

We wrap up this episode with my sharing some of my favourite mid year motivation boosting strategies and tactics.

But I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to motivate your team mid year, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am bringing you an end of financial year compliance wrap up.

This time of year is always an important time for finance people, it’s often less of an issue for our HR matters. But not this year.

The absolute flux of change that’s happening right now in regards to compliance obligations is unprecedented and Fair Work have made it clear that not knowing is not an excuse to fail to comply with your obligations as an employer.

So today we look at the key changes that have occurred in the last 12 months, the current important changes and what’s on the horizon when it comes to more changes in the next 12 months.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are answering another listeners question, this one coming in from Kirsty and her question is about determining how to ensure you are paying correctly in accordance with the award, and what to do if employment falls across more than one award.

To help answer this, I unpack how to determine the correct Award, and Award Classification for an employee based on your industry and their occupation.

We then look at what to do if more than one Award applies, and finally I share my favourite ways to ensure the correct pay rates are applied.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

This week we have a brief but important technical update for you after the Fair Work Commission announced its decision around the National Minimum Wage increase effective 1 July.

This year we have a 3.75% wage increase being applied to the National Minimum Wage and all Modern Award Minimum Wages effective 1 July 2024.

But really, in the scheme of the changes happening in the Industrial Relations legal landscape right now, that’s just the beginning.

We have yet another increase to Superannuation on the 1st July 2024, there are going to be changes to the casual employment definition and a new pathway for casual conversion coming. We of course are about to see the Right to Disconnect laws come into place, which we’ve discussed on a separate episode. There is going to be clarity on the employee v’s contractor conundrum, new protections for gig economy workers and more.

The reality is, as an employer it is our responsibility to proactively keep up with these changes, so if you’re not across them, now is the time to get support and ensure your business is not at risk.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am delighted to be joined by guest expert Nicole Turnbull from Neon Shed.

Nicole is the Founder and Chief Courage Officer at Neon Shed, which brings light to the dark sides of work.

She works with businesses to eliminate psychosocial hazards at work and ignite courage in leaders and teams by giving them the tools and options to know HOW to have a safe workplace.

Nicole has over 20 years experience in communications and 15 in the work health and safety industry. She has worked for both NSW safety regulators, the workers compensation insurer and the workers compensation independent review office. Nicole has seen the damage poor communication and psychosocial hazards can do to individuals, teams and organisations.

Nicole is also the Winner of the 2023 Influential Businesswomen Awards for Most Empowering Founder (Australia) and the host of the Under the Rug at Work podcast.

If you’d like to connect with Nicole you can visit her website here: https://neonshed.com.au/

Or connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolesturnbull/

Throughout our discussion Nicole also mentioned a number of resources and websites you can visit to get more information on this important topic, access to all of these is here:

• Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work from Safe Work Australia (most states have their own as well)
• Positive duty information on the Australian Human Rights website
• Respect at Work website
• Psychosocial Safety Summit in Queensland this year

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we’re talking Employment Agreements or Employment Contracts - the all important document that sets out the terms and conditions of the employment relationship.

Why? Well simple, it’s the most popular question I get asked about that continues to daunt and baffle business owners who desperately want to get these documents right.

In this episode we discuss what employment contracts are and why they are so important, and why you absolutely want to have them in place, but we also unpacked what should be included, and what you want to leave out.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are answering a listeners question “does a resignation need to be in writing?”.

To answer this question we are going to look at how an employee can resign, and what a resignation doesn’t look like. We discuss what to do if the employee won’t put the resignation in writing, and I share my strategies for managing resignations when they arise.

Do you have a question for a future episode of the podcast? Simply email your question to hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au or join our Facebook Group and ask your questions there.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I’m posing the question: non-compete clauses in employment contracts – are they worth the paper they are written on?

These are those clauses, often worded in really complex terms, that aim to prevent an employee from working with a competitor, setting up in competition, or taking customers with them when they leave.

They are complex and complicated, and not all that easy to actually uphold, I know as I have first hand experience!

So when should you use them, and what are the things to consider if you’re planning to include them in your employment contracts?

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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Today I am thrilled to be joined by returning guest, Leanne Faulkner from Fortitude at Work to discuss her findings from her recent PHD research on mental health for micro and small business owners.

About Leanne - small business mental health advocate:

Many people in the business community might know Leanne as “the soap lady” or the “goat lady”.

Her youngest son had suffered with eczema from birth and in an effort to ease his discomfort Leanne learned how to make goat’s milk soap as a gentle protective skin care alternative.

In 2004, Billie Goat Soap began.

It was a humble affair initially and started in her kitchen. By 2010 the business had grown to employ over 20 people and sold the products in over 2000 outlets around the country.

Billie Goat Soap was the NSW Business Chamber Business of the Year in 2010 and the Myer Supplier of the Year (general cosmetics) at around the same time. Billie Goat sold successfully in 2012.

The challenges that came with growing a small business came at a cost to Leanne’s mental health. Needing support, she was shocked to learn that there was nothing available specifically for her – a small business owner. There were resources available for employees and the general public, but nothing for entrepreneurs and business owners. That put here on a path to lobby for change…

Today, she works at the intersection of small business ownership and mental health. It’s quite a unique position. It means she knows the realities that come with small business ownership and she is able to link that to our understanding of workplace mental health support strategies.

It’s fair to say Leanne is obsessed with supporting the mental health and wellbeing of small business owners.

If you’d like to connect with Leanne you can see her website here: https://www.fortitudeatwork.com.au/about/

Connect with her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/fortitude_at_work/

Or connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannefaulkner/

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am thrilled to be joined by returning guest, Leanne Faulkner from Fortitude at Work to discuss her findings from her recent PHD research on mental health for micro and small business owners.

About Leanne - small business mental health advocate:

Many people in the business community might know Leanne as “the soap lady” or the “goat lady”.

Her youngest son had suffered with eczema from birth and in an effort to ease his discomfort Leanne learned how to make goat’s milk soap as a gentle protective skin care alternative.

In 2004, Billie Goat Soap began.

It was a humble affair initially and started in her kitchen. By 2010 the business had grown to employ over 20 people and sold the products in over 2000 outlets around the country.

Billie Goat Soap was the NSW Business Chamber Business of the Year in 2010 and the Myer Supplier of the Year (general cosmetics) at around the same time. Billie Goat sold successfully in 2012.

The challenges that came with growing a small business came at a cost to Leanne’s mental health. Needing support, she was shocked to learn that there was nothing available specifically for her – a small business owner. There were resources available for employees and the general public, but nothing for entrepreneurs and business owners. That put here on a path to lobby for change…

Today, she works at the intersection of small business ownership and mental health. It’s quite a unique position. It means she knows the realities that come with small business ownership and she is able to link that to our understanding of workplace mental health support strategies.

It’s fair to say Leanne is obsessed with supporting the mental health and wellbeing of small business owners.

If you’d like to connect with Leanne you can see her website here: https://www.fortitudeatwork.com.au/about/

Connect with her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/fortitude_at_work/

Or connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannefaulkner/

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are unpacking yet more of the ongoing legislative changes that are imminently being rolled out and amendments to the Fair Work Act that are being made.

Today we are talking about the difference between employees and contractors – and what you need to know about the changes.

This is a topic that has been an ongoing debate, and lots of employers have been hiding behind non-existent loopholes, or assuming they can make their own rules when it comes to this issue. The truth is that isn’t going to fly anymore, and now is the time to revisit any contractor arrangements you have and make changes.

In this episode we start by looking at the definition of an employment relationship, and particularly what defines a relationship between and employer and employee versus that of a client and supplier or contractor.

We discuss when this takes effect, what you need to do, and how to decide what the relationship actually is that you have in place.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are talking about the new right to disconnect laws and what they will mean for your business.

We start by discussing what a right to disconnect is, and what this all means.

Then we look at what we know so far in terms of the specific legislation and when it commences operation.

Then we take a look more practically about what this means for you and your business.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are answering a listeners question – today’s question is: “do I need a HRIS”?

To answer this we look at:

What is a HRIS (Human Resources Information System)

How to choose the right one for your business and

Do you actually need one?

There is no doubt there are more and more players entering the market, and the options seem endless and overwhelming. In today’s episode, I share with you some questions to ask to help you determine whether now is the right time to implement a HRIS, and which one might be right for your business.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are talking about one of my favourite subjects – Psychometric Assessments!

Specifically we are discussing when to use Psychometric, Strengths and Personality Assessments with your team.

We start by unpacking the difference between these assessments, and when you might want to use each one, as they each have their own value and purpose.

We then look at how to choose the right one for you, out of all the options out there.

Finally I share the 4 key ways I love to use these assessments with teams.

As promised, here is the link to our previous episode where we had Charissa Holland, Disc Expert, talk to us about using Disc in your recruitment process:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/Charissa-Lim

An Invitation:

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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In today’s episode I am joined by Mel Rosenthal, professional coach for founders, leaders and teams.

Mel is a Professional Certified Coach, accredited by the International Coaching Federation and an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate (GAICD).  She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) from the University of Western Australia and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

Mel works with Founders and Leaders to drive growth for companies and the people in them.

