THE BEST CAREER ADVICE & LEADERSHIP BLOGS EVERY WEEK
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Employer Insights Should We All Fear the Walking Dead?
โAs part of people2peopleโs โexpert seriesโ, we have invited debt management specialist Angela McDonald as a guest blogger to provide some advice on how best to manage the concerning rise in โZombie Businessesโ.ย Angela is the Managing Director of Optimum Recoveries, a multi award-winning Australian-based company that specialises in B2B commercial debt prevention, management and recovery.ย Should we all fear the walking dead?Australia is known as โthe small business nationโ. In fact, our economy relies on the success of SMEs which make up around 80% of all Australian businesses. Itโs no surprise that when COVID hit, the Government injected considerable financial assistance to keep small businesses operational and employing staff. While these temporary cash-stimulus measures have been a lifesaver in many cases, theyโve also caused the rise of โzombie companiesโ โ businesses that arenโt viable long-term and are only solvent because of this government financial assistance.ย Now that weโre in October, the Government has announced it is extending these temporary measures until the end of December 2020, and in some instances until March 2021. This may delay the inevitable business closures even further, placing creditors under a very real risk of trading with organisations that are technically insolvent.ย How many small businesses are at risk of insolvency?The Reserve Bank of Australia recently reported that up to 25% of small businesses would be at risk of insolvency if those cash subsidies ceased today. And Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has declared that small businesses are a particularly vulnerable group, admitting that some will not survive COVID-19. If youโre trading with customers or suppliers who are being falsely propped up by government stimulus packages, now is the time to swing into action and protect yourself from the โWalking Deadโ.ย Unlike the popular Zombie series, weโll never advocate the use of crossbows or firearms to be your weapons of choice! When it comes to business, prevention is always better than a cure, and there are some clever, simple prevention strategies you can implement now to protect your business. ย Optimum Recoveriesโ Zombie Prevention Hitlist1.ย ย ย ย Be extra vigilant in all your dealings Donโt rush into agreeing to payment plans with your debtors without fact-checking their financial situation first. Register with a credit bureau and ask them to conduct a review of every one of your customers. Theyโll send you automatic alerts of any worrying signs so you can act fast. Let us know if you need help.Keep talking to those you do business with โ both your suppliers and customers. Regular and open communication can help you uncover any concerning issues before itโs too late.ย 2.ย ย ย ย Ensure your internal processes and terms are watertight Get expert assistance to review your current T&Cs, credit management processes and internal policies to make sure they give your business adequate protection in todayโs economic climate.Optimum Recoveries can conduct a health check and identify any gaps that may leave you susceptible to hard-to-recover debt. ย What the latest Government proposed legislation means for SMEs?The Federal budget handed down on October 6 2020 seems geared to provide some much-needed tax relief to both businesses and individuals. This will hopefully encourage Australians to have the confidence to spend in the coming months, providing the financial support that businesses need to keep trading. ย Here are some key points impacting SMEs: Immediate asset purchases write-off: Any new asset acquired until 30 June 2020 will be eligible for a full tax deduction. The same will apply to second-hand assets, up to 30 June 2021. There is no dollar value limit to the deductions. Loss carry back: Businesses that have incurred tax losses in either FY2020/2021 or FY2021/2022, but have paid tax in FY2018/2019, can carry back the tax losses and be eligible for a refund of the tax paid in the earlier years. JobKeeper and JobMaker: JobKeeper payments look set to wind up at the end of March 2021. The new JobMaker system offers employees a subsidy for hiring new employees from 7 October 2020 to 6 October 2021, provided the new employees have previously received JobKeeper or similar. This is excellent news for P2P and any clients who have been holding off recruiting new team members! More stimulus measures: Spending initiatives are set to be introduced to kick start spending in a range of industries, particularly manufacturing, infrastructure, construction and research. ย In the current business environment thatโs both challenging and changing, Optimum Recoveries can help your business remain viable and thriving. Talk to Angela via the details below, about how she can assist by tailoring robust systems and processes to keep the Zombies away from your door!Contact Angela McDonald and the team from Optimum RecoveriesP: 1300 556 937E: amcdonald@optimumrecoveries.com.auW: www.optimumrecoveries.com.au
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Job Hunting Tips Letโs get LinkedIn Official
