The People Powered Business Podcast

Hello and welcome to Episode 300 of the People Powered Business Podcast! Wow! 300 episodes! Who would have thought that when I started planning this podcast back in 2019, and launched it in early 2020 the world of work would go through the changes it has? Yes that’s right, the world of work is changing. More so now than in the last 5 years. So today I’m unpacking my top 3 predictions for our teams in 2026 and beyond. From full AI integration and managing the tension and skills required, to rising to the challenge of engaging a largely disengaged workforce who are craving connection now more than ever. The business owners who stay ahead of these trends will be the ones with thriving business in 2026 and beyond. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au   The 12 Days of a People Powered Christmas Specials: https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/12-days-christmas   An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 299 of the People Powered Business Podcast! Today we are discussing the value of a clean slate! Sometimes in business, and in life, it can be simpler to wipe the slate clean and start again than it can be to untangle and rebuilt an existing mess. In today episode I walk you through an exercise around creating a structure to achieve your vision, which I call quite simply The Clean Slate Exercise. We look at how to ensure you’re not putting square pegs in round holes, training and developing your best people and how to fill gaps and deal with over resourcing, or leakage. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au   An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 298 of the People Powered Business Podcast! Is your team member just going through a rough patch, or have they checked out entirely? In this week’s episode of the People Powered Business Podcast, we’re diving into a topic that many business owners and leaders quietly wrestle with: how to tell the difference between burnout and disengagement in your team. At first glance, burnout and disengagement can look almost identical. You might notice someone who’s normally reliable and upbeat suddenly becoming withdrawn, missing deadlines, or not showing the same drive they once did. But beneath the surface, these two experiences come from very different places. and require completely different responses from you as a leader. In this episode, I walk you through clear, easy-to-understand definitions of both burnout and disengagement. We cover the key signs and symptoms to look out for, and why it’s essential to understand what’s really going on before you jump in with a solution. Because what helps someone who’s burnt out won’t help someone who’s disengaged, and vice versa. I also share a simple, three-question diagnostic tool you can use to figure out what’s really happening. It will help you decide whether you’re looking at a team member who’s under stress and needs support, or someone who’s mentally checked out and needs a different kind of leadership response. We also explore how burnout is often a result of prolonged stress, overwork or emotional exhaustion, while disengagement tends to stem from a lack of connection, meaning or motivation in the role. One is about depletion; the other is about disconnection. If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to figure out how to handle a team member who just isn’t showing up the way they used to, this episode will give you clarity, confidence and a practical next step. Plus, I share strategies you can implement right away to address both burnout and disengagement. whether it’s adjusting workloads, re-engaging a team member in their role, or simply starting a powerful conversation that gets to the root of the issue. Tune in now for a grounded, honest conversation about one of the most common leadership challenges. and why getting this right is essential for a healthy, high-performing team. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 297 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In this episode, we explore a significant new ruling from the Fair Work Commission that could impact every Australian employer managing flexible work arrangements. The case involves a long-term Westpac employee and her right to continue working from home, and the decision has sent ripples through workplaces of all sizes. We unpack what happened, what the Fair Work Commission decided, and what the case means for business owners navigating the tricky terrain of hybrid and remote work. You’ll also hear about other developments you should have on your radar. What You’ll Learn The details of the Westpac flexible work case and why it matters What “reasonable business grounds” actually means under the Fair Work Act Why following process is just as important as your policy The risks of rejecting flexible work requests without proper documentation Upcoming changes and trends in remote work regulation Key Takeaway: This case is a wake-up call for every employer. Flexible work isn’t just a cultural conversation, it’s a compliance issue. If you're going to refuse a request, you need to back it up with detailed, evidence-based business reasons and follow the process to the letter. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 296 of the People Powered Business Podcast! As the year winds down, things often ramp up for business owners, and it’s no wonder Q4 burnout is real. In this episode, we’re talking about that end-of-year exhaustion, what causes it, how it shows up in you and your team, and what you can do to avoid limping toward the Christmas shutdown. Whether you're feeling flat yourself or seeing signs your team is running on fumes, this episode will help you reset and finish the year strong, without burning out. In This Episode, You’ll Learn Why Q4 burnout happens, and why it’s so common in small businesses The subtle signs that you or your team might be close to burnout Simple, practical ways to re-energise your team and yourself Why now is the time to reduce pressure, not pile more on How to end the year on a high note (without needing to sprint) Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and share how you’re managing Q4 fatigue An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 295 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In this weeks episode we’re talking about ‘resignation season’ which is of course January every year. 31st January is in fact the most popular day for resignations, but the resignations start flowing the very first day back from the Christmas break. Resignations are rarely spontaneous, and the January resignations most businesses deal with are thought about months before. So right now is the time people are starting to consider a new year resignation. In this episode we talk about why this happens, what to look for in your people to see if they are starting to check out, and I share some practical strategies for you to implement right now to avoid the January resignation rush. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia Mentioned in this episode: Keep Your Best People Webinar If you feel like you’re always hiring, training and starting over again, here’s the truth: You don’t have a hiring problem. You have a keeping problem. Most small businesses don’t lose people because they can’t find good staff — they lose them because the business isn’t set up to keep them. I’m running a free live training called Keep Your Best People — The Proven Framework for Loyalty, Accountability, and Results. I’ll show you exactly how to stop the turnover cycle, build consistency in your team, and finally feel confident leading again. It’s happening Wednesday 29 October at 1pm AEDT. If you’re ready to stop managing the chaos and start leading with structure, click the link and save your seat. https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/keep