She has been trusted by the leadership of companies including Who Gives A Crap, Minor Figures, Keep Cup, StartUp Victoria, QBE, Tyro, Champion Life, Thoughtworks, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation, Inventium, Advisian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Swinburne University, Alinta Energy, ME Bank, Visy and Medtronic.

Mel is also the creator of 52 Conversations – a card game to create conversations that matter – and that’s what our conversation focused on today. Mel shares some stunning statistics that reflect the real costs and risks of not having important conversations with our teams, and shares her insights into how leaders can have more effective and impactful conversations.

To leave more about the 52 Conversations Card Game, simply head to this site:

https://www.52conversations.com/

To learn more about Mel, the work she does and how you can connect with her, head to this website:

https://melissajrosenthal.com/

Or you can connect on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosenthalmelissa/

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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Today I am uncovering the #1 mistake I see business owners and leaders make when it comes to communicating effectively with their people.

Do sometimes you feel your team aren’t listening?

Maybe that your message is falling on deaf ears?

That you’re being super clear, but they genuinely don’t seem to get it;

Or maybe you know you could be clearer but don’t want to be bossy…

Likelihood is, you’re making this mistake.

In this episode we start by talking about why our communication matters so much before unpacking the key elements of effective communication – and how communicating well is about so much more than what we say.

Then we get into the mistake – and I share with you some simple strategies to translate what you are trying to say, into a way your team can and will understand, listen and take action.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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Today we are answering a question that has come in from one of our listeners Lara. Lara’s question is: Lara’s question: how do you lead a team of young men when you’re an old fuddy duddy!?

To help unpack this further we start todays’ episode by looking to understand the different generations at work, and use McCrindle Research information to help us with that.

Then we unpack why a different generation doesn’t mean wrong or different, it’s just their lived experiences that has shaped them and how they approach work.

Finally we look specifically at leading younger generations in the workplace, and spotlight Gen Z who are currently aged 14 to 29.

The McCrindle Research tells us that Gen Z value approachable leaders who are clear communicators and display empathy.

They are focused on buying their own home and seeking financial freedom and they make decisions on their next role based on the access to an approachable leader.

So to lead Gen Z effectively, we need to be that approachable leader first and foremost.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are talking about one of the most common frustrations I hear from business owners ‘my people aren’t listening to me’.

Have you ever felt that way? Maybe that you’re talking, but your message isn’t landing, or that you’re going around in circles, and it feels like you’re repeating yourself and nothing is changing.

In today’s episode we are discussing the signs and symptoms that we see when it looks like our people aren’t listening and I share with you the 3 most common reasons it can appear that your team aren’t listening.

Spoiler alert – all 3 things are on us! They are things we might be doing, or not doing – so are totally in our control to fix.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today’s episode I am joined by award winning entrepreneur and wealth coach, Jackson Millan, who is also known as the Wealth Mentor.

Jackson is the author of international best-selling book ‘Enjoy The Journey: Creating Wealth & Living The Life You Desire’ which has been featured on best seller lists in 8 countries across 15 categories.

Jackson is an absolute master of profit and wealth for business owners and has helped his clients build over $2 billion in combined wealth. He specialises in helping 6 and 7-figure business owners who have a great business model and can make the cash but struggle to hold onto it. His signature solution called The Wealth Mastery Machine helps his clients automate and systemise their financial management so they can get confidence and clarity with their money and create financial freedom faster.

In todays’ discussion we discuss the concept of financial freedom for business owners, and Jackson shares his experience on what he has seen change in the pursuit for financial freedom, what holds business owners back from achieving this and some of the structures and strategies he teaches his clients to help financial freedom become a reality.

We also talk leadership, and the journey to building and engaging teams in Jacksons business.

To get hold of all the great resourced Jackson mentioned in today’s episode simply head to this site:

https://www.wealthhealthcheck.com.au/

To learn more about Jackson, you can also head to the website:

https://www.wealth-mentor.com.au/ or connect with him on socials.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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In today’s episode I am sharing some real life examples from our People Powered HR Members and Power Boss Coaching Clients who have revolutionised the way they lead and manage their teams, and the success of their teams, with just 1 thing.

Now this ‘1 thing’ might be different for everyone, and will differ depending on where you are at with your team growth journey. The key is though, it is possible to implement just 1 thing and it be a complete game changer in your business.

The examples I share today include finally starting performance reviews after 12 years, implementing a proven resume screening framework, stepping up and building confidence, focusing in on retention of staff and switching up your thinking when it comes to creating roles in your business.

I hope this episode gives you some inspiration to implement 1 new thing with your team that could be the game changer for you.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today's episode we are answering a loyal listeners question.

Each month I will be answering a question from one of our listeners as part of our ask me anything series. Today's question comes from Cat Matson of Impactful Presenters.

Cat’s question is:

I'd like to know how to craft position descriptions for virtual team members. I find myself thinking 'I need some help, and I want them to be virtual', and then I go down the path of 'what can a VA do', rather than crafting a PD (or a set of PDs) that articulate what I want. 

I think this is a great question and one that many business owners wrangle with as they grow their teams.

Today I share the problem with the term ‘VA’ and how it’s messed up our thinking somewhat.

I also discuss the similarly between virtual and in person team, but the difference between an employee and a contractor. For a deep dive on that topic check out Episode 77 – When is a Contractor not a Contractor:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/When-Is-a-Contractor-Not-a-Contractor

Finally, I discuss the fact that the same principles still apply, when crafting position descriptions for virtual team members. I highly recommend in the first instance re visiting the Clean Slate Exercise in episode 22:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/clean-state

And the core elements of all great position descriptions as discussed in Episode 7:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/Position-Descriptions

 An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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In this episode we tackle a topic that many business leaders grapple with: the balance between genuine support for employees and taking on responsibilities that aren't rightfully theirs.

Today's episode dives deep into the tendency to feel responsible for every aspect of your employees' lives, from their career growth to their personal happiness.

I addresses the common pitfalls of assuming responsibilities that extend beyond the scope of our role as a business owner. The episode highlights that the happiness of your employees is not your sole responsibility. This may challenge conventional wisdom, but I contend that allowing individuals to take ownership of their happiness is vital for their personal growth.

The discussion unfolds into recognizing the signs of responsibility creep, where leaders find themselves being quasi-counselors or life coaches instead of focusing on their core responsibilities. I draw on real-world examples, like spending excessive time with a single team member or feeling ill-equipped to handle personal issues that are outside the realm of work.

The episode wraps up by defining what leaders are genuinely responsible for. From creating a positive workplace culture to ensuring physical and emotional well-being, I outline the core responsibilities that contribute to a thriving work environment. Ultimately, it's a reminder that while leaders play a pivotal role, the happiness of individuals extends beyond the workplace, and empowering them to take responsibility for their own lives is a crucial aspect of effective leadership.

Tune in to Episode 204 for a thought-provoking discussion that challenges traditional views on leadership responsibility and provides practical insights into fostering a healthier and more balanced work dynamic. Don't miss out – hit play now and empower yourself as a leader in 2024!

If you find this episode valuable, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network. Visit our website for more engaging content and stay connected with the People Powered Business community.

An Invitation

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Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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In this weeks episode I had the pleasure of being joined by Dr Masi Njawaya of Her Self Health.

Dr Masi is a Sport, Exercise & Lifestyle Physician, Medical doctor, health coach and advocate.

She is the Founder of Herself Health which is a Leadership Health & Wellbeing company working with business owners, entrepreneurs, leaders and teams to empower them to be the best versions of themselves by being holistically healthy.

In todays’ discussion we unpack Dr Masi’s journey to become a medical Doctor, and what she discovered along the way about the importance of prioritising her health and wellbeing to achieve more, in less time and by prioritising the things that were important for her.

Dr Masi generously shares with us the challenges she sees business owners consistently face, and some great, practical strategies we can all start implementing straight away across her 5 key pillars for health.

If you’d like to connect with Dr Masi you can view her website here:

https://www.herselfhealth.com

Or connect with her on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmasi/

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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Today on the podcast we are talking about a ‘word of the year’. Do you have one? Is this something you have heard of before and what do you think of it?

Today I share why you might want to have a word of the year. For those who don’t love this particular framework I have some alternative options to share.

Lastly I share with you my word of the year and why it’s important and what it all means!!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network.

An Invitation

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Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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In todays’ episode we delve into the essential topic of kickstarting the new year on a successful note. The episode kicks off with gratitude for the special live cast celebration of the 200th episode and exciting plans for upcoming 'ask me anything' segments.

In this episode we explore the foundational idea that success starts with the individual. Using the analogy of the oxygen mask on an airplane, we discuss the cascading effects on leadership and communication when personal well-being is neglected. The episode also introduces three powerful reflection questions designed to guide listeners in setting meaningful goals. Finally, we look at the connection between personal success and building a successful team.

Take a listen to the full episode for valuable insights on prioritizing personal well-being, the benefits of aligning personal and professional goals, and practical steps for mapping personal success onto team dynamics. Whether you're a business owner, leader, or team member, this episode offers actionable advice for a successful and purposeful year ahead. Don't miss out – hit play now to empower yourself and your team for success in 2024!

 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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To celebrate this milestone episode, we live streamed this episode last week as a special ‘ask me anything’ session and got some great questions.

