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How to approach a career transition with Renée Giarrusso

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 04:46:51 GMT

Renée Giarrusso is a highly sought-after communication, leadership & mindset expert. She is a speaker, International 4-time award-winning author, facilitator, educator and coach (PCC). She works with leaders, teams and organisations to energise mindset and accelerate communication, collaboration and leadership to lift performance and culture. Her sole purpose is to make workplaces exceptional places to work.

The team at PRP have been working in partnership with Renée for a number of years across her various programs. We sat down with Renée to talk about her Awaken Career Transition program, which you can read below.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to set-up RG Dynamics?

I am a big believer that every choice we make and every experience we encounter leads us to who we are and who we are continually becoming. I began my corporate career working in a global FMCG company for 12 years, after working at over 15 part time roles during high school and uni. I started as a graduate in field sales and worked my way up to various leadership, brand and sales positions which I just loved. My favourite role was pioneering a new business sales channel which unleashed my entrepreneurial streak allowing me to come up with new ideas and create new channels for confectionery. It also allowed me to lead a national team and grow my love of coaching and leading others. This led me on a personal development journey, studying coaching and NLP and realising that I wanted to work with others not just as their manager but outside of this.

I founded RG Dynamics in 2007 with a focus on making workplaces exceptional places to work where people can thrive. Initially we had a focus on 1:1 coaching, sales training and running a “Career Search Essentials” program to help job searchers get work ready. This program changed me as a person and a facilitator and helped me share and build robust career transition tools that work. Fast forward 18 years and my team and I focus on accelerating leaders and teams within corporate and SMEs with a focus on leadership, communication, EQ and mindset. We do this through bespoke transformational workshops, group coaching and speaking at events. We also run 1:1 executive and career transition coaching. I have also published 3 multi-award-winning books, launched the Limitless Leaders podcast and have co-founded a communication game. Every day I look forward to helping people realise and achieve their limitless potential.

What is the career transition 1:1 coaching program all about?

The Awaken Career Transition program (or ACT) is an invaluable resource for individuals seeking a new job or considering a total career change. The need for such programs arises from the complexities of the modern job market and the desire for individuals to align their skills, motivation, and passions with meaningful and fulfilling careers.

The Awaken Career Transition (ACT) program has been run to individuals from an array of industries for over two decades. This 1:1 tailored program helps individuals transition into new roles, industries, or their own business. The program is designed to assist those seeking new jobs or complete career changes to take a step back and delve deeply into what it is they truly want.

Too often we see people doing what they are good at but not what they actually enjoy. We spend over 90,000 hours of our life at work so I am sure you would agree we should be doing what we love, a role that gives us purpose and taps into our strengths.

The ACT program is structured and provides frameworks, assessments and thought-provoking coaching conversations to help people find their ideal role or bring their business idea to life.

Could you walk us through the key components of the program and how they support a successful career transition?

Key features of the ACT program include:

Personalised Guidance: Support and expertise from experienced Professional Certified Coaches who have undergone various transitions themselves. All of our coaches have worked within the corporate world and have also transitioned into starting up their own service and product businesses.

Tailored Exercises: Self-assessment exercises to uncover personal motivations, identify values and vision, set goals, and leverage transferable skills for new opportunities.

A safe space: The program allows an open and confidential forum for individuals to understand themselves more deeply and expand their knowledge and focus towards career options. The coaching and mentoring program helps individuals reflect, reset and refocus.

Emotional Clearing: Techniques are used towards the end of the program to remove any blockages and enhance wellbeing and mindset, preparing participants for future action.

Overall, the ACT program aims to help individuals confidently navigate the complexities of career transitions.

The benefits of our ACT program extend beyond resume writing and interview preparation; participants also receive mentorship on networking strategies, personal branding, and effective job search techniques, significantly increasing their chances of landing a desired position.

Additionally, the emotional support and encouragement provided during the program help individuals overcome career transitions' inevitable challenges and uncertainties, fostering resilience and adaptability.

Our career transition coaching program is a transformative investment for individuals seeking a fresh start in their professional lives. It empowers them with the self-awareness, skills, and confidence to navigate the dynamic job market, make informed decisions, and secure a fulfilling career that aligns with their passions and aspirations.

The tailored program includes a pre-coaching questionnaire and is structured into six sessions:

Reflect : Focus on values, mindset, past experiences, learnings, and purpose, with real-time activities to map out key factors for career satisfaction.

Recalibrate : Identify strengths, capabilities, confidence, and motivation, explore industries and roles, and review the resume.

Re-energise : Debrief on the iWAM profile to identify key work motivators and their application. Motivation can account for up to 65% of predictability of success in any role.

Review : Conduct a personal branding review and strategy, including a LinkedIn review and action plan.

Reconnect : Develop a career vision and action plan, with job search, networking, and interview strategies.

Renew : Complete an Emotional Clearing session to unblock any areas that may hold you back. This is great for wellbeing and focus, with tips and tools to maintain energy and finalise the plan of action.

What inspired you to create this program and how has it evolved over the years?

I was inspired to create this program and continually evolve it as I could not find any programs to refer clients to many years ago. There were programs but they were a tick and flick approach and missed covering the most important area, the person going through the transition. With my background in job search, recruitment and career coaching in corporate and also starting my own company from the ground up, I wanted to share my tools and experience to make what can be a daunting and life changing experience one of growth and excitement. The program continually evolves as the market and world changes. For instance, personal branding and building your profile on platforms such as LinkedIn didn’t exist 15 years ago. There are new jobs and industries being created as I write this. Our program is relevant, real and tailored to what our clients need. The results and feedback we receive are always positive. I feel blessed that my team and I can be part of someone’s journey and next phase of their career.

Your program seems suitable for a wide range of individuals at various stages of their careers. Who would benefit most from the Awaken Career Transition program?

Yes, we service a wide range of people. Anyone looking to change their career, look at their next step or start their own business is who we predominantly attract to this program. Maybe they have been made redundant and are using the opportunity to really understand what they want to do next or maybe they are in a role that isn’t satisfying, and would like to explore their options and understand what really motivates them. Post pandemic we have seen an increase in people who are really looking to have purpose in their work and be part of a purpose led organisation. If an individual is looking to really understand who they are, what they stand for, and know their purpose, strengths and motivations then this program is for them. We guide them through, give them direction and a plan to implement.

For someone considering career transition coaching, what advice would you give them?

The best thing they could do is take a few minutes to reflect and ask themselves “How happy, satisfied and motivated do I feel within my current role?” Rate this 1-5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent. Then they could ask themselves “If this was a 5/5 what industry (not role) would I be working in?” These questions can give instant insight and help them decide what to do next. We love to do a Connect Call with anyone looking to do the ACT program. This is a great way for people to ask questions and get a sense check on our coaches and fit for both parties. Transition is exciting when we take the mindset that all change is good and happens for a reason and for us to be an even better next version of ourselves. I love the quote “There wouldn’t be butterflies if there wasn’t supposed to be change.”

Fridays at Project Resource Partners: Empowering Teams Through Enhanced Communication

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 03:48:33 GMT

Unleashing Communication Skills with a Deck of Cards

As a recruitment consultant at Project Resource Partners, I’d like to share a slice of our corporate culture that's a little unconventional. Every Friday morning, we ditch the typical office routine for a fun and energising activity "2 Sides in 2 Minutes" game.

This game recognises the critical need for effective, adaptable communication within the workplace. It aims to foster a culture of open communication, understanding, and appreciation of diverse perspectives. This is not just about conveying messages; it's about building a collaborative and high-performance culture.

Here's how it works, or at least how we at PRP use it: someone in the team takes on the role of the speaker, presenting their viewpoints on a topic drawn from a deck of cards — ranging from light-hearted to serious.

Last week I pulled out a light-hearted card “cats are better than dogs”. Now the serious ones go more along the lines of ‘micro-management can be a good thing’. But the twist is that I must articulate both sides of the argument within two minutes! Now that definitely sounds easier that what occurred that Friday morning. In my rushed reasoning these were the premises I blurted out – you’re going to have to bear with me…

My FOR side had me convincing the room that cats are the most spiritual, meaningful and omniscient of the pets that always seem to know something that you don’t, whilst dogs are completely void of any intelligence further than tricks for food.

On the flip side, I argued that there is nothing like a persons best friend than a dog, the obvious ultimate companion as represented in all the heart throbbing, tears flowing Hollywood movies. Whilst cats are quite the opposite, they are solitary and sleazy animals that run on their own schedule acting like parasites, using their host only for comfort and convenience.

Now 2 minutes is a long time, especially when you are put on the spot… and in this activity you have to fill it, which meant for me, each side came with a personal anecdote to convey my message, whether it was true or not was my teams job to decipher.

The final part of the activity rests in the team to decide if my heart and mind lies in the For argument or the against. Let me know which one you think is correct.

Whilst I’m probably the one that loves this game the most in my team, everyone feels the collective energy boost in the room. There’s laughter, constructive feedback and adrenaline to start the Friday and the weekend off right.

Now in all seriousness, whilst fun, the activity is really helpful to encourage efficient and effective communication, this process is not just about speaking; it's an exercise in listening, understanding, and critically analysing different viewpoints.

At PRP we don’t really play the game as intended but I wanted to share with you how it goes here on a Friday morning, however there is a lot more insight and guidance to be gained from this activity that Renée and Shelley have so wonderfully created. I highly suggest checking it ou t here .

So, here's to playing openly, being adaptable, and having fun along the way. And a big thank you to Renée and Shelley for creating such a powerful tool for professional growth!

Generational Games – building a great cross-generational team.

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 23:12:40 GMT

In today's diverse workforce, success often hinges on the ability to adapt and evolve. This was the focus in a recent discussion hosted by Wendy Born from Business Value Partners, to members of the National Electrical Communications Authority. Wendy was joined by our Directo r, Andrew Bath an d Senior Con sultant, Ella O’Connell . Collectively, Andrew and Ella bring over 25 years of experience in recruiting across diverse industries and successfully working with millennials and Gen Zs.

During the discussion, they explored recruitment strategies, steps to creating thriving cross-generational teams, and the benefits Millennials and Gen Zs bring to the workplace. Below we have compiled three key takeaways from the discussion for your perusal. Dive in below!

What are the benefits of employing millennials and Gen Zs?

There are a multitude of benefits that come along with employing millennials and Gen Zs within your business. Andrew and Ella discussed how younger generations are not just committed employees but also drivers of change. They challenge process, modernise business, and bring a fresh perspective that’s vital to stay relevant in today’s world.

In Andrew’s words, “having the younger generation in our team brings diversity of thought and fresh knowledge. I get to learn different things and new technologies, and how they can add value to the business”.

Why personal relationships with team members are so important.

To successfully manage younger generations, Andrew and Ella discussed the importance of recognising everyone as unique individuals with their own goals and values. By developing personal relationships with employees, you create a positive work environment and motivate younger employees to strive for their best.

Andrew sums this up by saying, “giving younger employees the responsibility and trust to complete tasks in a safe environment where they feel supported to make some mistakes and learn is vital. This demonstrates that you see them as a person, not just a number that’s here to work and earn you money”.

How to recruit millennials and Gen Zs.

To wrap up the discussion, Andrew and Ella spoke about how recruitment can be time-consuming, especially for small business owners who may not have dedicated HR teams. Understanding where to find the right millennial and Gen Z candidates is another challenge in itself.

With Ella being a Gen Z herself, Andrew and Ella shared their story of connection. Andrew said, “I reached out to Ella over LinkedIn recruiter back in 2021 during COVID-19 lockdowns. We had a couple of conversations over Zoom and realised we lived close enough to do an interview as we walked around a local park – and here we are today. A hugely successful recruit”.

A Recruitment Internship: More than meets the eye at Project Resource Partners

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:52:49 GMT

From a fancy office building to a simple phone call, the world of recruitment brings new experiences every day. Thanks to our internship, we were able to experience an industry that we were unaware of, but so glad we did!

The recruitment industry is a niche yet important field, running to help organisations find the right person for the right job or vice versa. Specialist recruitment companies bridge the gap between client and candidate, building meaningful relationships to make sure everyone benefits. As interns, we had the privilege of experiencing this unique industry and understanding its ins and outs, which are built upon human connections.

Recently, both of us were placed as interns at Project Resource Partners (PRP) and this was an interesting and eye-opening experience that allowed us both to learn and expand our understanding of the real workforce. Working almost behind the scenes, PRP are specialists in the recruitment industry focusing on business and technology transformation as well as change management. Putting the big words aside, PRP displayed their ability to act as the middleman between client and candidate and develop relations to ensure the right role finds the right person. The process of recruitment changes a business for the better, across various fields.

Even though we had many preconceptions and initially felt anxious, these thoughts disappeared on our first day as we were welcomed with open arms. Being treated as real employees, we completed many of the same daily tasks our colleagues were carrying out, from candidate calling, meeting candidates and sorting through resumes!

Speaking with candidates for certain active roles really allowed us to develop our communication skills in a professional setting, to build caring relationships. To add on, our technological skills improved by using certain software, and then assisting in the transfer of data to improved software which was a really exciting process. We applied our intern tasks into our own lives, by fixing up our CVs to be more eye-catching and straight to the point, and better understanding LinkedIn and Seek to use to our advantage. These responsibilities and tasks gave us tertiary students insight into what careers after our studies may entail.

From this internship, our hands-on experience broadened our employability skills to make ourselves better employees for our own careers. Our placement was definitely a positive highlight, all thanks to the amazing team at PRP. They gave us the opportunity to learn and grow in a positive working environment, pushing us to improve and obtain skills which are more foreign to university students. However, we can definitely walk away feeling more accomplished and ready for the real working world. Thanks to PRP, we discovered that there is more to recruitment than meets the eye!

By Sara Matar and Austin Swamy (Biomedical Science Students at Monash University)

Join the Community for School Transformation Professionals

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 06:05:26 GMT

As a business transformation recruitment business, Project Resource Partners get to consult with companies at different stages in their transformation journeys. Some are highly attuned to implementing and delivering change, others are embarking on a something for the first time, and there are organisations anywhere in between.

Different organisations within the education sector have different levels of maturity and resources. Generally, Universities and TAFEs, have larger teams than schools do, dedicated to transformation and strategy. In fact, schools have historically not invested in change and transformation in the same way that larger organisations have, however, that is changing.

The challenge for schools is that their primary focus has always been educating and preparing young people for their future. With limited funding, and teachers invested in this core focus, they understandably are unlikely to have transformation teams, let alone highly resourced ones. The schools who have begun to see benefit in this space, tend to have a single project or change person working across multiple types of projects. It can be challenging for these transformation professionals to gain the support of their leadership teams and teaching staff as the benefit to student learning outcomes and experience may not be realised until completion.

With that in mind, Project Resource Partners saw the need for a community where the transformation professionals with the school system could come together, share ideas, build relationships and collaborate to help make better outcomes for schools, and therefore students. The community, which had its first roundtable at the end of June, will endeavour to share ideas around best practice, while also learning from industry experts and thought leaders from across industries.

The group is open to people who are working in, or connected to, transformation within primary and secondary schools. If you are working in this space and would like to be part of this community then please feel free to reach out to ei ther:

Ella O'Connell
S enior Consultant
+61 406 611 833
eoconnell@projectresourcepartners.com.au

Andrew Bath

Director

+61 419 607 662

abath@projectresourcepartners.com.au

We’d love for you to be involved in what we think is a very exciting and potentially game changing group.

Reducing Inequality - The Gender Pay Gap in Australia

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 06:21:18 GMT

In 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 sustainable development goals to ensure global prosperity by 2030. Goal 10, Reduced Inequality, is a broad goal that encompasses various dimensions of inequality, including economic, social, and political inequalities. While I acknowledge the immense privilege of living in a wealthy nation like Australia, I am disheartened by the disparities faced by marginalised communities, such as women in the workforce.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s 2022 Report highlights how the gender pay gap is an ongoing area of inequality in Australia. I have heard people argue that this is due to the over-representation of women in lower-paying social service jobs and the under-representation of women in higher-paying executive and managerial roles. Although I believe this disproportionate workforce distribution is an additional issue, this argument is factually incorrect. The gender pay gap continues to sit at 13.3% even when male and female salaries are statistically matched according to occupation, industry, age and employment status.

I believe bridging the pay gap ultimately requires a concerted effort from parliament and employers.

In parliamentary space, the Albanese government has passed two initiatives to combat the pay discrepancies. These include:

The Fair Work Legislation Amendment Act prohibits pay secrecy from June 2023
The Workplace Gender Equality Amendment Bill requires large companies to publish their pay gap and implement strategies to combat internal inequality from 2024

Although I am confident these legislations will improve the gender pay gap, eliminating the gap is ultimately the result of employer actions and a company commitment to fostering a diverse workforce.

But what does this look like? A company commitment to eliminating the wage gap means:

��Conducting pay gap analysis - Recognising and understanding discrepancies is the first step to developing efficient solutions.

��Gender neutral paid parental leave - Promoting shared familial responsibility will reduce gender stereotypes and the career penalty women face when they take maternal leave.

��Normalising flexible working arrangements - Accommodating an employee's commitments outside of work will empower men and women to invest in their careers and family.

✍️Standardising the recruitment/promotion process - Ensuring recruitment/promotion processes are standardised to job requirements will reduce a bias in favour of applicants who fit a stereotyped profile.

��Support training for women re-entering the workforce - Investing in the training and transition of women re-entering the workforce will mitigate the career penalty they face for taking maternal leave.

In Australia, eliminating the pay gap requires a government and corporate-wide commitment to policy changes, accountability measures, and cultural shifts. I am very encouraged by the work Project Resource Partners is doing in partnership with Jobs Academy , a program run by Future Women , to help women find supportive work, regardless of their circumstances. I believe Jobs Academy facilitates corporate-wide equality by providing professional development, networking, mentoring, and ongoing support to women across the workforce. To find out more about how Jobs Academy has been bridging workplace inequality, visit https://lnkd.in/gu67ERij

Tahlia Jackson
Candidate Consultant

(Please note: I am not in the office Tuesdays + Thursdays)

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8167 M +61 450 069 958

E tjackson@projectresourcepartners.com.au

Canvas LMS webinar discussing the ‘State of Higher Education’ in Australia

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 22:13:55 GMT

Having worked across a number of Learning Management System (LMS) implementations recently, I was excited this week to attend the Canvas LMS webinar discussing the ‘State of Higher Education’ in Australia. Insights from Instructure’s Global Study into Student Success and Engagement were shared, and how we can learn from these statistics to move forward in the age of digital education.

Focusing on education for Project Resource Partners, I have noticed many universities in Australia are transforming their LMS capability, including a number to Canvas.

Given this, I was intrigued to hear the results of the study and understand their impact moving forward, particularly when student numbers are lower post-covid, and student engagement is of all-time importance to enroll and retain students.

My insights to consider for the future of digital education, and how it impacts the hiring market moving forward were:

1. Upskilling educators in their new systems is of increasing importance

With a number of new systems and tools being brought on to increase the efficiency and capability of online education for students, it’s important to keep in mind that staff need to be provided with the resources to understand the systems and make use of them effectively. In the past year, technology training has increased from 43% to 67% of universities, providing staff with the opportunity to keep up with digital growth.

2. Consider an ongoing LMS support team post-implementation

Whilst many organisations may have specialist LMS project teams for implementation, staff and students will seek ongoing support as they understand their new systems in greater detail. Over time faculty staff will have more complex questions around the capabilities of the platform and learning design options. This will require technical support from teams who understand the complexities of the LMS.