Hello and welcome to Episode 294 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re exploring why good people leave organisations, and what it really costs you when you lose someone from your business. Most business owners assume staff leave for better pay or new opportunities, but more often it comes down to three things: lack of clarity, lack of direction, and inconsistent leadership. When your team isn’t clear on what’s expected of them, can’t see where they’re heading, or don’t feel supported by steady, consistent leadership, even the best employees start to disengage. We’ll also unpack the hidden costs of turnover that most business owners underestimate. It’s not just the cost of recruitment or training. It’s the time you lose filling gaps, the emotional energy it takes to start over, the trust that’s eroded, and the morale that dips each time someone walks out the door. The ripple effect of turnover can quietly damage your business far more than you realise. You’ll also hear how business owners can unknowingly create the very conditions that push good people away — even when they genuinely care about their team. The good news is that all of this is fixable. Once you understand what’s really driving turnover, you can take simple, practical steps to keep your best people engaged, loyal, and performing. Because keeping great people isn’t luck — it’s structure, leadership, and clarity. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia Mentioned in this episode: Keep Your Best People Webinar If you feel like you’re always hiring, training and starting over again, here’s the truth: You don’t have a hiring problem. You have a keeping problem. Most small businesses don’t lose people because they can’t find good staff — they lose them because the business isn’t set up to keep them. I’m running a free live training called Keep Your Best People — The Proven Framework for Loyalty, Accountability, and Results. I’ll show you exactly how to stop the turnover cycle, build consistency in your team, and finally feel confident leading again. It’s happening Wednesday 29 October at 1pm AEDT. If you’re ready to stop managing the chaos and start leading with structure, click the link and save your seat. https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/keep