โKnown as the virtual CV, LinkedIn can play a vital part in your professional life.โListed below are some tips to ensure that you are showcasing your abilities online for all the right reasons.Position Title: This needs to match your CV โ if there are discrepancies it may raise some questions. Always ensure this is in line with what your resume states and remembering down the line at reference stage your title needs to be accurate.Employment Dates: Crucial for credibility. Always double-check your dates, if a timeline is not matching up, recruiters, hiring managers and employers will have some doubt at the very beginning of the process.City: Your headline should include where you are based e.g. Paralegal Brisbane, Legal Secretary Sydney. This is for searchable purposes. Also, if you are in the market looking for work and someone in your network shares your profile in a different city / state/ country it is easily seen from the outset where you are based.Skills: Keep these updated, donโt forget about this section and expect your employment history to do the talking. This is important when employers are matching a job vacancy to a profile. If you want to be matched for a role in the very initial stages, trying to get as many skills aligned as possible will be valuable. If you only have e.g. 3 out of the 10 skills this may not be lucrative for your job application.Recommendations: Ask a colleague, a previous supervisor, a peer at University to write some words on your behalf โ donโt be shy. Rate and review are so common now in all aspects of life, why not benefit from this in your career. It is seen as a form of a reference already on your profile โ we all know how powerful a reference can be!Grow, grow, grow: The more people in your network, the more people you will essentially โLink Inโ with!ย After all, we are only ever a mutual connection away!Articles: Utilise the articles option if you are fond of writing blogs, this will demonstrate your interests, your passions, the industry you specialise in and may generate a talking point.Content: Sharing is caring! This may be in the form of industry news, business updates, interesting reads. Let your personality shine through. LinkedIn now even has interactive polls โ to generate a healthy debate, give kudos to a team-mate, celebrate, and spread some positivity online.Interact: Use your platform to engage, a LinkedIn profile that is essentially dormant is of no use to you or your potential employer. Respond to comments, reply to contacts, have that online conversation, you never know where it may take you.App: If you havenโt already โ download the App. (As if we donโt already have enough to scroll through!) However, this will mean it is accessible for you to see updates as they are happening in real time. You donโt want to miss out any InMailโs, job postings, industry updates.Photo: Last but certainly not least โ your photo, this is your professional headshot. This will be the image that your potential employer, recruitment consultant, hiring manager sees before you see them, make it a positive solid first impression!โWhen you are applying to a role attaching your CV and Cover Letter โ you cannot come to life on a piece of paper, LinkedIn gives you that opportunity to demonstrate you are not just an โapplicantโ or a statistic. You are a human being, who is worth hiring. Do not waste the opportunity of LinkedIn and the power of this platform. Lastly, letโs become LinkedIn Official, and add me as a connection - Colleen Deere.โ
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Career Advice Adopting an โexcuse freeโ mindset to get through Covid-19
Let us begin by stating the obvious.Covid 19 has been an incredibly difficult period, itโs been disruptive, itโs been deadly and without a doubt, it has had a profound effect on billions of people worldwide, some much worse than others.ย Recruitment has been no different, there have been sweeping redundancies, a plethora of budget cuts, and many projects put on hold or cancelled completely - some of the figures are startling. It has been incredibly challenging, however like in any time of challenge, the way you will be defined is how you face it.ย The โexcuse freeโ mindset will continually allow you to see things with perspective, thus allowing you to take control of, and make the most of any situation however good, bad or ugly it may be. I, like anyone, have days where it waivers, we are all human, but below are two reasons why it has had a great effect on me personally and may just help you through this unprecedented period, and then beyond.1 โ Goal Setting- set daily, weekly goals on what you want to achieve. Be this at work, looking for work from a recent redundancy or simply in day to day life. It is important to hold yourself accountable so you know, you did your best and can sign off โexcuse freeโ with a positive mindset. What you put in is what you get out. If you are out of work, set a goal of applying for a certain number of roles, add connections on LinkedIn within your industry and expand your network, write a blog! Be visible, be proactive and most importantly, persistence pays off. Eventually! As a Recruiter in a time of an uncertain job market, goal setting enables me to focus and end the day knowing I controlled what I can control and feel accountable for achieving my daily goals. It is the small wins that keep you going.2 โ It makes your success repeatable โ When you donโt use excuses as to why things arenโt going your way, you will be able to identify root causes or indicators as to why you are succeeding โ KPIโs almost. Chances are if a certain process has worked once, then it will work again. There is no better feeling than knowing exactly what you have to do and being in complete control to get something done, it is a very empowering position to be in.If you are reading this, and it resonates with you, then take action and set a goal. Think about processes and steps you can implement which will help you to be โexcuse freeโ, embrace and enjoy the process, and see If having zero excuses helps you become more successful and accountable.โ
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Employer Insights What is Humble Leadership? How Can It Take Your Business ...