3. Improvements to accessibility equals higher student engagement

With the increase of technology use in education, accessibility needs to be considered to allow all students to engage with content and learning effectively. Instructure’s research suggests educators are already acting on this, with 22% more institutions providing professional development in the diversity, equity and inclusion space. Various LMS systems offer accessible add-ons such as closed captions, formatting options and text to speech functionality, and having staff who understand how to implement these across courses is vital to increase your target market.

4. Increase the student adoption rate of new technologies

Learning management systems at the university level are vastly different to what students are used to at the end of their high school experience. Providing education around how to effectively use the systems and tools provided can significantly increase student engagement. This will lead to higher academic results and a positive student experience.

If you’re working across or considering a transformation, such as an LMS implementation, and would like to discuss what is happening in the education market, feel free to reach out to me for a conversation.

Ella O’Connell
Recruitment Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

M +61 406 611 833

E eoconnell@projectresourcepartners.com.au

“Technology is the enabler” (Dr Jillian Tomlinson). My reflection on the ‘Brilliant Connected Women in Digital Health’ event.

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 01:58:36 GMT

As Project Resource Partners’ recruitment specialist in Health Care and Service, and someone passionate about women leadership, I enjoy learning about the space, its past and its future. Recently I attended an inspiring discussion ‘Brilliant Connected Women in Digital Health’ run by Telstra Health, hosted by Sophie Scott and paneled by Kym Peake (Partner EY Port Jackson Partners), Dr Jillian Tomlinson (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon) and Emma Hogan (Secretary for Digital and NSW Department of Customer Service).

There were a number of insights from the session, but a consistent trend was the value of collaboration, connectiveness and compassion. Technology and digital health have proven to be key enablers of this – bringing service to local communities, allowing isolated individuals to stay connected with family and friends and providing a platform for discussion around social and mental health issues.

My three key takeaways were:

Technology allows us to “work smarter, not harder” (Dr Jillian Tomlinson) . Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, technology has allowed us to lessen the strain on the healthcare workforce and break down silos. It has brought more primary care to local communities, supported the creation of a more inclusive environment and acted as a key service driver for acute and chronic conditions.
There is incredible opportunity for the Aged Care sector. Technology has improved the quality of service for patients by connecting them with specialist doctors via telehealth and increasing virtual connectiveness with family and friends. It is also important to see its greater potential. As Dr Jillian highlighted, remote and accessible service can help slow down the transition of the elderly to Aged Care facilities. This can benefit families in improving personal home care and reduce the strain on the already stretched industry.
There are some lessons learnt for the future of Digital Health. As Sophie optimistically put it, there is opportunity for “post-traumatic growth”. There is still untapped value in connecting data and insights. Improving data integration can provide rich insights and foundation to uplifting future service and policy.

As you can see Digital Health has had a profound and positive impact through the Pandemic, and this impact will only continue to grow. Being able to listen to these three very impressive women, who are making such an impact in the field, really demonstrated to me why I am so passionate about the area I am lucky enough to recruit into.

I am excited to be able to continue providing solutions with the healthcare and aged care space, allowing me to play my part in such an important field.

If you would like to discuss this topic further, or if I can assist your recruitment needs within this space, please feel free to reach out.

Isabelle Petrie

Consultant

Level 7, 360 Collins Street

Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107 M +61 402 696 393

E ipetrie@projectresourcepartners.com.au

How to attract the right people in a talent short market

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 02:19:22 GMT

Recently I presented to 40 business leaders for Victorian Leaders on my thoughts around how small medium sized businesses can attract the right people in a talent short market. The focus was on the start of the job search process, and how as a business you can stand out, or be in the mix, as they just start thinking about looking for a new role. Interestingly I spoke after Peter Leahy, who had looked at the importance of different vehicles in delivering value to a business. Suffice to say people is key to the ability of a business to be able to create value.

Before going into what it is that job seekers are looking for in the current market, I asked the business owners and leaders to bear two things in mind:

1. The labour market is like any other in that it is impacted by external factors, and it fluctuates and corrects. Currently it has moved 180 degrees to be very candidate led, after COVID where it was employer led. There is an argument that the market is now starting to correct and move more toward equilibrium.

2. What is right for one business, is not necessarily right for another, and it is essential that you understand your business, what you stand for, what your story is and what is important to you.

With that in mind, and carrying out straw polls through out the talk, we discussed what is important to candidates, where they find information and how many avenues businesses can use to find the right person.

The key points that we covered were:

What job seekers are looking for, and backed up by results from a poll we did, covering:

o Purpose

o Money

o Job security

o Flexibility

o Location

o Work from home vs office based vs hybrid

Other points that came up were progression, rewarding work, people, company ambition, learning, recognition and reward, diversity and inclusiveness, ability to be able to play to their strengths, mental health support, office culture, working relationships.

Where potential employees look for the information they want, includes places such as:

o Your website

o Your EVP

o Glassdoor

o Social media including LinkedIn and Facebook

o Networking

o Mystery shopping

o Google

o Networking events and groups including University groups

o Interview processes

o Job descriptions.

There has even been instances recently where prospective employees have sent an application form to companies, for the company to complete and then apply to the candidate!

What is important for a company is how easy the information is for a potential employee to find. How easy is it for them to discover and understand your purpose? Is your EVP easy to find? Do you have clips of people from your organisation talking about what they like, and maybe even what frustrates them? In an age of transparency, how transparent are you to potential employees?

With that in mind, it is worth talking to your existing employees about what they like about working for your business, and what frustrates them. That will give you a great starting point.

The market is changing, but what was covered is applicable in any market. If you understand your business and who you are, know what is important to you and understand what people are looking for, and make information for your business easy to find, then you’ll be a step ahead in the race for talent.

Last week, I was lucky enough to be able to present to Victorian Leaders, covering my thoughts on how businesses can deal with a talent short market. In a short period of time the market has turned from one that was very client led, where the candidate supply was very high, to a market where demand is high, but the supply of candidates is as low as it has been in over 10 years.

With that in mind, the workshop that was presented to the owners of primarily small and mid-sized businesses, looked at what they could do in terms of process and interviewing to ensure they are in position to attract the right talent for their business.

From the workshop, here are the top 10 takeaways:

1. The market is talent short at the moment, and that is across all sectors. If not now, then soon, it will be one of the biggest challenges to economic growth continuing, and businesses being able to grow.

2. With the in mind, it is important to look at your recruitment process, evaluate whether it is a purely reactive process, or one that is proactive and allows you t stay ahead of the market.

3. Look at your process and ask:

When does my process start?
How long does my process take?
How do we source people?
Do we know what we are hiring for?
Do we have what we need inside the business already?
Do we know what potential employees want?
Do we know our story? What is the opportunity?
Is the recruitment experience positive for all applicants?
Do we have partners that we trust to assist us with the process if we need it?

4. Look at how you can put time aside to speak to potential people when you are not recruiting.

How can you talent map or talent pool the right people, and ensure you have the time to talk to the appropriate people about your story?
Look at how you can use a variety of means to ensure your story is being told, from online and social media to internal recruitment teams, direct recruitment, staff referrals, partnerships with educators or other bodies and relationships with recruitment partners.

5. What will you do if you can’t find the right person?

Where can you be flexible? What is nice to have and what do you need?
What can you train and what can’t be trained?

6. Remember that the right person will be a mix of the right attitude, the right fit and ‘some’ of the skills you want. You want there to be a skills gap, so there is room for your new employee to grow, but you don’t want to compromise on attitude or fit.

7. When you’ve got the right people you need to ensure your conversations are an engaging two way process. You need to be able to tell your story and give the candidate the chance to tell theirs. Don’t think of the conversation as ‘question time’, but rather ‘story time!’

8. What does your story need to be? It needs to believable, evocative, useful, emotive and contagious, and demonstrable. This is your story, the story of where you work and the opportunities it can provide so you need to be passionate about it. Think about the opportunity, not the job!

9. Now let them tell their story, that you can prompt with questions. Consider how it relates to your story, and whether you connect with the story. Does it work with the skills, fit, and attitude that you require? Does it allow for the diversity and inclusiveness of thought that every team needs? Do you know what you need in your team? Is it a story with examples? Do you know what you want in an answer?

10. Finally let them ask you questions. The questions someone asks will tell them a lot about them and what is important to them. Do they match what is important to you? This is a great chance to clarify your story and to personalise it even more.

Finally, always ensure that the process is a positive one for all involved it, the candidate who gets the role, as well as those who do not get the role. Every person in the process is someone who can help tell your story to who they know.

At Project Resource Partners, we want to be able to help our partners tell their story to an audience of active and passive candidates, to increase your ability to find the right people for your business. If you need help spreading your story to a wider range of business transformation professionals, then contact me:

Andrew Bath
Director

Level 7, 360 Collins Street

Melbourne VIC 3000

M +61 419 607 662

E abath@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL IMPACT AND PURPOSE

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:35:04 GMT

Recently Project Resource Partners welcomed Kim MCDonnell to present to a select group of our candidates and clients on Social Purpose, why it is important and how it can quantifiably add to your business.

A Social Impact and Marketing Communications industry leader, who has collaborated with the UN and the SDG Partnership and presented at the UN. Kim has also founded the social enterprise Thankful.org and launched Thankful4Farmers , to support climate smart agriculture and regional and rural communities.

Kim’s passion to assist organisations develop and implement meaningful social impact strategies, that are also commercial, really came across in the workshop. In a world where ‘purpose’ is a word that is easily, and often used, it was great to get an insight in to what a good social impact strategy looks like.

These are purpose led strategies that create impactful and sustainable solutions, that make a difference. They show why it’s not just good business but good sense to put social impact at the heart of an organisation.

Here are my top takeaways:

Businesses can no longer be spectators on purpose, they must be in the game and understand that doing good is good for business, and for society. As a joint study by BCG and Givewith found, 13% more value is generated when using social impact as a sales differentiator, over traditional sales techniques.
Consumers today, and even future employees, will look more deeply at your business, including at things such as hiring and promotion, CEO and Board diversity, investments, political involvement, philanthropic partnerships, and impact investments. Be careful though, that these aren’t just words, but are backed up.
It’s not what you say, but how you do it. It’s not a nicely worded mission or values statement on a website, you’ve got to have an honest look at your company and have a company’s genuine purpose led strategy that is companywide. This isn’t something that you can fake, it needs to be real.
The reality will be in a genuine pledge to institute impactful change, that is companywide strategy, not just an ESG or marketing led initiative. It’s part of your business, and no one expects an organisation to be perfect, but you need to be honest, real and have active intent.
To have that intent, you need to measure your social impact, because otherwise it won’t happen. Interestingly studies show, only 33% of Australian companies measure the effect that social equity has on their customers in terms of acquisition or retention. The upside here is immense.

All businesses can have a social impact, and to be able to make a difference that is about more than profit levels or quarterly reports. In fact, you can drive those through having a social purpose that is lived organisation wide, and is honest and intentful.

Below is Kim’s contact details should you wish to discuss this further:

Kim McDonnell

CEO/Founder

kimm@thankful.org | +61 400 101 868

HOW PERSONAL WELLBEING BUILDS PERFORMANCE

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 04:38:41 GMT

Recently, Project Resource Partners were fortunate enough to have Melbourne Wellness founder, Jack de Leeuw present our most recent virtual workshop: How Personal Wellbeing Builds Performance. Given the events of the past 18 months, and even with the changes that will come with our new found Melbourne freedoms, looking after our personal wellbeing has never been more important.

Jack’s presentation provided us insight into how looking after our personal wellbeing, can ensure we are best placed to ensure our performance and that of our teams is as close to optimal as possible. In doing this Jack discussed what we mean by personal wellbeing, how it effects our personal performance and what influences it in the workplace. He then looked at practical steps that we can take to improve our personal wellbeing and how it can support team performance.

These are my top takeaways from what was an enlightening and informative workshop. The key takeaway though for me is that a lot of what is required is not complicated or new, and at its core relates to looking after what we eat, what we drink and our sleep. Yes, there’s more, but those three things can have a great impact on us, and it doesn’t mean to say that we aren’t allowed treats thrown in as well!

Dodge, Daly, Hayton and Saunders in 2012 determined that wellbeing is a balancing act between our resources and the challenges that we face. Resources challenges physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual, and we need to work to keep these in balance.
Research tells us that by ensuring the wellbeing of our staff, we can increase productivity, engagement, and satisfaction, leading to a far healthier workplace.
Wellbeing has three parts and it is important to recognise the importance of all three: psychological, which supports how well we manage stress and relates to our personality; physical, which is our wellness and looks at nutrition, movement, hydration and recovery; and social, which is our connectedness.
It’s important to note that it is very difficult to separate work and life, so rather than work life balance, we are looking for life balance and that is something that is an individuals responsibility, but companies can support and educate us on this. There needs to be a wholistic approach.
Everything is connected, from our inner self to outer self or physical being to our connected self, and if any part of that is out of balance, just a little bit then it can impact our ability to manage stress.
That said not all stress is bad, and in fact we need some stress to be able to achieve our highest levels of performance, but what we have to be able to do is manage that stress, and as a business, ensure that our people are supported to be able to manage their stress levels, so they remain performance enhancing.
Within work there are several levers that are available to us where we can impact wellbeing is a positive manner. These include the context; such as job design and reward, leadership; do we align with company values and purpose, culture; is it aligned, relationships; are our conversations real and authentic, and management; is it respectful and empowering.
One thing that can have a real impact is how leaders demonstrate wellbeing themselves. Do they set boundaries? Do they send emails late at night? Do they take mindfulness breaks? It’s important to think about your actions and how they can influence those working for you.
Some of the key things that people look for from their leadership teams in terms of dealing with them, are that they are capable, respectful and give autonomy.
The key takeaway for me though was that it is the very simple things that make the biggest difference in the quickest time. Am I getting enough sleep? Am I hydrated? Is my diet whole foods and balanced, or processed food and fats? Am I getting enough exercise? Am I putting in mindfulness breaks?

So yes, there are things that an organisation can do to support personal wellbeing, and they will help improve performance, but as individuals it is something that we need to be aware of, and know we can have an impact on very quickly if we need to. To find out more about this topic please visit melbournewellness.com.au .

I’ve also included the recording from this workshop for your viewing pleasure:

THINK ABOUT THIS: THREE WAYS TO INCREASE MENTAL PERFORMANCE

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 04:30:58 GMT

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a workshop run by behavioural scientist Milo-Arne (Milo) Wilkinson and hosted by the women’s-led business community, Business Chicks. Focusing on the brain, its functionality and its impact on personal and professional outcomes, Milo spoke to the power of intention. Yes, scientifically the brain is a mass of 75% water, some fat and protein - in reality, it is much more. To be it, the brain is our central hub for thoughts, decisions and performance. Focusing on leveraging this organ and fulfilling its full potential is a key force for achieving goals.

With this in mind (no pun intended), here are three key take-aways that can help improve your mental performance.

1. Challenge yourself: Taking 10 minutes out of your day, three times a week to undertake a mentally stimulating and challenging task can help build mental strength and make new things a learnt experience. If you are trying to adopt a new skill or understand a new system at work, lean into this experience intently as the more you do this – the more critically it will ‘fit’.

2. Identify your best mental ‘flow’ time: As Milo puts it, the biggest decisions of life often need to happen in the first part of the day. As time goes on, us humans loose mental ‘bars’ and our mental performance deteriorates. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. If you are someone who finds they are most switched on in the afternoon, pinpoint this and capitalise. Maximum mental capacity lasts for 4 hours and attention span lasts around 50 minutes. So, block out this time and take interval breaks.

3. Restore your surge capacity: In a natural state your brain comprises of 27% positive, thrive thoughts and 73% risk control and survival thoughts. In the current state of global pandemic, it is innate that our survival thoughts have increased, and positivity has decreased. In order to thrive more and perform better, it is integral that you take time to restore your surge capacity by doing things you enjoy. Of course, if you are like me you take joy out of doing your job, however there is strong value in intentionally taking time out of your day to have some other fun. So, take your lunch break and get that walk in – your mental performance will reap benefits.

If you wish to learn more about Milo, her website is https://www.milowilkinson.com/resources

Also, if you are a woman in business, I highly recommend you become part of the community at Business Chicks . I am fortunate enough to have an employer who sees the benefit in this amazing community.

Isabelle Petrie

Consultant

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107 M +61 402 696 393

E ipetrie@projectresourcepartners.com.au

HOW BUSINESSES CAN DEAL WITH A TALENT SHORT MARKET

Mon, 31 May 2021 04:23:50 GMT

Last week, I was lucky enough to be able to present to Victorian Leaders, on my thoughts on how businesses can deal with a talent short market. In a short period of time the market has turned from one that was very client led, where the candidate supply was very high, to a market where demand is high, but the supply of candidates is at an all-time low in over ten years.

With that in mind, the workshop was presented to the owners of primarily small and mid-sized businesses, looked at what they could do in terms of process and interviewing to ensure they are in position to attract the right talent for their business.

Here are my top ten takeaways:

2. With that in mind, it is important to look at your recruitment process, evaluate whether it is a purely reactive process, or one that is proactive and allows you t stay ahead of the market.

3. Look at your process and ask:

When does my process start?
How long does my process take?
How do we source people?
Do we know what we are hiring for?
Do we have what we need inside the business already?
Do we know what potential employees want?
Do we know our story? What is the opportunity?
Is the recruitment experience positive for all applicants?
Do we have partners that we trust to assist us with the process if we need it?

4. Look at how you can put time aside to speak to potential people when you are not recruiting.

How can you talent map or talent pool the right people, and ensure you have the time to talk to the appropriate people about your story?
Look at how you can use a variety of means to ensure your story is being told, from online and social media to internal recruitment teams, direct recruitment, staff referrals, partnerships with educators or other bodies and relationships with recruitment partners.

5. What will you do if you can’t find the right person?

Where can you be flexible? What is nice to have and what do you need?
What can you train and what can’t be trained?

8. What does your story need to be? It needs to be believable, evocative, useful, emotive and contagious, and demonstrable. This is your story, the story of where you work and the opportunities it can provide so you need to be passionate about it. Think about the opportunity, not the job!

10. Finally let them ask you questions. The questions someone asks will tell a lot about them and what is important to them. Do they match what is important to you? This is a great chance to clarify your story and to personalise it even more.

Finally, always ensure that the process is a positive one for all involved, the candidate who gets the role, as well as those who do not get the role. Every person in the process is someone who can help tell your story to who they know.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEAD YOURSELF BEFORE YOU LEAD YOUR TEAM

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 04:15:16 GMT

Back in March, Project Resource Partners launched a series workshops that we saw as a way of being able to give back to clients and candidates. The initial thought was that we would have 3 or 4 of them, and they provide opportunities for some great speakers, motivators, business coaches and thought leaders to be able to potentially tap into new audiences. It was about trying to create some win-win possibilities for attendees and speakers alike.

Recently, we held the 12th and final workshop for 2020, and we were lucky enough to welcome former Wallaby and Super Rugby champion Beau Robinson. Beau used his experience in sport, in business and as a leadership coach to reinforce the importance of Self Leadership: Why it’s important to lead yourself before you lead your team. Given the events of 2020, I think it is fair to say that leaders have at times forgotten about themselves, to focus on their teams. What Beau illustrated, through what turned out to a very authentic and real discussion, was that through self-leadership our teams and results really do benefit.