Hello and welcome to Episode 293 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re diving into a challenge that so many business owners face (even if they don’t talk about it): what happens when your team starts calling the shots… and you’re no longer in control of your business? It happens more often than you’d think. You start out delegating a few tasks to make life easier… then one day you realise you're asking your team for permission to make decisions. You're walking on eggshells. You’re avoiding the hard conversations. And your business? It no longer feels like yours. If any of that sounds familiar — this episode is for you. Here’s what we cover: ✅ How it happens – The subtle shift from leading to reacting ✅ Why it happens – The mindset traps and leadership habits that leave us overrun ✅ Red flags to watch for – Signs your team might be running the show ✅ How to take back control – Practical, non-confrontational ways to reset and reclaim your role as the leader Whether you have 2 team members or 20, this is about setting a strong foundation to lead with confidence, clarity, and authority. This episode is especially relevant if you're the kind of business owner who wants to create a high-performing team — without being the one everyone walks all over. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 292 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In today’s episode we’re dipping our toes into a very hot topic at the moment – set off clauses in employment contracts and why they are proving to be such a problem. We start by unpacking what are set off clauses actually are – a clause in a contract that allows the employer to pay a salary which incorporates base rates + allowances etc and other award conditions that would otherwise be an entitlement the employee should receive. We then look at when can they be used and how, when written correctly they can protect you as the employer and cover a lot of things. Finally we take a look at a case involving Coles and Woolworths that really has the experts talking, and highlights how these clauses can and can’t be used, and why so many businesses are currently at risk of huge back payment claims as a result. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 291 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In today's episode we are talking about using AI in your workplace, and how it can be valuable for you and your team, but where you may need to be cautious. The reality is your team is likely already using it, even if you haven’t officially introduced it. And while it can be an amazing productivity tool (I love it myself for getting past blank pages, speeding up thinking, and yes - it’s replaced Google for me!), it also raises real questions for business owners: How do we manage AI use at work? What are the risks and rewards? And what do we do when our team isn’t on board? In this episode, I’m diving into what I’m seeing with clients around AI in the workplace, how to use it well, and what to do when team members resist or misuse it. What I’m seeing right now is team members using AI for internal comms (and business owners being surprised—or concerned), AI-written job applications, ads, and emails: how to spot them and decide what’s acceptable and a growing concern from business owners around privacy and misuse. So how can you use AI well in your business and your team? Consider embedding AI into the tools you’re already using (like Canva’s Magic tools or Microsoft CoPilot). I love the use of custom GPTs or Chrome extensions to fast-track SOPs and admin. But what about when team members are resistant or reluctant to use AI? You really need to get down to what’s causing the fear to implement and addressing it head on. What about you? How are you and your team using AI? An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 290 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In today's episode we are talking about why DIY HR might be holding you, your team and your business back. As business owners we often think we need to figure all the things out for ourselves, but just like you take your car to a mechanic, and see your accountant for tax advice, HR is one of those areas where going it alone is not always the best approach. When you rely on DIY HR, your team feels the gaps—uncertainty, confusion, no clear path forward. People leave more often when feedback isn’t consistent, or when their role feels vague. That’s lost momentum for your business. On the business side, the financial cost of misclassification or non‑compliance isn’t just about fines—it’s about the time, resources, and stress it takes to clean up. And in a tight SME, that clean‑up eats into profit or growth that could’ve been reinvested. As the owner, when you’re constantly firefighting HR, you can’t lead. Your energy goes to fixing issues, not setting direction. That’s when burnout sets in, and your capacity to steer the ship gets compromised. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 289 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Most small business owners are stuck doing HR in bits and pieces: a contract here, a policy there, some software that never really gets used. But at the end of the day, they’re still chasing staff, second-guessing decisions, and carrying all the pressure. In this episode, I’ll share: Why HR still feels hard, even when you think you’ve “ticked the boxes.” Why expensive HR software isn’t the fix for small business teams. The real missing piece that changes everything - a simple HR framework designed for small business. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “something” with HR but it’s still not working, this episode will show you what’s missing - and how to finally get it right. Feeling stuck? Email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au and let’s chat. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia Mentioned in this episode: HR Made Simple HR Made Simple - The 6 Part System Every Small Business Needs Most small business owners waste time winging it or throw money at HR software they don’t need. Join me for this free webinar on the 23rd September where I’ll show you the simple HR system that stops the constant chasing, removes the second guessing and gives you confidence in every people decision - even if you're busy, overwhelmed and exhausted. https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/simple

Hello and welcome to Episode 288 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Running a business with a team is hard enough - and when it comes to HR, most small business owners admit they’re just “winging it.” A contract here, a policy there, figuring it out when problems pop up. The trouble is, winging it only works for so long. Eventually, it costs you time, money, and stress, and leaves you stuck chasing your staff instead of leading them. In this episode, I’ll share: Why winging it feels fine at first, but always backfires in the long run. The hidden costs you’re already paying (even if you don’t realise it). How “making it up as you go” keeps you stuck in the day-to-day. What to focus on instead if you want your team to step up. If you’ve ever felt like HR in your business is messy, ad hoc, or just one more thing on your plate, this episode will show you why winging it isn’t the answer. Feeling stuck from winging it? Email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au and let’s chat. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia Mentioned in this episode: HR Made Simple HR Made Simple - The 6 Part System Every Small Business Needs Most small business owners waste time winging it or throw money at HR software they don’t need. Join me for this free webinar on the 23rd September where I’ll show you the simple HR system that stops the constant chasing, removes the second guessing and gives you confidence in every people decision - even if you're busy, overwhelmed and exhausted. https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/simple

Hello and welcome to Episode 287 of the People Powered Business Podcast. We’ve spoken about our employees rights a lot lately, specifically most recently about our employees right to disconnect from work. Posting in our People Powered HR members community about these changes and a member asked ‘does that apply to us too’? And it’s a good question. Because often as business owners we are bad at disconnecting, at setting and upholding boundaries and at protecting our self care when things are busy. So today we will discuss the real technical answer to the question as to whether these new rules apply to us. But more importantly this is a conversation about the need to set or re establish boundaries with our teams, our customers and ourselves, and to protect our energy and look after ourselves to show up as the best leaders we can be. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello, Kristy-Lee here and welcome to Episode 286 of the People Powered Business Podcast I’ve been having some great conversations  about leadership – team leadership, business leadership, self leadership, thought leadership and I wanted to explore common threads that I've been seeing. We are all leaders, CEO of our business - You are a leader if you listen to this podcast - so let's talk leadership. Firstly I want to start with why it’s important to consider yourself a leader (even if you only have contractors, VA’s or casual staff). Then I'll share 3 common traits of people powered leaders. Finally I discuss why this is a skill anyone can (and should learn), and why you don’t need to go it alone. Want to work with me on this? Just email hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