Everything from:

·       How a small business can be a great place to work and compete with all the perks the big businesses can offer;

·      What have been the most downloaded episodes of the podcast so far;

·       What is the biggest hiring mistake small business owners make;

·       How can I get my people to take ownership and responsibility for their roles;

·       How can I better navigate the switch from ‘employee’ to ‘employer’;

·       When should a small business start to think about wellbeing programs and what are some strategies;

·       Plus more!!

This ‘ask me anything’ style of episode has proven so popular we’re going to do them monthly throughout 2024. Each month I’ll select one pre submitted question from a listener and answer it on the podcast. Have a question for me? Just email it to hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

An Invitation

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In this weeks episode I am sharing the 5 top team trends for 2024.

These are the key things that research shows will have the biggest impact on the employment landscape in Australia in the next 12 months.

From ongoing talent shortages, to increased wage pressure, to the technological increases, the need for active upskilling and really nailing effective hybrid work models, there is a lot to be aware of.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for

Australian -Businesses.

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Today it felt like a good time to talk about rest! We’re at the time of year where many people are trying to catchup on a little rest after a busy and even overwhelming few years for many business owners.

In today’s episode we unpack The 7 types of rest identified by Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith, a Physician, work-life integration researcher and author based in Alabama who was seeing first had in her own experience and via her patients that a solid 8 hours sleep per night was not the solution to not feeling tired, so she went searching for answers and identified that there are in fact 7 different types of rest, with the physical ‘sleep’ type of rest being just one.

We discuss today why the different types of rest might be needed and some of the warning signs we might see in our team members who are in need of a particular type of rest.

Most importantly I share some tips on how we can we better approach rest as entrepreneurs and business owners.

An Invitation

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Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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Quick question - did you get into business for the love of HR compliance or to spend your December carefully watching the Government every move to see if they were about to throw some curve balls, or even bomb shells on businesses? No?

Guess what – neither did I!

The reality is we are in an environment of change right now – which isn’t always a bad thing, but really Industrial Relations legislation changes in December?

This last raft of changes seems to have caused more angst, stress and response than any of the previous ones, but why? Are they really just closing loopholes is this cause for panic?

In today’s episode we discuss what exactly happened on the last sitting day in Parliament, what has actually passed and is now law, and what is on the cards for the 2024 phase 2 discussions.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

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Today I am sharing with you what should be on your December 2024 Team To Do List.

As we’ve spoken about on some recent episodes of the podcast, December is a key time to focus on engagement with your team, and despite feeling like we’d love to crawl under the desk, this is not the time to do that.

But it’s about more than just engagement at this time of year, there are number of other things we should be doing before the year is out to set ourselves up for a better 2024.

Some of the things that should be on our list for December include:

• Doing a compliance check for the year that’s gone, are your documents up to date?
• Do your clean slate exercise, so you have a resourcing plan for the year ahead;
• Map out your calendar for key team events in 2024;
• Close any open loops – have you done what you promised your people this year?
• Thank your people!
• Give them something to look forward to in 2024;
• Give yourself space to plan.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today we are chatting about the critical pre Christmas period, and some of the biggest mistakes business owners make at this time of year when it comes to your team.

We know, this is a tough time of year, we’re all exhausted, we’re stressed, we’re both overwhelmed and excited, and paying attention to our teams engagement level is often not top of our priority list.

But that’s a mistake and in today’s episode I share why, the mistakes to avoid and what you can do instead.

An Invitation:

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am joined by the fabulous Juliet Robinson from Big Goals to discuss tackling fear as a leader in our business. This is a topic we certainly don’t talk enough about.

Whether you are fearful of stepping into your first leadership role, or having a moment of feeling fear of tackling a tricky conversation, dealing with conflict or some other challenging situation, this discussion is for you.

Juliet and Kristy-Lee share their experiences working with leaders who are in a state of fear, or who have fear holding them back, as well as their own experiences of when they have experienced the feeling of fear in their leadership journey.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

This is part of the reason this is such an important time to be looking at your 2024 people plan, how is your plan looking?

If you haven’t yet started, I’m here to help, and today I am sharing 3 key elements every greatpeople plan should include.

This is not an exhaustive or complete list, but these 3 elements are essential to any people plan.

1)Your Resourcing Plan–every people plan needs a resourcing plan. This includes who you’re hiring, who you’re firing, what skills you need to add, who needs crosstraining, different hours etc.

2) Your Protection Plan–is your business protected? Are you compliant with the legislation, are your employment contracts up to date, your IFA’s and AWA’s in place, policies up to date? There is a lot to include here!

3)Your Retention Plan–how are you going to keep great people, motivate them, get the most out of them and develop them. You need to plan for that.Naturally, all 3 have multiple layers and areas of complexity within them, but these 3 core areas are essential elements of any people plan. How is your 2024 people plan looking?

Today were unpacking a new study released by Gartner HR research which has some disturbing stats regarding engagement.

At their Reimagined HR conference in the US in October they released the report which found  that only 31% of employees reported that they were engaged, enthusiastic and energized by their work!!  Keyia Burton, senior principal, advisory in the Gartner HR Practice said that “despite organizations making investments in engaging their employees, our research shows that almost 70% don’t feel as engaged as they should be and aren’t feeling a meaningful connection to their job.”

Today is discussed how and whether this translates to us, we looked at defining what engagement is, whether this is just slump normal for this time of year and why we should be concerned about these findings.

What about you? Are you seeing this trend, and what are you doing in your business to prevent this? I’d love you to join us in the Facebook Group and let me know.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

This doesn’t necessarily have to be done pre-Christmas, but at least once every year you should be having really great discussions with your people about their future with you.

This doesn’t have to be the performance review discussion, in fact, it may not be best for it (and I do love a quarterly review cycle anyway), but creating space for these discussions is essential.

Having a plan, a pathway forward and being clear about is something your team fundamental want-they want to know where they are going and if you can’t articulate that, and a competitor can, you’re in big trouble.

It doesn’t mean it needs to be ladder climbing or annual promotions, micro steps and milestones are a great way to lay out a plan.

It helps people to feel like they are making progress, moving forward, achieving, improving, not staying stagnant–which is amazing for motivation and engagement.

First up - as mentioned in this episode, if you want to join me for the 2024 Team Planning Workshop just click here to register now

In today’s episode I share with you that I am sensing a season of change with our teams. Some change we won’t love, but will be unavoidable. Some change will be change we choose to make, or need to make for the next stage of our business journey.

And that’s what we focus on in today’s episode. The fact that the team that got you to where you are now, may not be the team to get you to where you want to go next.

In this episode we spoke about the reasons for this, and how the resourcing needs in a business will always change.

We also spoke about the Clean Slate Exercise to help you identify if in fact you do need to make some changes.

You can listen to the full Clean Slate Exercise here:

Once you have your ideal future team mapped out what next? What do you do with an employee who no longer fts in your structure, doesn’t have the skills you need moving forward, or are a surplus to your needs?

We discuss all that and more in today’s episode of the podcast.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

You’ve done your planning, you know what’s ahead, but how much should you share with your people?

Some business owners share everything and then get disappointed when the team don’t seem to care as much as expected, they start to question things or worse still it prompts them to ask for a pay rise.

Other business owners protect their own personal plans, energy, effort, investment and Intellectual Property and share nothing with their team. Then they wonder why they aren’t working towards achieving their goals.

So what about you? How much of your plan do you share?

I think there is a sweet spot for

every business.

It comes down to sharing enough to

get the team excited, engaged, on board. You absolutely should be sharing the

plans that are directly relevant to them and that will impact their role. You

should also share the plans that might help them see the bigger picture.

But it’s your business, and your

plan, and they don’t need to know all the details.

In today’s episode we are discussing the 5 biggest staffing challenges (or you may want to view them as opportunities) that every small to medium sized business needs to be ready, and have a plan for in 2024.

The reality is the staffing landscape is changing, both in Australia and abroad, and we are very much returning to a global workplace again.

If we are not ready for these changes and challenges, we will be left behind.

I firmly believe small to medium sized businesses have a huge opportunity right now, if we are ready and being ready means having a plan.

Today we are discussing what is changing and why, the 5 biggest challenges I see coming and what we should do next.

There is no doubt that the pandemic has moved the world of work forward 20 + years – a controversial opinion some might think, but something I have thought to be the case since early 2020 – I knew then we were always headed this way, and there would be no going back.

In addition, many experts predicted that international travel would not return to pre pandemic levels until 2024, and I think a lot of people have the travel bug and 2024 will mean lots of leave and people taking extended breaks.

Add in changes in expectation about where, when and how people work – we need to be ready for change.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

I admit, I was never a lover of planning. There was certainly no business plan, the thought of writing one bored me to tears. I was more keen on action taking than planning.

I know other business owners who love a plan! In fact they love planning, but they get so caught up in planning that they never take action, and it holds them back.

So I guess whether you love or hate planning – you need to find the middle ground. You absolutely need to do it, but not at the cost of taking action.

And don’t forget your team planning. Planning isn’t just about the numbers, the projects, the clients and the advertising – planning is absolutely all about the people you need to deliver all of that, and how you are going to get the most out of them.