These are my top 10 takeaways from a workshop that allowed us to reflect on our 2020 as leaders, see the positives that have come from it, see the resilience that we have shown to ensure that we can look forward to 2021 with optimism for ourselves and our teams. Beau used the phrase a few times that ‘Leadership is simple, but not easy’ and showed that by taking the time to reflect we can make that path clearer, giving our teams more confidence and certainty.

As leaders of teams, it is essential that we create environments of trust, so that we can have open, honest, and accountable conversations, where we are able to understand the people, whilst keeping the conversations professional. By doing that we are to get commitment from people, rather than telling people what to do.
Do we know what our strengths and weaknesses are as a leader? Self-Awareness is a noun that means conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires. Often, we forget to review our won strengths and weaknesses, and interestingly often when our frustrations manifest, they are linked to our weaknesses.
Our ability to be aware of our strengths and weaknesses and getting to understand those of our team can create opportunities for building higher functioning teams. Through admitting our weaknesses, we can show our vulnerability and humility, and to leverage of others in our team. This in turns get the best out of our team and shows the importance of us working together to achieve our aims.
Speaking about our weaknesses shows security in who we are, and in turn that transfers to our teams, showing them, they can be open and honest, leading to proactive, collaborative teams who are comfortable asking for help.
It is important to strike the right balance between leading and managing, where leading is being out in front and leading by our actions, and managing is where we are looking after our team. We need to ensure we don’t get so far out in front that you forget to come back and check on your team, and as a manager we need to make sure we don’t lose focus on where the team should be going. It’s a fine balance!
Taking the time to reflect, particularly in a year like 2020, is important for ensuring future performance. Did we remain in the right frame of mind? Were we too hard on ourselves? Did we doubt ourselves too much? Were we lonely? What did we do well? There is a real chance to learn from 2020, and to use it as an opportunity to make ourselves better leaders.
From that we can then look forward, and in doing so it is important that we are realistic, positive, and optimistic. We need to think about what we can control, and think with gratitude about what we have got, rather than what we have not got. We want to ensure that we are excited about the future, and in doing that our enthusiasm will manifest itself in our teams.
Now is a great time to think about why we do what we do. Why do we go to work? Have we been working to live, or living to work? Have we got the balance right, so that we are energised both in our personal lives and our professional lives? If we can reenergise ourselves, recharge us, then we will invest more in our people, we can support them more and will create engaged and motivated teams.
In focusing on what we can control, we need to focus on actions and outputs with our teams, the process, rather than the result. It is the process that we have control over, so it is important that we step back and assess what it is that we need to do. What are the key actions or outputs that we need to focus on?
The 6 Cs are key to the success of our teams or our businesses moving forward. Clarity, what is our purpose and can we articulate it. That will breed confidence, and if we are then able to Communicate our plan, or road map, then that in turn gives our team Certainty. That Certainty then allows our teams to have a sense of Conviction as they work toward the mission, and that in turn leads to them being Committed to the team, the purpose, and the process.

It is important that as leaders we do not think that leadership is a magic potion, or a silver bullet, but rather a series of little things done well, with consistent discipline, and that is why it is simple but not easy. Whether you are a leader, or not, the biggest takeaway for me has been to make the time to reflect, to think about where we are going, how we are getting there and why. The more comfortable I am in me, the more effective I will be in developing relationships in my team, and with stronger relationships we can develop more capability.

All of that will hopefully lead to a positive and uplifting 2021, where we take the lessons of 2020 to create environments that are positive and optimistic. Before that though have a happy and safe festive season, I think we’ve all earned it.

BUILDING RESILIENT TEAMS

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 04:03:23 GMT

Recently, Project Resource Partners were fortunate enough to have two time Olympian Katie Foulkes present our most recent workshop: Building Resilient Teams for Times of Ambiguity and Change. Given the events of 2020, our ability to be resilient has never been more important. How we, as teams and organisations support our people to be resilient has never been more vital. Using her sporting background in part, but more pertinently relating it to the teams we all work in, Katie painted a picture of how organisations are essential to our resilience.

Katie’s presentation provided a different view on resilience to the one that usually prevails, alluding to the fact that resilience is more than being hard and gritty as an individual, and what it is as individuals we do ourselves in the face of a challenge. Leaving it to individual resources is unsustainable, therefore what is available externally, from the system, organisation, team or network is at least as important in allowing us to turn toward our challenges.

These are my top 10 takeaways from what was an enlightening, and though provoking workshop, that reinforced my understanding that as a leader of a team and company, I am accountable for providing the environment and resources to ensure we are able to face the challenges in front of us.

Traditionally we think of resilience as relating to the individual and what is internal to them. We don’t attribute any success or otherwise to any external resources, nor to the importance of the whole environment. This means that when a challenge is not met, we often revert to ‘she / he was not resilient.’
As an individual we rise to a challenge through an increase in our levels of arousal, that can be measured on the Performance Arousal Curve. If you look at it from a sporting perspective, low arousal equates to low performance, too much arousal creates anxiety and that again impairs performance, but at peak arousal brings peak performance. Athletes are trained to regulate those arousal levels from breathing techniques, to pre-match routines, but what do we do as organisations?
In sport, that peak performance state, is a moment in time, a 10 second sprint or an 80 minute match. As organisations though we expect continuous high performance, but usually without the recovery sessions or intensity sessions that an athlete would have. We simply expect our people to constantly keep performing, day after day, in what can become a ‘rat race’ rather then a 10 second running race.
What has a huge impact on this for the people facing the ‘rat race’ challenges, is that as individuals we only have a infinite pool of internal resources, and peak performance requires high levels of resource use. That can also mean that individuals need longer recovery times to replenish, and yet how often as leaders, do we ask for more, or even, more with less? This finite pool of resources is even more evident given that we are facing multiple challenges, and in fact, research has shown that even when there are no challenges, we conserve our resources for when the challenges come.
It is when our resources are depleted or becoming increasing scarce that people start to feel stress, start to have their mental health impacted, and certainly stop being able to perform at their peak.
The relationship between an individual and a challenge is mediated by the external resources that are available to us. To continue being resilient, and meeting challenges, it is essential that we have access to a range of available and appropriate resources from external sources, such as our team, organisation or network. This shows that our resilience, is not just about the individual, but about the system, what we get from our team, function or organisation.
With the right external resources, we feel we’re more confident in turning toward challenges, and being optimistic, as we understand the challenge, in the knowledge our organisation has given us the external resources and support to meet it. That knowledge of support also allows us to grow and develop and be more willing to actively seek solutions.
As organisations though, this requires us to understand what our people need to be able to meet the challenges they face, and to feel they can be resilient. From this understanding, the knowledge that we need to be willing to invest to ensure the right resources are available, accessible and appropriate. We also need to accept that our people’s ability to meet a challenge is as much about us as an organisation as it is the individual. We face the challenges together, and we are as accountable for the outcome.
Key to us providing the resources is how collaborative we make the organisation, how well we educate that resilience is not about being hard or gritty, but identifying what resources are needed. All of that comes from listening and being able to have quality coaching conversations. That allows us to identify the challenges, now and into the future, and what resources are needed to be successful.
We also need to encourage our teams to talk with each other about their challenges, what may come up and how we can work together to overcome the challenges that we might face, and how can we collaborate, co-ordinate and compromise.

What all of this means for an organisation is we need to consider; do we want to run lean, or can we use the system and what we have to store surplus resources, through creating them, garnering them resources in the system and building them. If we do that, we can ensure we have resilient organisations, with resilient teams and resilient people.

THE RULES OF BELONGING

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 03:51:53 GMT

Project Resource Partners enjoyed having the very engaging Fiona Robertson present our timely workshop; The Rules of Belonging: Creating an Organisational Culture to Drive Your Results . Given the current circumstances we face in Melbourne, creating that sense of belonging is something that is more important than it is normal.

The topic of belonging could have been an all day workshop, rather than the 45 minutes we had, but Fiona was able to give us a real feeling on why belonging is so important, how to use belonging to create a culture that will drive results, and how it is that culture and strategy intersect. It is fair to say that I had a lot of content to come up with my top 10 takeaways!

What this workshop showed was how important the feeling of belonging is to us as human beings, how it creates and provides us with that feeling of safety and how is the rules of belonging are so integral to culture.

If you do want to know more about this , Fiona’s book ' Rules of Belonging - Change your organisational culture, delight your people and turbo-charge your results ' would be a great place to start. The first chapter can be found by clicking the below button:

In the meantime, here are my top 10 takeaways from Fiona’s workshop, in the knowledge that, to paraphrase our presenter, culture change may not be easy, but it is simple:

There have been two types of evolution; biological and cultural. The former is glacially slow, whilst the latter grows exponentially, creating fast moving change in society, and as an extension of that organisations
Our brain does not distinguish between physical pain and social pain, and this is shown in the research of Matt Lieberman, a renowned neuroscientist
Belonging trumps Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, because whilst we need shelter, food, and water, it is belonging that gives us access to them
The brain, a Threat Detection Pattern Recognition Machine, is wired to keep us safe, and as such, it senses if we don’t belong - as that puts our safety at risk - because as humans we are the ultimate social species
With belonging being such an important driver, it means we look to behave our way to Belonging. We watch, to see what to do. We evaluate, to see how others react, to know who the leaders are. We experiment, to see if our behaviour allows us to belong. If it does then embrace the behaviour, and finally we enforce the behaviour. We do not want it to change because it keeps us safe.
This is what creates the culture of our organisations, it is the Rules of Belonging
More than just how we behave though, it is how we interpret behaviours that drive our company’s culture. The same behaviour in two different organisations, even two teams, could be interpreted in a completely different way. In one it creates or reinforces belonging and in another it could lose belonging
This interpretation then influences engagement and culture, which are not one in the same thing. Engagement is how we experience the system, where as the culture, is the underlying system. Changing engagement, does not change the culture, as we do not look at interpreting the behaviours therefore we are not changing the system
To change culture, we have to change the Rules of Belonging . We must ask; what earns belonging, and are they the behaviours that we want to see more of, to achieve the belonging to the culture we want to create or reinforce
Is that culture that we want, created by those Rules of Belonging , the culture we need to execute our strategy? Culture does not eat strategy, it sits at the table with it, it needs to align to it. That means it is not always easy to align, as we may need to change the Rules of Belonging , and that may challenge the safety of our people. It is not that humans are bad at change, it is just we’re good at it if it serves our sense of belonging.

That is why, as Fiona says, culture change may not be easy, but it is simple.

AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 10:32:19 GMT

We were fortunate to have Dr John Gora from Neural Networks Concepts facilitate our timely workshop with a group of candidates and clients on Authentic Happiness: How we use our emotions to arrive at 'happiness'.

Given the current circumstances we face in Melbourne, it was a discussion that was both informative and practical. It was a topic that could have been done over 45 hours rather than 45 minutes, but John was able to more than do justice to a topic that is so important right now. It did mean that finding my top ten takeaways was quite tricky this week!

At times like these, it can seem that the events of the outside world can control our happiness. That an announcement can affect our levels of happiness and whether we are optimistic or pessimistic.

What this workshop demonstrated by sharing findings from studies to practical demonstrations, was that we can control whether we are happy. It sometimes may not feel like it, and at times whether we are happy or not may feel like it is dictated by external events, but in my most important takeaway from this workshop:

I am able to control my happiness.

Now though, here are my top ten takeaways from John’s workshop on Authentic Happiness.

I'd love to hear how you try to ensure you are as happy, positive and optimistic as you can be.

The definition that resonated most with our audience was the Dalai Lama’s ‘Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.’ For the record, Hugh Downs’ ‘A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes’ was a close second.
Alison Ledgerwood showed that biologically our brains are wired to tilt slightly to the negative. That means we must work to see the upside of things, but we have the tools as humans to be able to do this.
Barbara Frederickson, took this further, finding that people who flourish have three times the number of positive thoughts to negative. They can identify triggers in a moment to be able to reflect on and regulate their behaviour.
External factors do not have to dictate our happiness, and there are implications for allowing them to do so, including the fact that when we achieve an end, then sometimes we can be looking for the next thing to make us happy rather than just being happy. John referred to this as the ‘pink cushion effect’!
Optimists and pessimists can be separated in terms of belief patterns. Optimist see problems as temporary, but think positive events have permanent causes. For pessimists, the opposite is true, with bad events causes being more permanent, and good having temporary causes.
Pervasiveness is also viewed differently by those who are pessimistic vs those who are optimistic. Optimist can localise a problem, but the good can pervade all they do, whereas a pessimist will see universal explanations for problems, while the good only happen in a certain context.
Moods are often defined as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ and influence how we evaluate and judge what happens to us. They directly impact the memories or information we retrieve. This means that our day’s quality can relate to how we categorise those moments.
We remember and recall on a continuum of association or dissociation, whether we view them in first person or third person. How we perceive our experiences on that continuum enables us to alter how we feel to any experience.
When we associate, we see things through our own eyes, and are in the experience, feeling we are in the moment. When we dissociate, we see ourselves in the experience as we think about it and watch it happening.
The differences mean we are able to apply association and dissociation differently, helping us with areas such as problem solving, resilience and being able to emotionally connect better with others.

RAISING LEADERS

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 09:49:24 GMT

Last week Wendy Born, author of the newly published Raising Leaders: Using the principles of parenting at work to become a great leader and create great leaders, facilitated Project Resource Partners and Amrop Carmichael Fisher’s latest workshop. The latest workshop was titled Raising Leaders, and Wendy discussed how parenting principles could be used to build great teams, now and into the future.

Wendy’s discussion was one that was truly authentic as it mixed interesting statistics with practical tips to back up theory, and truly heartfelt examples. As a parent myself, of two teenage boys, it was easy to see that we often miss the parallels between the two worlds of parenting and work. Even if you are not a parent, there are still examples that can often be taken from our own upbringings. It’s fait to say that from personal experience I can feel the same range of emotions across the two spheres, from love to frustration, and elation to disappointment.

The parallels may be obvious when they are pointed out, and in a world where the lines between home and work are becoming more blended, Wendy was able to point out how we can use our experience of parenting to help build, develop and drive great teams. If you get the chance, and are interested I would certainly also recommend reading Wendy’s latest book - here is the first chapter:

Here are my top ten takeaways from Wendy’s presentation:

According to studies, 72% of us are likely to walk past a scenario where we could lead e.g. to stand up for something, we believe in. That is caused by fear, lack of know-how and the feeling that we lack control
There are five key principles that allow us to build great teams: Love, Environment, Health, Language and Vision
Love is what allows us to build an authentic connection with our team and allows us to forgive. 56% of people at work feel their mistakes are held against them! Love allows us to show our appreciation and to build the trust and respect that a team is built on
Our people, like our children also work best when they have expectation and understand the consequences. When they are clear and unambiguous, they allow our teams to take calculated risks, as we are able to let go, knowing that we can discuss and debate through review in a safe environment later. Without the mistakes, no one learns
That safe environment is even more so if our teams and families are healthy – both physically and mentally. That is even harder now with the blurred delineation between home and work. We need to make sure there is an off switch, that nutrition is thought of, that we are drinking enough water and that we as leaders are showing the way. A healthy team will be more innovative, creative and optimistic and will make better decisions
The language that we use influences all of the first three elements and the last one. It has a huge impact on our families and our teams, and shows that as leaders we are always on show. Ever had a three or four year old imitate you, when you wish they hadn’t! If we are rushed and short with people, our teams will be. We need to take time to reflect, empower and ask questions, and how they look and sound will depend on whether we are in the action on the dance floor or on the balcony looking at the big picture
For all these to work though we need a vision, a purpose, a why. One that is clear, without jargon and involves everyone, so together you can believe and enjoy the journey. If it is not, then you may end up with a bad connection!
Having a clear vision enables us to the create a Realistic Imagination of Success (RIOS), where we can visualise where we are going and how we can get there. It is what combines ambition and capability, or imagination and reality
Love, Environment, Health and Language and Vision can all be viewed and interpreted from three perspectives. Insight, what we already know; Plain sight , what we already have; and Foresight, what do we need?
Always remember that leadership is bigger than us!

The lessons and the learnings are there for us to see, and for use to build strong teams, in the same way that they can help us build families and help us as leaders develop our people. As with families, building teams, developing people and becoming better leaders ourselves is not going to be easy. But, like with family the rewards can be exponential if as a leader you are willing to work at it.

After all isn’t that what makes leadership and developing teams fun!

Here are the slides Wendy presented:

DEVELOPING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS AND YOUR PERSONAL VALUE PROPOSITION

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 09:29:59 GMT

Last week Project Resource Partners were fortunate to have Nina Anderson of Anderson Advisory facilitate the latest in our series of workshops that have proved rather popular. Nina presented her workshop over Zoom on ‘Developing Strategic Relationships and your Personal Value Proposition and Why this is Important in the Current World.'

Nina was able to facilitate a discussion that resonated with all the participants, whether they were in a role, leading teams, leading businesses, or looking for work. Nina navigated us through why strategic relationships matter and the value they deliver to businesses, and what this looks like with a dispersed workforce and an often invisible market. In addition, Nina also investigated how executives and their teams build strategic relationships for commercial outcomes and ways you can achieve this right now.

These are skills that often people find less than comfortable. Usually seen as self-promotion or putting themselves ahead of their team, or it is simply that it is outside our comfort zone, and often that is because we are not practiced at it, and therefore we are unable to convey the value that we can bring to people, projects, businesses or situations. In a dispersed workforce, where visibility can be blurred at best, but where we still need to achieve our goals, the ability to understand our Personal Value Proposition, and to build strategic relationships has never been more important.

With that in mind, and before announcing our next workshop which will take place on Thursday 13 August at 1pm, I wanted to share my top ten takeaways from Nina’s presentation.

Take the time to understand yourself, what you do and the value you add, and importantly how you can convey that on a daily basis in a way that creates interest, and that you are comfortable with
Who do you need to know? Who do you know? Where are the gaps? Know that, so you know who you need to target to know internally and externally
The strategic relationships you need are a cross section of relevant connections to you and your work. They be internal, external, business contacts, advocates, ambassadors, industry, media, social media, and government amongst others
You have recognised the gap; now how do you connect? There are online tools at your fingertips; LinkedIn, or an intranet’s internal directory. Or there is the time honoured talking to people and asking for an introduction. If you are doing it online, include a personalised message when you connect
With the connection accepted, now it is time to organise the next step. Our current distributed workplace can make that harder, but there are still options
You could start with a phone call, or a Zoom meeting, or a walking meeting where you still follow the necessary social distancing restrictions
Remember though that people are busy, even those you have the closest relationships with, so in that case maybe a text that does not require a response. Something like ‘Thinking of you and hope you are well.’
It is important to remember that the relationships are not about now, or tomorrow, they are about the long term and the ones that matter will be mutually beneficial
Part of building that relationship over the long-term and building your Personal Value Proposition is sharing and giving. It may be content, or articles or insight that you share with connections that it is relevant to them. You can give without getting!
Your value proposition is important and it needs to be authentic. For that you need to understand your intrinsic value and what it is to others. Are you a trusted advisor? Are you a facilitator? Are you a sounding board? Are you a provider of insights? Maybe you are all of them, but what is important is that you know that and are comfortable portraying that

Spending time on building our connections, and building strategic relationships can be difficult, but often it is because we do not put aside the time to do, or the time to understand ourselves. The ability to build these relationships is in us all, and in this current climate, it could provide us with the opportunities to really thrive and be successful. If you have not done so before try and put time in your diary to focus on what your Personal Value Proposition is, and to then build the relationships you need.

