The Latest from Kristy-Lee

Hello and welcome to Episode 279 of the People Powered Business Podcast.

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 ...

Amongst all the noise of the recent federal budget season the federal election cycle, the Australian Government dropped a quiet but potentially game-changing announcement for business owners: the proposed ban on non-compete clauses in employment contracts.

For many, this might seem like a subtle shift, but its implications could be significant - especially for small business owners who rely on these clauses to protect their client base, intellectual property and competitive edge.

Let’s unpack what this means, who’s impacted, and what business owners should be thinking about now.

First, What Is a Non-Compete Clause?

A non-compete clause is a section in an employment contract designed to prevent an employee from working for a competitor or starting a competing business for a certain period of time after leaving your organisation. These clauses often:

• Limit competition within a specific geographical area
• Restrict poaching of customers, staff, or suppliers
• Help protect in
...

Hello and welcome to Episode 278 of the People Powered Business Podcast.

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/gr...

If you've ever found yourself wondering why your team isn’t quite hitting the mark - despite being full of good people - you’re not alone.

Managing a team can sometimes feel harder than it should. Things aren’t falling apart, but there’s a constant sense of being bogged down in people problems, indecision, and micromanagement.

Here’s the truth: your team likely isn’t underperforming due to lack of skill or effort.

More often than not, what’s missing are a few foundational elements that no one ever taught us to prioritise. And your team? They won’t ask for these things, but they need them to thrive.

Let’s break down the three things every team needs from their leader (even if they don’t know how to ask).

1. Clarity

As Brene Brown says ‘clear is kind, unclear is unkind’ – it’s 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 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...

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.

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.

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.

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 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 def...

Probationary periods are one of those workplace mechanisms that many employers use without truly understanding their purpose, or their legal limitations.

They seem simple on the surface: a set timeframe to trial a new hire. But scratch beneath that and you’ll find a surprising amount of confusion, especially when it comes to how these periods interact with Australia's employment laws.

Whether you’re onboarding a new team member or reviewing your hiring process, it’s time to unpack what probationary periods really mean—and how to use them effectively.

What Is a Probationary Period, Really?

Most employers view probation as a built-in trial, but that’s not quite accurate. Legally, there’s no such thing as a probationary period in the Fair Work Act or modern awards. There’s no mandatory timeframe. In fact, the term “probationary period” only has weight if it’s specifically outlined in an employment contract.

Essentially, it’s 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 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 wit...

Australia’s employment landscape is in for yet another shake-up following the Fair Work Commission's recent findings on gender undervaluation across several modern awards.

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.

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.

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...