In today’s episode I’m sharing a little behind the scenes of how I plan for a successful year ahead with my team.

I like to plan for a calendar year ahead, and for me timing is key – and November is the time I plan.

Today I share the importance of timing and what may work for your business, the value of stepping away from the day to day work environment to plan more effectively, and when and what of your plan you should share with your team.

How do you plan for your year ahead? I’d love to know. Join us in our Facebook Group and share your experiences.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Sometimes there are things that keep showing up and almost slapping me in the face – this power play topic is no different.

Lately, there seems to be a lot of drama around in the teams I am working with which could have been avoided by simply having a conversation. Seriously that simple.

Then last night, after a crazy couple of weeks, not interested in watching anything o TV really, I stumbled across Empire Records, and well there is nothing like a bit of 90’s nostalgia to lift the spirits – god I love that soundtrack!

In fact some of you may have heard me reference another 90’s classic – Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms before, and the line ‘if you don’t expect too much from me you might not be let down’ Last night, watching Empire Records, yet another clanger ‘till I hear it from you’ was featured, also by the Gin Blossoms, and the line in it says ‘nothings wrong until I hear it from you’

And I think there is a lesson in that – we so often make decisions based on what others are saying – and we don’t just have a conversation with the person.

In fact in the last few weeks I’ve seen this play out in a team I am working with. Where an issue became an absolute all consuming disaster, when all it would have taken to resolve it was a conversation with the person involved – that simple.

So, my invitation to you today is the have the conversation, and hear it directly from them – because until you hear from your team member what their issue is, and what the resolution needs to look like, you will never know how to resolve it.

In today’s episode of the podcast we are talking about employee wellbeing, specifically wellbeing programs, Employee Assistance Programs and whether they are relevant for small to medium sized businesses.

Whilst wellbeing as a concept is about the entirety of someone’s life, and as such can’t be entirely our responsibility as an employer, we certainly have some responsibility for our employees wellbeing whilst at work, and can take proactive steps to help them improve their wellbeing, which has some great flow on effects to their performance, motivation and engagement at work.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today’s episode of the podcast we are chatting about becoming the boss, and the journey I have noticed every business owner goes through in building their business and their team to become a business that is truly people powered.

You see this is a journey I notice our People Powered HR members take, it’s one I have taken and it’s one every small business owner makes. It’s not always a straight line, sometimes we bounce between the stages in the journey, but that’s how we learn and create a stronger business for the future.

The stages we all go through are:

• Having an Idea Powered business, where we are a start up, full of enthusiasm and ideas;
• Being You Powered – where we are starting to build our team and outsource things, but we are in the drivers seat across everything, and involved at every level;
• Becoming Person Powered where we have a team of key people and roles, who we can rely on and who power our business day to day;
• Being Team Powered where we have groups of people to get things done, across all areas of the business, but we are still firmly the key leader;
• And finally we are People Powered – with a leadership team, succession planning and where we can truly step away knowing our business will thrive.

If you’d like to share where you are in the journey, ask a question or start a discussion about this, I have an invitation for you.

 An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

I mean of course we want to create a great place for people to work, but can we really hold the load for being responsible for their wellbeing? I’m not sure, I think we need to create a place that supports wellbeing, but I think that’s very different to being responsible for it….

In saying that, I don’t think we can turn a blind eye to it’s importance – so what is our role?

Our role is to create an environment which is ‘psychological safe’ which is supportive, within which people feel comfortable to do their best work, and know that we are looking out for them.

To create the environment within which they can thrive.

That will look different for everyone ….

But it’s about our leadership, and the support mechanisms we invest in to put around that. Our reactions and responses when someone isn’t doing so well, has personal issues maybe, do we punish them or support them?

But it’s not our job to take on the mental load, to be the counsellor.       

So what role do you take on when it comes to employees wellbeing? Too active? Too absent? Somewhere in between?

In today’s episode of the podcast we are retuning to a more technical discussion about one of the more recent legislative updates – the introduction of positive duty laws to prevent sexual harassment and sex based discrimination in the workplace.

These laws were passed in late 2022, but given the gravity of the changes being implemented, employers had a grace period to get their house in order. From December 2023 though, the Australian Human Right Commission will be able to commence legal proceedings against employers who are failing to meet their positive duty obligations, and no one, not even small businesses, are exempt.

In todays’ episode we re cap what the positive duties laws are, what they mean for employers. and the AHRC guidelines for achieving compliance with these new requirements.

As always, if you’d like to connect with other small business owners to chat all things HR and people management, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In today's episode of the podcast we are taking a deeper dive into a topic we covered in a recent Power Play Mini Episode - do your people like or respect you?

So often as business owners and leaders we are playing a popularity game, because we want our people to like us. But when we are doing that at the detriment to building respect from our team, it can be bad for them, the business and us.

What's your experience when it comes to this? What game are you playing? I'd love to hear, join us in our Facebook Group to share your experiences:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I am chatting about coaches and mentors for small business owners and why we should all have some!

Coaches and mentors are incredibly powerful in supporting us as small business owners, yet I know many of us are reluctant to invest in ourselves by getting a coach or mentor for something we might be struggling with.

Today we talk about the reasons for that, and why investing in ourselves is the best investment for our business.

Do you engage coaches and mentors in your small business? I’d love to know. Let us know inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Last weeks I hosted a workshop on mastering difficult conversations, and one of the downsides of avoiding difficult conversations is that your team see that, and it erodes their respect in you as a leader.

Today I am sharing with you, warts and all, the details of a conversations I had with a staff member, more than 13 years ago, that to this day still makes me cringe.

It was one of the most difficult conversations I have ever had to have with a team member, and I learnt a lot from it.

Today I share with you the mistakes I made, and the lessons I learned so that you never have to go through this sort of experience with one of your team.

No one loves having them, but some of us actively avoid them, and I want to encourage you to stop doing that – it’s bad for your team, your business and you.

Whilst these conversations can be tough, they are an essential part of our leadership toolkit – in fact, the ability to have these conversations effectively is the #1 skill every business owner needs to develop in order to lead their team effectively.

So I have 3 questions to ask yourself today if you find yourself avoiding difficult conversations with someone on your team:

1)     Why are you actually avoiding it? Really, what are the real reasons?

2)     What is the worst thing that could actually happen? (not the unlikely things you are making up!)

3)     Does the reason outweigh the potential benefit of having the conversation?

outcome?

Today we’re talking about difficult conversations, and the 10 types every business owner will need to have with one of their team, at some stage.

Despite our misconception, difficult conversations aren’t just about performance dramas. They can be about anything from salary negotiations to delegating a task, so what happens when we don’t give the other types of conversations the same time and attention?

In today’s episode we unpack the risks of not giving these other types of conversations you attention, and I uncover the 10 types of difficult conversations that every business owner will need to have, which span from the recruitment to the termination process.

If difficult conversations are something you struggle with, I’d love you to join me for the Mastering Difficult Conversations Workshop which kicks off 18th September, just click this link to find out more:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/powerweek

It’s uncomfortable for us as the leader, and we worry (probably more than we should), that’s it’s also uncomfortable for the team member.

The truth is, silence is essential to facilitating an effective discussion, and when we don’t allow

space for it, we are almost certainly sabotaging the success of the conversation.

When we become uncomfortable with silence, we tend to do a few things.

We over-explain, that was definitely me, I would just keep finding different ways to unpack the situation, justify why I needed to speak to them about this, and come at the issue from all different angles. I thought that if I explained it more, and more, and more, surely the message would be clearer.

Or we create a compliment sandwich – we think that if we start the meeting on a positive note things will be easier. Then we get to the real issue, but then we get uncomfortable with the silence so throw in another compliment really quickly, hoping that the meat in the sandwich was memorable enough.

Or we divert onto an entirely new tangent. When the silent moment hits, we take a turn in the conversations and start moving it in a different direction to avoid the discomfort and then there can seem no way back to the initial issue.

In all of these situations we are missing the opportunity that silence creates.

Silence allows time for our team member to actually absorb and process what we just said. It gives them the space to think about it, and respond.

It allows time for them to seek clarification and ask questions.

It allows space for them to share how they received the message, and perhaps provide context from their experience that has led to the situation we are discussing.

Most importantly silence allows the message to really sink in. For the gravity of the situation, the importance of the issue, the need for change to really, really land.

If allowing space for silence is challenging and uncomfortable that’s completely normal, but think of it this way – would you rather sit in a moment of uncomfortable silence, or sit through the discomfort of needing to have this discussion again next week?

Today we’re talking ‘team meetings’. We all know we need to have them right? Yet so often they feel like a waste of time, or like many members of People Powered HR recently said, they are sick of hearing their own voice in team meetings and wished their teams would participate and engage.

So how can we hold meetings that matter, that have impact, that people participate and engage in, and that aren’t all about us just talking?

To help find the answers I thought I’d get an expert in to chat to us.

I’m thrilled to be joined by Cat Matson of Impactful Presenters. Cat is the CEO and Lead Facilitator of Impactful Presenters, empowering business owners and community leaders to speak with confidence, authority, authenticity and impact. A popular and accomplished Speaker, MC and Moderator, Cat is known for her straight-talking, 'realness' and extracting 'the juice' from her clients.