James launched his mid size, Perth furniture business in 2015.ย The first three years saw a rapid increase in sales and profitability, but something wasnโt quite right in the last two years.ย There had been an increase in the number of customer complaints. ย Late deliveries, unfriendly customer service reps, lost sales opportunities and lost customers started to become a trend. Simply stated, Jamesโย business was in trouble.So, James called his managers into a claustrophobic conference room, he wanted answers. "I depend on you people to make this business work!" he barked. ย "Sales are dropping like a rock, which obviously means someone's not doing their job.ย We're not leaving this room until I find out who it is!"No one speaks up.ย Everyone wants to crawl under their chair.ย Jamesโย not getting answers, but what he doesn't know, is that the answer is right in front of him.What is humble leadership?Jamesโย dictatorial leadership style might have worked when workers had few options and even fewer rights, but it clearly doesn't work now.ย The simple fact is that in the current employment landscape, workers who report to the "I know more than any of you" manager become resentful.ย They're less likely to be creative, resourceful or innovativeโbecause in John's world, a mistake isn't a learning experience.That's why an increasing number of business leaders are adopting a new approach, ย called โHumble Leadership.โย Humble leaders recognise their own limitations.ย They understand that everyone, irrespective of their position within an organisation, have something to contribute.In How Humble Leadership Really Works, Harvard Business Review (HBR) explains how humble leaders (which they call "servant-leaders") develop their businesses by bringing out the best in their employees:"The key, then, is to help people feel purposeful, motivated, and energized so they can bring their best selves to workโฆTo put it bluntly, servant-leaders have the humility, courage, and insight to admit that they can benefit from the expertise of others who have less power than them. They actively seek the ideas and unique contributions of the employees that they serve. This is how servant leaders create a culture of learning, and an atmosphere that encourages followers to become the very best they can."Why Does it Matter?It would be easy to dismiss Jamesโย lack of leadership skills as little more than a source of discomfort for his workers, not something that fundamentally affects the bottom line.ย The fact is, almost half of employees who work for leaders like James (according to Forbes) are actively considering quitting. This โon averageโ costs a business anywhere from 50% to 200% of an employeeโs annual salary to replace them.ย What are the principal traits of Humble Leaders?Adopting a humble (ie, inspiring) leadership style, typically means higher employee engagement and increased productivity and profitability.ย For that reason, it's critically important to understand which traits characterise humble leaders.ย Although every business and every leader s different, generally, humble leaders share the following 5 traits:They recognise their own limitations: one of the main reasons for start up business failures, is leaders who think they can "do it all."ย From finances to IT to marketing, these leaders assume their leadership position makes them โal things to all peopleโ.ย As a result, they tend to make costly mistakes that place their businesses in jeopardy.ย Humble leaders have the courage and self awareness to understand when and where they need guidance and advice, and they're not afraid to ask for it.They seek out talent in their workers: because humble leaders know what they don't know, they make a conscious effort to seek those skill sets in their employees.ย They're more likely to carefully assess employee skills at the time of hiring, and through ongoing performance evaluations.ย For this reason, they know to whom they can turn when they need help solving problems.They inspire their employees: workers want to perform at their optimal level when their manager acknowledges the contributions they have made.ย Humble leaders have no problem โsharing the spotlightโ.ย This inspires employees to work collaboratively and give their very best to a team effort.They promote a culture of learning: because humble leaders can admit their own shortcomings, their employees are more likely to acknowledge gaps in their own skill sets.ย This inspires them to seek out training opportunities to advance their knowledge and their careers.ย Humble leaders are more likely to make those training and career opportunities available to their staff, promoting a culture of continual learning and improvement.They listen: the best leaders listen more than they talk.ย Their role in meetings, for example, tends to be that of a facilitator who articulates the nature of a problem, actively listens to attendees' solutions and guides the discussion to consensus.ย This ensures not only the best solution, but also the buy in necessary to implement change.ConclusionA humble leadership style could be argued, is about โdoing the right thing,โ looking after workers and respecting their contributions.ย Effectively leveraged and implemented, humble leadership can be a game changer for your business, reducing employee attrition, while increasing productivity and profitability.ย ย
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World of work insights
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Employer Insights Legal Challenges in the Workplace in 2020 and 2021
