Hiring & People
Start with the kind of help you need, then work through pay, paperwork and the first day. If you already have a team, jump to leave, ongoing obligations or handling a difficult exit.
Define the role
Check which work needs an owner, then describe the duties, evidence and reporting relationships.
Selected starting pointsCheck whether a new hire will solve your workload problem
Use a two-week workload log to decide what a new employee would actually own. Compare recurring work, seasonal pressure and avoidable admin before defining a role.
3 min readHow to write a job description around work that needs doing
Write a small business job description from real tasks. Use an annotated admin role, separate essential skills and check the requirements before advertising.
4 min readHire a friend or family member with clear expectations
Discuss duties, reporting, feedback and confidentiality before hiring a friend or family member. Use a practical agenda to separate the job from the relationship.
3 min read
Find candidates
Use the approved role to explain the vacancy and make the application steps clear.
Selected starting pointsAssess fairly
Compare evidence against the job, plan the interview and agree any reference enquiries with the applicant.
Selected starting pointsShortlist job applications with a simple evidence scorecard
Shortlist job applicants using a clear evidence scorecard. See a fictional four-person comparison, handle missing information and record reasons for decisions.
3 min readRun a structured job interview in a small business
Plan a structured interview for a small business role. Use a forty-minute agenda, practical questions and a scoring rubric that keeps the focus on evidence.
3 min readCheck job references with consent and useful questions
Check a job applicant's references with permission and role-specific questions. Use a call worksheet, separate facts from opinions and resolve conflicting accounts.
3 min read
Decide who and how to hire
Before writing an offer, work out what the role needs and which working arrangement fits. Employee and contractor decisions deserve their own check.
Selected starting pointsHiring Your First Employee in Australia: The Complete Checklist
Hiring your first employee in Australia? Step-by-step checklist: true cost and on-costs, award pay rates, PAYG, STP, super, workers comp and day-one paperwork
9 min readEmployee vs Contractor in Australia: The Test That Decides
How Australia decides employee vs contractor: the whole of relationship test, why an ABN isn't enough, when you owe super, and what misclassification costs.
11 min readCasual vs Part-Time vs Full-Time: What Each Means for Employers
Casual vs part-time vs full-time in Australia: the current casual definition, 25% loading, leave, notice, minimum shifts and how casual conversion works.
10 min read
Get pay and paperwork ready
Identify the award and pay rules before settling the contract. Keep these guides together when you're checking the offer and setting up the first pay.
Selected starting pointsModern Awards Explained: How to Find Your Employee's Award
What modern awards are, how coverage works, how to find your employee's award with Fair Work's Find My Award tool, and what to pay if no award applies.
9 min readMinimum Wage and Penalty Rates 2026-27: What Employers Must Pay
The national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026. Here's what award rates, casual loading, penalty rates and junior rates mean for your payroll.
9 min readEmployment Contracts: What to Include (and What's Illegal)
What to include in an Australian employment contract: pay and award, hours, probation, notice, IP, plus clauses that are void or illegal and free templates.
9 min read
Support the first day and manage leave
A clear induction makes the first week easier for both of you. Keep the leave guide close when questions come up later.
Selected starting pointsNew Employee Onboarding: The Compliance Checklist
New employee starting? The day-one onboarding checklist for Australian employers: Fair Work statement, TFN, super choice, VEVO, WHS induction and first pay.
10 min readLeave Entitlements Explained for Small Employers
Annual, sick, carer's, compassionate, parental, family and domestic violence and long service leave explained for Australian employers, with accrual examples.
9 min read
Hiring & People library
Showing 1 to 18 of 27. Newest articles first.
Resolve conflicting priorities between employees
Resolve competing requests with one visible priority list and a clear decision owner. Use a worked example to explain what goes first and what must wait.
3 min readRecognise good work fairly in a small team
Recognise employee contributions with specific, timely thanks. Use three worked examples and a visibility check for quiet, part-time and behind-the-scenes work.
4 min readCorrect employee timesheets without losing the original record
Fix a missing or incorrect timesheet entry without losing the original. Includes a worked amendment, a copyable correction record and the payroll handoff.
4 min readCreate a useful handover when an employee is leaving
Create an employee handover that preserves live jobs, deadlines and decision context. Use a simple board and test whether the replacement can find what matters.
3 min readExplain workplace policies so new employees can use them
Introduce workplace policies through everyday situations and short finding exercises. Check understanding, keep versions clear and avoid treating a signature as proof.
3 min readOnboard several new employees without losing individual support
Onboard several employees with shared orientation, individual practice and named supervisors. Use a cohort timetable that leaves room for catch-ups and different needs.
3 min readPlan a first day that helps a new employee start useful work
Plan a new employee’s first day with a practical agenda, one supported task and a clear check-in. Includes an editable timeline and preparation checklist.
3 min readUse early check-ins to find onboarding gaps
Use week-one and month-one onboarding questions to find missing support. Includes two check-in cards, a worked example and a simple record of agreed actions.
3 min readBuild a 30-day learning plan for a new employee
Build a practical 30-day employee learning plan with a four-week matrix, observed tasks and named support. Adjust the pace without turning it into probation.
3 min readChoose and brief an onboarding buddy
Set up an onboarding buddy in a small team with a clear brief, time allowance and backup. Separate everyday help from supervision and management decisions.
3 min readCheck job references with consent and useful questions
Check a job applicant's references with permission and role-specific questions. Use a call worksheet, separate facts from opinions and resolve conflicting accounts.
3 min readHire a friend or family member with clear expectations
Discuss duties, reporting, feedback and confidentiality before hiring a friend or family member. Use a practical agenda to separate the job from the relationship.
3 min readShortlist job applications with a simple evidence scorecard
Shortlist job applicants using a clear evidence scorecard. See a fictional four-person comparison, handle missing information and record reasons for decisions.
3 min readRun a structured job interview in a small business
Plan a structured interview for a small business role. Use a forty-minute agenda, practical questions and a scoring rubric that keeps the focus on evidence.
3 min readCheck whether a new hire will solve your workload problem
Use a two-week workload log to decide what a new employee would actually own. Compare recurring work, seasonal pressure and avoidable admin before defining a role.
3 min readWrite a job advertisement that gives applicants the information they need
Write a clear job ad with useful duties, location, hours, pay information and application steps. Compare vague phrases with a practical small business example.
4 min readHow to write a job description around work that needs doing
Write a small business job description from real tasks. Use an annotated admin role, separate essential skills and check the requirements before advertising.
4 min readPayslip Requirements: What Employers Must Show (and When)
You must give a pay slip within 1 working day of paying an employee. Here's exactly what it has to show, how long to keep records, and what breaches cost.
9 min read
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