As mentioned, Cat also has a free workshop running in September 2023, called Speaking with Impact – I highly recommend checking it out, here is the link to register:

And link to the workshop is - https://www.impactfulpresenters.com/live-webinar/speaking-with-impact-workshopseptember-2023/register

They aren't listening because they are a Gen Z, they don't understand because they are a 'boomer'.

The truth is, as a leader in our business it's our role to understand our teams communication preferences, and tailor our message and style accordingly.

In this power play I share some of the reasons for the ways different generations communicate, and give you a few hacks to help you communicate more effectively with different generations on your team.

Today we’re talking about a Code of Conduct and why they are so valuable to have in your business.

A code of conduct is a formal document that outlines the guiding principles, standards, and behavioural expectations for individuals within a business.

It serves as a set of rules and guidelines that govern the conduct and interactions of employees, management, and other stakeholders associated with the business.

A well-structured code of conduct is designed to promote ethical behaviour, create a positive work environment, and ensure consistency in decision-making across the organisation.

For me it’s super valuable in articulating ‘this is how we do things around here’.

I’d love to hear about whether you have a Code of Conduct in place, and whether you’re finding it to be a valuable resource, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

I had held leadership positions in other businesses and loved it, but when it came to my business, especially as my team grew, I really started to not love it. Some days I would want to (and probably did), just shut my office door!!!

What I know now is that I’d hit a growing pains point, I was juggling too much, and was burnt out. 

But I see lots of business owners who don’t hit this point yet really don’t love being ‘a boss’.

They are uncomfortable with it, it’s not their natural thing. The thought of conflict terrifies them, so they avoid it.

They adopt the ‘laissez-fare’ leadership style which means ‘let it be’ it’s a hands off approach to leadership. Problem is – if you’re not leading in your business who is?

I call this the ‘non boss mindset’

It’s characterized by avoiding any kind of traditional leadership or management activities and actions, with the hope that things will just happen.

It’s often from a place of fear and uncertainty.  

But the issue is the team lack clarity, certainty and direction, they don’t know what to do.

The team want strong leadership, it’s what builds trust and respect.

Worst case – you end up with someone negative or toxic running things – it can go from your ship being adrift without a captain to pirates have taken over very quickly.

In today’s episode I am sharing a previous conversation Juliet Robinson and I had on the Grow Your Influence Podcast.

Recently I have had a lot of business owners ask about leading different generations at work, and how to understand and motivate each generation.

This discussion is one Juliet and I had some time ago, probably a little over a year, but it’s still really relevant and valuable.

Stay tuned as we will have some new episodes on generational differences at work really soon.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with managing and leading different generations at work. I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

As entrepreneurs and business owners it’s easy to fall into, why?

Are you a control freak, do you lack trust in your people, are you a perfectionist, maybe you don't know how to delegate effectively.        

So why is it bad for your people?

o  Stifles creativity

o  Teaches them not to make decisions

o Stalls their growth

o  Teaches them to rely on you

Why is it bad for you?

o  You will always be the bottle neck’

o  You can’t get out of the weeds

o  You will never build trust – and if the team don’t trust you it’s all bad

o  You have no freedom from your business

Why is it bad for your business?

o  A business that is totally reliant on you can never grow

o  There will be no innovation,

o  You’ll have high turnover

o  You won’t be able to attract and retain great people

So stop micromanaging!

Today I have an update on my intern experiment.

Back in Episode 173 I shared that I have decided to experiment with having interns in my business, and promised to share my journey with you here on the podcast.

Here’s the thing though, things haven’t exactly gone to plan, as I discuss today, these people are a little more ninja like than I expected.

In today’s episode I share what’s happened so far, why I don’t actually have an intern (yet!) and what I plan to do from here.

I’d love to hear about whether you have engaged interns before, or are considering it in the future, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Most business owners I know certainly didn’t get into business for the love of learning about HR compliance, employment rules, payroll and all the technical stuff – but you figure it out right?

Like everything else in business, you fumble your way through, do a course here and there, research, learn, get help and you get through it.

But is that technical stuff really the hardest part about being a ‘boss’ and having a team?

Truth is – it’s the mental game of being the boss that’s hardest.

The sleepless nights, the worry, the uncertainty, the second guessing ourselves, the self doubt, the confidence crushing interactions .

It can leave you feeling alone, unsure of yourself, frustrated, feeling like you’re hitting your head against a wall, sometimes resentful and angry – and ultimately that it’d just be easier to do it all yourself.

Here’s the thing though – you can’t have a successful business that delivers you success + freedom without people – and without great people, the right team and guess what – that team need a leader, and if it’s your business – that’s ultimately always YOU!

So mastering this mental game of being the boss is essential to this – it’s essential to the success of your business, and your sanity.

But I get it, it’s hard, it's why I started the Power BOSS Coaching Program. Where we work on things like creating your ideal team, boundary setting, tacking tricky conversations, behavior, you get a sounding board.

Mastering the mental game of being the boss is hard because no one tells you that you’ll need to learn it, there is no magical handbook, humans – they change – and people don’t tell you nearly enough that it’s ok to help with this (you get help with other things right)?

Do spend time mastering this, it’ll be amazing for your business.

Today I have a quick compliance update for you on the recent changed to the Paid Parental Leave Scheme.

This is the Government funded payment that employees can access when they are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child. From 1 July 2023 there have been a raft of changes to this scheme, including the merging of the old 18 week parental leave payment and 2 week dad and partner pay into one 100 day or 20 week allocation, which can now be shared much more flexibly between parents.

If you’d like to connect with other business owners and leaders who are also facing the challenge of managing leave I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

What's your response when you hear that question? Aren't the two the same?

Of course we want our team to like is. Human nature dictates that we want to be liked, so it makes sense that we want our team to like us -but do we put as much thought into ensuring they respect us?

So what’s the difference between being like and respected? The difference lies in how they react and respond to us as a leader – it’s in the perception they hold.

Being liked = being popular with our people. Being liked is fleeting, sure you can maintain it for a time, but it’s all contingent on the next decision you make, and giving your team everything they want, you need to make every decision to win a popularity contest, which isn’t always in the best interests of the business.       

Being liked also means you’re far less likely to be able to do the tough things we need to do as leaders, keep people accountable, have tough conversations etc.

Being respected is far deeper and long lasting. If your people respect you, you can make unpopular decisions that are in the best interested of the business, because the team sees beyond this one decision.

How do you build respect? Competence, congruence with values, do what you say you’ll do, be authentic, be fair and be accountable.

While being liked might lead to short-term popularity, being respected creates a lasting impact on the team and the organization. Respected leaders inspire loyalty and commitment, as team members are more likely to go the extra mile when they respect their leader.

So which game are you playing?

Recently I asked for some feedback on a question and I was really surprised by a common theme that kept popping up – that business owners feel trapped in a cycle of icromanaging their people, and aren’t sure how else to get their team to perform.

We have chatted about The Curse of Micromanagement previously in Episode 162, where we unpacked why micromanagement is bad for business, you can listen to that episode here:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/micromanaging

But what became clear to me reading the feedback was that these business owners knew how bad micromanagement was for them, their team, and their businesses, but they weren’t sure how to get out of the cycle.

So today we’re looking at what are the alternatives? If micromanagement is just one way to manage, one leadership styles, what are the other styles and which ones could we ‘try on’ instead.

Then we unpacked why people are feeling like they need to micromanage, and being so trapped in the cycle, and finally I share 5 effective strategies to help you break free from micromanagement.

I’d love to hear about whether you struggle with micromanagement, and how you went trying out these strategies to break free, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I’m bring you part 2 of my conversation with my special guest, who is here to chat to us about avoiding hiring disasters!

Deb Houston of Phlox Consulting is a Hiring Strategist and Mentor, she has been helping job-seekers and hiring managers nail their interviews and land their dream jobs and employees for more than seventeen years. 

She takes a supportive and consultative approach to recruitment, personalising the process for each and every client, whilst always making sure it’s fun along the way. For Deb, finding the right job or candidate is a lot like dating – you just have to find a match you want to commit to!

Today is the second part of my discussion Deb and I had on this topic, and today we’re discussing essential strategies to help you avoid a hiring disaster.

Want to share your hiring strategies? Join the discussion in our Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

It always reminds me of the line from the Gin Blossoms song, Hey Jealousy which says “if you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down".

Expecting our team to be just like us is expecting too much. And when our expectations are inflated, we feel frustrated and resentful, and we blame our team, but is it really their fault, or is it our misguided expectations that are to blame?

In todays' Power Play I'm unpacking why we shouldn't expect our team to be just like us, and why it's critical that they aren't!

Today I’m excited to be joined by a special guest, who is here to chat to us about avoiding hiring disasters!

Deb Houston of Phlox Consulting is a Hiring Strategist and Mentor, she has been helping job-seekers and hiring managers nail their interviews and land their dream jobs and employees for more than seventeen years. 

She takes a supportive and consultative approach to recruitment, personalising the process for each and every client, whilst always making sure it’s fun along the way. For Deb, finding the right job or candidate is a lot like dating – you just have to find a match you want to commit to!

Today is Part 1 of a 2 part discussion Deb and I had on this topic, and today we’re sharing the 3 (or more) biggest hiring mistakes we see businesses make and why you should avoid them.

