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Why financial wellbeing is important in the workplace

Posted on July 4, 2023November 23, 2023 by Chris James

Improving employee wellbeing is one of the top priorities of HR leaders today. But what many people don’t realise is that 1.2 million households are currently suffering from financial stress. Therefore financial wellbeing is actually what sits at the centre of holistic wellness and has the potential to drive the most significant impact on working Australians. In this post, we’ll explain how to improve financial wellbeing in your workplace.

Financial wellbeing initiatives to bring into the workplace

Thankfully, there are many financial wellbeing initiatives that you can introduce to your employees. We share some of the most impactful ones below, along with an explanation of how they’ll improve the financial wellness levels of your workforce.

Novated car leasing

A novated lease allows employees to finance a new or used car by having their employer make payments out of their salary package with pre-tax deductions. With this arrangement, your employee is paying down a certain amount for a specified period of time. At the end of the lease period, they can choose to take out a new lease with a different car, extend the existing lease, or buy the car by paying the residual amount.

How this supports financial wellbeing:

One of the benefits of a novated lease is the tax break. Since the payments are coming out of your employee’s pre-tax income, your employee’s taxable income will be significantly reduced. Plus, your employees won’t have to worry about things like the goods and services tax (GST), which means they’ll have much more disposable income to use for their other needs.

Flexible pay

Flexible pay gives employees the ability to choose when they get paid – instead of following the organisation’s payroll schedule. For example, instead of receiving a paycheck every two weeks, an employee can choose to cash out on a weekly basis or even in real time. The whole purpose of this system is to allow employees to choose a compensation schedule that works for their specific needs and lifestyle.

How this supports financial wellbeing:

As you might imagine, flexible pay can ease a lot of financial anxiety for employees. Instead of worrying about whether they’ll receive a paycheck in time to pay rent or cover a credit card bill, flexible pay allows them to access the money whenever they need it.

Superannuation

Superannuation is money that’s set aside by your employer for your retirement – on top of your salary and wages. Employers are required by Australian law to make superannuation contributions for most of their employees and typically pay a minimum of 9.5% of ordinary time earnings.

How this supports financial wellbeing:

Superannuation is one of the best financial benefits for employees because it guarantees that they’ll have funds to use in retirement. Workers can also decide to make additional contributions to their own account or might be eligible to receive contributions from the Australian government, which can further increase the amount of retirement savings they accumulate.

Investment vehicles

There are many investment vehicle options that you can introduce to your employees – from managed funds to share schemes with your own company. Regardless of which ones you make available to your workforce, the most important part is educating them so they can decide which option is best for them. This can be done through training or financial literacy workshops.

How this supports financial wellbeing:

Helping employees find ways to invest and grow their money over time will help them in the long run – whether it’s when they retire or run into an emergency where they might need additional funds to dip into.

Lost super consolidation

It’s possible for employees to lose track of some of their super. This typically happens when they change their job or address. As an employer, you can provide the resources to help workers find their lost super, consolidate it with the rest of their contributions, and identify which account they want their future contributions to go to.

How this supports financial wellbeing:

Employees can save money by consolidating their super into one account. Having multiple accounts can accumulate fees, not to mention that having multiple sources of contributions can be difficult to manage.

Life insurance

The purpose of life insurance is to offer protection to employees and their loved ones in case of an unexpected life event. There are different life insurance products they can choose from that protect them from different types of events – whether that’s a death, a terminal illness diagnosis, or a bad accident.

How this supports financial wellbeing:

This is a wonderful initiative for employers to introduce because it gives workers peace of mind when it comes to unexpected life events. The last thing an employee wants to worry about after a car accident or diagnosis is to have to worry about finances, and life insurance is a great safeguard against that.

There are many effective initiatives that can increase your employees’ levels of financial wellness and – as a result – their overall wellbeing. Simply start with a few of the ideas that stood out to you in this post and go from there.

If you have any employees who are in need of support, be sure to check out Wellness@Work, a free hub designed to support HR and Australian workers by giving them access to free content.

If you’re looking for an additional HR software to support your business, Flare offers a free onboarding software with employee management and benefits. To learn more, please request a demo.