These are skills that are valuable to you whether you are in work and looking to progress your career, or if you are looking for work.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR 'NEXT NORMAL'

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:49:19 GMT

Recently, Project Resource Partners, were excited to have Sharon Griffin, Amrop Carmichael Fisher’s Leadership Advisory Partner present our Zoom workshop on People and Culture Considerations for Our ‘Next Normal’.

Sharon expertly facilitated a wide ranging discussion that focused on recent findings around the cultural implications of COVID-19 and what this means for employees and leaders; what considerations do we need to take into account around values and behaviors as we move toward our ‘Next Normal’; and how this will mean people engagement strategies need to evolve.

The data that Sharon shared brought up some interesting and thought provoking findings, and reaffirmed to me the importance of knowing our people, what is important to them, and understanding that big enough events can change what people and companies prioritise.

This is potentially even more pertinent for Melbournians as we re enter a lock-down that will impact our people in different ways, meaning they need different levels of support and have different requirements of the companies for whom they work.

With that in mind, and before announcing our next workshop which will take place on Thursday 23 July at 1pm, I wanted to share my top 10 takeaways from Sharon’s discussion.

Take the time to understand how our current situation has impacted our workplaces and people, and that there have been cultural benefits to come from a challenging set of circumstances
Personal vales such as making a difference, adaptability, well being and caring are more prevalent in what people are prioritising
This has impacted how they experience their workplace culture, with a move from command and control type values to ones that are more related to adaptability and collaboration
The values that potentially limit our people have changed in priority as well, away from things like bureaucracy and hierarchy to, what I would call more personal points such as caution, confusion, and job insecurity
Employee engagement and teamwork will be essential to our ability to emerge and thrive, and these are unchanged from pre COVID-19 times
Achieving engagement and teamwork, not to mention collaboration and adaptability is made easier by a business having a well-defined purpose as their anchor. Companies need to ask themselves if their purpose, priorities, and values still hold true to the current world and what lies beyond
As a business how are we communicating to our people and is what we want to communicate done with clarity and transparency
Some teams and individuals will have performed better than others, what can we learn from them to ensure others are able to be set up for success
People in your organisation will have learnt or displayed new skills, think about how these can be used to further engage people and to help drive your business
As was also discussed in John Chambers from IE Group workshop ; understand what you need to do for a blended workplace and what is right for your business and people

This list could have been 20 takeaways, but these were the ones that most resonated with me. There are numerous positives that have come out of our current challenges, particularly as they relate to our people and culture. We need to ensure we embrace these and use them for the betterment of our businesses, and in driving engaged cultures where people want to work and thrive in a way that is mutually beneficial.

LEVERAGING ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 07:41:31 GMT

Recently, Project Resource Partners, were proud to have Rosalinda Batson of Neural Networks Concepts facilitate our workshop on Leveraging Essential Skills. The discussion looked at how Emotional Intelligence and Neuroscience can drive your team culture.

We have attached the slides from Rosalinda’s highly informative presentation and would highly recommend looking through them if you are involved in leading teams, large or small. There are some great insights into the importance of understanding ourselves, and our teams so we can present in a way where we are a positive influence on those around us.

My top takeaways are below, but before those, I wanted to share the quote from Helen Keller that Rosalinda used to start her presentation that resonated with me as I look to navigate now, and into the future:

“The marvellous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.”

Now the takeaways:

It is okay to have flaws as a leader, they are normal, just be aware of them and open about them. They can help in building a safe environment for your team.
Leadership fatigue is real, and will influence the effectiveness of our teams, more so now than ever. So, remember to look after yourself as well as your team.
Under continual stress, we can endure a continual low-grade state of Amygdala Hijack, so keeping checking on your levels of stress and fatigue.
Be aware of the three components of hardiness that influence your resilience in times of stress. Challenge, Control or Commitment, it’s good to know what you lean toward when the going gets tough.
According to EQ-I 2.0 there are 15 sub-scales of Emotional Intelligence, so know where your strengths lie and keep building your EI tool kit.
EI and hardiness ensure we can be considered and persevere when times are challenging. We anticipate challenges meaning we can evaluate them objectively, but with empathy.
Our emotions impact our team, and so can those of the people on our team. This is Emotional Contagion, and it is important to be aware of who, and how your team is influenced.
A shared purpose for a team, creates connectivity and allows us to role model behaviours to create strong team culture.
We need to know our strengths and what can derail us, and this enables us to understand how we arrive at our emotions.
Most importantly of all, keep showing up as your best self, and create an environment where your team can be their best selves.

CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING CUSTOMER NEEDS

Tue, 26 May 2020 07:08:11 GMT

Last week, Project Resource Partners were lucky enough to have Customer Experience and Design expert Tony Hillson, of Good Service Coach present at our most recent workshop; Continuously Changing Customer Needs . The discussion looked at how we can keep up with what has changed for our customers and principles to follow ensuring investment is spent in the right places, if it needs to be spent and / or not over investing.

Below are the slides from Tony’s presentation. If you have the time, it is certainly worth looking at as our customers go through a period of more change and disruption, influencing what is important to them, and therefore what should be important to us as we look to assist our customers.

Here are my top takeaways from the event:

What our customers want, in fact need, continues to change and the needs move back toward basic needs in a time of crisis. That means security and safety outweigh self actualisation!
There is a need for us as a business to ensure our service is desirable to our customers in their lives, and that they are willing to buy it
COVID-19 overnight changed how we behaved as it combined the three basic elements needed to change. We had motivation to change, the ability to change and there was a trigger
Our customers have changed how they perceive value and how they decide what is important. They worry about loss over gain, and now not the future. It is need over want!
This should then influence our assumptions about what our customers need, but we need to understand our assumptions, rank them by risk and then test them
Testing effectively requires evidence of emotional goals in certain scenarios, and evidence to ensure an understanding of motivation, ability and bias
This means testing the need and not the solution, and doing it as early as possible, in different ways, to ensure the problem has value
Behavior and data are what we want as proof, as distinct from opinions, so we need to prototype, do behavioral tests or ‘pre-totype’, and none of these have to be expensive or complicated
Is your customer willing to to pay money or invest their scarce time in your solution?
Remember as well that it may not be the product that needs to change, but how the customer experiences it

Those are my takeouts, but I would be interested in what strikes you after you’ve looked through Tony’s presentation:

REMOTE WORKING – NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

Tue, 19 May 2020 06:02:36 GMT

What is the right remote working strategy for your business? What should that look like as we come out of COVID-19? What is it that we need to consider?

Recently, Project Resource Partners and Amrop Carmichael Fisher were lucky enough to have John Chambers of IE Group host our third workshop, this time surrounding Remote Working – Now and into the Future . It was a highly interactive, informative and thought provoking discussion that included looking at what we were, what we are and what is required or needs to be considered to progress through the different stages of a remote working model.

Below are the slides from John’s presentation, and I would highly recommend looking through them. If you do have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I can provide you more insight or put you in touch with John.

Before I go into my takeaways, an interesting point to note is that one business, ASX listed, surveyed their contact centre staff and 90% of those who replied wanted a remote working model more permanently.

In the meantime, here are my takeaways from the event:

Approach it with an open mind, and be aware not everybody will think the same
What is the best distribution of your workforce for your customers?
You need to understand your underlying culture, and how remote working can contribute to that culture
Sometimes subsidiaries under the same leadership can be very different in terms of culture and therefore the best model for them may differ
What is going to enable remote working for your business to continue and to evolve? As well as culture, you need to be aware of the policies you have in place and the guides that will help your staff
What are the processes in your business that are critical and what is going to need to be optimized?
Is there a tool kit available and does everyone know how to use the tools in the kit, from document storage to workflow automation to conferencing to idea facilitation and culture optimization?
How can you create the casual moments that occur in a physical office, the ‘water cooler’ moments where problems are often identified and solved?
What is the right balance of remote and together for your business and what does the together part look like?
Have you looked objectively at the benefits of maintaining or even lifting your ability to work remotely? What about any potential costs?

My takeaways are a lot of questions, and that is because where your business sits on remote working is on a continuum and we will all sit at different points depending on multiple factors.

What do you think your business’s workforce distribution will look like in the future? How well have you stress tested it and do you know what you need to do to achieve your ideal end state?

WHAT IS THE TRUE COST OF A RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR A SMALL BUSINESS?

Tue, 12 May 2020 13:59:39 GMT

It’s an interesting question for a person who runs a small business. It’s one that as someone who runs a small business I ask myself regularly, and come up with the idea that there is no right or wrong answers, but there are different ways to look at the conundrum.

At a time like now, the pressure on small businesses is as high as it ever has been. Business leaders are looking at how they can protect their staff, how they can ensure their cash flow, how they can continue to meet their customers’ expectations. We are having to be on the ground, doing what is needed operationally and making sure we are in the best position possible as we navigate the current climate.

Despite this, we have seen the need for these small businesses hire people to complement what they have. In many cases this recruitment falls to the business leader, and they try to make it work around their other work. They put an advert up, and then the responses flow in – and now those responses are a torrent rather than a trickle.

The question though is whether that is the best use of a business leader’s time, particularly at the moment?

This increase in applications increases the amount of time required for each piece of recruitment. This is even more so if you are a small business, without a dedicated recruiter. The chances are that within the responses, there are people who can do the role, and through a process you contact those people, and then eventually chose who you want.

My question is though; what happens to those people who have applied who are not right for the role? Are you able to get back to those candidates in a timely manner to let them know that they are a no? How easy do you find it to manage those responses and to ensure your brand is represented the best way that you want it to. I know that even the most seasoned recruiter, one who values candidate experience still finds this difficult.

Now ask yourself was that the best approach to this piece of recruitment? It may also be that, suddenly, the recruitment path that you have chosen, often due to price and the fact that it is an easy process to put up an advertisement online, has become more costly than you anticipated.

Much of the cost in recruitment is hidden. It is not black and white, and it is not easy to calculate. At the same time though, it maybe that this is the hidden cost and is more acceptable than a fee paid to a recruiter, especially given the current climate.

Particularly for small businesses, and certain types of roles, that as a leader in a small business you can have the best of both worlds. What that looks like may differ, but potentially there is a solution there for you, that gets you the right candidate, but also allows you to manage your brand and time more effectively.

For me there are two questions you have to ask yourself about recruitment. What is the true cost of recruitment to our business? Is our current approach the best way for us is to get the best results?

FOCUSING ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT DURING ECONOMIC HIBERNATION

Mon, 11 May 2020 05:16:59 GMT

Over the past six weeks, Project Resource Partners and Amrop Carmichael Fisher have partnered with different businesses to provide presentations on a variety of topical issues. We had Gavin Freeman from The Business Olympian discuss Leadership in a Crisis, and last week we have John Chambers of IE facilitate a discussion on Remote Working – Now and Into the Future .

Three weeks ago, it was Andrew Galak and Will Meeve from Levant Consulting who looked at What to Focus on in Economic Hibernation . There were several salient points that were brought up in the discussion, and below I’ve listed some I took from the discussion. I have also attached the White Paper that Will and Andrew have produced to complement the presentation. The White Paper includes an interesting check list of questions to ask about your business and some suggestions of what you can be doing.

In terms of what I found pertinent as a person who runs a small business in a market that is not without challenges though, here’s what caught my attention.

1. As David Rhodes the economist said, “Inaction is the riskiest response to the uncertainties of an economic crisis.”

2. In times of change there are opportunities there for us to tap into new markets or to provide new services. This can be in previously marginalised demographics such a Baby Boomers who have become more comfortable online and in online transactions

3. Access to talent is not necessarily determined by location, meaning organisations have better access to wider market of talent and skills

4. Values are key and will impact how our business is viewed internally and externally, and especially important is how those are embodied by our leaders

5. Having a reason to change doesn’t make it easier for our people, but it does provide a purpose

I’ve found myself reflecting on these on a daily basis as I look to ensure that as a business we are as proactive as we can be, whilst being empathetic and ensuring we are looking for opportunities to grow and improve.

What do you believe to be important to ensure that you are in the best place possible when you emerge out of the current economic climate?

LEADERSHIP IN A CRISIS

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 05:01:16 GMT

Recently Project Resource Partners were fortunate enough to partner with Gavin Freeman of The Business Olympian, who presented on ‘Leadership in a Crisis’. The presentation was the first in a series we are doing for business leaders. The next one is on Thursday 23 April at 1pm. If you are interested in knowing more then please contact me at abath@projectresourcepartners.com.au or on 03 9949 8104.

Below is a summary of my takeaways, though I am not even going to try and do justice to Gavin’s presentation. I would say that if you get the chance to listen to or engage Gavin, I would highly recommend taking the opportunity.

The presentation took the perspective of how in a crisis, as leaders we need to move from doing our ‘Bruce Wayne’ like day job where we know what to expect, to ‘Batman’, where the enemy does not allow us to prepare.

These were my top ten takeaways on how I can try and become Batman, or more pertinently the best leader for my team:

Mindset is key as we deal with the unknown, it needs to be a ‘can do’ attitude and positive.
Beware the of our brain, emotion can overtake logic, particularly when we are without our normal cues and working remotely.
Times of uncertainty,, change and ambiguity can lead to Amygdala Hijack, where we have an exaggerated personal and emotional response to an event. Think an over tired three3 year old not allowed an ice cream!
We need to try and understand and recognisze these situations early, and have a plan to deal with them so that we can replicate our decision-making processes and actions under pressure
This is where we need to be resilient, so being relentlessly persistent while having sustained appropriate focus, with the understanding that the ‘appropriate’ may change more quickly in the current climate
Is it success or the avoidance of failure that motivates us? If it’s success then failures will be bumps on the road to success we deal with quickly, or failure avoidance will lead to defensiveness, blame and less collaboration
Do we know who all our stakeholders are – primary and secondary? Our team’s families will be important to our teams more so today than ever and in the decisions that they make. This makes it important for us to act authentically and quickly.
Beware of the words and unconscious bias we have when interpreting and passing on a message, they alter it. This makes it important for us to be humble and willing to share our stories and feelings to provide our teams with the feeling of psychological safety.
This means understanding what is important to our teams, so that our workn filters don’t block what is important to our audience.
Across our businesses we need to understand what the triggers to act are. These relate to our people, external stakeholders, financials, operations, the market and risk velocity (how quickly will the risk impact).

To watch the workshop, you can do so here:

COMMUNICATION IN ADVERSITY

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:46:27 GMT

In times of crisis, how we communicate to our people is key to a business’s ability to adapt to adversity. That means in terms of the message and how it’s delivered. Should it be face-to-face, should it be written, does it need to be personalised? To not get either part of this right impacts greatly on how the message is perceived, and how the person, team or group go away feeling. Did your message deliver what it was supposed to?

Now more than ever, with our current virtual way of working, we need to be cognisant of what we are trying to deliver, why we are delivering it and how we are going to deliver it. I always think that asking yourself, how would I want to receive this message, is a very good sense check.

Two recent examples I’ve read about highlight the need for getting communications right.

1. A company who let their people know that they were being let go via Zoom to 400 people. It was not done on a video link for reasons of compassion, but it was still heavily criticized. Several people were not on the call, and only heard the news second hand or other means.

In reviewing what and how it was communicated, the company admitted they should have made individual phone calls, regardless of how long it took. That is not to say this method would have been without challenges, and nor to say it would have been received any better if you were the 150th person called and had already heard the news.

The other example is more operational and something that can easily happen when people are under pressure, everything is urgent and there are a lot of tactical issues in a short space of time. That for me would describe the last couple of weeks for many businesses and business owners.

2. A people leader, early in the current situation, who were uncertain given their new way of working, received an email. It outlined operationally what they needed to do, that this was an unprecedented situation and there were actions that needed to be taken. All very sound and very sensible advice.

The final line, of an email sent in a hurry, stated “These are uncertain times, and as a business we are under pressure and we have to consider putting in place measures” and then it stopped.

Nothing else from the email was remembered, productivity fell, and feelings of the worst swept through the team, who took to other means of communication to discuss. As it was done, the communications form a corporate perspective slowed down after having been communicated with on a regular basis. The message had probably not had it’s desired outcome.

Both examples show the importance of having people around you who can provide you with expert communications advice, even if it is just someone to read to and sense check. In both cases these were honest mistakes, made in a time of crisis and high pressure. However, these are the times our communications are most important.

As a business we have seen a number of roles come on for Internal Communications people, and Zoe Winn, our Change and Communications Consultant, has done a great job for her clients in resourcing these, as people see the need for experts to help them manage in these pressured times. If you do have the resources, but feel you need more help then please reach out to Zoe whose details can be found at https://projectresourcepartners.com.au/our-people .

That said, not every company has the size or resources to have separate communications resources, so from my experience in talking to numerous communications people, and as a person who runs a small business here are my top 10 tips:

Put yourself in the audience’s shoes regarding content and medium. How would I want to receive this message?
Be clear and concise in your message
Avoid multiple messages where you can
Be consistent in tone and timing
Send it to someone to check, or at least send it to yourself
Make use of the different technologies that are available
Read through or practice it
Review with the audience, or some of the audience after you’ve done it
Take the learnings for next time
If it doesn’t go right, apologise

These are not easy times, but the way we communicate with our teams will play a big part in how our businesses emerge from the adversity we currently face.

Andrew Bath

Director

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T 9949 8100 M 0419 607 662

E abath@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE ART OF CV STORYTELLING

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 13:33:25 GMT

As recruiters, it is no surprise that we see hundreds of resumes every day. They range from 18 pages to one page, with portrait photographs and without, paragraphs or bullet points, funky fonts, graphics and styles or simplistic layouts.

So what works best and is looked upon more favourably by hiring managers and recruitment firms?

I am aware that the thoughts of editing and creating resumes can cause huge anxiety and stress for many people, especially if you feel that you are shooting your resume off to multiple job applications and not getting anywhere. I hope this blog sheds some light on your questions and will help you (yes you) in your job seeking process.

In this month’s blog I would like to answer some of the questions that you may ask yourself during your CV writing process.

*Please note for CV writing it is advisable to come prepared with an adequate amount of caffeine (or something a little stronger perhaps if you find this to be a particularly arduous task). But don’t worry help is on the way i.e. below.

Why am I writing this CV and what is the main purpose of it (besides the obvious i.e. getting a job)?

Firstly it is to ‘sell’ yourself, your experience and your achievements in order to persuade a hiring manager to select your profile for interview, over the other 92 applicants.

Secondly it is to set up great talking points to discuss in your interview. In this sense, your CV should state your key responsibilities and your key achievements of each and every role. (Some clients I partner with will not interview someone who doesn’t list achievements in their resume - as people want to know what your key wins and successes are in your career to date).

How should I structure my resume?

Your resume should tell your story and create your brand that you wish to portray for yourself. It should flow effortlessly for the reader and look aesthetically pleasing (think simplistic rather than OTT). Keep it to PDF, ensure it is editable and avoid graphics, logos and things that simply just take up space and take the readers attention away from the most important; the content.

Commencing your CV with a career summary is a good place to start. One which highlights your areas of expertise, summarises the type of work / projects which you have been doing recently and the industries in which you have previous experience. This should be written in the third person (as should the entire resume), be authentic, portray your purpose, drive and ambition and state what you have done in your career, rather than what you want to do in the future. Don’t sound generic – stand out from the crowd with this and be creative!