Join me again next week for part 2, where we share proactive hiring strategies everyone should be using.

Today I'm sharing why nothing else you do matters - when an employee is unhappy in their job. Until you take steps to fix the cause of their issues, and really listen to what's important to them, nothing else you do matters - and in fact it can sometimes make the situation worse because the employee feels like you aren't listening to them.

Today I’m sharing how I’m really feeling right now – guilty! Guilty for the long to do list I can’t seem to get on top of, guilty for feeling exhausted after a 10 hour day and needing a break, and guilty because there is always more to do.

I’ve also been reminded, via a client this week, that our team have a knack of also making us feel incredibly guilty from time to time.

So today we’re talking ‘boss guilt’. I’m unpacking what it is, the two types I’ve seen play out recently, how to identify if you’re heading down a boss guilt spiral and some strategies for breaking free from boss guilt.

I’d love to hear about whether you have suffered from boss guilt before, and what strategies you use to navigate it when you feel it popping up, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

The reality is sometimes turnover is a good thing, a healthy thing and actually good for business.

Perhaps the person has outgrown the role – and staying would hold them back and they’d become stale and resentful. Maybe it’s just time – they are no longer keen to be here and that’s ok.

Our team also go through phases and stages of life – what worked then won’t work now and they may need to move on for this reason.

Or it could be because they don’t want to learn, grow or develop and are resistant to change, this can be incredibly difficult to manage.

I often question whether too much stability sometimes a bad thing?

Having to refill a role and bringing someone new in allows for fresh perspectives and ideas, it builds new skills and knowledge.

Finally it gifts us a great opportunity to reassess and realise you need something new in the role now.

Today we’re talking about Interns, it’s actually a topic we really haven’t spoken about here on the podcast before.

However, I have decided to experiment with having interns in my business, so I thought I’d share that journey with you over the next 6 months by recording a couple of episodes on the process, and share the pro’s con’s and my learnings. 

In this episode we’re looking at when an intern might be the right addition to your team.

I unpack the different types of interns, address the question of pay, chat about why I’ve decided to experiment with this for my team, and share the opportunities that exist with interns.

I’d love to hear about whether you have engaged interns before, or are considering it in the future, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

The reality is Small to medium-sized business owners often find themselves immersed in day-to-day operational tasks, leaving little time for strategic thinking and leadership. The never-ending to-do list can consume their focus, hindering their ability to lead their teams effectively.

When leaders are constantly caught up in the busyness of running the business, they may inadvertently create a leadership vacuum – where no real leadership exists in their business. Without strong leadership, teams may lack direction, engagement, and a clear vision for success.

It's crucial for business owners to recognize that effective leadership is not a luxury but a necessity for long-term success. It requires a shift in mindset from being solely focused on operational tasks to prioritizing leadership as a critical aspect of business growth and sustainability.     

Carving out dedicated time for leadership activities is essential. This might involve delegating operational tasks, restructuring workflows, or reevaluating priorities to free up time for strategic thinking, team development, and communication.

Strategies to Lead Effectively amidst Busyness:

Empower and Delegate: Identify areas of your business where you can delegate responsibilities to capable team members. Empower them with trust and autonomy, allowing you to focus on higher-level leadership tasks.

Systemise and Streamline where possible. Automation, outsourcing, or implementing effective systems can help optimize your business operations, freeing up time for leadership.

At the core of leadership you need to:

Communicate the Vision: Clearly articulate the vision, values, and goals of your business to your team. Effective communication ensures everyone is aligned and working towards a common purpose, reducing the need for constant micromanagement.

Nurture a Supportive Culture: Foster a culture of open communication, collaboration, and trust within your team. Encourage feedback, provide regular updates, and create opportunities for team members to contribute their ideas and insights.

Communicate - effectively – always.

Today we’re talking trust, and why it’s so important to your teams success. Specifically in today’s episode we’re looking at why:

• Your team need to trust you;
• You need to trust your team;
• your team need to trust each other.

When your team don’t trust you as the leader the results will be increased turnover, under-performance, gossip and toxicity, morale and motivation will be low, they don’t work together and essentially nothing is good.

Getting your people to trust you isn’t that difficult, it’s doing the simple things consistently. Follow through on your promises, take action when you should, being honest, communicating and treat people fairly.

Secondly, you need to trust your team. If you don’t trust your team, you’ll be constantly deciding to do things yourself and / or micromanage, which will hold your business back. If you’re feeling like you don’t trust your team, you may need to consider whether the issue is actually you – are you being unrealistic or a control freak for example?

Finally, but critically, tour team need to trust each other. If your team don’t trust each other, you’ll find yourself constantly dealing with conflict, dealing with whinging, and the place will just ‘feel’ flat. As Simon Sinek says, a team  isn’t a group of people who work together, it’s a group of people who trust each other. So without trust do you even really have a team?

I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to build trust in your team, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Often, when working with businesses, I see team cultures that are not in line with what the business owner wants – but they don’t seem to know how to change it, or how it’s been created in the first place.

So today I wanted to share a simple framework from Simon Sinek which is this: Values + Behaviours = Culture.

If you’re not clear on your values, and you’re not actively running your business through the lens of them, then what’s left? Behaviours

If you’re then tolerating, encouraging or putting up with behaviours that aren’t in line with your values, or are at odds with ‘this is how we do things around here’ that’s when your team become in charge of the culture not you.

So get clear on your values, and the behaviours that support them and those that don’t.

Then communicate, set expectations, boundaries and be prepared to uphold and protect them - that's the foundations for how to create the culture you want in your business.

Today I’m excited to bring you a conversation I had with Nick Mills.

Nick is an expert facilitator, trainer, coach with a strong focus on leadership, management, and inclusion in the workplace.

To list all of his qualifications would take a long time but safe to say he has a variety of qualifications in leadership, management, adult educations at masters level.

Currently, Nick is also completed his PHD at the University of Tasmania focusing in inclusion for LGBTQI + leaders in the finance and professional services sectors.

His paper which will be released late this year called “How Australian companies can be truly inclusive and welcoming spaces.” Was in part motivated by Nicks’ passion to help leaders have more meaningful interactions and effective and sensitive conversations with all team members across their organisations.

In our conversation we discuss what led him to his current studies, what challenges he sees organisations facing and what we can be doing better.

If you’d love to connect with Nick here are the best ways to do so:

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-mills-4371544/

Nick’s website:

https://eurekatraining.com.au/

In the mean time, I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to create a more inclusive workplace in your business, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

A family friend or relative staying with the family then walks in, also on the phone. He takes something out of the fridge, then puts it away. He uses a cup, and the puts it in the dishwasher. He stops his phone call to say goodbye politely.

And the look on the woman's face said it all - it's the little things that matter most - and it's exactly the same with our team.

It's the recognition, the thank you, the acknowledgement and the interest in their lives out of work that matter more than the bonuses and gifts.

Well we have hit the time of year where motivation tends to be low – so today we’re talking about giving your team a mid year motivation boost!

Firstly we’ll unpack why motivation wanes at this time of year. From the high energy and enthusiastic start to the year, post Easter we always see a decline in motivation. Coupled with that it’s cold and miserable, we’re tired and on any given day every second person is sick!

And that’s why it’s so important to give your team a motivation boost right now. You can rest assured if you’re feeling blah – your team are too! Focusing on motivating the team right now will certainly set you up for a better second half of the year and let’s face it, we all need something to focus on and look forward to.

We wrap up this episode with my sharing some of my favourite mid year motivation boosting strategies and tactics.

But I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to motivate your team mid year, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Embracing the power of not knowing allows for growth, collaboration, and a stronger team dynamic. By fostering a learning culture, empowering others, and building trust through authenticity, you can create an environment where innovative solutions emerge and your team flourishes.

The Myth of Knowing It All:

It's about Unrealistic Expectations: In the fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, it's impossible for any individual to have all the answers. Yet, leaders often feel the weight of unrealistic expectations to be all-knowing and infallible.

Fear of Vulnerability: The fear of being perceived as incompetent or weak can drive leaders to avoid admitting they don't have all the answers. This fear can hinder open communication, collaboration, and trust within the team.

The Benefits of Embracing Not Knowing:

Fostering a Learning Culture: Acknowledging that you don't have all the answers creates an opportunity to foster a culture of continuous learning. It encourages curiosity, exploration, and a mindset of seeking knowledge and improvement.

Empowering Others: Embracing the power of not knowing allows you to empower your team members. When you admit that you don't have all the answers, it opens the door for others to contribute their expertise, ideas, and insights. This promotes a sense of ownership and engagement among team members.

Building Trust and Authenticity: Being vulnerable and transparent about not having all the answers can actually enhance trust and authenticity within the team. It humanizes the leadership role, creating a safe space for open dialogue, collaboration, and problem-solving.

This week we have a brief but important technical update for you after the Fair Work Commission announced its decision around the National Minimum Wage increase effective 1 July.

This year has seen the most significant increase in the history of the Fair Work Act with a 5.75% wage increase being applied to the National Minimum Wage and all Modern Award Minimum Wages effective 1 July 2023.

In addition to the wages increasing, all of the allowances in the Awards will also increase, so you need to keep a close eye on that.