Are you a good coach? 5 techniques to get better

Posted on June 25, 2021August 11, 2023 by Cassiano Pessoa

In sport or athletics, we never question the need for a coach. Coaching is essential for development and motivation, staying focused on the field when the stakes are high, and helping the team realise their full potential. But when it comes to the workplace, coaching is often overlooked.

All employees—from entry-level positions right up to the CEO—can benefit from personal development. And managers at all levels can, and should, act as coaches. We’re all eternal learners, after all.

The right guidance at work can help unlock an individual’s personal potential, which can ultimately drive better performance outcomes for the company.

So, are you a good coach, and could you be better?

1. Be humble

We all have our weaknesses. But do we see them? A study of Australian leadership showed that 84% of frontline managers believe they’re good at gaining employee commitment. Yet only 50% of employees think their managers involve them in decision making.

Coaching isn’t just for juniors. Everyone can both benefit from coaching and act as a coach for others. Being a mentee and mentor, means offering skills and experience to others, whilst being willing to receive feedback. Good leaders have the humility to know there’s always room for improvement.

2. Start with empathy

Empathy is a hot topic these days. That’s for good reason. Beyond employee wellbeing, empathy can impact productivity and motivation. A CCL study showed that empathy is positively related to job performance. And a Businessolver report found that 77% of employees would work longer hours for an empathetic employer.

Empathy means coming from a place of understanding and compassion. In the workplace, coaching with empathy can take many forms. Showing a genuine interest in employee’s needs, noticing signs of overwork, and nurturing individual ambitions, are just a few.

3. Show appreciation

One of our most basic needs as humans is to feel valued. At work, it’s no different. A whopping 93% of employees say their productivity increases when their employer recognises their accomplishments. Yet 41% of employees say their managers don’t show enough appreciation.

Recognising what’s already going well––rather than focusing on what isn’t––can help employees feel valued and respected. The best coaches focus on the positives alongside areas for growth. Practice appreciation by calling out wins, celebrating milestones, and noticing positive progress.

4. Listen before you respond

As coaches, we’re guides, not know-it-alls. Successful coaches don’t tell others what to do. Instead, they listen, understand, and offer potential solutions and strategies.

Coaching can help unlock potential, but it shouldn’t create cookie-cutter employees. Humans are diverse and should be celebrated as such. Celebrating diversity isn’t just good for individuals, but companies too.

Improve your listening skills by asking open-ended questions, practising deep listening, and pausing before speaking to ensure you’re offering options not instructions.

5. Set specific goals

Goal setting is powerful. A review of 141 research papers found goal setting had a positive effect on behaviour and a Dominican University study found that those who wrote down their goals were 20% more successful than those who didn’t.

Coaching without goal setting is like driving in the darkn without a map. Setting specific goals––and writing them down––means tracking progress and making tangible improvements over time. Creating specific, achievable, and relevant, SMART goals, will yield better results. A win-win for everyone.

Coaching at work can empower a workforce and improve company performance. Almost every employee can act as a coach and everyone can benefit from guidance: it’s how we improve. Utilising these techniques can help individuals succeed while bettering the bottom line.

Why now could be the best time to sell your car

Posted on June 23, 2021August 11, 2023 by Cassiano Pessoa

By Mark Biggart, Flare Cars

I’ve worked in the automotive industry for almost 20 years, and I’ve never experienced what’s happening in the used car market right now. I just sold my two-year-old hatchback for a $1,000 profit — that’s $1,000 *more* than what I paid for it just two years ago. A friend bought a new Mazda CX5 three years ago, drove it for 30,000 kms, and just sold it for only $4,000 less than what he paid.

Think about this for a second. The unwritten rules for car ownership dictate that a car will dramatically depreciate in value, from the moment you pick up the keys. So there’s probably never been a better time to sell.

So, what’s happening in the used car market, and why?

Market values for popular used vehicle models are up by 30% compared to B.C. (before COVID).

Why is this happening? Well, mainly due to COVID-19. For most of 2020, new car production and sales were severely impacted by the pandemic, and as a result, fewer cars were traded in, breaking the demand and supply balance in the used market.

Additionally, you may have heard about the global shortage of superconductor chips required for vehicle engines and electronics. This is further restricting the new car supply, and forcing people to buy used cars as an alternative option.

What does this mean for me?

While this isn’t great news for anyone in the market to buy a second-hand car, for those who own a car, whether it’s outright or financed, now could be a great time to realise its value.