In the body of the CV and under each role, it is advisable to have a bullet point list of responsibilities and achievements. Remember to add detail to both of these to give weight and to add credibility to your resume. For example, state the dollar value of the budget you managed, the size of the team you managed, the ROI. I think most people seem to have the responsibilities down to a fine art, but I have listed some examples of achievements below to help:

Achievements:

Developed AS-IS and TO-BE processes aligned with BPMN clearly articulating the changes between the current and future business processes
Successfully managed the development, system testing, integration and user acceptance testing stages of X project
Reduced end-user service request turnaround time-frames from three days to 10 minutes per request

Successfully delivered Company X’s process improvement initiative, saving the company $X in the first year and $X in the second year

How long should my resume be?

Think of your cv like a funnel. The most recent role sits at the top of the funnel and so commands more space. As you move further down the funnel and your experience becomes less relevant you don’t need to include as much detail. In terms of its overall length, your CV can be as long or as short as it needs to be, as long as it’s full of relevant detail. Yes, relevant detail, aka your selling points; responsibilities and achievements.

Should I add company descriptions?

You don’t want to spend too much time in your interview describing what each organisation does so addressing this in your resume will afford you more time to talk about the important aspects of your role and what you delivered. Offer some insight into what the company does, what market it operates in, revenue, what your department is responsible for etc.

Should I tailor my CV to each role I apply for?

If you follow the general layout which I have described, you shouldn’t need to edit your resume every time you wish to apply for a role. However, you should understand the most important aspects of the role which you are applying for and ensure that the essential criteria for the role are evident and stand out in your resume.

What should I do if I need further advice or have questions?

If you would like any assistance or advice editing your resume, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly!

Lydia Mc Williams

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106

E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT CYCLE

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:42:07 GMT

Too often we see companies not effectively sell the full benefits of why a candidate would want to work for them. This missed opportunity comes from not understanding the desires of a candidate and only look at recruitment as matching a skill-set with an organisational need. Every business wants the best candidates to work for them, however, when a candidate is assessing like-for-like roles, how best can there be a differentiation to appeal differently to a candidate? One particular way to do this, that is particularly impactful for Millennial candidates, is to appeal to the non-monetary benefits of a job.

Money is always an important decision making factor towards attracting candidates, but when evaluating options and salary packages, are either negligible or negative. Prospective employers need to look at the other reasons for how they can engage and be appealing to a potential candidate. This is particularly relevant for Millennial candidates who will evaluate opportunities based on a mix of different factors. Evidence highlights the priority these candidates place on responsibility, development and relationships. Depending on how strong a company can sell their ability to provide these, Millennial candidates will opt towards inferior financial packages if these factors are satisfactorily met. Further, evidence shows that meeting these criteria has a significant correlation with talent retention over and above the hygiene factor of money.

This evaluation process that Millennial candidates take, highlights how thorough interviewers need to be with regards to offering a full mix of opportunities in a role. Companies need to ensure that candidates can build relationships with line managers and senior figures to understand the full range of benefits outside of just money. What this results in is a more positive experience with the candidate that leads to deeper emotional connection to the company that trumps decision making based on objective salary information. Treating a candidate’s experience in an interview process as a one directional conversation where only a skill-set is measured and only salary package is the benefit of the role ultimately leads to an inferior outcome. To get the best quality recruitment outcome, clients need to engage with all the reasons why a candidate will want to work with them.

We specialise in project services, business and process improvement. If you would like a confidential discussion on how to progress your job search or career, or you’re having difficulties bringing the right resources to your team, please contact us.

Dan Corbett

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105

E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

PROJECT SPONSORSHIP AND SYMBIOSIS

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 13:25:10 GMT

Given that you are reading this blog, I am going to assume that you work in projects (or maybe you want to transition into this space, or maybe you are flicking though LinkedIn over a well-deserved coffee). Whatever brought you here, welcome.

I met with a project manager recently who explained that over the past 18 months she had three different project sponsors due to restructures, redundancies and changes in management. We discussed how this can create an added layer of obstacles and hoops to jump through. And so this month, I thought I would discuss the importance of project sponsorship.

Project managers and sponsors must have a symbiotic relationship to ensure project success. Hence it is important for both parties to ensure they have an open, transparent, professional and mutually beneficial relationship. Since as a project manager you do not get to choose your sponsor, it is crucial that you work towards building and fostering this relationship.

Typically, a sponsor is already in place before a project is assigned to a project manager. Or sponsorship might change during the project and a new sponsor (who may have zero knowledge or experience of the organisation, or even of the industry for that matter) may come aboard onto your in-flight project. What strategies do you find work best in this scenario? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

From conversations I have had, the consensus seems to be as follows:

If your sponsor does not understand their role or your project, you should organise a meeting with them to lay everything on the table and to discuss what you need from them to ensure smooth project delivery. Or else you may be the one that will be held responsible in the case that the project falls through (which we certainly do not want to happen!).

Trust, trust, trust. Engaging with the project sponsor is part of the working dynamic of all projects and the most important element on which to build that dynamic is trust. How do you build trust? Simple, by delivering on your promises. Easy right? It is also imperative to be clear and structured in your communication to meet the project sponsor’s expectations.

Project sponsors need regular status updates and transparency. A project sponsor is undoubtedly the advocate of a project, and it’s her / his job to obtain commitment from stakeholders. They communicate the progress of the project to key stakeholders and senior management hence they need to be kept updated about project progress from regular talks with the project manager. So as a project manager you need to ensure that your sponsor is always updated and that they feel that they are part of the process.

While most project issues can be handled by a project manager, some of them are out of their scope. This is where a project sponsor steps in. The sponsor will have to resolve issues related to project risks, conflicting objectives, and so on, which are not under the project manager’s role of authority or supervision. So don’t hesitate to reach out to the sponsor even if you think you should just run with it yourself instead of bothering them.

No matter how experienced you are in projects, a project sponsor acts as a mentor to a project manager. So do listen to them and take on-board their feedback given that they are the one responsible for taking strategic decisions.

What have your experiences been with project sponsors and what challenges have you faced with sponsorship? I’d love to hear about your thoughts on this topic.

I specialise in recruiting for business transformation, project services and change management for the Not-For-Profit, Health and Aged Care sector. If you would like to get an understanding as to what’s happening in the market and / or considering making your next career move, please don’t hesitate to reach out for a confidential chat.

Lydia Mc Williams

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106

E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

SOFT SKILLS IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 13:17:37 GMT

One of the key parts to a successful recruitment process, where a person succeeds and is able to build a career with an organisation, is the ability of the process to look beyond a fixed set of skills. Those fixed skills, that can be trained, are obviously important in the day-to-day but it is the soft skills and competencies that will allow a person to build a successful career with an organisation.

The catch is that soft skills are highly intangible and context dependent so understanding the strength of a candidate’s soft skills is more ambiguous and subjective. So why are soft skills so important and becoming more important?

With the increasing prevalence of automation, the nature of work is shifting away from repetitive tasks and increasingly the focus is on the ability to collaborate, innovate, work in a team, adapt and analyse. The pace of technological change has meant that the ability to detect and develop these skills is becoming ever more important for hiring managers in order to ensure a successful hire.

This focus on personality and how a candidate can integrate, build relationships and empathise to influence the business is critical to determining how a candidate can work within and shape a dynamic organisational environment.

What this means is that even though they are of an intangible quality, soft skills should be prioritised and assessed throughout the recruitment process. It is also why it is important for each team and organisation to understand the soft skills and competencies that they require, before entering the recruitment process. You can then determine what questions you need to ask, and what answers you want to hear in order to evaluate candidates against this criteria.

This should lead to an organisation being able to hire a candidate that is able to add value over a long period of time. You will be able to hire someone that can adapt to changing environments, whilst delivering and adding value.

I specialise in project services, business and process improvement. If you would like a confidential discussion on how to progress your job search or career, or you’re having difficulties to bring the right resources to your team, please contact us for a confidential discussion.

Dan Corbett

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105

E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

A SNAPSHOT OF RETIREMENT LIVING IN AUSTRALIA

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 13:02:20 GMT

If you are residing in Australia, you are one of the 25.3 million ( https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/australia-population/ ) people who do too. Out of these, 6 million are retired. No matter what stage of life you are at, many people like to plan for their retirement. Have you dedicated time to explore what options you will have?

Even if you haven’t, there’s no need to fret. Retirement is a new stage of life, and some even say ‘life begins at retirement’! You may be looking forward to putting your feet up and reading all those dusty novels on your bookshelf or spending your days pottering around the garden or golfing 24/7, or you may want to fill your time with social group activities or volunteering. However, where you decide to spend your retirement is just as important as how you want to spend your retirement.

In Australia in recent years, more and more people are opting to live in retirement villages. According to the Property Council of Australia ( https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/ ) , in 2014, there were more than 2,300 retirement villages in Australia and around 184,000 seniors living in retirement villages. That figure is expected to double by 2025!

If you are not familiar with these, retirement villages are housing developments offering a range of accommodation options, services and facilities. These vary from swimming pools and golf courses to social events and 24-hour emergency assistance. Many people are attracted to the opportunity to downsize into a like-minded community with additional benefits while maintaining an independent living lifestyle. Although there are other costs associated with retirement villages, properties are often cheaper than similar sized homes in the same area. Some villages also have rental properties, meaning you can still enjoy the benefits of retirement village living without having to own the home.

There are resident-funded villages (funded by the residents who purchase their villa or apartment and contribute to the village’s capital infrastructure cost and ongoing management costs) and donor-funded villages (normally owned and operated by NFP organisations and include an element of charitable subsidy. Entry is generally restricted to the ‘needy’).

The various types of retirement properties are:

Villas / Independent Living Units

Properties range from one to four bedrooms and come in many shapes and forms varying, from high or medium-rise complex or terrace housing arrangement to a stand-alone or semi-detached building. If you require little or no assistance with daily activities but want to enjoy the benefits of living in a retirement community then this is the best option.

Serviced Apartments

Generally, have one or two bedrooms and offer the safety and security of 24-hour support and access to living assistance. They are ideal when you don’t need round-the-clock medical support, but you need a bit of extra help for daily living.

Retirement villages with home care services

If you live in a villa/independent living unit, many retirement villages also offer access to a range of home care services such as help with domestic work and transport to appointments. Home care services are an additional cost.

Retirement villages with residential aged care

Some retirement village developments now have integrated levels of care and are offering residential care accommodation. This means that even though your needs may have changed, you can still live in the same community. This is especially beneficial for partners as you can stay close to each other and friends if one of you has complex needs or can’t continue to live in your own home.

Above is a quick snapshot of the retirement villages sector, an Australian industry leading with +25 NPS utilising the Bain & Company research technique. ( https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/SCLSI/Retirement_Housing/Submissions/Submission_751_-_1_Property_Council_of_Australia.pdf )

Quoting Christopher Baynes from villages.com.au: “What other industry or sector or service can claim to actually increase the happiness and life satisfaction for customers who are 75 years or older, with both the health and financial challenges that most face? It’s a pretty good place to be”. ( https://www.retirementvillageinfo.com.au/retirement-village-industry-rort-key-happiness/ )

I have been partnering with more and more organisations across this sector to assist them with their transformational programs and projects. As a growth sector, I would imagine that 2020 will also bring more change to this booming industry, change that we are well placed to assist providers with to ensure better outcomes for their customers. Watch this space…

Lydia Mc Williams

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106

E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE CORPORATE TO NFP SWITCH

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 12:50:33 GMT

Have you conquered the corporate world and do you feel inspired to join a not-for-profit organisation? Do you want to add value to an organisation that will also add value and purpose to you? Well read no further people…

If you want to rejuvenate your career and values and to live a more purposeful life, then switching to the NFP sector could be your calling. But you must be warned, it is certainly not challenge-free, not for the faint-hearted and not an easy ride (often misconstrued perceptions). It could be compared to moving to a foreign country where the language and culture is foreign! But don’t let this discourage you, many people who make the move never look back. Maybe you won’t either!

Before jumping into the sector blind, here are some key areas that are worth making a mental note of:

Decisions are often made… gently (rather than swiftly)
Decision-making can be frustratingly slow with a myriad of stakeholders and multiple layers of discussion and approvals.

Dealing with community expectations and community, government and corporate leaders can be challenging

Multiple… lines
In the corporate world there is only one bottom line: THE bottom line. In the NFP sector, the bottom line is usually very complex and multidimensional, the goals can be much broader and based around objectives that can be difficult (or even impossible) to measure.

(Possible) lower pay but really flexible
Never assume (we all know what that does to you right!) that this is the case. However, for many people nowadays, remuneration is no longer the key factor when selecting a new role. Instead it is having purpose, giving back, having the ability to influence and make a difference and a work life balance where you work hard during core business hours but aren’t expected to work until the late hours of the night/early hours of the morning.

NFP organisations have access to salary sacrifice a broad range of everyday expenses and they are often way ahead of their corporate colleagues in job sharing, working from home, leaves of absence, and flexible hours.

Passionate and non-aggressive culture
A much softer approach is essential to get things done in the NFP sector which can take time to adjust to if you come from an aggressive, delivery-focused for-profit workplace.

Many hats
Instead of hiring various resources with varying skill-sets it is the tendency for NFP staff to wear multiple hats on a daily basis. In the morning you might be wearing your BA hat, by afternoon you might be wearing your change hat and come evening you are wearing your PM hat after a short stint wearing your test hat. This is certainly a great way to gain additional experience and prove your ability to be dynamic and flexible. Time to go hat shopping I hear you say.

Resistance to change / processes
This dynamic may cause some clash. I’m sure you can guess why..

Consultation
If you’re used to top-down decision-making, it can be surprising how much weight a single member or volunteer opinion may carry.

Stressful workloads
Tackling huge problems with (usually) scarce resources and on projects that rely heavily on government funding, there is commonly more to do than there are people and resources to work with. But as I personally always say, less stress more success guys!

I specialise in recruiting for business transformation, project services and change management for the NFP sector so if you are up for the challenge and fancy doing something new and perhaps more meaningful than before, then pop me a call.

Lydia Mc Williams

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106

E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

OUTLINING WORKPLACE CHALLENGES TO PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:37:43 GMT

No business is perfect, and often businesses partner with Project Resource Partners because they have challenges that need to be addressed. Often that is the reason for the transformation. These challenges may be structural and/or cultural, and successful candidates will need to understand and contend with these.

It does also mean that often a business needs to address these with candidates through the interview and screening processes, whilst still appearing as an attractive opportunity to the market. What you need to do as an organisation is ensure that there are no surprises when the candidate comes on board, that the candidate is engaged and understands what is going to be required in the role.

Doing this in the right way ensures that the outcome is positive for all parties and ensures that the engagement and therefore the transformation is far more likely to be successful.

The following are two critical ways interviewers and hiring managers can ensure that with their recruiter they hire the right person and that that leads to the right outcomes that benefit both the candidate and the organisation.

CHALLENGES ARE OPPORTUNITIES

Provided that the resources are allocated effectively, and there is true desire to change, there is always the ability for candidates to learn and to develop new skills. Contractors often can withstand complex, demanding and challenging situations and see the upside they present for their employability post-delivery.

Further to this and from my observation, candidates often enjoy pushing themselves and derive significant satisfaction out of delivering complex pieces of work in a difficult stakeholder environment. Presenting a business’ challenges realistically and providing the right candidate with an opportunity to improve their skills can turn a difficult environment as a growth and development opportunity.

EMPOWERMENT

If a company is engaging a specialist to assist with these kinds of challenges, they need to enable the specialist to get it done. There needs to be a willingness to provide enough organisational support to ensure the challenges can be resolved and the project delivered.

Let the person you have hired work through the challenges, while ensuring there are open lines of two-way communication and that the backing is there through effective managerial support for complex and challenging situations.

By empowering a transformational specialist with this support, candidates will feel comfortable attacking difficult situations and the business will achieve better outcomes.

In conclusion, if you want to hire the right candidate for the right challenge then the more honest you can be through the hiring process, including with your recruiter, the more likely it is that you will hire the right candidate. Then, if you provide them with the right environment it is far more likely that your transformation will deliver what it is that you want it to.

Dan Corbett

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105

E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

HOW THE LEAN START-UP CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 12:26:18 GMT

As recruitment consultants for business transformation and project management here in Melbourne, it is part of our role to fully understand organisations that we partner with. In order to be able to find “that perfect candidate”, we need to be armed with as much information as possible about our clients. This allows us to paint a detailed picture for prospective candidates and generally the more detail we have about an organisation the better placed we are to do so. We aim to understand everything you (yes you) would want to know about a job you are considering; project landscape and pipeline, team structures, strategic plans, growth opportunities, management styles, key challenges, team culture, working arrangements, parking options, methodologies used and so on.

On the topic of methodologies, in past years it was evident that organisations were using either waterfall or agile, then many transitioned to a hybrid between the two. However in more recent conversations when we approach this topic, the lean start-up mentality has been popping up more and more frequently. The first time I heard of this term it was during a coffee meeting with a project executive who works in the healthcare sector. He described it to me as “agile on steroids with an ability to do a 180 when required”. I found this explanation intriguing and was keen to find out more..

“Lean start-up” seems to be a buzzword that’s not yet widely understood and whose implications companies are only starting to grasp. If you haven’t heard about this previously, in layman’s terms it refers to pivoting when required to do so, constantly reviewing and reevaluating along the journey. Sounds like a better strategy to use for all those companies out there that have to deal with the forces of continual disruption if you ask me!

Essentially lean start-up favours experimentation over elaborate planning, customer feedback over intuition, and iterative design over traditional “big design up front” development. Despite this being a relatively new methodology, it’s concepts such as minimum viable product and “pivoting” have quickly been embedded and implemented in the start-up world. Despite its name, large companies who decide to embrace it would probably be on track to see the biggest payoffs. Interestingly business schools have already begun adapting their curriculum to teach it too.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, every organisation from start-ups, small businesses, corporations, and government feels the pressures of rapid change with ever-increasing external threats. Which creates a need to continually innovate to ensure their survival and growth. The lean start-up approach can help tackle these pressures and threats head-on, can ensure rapid innovation and execute transformation in a more dynamic manner than ever before.

Will you implement the lean start-up mentality in your organisation? Have you done so already and if so, what key benefits have you observed so far? What key challenges has this brought about? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Lydia Mc Williams

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106

E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

RECRUITING FOR CULTURE

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 12:15:26 GMT

When I was first trained in recruitment, one of the main rules of what not to do was to ask a client to describe their culture. The reason given for this is that culture is subjective both to the line manager and the successful candidate. Each person’s experience of culture is individual to themselves so as such, how can this be communicated to a candidate?

This is a wrongheaded approach to recruitment that views a successful recruitment process as matching a candidate to a skill-set. Recruiting successfully is significantly more about soft skills, relationship building and finding a cultural fit. These intangibles are significantly more challenging to gauge compared to more objective measures. So how should hiring managers recruit for culture? These are a few strategies to ensure culture is integrated in the recruitment process:

BE HONEST.

No working environment is perfect, in fact most are far from it however hiring managers and recruiters are often inclined to accentuate as many positives as possible to sell an opportunity to the candidate. When things aren’t ideal it’s best to state the truest experience a hiring manager has in their workplace. If candidates must operate in an ambiguous environment, they should know that, same with needing to manage difficult and challenging stakeholders. Being honest about the warts of an organisation has two different advantages, firstly it creates trust. Candidate’s appreciate honesty and transparency and will be more prepared for the eventualities of their role. Secondly, it sifts out those who are unprepared for that environment so that rather an uncomfortable candidate being hired they will recognise from the outset it isn’t for them. This results in an outcome where clients are less likely to need to re-recruit a role and will ultimately end up with a better fit candidate for the role and the organisation.

