The Latest from Kristy-Lee

Hiring the right person, the first time, is essential to building a successful, productive and high performing team.

But in a tough market, it isn’t always easy. I anticipate that in 2025 we may experience a challenging hiring period where attracting great applicants to your roles, especially in some industries, will be tricky.

If you’ve hired recently, or are in the process of hiring right now, you’ll know what we’re talking about.

Maybe once you would be inundated with applications, right now it’s looking more like a dried-up oasis. Even the bad applications aren’t coming through.

You don’t always want to hire anyone as a stop-gap because they could create more damage to your business and team in the long-run. It’s still incredibly important to be considered and strategic with your recruitment processes.

Business owners and managers alike may be frustrated, desperate for help and uncertain about how to continue without finding the right staff (or any staff) for their...

As 2025 begins, businesses find themselves navigating a dynamic and ever-evolving workplace landscape. Employee expectations are shifting, market conditions are demanding agility, and technology is opening new doors to innovation.

Amid these changes, one constant remains: the critical importance of building and nurturing a successful team. Here are five practical strategies to set your team up for success this year and beyond.

1. Set Clear Goals and Expectations

The foundation of any successful team lies in clarity. Setting clear goals and expectations ensures that every team member understands their role and how it aligns with the organisation's objectives.

As Brene Brown famously said, "Clear is kind; unclear is unkind."

Action Steps:

• Host Team Goal-Setting Sessions
  Kick off the year with a collaborative planning session. Share the business’s goals for the year—whether they involve revenue targets, product launches, or customer satisfaction metrics—and explain h
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You’ve done it! You’ve found the PERFECT person for the role. They have all the skills and experience you are looking for, they have accepted the proposed salary, you think they’ll be a great fit, and the team are super excited to have them joining you in a few weeks time.

And then your email ‘dings’. Thinking noting of it you go check your email, see it’s from the new employee, but as you start reading your enthusiasm turns to uncertainty, disappointment, anger or frustration.

Their email is informing you that their current employer has made a counter offer, an offer that is too good to pass up, and they can no longer accept your offer to join your team.

Ever been in that situation? Frustrating is an understatement, isn’t it? 

Counter offers are one of the trickiest things to navigate, do you go back and offer more? Do you negotiate? Or do you just let them go and decide that it wasn’t meant to be?

Conversely, what do you do when the shoe is on the other foot, when one of your te...

Resignations are an inevitable part of running a business. Whether they come as a complete surprise or are long anticipated, how you handle them speaks volumes about your organisation's professionalism and culture.

This blog article unpacks key considerations for handling resignations, answers common questions, and offers actionable advice for making the process smooth and constructive for all parties involved. 

What Constitutes a Resignation?

At its core, a resignation is the act of an employee voluntarily terminating their employment.

But not every mention of leaving qualifies as an official resignation. Statements like "I'm thinking of quitting" or "I might leave at the end of the year" don't constitute a resignation.

A resignation is typically clear and unambiguous, communicated with statements like "I quit" or "I'm resigning." The specificity of the language matters more than the medium—whether it’s verbal, via email, or even a text message.

Does a Resignation Need to Be in ...

As the new year is almost upon us, ensuring your team feels valued, engaged, and motivated is critical.

Employees often reflect on their careers during the holiday season, considering what they want from the year ahead.

This is why planning retention and motivation strategies before the new year begins can pay dividends in 2025.

Here’s how to craft a plan that resonates with your team, aligns with business objectives, and fosters a positive, productive workplace culture. 

Why Timing Is Everything

December isn’t just the end of the calendar year; it’s a period of reflection for employees.

Whether during festive gatherings or quiet moments of self-assessment, many individuals think about their job satisfaction, career goals, and future ambitions.

This reflection often fuels January and February’s annual resignation surge—a time when employees dissatisfied with their roles make career moves.

By acting now, you can influence how your team feels about their work and workplace when t...

Staying ahead of legislative changes is more critical than ever right now. With the introduction of sweeping updates to workplace laws, compliance is not just a box to tick—it’s a safeguard for your business’s future.

Let’s explore why compliance is essential, unpack the components of a robust protection and compliance plan, and provide actionable steps to create one tailored to your business.

Why Compliance Matters More Than Ever

Over the past few years, Australia’s employment legislation has undergone an unprecedented transformation.

Reforms such as the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act and the Closing the Loopholes Act have redefined employer obligations, particularly in areas like casual employment, contractors, pay secrecy clauses, and employee rights to disconnect from work, just to name some of the most spoken about changes.

The stakes are higher than ever. From January 2025, intentional underpayment becomes a criminal offence, emphasising the risks of non-compliance....

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 ...

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 (...

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
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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...