One of my clients, Cam, was recently tossing up whether to re-lease his 3-years-old Mazda CX5 with $17,000 owing, or sell it and get a new car. He did a quick research on some car trading websites and was surprised to find out that the 50,000kms vehicle was worth much more than he had imagined. He ended up selling it for $33,000, only $2000 less than the original purchase price when he first leased it, meaning he walked away with an additional $16,000 cash tax-free in his bank account. What’s better is that he gets to lease a brand new CX5 all over again – a black one because his wife got to pick the colour this time!

Through the novated leasing program offered by Flare Cars, you could also unlock significant savings on your car and there are two ways we can help:

Lease a new car. You can sell or trade in your current car (arrange your own, or we can help!), release the cash and lease a new car for an exciting upgrade. New car prices have not increased in line with used ones, and we can still get you great fleet discounts through our national dealership network, plus saving 10% GST on purchase price upfront.
Sale and leaseback. If you’d rather keep your current car, you can do a sale and leaseback to pocket any equity or capital gain tax-free, and finance the remaining value of your car through a novated lease arrangement. This option works well whether you have existing finance on your car or own it outright.

Additionally, both options will save you thousands in running costs, GST and income tax over the life of the lease.

Sounds great! How do I get started?

Reach out to us for an obligation-free consultation so we can get an understanding of your current situation, and run an initial quote on the car you want to lease – whether it’s new, used or the car you already drive.

Flare Car is exclusively available to you as an employee benefit at your workplace. If you’re not sure whether this program is offered by your employer, get in touch and we can help you find out.

Information provided in this article is of a general nature only and we have not taken your personal financial objectives, situation or needs into account. Flare Cars strongly recommends seeking independent financial advice to take into consideration your own personal financial circumstances before entering into any lease arrangement.

Your credit rating: Why does it matter?

Posted on May 18, 2021August 9, 2023 by Cassiano Pessoa

Credit ratings. You hear a lot about them but there’s not much out there actually explaining what a credit rating is, and what lenders use to calculate them. So, here’s the lowdown.

What is a credit rating?

Lenders use your credit rating to decide whether to approve you for credit or lend you money. In simple terms, the rating helps them understand how likely you are to pay back any money they lend to you.

That means, whether it’s a credit loan, business loan or a home loan, your credit rating is a key metric lenders analyse in the approval process. It can also affect stuff like approvals for mobile plans, power or water, and bank overdrafts.

When it comes to the rating itself, it’s usually a score from 0 to 1200 or 0 to 1000. The higher the number, the less likely lenders think you will default on the loan. It’s worth taking the time to get your rating in decent shape as information can stay on it for years.

Where do I find my credit rating?

Credit reporting agencies, the companies that compile your credit rating, usually use a five-point scale — excellent, very good, good, average and below average — with people at the bottom of the ladder, down near zero, commonly finding it challenging to access credit.

You can get a copy of your credit report and credit score for free every 3 months by contacting a credit reporting agency like Equifax, Experian or illion. There are also online credit score providers that will give you your credit rating, usually in a matter of minutes, in return for you letting them use your personal information for marketing purposes.

How’s my credit rating calculated?

This is what can seem so mysterious. You may think you have a pretty good history on credit, but then get a nasty shock when you get a look at your actual credit rating.

So what exactly is taken into account to work out your credit rating? According to the federal government, your credit report, which is the official document that contains your credit rating, includes personal information like your name, date of birth, address and driver’s licence number as well as info from your financial past.

Once you get past all that, then comes the important stuff. This is the information that pertains to your credit rating and includes any defaults on utility bills, loans and credit cards, your repayment history, previous credit applications, bankruptcy and debt arrangements if you have any, and previous credit report requests.

How can I boost my credit rating?

There’s no silver bullet here, but there’s certainly lots of things you can do to help bolster your credit rating. Simply put, it comes down to being on top of your finances. It’s mostly action like paying bills on time, making minimum repayments on credit cards and personal loans, and regularly checking your credit score to make sure no errors have occurred.

On the flip side, you also need to ensure you’re not doing things that will damage your rating and see you slip down the credit score ladder. On this front, it’s a good idea not to do things (if you can avoid it) like maxing out your credit card, missing loan repayments, making multiple credit applications in a short space of time, or getting court orders made against you for outstanding debts. That last one in particular is sure to hit your credit rating hard.