TRUST PERSON TO PERSON RELATIONSHIPS.

Relationships matter in recruitment. Any successful candidate will need to be able to build relationships and the relationship between both employee and line manager in addition to employee and their immediate peers will provide a foundation for success. Candidates get interviews based on skills, they get jobs based on the immediate relationships they can build and how they will connect with others in the organisation. This isn’t to restrict culture fit hires as only someone who is a direct fit with the team as pure like for like recruitment based on personality leads to problems of group think and a lack of new perspectives and insights that can add real value to the organisation.

Ensure that when recruiting, you are honest and look to how strongly person to person relationships can be built rather than looking to fit a skills brief to lead to better quality of outcomes.

I specialise in project services, business and process improvement. If you would like a confidential discussion on how to progress your job search or career, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Dan Corbett

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105

E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE BENEFIT OF E-ASSESSMENTS

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 11:39:58 GMT

With the rise of digital transformation in recent years across a number of industries, more and more organisations in Australia are implementing e-assessments. Paper based assessments are now a thing of the past, with online accessibility for in-class exams, admission testing for universities and even English language testing. There are a number of benefits of online assessments ranging from efficient marking, grading and feedback, a better experience for users, reduced cost and time and automatic record keeping for audit purposes.

Efficient marking, grading and feedback: When an assessment is based online, particularly multiple choice tests, they can be scored immediately which allows users to instantly see how they performed on the assessment. The fact that the grading is immediate allows instructors to pay more attention to providing feedback which is important for future learning.

Better experience for students: The use of online based assessments encourages users to be more engaged, as certain quizzes that incorporate video programs promote increased involvement. Rather than feeling like a test, to the user it can almost feel like an online game, making it more interesting and allowing them to be more interactive.

Reduced cost and time: Online based assessments drastically reduce cost and time for both users and instructors. If the assessment is not in-class, this allows the user to complete it on a computer anytime, anywhere. The same can be said for instructors. As mentioned previously, marking, grading and feedback is immediate as opposed to marking and providing feedback on paper-based assessments which can be very time consuming.

Automatic record keeping: This also ties in with reduced cost and time. Online based assessments automatically keep track of the user’s identity, their scores, any feedback related to them and there is no need for the details to be recorded manually, which generally takes up more time, resources and storage space.

As you can see from the points above (which are not exhaustive in anyway), there are many benefits of e-assessments, both to user’s and instructors. Implementing e-assessments does require financial investment but there will be a return on this, saving a lot of time and money in the long term. The ability to complete an assessment and to mark, grade and provide feedback anytime and anywhere is reason enough!

I specialise in project services recruitment in the education industry. If you need assistance with resourcing or would like to chat further regarding market insights, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Wendy Young

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169

E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

WHAT DEFINES AN EXCELLENT VS. A GOOD PROJECT MANAGER?

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 10:05:36 GMT

Have you committed to putting in the work to become the best project manager you can possibly be? Do you want to master the art of project management? If so, what skills are vital to your success? Knowing project management theory but lacking the skills to apply what you know is fruitless. Similarly, having the appropriate tools and techniques but without the skill to put them to good use is worthless. To help you on your road to success I have listed below some areas which you can focus on, reflect upon, and implement in your day to day.

Leadership

The key project management leadership skill to master is making sure you’re leading, rather than managing. That means providing a vision and a road-map for success, motivating your team, serving them, coaching them, inspiring them and empowering your team to reach the destination. I had an interesting chat about leadership with my colleague Dan recently, who is currently studying a Masters in Management at Monash University (huge credit to Dan for juggling work and study like a boss). Dan likes to provide us with regular updates about his seminars (whether we want to hear it or not) and recently he told us all about Fiedler’s Model of Leadership which states that there are four types of leadership; Transactional, Transformational, Charismatic, Values-based. Check it out here to learn more.

Communication

We regularly hear that communication is key. However, we must acknowledge that understanding and being understood are just as important. Hence frequent and effective communication is essential and will in turn ensure that everyone is on the same page and that no surprises arise.

It is a project manager’s responsibility to convey the vision, ideas, goals, and issues, as well as to produce clear status reports and project presentations. Communication of project details in writing and periodic status reports are absolutely critical and status meetings and reports are also invaluable.

The more touch-points you have with someone, the more solid the relationship will be, and the more likely the project will be a success.

“I wish my project manager would stop giving me so many project updates.” – said no one, ever.

Planning skills

The skill to master with planning is to ensure that you are always twenty steps ahead and always know what is coming next, for success and disasters alike. Planning is all about finding ways to do all that you need to do as efficiently as possible and the extent to which you can do so will directly impact the success of the project. Hence this needs to be taken very seriously!

An experienced project manager will always have a plan B up their sleeve, and sometimes even a plan C, or plan D. During recent conversations I have had, I learned that some project managers are implementing the l ean start-up methodology mentality, where you pivot when required to do so, constantly reviewing and reevaluating along the journey. It was described to me as “agile on steroids with an ability to do a 180 when required”.

After all, what is a project manager without a plan?

Time Management

Prioritisation is crucial, knowing where to spend your time is essential and knowing when to say ‘no’ is a critical skill. How can you best set up your day to ensure that you hit the sweet spot between the urgent and the important? According to Eisenhower's Urgent/Important Principle , “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important”.

The biggest obstacle for most are meetings. The ultimate thieves of times. The best strategy to use to ensure that meetings are not robbing you of valuable hours is to always have an agenda and stick to it like glue.

Respecting other people’s time, holding yourself accountable with yours, delegating responsibilities, multi-tasking and being flexible with your own schedule will ensure the project keeps ticking along (pardon the pun).

Risk Management

Except for perhaps on their birthdays, project sponsors hate surprises. Having good risk management strategies up your sleeve will help you to stay on top of your project while actively mitigating risk. The secret to this is to master the skill of being able to identify risks before they become issues, and to have effective mitigation plans in place so that the risk of them developing into issues is nullified. This skill is best developed with experience so the more projects you work on the better you become at the art of managing risk. This ability will mitigate unnecessary firefighting, so that you can keep on track with that wonderful plan you have.

Negotiation Skills

Project managers can find themselves negotiating with just about everyone, every day. And so a project manager has to be a damn good negotiator. Whether it is negotiating for resources from fellow project managers, negotiating for support from senior management, negotiating with third party suppliers or clients. Discussions about budgets, resource allocation, and timelines can become adversarial and counterproductive if not handled tactfully. Listening, being understanding and making others feel heard will help to find that middle ground aka that sweet spot where everyone who matters feel like they’ve won!

Subject Matter Expertise

It’s worth putting in the time to develop subject matter expertise not just for project management and your project management toolkit, but across the full project life-cycle. That means understanding how things work in strategy, service design, product design, creative conception, user experience, content development, front end development, back end development, QA, hosting, content delivery networks, SEO, analytics, CMS, social media to name but a few. If you are going to spend five or seven days being a project manager throughout your career, you may as well be an expert in it, right?

Finally... network!

As they say, it’s not what you know, its who you know that matters most! So approach that GM, introduce yourself to that Director, attend that industry event, meet with relevant recruitment agencies (preferably with us here at Project Resource Partners!), and get your name out there in the project management game.

If you’d like to share your ideas on this topic, please reach out to me directly.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

BANNING MOBILE PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 09:45:23 GMT

In 2015, New York City lifted a 10 year ban on public school students bringing mobile devices into the classroom. This ban had been implemented in 2005 by then Mayor, Michael Bloomberg. When Bill De Blasio took over the reigns, he fulfilled his campaign promise of lifting the mobile phone ban as he believed that parents should be able to call and text their children.

The topic of banning mobile phones in the classroom has been highly debated over the last few years, with schools in countries such as the USA, France, Canada and Australia arguing for and against. Just very recently, the state’s Education Minister announced that mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools in Victoria. This ban will be implemented from first term in 2020. Two of the reasons for this ban; to help reduce distraction and to improve learning outcomes for students. In the case of an emergency, parents will be required to contact the school directly.

Parents and teachers have raised a number of concerns time and time again regarding the use of mobile phones in the classroom, stating that students are constantly unfocussed. By applying this ban, it is expected that teachers will be able to teach and students will be able to learn. Students will be required to keep their mobile phones in their lockers from the first to final bell. A number of private and independent schools have already implemented a ban on mobile phones in the classroom and have reported that students are much more attentive in their learning without the electronic distraction.

The public response has been mixed with many supporting the ban, while others are against it. Those who support it have stated that it’s about time that this ban has been implemented and that it’s the right thing to do. Those who are against it have mentioned that mobile phones are helpful tools in teaching or that their children rely on their phones to organise their day and when assignments are due. As mentioned above, this debate is not only restricted to Victoria or Australia, it’s global. French schools have banned mobile phones in the classroom and provinces in Canada are looking at doing the same.

What are your thoughts on eliminating mobile phones in the classroom? Do you think that Victoria will be successful by implementing this ban or do you think the result will be similar to New York City in a few years’ time?

Wendy Young
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169
E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN INTERVIEWING

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 09:54:08 GMT

In finding and evaluating talent for a potential recruit, face to face interviewing is ultimately the best way to efficiently assess potential new hires. Although it is ultimately the most effective element, getting quality outcomes from face to face interviews can often be undermined by biases and other misconceptions the interviewer may have. Here are a few of those unconscious biases and misconceptions and how these can be managed.

Familiarity

This one is the most easily recognised and understood bias as all of us tend to gravitate towards those who are similar to our own backgrounds and personality. In recruitment this can be positively assessing people who come from a similar industry, educational background or have the same common interests. This is how social bonds are formed and they can often lead to more cohesive group forming, however, this can be detrimental in a recruitment process as by favouring those with similar backgrounds and experience, a hiring manager might shut the door on those who come from outsider groups and different backgrounds.

The first way to re-mediate this as a potential bias are incorporating blind assessments, where CVs are removed of identifying markers such as schools, universities or prior places of employment to ensure that any candidates in the process are assessed on their skills, not just other less relevant factors. The second way is to incorporate more people into the decision-making process, particularly of differing backgrounds and organisational functions. HR stakeholders are ideal for this as they can approach recruitment as a counter weight to work against any familiarity bias the hiring manager may approach the recruitment process with.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

In recruitment, this is one of the most dangerous cognitive biases that too often fools hiring managers. The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a tendency for some to overestimate their abilities, an unwillingness to accept their own short comings and to particularly present their skills to others as better than they are. People are naturally attracted to confidence and in situations where a hiring manager is looking for someone to solve their problems, they will often find this confidence in the part of the candidate assuring. This can lead to a major gap between what a candidate says they are capable of and what their abilities are that comes as a rude shock when they begin working.

Although this is a very tricky bias to see through in person managing how this bias is presented in a recruitment process relies on incorporating more measures to ensure opinions match reality. Detailed use of references, further testing and working interviews are all steps that can be used to ensure that a candidate’s confidence accurately matches their skills, rather than an overconfident candidate being hired leading to immediate disappointment.

Bias will always affect the recruitment process as human cognition consistently leads to it. The challenge for hiring managers is to understand how cognitive biases manifest and how they can be controlled.

I specialise in project services, business and process improvement. If you would like a confidential discussion on how to progress your job search or career, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

BALANCING THE ELEMENTS OF CHANGE

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 11:54:57 GMT

As I am a bit old school, I have a desk calendar with a daily quote (yes, paper based!). Today’s couldn’t be more accurate: “ Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better” - Richard Hooker .

On Wednesday 17 July 2019, we partnered with the Change Management Institute for their Wine, Cheese and Change event where Dr Miranda Jensen guided us through her personal path to change management, and the creation of Transformation3 methodology.

With a musical background, Transformation3 is based on the balance of the three elements that compose it:

Awareness: It’s the foundation, an explorative state. From a traditional corporate change perspective this would include your as-is maps, stakeholder assessments and impact analysis. If we were to use this on a personal life example, this would be, for instance, our resume, or an assessment of our strengths and weaknesses.

Destination: This is the vision, our goal on what we want to achieve. In a business, this would include things like the operating models and organisational designs and project plans. In our personal transformation, this relates to vision boards or statements of where we want to be.

Guidance: A traditional perspective is ‘how we get from A to B’, however, guidance is not purely a list of activities. Guidance is the research, new strategies, maturity assessments and benchmarks. From a personal perspective, this would be coaching sessions, reading on the topic, seeking special advice and mentoring.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, and some change activities could be part of more than one element at the same time, the difference is based on the intent (e.g. using an external consulting firm to map our as-is state could be interpreted as either or both awareness and guidance). Finding the balance of the three elements can be quite tricky as most individuals (and companies) have a tendency to spend more time and resources in one of them.

What are the signs we can use to perceive the lack of balance? If you focus on the Destination without awareness or guidance, you’d likely feel overwhelmed and have a lack of confidence in your ability. Similarly, if your focus is on awareness you’d only see your current problems, feeling quite stuck on what to do. Too much guidance usually means lack of accountability (e.g. having consultants advising on what to do but not necessarily doing it)

Identifying the imbalance will help you assess what activities need to be completed to move forward, and by continuously doing this process, you are being able to reassess your focus to meet the objective.

This is a snapshot of my understanding of Transformation3, but if you’re curious about it and want to add it to your toolbox, please have a further look at OnSong Group . There’s a series of videos, articles and other sources that Miranda has provided to facilitate the understanding of her methodology.

If you want to have further conversations on change, or you’re finding difficulties to bring the right resources for your team, please contact us for a confidential discussion.

Jaquelina Iselli

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107

E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATIONS

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 09:34:08 GMT

Project Managers are responsible for competing tasks at any given time and are required to make decisions that affect the outcome of a project. Typical tasks include planning, executing and closing out projects, along with taking care of budgets and any issues that may arise. Questions that I often receive from candidates who are looking to get into Project Management are “what certification should I obtain?”. There are a number of courses available in the market and here is a list of the most common certifications that Project Managers have under their belt:

PRINCE2 Practitioner

PRINCE2 stands for Projects In Controlled Environments and was first introduced in the Government offices of the United Kingdom. It was then introduced into the corporate sector and now many organisations around the world use this methodology. The PRINCE2 certification is divided into three levels, PRINCE2 Foundation, PRINCE2 Practitioner and PRINCE2 Professional.

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Project Management Professional is a well known and widely accepted certification for Project Managers and has a great reputation globally. PMP certification is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). To obtain the PMP certification, you will need to pass the training examination and have a strong understanding of different methods of planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling a project from beginning to end.

Certified Project Manager (CPM)

This certification is offered through International Association of Project and Program Management (IAPPM). This methodology looks at how resources such as time, money and people can be carefully utilised throughout the duration of the project. Communications, Marketing, HR, Risk Management, IT and Quality Management are other areas of focus in this certification.

CompTIA Project+

CompTIA Project+ certification is aimed more at entry level professionals and follows a general project management model. Project+ originated in the 1990s and delivers a number of certifications globally. Unlike some of the other certifications, this one does not require any prerequisites. If you have worked on small to medium scale projects before, it will be easy to understand the concepts. Once this certification is completed, you can apply for roles such as Project Analysts, Project Coordinators and Junior Project Managers.

Agile Certified Practitioner

Offered by PMI, this is one of the most highly rated Agile certifications. It is for those who are already in leadership or want to get a leadership role in their current project management team. It is also for those who have been applying Agile principles and methodologies in their day to day project tasks. To obtain this certification you need to have at least a minimum of 1,500 hours of work experience on Agile projects and 2,000 hours of overall project management work experience.

I specialise in project services recruitment within the education industry. If you would like to know more about different certifications or the current market, please get in touch.

Wendy Young
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169
E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO ACE YOUR NEXT INTERVIEW

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 09:23:13 GMT

For most people interviews are a rather stressful event. When meeting a potential employer or recruiter you only have 30 minutes, perhaps, up to one hour to make the best impression of yourself. Whilst it’s normal to be nervous, there are some general tips that would help you make the best of the opportunity.

Practice, practice, practice

As with most things in life, practice is key. The more interviews you do, the more comfortable you feel in that environment and the easier they become. If you’re a career contractor, you probably know what I’m talking about. Whilst they get easier with time, it’s still important to do some preparation beforehand – know the company, the role and if possible, know who the meeting is with.

Know yourself

As important as knowing about the company is knowing about yourself. What’s the story your CV tells? If someone asks about the moves you’ve made, are you able to answer in a consistent manner? You should also have a clear idea on what do you want out of your next role and why you are looking to move. My advice: be honest – prefabricated answers may not necessarily show interest in that job or let your potential employer know who you are as a person.

Tell a story

Given the limited time you have to make an impression, it’s best to have this prepared in advance so you can be providing concise answers. I’d suggest having three to four examples from previous roles that you can narrate end to end and you can use to answer most questions. Make sure you tailor them to the audience, and whilst there may always be some unexpected questions thrown at you, if you know enough about the role, you’ll be able to anticipate most of them.

Be curious

Think of an interview like a first date rather than a test you can fail. The purpose is for both yourself and your future employer to evaluate if you could work together and how do you fit in that business. The best way to know this is by asking questions – what challenges they are facing, how is success defined in the role, what do they enjoy about working there, … This also shows genuine interest in the role and makes the conversation way more insightful to all participants.

Be yourself

As cliché as this sounds, don’t pretend you are someone you’re not, because if you end up getting that job, for how long do you think you can keep up with it? Also, would you enjoy working for a period of time in a place where you can’t be yourself? Be confident, show what you’ve done and remember to maintain eye contact with all the people in the room.

If the above fails and you don’t end up getting that dream job, don’t take it personally. There are a lot of factors that come to play, in many cases, out of your control – perhaps there’s someone else that had better experience, perhaps some of the key stakeholders didn’t necessarily feel a connection with you, or maybe after meeting you, they’re rethinking what the scope of that role is.

Whether you are looking for that next role, or you’re currently hiring – don’t hesitate to reach out to have a confidential discussion.

Jaquelina Iselli
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107
E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

HOW DO WE DISCONNECT THE DISCONNECT

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 09:11:14 GMT

LAST MONTH, I WROTE A BLOG TITLED “CONNECTING THE DISCONNECT IN THE AGED CARE SECTOR” WHERE I DISCUSSED VARIOUS CHALLENGES AGED CARE COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA ARE CURRENTLY FACING. THESE CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN THE FOCUS OF MOST OF MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CLIENTS ACROSS THE SECTOR THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN READING MORE ABOUT THIS, FEEL FREE TO GRAB A COFFEE, SIT OUTSIDE UNDER THE WINTER SUN FOR A BIT OF VITAMIN D AND CLICK HERE .

As a follow up to this blog, this month I would like to explore how we can disconnect this disconnect. This ‘how’ is based upon my own observations only (hence not gold) and from ideas which were sparked during my conversations with candidates and clients working in this sector. If you have any thoughts / ideas which you would like to share with me, I would love to hear from you (yes you!).

Let’s start with five ways we can disconnect the disconnect:

1) Senior executives can look to spend more time on the ground in the facilities to understand their daily operations and proceedings. This would increase their understanding and awareness from a ground level perspective and would also build rapport and deepen relationships with their staff. A win-win!

2) I have observed that some aged care companies are moving away from the model where nurses and health care practitioners manage the facilities and are beginning to transition towards a new model where business people from the corporate world head up the facilities. When I say business people I am referring to those who have experience running branches in other sectors such as retail stores or banks.