โWHAT LEGAL CHANGES HAVE WE EXPERIENCED IN 2020? The unexpected COVID 19 pandemic undisputedly took the world by storm, with its effects stretching out to almost all sectors of the economy. Perhaps the most eminent of this was that most employees were now legally required to do their work from home. This was not limited to top-level employees like personnel managers, who now had to find a way to manage their employees remotely, and sufficiently enough to get the job done. Other challenges included understanding around stand downs, JobKeeper or Wage Subsidies and redundancies, changes to Awards specifically because of the pandemic, dealing with illness and injury in a changed environment, and difficulties with performance management. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST LEGAL CHALLENGES THIS YEAR?The pandemic caused a significant downturn in business confidence, and immediate responses to the pandemic meant many employers were uncertain about the future of work. As we all got to work from home during lockdown, the notions of work and productive work were brought to the boardroom tables, and with it the concerns regarding productivity and performance management in a remote working context. Organisations also had to deal with a plethora of unfair dismissal and general application claims, as well as some issues with contracts and policies insufficient to deal with a pandemic or major changes in the world of work. Finally, uncertainty was at its highest with a number of "Zombie Companies" relying upon JobKeeper or Wage Subsidies to stay afloat. "In the future, organisations should be prepared for a dismissal claim for every single termination and ask themselves: has the risk and liability been assessed in this context? If so, what were the steps taken to mitigate the risk and liability? Policies, procedures and contracts need to be overhauled and reviewed on a regular basis. Finally, management communication and transparency must be reviewed too in the context of the pandemic to assess and adapt to the new world of work." WHAT DO YOU FORESEE WILL MOVE THROUGH TO 2021? Jonathan Mamaril first mentions a steady increase in unfair dismissal and general protections claims in 2021.As laws may change around EBAs and the BOOT Test, it is likely to see more EBAs being put up. The gig economy should increase their value over time, more and more businesses will be established, targeting a very unique niche with a specific skillset. Changes to Awards may provide further flexibility. The last prediction would be a rise in underpayment claims and "wage theft" cases. WHAT GUIDANCE TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW YEAR? "It's time to consider an HR strategy or, if you have one, reviewing it in the context of the pandemic and the changes that will likely need to be made." Other legal issues must be considered, related to employment law issues, such as confidential information - use and misuse; terms and conditions being sufficient for paying terms; shareholder agreements; loan agreement; leases. As mentioned before, 2020 has seen a rise of claims against employers. This legal risk should be assessed and addressed to solve them before problems occur. Contractual documents, and specifically employment contracts and contractor agreements need to be reviewed. Business leaders should consider the powers of legal professional privilege in engaging a law firm. Law firms and their expertise can be extremely advantageous in the context of difficult or larger scale issues around termination of employment or underpayment of wages.โ Jonathan Mamaril is a Director with NB Lawyers, the Lawyers for Employers and leads the Employment Law and Commercial Law teams.
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Career Advice The truth about being an intern
โAdvice for anyone considering an internship whilst studyingWeโve all seen it, weโve all heard it, the cinematic depiction of an intern as the coffee runner, the professional photocopier, the unpaid servant. But what is it really like?I had the opportunity to intern for people2people recruitment in 2020, the year where the entire structure of workplaces across Australia changed. Whilst working from home was an entire challenge within itself, Iโm here to tell you what itโs really like to be an intern for a business in the city, when you take away the skyrise buildings and revolving doors and experience only the essence of the position. The opportunities are endlessWorking as an intern can give you that extra edge when applying for jobs in your desired field, but it can also give you invaluable experience in a way you will never be offered as a full time employee. Working at people2people, I have been given opportunities to โchoose your own adventureโ and decide on some of the tasks I would like to get involved in. A company wants to learn from you, as much as you want to learn from them; after all, your unique combination of expertise and experience is something no one else can offer. So never sit back and wait for your next task to be given, go out, find it, ace it. It isnโt as easy as it seemsIf youโre planning on taking on an internship with the intention of riding off everyone else's coat tails and working minimal hours a week, it may not be the opportunity for you. Being an intern holds a great sum of responsibility; you are often trusted with tasks that directly impact the company and their reputation. Particularly if you are working from home, you may feel a little disconnected from the team and overall brand, walking into a pre-established organisation. But it is important to understand that the work you do can have a large and lasting impact on the company. Time isnโt infiniteThis can be taken in two ways, firstly your internship wonโt last forever, so make an impact while you can! Whether you attend 1 day a week or 5, the time you have with your organisation will absolutely fly by. So donโt wait for your next work day to do that project or ask that question.Secondly, your time management skills will be imperative, particularly if you are studying and working whilst undertaking an internship. Personally, some days I was working 14hrs between my internship and part time job, with Uni assignments fitting in around this, so be prepared to be a busy bee if you have other commitments in your schedule.Should you become an intern?Absolutely. The only answer is absolutely. Michaela was an intern with people2people Victoria in 2020.