Hello and welcome to Episode 285 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Today we’re bringing you a tech tip episode – but I’m not recommending a system – in fact the opposite. I’m sharing how you can use what you’ve already got to solve your HR admin headaches and why you don’t need a HR system or expensive software subscription to do that for you. To start with I encourage you to do an audit of what you already have, what those systems can do for you, and then really looking at where you do have gaps, and what specifically you need to solve them. We then look at using your existing workspaces, whether it’s MS Office, Google Suite or something else and leverage and that more effectively. Are you using the integrated AI in those programs to shortcut things and create tools such as spreadsheets to support you? And of course we touch on AI and I share how I’m using Chat GPT and Chrome Extensions to help with HR tasks in my business and to support members of our People Powered HR Community. The truth is – a HR system is often unnecessary, they are hard to set up effectively and time consuming to manage. You can often achieve everything you need using the systems that you have. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 284 of the People Powered Business Podcast. I have a bit of a theme going at the moment which I’m calling ‘Compliance Quarter’ and today we’re taking a look at the looming deadline for small business to comply with the new right to disconnect laws. In this episode we unpack what the right to disconnect is and what it actually means, we discuss the implementation, pathway and why this matters for small business now and we take a look at what will it actually mean for your businesses in practical terms. I also share some real life examples of what I am seeing play out with the clients I am working with and how they are implementing the right to disconnect. An Invitation: 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia Mentioned in this episode: The Right to Disconnect Webinar Are you ready for the new Right to Disconnect laws coming in on the 26th of August? If you’ve got full-time, part-time, or even casual employees, these changes will affect how and when you can contact your team after hours — and what happens if they don’t respond. I’m running a free live webinar on Tuesday the 19th of August to explain exactly what’s changing, who’s affected, and the steps to take now so you stay compliant with confidence. Save your free seat at peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/disconnect

Hello and welcome to Episode 283 of the People Powered Business Podcast. I have a bit of a theme going at the moment which I’m calling ‘Compliance Quarter’ and today we’re taking a look at the recent changes to casual employment. We discuss what changed and when, the new definition of a casual that was inserted into the Fair Work Act last year, an update to Casual Conversion pathways and why the onus is on you as the employer to get it right. In  August 2024 a new definition of what constitutes a casual was inserted into the FWA (so it’s law). From this point of time onwards, employers had a legal obligation to ensure that if they engaged someone as a casual employee, they had to meet this definition. The casual definition requires that an employment relationship must: 1. Have no firm advance commitment to continuing and indefinite work (like a guaranteed weekly roster); and 2. Entitle the worker to casual loading or a specific casual rate under a modern award, enterprise agreement, or contract. So even if the contract says casual, the actual work arrangement determines status. In addition, we have seen changes to the casual conversion pathway and the provision of the Casual Employment Information Statement (CEIS). 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 282 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Today I’m sharing a conversation I recently had with Juliet Robinson over on the Grow Your Influence Podcast. So often when we are recruiting new people into our teams, we are doing it under pressure. We need someone NOW and it can be tempting to just fill the job that has been created, rather than thinking strategically about the skills we need in our team. When we’re recruiting we often bring in people like us. People we can relate to in interviews so we think they will fit in the team and we can train them up for the job. Sometimes that works. Often it doesn’t. And either way, it takes a lot more time and energy that taking a skills-based approach in the beginning. In this episode Juliet and Kristy-Lee talk about the challenges of recruiting for a skills-based team that also ‘works’. That is, the new joiners ‘fit’ with the team culture and have the skills to contribute immediately, even if the way they work and communicate is a bit different from the existing team. There are some key steps you can take to ensure the role you’re filling is what’s required and that your next hire hits the ground running. 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 281 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Today we’re tackling a topic which I can’t believe we haven’t discussed before in isolation on the podcast – productivity. I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently about team productivity – and a lot of business owners seem to have busy confused with productive. In addition there is a lot of chatter more broadly about productivity declining, ways we can improve it and why it matters. So in this episode we will look at what productivity actually means, why it’s important to monitor it, and how you might go about measuring (and improving) productivity in your business. 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/groups/hrsupportaustralia