To effectively manage an aged care facility, do you really require a health care background? Do you need to know how to treat a patient? I guess the answer is no given that all the staff under the ‘branch manager’ would have these clinical skills, while the branch manager would be knowledgeable in P&L, workforce planning and most importantly running profitable businesses which provide outstanding customer service. Food for thought!

3) It seems crucial that strong internal communication remains consistent with regards to changes which come about. By this I mean communicating the why, how and when to staff to ensure that they are abreast of these changes to ensure that they feel like they are part of this journey and valued staff members, not just a number in the chain. If you have any queries regarding communications roles across the aged care sector, my colleague Jaquelina is your person to speak to. You can catch her at jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au .

4) A word of advice to hiring managers in the sector (given the multiple hat wearing and lean team structures), would be to hire project managers who have strong change management skills and experience. This is advantageous from a cost perspective as well as benefiting the organisation in terms of effectively and concurrently managing the change piece, which sometimes can be left as an afterthought.

A word of advice to all the project managers out there who want to break into the ever-evolving aged care sector, would be to gain hands on experience in change management to complement your project skills.

5) In terms of project management team structures, some organisations are fixated on hiring project managers with health care / aged care / NFP experience. While others are fixated on hiring staff from outside of the fast-paced corporate world. Why not meet in the middle and aim to have a blended mix of project staff, some with corporate backgrounds, others with health care or NFP backgrounds. After all, variety is the spice of life right!?

PEER REFERENCES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR HIRING PROCESS

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 09:04:37 GMT

IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, REFERENCING TYPICALLY COMES AT THE FINAL STAGE GATE AND WILL OFTEN BE USED TO RUBBER STAMP A POTENTIAL HIRE. FOR SOME HIRING MANAGERS, THEY TRUST THAT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS UP TO THAT POINT TURNS UP THE BEST HIRE SO THE IMPORTANCE OF REFERENCES CAN BE DE-EMPHASISED.

Traditionally companies contact the names of people that the candidate reported to and go through a list of questions. However, to uncover the best possible hire particularly for critical hires, what other means are there to use in this stage?

A limitation of this is that often line managers have limited line of sight into the day to day activities of their employees. When line managers monitor on a week to week basis, managers often don’t get a full insight into how someone performs in their day to day duties and look purely at outcomes or KPIs. This can often lead to managing upwards without full insight into how a potential hire performs in an operational or team environment.

One alternative to bypass this is to ask for the reference of one of their peers. Particularly in team-based environments or in matrixed organisations, often the best insight will come from other team members. They have a much better understanding about how they operate and perform with others and will be able to better identify their day to day cultural fit.

Cultural fit and the ability to integrate with other team members is often a much better predictor of the success or failure of a potential recruit. Peers will better identify how a potential hire deals with conflict, pressure to meet deadlines and how they build relationships far more effectively and accurately than a line manager will be able to.

The value of asking for insight from those who work directly with a candidate is clear and underutilised by hiring managers. With this in mind, one suggestion to the reference stage in recruiting is to ask for a line manager and a peer reference prior to making a recruitment decision. This may increase the chances of retention and give an employer a different insight in how to manage, motivate and reward a potential employee.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

NETWORKING IN MELBOURNE

Wed, 29 May 2019 08:53:23 GMT

What usually comes to mind when you hear “networking event”? The majority of people will back away at the thought of being stuck in a room full of strangers. However, networking doesn’t have to be a terrifying experience, you just need to alter your mindset and be prepared before attending the event.

I attended my first networking event in Melbourne last week. For me, the purpose of this event was to get Project Resource Partner’s name out there and introduce both myself and the company and what we can offer to clients and candidates. Before I attended the event, I had to remind myself to be open minded; if you attend a networking event and don’t meet potential clients or candidates, don’t stress, because in a city like Melbourne, it’s all about building long standing relationships.

Below are some tips on how to prepare and make networking events worthwhile:

1. Dress professionally

Even if your work environment allows a casual dress code, I would dress professionally for a networking event. First impressions last and you definitely want to look professional and put-together if you are meeting potential business partners. You want to put your best foot forward and be a great representation of your company.

2. Bring business cards

This might be an obvious tip prior to attending a networking event, but I met quite a few people at the this event who did not bring a business card and asked to write their details on the back of mine. Always carry a few business cards with you no matter where you go, you never know who you may meet. If the above fails, exchange phone numbers, connect on LinkedIn or send an email to each other – you want to make sure there’s an easy way to communicate with them after the event.

3. Be yourself

I can’t emphasise how important this is. People will attend networking events and put on a show and be a real salesperson. Unfortunately, this does not come across as being genuine and people will not want to connect with you, both on a professional and personal level. So just be yourself and let the conversation flow. Also, don’t forget to smile!

4. Prepare your elevator pitch

You want to sound prepared and knowledgeable about your business, while not sounding too rehearsed. Before the event, do a bit of research on the attendees (if you can) to know how to tailor your pitch accordingly and practice it a few times. You shouldn’t exceed more than two minutes; even after about 30 seconds you may lose your audience.

5. Don’t forget to follow up

Follow up with the people you have met at the networking event the next day because you want them to remember you! As mentioned previously, be open minded. Even if the people you meet aren’t a fit for your business, you never know who they can introduce you to.

Attending networking events doesn’t have to be a bad experience. Just be prepared, open minded, and attend them whenever you can.

If you would like to know more about the education industry, are looking for new opportunities or would like assistance with project resourcing, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Wendy Young
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169
E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

CHANGE MANAGERS, WHAT'S THEIR ROLE?

Wed, 22 May 2019 08:44:27 GMT

CHANGE MANAGEMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ONE OF THE KEY CHALLENGES HIRING MANAGERS, RECRUITERS AND CANDIDATES FACE WHEN HIRING FOR CHANGE IS HAVING A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ROLE OF A CHANGE MANAGER MEANS AND WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND OUTCOMES ARE. WHILST THIS IS LIKELY BECAUSE THE CHANGE SECTOR KEEPS EVOLVING AND MATURING, IT CERTAINLY CAUSES A FEW HEADACHES - PARTICULARLY WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO TRANSITION TO IT.

Last week I attended an event sponsored by the Change Management Institute (CMI) where we discussed several of those challenges. We started our session by having an open dialogue on the scope of change and what the roles of change practitioners are.

A key element of any change role is to assist the transition of people, systems and processes from the current ‘as-is’ state to a future ‘to-be’ whilst ensuring the return on investment is met and reducing stress and anxiety on the users.

Change Managers are usually perceived as the ‘planner’. They define the strategy (including training and communication plans) and provide clarity on the scope and outcomes. They also need to anticipate and mitigate risks, educate the business on change and enable senior leaders to ‘lead’ it. Change Managers also tend to work best in collaboration with Project Managers, so they can track and measure progress.

Change Analyst are typically the ‘doers’. Their role is to act upon the change strategy, conduct impact assessments, prepare communication and training materials and liaise with training providers. They also analyse the skill gap between the current and future state. Whilst this role could provide a path to become a Change Manager, it’s important to note that Change Analyst offer a different breadth of skills and should not be regarded as a junior role.

During the workshop, we also discussed the importance of qualifications and accreditations, and which ones are more beneficial at different stages of your career. The duration and cost for them ranges from a few day workshops to completing a full one-year Graduate Certificate. Given the investment this represents, it’s best to start by doing your own research, reading the free material online and making an informed decision of which one matches your style best. While certifications are not mandatory to operate in the field, it’s important to note that some organisations would hire in favour of individuals who have completed certain ones.

If you need any change resources for your team or are looking to understand more about change management roles and responsibilities, please don’t hesitate to call me to have a confidential discussion.

Jaquelina Iselli
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107
E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

FLEXIBLE WORKING: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU

Mon, 13 May 2019 08:30:22 GMT

OF ALL REQUESTS RECRUITERS AND CLIENTS GET FROM CANDIDATES ABOUT POTENTIAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES IS TO WHAT EXTENT A COMPANY OFFERS FLEXIBLE WORKING. COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY SHIFTING TOWARDS A LESS PRESCRIPTIVE WAY OF WORKING WHERE BEING PRESENT IN THE OFFICE IS LESS MANDATORY. FLEXIBLE WORKING IS COMMONLY THOUGHT AS ONLY OFFERING WORKING FROM HOME OR PART TIME OPTIONS BUT IT’S REALLY ABOUT PROVIDING A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL ARRANGEMENT THAT PROMOTES PRODUCTIVITY OF BEING PRESENT.

The following outlines a few trends that are increasingly being asked for by candidates and some of the ways businesses can adapt:

Working from home

The most common flexible working arrangement asked for is working from home. Employees find this can dramatically increase their focus, increasing their productivity, while allowing them to be present at home. Primary carers of children or elders will also request working from home as it allows them to responsively address potential problems quicker while also maximising productivity.

Historically some employers have been concerned that employees may take advantage and not deliver what they were hoping. This though is a different issue for another time, except to say that flexible working should be about mutually beneficial arrangements and creating a climate of good will rather leading to much better outcomes.

Flexible start and end times

Everyone has a different point in the day that they find they work most productively, early birds lean towards an early start and night owls will work more effectively in the evenings. Parents will often need time in the morning or afternoons to manage school runs and find themselves caught between family and work commitments.

Businesses that want to create a flexible culture that prioritises productivity over presenteeism are adapting to this and offering staff flexible and personalised work schedules. By not demanding a nine to five work environment, businesses will see productivity soar and ensure parents can compliment their commitments. One obvious benefit is in organisational commitment and retention as staff feel valued.

Working from anywhere

This component is not so much about creating a culture of flexibility, but of building technological capabilities to ensure that staff can work either in any office or anywhere that they can feasibly work. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), hot desking, working from home, and access to shared works paces all are examples of how businesses can provide the access for staff to be in the right environment to work productively. Working from anywhere is about ensuring staff have the easiest access to the workplace and the communications and network infrastructure to seamlessly transition from their usual work place to anywhere.

Working from home, flexible starts and working anywhere are the most common ways businesses are adapting to what staff want in a flexible working but there are many more that can be used. The underlying priority for any arrangement is about providing a custom fit for staff and businesses to ensure productivity is maximised and that trust is always maintained between the manager and their staff.

I would love to hear your thoughts on what does and doesn’t work with flexible working as both a candidate or a client - please feel free to contact me for a confidential discussion.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

CONNECTING THE DISCONNECT IN THE AGED CARE SECTOR

Wed, 08 May 2019 07:37:07 GMT

MELBOURNE IS A WORLD CLASS CITY, DUBBED THE MOST LIVEABLE CITY IN THE WORLD BY THE ECONOMIST FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS. WITH A VIBRANT FOOD SCENE, LAID BACK LIFESTYLE, UNBEATABLE COFFEE CULTURE AND WORLD CLASS SPORTING EVENTS, MELBOURNE ATTRACTS TOP TALENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD. AS A RESULT OF THIS, FINDING A JOB IN THIS CITY CAN BE VERY COMPETITIVE. HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO LAND YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY:

Update your Resume

Streamlining your Resume so that your most relevant experience has been highlighted is key to having your profile sent across to the Hiring Manager. In some countries, the longer the Resume the better, in others like the United States, any more than 2 pages and the Hiring Manager won’t continue reading it. In Australia, it is acceptable to have at most, 4 pages making sure that your education is on the first page, followed by your skills and experience. It’s best to have this laid out in bullet points rather than paragraphs so that it is easier to read.

Promote your LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn offers a free trial for 30 days with different categories, one specifically for job seekers. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile, create one! All recruiters use LinkedIn as a recruitment tool as do Hiring Managers. It’s a great way to get your name out there, introduce yourself to companies that you would like to work for and to keep up to date on industry news. Don’t be afraid to use LinkedIn to your advantage by sending messages to recruiters and Hiring Managers and asking to meet up for a coffee.

Network

Reach out to your personal and professional networks. In a city like Melbourne, you never know when you will meet someone who might lead you to your next opportunity! Business in Melbourne is based on longstanding relationships, which means that it is quite common for someone to get in touch with their previous co-workers when they have a job opening at their company. Networking events are also a great way to meet Hiring Managers and recruiters. Some resources that may help you in searching for networking events include Meet Up, Event Brite and City of Melbourne websites.

Be Flexible

Be flexible in your approach to landing your next role. Sometimes, job seekers place too much of an importance on pay or permanent vs contract. Have a think about what is most important to you; is it career advancement, company / team culture, easy commute? Take all of these points into consideration before establishing your salary expectations and the type of employment you are looking for. Sometimes there is a fear of obtaining contract work because there is an end date, but it is an excellent introduction into the gig economy, where there is always a possibility of extension, permanency or meeting people who may be able to assist you with your next role!

If you would like a confidential discussion on how to progress your job search or career, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I specialise in Project Services recruitment within the Education industry.

Wendy Young
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169
E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

HELPFUL TIPS ON HOW TO LAND YOUR NEXT ROLE

Thu, 02 May 2019 07:25:31 GMT

Update your Resume

Promote your LinkedIn profile

Network

Be Flexible

Wendy Young
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169
E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 07:10:48 GMT

LEARN ABOUT CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATION SECTOR

IN AN ERA WHERE STUDENTS MAY WORK ON JOBS THAT HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN INVENTED YET, MACHINES ARE BECOMING SO ADVANCED THAT THEY OUTPERFORM HUMANS AND AUTOMATION IS AFFECTING MOST PROFESSIONS, HOW ARE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ADJUSTING THEIR TRADITIONAL BUSINESS MODEL?

Most education providers have recognised the importance of targeting the jobs of the future, realising that unless they adapt their service offering to make students more attractive to potential employers, their market share will be negatively impacted.

Universities, now more than ever, are partnering with the VET sector to provide the soft and practical skills that are in such high demand. Employers want recent graduates that can work in a team, know how to perform everyday tasks related to their profession and that have practical, additional certifications. There’s also a rise of micro-credentials, qualifications that along with a postgraduate degree allow professionals to quickly learn specific new skills (e.g. artificial intelligence)

For a generation that has been tech savvy since early childhood, not only the content of those courses needed to be adjusted, but also the format classes are delivered. Most institutions are working on offering a personalised learning experience by using e-learning or blended learning solutions. Some Universities are also exploring different methods to organise the semester, like using ‘blocks’ to deliver a course at a time in approximately one month.

Besides their product, education institutions are also undertaking a large transformation on the way they operate as a business. Trends are to update obsolete systems, optimise (and automate) back-end process and in many cases, centralise functions that used to be run independently by each faculty.

To run such large transformations, some Universities and TAFEs have mirrored how the corporate world has previously undertaken them. To do so, in many cases they brought full project teams that came from outside the education sector and that presented several cultural challenges as they were perceived as outsiders.

For new comers, it was key to learn how the sector operates and what the drivers are when making decisions. The sector is collaborative by nature, and the benefit realisation exercise is not purely based on a profit and loss statement, but rather by considering the overall benefits to society, students and staff.

The audience and how they react to those changes it’s also quite different. In education, we should remember one of the reasons we value and love academics in society is because of their ability to question and not to accept a status quo. The most successful professionals learnt and understood that when engaging with professors and academics you are not advising them on what to do, but rather engaging in open discussions.

Challenges are varied and the above are just a few of the most common ones. If you are interested in the booming education sector or you require assistance to find the right resource for your projects, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Jaquelina Iselli
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107
E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION INDUSTRY

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 07:00:41 GMT

TRANSFORMATION IS THE NEW BUZZ WORD THESE DAYS. WHAT DOES THE WORD ACTUALLY MEAN? ACCORDING TO THE CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY, TRANSFORMATION IS DEFINED AS: A COMPLETE CHANGE IN THE APPEARANCE OR CHARACTER OF SOMETHING OR SOMEONE, ESPECIALLY SO THAT THING OR PERSON IS IMPROVED. THEN WHAT DOES DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MEAN? SALESFORCE HAS DEFINED IT AS THE PROCESS OF USING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES TO CREATE NEW - OR MODIFY EXISTING BUSINESS PROCESSES, CULTURE, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES TO MEET CHANGING BUSINESS AND MARKET REQUIREMENTS.

For many decades, the education industry in Australia remained stagnant, not changing with the times, failing to compete with other industries. It is only in recent times that the status quo has been challenged within the sector. Primary schools through to higher education institutions are being pushed to change to remain competitive both domestically and internationally. Most industries have been through the growing pains of digital transformation, but the education industry is only going through it now. What are the reasons that this industry has been late to the game?

Fear of change
Human beings by nature get used to doing things a certain way and there is a fear or reluctance to leave their comfort zone. When a new system or technology is introduced, we are afraid to learn new skills, we are afraid of failure. Education institutions have historically been built on tradition and letting go of those traditions, systems and processes of how things have always been done has been a road block to the industry progressing and growing.

Lack of resources
The right knowledge, skills and experience are at the very core of innovation. The lack of expertise and resources has been the biggest challenge in the digital transformation age. Education institutions are having to compete with other higher paying industries for highly skilled talent.

System integration
The importance of existing legacy systems within organisations are undeniable. They hold vital information that education institutes can't afford to lose. New systems however are not always compatible with legacy systems and this is where organisations have no choice but to pay more for a custom integration or an upgrade.

Putting it into action
Translating strategy into an actual plan of action is the biggest challenge for any organisation. A business process needs to be identified and it shouldn't be too complicated or too simple, there needs to be substance to it and realistic budgets, timelines and goals need to be set to ensure the digital transformation succeeds.

The success of digital transformation within the education industry starts with leadership and not technology. If the people at the top promote and embrace change, it will have a domino effect onto the employees. Board of directors, C-suite level executives, business partners and academics all need to be advocates of technology in order to truly transform the education industry.

If you would like to know more about the education industry, are looking for new opportunities or would like assistance with project resourcing, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Wendy Young
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8169
E wyoung@projectresourcepartners.com.au

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 06:36:09 GMT

I RECENTLY ATTENDED A BUSINESS CHICK EVENT TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY. AMONGST THE CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT AND RAISING AWARENESS AGAINST BIAS FOR A MORE GENDER BALANCED WORLD, SOME GREAT SPEAKERS TOOK TO STAGE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE, CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO EMPOWER OTHERS.

One of these brave women was JoAnna Ferrari who has transitioned or reinvented herself personally and professionally over 21 times during her life. None of her transitions were as big as the change and challenge she encountered at 53 when she committed to transition her gender from male to female. Her story and transition is truly inspiring! - You can learn more about in the links I’ve included at the bottom of this article.

On reflection following this event, it made me acknowledge the importance of not only business and professional development but that of personal change too. We are continually evolving as individuals, and we should because we choose to. Not purely because business, job roles or the advancement in technology dictate us to.

The single idea JoAnna had in reinventing herself was challenging the ‘you can be, do and have anything you wholeheartedly put your attention to’. Break this down, and instead live by an idea that to truly live this way, you must be willing to explore, experiment and express yourself in brave new ways. JoAnna now supports transforming businesses, teams and individuals by using strategies, models (The 7 Mirrors of Change) and formulas developed from her combined 30 plus years’ business experience and personal life experiences.

“In a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks” - Mark Zuckerberg

Change is required in order to survive and thrive. We live in such a fast paced society, it’s important to take a step back and consider some key points for successful change management and transition. For both business and personal change, here are some tips;

Make a plan

Don’t change for the sake of it. Know your ‘why’, question the ‘how’ and make a solid plan. What’s the end goal?

