What is happening in the world of HR for small businesses?
Strawberry Seed Christmas Closure
Strawberry Seed will close over Christmas to give our team a much-needed break. We will be closed from the 21st of December 2024, returning to the office on the 6th of January 2025.
We will have a team member on call for emergencies during this time, as we know some of our clients continue to trade over this period.
Christmas is coming up fast…
Remember when we reminded you of this in September? You probably thought you still had plenty of time! Here are a few more reminders to consider, as we are now only six weeks out.
Christmas celebrations
The end of the year means the team gets together and has a chance to unwind and celebrate the year. Unfortunately, these events can be associated with risks if potential pitfalls are not considered.
Here is an excellent overview from the AI Group on the ‘Golden Rules’ of Christmas Parties for employers.
Christmas shutdown
If you are planning to shut down for a period over the Christmas/New Year break, you should have already communicated this to your team. If you are panicking after reading that, that doesn’t mean you have missed the boat. You can still mutually agree on this with your team.
If you have employees who will not have enough leave, make a plan. Some Awards contain requirements that need to be met, so don’t be taken by surprise.
Annual leave and public holiday planning
There are many public holidays during Christmas and the first few months of the year. Many employees will want to take advantage of these and schedule their annual leave around them to maximise their time off. Did you realise that Easter is late in 2025? Easter Monday and Anzac Day will fall in the same week, so if employees are smart, they can get 10 days off for 4 days of annual leave.
It’s easy to think only about what’s next. Looking ahead can mean that you are better prepared. We recommend communicating with your team now and asking them to plan for their annual leave for the first half of next year. Remind them that the earlier they submit their request, the more likely it is to be approved.
Also, consider whether you have any employees with a large leave balance. Remember that the only way to get that balance down is if they take more than 4 weeks of annual leave per year. If you have long-term employees who have accrued a high balance, sit down with them and make a plan for them to take more than their allocation of leave in 2025.
Here is a handy list of the 2025 public holidays by state.
Payroll
Speaking of shutdowns and public holidays, you must consider how these will affect your payroll cycle. You may need to schedule in advance around public holidays so that there is no impact on when they will hit bank accounts.
Ensure you communicate with employees about the cut-off for time timesheets and leave requests to ensure a smooth process.
Staffing for 2025
Take a moment to think about your staffing levels for 2025. Will you be looking at recruiting in the new year?
In most industries, late November into December is the hardest time of the year to recruit new employees, particularly for permanent roles. Potential candidates are winding up for the end of the year and thinking about having some time off. Even those who may have been actively looking tend to take a break from the job search at this time of year.
But do you know when is a great time to recruit? Mid-January onwards. It isn’t uncommon for people to come back from Christmas break ready to look for a new job. Start planning for that now. Have a Job Ad ready to go out in the new year. Or reach out to our team for help.
For more tips, check out our article “5 ways for your business to be HR ready for Christmas.”
Upcoming Training and Development
Last Free Webinar for 2024 – Understanding & Managing Psychosocial Risks & Hazards in the Workplace
Our next free webinar will be held Wednesday, 20th November 2024, at 7.30 pm.
Psychosocial risks and hazards are becoming an increasingly critical focus for organisations in Australia. Join us for our upcoming webinar, where we’ll explore psychosocial risks and hazards, how they manifest in the workplace, and practical strategies for managing them effectively.
We’ll cover work-related stress, bullying, harassment, and work overload and how poor organisational culture can contribute to these risks. You’ll leave with a better understanding of identifying, assessing, and mitigating psychosocial hazards while fostering a safer, healthier work environment.
Key Topics:
- What psychosocial risks and hazards, and why they matter
- How to identify and assess these risks in your workplace
- Practical strategies to mitigate these risks and enhance employee well-being
- Compliance with your legal obligations.
This webinar will help equip you with the tools to safeguard your team’s mental health and create a positive, productive workplace. We understand small business people have busy days, so we have scheduled this session for the evening (so you can enjoy it with a glass of wine if you wish)
Bookings can be made here, and please feel free to pass this on to other business owners. Don’t worry if you can’t attend on the night. You will receive a recording to watch at your convenience.
Leadership Training for 2025
Over the last three years, we have held public Leadership Workshops across Australia, and I know that many of you and your teams have attended. We have also received many requests to offer an online version of this workshop.
With this feedback in mind, we’re excited to introduce an addition to our services: an online version of our Leadership Training Workshop!
Lead with Impact: Grow Your Leadership Skills is launching in early 2025! This course is designed for leaders who want to enhance their self-management and team leadership skills, helping them thrive in today’s dynamic work environment. The online format will allow us to build and extend upon the content in the one-day in-person workshops, which we will continue to offer in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane during the year.
Course Overview
Commencing on February 10th 2025, this five-month online leadership training course is delivered over five engaging modules. Each module combines self-paced learning, interactive group webinars, and optional follow-up sessions to solidify the learning experience. We’ve also incorporated the DISC assessment tool, which includes a one-on-one review session at the start of the course to personalise the insights you’ll gain about leadership style and communication.
Course Highlights
Self-Management: The initial modules focus on time management, personal boundaries, and defining your communication and leadership styles. With self-assessments like DISC, participants will build a clear understanding of themselves as leaders.
Team Leadership: Latter modules will guide you in creating cohesive teams, setting clear expectations, and developing skills for constructive feedback and difficult conversations. Special focus is given to managing a multigenerational workforce and handling performance issues clearly and confidently.
Upon completion, participants will receive a one-hour individual coaching session, further empowering their growth and professional impact.
More information
We have a special introductory price for the inaugural course. If you book before December 31st 2024, you can grab an Earlybird price. Please complete this registration form to register attendees. If preferred, you can also pay via credit card or spread payments over three months.
Discounts are available for returning clients and partners, so contact our team for more information.
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid training teaches practical first aid skills to help a team member or co-worker experiencing mental health issues. We’ll teach you how to approach someone struggling, ask the right questions and assist them in accessing professional help. In 2023, we delivered 13 courses nationwide, educating 128 people on Mental Health First Aid, including the whole team at Strawberry Seed.
Our Principal HR Advisor and Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Frances Orr, is an accredited MHFA trainer who has delivered public and in-house MHFA training for many clients since 2021.
In 2025, we will have several options for attending public and private in-house Mental Health First Aid training and Refresher courses available. We will publish the training calendar shortly, so watch for details in your emails and our website.
For more information on MHFA, contact mhfa@strawberryseed.com.au.