If you pay staff Award rates, or if you have IFA’s or AWA’s in place, this is time to review.

If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.

Join Here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Yet as business owners we often struggle to be clear with our teams.

Today We'll uncover the importance of clarity in leadership and how it can positively impact your team's performance and overall success. Let's dive in!

Many business owners have a fear of being clear because they feel like that will be perceived as being bossy. As a result, many business owners and leaders avoid being clear because they fear being perceived as bossy or overly controlling.

However, it's important to recognize that clarity is not synonymous with being authoritarian. Clear communication fosters transparency, trust, and respect within the team.

By providing clear expectations and guidelines, you empower your team members to perform their best and deliver results. Clarity sets the stage for collaboration and effective teamwork, where everyone understands their role and how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

The Pitfalls of Unclear Communication:

Unclear communication leads to assumptions and misunderstandings: When leaders fail to be clear, it opens the door for assumptions and misunderstandings among team members. This can lead to confusion, mistakes, and unnecessary conflicts.

It creates frustration and disengagement: Unclear expectations or directions can leave team members feeling frustrated, as they are unsure about what is expected of them. This ambiguity can also breed disengagement, as individuals may struggle to find purpose or direction in their work.

And it results in wasted time and effort: Without clear guidance, team members may spend excessive time and effort trying to decipher what their leader wants, which can result in inefficiencies and decreased productivity.

The Power of Clear Communication:

Clear communication creates alignment and focus: Clear communication ensures that everyone is on the same page. It aligns the team's efforts toward common goals, ensuring that everyone understands the desired outcomes and priorities.

It fosters accountability and ownership: When expectations are clear, team members know what is expected of them and can take ownership of their responsibilities. This clarity enhances individual accountability and fosters a sense of ownership and pride in their work.

And it creates ‘Psychological Safety’: Clear communication creates a psychologically safe environment where team members feel comfortable seeking clarification, expressing concerns, and sharing ideas. This fosters open dialogue, innovation, and a culture of continuous improvement.

Conclusion:

As leaders, it's essential to recognize that being clear is an act of kindness toward our teams. By providing clarity in communication, we can avoid misunderstandings, frustration, and wasted effort. Clear expectations empower team members to excel, align their efforts, and take ownership of their work. So, let's embrace the power of clarity and create an environment where our teams thrive. Remember, clear is kind, and it paves the way for success.

Hello and welcome to Episode 168 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

In today's episode we are talking about revisiting one of the most popular episodes - tackling tough talks with your team.

You know the conversations I mean, the one where you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, the ones which give you heart palpitations at the thought of having them, that keep you up at night.

Whether it’s a performance management issue, a change in the business, a termination or anything else that is going to be a tough conversation with our team, we’ve all been in a situation where we have to have them, and maybe even try and avoid them!

However, avoiding those conversations in bad for business in many ways, which we unpack in this episode, and I also share with you a simple framework to follow next time you need to tackle a tough conversation with a team member.

As promised, you can get your free guide to tackling tough conversations here - www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/tough

Today I’m covering off the key compliance changes that every business needs to be across right now – given the absolute avalanche of changes that we are seeing, it feels ‘unprecedented’.

Starting with the introduction of the ‘Secure Jobs Better Pay Act’ which as the name suggests, is designed to make jobs more secure for workers, and put upwards pressure on wages across the board.

The changes here include pay secrecy clauses becoming banned in employment contracts, significant changes to the enterprise bargaining landscape, including the massive expansion of multi enterprise bargaining. Through to the broadening of flexible work requests and limitations on denying them and the new l imitations on fixed term contracts coming into place by December.

Then we cover the changes to and introduction of Family and Domestic Violence Leave.

And finally the Respect@Work Act which sees a ‘Positive Duty’ places on employers to to eliminate sexual harassment and sex based discrimination in workplaces and an expansion of the capacity to make Sexual Harassment complaints as well as new protected attributes under discrimination law.

There is a lot to get your head around, so getting you compliance checklist under control is a must for all employers.

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Some sources say that we make 35 000 decisions per day as an adult, if you’re a business owner or manager, you’re making more than most – so decision fatigue is real!

What is it? Decision fatigue refers to the mental exhaustion that occurs as a result of making numerous decisions over a period of time.

As a business owner or leader, you are often faced with a multitude of choices throughout the day, ranging from small operational decisions to larger strategic ones. The cumulative effect of decision-making can lead to reduced mental energy and impaired decision-making abilities.

When we have so many decisions to make and we start to feel overwhelmed, we have decision fatigue which can compromise the quality of your decisions. As your mental energy dwindles, you may experience decision-making biases, such as impulsivity, indecisiveness, or a tendency to stick with the status quo. This can hinder your ability to make well-informed and rational choices, potentially leading to suboptimal outcomes.

So what are the signs of decision fatigue? Difficulty concentrating, increased irritability, procrastination, or a desire to avoid decision-making altogether.

What can you do when you feel yourself in this spiral?

• Prioritize and delegate: Identify the most critical decisions that require your direct attention and delegate or automate less important ones. This allows you to focus your energy on high-value decisions.
• Use decision-making frameworks: Develop decision-making frameworks or guidelines that help streamline the decision-making process.
• Plan and batch decisions: Set aside specific times of the day or week to make decisions, rather than scattering them throughout the day.
• Simplify choices: Reduce decision complexity by simplifying options whenever possible.
• Take a break

And just remember, making one decision moves you forward, and it only has to be the right decision for now, you can make another decision later.

Often here on the podcast I chat about themes or topics that keep showing up –whether with my private coaching clients in the Power BOSS Program, with our People Powered HR members, my consulting clients, in conversations I am having with leaders and experts I am speaking to and generally in the content that seems to randomly show up in my social media feeds - and this weeks no different.

I wanted to start today’s episode with a quote from Sheryl Sandberg “we cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change”.

I think this sums up perfectly the discussion of today, we need to create self awareness in our leadership skills, because without awareness nothing can change, and with awareness change and development is inevitable.

So in this episode we look at how aware you are of your current leadership skills, strengths and blind spots.

We’ll then discuss how you can create better self awareness, and I share some examples of how I’m using the Disc Assessment with my clients to create this.

And finally we discuss what to do with this new found awareness, and how to map this across when it comes to your teams.

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

the week I was reading “The One Thing” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan and the principle again came up, so that’s what we’re speaking about today.

The principle I am referring to is The Pareto Principle - also known as the 80/20 rule – and the big concept is that 20% of your effort = 80% of your results.

We all know how easy it is to get stuck into the ‘busy work’, but this isn’t the work that yields the big results and in fact the book encourages you to effectively put this theory on steroids,

However what I see when it comes to the 80/20 rule with teams is this: 20% of team members consume 80% of the manager's time and attention. Essentially, a small number of team members can have a disproportionately high impact on a manager's time and energy.

The issue here is that this is never our top performing employees, often these are problem team members, who drain time, require excessive management, and tend to complain, can significantly hinder productivity and morale within the team.

They can disrupt workflow, create conflicts, and reduce overall team effectiveness. Moreover, they can divert a manager's attention from high-performing team members who may need support, guidance, or recognition for their contributions.

Of course, there are exceptions – such as people on training programs, apprentices and those we are onboarding into our business. These people take up a chunk of our time and they should, it’s an investment.

When 80% of our time is spent with the 20% of poor performers, what about the rest of our team? What are our top performers thinking about the fact they get none of our time or attention, despite being responsible for the lions share of the results?

What about if we spent 80% of our time nurturing, developing and setting our top 20% of performers up for success? Imagine the impact that could have on your business.

Recognizing their contributions, providing growth opportunities, and leveraging their strengths can help maintain their motivation and commitment to the business. Balancing the time and attention spent on both problem team members and high performers is crucial for overall team success.

When it comes to your time, which members of your team are taking it up? Could 20% of your time be focused to create 80% of results?

In today's episode we are looking at just one of the latest Industrial Relations updates – this one relates to our ability as employers to direct employees to take annual leave over a close down period – the most common of which for most businesses is over the Christmas and New Year period.

Let’s be honest, there is an absolute avalanche of changes rolling through from the Fair Work Commission, the Federal Government and a range of other legislative bodies, and many of the changes are getting a decent amount of media coverage. So changes like this one, which has much less public interest attached to it, can slide by without anyone realising.

Closing down our businesses over the Christmas and New Year has been common place in many, if not most, industries in Australia for decades. Sometimes this has been fuelled by industry norms, like the Building and Construction Industry where suppliers tend to shut down, causing a ripple effect across the industry. In other cases it’s the only way for owners of businesses, or families working together to get a true break together.

Since the inception of the Fair Work Act in 2009, almost all of the Modern Awards have had provisions in them which stipulate what we can and can’t do when it comes to directing employees to take annual leave during a Christmas shut down period.

However, 1 May 2023 saw changes to more than 70 Modern awards when it comes to these rules, and some of them many employers won’t really like.

Until now, most of us will have required employees to take accrued annual leave during a Christmas close down, and where they did not have enough leave accrued, they’d be required to take LWOP. As of now, for those 70+ awards, the direction to take LWOP just got a whole lot harder.

