The Latest from Kristy-Lee

As 2025 approaches, the right time to plan your team strategy for the new year is right now.

The team that has carried your business to this point might not be what you need for the next stage of your growth. This article walks you through resourcing plans, strategic hiring, and practical tools like the Clean Slate exercise, empowering you to enter the new year with clarity and purpose.

Why Plan Your Team Now?

November is the perfect time for team planning. But for many businesses it’s a busy time, and we end up in December before we have time to breath, and think. Leaving it until you return you’re your break means it’s too far into January and you have missed opportunities. So, whatever the season looks like for your business, quarter four is the time to plan for the new calendar year.

With a solid plan in place before year-end, you’ll hit the ground running when business resumes.

The Clean Slate Exercise: Building Clarity for the Future

The Clean Slate exercise is ...

Hello, and welcome to Episode 249 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

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 mi...

Employee turnover can be a challenging issue for any business, especially when it becomes a recurring pattern. Whether due to employees leaving voluntarily or being let go, a high turnover rate is not only costly but can also affect team morale, productivity, and company culture.

For business owners and leaders, understanding and managing turnover is essential. This article covers the key aspects of measuring employee turnover and explains why it’s a crucial metric for any business aiming to build a stable, effective team.

What Is Employee Turnover?

In simple terms, employee turnover is the rate at which employees leave your business within a given period.

It’s calculated by dividing the number of employees who left by the average number of employees during that period, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.

For example:

If your business had an average of 40 employees in 2024, and six employees left throughout the year, the turnover rate would be calculated as (...

Hello, and welcome to Episode 248 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

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 busine
...

As 2024 comes to a close, business owners and leaders are preparing to wrap up the year while also setting their teams up for success in 2025.

The final weeks of the year are an ideal time to celebrate your team’s hard work, ensure compliance with the latest regulations, and start planning for what’s next.

Here’s a checklist of sorts to help you streamline your end-of-year activities, maintain engagement through December, and lay the groundwork for a strong start in the new year.

1. Perform a Compliance Check

In 2024, there have been a range of updates to workplace laws that businesses must stay on top of (let’s be fair, that’s an understatement!).

Taking time now to review your compliance can help you avoid penalties and ensure your business starts the new year on solid legal footing.

• Employment Contracts and Policies: Ensure that all contracts reflect the latest laws, and are not falling short of your compliance obligations. This is also a time to review key pol
...

Hello, and welcome to Episode 247 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

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 crea
...

Hello, and welcome to Episode 246 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

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
...

As businesses of all sizes strive to create positive workplaces in order to attract and retain great talent, a critical question often arises: Should small to medium sized businesses invest in Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and broader wellbeing initiatives? Are they worth it?

Employee wellbeing, once seen primarily as a concern for large businesses, has become increasingly essential for businesses of all sizes.

Let’s explore why EAPs and wellbeing programs are relevant and how SMEs can leverage them to boost productivity, enhance employee morale, and foster a healthier work environment.

Understanding Employee Wellbeing
Employee wellbeing encompasses a broad spectrum of factors impacting a person’s experience at work, extending well beyond job satisfaction.

It includes physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as financial and social wellbeing.

This holistic view underscores that employee wellbeing isn’t merely about addressing work-related stress; it inv...

Hello, and welcome to Episode 245 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

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 wor...

The National Employment Standards (NES) are central to Australian workplace law, forming the foundation of employee entitlements.

As a small business owner, understanding and complying with these standards is crucial, as they provide a safety net of minimum terms and conditions for nearly all employees covered by the national workplace relations system. This guide breaks down the essentials of the NES, outlining its twelve elements, who it applies to, and some common misconceptions that often lead to non-compliance.

What Are the National Employment Standards?
The NES, introduced under the Fair Work Act 2009, sets out twelve minimum conditions that apply to all employees covered by the national workplace relations system. These standards serve as the baseline for employee rights, meaning no employment contract or workplace policy can provide conditions less generous than the NES. For small business owners, ensuring compliance is non-negotiable, as breaching the NES can lead to signifi...