by Paulette | Oct 5, 2026 | Employment Law, HR Compliance
The Individual Flexibility Agreement That Cost $1.4 Million I’ll admit my first reaction to this one was a quiet “that’s a big organisation; it’s not one of my clients”. Then I read the details, and I changed my mind. In September 2026,...
by Paulette | Oct 4, 2026 | Backed into a Corner (series), Managing People
BACKED INTO A CORNER SERIES | No. 1 The One Who Runs the Place When your most experienced employee decides the rules are optional, and you feel like the Fair Work Act is on their side. By Paulette McCormack, Founder and Director, Fresh HR Insights. Practical HR...
by Paulette | Sep 28, 2026 | Employment Relations, Small Business HR
This is the question I get asked more than any other when things get tight. Usually on the phone, usually late in the day, usually phrased exactly like this: “Can I just drop her back to three days?” The honest answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes only with...
by Paulette | Sep 21, 2026 | Small Business HR
A Policy in a Folder Doesn’t Cut It Anymore Prepared for Paulette McCormack, Fresh HR Insights | 21 September 2026 A Policy in a Folder Doesn’t Cut It Anymore A client asked me last week whether the wellbeing policy sitting in her staff handbook was...
by Paulette | Sep 14, 2026 | HR Solutions, Small Business HR
I have had four conversations in the last fortnight that started almost the same way. Different industries, different-sized teams, same opening line: “I think I might have to let someone go.” And in every one of them, what came next was not a plan. It was...
by Paulette | Sep 14, 2026 | Employment Law, Informational Snip bits, Legislation Updates
Non-Compete Clauses Are Being Banned, Are You Ready? If your business asks new staff to sign a non-compete clause, that clause now has a use by date. The federal government has released draft legislation to ban non-compete clauses for most Australian employees, with...
by Paulette | Aug 18, 2026 | Employment Relations, HR Consultant, HR Expert, HR Solutions
Small Business HR · May 2026 When Business Gets Tough, Keeping Your Team Together Rising costs. Uncertain markets. Staff who are quietly struggling. Here’s how to lead with clarity — and protect your business while you do it. Paulette McCormack CAHRI · MAHRM · MER ·...
by Paulette | Jul 24, 2026 | Employing People, Fair Work Ombudsman News, HR Compliance
Payday Super Has Landed, and Most Small Businesses Are Not Ready If you employ people in Australia, three significant workplace changes took effect from 1 July 2026, and the one quietly tripping owners up is payday super. From that date, you must pay your team’s...
by Paulette | Jul 24, 2026 | HR Compliance, Performance Management
“I Need to start Performance Management — But I’m Worried They’ll Go Off With Stress” A small business guide to performance managing fairly when you’re worried about a stress claim This is one of the most common and most stressful situations business...
by Paulette | Jul 24, 2026 | Employment Law, HR Compliance, HR Consultant, Small Business HR, Topics of Conversation
Long-Term Sick Leave and Return to Work: Your Questions Answered What a 2026 Fair Work decision means for small and medium businesses One of the situations we get asked about most often at Fresh HR Insights is what to do when someone has been off on long-term sick/...
by Paulette | Jul 20, 2026 | HR Expert, Small business, Small Business HR, Workplace Culture
ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE | FRESH HR INSIGHTS The Five Culture Moves I’d Make First in a Small Business And an honest word on why none of them works overnight By Paulette McCormack · Fresh HR Insights · Updated July 2026 The short answer: if you run a small...
by Paulette | Jun 30, 2026 | HR Musings, Workplace Culture
Can Gamification Work in a Small Business? (And Is It Worth the Effort?) By Paulette McCormack · Fresh HR Insights Short version: yes, it can — but probably not in the way you’re picturing. When most people hear “gamification”, they think points, badges and a...
by Paulette | Jun 25, 2026 | HR Musings, Legislation Updates
Compensation cap rises to $95,050: what changes for your business on 1 July If you employ people in Australia, this Wednesday matters. From 1 July 2026, the maximum compensation for an unfair dismissal claim climbs to $95,050, the high-income threshold lifts to...
by Paulette | Jun 25, 2026 | Payroll Compliance, Small Business HR
The 6 Things Keeping Small Business Owners Up at Night This EOFY 2026 (and How an HR Person Helps You Sleep) Can I ask you something before you dive back into the BAS? As 30 June – the EOFY 2026 – rolls around, what is the thing that is actually nagging at...
by Paulette | Jun 23, 2026 | HR Consultant, HR Expert, Informational Snip bits, Small Business HR
What AI Is (and Isn’t) Changing for Small Business Teams The short version, because you’re busy: AI is changing how work gets done faster than almost anything we’ve seen in a generation — but what your people actually want from a job has barely...
by Paulette | Jun 12, 2026 | HR Musings, HR Solutions
AI in HR: A Helpful Tool, Not a Replacement for People By Paulette McCormack | Fresh HR Insights I’ve been thinking a lot about artificial intelligence lately, and not in the “the robots are coming for our jobs” way that fills the headlines. The question that...