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Employer Insights Hiring Predictions: Post COVID-19
โHiring post COVID-19 will be a topic that will be a priority for businesses as we continue to move forward. Earlier in 2020, people2people conducted its annual salary and market survey, which included a follow up survey conducted one quarter earlier, focusing on what the pandemic aftermath will look like and the challenges which will follow.Australian job vacancies were down in January 2020 from the year before, a negative 7.5%. Fast forward to July 2020, where Australian job vacancies were down a negative 27% from the previous year.Almost 50% of businesses which participated in the survey were forced to make some sort of employee sacrifice, in the form of redundancies, reduced hours or reduced salary/cancelled bonuses. For so many businesses, any hiring was at the back of mind, for the foreseeable future. Many businesses have adjusted their recruitment strategy plans for the next six months, which include close to 66% only recruiting for existing roles, 20% planning for growth after the pandemic, 10% seeing growth during the pandemic and 33% not planning to hire for the whole of 2020.Recruitment is never a simple task and hiring managers believe that technical and specialist roles (being that are generally hard to fill regardless of the pandemic), senior and leadership positions and businesses with limited or no options for flexible working conditions will be most difficult to hire for in the aftermath of COVID-19. The topic of flexible working conditions has been one that I have been discussing almost every day with both job seekers and talent seekers. Many businesses are fortunate that they already have flexible working conditions. Those businesses that perhaps didnโt offer these incentives prior to the disruption of the pandemic, have responded quickly and are now offering their staff some sort of flexible option. I believe these flexible working arrangements and benefits will be important talent attraction strategies for the foreseeable future.It is still difficult to predict what the world of work will look like, moving into 2021 and beyond. The majority of businesses pivoted to a โwork from homeโ operation and proved to these businesses that working remotely wasnโt as difficult as once thought and working remotely is a strategy which can be accommodated in future. Gauging the level of success of these new working arrangements, the underlying factor is that it has impacted business relationships, cultures and teams.One major factor weโre seeing and hearing is a lack of human interaction. Monday mornings, hallway chats and Friday afternoon chats were once something to look forward to but with a majority, if not all staff members working remotely, social interaction amongst colleagues has become difficult, if non-existent in some businesses. These same businesses have specified that they will use the same recruitment process they have always used when it comes to recruitment, they will identify crucial positions and make assessments based on the situation and business climate at the time. They are not sure how to amend their strategies but hope they will when the time calls for it. Other businesses report that it will highly depend on profitability and how the lockdown/pandemic has affected their stakeholders. โ
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p2p News TALiNT International Annual Recruitment (TiARA) Awards | Update!
โIt gives me much pleasure to announce that people2people were successful in two categories of the Tiara Awards held โvirtuallyโ on Friday 13 November 2020.people2people won The Best Company for Candidate Experience Award and we must thank our WA Director Kim Padmore for coordinating our submission. people2people would not be in business if not for our candidates and this award is recognition of the hard work and dedication of our recruitment consulting staff.In addition, people2people was Highly Commended for The Recruitment Industry Technology Innovator of the Year award. This is a testament to our โearly adopter extraordinaireโ (aka Group Managing Director) Mark Smith.So, there you have it! We of course are delighted, but we know the hard work is just beginning, to get to the other side of this โdisruptedโ year.
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p2p News TALiNT International Annual Recruitment (TIARA) Awards - weโve been nominated!
โThe year 2020 wonโt be one any of us will forget easily. The total disruption to every aspect of our lives, has been unprecedented in our lifetimes. So, there has been a fair amount of โadjustmentโ for all of us.people2people and Frog Recruitment is no different to any other business. So for all of us, itโs been a very challenging environment in which to transact, involving a lot of pivoting, innovation and sheer hard work. So, we were thrilled to receive a much needed boost to our year, by being nominated for four categories of the TIARA Awards; 1.The Fast Track Software Back Office Support Team of the Year 2.The Best Company for Candidate Experience Award3.The Recruitment Industry Technology Innovator of the Year4.The Training and Development Initiative of the YearLike everything else in this upside down year, the awards' ceremony will be โvirtualโ and will be held on Friday 13 November. We hope to report back with some more โgood newsโ. โ
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p2p News Sydney's Hidden Beaches - My Top 5
โWe all know of the famous beaches across our beautiful coastline, in NSW, however I wanted to share some little gems dotted around Sydney Harbour, that you may not have stumbled upon just yet! โ1.ย ย ย ย ย ย Chinamans Beach (pictured) โ MosmanAlthough I am an eastern suburbs local (kind-of), my first and foremost selection goes to a lower north shore favourite Chinamanโs Beach, that type of beach where you look down from the view above and wonder, โAm I in Thailand or Sydney?โIt is secluded, quiet and not far from the city, only a 20 minute drive north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This is also accessible by public transport on Spit Road, Mosman. Expect to see an Ice-Lolly man on a boat rock up to the shore on those hot days to quench your thirst!โ2.ย ย ย ย ย ย Milk Beach โ Vaucluse Also an ideal spot to watch the New Yearโs Eve fireworks, this beach is great to relax and admire the views of the city in the distance, watch the ferries pass by and this is also a pitstop on the Hermitage Foreshore Walk (another Sydney must do). Its calming waters allows you to go for a little dip in the water and take pictures capturing the sand at your feet and with the iconic Sydney Opera House as a backdrop!Yes, you should โmilk itโ that you are right here on one of the most admired harbours in the world! โ3.