Remember, whether you’re just applying for a new credit card or looking to make a big life decision like buying a new home, lenders will likely examine your credit rating before approving your credit application. So take the time to get yours looking as good as possible.

Information provided in this article is of a general nature only and we have not taken your personal financial objectives, situation or needs into account. We recommend you consider if you need to seek professional financial advice before making any financial decisions.

What is active listening, and why should you use it at work?

Posted on April 29, 2021August 11, 2023 by Chris James

Active listening is the process of fully engaging with someone during a conversation by paying careful attention, asking thoughtful questions, and taking the time to understand what’s being said. This is easier said than done, as active listening requires an immense amount of focus. But investing in this skill is well worth the effort, as you’ll see in our post.

Why active listening is an essential workplace skill

You may be wondering: Don’t we practice active listening every day? Not necessarily. It’s important to recognise that there’s a huge difference between hearing and listening. The former is a passive process, while the latter is active. We’ll illustrate the difference with an example.

Let’s say you’re having a conversation with a colleague about an urgent project. When you’re speaking, it’s clear they’re not paying attention – they’re constantly glancing at their phone and not making eye contact. Your teammate also frequently interjects with their own thoughts without acknowledging yours. While this colleague may hear what you say, it’s clear they’re not actively listening.

Now let’s say you’re having the same conversation with a different team member. This person gives you verbal cues to make it clear they’re engaged with you. They also give you the space to speak and follow up with thoughtful questions to make sure they understand what you’re saying. This is active listening in action.

Seeing these two examples side-by-side, it’s clear why active listening is an essential skill for the workplace. By practicing active listening, you can:

Form better relationships. When you take the time to listen to your colleagues, you strengthen your relationship with them. Having a solid foundation like this makes it easier to collaborate, communicate, and work through problems.

Position yourself as a leader. Being a good leader and being a good listener go hand-in-hand. When you can demonstrate that you possess active listening skills, people are more likely to respect you and turn to you for guidance.

Improve your problem-solving abilities. In every role, you’re going to encounter obstacles. How well you overcome these hurdles has a lot to do with your ability to understand the problem – and this can only be accomplished by actively listening to the inputs of your team members.

5 recommendations to practice active listening

Now that you understand the importance of active listening in the workplace, let’s discuss tactics to incorporate them into your day-to-day role. Here are a few of our favorite recommendations.

1. Approach the conversation with an open mind

When you enter a conversation with a rigid mindset, it’s unlikely to be productive. You’ll be so focused on getting your own point across that it’ll be difficult to pay attention to what the other person says. Instead, try to approach every discussion with an open mind and be prepared to change your mind. This will make the process of active listening much more manageable.

2. Use verbal cues

Paying attention to verbal cues is critical to active listening. For instance, you may notice that your colleague frowns when talking about a decision made by the leadership team. This is an excellent opportunity to ask a follow-up question to see what’s bothering them and better understand their situation.

Similarly, you want to provide verbal cues as well. Nodding, smiling, and making eye contact are all great ways to show your conversation partner that you’re engaged with what they’re saying. This type of body language also makes whoever you’re speaking with feel more comfortable, increasing the chances that they’ll be transparent with you.

3. Ask clarifying questions

A great way to strengthen your active listening skills is to ask thoughtful follow-up questions. By doing so, you’re signalling to the other person that you’re interested in the conversation and are eager to hear the speaker’s message. These clarifying questions also present a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of the discussion.

4. Be present

We’ve all had the experience of being part of a conversation where we excitedly wait for the perfect moment to interject with an opinion or fun fact. While this is totally normal, it can take away from the experience of active listening. When you’re busy planning what you’re going to say, you’re likely not paying attention to the other person and won’t absorb the information they’re sharing.

5. Paraphrase

Another great technique for active listening is to paraphrase what the other person is saying. This gives you an opportunity to confirm that you’ve fully understood the message your colleague is trying to convey. If you’re not sure how to do this, try using a phrase like “what I’m hearing from our conversation is that…” And follow up with “am I understanding you correctly?” to give the other person an opportunity to make clarifications.