So in today’s episode we discuss what has always been in place (whether you realised it or not), what the changes are, and what you need to think about and consider now to make sure you’re compliant for your next shut down.

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

For many, if not most things, it’s true – we can do it faster than the team member we are delegating to – but that doesn’t mean we should hold onto it.

I think largely we can have unrealistic expectations on our people – that they’ll think like us, act like us, work to our pace, or be ‘clones’ of us – and it think this sets us up for failure as leaders.

So whatever time something takes you– especially when you are first delegating it – double the time.

Remember this isn’t just about the task getting done, it’s also about:

• A learning and development opportunity for the team member involved, this extends them rather than keeping them small, it grow their role, their skills and their contribution;
• When we are learning, things take longer;
• You’re an expert – in EVERYTHING in  your business – your team aren’t and you shouldn’t expect them to be;
• You’re the business owner or manager for a reason – you’re driven, highly productive, capable, adaptable and usually no fuss – you can’t expect your team to be;
• This buys back your time – it gifts you time to do the things that matter most, that move the needle, that fill you up and make your business better – don’t undersell the value of that.

So whatever time it takes you – double it!

In today's episode we are discussing how adaptable we are as leaders, and whether we’re displaying adaptive leadership with our teams.

We all have a natural or default leadership style that we tend to lean towards, and we all also have blind spots or weak points in our leadership – but how well can we move from one style to another to lead in the best possible way based on the situation, circumstances and people.

Today we take a look at what adaptive leadership actually looks like, why it’s important to work on our adaptive leadership skills, and how we can develop a more adaptive leadership approach.

I also mention research conducted by Tomoko Yokoi, here is a link to the Harvard Business Review article outlining the work of her and her team:

https://hbr.org/2022/01/finding-the-right-balance-and-flexibility-in-your-leadership-style

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

What are above and below the line behaviors?

Above the line behaviors are positive, proactive, and solution-focused behaviors that help individuals and teams achieve their goals. Examples include taking responsibility, being accountable, and seeking solutions.

Below the line behaviors, on the other hand, are negative, reactive, and problem-focused behaviors that hinder progress and create conflict. Examples include blaming, denying responsibility, and avoiding difficult conversations. Blame, shame, justify.

Leaders can identify above and below the line behaviors by observing how team members respond to challenges, opportunities, and feedback. For example, if a team member takes responsibility for their mistakes and seeks solutions when faced with a problem, they are exhibiting above the line behavior. If a team member blames others for their mistakes or denies responsibility, they are exhibiting below the line behavior.

What about in leadership? Below the line leadership occurs when a leader is closed, defensive, and committed to being right. On the contrary, above the line leadership occurs when a leader is open, curious, and committed to learning.

Above the line leadership is critical to business success.

So todays suggestion for you to think on is this – how can you be a more consistent, above the line leader for your team?

In today's episode, I’m excited to again be speaking with Brett White of Be Leaders.

Brett has worked with hundreds of leaders across not only Australia but the globe, and works with organisations to help them develop their leaders, with a special passion for emerging leaders.

Brett is passionate about helping leaders, teams and organisations find their hidden potential. His hope is that as they develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them, they will create meaningful change.

Brett has worked with over 50 organisations and 350 leaders and influencers.

He is accredited in Life Coaching, Thought Dynamics and Organisational Leadership and has run hundreds of face to face and online training workshops and keynote sessions throughout Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore and Cambodia.

In today’s discussion we’re talking about leader behaviour. This is something Brett has been doing a lot of research on recently.

Today we talk about key behaviours great leaders should be exhibiting, it’s impact on organisational culture and its connection to employee engagement and organisational success.

You can have great leadership skill, technical knowledge, and ability, but without the right behaviour, your success as a leader is limited. The biggest contributor to employee engagement is the relationship employees have with their leaders. It is not just what you do as a leader that is critical, it is the WAY you do it, and WHO you are when you do.

Leader behaviour is key to great teams, building trust, creating alignment, healthy culture, thriving organisations and delivering results. 

If you’d like to connect with Brett, you can do so here:

https://beleaders.com.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-white-825b9385/

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

But the reality is, our team are watching everything we do, every move, every decision, everything we miss – and it’s what they observe, quietly, day to day that shapes their view of us as a leader, that helps them decide how they’ll behave and ultimately influences their performance.

A study from Gallup found that leaders and managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement. It's not salary, not the work environment, not their peers that matter most to peoples engagement at work –it's their leader.

So why is how we behave so important?

• We know the saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ - it certainly applies here. People do what we do, not what we say. If you say that you value work-life balance but work late every night, your team is likely to prioritize work over their own well-being as well.
• Your behavior sets the tone for your team: As a boss, your behavior sets the tone for your entire team. If you are consistently positive, focused, and productive, your team is more likely to follow suit. On the other hand, if you are negative, distracted, or disengaged, your team is likely to feel the same way.
• Values + behaviour = culture
• Behaviour modelling allows you to build a culture of trust and respect which leads to high performance.

Your team are watching inaction just as much as action – so letting someone get away with poor performance, failing to have a conversation that needs to be had, not owning up to a hiring disaster – that’s just as big as what you do.

So at each turn check your intention and your action. Take the action that needs to be taken and don’t tell them one thing and do another.

In today's episode, we're going to be talking about a topic that many of us have experienced or even been guilty of ourselves - micromanagement.

We'll be discussing what micromanagement is, the common characteristics of icromanaging bosses, and why we tend to do it. We'll also be exploring the negative consequences that micromanagement can have on your team and your business, and sharing some practical strategies to help you stop micromanaging and start trusting your team.

First, we'll define what micromanagement is and what it looks like in reality. Micromanagement is a management style where a manager closely observes, controls, and intervenes in the work of their team members.

We'll discuss some common characteristics of micromanaging bosses, including being a control freak, lacking trust, having perfectionist tendencies, and struggling to delegate effectively.

Next, we'll explore why micromanagement is bad for business. We'll explain how micromanagement can stifle creativity and innovation, teach people not to think for themselves, lower employee morale, decrease productivity, create a toxic work environment, lead to employee burnout, and result in high turnover rates. We'll also explain how micromanagement can make it difficult to attract and retain top talent, which can be especially damaging to small businesses.

Finally, we'll share some practical strategies to help you stop micromanaging and start trusting your team. We'll discuss the importance of setting clear expectations, providing constructive feedback, delegating tasks effectively, and fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. We'll also provide some tips for recognizing when you're slipping back into micromanagement habits and how to course-correct.

In today’s episode we mentioned Episode 21 of the podcast ‘Mastering the Art of Effective Delegation’ you can listen to that episode right here:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/Mastering-Delegation

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Now it’s no surprise to most of us that this is an important topic because we know people follow our actions not our words.

Brett has developed a framework of 15 core and key leadership behaviours and as we were unpacking some of them the topic of curiosity came up.

And it immediately struck a chord with me because, as I’ve discussed in other episodes of the podcast, I think it’s a hidden super power we all have but often don’t use.

Remember how curious you were as a kid? I was the ‘but why’ kid. We were all curious, but it fades away over time.

And what I see when I’m talking to business owners is that we so often tend to make assumptions, or jump to conclusions or think we know what people are thinking, or why they are behaving a certain way – but that’s all a construct of our minds.

Without being curious we miss the clues and ques, the warning signs and red flags, we miss opportunities.

So start to have more curious conversations, be more curious in everything you do. You’ll understand your people better, they’ll feel valued and heard, and it will help inform much better decision making when it comes to you team.

Do you avoid being a leader in your business? Are you a "non boss" who struggles to manage Effectively? In this episode, we'll explore what a "non boss" looks like and why people might adopt this mindset. We'll also discuss the downsides and consequences of being a "non boss" and provide strategies for overcoming your fear of leadership and becoming a better boss.

Firstly today we will define the "non boss" mindset and unpack what a “non boss" looks like.

Specifically we’ll look at symptoms like avoiding conflict, lacking direction, catering to everyone's needs even if it isn't good for the business, making decisions by committee, and failing to make decisions at all.

 We’ll then turn to some of the consequences and ripple effects being a “non boss” has on your business. Things like a downturn in morale, motivation, and engagement and how a lack of clarity results in a downturn in productivity.

Then I’ll share 3 key strategies for overcoming your fear of leadership:

• Getting clear on a direction and communicating it to the team;
• Practicing tiny delegation;
• Building self-awareness of your leadership skills and blind spots and professional Development.

If you’d like to continue the conversation on this, please join us in the Facebook Group HR Support for Australia Businesses via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Today I was going to chat about the power of pause, it’s the Easter weekend after all, and one of the values I hold dear (and that I’ve learnt the hard way) is that self care is not selfish, and that pausing is actually really good for you and your business.

Then I realised that would be entirely hypocritical – because I wasn’t doing that this weekend. The truth is the biggest decision I was trying to make on the Thursday before Good Friday was – would my easter long weekend be focused on trying to get through the 157 (and counting) unread and un-responded to emails in my inbox – or on planning a big and important project that I seem unable to get started on when my clients are working.

If I wasn't working this long weekend I would be feeling so guilty, and I thought you might relate to that - so that's what I decided to talk about today.

We’ll start by unpacking what are performance reviews and why do we avoid doing them.