ย ย ย ย ย ย Queens Beach โ Vaucluse I must say this beach is the royalty of all sunset views in Sydney! The first evening I discovered this jewel of a location, it took my breath away and it felt like I was so far from Sydney amongst the calmness of it all, yet the city was almost at my fingertips. Do not miss out on the magical sunset from this view point, again this is also part of the Hermitage Foreshore Walk. So spend your day at Milk Beach and then walk that little bit further to Queens Beach.Another little tip, bring a picnic with you to watch the sun setting and just unwind listening to the waves, watching the seagulls soar and take it all in!ย 4.ย ย ย ย ย ย Lady Robinsons Beach โ St. George (Botany Beach)Of course, to cover all sides of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, venturing south towards Brighton-le-Sands, this beach stretches far and wide and is apparently Sydneyโs longest beach, of which I wasnโt aware when I was there! You may be familiar with the Kyeemagh area; this is where we found parking and happened to stroll upon this western shore of Botany Bay. Walking along this beach you will find Dollโs Point and Brighton-le-Sands wharf, which will also take you the length of the pristine coastline. โย 5.ย ย ย ย ย ย Seven Shillings Beach - WoollahraOnce again this is a beach to be discovered along a glorious walk close to Double Bay and Point Piper in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Hidden down the end of residential cul-de-sac, this is easily missed! However, if you keep walking down the steps, you will be greeted by an amazing view of yachts and the Sydney Harbour Bridge from afar, as you step onto the sand. This was originally called Blackburn Cove and is in fact just to the right of what many of you know as Redleaf Pool. When you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Redleaf pool during the summer months, venture over to this area to appreciate more of the eastern suburbs! As summer is in the air, along with Bondi and Coogee being paid a visit for many Sydney-siders, hopefully some of these have provided some inspiration to venture somewhere different off the beaten track and explore more of what Sydney has to offer.For some further inspiration feel free to check out my travel blog www.mizzdeereioustravels.com where you will find more travel guides!
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p2p News STRIDEโing out in Style at people2peopleโs 15th Birthday Celebration
people2people opened its doors on 2 February 2005. There were five of us with a big vision in a small office in Sydney. That vision was to provide professional recruitment services based on relationships, not just transactions. It was about the customer journey, understanding that often candidates became clients and clients became candidates, and our role was to partner with people throughout their careers. As founders, we knew that by putting people first, delivering outstanding service and fostering strong relationships, our fledgling business would flourish.Fast forward fifteen years to 2020 (boy how time flies!) and flourish it has. Now with eight offices across two countries, 110 staff and many of Australia and New Zealandโs best-known employers on our client list, people2people has a lot to be proud of.Recently we brought the whole team together in Sydney to celebrate our 15th birthday and the inaugural STRIDE Awards. A gala dinner was held at the Sydney Intercontinental Hotel. It was a marriage of the Oscars โ red carpet, black tie, evening gowns, champagne, gourmet dinner โ and the Brownlow Medal (or Dally M for the Rugby League fans) with the fairest and best player on the field over the entire season named, as determined by the number of votes they received throughout the year. And there was of course cake โ after all, whatโs a birthday without cake?What are the STRIDE Awards? STRIDE is the acronym used to reflect our values. The values were unearthed during a process that involved the whole company. We wanted a shared understanding of โwhy we do what we doโ and โhow we do itโ. Not wanting to lose sight of what we stood for when we started the company, it was important, with the geographical expansion and larger workforce, that we maintained our inclusive culture and unique style.STRIDE stands for Strength, Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Drive, and, Enterprise. It is now part of our everyday lexicon. Each month staff members vote for a colleague based on one of our values. And at this event, our Grand Champion of STRIDE was crowned. Congratulations to our Shared Services Business Partner, Janet Gebre. You certainly are our super-hardworking superstar!Several other awards were given out on the night and if you keep an eye on our social media posts, you will see the photos of the winners and learn why they were the chosen ones.One Award which deserves a special mention is the โMaria Mexis Client Serviceโ Award. Maria was one of the five original team members in that office in 2005. Sadly, she lost her battle with cancer early last year. There was barely a dry eye in the room when Stathy, Mariaโs husband and Christine, her twin sister presented the Award, named in Mariaโs honour. Maria truly embodied the STRIDE values. The inaugural winner of this Award was Bianca Luck, Director and Contract Accounting Specialist. Congratulations Bianca!Biancaโs tribute to her former colleague and friend was heart-warming:โMaria didnโt manage her clientsโ expectations; she exceeded them. She personalised her service to suit each client. She worked with passion, vigour and speed. Her professionalism was never questioned and she treated everyone with respect at all times. Her long-term philosophy on recruitment never wavered ... She was resilient and worked hard to be her clientsโ number one and exclusivity was always paid back in return. It meant the absolute world to me that I won this yearโs award. I miss you Maria.โTraditions are an important part of an organisationโs history. We have always had staff awards however, with our first STRIDE Awards, we have written a new chapter. We look forward to handing out more STRIDE Awards in years to come as we continue to celebrate our hard-working team members, who continue to deliver exceptional service to our candidates and clients.