Active listening is a valuable skill that can be used both in and out of the workplace. With enough practice, you’ll start to experience the benefits, from forming stronger relationships to improving your problem-solving skills. Use our recommendations to practice, strengthen, and fine-tune your active listening skills.

Determine your financial wellbeing score with these five questions

Posted on April 21, 2021August 9, 2023 by Cassiano Pessoa

A simple and easy way to start cultivating financial wellbeing is with a self-assessment to determine your financial wellbeing score. Not only is this a super way to review your finances, it’s also an opportunity to take stock of your financial situation and make positive changes (if needed). Given the current financial climate, now is the opportune time to undergo a financial health check. In the March 2023 quarter, all five Living Cost Indexes (LCIs) in Australia experienced rises, including Health, Housing, Food and non-alcoholic beverages, and Insurance and financial services. Medical and hospital services saw a 4.2% increase due to higher fees and private health insurance premiums. Electricity and gas prices rose by 14.3% due to higher wholesale prices, while food prices increased due to weather-related impacts and higher input costs. Put simply – it’s an expensive time to be alive, so let’s dive in and determine your financial wellbeing score.

What is financial wellbeing?

While there’s no strict definition, the term ‘financial wellbeing’ is often used to describe a state that includes being able to meet your financial obligations, having enough financial freedom to enjoy life, being in control of your money, and having solid financial security. ANZ defines strong financial wellbeing as ‘having enough money to meet your needs now and in the future.’

When looking for signs of financial wellbeing in your day-to-day life, it’s often a good thing if you can stay on top of your bills and debt, have enough money put aside for emergencies, and keep extra cash on hand so you can plan for important future expenses, like a house deposit or education expenses.

The state of financial wellbeing in Australia

While 60% of employees are content with their current compensation, “financial pressure” was found to be the most stressful factor in a survey of 1,500 Australian workers commissioned by Flare. It is not shocking, given the state of the economy right now. In particular, housing costs are cited by 77% of workers as a source of moderate to high stress¹. Now is as good a time as any to prioritise your financial health, as the rising cost of housing is unlikely to ease pressure anytime soon.

Knowing your level of financial wellbeing enables you to better understand your saving and spending behaviours, giving you a money snapshot that can be used to make adjustments.

What’s more, in addition to small tweaks to spending and saving, assessing where you’re at in terms of financial wellbeing on a regular basis can help you break bad money habits and assist you to reach your financial goals faster.

RELATED: Tax savings – how can your car help?

What questions should I ask?

When it comes to assessing where you sit in terms of financial wellbeing, one common method is to ask yourself a set of questions, and then give yourself a rating on each.

One of the most well regarded, and quickest to use, Aussie financial wellbeing surveys asks respondents to answer from 4 (completely) to 0 (not at all) on the following five questions. See how you go on the following:

Once you’ve determined your score for each, multiply the total by five, and this will give you your overall financial wellbeing score. A score of 0 to 22.5 means you’re “having trouble” on financial wellbeing, 25 to 47.5 means you’re “just coping”, 50 to 75 means you’re “getting by”, while 77.5 to 100 indicates you’re “going great”, and is the top category.

Thankfully, if you didn’t score as high as you’d like, or just want more financial peace of mind, financial wellbeing can move up or down depending on the decisions you make.

Whatever the result, you can feel positive that a financial self-assessment is the first step to better financial wellbeing and getting your personal finances headed in the right direction.

Information provided in this article is of a general nature only and we have not taken your personal financial objectives, situation or needs into account. We recommend you consider if you need to seek professional financial advice before making any financial decisions.

¹Flare National Employee Benefits Index, 2023.

What is unconscious bias, and why does it matter in the workplace?

Posted on March 26, 2021August 11, 2023 by Chris James

Most people say they would never judge a person by how they look, their gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or age. But according to social psychologists at the University of Washington and Yale, 90-95% of people judge people unconsciously. This is known as unconscious bias.

What is unconscious bias?

Unconscious bias are thoughts or feelings we’re not directly aware of, that influence our judgement. They are the attitudes and stereotypes that affect our views, our actions, and our decision-making ability, which we’ve unconsciously created from our own background and experiences. It happens automatically, and is triggered by our brain making quick judgements and opinions of people and situations.

Why do we have unconscious bias?

