If you've ever found yourself wondering why your team isnât quite hitting the mark - despite being full of good people - youâre not alone.
Managing a team can sometimes feel harder than it should. Things arenât falling apart, but thereâs a constant sense of being bogged down in people problems, indecision, and micromanagement.
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Hereâs the truth: your team likely isnât underperforming due to lack of skill or effort.
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More often than not, whatâs missing are a few foundational elements that no one ever taught us to prioritise. And your team? They wonât ask for these things, but they need them to thrive.
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Letâs break down the three things every team needs from their leader (even if they donât know how to ask).
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As Brene Brown says âclear is kind, unclear is unkindâ â itâs not just a great quote, creating clarity for your team is one of the foundations of effective leadership. And yet, most team issues can be traced back to one root cause: a lack of clear expectat...
Hello and welcome to Episode 277 of the People Powered Business Podcast.
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 Huddleâa business built on deep listening, emotional safety, and the belief that conflict can be transformative, not destructive.
Sheâs not a lawyer, nor does she have a masterâs 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 imagineâfrom child support and family services to workplace conflict and leadership breakdowns.
Kate has worked with people in crisis, in silence, in fury, in heartbreakâand 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 conversationsâthe...
At the time of writing this article, the Fair Work Commission has recently handed down its decision following the Annual Minimum Wage Review process. The process involves the Commission reviewing submissions from various interested parties, including employer and employee representative groups, as well as analysing data relating to wages, such as changes to cost of living and alike.
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What is The Annual Minimum Wage Review
Essentially, they are looking to ensure that the minimum wages set out in the Fair Work Act, including the National Minimum Wage, as well as al Award minimum rates of pay, is set at an appropriate level for our current economic conditions.
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What Else is Changing
In addition to the National Minimum Wage and Award Rate changes, we are in still the midst of a raft of changes to Industrial Relations legislation, which applies to not only wages, but various other aspects of the employment relationship.
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Keeping up with compliance obligations is one of the key pa...
Hello and welcome to Episode 276 of the People Powered Business Podcast.
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 youâre 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 â but do your contractors meet the new def...
Probationary periods are one of those workplace mechanisms that many employers use without truly understanding their purpose, or their legal limitations.
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They seem simple on the surface: a set timeframe to trial a new hire. But scratch beneath that and youâll find a surprising amount of confusion, especially when it comes to how these periods interact with Australia's employment laws.
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Whether youâre onboarding a new team member or reviewing your hiring process, itâs time to unpack what probationary periods really meanâand how to use them effectively.
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What Is a Probationary Period, Really?
Most employers view probation as a built-in trial, but thatâs not quite accurate. Legally, thereâs no such thing as a probationary period in the Fair Work Act or modern awards. Thereâs no mandatory timeframe. In fact, the term âprobationary periodâ only has weight if itâs specifically outlined in an employment contract.
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Essentially, itâs a contractual clause, not a legal safety net. I...
Hello and welcome to Episode 275 of the People Powered Business Podcast.
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 isnât the biggest change we need to ensure weâre 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 vâs contractors conundrum â all of which employers are still struggling to grapple wit...
Australiaâs employment landscape is in for yet another shake-up following the Fair Work Commission's recent findings on gender undervaluation across several modern awards.
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Following the 2024 announcement as part of the National Minimum Wage review process that the Commission planned to undertake a targeted review of specific Awards to assess whether gender undervaluation was an issue, they have recently announced the results of their findings.
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This isn't just another round of compliance updates, it's a targeted response to the ongoing gender pay gap, and it's set to impact a vast number of workers, and employers of all sizes across the country. If you're an employer in allied health, community services, or childcare, it's time to take note.
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The Gender Pay Gap Gets Real Attention
The issue of the gender pay gap has been debated for years, but recent government and Fair Work Commission efforts are moving from discussion to action. The Commission launched a Gender Undervaluat...
Hello and welcome to Episode 274 of the People Powered Business Podcast!
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 isnât defined in the Fair Work Act. What matters instead is the âminimum employment periodâ, 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 canât make an unfair dismissal claim â which is why itâs often confused with âprobation.â
BUT â if you donât manage this properly â you can still face general protections claims, adverse action issues, and more. The employment contract wording is critical to protect you here.
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 â The P...
Youâve probably heard of the 80/20 ruleâalso known as the Pareto Principle. Itâs the idea that 80% of your outcomes often come from just 20% of your efforts. In business, it might show up in your client revenue, your sales results, or even your task list.
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But thereâs one place this principle shows up over and over againâand it can quietly make or break your success: your team.
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In many businesses, a small portion of the team is responsible for the lionâs share of results, while another small portion takes up most of the time, energy and attention. And if this imbalance isnât addressed, it can lead to burnout, frustration, and stalled growth.
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Letâs explore what the 80/20 dynamic looks like in a teamâand how to reset the balance.
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When 20% of Your Team Delivers 80% of the Results
First, take a moment to think about your team. Who are your high performers? The ones who are always reliable, get things done without being asked, and consistently push the business forward?
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...Hello and welcome to Episode 273 of the People Powered Business Podcast!
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, Shaeâs work has been research has been recognised locally and internationall...
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