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p2p News 2019 HR Forum Events Brisbane Done and Dustedโฆ Bring on the 2020 Events Calendar!
It has been a great year partnering with HR professionals to identify hot topics in the marketplace and sourcing specialist presenters to share knowledge, information and ideas on what can be done to find a solution, offer suggestions and help drive change. This year we have held eight HR forums in Brisbane where we covered a variety of topics including:Casualisation of the workforceManaging Illness in the workplaceUnfair Dismissal vs General Protection ClaimsWellness in the workplaceWhat we can learn from the 2019 cases / claimsI have thrived with the opportunity to sit around a table of HR professionals from a very diverse range of industry sectors and hear their challenges, opportunities and success stories. Having limited seats means we get to keep it interactive / collaborative, where HR professionals are comfortable to share their industry challenges but also their best practices to help and support others. I would like to thank Jonathan Mamaril | NB Lawyers for Employers who has presented at several forums this year, focusing on legislation changes, requirements and updating us on current cases. In addition, Donna Benjamin, whose true passion for wellness and balance shines through in her approach and attitude for her presentation on Wellness in the workplace.We look forward to the 2020 calendar where we will be working with our existing presenters and adding several new ones to ensure we are keeping abreast of changes, challenges and best practice in the marketplace.If you are an HR professional based in Brisbane and would like to be notified of upcoming HR forum events, please reach out to the people2people team and we can update your details and ensure you receive the next invite!
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p2p News Honour Awards 2019 - Thank you
Too many businesses in Australia give diversity and inclusion merely lip service. The recruitment industry is no different.At People2People we donโt and wonโt.ย For us, this started some time back.ย It came from the top - Our group Managing Director Mark Smith passionately spread the message to us about its importance. With momentum and over time itโs has become a powerful force.Every day weโre educating our clients because itโs engrained in our beliefs and values.ย ย โEveryone has a place in the workforce, and we all have skills that need to be utilised and shared.None more so than for our young people - they are our future.ย Give them absolute freedom to be comfortable in their own skin and wonderful things will happen in our businesses, in our communities and in our society.ย I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to sit on the selection panel for the Young Personโs award.ย To me, all the nominees are winners. Your contribution to driving change is truly amazing.ย The four wonderful nominees areโฆ..Dylan Lloyd, Alexander Lamarque, Victoria Anthony, and Liam Davies.โฆ.and the winner of the Young Achievers Award is...Liam Davies!As an openly gay man who came out when he was only 15 in a small country high school, Liam has witnessed first-hand the social and support change needed for LGBTIQ+ community members. He is aย founding member of Pride Active, organiser of the Rainbow on the Plains Festival, Vice Chair of Hay Mardi Gras, and runner-up of Mr Gay Pride Australia 2019. The Rainbow on the Plains Festival in Hay NSW attracted thousands of people to celebrate LGBTIQ+ community and culture.ย Pride Active is a community-based organisation that supports and connects LGBTIQ+ members who live in rural and regional areas. As a passionate advocate, he believes community connection is essential for mental health and he shares the importance of anti-bullying, inclusion and having a positive sense of belonging. ย Well done Liam, you are truly an inspiration.โ
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p2p News Frog Recruitment and people2people: A Formidable New Alliance
In the very competitive recruitment and staffing industry, it is rare to find two organisations that have aligned values and purpose - to make a difference through innovation and enterprise. I was delighted, then, to be introduced to Jane Kennelly from Frog Recruitment earlier this year, and now, to announce the fact that both people2people and Frog Recruitment are joining forces in New Zealand.Our partnership is founded on the shared values of strength, teamwork, respect, integrity, drive and enterprise. Both organisations seek out opportunities to build teams and careers for our clients. We take risks to innovate our processes, we find the best talent, fast and assist job seekers in a way that offers an experience different from the competition.Shannon Barlow and the team at people2people entered the New Zealand market in 2017 and have built a strong business, particularly in the accounting and legal