Everyone has biases, whether we’re aware of them or not. It’s a fundamental aspect of being human. Scientists believe that these quick judgements and decisions can help us navigate the world without being overwhelmed, because the unconscious mind can process more information than our conscious minds. However, the downside of this is that prejudice occurs during important decisions such as recruitment, healthcare and criminal justice which can disadvantage people.

Why does unconscious bias matter in the workplace?

When unconscious bias is present in the workplace it can drive negative impact in the following ways:

talented people are left out of your workforce, or not allowed equal opportunity for development and career progression
diverse voices aren’t heard in meetings and decisions can be impaired
culture is not genuinely demonstrating inclusive workplace principles
employees are not able to fully contribute to your organisation
creativity and productivity of your team or organisation may be compromised.

Common types of bias at work

Introductions and first impressions

Foundations for first impressions come from our own experiences and sense of the world — what’s familiar to us. Our reactions to someone we don’t know may be positive, negative, or neutral depending on what’s visible or audible about them; depending on their race, perceived sexual orientation, accent or a number of other characteristics.

First impressions are powerful. We need to be aware of the impact that has on the assessment you have when you first meet them.

Stereotypes and performance bias

Performance bias occurs when people who are part of dominant groups, such as being white or male, are judged by their expected potential, while those who are part of less dominant groups such as people of colour or women are judged by their proven accomplishments.

Heidi vs Howard: Gender bias in success and likeability

In 2003 Frank Flinn, a Columbia Business School Professor and NYU Cameron Anderson ran an experiment to test perceptions of men and women in the workplace.

They started with a Harvard Business School case study about a real-life entrepreneur named Heidi Rosin. The case described how Heidi became a venture capitalist using her outgoing personality, and vast personal and professional network, that included many of the most powerful business leaders in the technology sector.

They gave the case study to two classes of students. One class read Heidi’s story and the other class read the same story but with one difference, they changed the name from Heidi to Howard. Then, they polled the students.

Students rated Heidi and Howard as equally competent, which made sense because their accomplishments were identical. Yet while students respected Heidi and Howard, Howard came across a more “appealing colleague” Heidi, on the other hand was seen as “selfish” and not the type of person you want to hire or work for.

The same data, with a single difference: Gender, created vastly different impressions. This experiment supports what research already has clearly shown which is that success and likeability are positively correlated for men, and negatively correlated for women. When a man is successful, he is liked by both men and women. When a woman is successful, people of both genders like her less.

Women are expected to be nurturing and care-taking, while men are expected to be assertive and action-oriented. Having to produce results and be liked makes it harder for women to get hired and promoted, negotiate on their own behalf, and exhibit leadership.

What can you do in your team, or at work?

Become mindful of your own unconscious bias and reflect on it.
Take the Harvard Implicit Assessment Test to see what your unconscious biases are.
Call out unconscious bias when you see it. If we can create an environment where we recognise bias, we can improve together.
Standardise processes like hiring by building a grading criteria, asking the same questions to candidates and setting the same tests.
During the hiring process, get managers to speak last. A manager’s perspective can influence a team’s input. See what more ideas can arise, if a manager listens and speaks last.

5 practices to build a strong workplace culture from the Best Places to Work winners

Posted on December 8, 2020August 11, 2023 by Chris James

Every year, a research institute called Great Place to Work Australia compiles a list of organisations that are considered to have the most desirable company cultures. This ranking is based on surveys of nearly 40,000 Australian employees, as well as an evaluation of the employers’ policies and procedures.

According to the research institute, a great place to work can be defined as one “where you trust the people you work with, have pride in what you do, and enjoy the people you work with.” But what exactly does this mean? We took a closer look at what these top-notch companies are doing to keep their employees happy and identified four best practices that you can put into action with your own workforce.

5 Best practices to build a strong workplace culture

Drawing inspiration from the 2020 Best Places To Work list, we’ve pulled out some of the best practices that these companies use to strengthen their workplace culture.

1. Take a purpose-driven approach to business

Purpose-driven organisations have clearly identified their reasons for existing – beyond just their profits, products, and services. And this purpose is infused into every aspect of their business, from the employee experience to the business strategy. These are the types of companies that people increasingly want to work for – especially Millennials, with 84% of this demographic believing that making a difference is more important than professional recognition.

This is a lesson that Interactive embodies well, and is the first step on Interactive’s five pillar wellbeing strategy, which is likely why it’s ranked first in this year’s Best Places To Work list. Director of People and Culture at Interactive, Merylee Crockett shares the other pillars on her list:

Start with purpose – A commitment to keeping your why at the core of every decision you make.
Safety – A commitment to keeping each other safe and investing in the physical and psychological wellbeing of our people.
Connection – A commitment to a connected and collaborative workplace.
Health – A commitment to nurturing your physical, mental and financial health.
Resilience – A commitment to learn from any adversity thrown your way.

At Interactive, building a resilient culture requires an integrated approach across all five pillars to succeed. Leaning on these pillars has allowed the workforce to stay resilient together by coping with adversity, continuing to build and adapt, and learning from their experiences.

2. Make your leaders accessible to employees

Employees want to hear from their leadership team regularly – especially during times like today when circumstances are constantly changing. In fact, this type of engagement is so important that 91% of employees say communication issues can drag executives down.

That’s likely why IT service provider Insentra, which has featured on the Best Places To Work list for five years running, is focused on opening up communication channels between its executive team and the rest of the organisation – especially after going fully remote during COVID-19. Insentra’s co-founder and CEO, Ronnie Altit, explains that he’s been making a more conscious effort to engage in conversations with employees across all levels – even if that’s just sending them a quick message to say hello.

He’s also trying to make himself as accessible by hosting weekly team calls that provide employees with an opportunity to ask questions, engage in conversations, or simply provide an update on how things are going across the rest of the organisation.

3. Care personally

One of the most common themes we identified on Australia’s 2020 Best Places To Work list is the importance of caring personally. In response to the global pandemic, employers have stepped up to provide their teams with the resources and support they need to stay healthy, productive, and optimistic during these challenging times.

For example, Terlya Hunt the People Experience Manager at SafetyCulture went above and beyond to keep their employee as happy and healthy as possible during the pandemic. The company launched a new EAP to help employees build mental fitness, provided education on how to hold space for vulnerable conversations, and set weekly themes for Mental Health Month in October to cover all aspects of wellness – such as finances and nutrition.

4. Listen to what your employees have to say

Companies with strong cultures always listen to what their employees have to say. Many times, HR teams and company leaders make assumptions about what their workforce wants – and it’s not always aligned with reality. To prevent this from happening, use tools like pulse checks and surveys to collect feedback from your employees.

These types of listening strategies are a huge part of what sets the best companies apart from the rest. SAP Australia, which is on the 2020 list for Best Places To Work, released a remote ‘pulse check’ this year so that their employees could regularly share how they’re feeling and what management could do to support them. Similarly, Insentra has been continuously surveying its workforce to identify any communication gaps.

5. Build a culture of resilience

Lucy Horne, a researcher from New Zealand, defines resilience as a trait that allows people to adapt to and learn from adversity. During the pandemic, HR analysts like Josh Bersin have been stressing the importance of building resilient organisations, cultures, and people. Not only does this allow companies to survive tough times, but it’s also integral to the wellbeing of employees.

Lucy Lithgow the General Manager of People and Culture at BPAY set up a various initiatives across her organisation to give her staff more autonomy and trust because this is something she believes is key in driving a resilient culture. During this time, BPAY went from a good employee engagement rate to a 92% engagement rate this year. Some of the initiatives Lucy implemented includes: removing the requirement for employees produce a medical certificate if need the day off, removing the company dress code and finally allowing all employees to be given access to the recognition budget so that they can now recognise and reward a colleague or a peer for going above and beyond. These things have really helped BPAY foster a resilient culture.

There’s so much we can learn from these inspiring companies and their HR teams – especially today, when workplace culture is more critical than ever before. Take these learnings from the organisations featured on the Best Places To Work list and put them into practice today. To learn how Flare HR’s free onboarding software and employee benefits can strengthen your company culture, request a demo.

Top team-building activities you can do to strengthen your company culture

Posted on November 10, 2020August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

Good team building exercises allow employees to get to know each other on a more personal level – learn about their strengths, personality and passion. As they say, a team that works well together is more productive and successful! Team building can also play an important role in building a successful company culture, however, finding the best ones that suit your organisation can be a challenging task. That’s why we put together these six team building ideas which you can use to strengthen your company culture and to improve employees engagement and productivity.

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