sectors. We entered into this partnership with Frog as it became very clear that by combining forces, we could amplify Frog Recruitmentโs innovation and ideas throughout Australia and build on Frogโs 17 years of success in providing leading-edge recruitment services throughout NZ. Frogโs expertise in sales, marketing, HR and government recruitment compliments people2people in NZ. By combining people2peopleโs Australian footprint and technology with Frogโs reputation and innovation in NZ, we are able to offer a unique service throughout both countries.On a personal level, both Jane and I are committed to the recruitment industry. As is nearly always the case, we both fell into the industry but our reasons for staying are very closely aligned. I have committed my career to this industry because I know that recruiters can change lives. We actively participate in peopleโs life decisions, whether it be to hire new staff into their teams or pursuing a new career opportunity. I have never lost the sense of satisfaction that comes with being part of this process and it was a delight to meet Jane who also shares this view.Together both Frog and people2people recruit quality talent throughout Australia and New Zealand. We are the Kiwi and Australian owned alternative to the multinationals, providing a local choice with a multinational capability. Combined, Frog and people2people are a formidable force and I am keen to share our success with Jane and the team at Frog in the coming years.If you would like to know more about our partnership please contact Shannon Barlow our Managing Director in New Zealand and visit www.people2people.co.nz
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p2p News 2019 Super Rugby Season โ people2people Tipping Competition Winners
Another super rugby season is done and dusted, and the trophy and bragging rights remain with the Crusaders. The season was not without its controversy โ with the Sunwolves being axed from the competition after only a couple of years and some questionable umpiring that caused plenty of fans to raise their fist in frustration. Reflecting on the competition and some heated discussions Iโve had this season and thought the following are noteworthy highlights:Biggest upset of the season: The Sunwolves beating the chiefs at home. It is hard to beat this side at home โ they have fierce and loyal fan base who turn up and make sure they are heard.Biggest disappointment of the season: Lions โ after the last three years of competing in the finals, they were nowhere to where to be seen. I am sure next season will see a shake up in the team and some fierce competitive drive to bring their roar back.Referees: Always a controversial topic and plenty of banter to be shared depending if you are on the winning or losing side. There were a few questionable calls made and plenty of discussion about the use of TMOโs. With the World Cup in a few months, the refs will be under scrutiny and questions will be asked. We need to remember that it is so easy for us as spectators to watch and criticise. Think about your job โ do you like it when other people how to tell you how to it?Most entertaining game: Chiefs vs Crusaders in Fiji. What. A. match! I am a Crusaders fan through and through but golly what a game! It had everything you could ask for in a rugby game! It had suspension, tries, speed, heavy tackles, and a real come from behind victory to the Chiefs. Credit to them, they were written off at half time losing by 20 points and proved everyone wrong with a very comfortable win.Now that we have seen Scott Robertson bust some celebratory moves on the field and farewelled long term players from their respective teams, my focus will shift to the Rugby Championship and the RWC. I am also very interested to ponder Beauden Barrettโs move to the Blues โ will his skills and experience boost their performance and get them off the bottom of the table? Or will we all be asking the question โ what was he thinking?At people2people weโve enjoyed the season. Here is a list of our weekly tipping competition winners:Week 1 โ Peter HarripWeek 2 โ Elizabeth Moran and Rob DelantyWeek 3 โ Heather VineWeek 4 โ Dwight George, Jared Purcell and Bruce GerhardtWeek 5 โ Adrian RobinsonWeek 6 โ Steve McCannWeek 7 โ Lynn OโConnorWeek 8 โ Fiona Meyer and Taryn LunnyWeek 9 โ Rudy MarkramWeek 10 โ Radi DesnicaWeek 11 โ Michael ScownWeek 12 โ James Vine and Upul MendisWeek 13 โ Shana LamontWeek 14 โ Adam FreelandWeek 15 โ Amine MerhebWeek 16 โ Shana LamontWeek 17 โ Amine MerhebWeek 18 โ Maria Murray and Dirk KempAnd our final overall winners of the competition areโฆ1st prize โ Jared Purcell2nd prize โ Dirk Kemp3rd prize โ Ros DunlopThanks everyone for participating to this footy tipping competition, and best of luck for the two remaining competitions: AFL and NRL! See you back next year for the 2020 Super Rugby Tipping Competition.rite something here...
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