Communicate clearly

Communication is queen for change. Having all people surrounding you informed, aware of the end goal and updated on developments makes for an enriched journey. Involvement also encourages engagement, shared ideas, concerns, improvement and recognition.

Identify key players

Advocates encourage sceptics to participate and help sustain the drive. Whatever the size or impact, change can’t be implemented alone, so identify your squad, delegate and make sure they’re accountable.

Be realistic and manage expectations

Build awareness upfront, retain communication and have a contingency plan. Benefits differ from person to person. Be realistic in time frames and communicate.

Measuring outcome and success

Reflect on wins, challenges and improvements, and most importantly; give recognition.

If you are looking for your next role, seeking change specialists for business transformation and projects, or want to discuss the market in more detail, I’d love to hear from you.

Zoe Winn
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8101
E zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

https://www.saxton.com.au/joanna-ferrari/
https://businesschicks.com/tracey-spicer-iwd-sydney/

DISABILITY AND INCLUSIVENESS (OR LACK THEREOF) IN THE AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 06:23:07 GMT

ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MANY DISABILITIES ARE NOT VISIBLE, DID YOU KNOW THAT A QUARTER OF THE POPULATION HAVE A DISABILITY? NEITHER DID I (UNTIL RECENTLY), AND THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THIS FRONT OF MIND WHEN LOOKING AT RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT IN 2019 AND BEYOND.

Was it front of mind for you in 2018? Did you celebrate International Day of People with Disability? If you are unfamiliar with this celebration, basically the International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with a disability, as well as celebrate the achievements and contributions of people with disability. It is held on 3rd December every year so don’t worry if you missed it last year, there’s always this year!

However, while many were celebrating the inclusiveness and equality of people with disabilities, around the same time, Diversity Council Australia released some shocking statistics.

Data from the DCA-Suncorp Inclusion@Work Index revealed that across many industries those with a disability are among the most discriminated against in Australian workplaces, second to First Nations People.

According to their findings, 34% of people with disability had personally experienced at least one incident of harassment and / or discrimination in the past 12 months, compared to 21% of people without a disability. This sad fact that people with a disability suffer from exclusionary behaviour at work, such as experiencing and witnessing harassment and / or discrimination also highlights the bigger picture and the main issue at hand, which is that people with disability do experience lower workplace participation and higher unemployment in Australia. This is really not acceptable, and this mindset needs to be changed as our workplace is clearly harming those with a disability.

The Inclusion@Work Index released statistics that proved that inclusion of people with disability is good for business and greatly improves team productivity as well as customer service, and hence overall customer satisfaction. It revealed that effectiveness is almost 30 times greater and customer service is six times higher when people with a disability work in inclusive teams compared to non-inclusive teams.

It is important for those in leadership positions to acknowledge and ensure workplaces are inclusive, it is also vital that all workers ensure people with disability feel included, valued and feel part of the team in every workplace.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, please feel free to contact me for a confidential discussion.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

DO WE NEED CODE OF PRACTICE?

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 06:13:10 GMT

RECENTLY I WAS INVITED TO PRESENT AT AN EVENT ORGANISED BY THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE CALLED ‘DEEP DIVE’. THEY RUN THEM PERIODICALLY WITH THE FOCUS BEING TO SIT DOWN AS A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE AND DISCUSS THE LATEST TRENDS AND TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT SECTOR. THIS DEEP DIVE WAS ABOUT ‘HIRING FOR CHANGE’ AND WE DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE TEAMS TO FURTHER ADDRESS SPECIFIC THEMES.

The group I worked with discussed whether it is necessary to establish a Code of Practice for Change Management and if needed, who would be responsible in developing it? I would like you to spend a few minutes thinking about this before you read on...

A Code of Practice is usually defined as a set of rules that explain how people in a profession should behave. Given the nature of Change Management, the group and I defined it as a set of principles that act as guidance, rather than being a prescriptive set of instructions.

There are several benefits for having a Code of Practice. Within them, assisting emerging practitioners by providing advice on ways of operating. In a way, you could approach Code of Practice as the ‘Art and Science’ of Change Management. It would help establish a ground level expectation (‘Science’), but at the end of the day it is the practitioner, their attributes, knowledge and personality who make the difference (‘Art’).

Prospective employees and everyone involved in hiring for Change will also benefit from a new objective tool to use when assessing people for a role. A Code of Practice would not only bring standards and consistent quality across the sector, but it should also provide confidence to hiring managers on the activities and ethical behaviours expected from Change practitioners. This, the group believed, would increase the awareness and reputation of Change Management and potentially result in more opportunities.

To increase the acceptance of a new ‘Code’, we thought advantageous to be driven by the community, done by Change Managers for Change Managers. Having a peer review model, should also be reflected on the language used, and therefore providing guidance and advice instead of prescriptive governance.

What do you think? Is now the right time to establish a ‘Code of Practice’? How should it be defined? And whom would benefit from it?

If the above resonates with your career ambitions or you are looking to recruit Change Management for your business or team, don’t hesitate to get in touch for a confidential discussion. At Project Resource Partners, we partner with individuals and companies to support them on their transformation and personal journeys.

Jaquelina Iselli
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107
E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

REFLECTING ON 2018 AND THE DISABILITY SECTOR

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 05:45:39 GMT

2018 HAS BEEN A PRETTY BIG YEAR FOR EVERYONE (YOU INCLUDED I’M SURE), AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IT HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE, BUSY AND CHALLENGING FOR ALL THOSE WHO WORK WITHIN THE DISABILITY SECTOR HERE IN AUSTRALIA. WORKING WITH MANY OF THE LEADING ORGANISATIONS WHO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES ACROSS THE MELBOURNE LANDSCAPE, IT IS PRETTY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE SECTOR HAS INDEED GONE THROUGH IMMENSE CHANGE IN THE PAST YEAR.

In order to recap on these changes to share with you in this weeks blog, I took a look at the State of the Disability Sector Report for 2018 which NDS recently released. This report finds that while disability service providers remain committed to the NDIS, the majority (73%) believe that many of it's systems, processes and procedures need drastic improvement, urgently. Some of the challenges which appear to be holding it back from making these 'neccessary' improvements include policy uncertainty, unrealistic pricing and costly red tape which is ultimately driving up their costs.

The Centre for Social Impact at the University of New South Wale conducted an independent survey this year whereby 626 disability service providers across Australia, both small and large, shared their views on how the sector and their organisations have been doing this year, both the good and the bad, as well as sharing the factors which they feel is placing pressure on their organisations at a time of immense change for the sector. Feel free to read each of the below bullet points if you are curious as to what these findings were:

- Providers voiced that they will continue to support the NDIS and that they remain committed to getting it right and making it work. (According to the findings, 50% agree that the policy reforms are heading in the right direction, 25% are unsure and 27% disagree).

- NDIS systems and processes continue to be a source of frustration. (Almost three in four service providers stated that the NDIS systems and processes are not working well for them, their organisations or their staff).

- The operating environment remains a difficult one. (13% have discussed the possibility of closing in the past 12 months).

- Workforce challenges remain front of mind. (63% found it difficult to recruit disability support workers and over 70% said that recruiting allied health workers was extremely/moderately difficult).

- Adjusting NDIS pricing is a priority for the sector. (70% worry that they will not be able to provide NDIS services at NDIS prices and 54% say they would have to reduce the quality of services to meet current prices).

Despite these concerns, it appears that support amongst disability service providers for the NDIS remains strong. The proportion of providers who believe the NDIA is working well continues to increase (up 7% from last year). This in itself is an encouraging sign that the current NDIS issues can be resolved to ultimately result in the best possible scheme for its' providers and clients.

It has been a rewarding year for me and Project Resource Partners as we have partnered closely with many organisations who provide these disability services, assisting them to set up transformation teams, project management teams, PMOs as well as bringing in change management and communications specialists to assist these organisations through their transformation journey. We look forward to continuing these partnerships in 2019 and beyond.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, please feel free to contact me for a confidential discussion.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

MOVING FORWARD

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 11:13:15 GMT

I RECENTLY MOVED DESK!

I’m not talking new street, building or office floor... but a mere seven feet from my previous spot.

Admittedly, this a minuscule change in comparison to some organisations planning large scale office relocations, new exciting ways of working or those being challenged by expediential growth adding even greater complexity to a workplace.

My point is, having personally partnered with various organisations to resource Change Management support, this

exercise opened my eyes (if only a small glimpse given the scale) to the impacts this type of change can have both on individuals and a workforce. It forced me to reflect on my daily routine and connections to my surroundings, both people and objects.

IN MY EXPERIENCE…

PROS TO THE CHANGE

I would be closer to my team, an opportunity to ‘reset’, the change was communicated upfront so the why/how was explained

CONS TO THE CHANGE

Business interruption should there be technical glitches, the environment (re-homing my shoe collection), adapting my working style

People go through a pretty predictable set of emotions when faced with workplace change, not restricted to only office/desk relocations. For some, they feel excitement but for many shock, denial or anger. Behaviour, habits and emotions are key change management considerations.

To behave differently we have to think differently and reminded of the big picture. So many organisations have or are now experimenting with hot-desking, flexible work arrangements, co working and asking potential employees to outline their preferred and suited working conditions. When anxiety and fear hits, logic and business strategy can seem irrelevant and change resistance grows.

Habits are choices we make deliberately that at some point become automatic. They make up just under 50% of what we do every day and we often don’t know the difference between a good habit and a bad habit. Change threatens natural habit patterns but whether a new desk, meal plan, manager or car, we adapt.

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” - Tony Robbins

Navigating change, both professionally and personally requires forming new habits and questioning the why, which can be discomforting but rewarding. The good news is we can intentionally train ourselves to think and behave in new ways with the help and guidance of others.

Project Resource Partners provide an honest and consultative approach to help guide and prepare your teams and business through change and projects.

If you are looking for your next move, wish to discuss market insight or seeking change specialists for business transformation and projects, please do reach out.

Zoe Winn
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8101
E zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY TO UNDERPIN THE DELIVERY OF AGED CARE SERVICES

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 05:34:26 GMT

THE ROYAL COMMISSION IS A TOPIC THAT MANY PEOPLE I MEET WITH ARE VERY INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING AND DEBATING, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WORK WITHIN THE AGES CARE SECTOR ITSELF. I HAVE MET WITH MANY PEOPLE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS WHO HAVE SHARED STORIES WITH ME ABOUT THEIR AGEING PARENTS WHO AREN’T TOO MANY YEARS AWAY FROM REQUIRING AGED CARE SERVICES, BOTH HERE IN AUSTRALIA AND BACK HOME IN IRELAND.

We all want technology and agility to take more responsibility in this sector and many of the aged care providers seem to want to disrupt the aged care technology space. The buzzword in the sector of late appears to be ‘digital transformation’ and many of the providers are currently focusing on uplifting their digital capabilities enterprise-wide to cater to the needs of their consumers. They have a vision that everything will be ‘new’, more innovative, and more high-tech than the industry has ever seen before. It is a very exciting time for this sector from a transformational perspective whereby these organisations are recruiting many people from the fast-paced, competitive and cut-throat (only sometimes, right?) corporate sector to bring in fresh eyes, fresh ideas and fresh perspectives. The focus is on the future. Future technologies. Future ways of working. Future approaches.

Having recently read the road-map released by the Aged Care Industry Technology Council (ACIITC), I can clearly comprehend the need for technology to underpin the delivery of aged care services and ultimately to ensure choice for its’ consumers. We can only hope that the insights from this research will assist relevant policy makers to evaluate the benefits of embracing technology and provide guidance to those providers who wish to embed appropriate technology in all aspects of their operations. If you are now curious to read more on this topic (just guessing), go grab a coffee, sit back, relax and click here > http://aciitc.com.au/

Having discussed this topic with my network over the past few weeks, it seems that all we can do is hope that age care providers will break down the barriers with each other and share their data to come up with more integrated platforms and better services. One particular conversation I had recently did resonate with me on a deeper level and I would like to share that idea with you all now. That is that we will be part the first generation entering aged care who have experienced technological advances from a young age. What an interesting observation. And so true. So I guess as daily consumers of technology and human beings who are absorbed and immersed in technology every single day (even if we try to avoid it), it is only natural that we would expect an industry as essential for our well-being as aged care is, to also make advancements in this space and to one day be as technologically efficient, advanced, user-friendly and futuristic as industries such as banking and financial services, retail, media and entertainment... Watch out world, aged care is about to transform at a high-speed. Fasten your belts and enjoy the ride…

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, please feel free to contact me for a confidential discussion.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

EXPLORING CHANGE MANAGEMENT AS A CAREER PATH?

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 05:16:20 GMT

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, ITS LIKELY THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN CHANGE MANAGEMENT, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY THE FIRST STEP BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO DEVELOP A CAREER IN IT. QUITE FREQUENTLY WE ARE ASKED HOW TO TRANSITION INTO A CHANGE MANAGER, AND WHILE THERE IS NO MAGIC RECIPE TO FOLLOW WE HAVE COMPILED A LIST OF THE MOST COMMON AVENUES CHANGE PROFESSIONALS HAVE TAKEN.

ORGANIC TRANSITION

By far, this is the most common answer when we ask experienced change practitioners. In most cases change managers tend to have a background in training, communications or project management. Regardless of where they started their career, however, the most common trait is that they follow a human centred approach, enjoying developing relationships with stakeholders and guiding them through the changes on their day to day.

In many cases, the project team performs many of the functions change managers do without holding the official title. This may be due to the companies’ structure, restricted budgets that don’t allow for a separate change team, or a preference to combine change and project activities under one-person.

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

If you have already performed the activities, why is it so challenging to get your first official gig in change? More often than not, change professionals describe their first experience as being lucky enough to have someone believe in them to provide them with that first opportunity.

There is a luck factor involved, but certainly the people you know and your mentors as well as leaders are a great place to start. If you are looking to expand those relationships I’d probably recommend you to be more active in the industry and participate in networking events – we sponsor quite a few, and the Change Management Institute is also a great place to start those connections.

CHANGE CERTIFICATIONS

Some tend to believe that being certified will make it easier to secure a change role. While official courses are a fantastic network opportunity and help you establish the foundations of change, certifications provide a toolkit for you to combine with your own thoughts and practical experience.

Most experienced and successful change professionals tend to adapt their style to the organisation, environment and the type of change (usually you would not follow the same approach to a relocation project than to a new IT system or upgrade).

If the above resonates with your career ambitions or you are looking to recruit change management for your business or team, don’t hesitate to get in touch for a confidential discussion. At Project Resource Partners, we partner with individuals and companies to support them on their transformation and personal journeys.

Jaquelina Iselli
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107
E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT IN DELIVERY PROJECTS: SIMILARITY OR ADAPTABILITY?

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 04:50:22 GMT

TO MANY, THE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS A SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD ONE THAT INVOLVES SCHEDULES, REPORTING, MANAGEMENT OF SCOPE AND RESOURCES WITH AN END GOAL TO BE DELIVERED. IT’S OFTEN SAID THE PRINCIPLES OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT SHOULD SEE A COMPETENT PROJECT MANAGER ABLE TO FACILITATE THE BUILDING OF A BRIDGE OR IMPLEMENT SOFTWARE ACROSS A COMPANY. IF THAT’S THE CASE, WHY DO PROJECTS FACE SO MANY RISKS OF FAILURE IF PROJECT MANAGEMENT TRANSLATES SO STRAIGHTFORWARDLY ACROSS PROJECTS AND INDUSTRY?

In recruiting the right project managers, it’s clear that one of the most important skill-sets to identify is how the project manager manages relationships with key stakeholders. These stakeholders are not just on the steering committee or senior management, but they are at the operational level. Understanding how project managers can read an organisations culture and adapt their project delivery style is one of the most underrated components of project management recruitment.

But how is stakeholder management assessed? The following are key points to consider in assessing stakeholder management in recruitment:

SIMILARITY

The most straightforward way to identify how someone can manage the diverse stakeholders in a business is by looking at like-for-like experience. Has the candidate worked in a similar environment? Has the candidate managed similar projects in a similar environment? These are simple strategies that result in a safer project process as there is an inbuilt confidence that the project manager knows how different stakeholders will approach a project and has the toolkit to influence them. This is particularly effective when delivering specific technology solutions but it can lead to the problem of using a template approach to different problems rather than fresh thinking.

ADAPTABILITY

If project management is truly an adaptable process than the best sign for success in delivering a new project is how a candidate has successfully transitioned across different industries. If a project manager has demonstrated that they can successfully manage stakeholders that range from government, banking, retail and not for profit this indicates a strength in stakeholder management. Rather than having a narrow scope of cultural experiences this industry adaptability highlights a real strength in managing and understanding people rather than understanding an industry.

When you are looking to recruit, the key question to ask in the process is if you want a similar candidate or an adaptable candidate. These profiles lead to different types of candidates that bring different tools to deliver projects.

At Project Resource Partners we support businesses to ensure that they get the right candidate profile for what their project demands. If you are looking to recruit fresh thinking or a track record of delivery, we’re here to help you.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

ROYAL COMMISSION, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 14:05:13 GMT

AUSTRALIA’S AGEING POPULATION COUPLED WITH INCREASED LIFE EXPECTANCY, MEANS THAT THE RETIREMENT YEARS HAVE INCREASED AND THE YEARS FOR WHICH SUPPORTED CARE IS NEEDED HAS ALSO INCREASED. I WAS AMAZED WHEN I RECENTLY GLANCED AT OUR POPULATION PYRAMIDS IN AN ARTICLE, WHICH VISUALLY SHOW THIS GROWTH. IN 2044 OUR POPULATION PYRAMID WILL BECOME INVERTED WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OVER 60 OUTNUMBERING PEOPLE UNDER 18 FOR THE FIRST TIME (WOW). THIS WILL CERTAINLY KEEP THE QUEEN BUSY, AS THIS YEAR SHE WILL HAVE TO WRITE 2,643 LETTERS OF CONGRATULATIONS FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS WHO WILL TURN 100 THIS YEAR (ONLY 40 LETTERS OF CONGRATULATIONS NEEDED TO BE SENT IN 1952).

Australia’s aged care sector is under pressure to meet this demand while also facing significant recruitment and workforce challenges. In the aged care sector the median age for a residential direct care worker is 48 and community direct care workers is 50 which makes it the sector with the highest median age of an employee in the country. This means that half of the current aged care workforce will reach retirement age in the next 15 years, which equates to an astonishing 668 farewells per month (that’s a lot of cake)..

Scott Morrison’s announcement of a nursing homes Royal Commission shall add yet another pressure to the industry in the months ahead. With the sector about to set sail into uncharted waters, providers, staff, consumers and the wider community are all wondering what this all means. What does it mean for this sector?

From the best of my knowledge and from conversations I have been having with my contacts across the industry, I understand that the Royal Commission was called to look at:

Quality of care
The extent of any substandard care
The challenge of caring for young people with disabilities living in residential aged care settings
The challenge of changing demographics and remote, rural and regional Australia
The sector’s future needs

A two-part Four Corners investigation of aged care has been cited as a factor in the timing of the Royal Commission announcement. Did many people tune into that? If you did, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

So it seems like families of residents in aged care welcome the Royal Commission however operators fear it’s impact, especially if it shall be anything like the banking royal commission which unearthed a multitude of horror stories. At the end of the day and whatever may happen, it will hopefully provoke some serious soul searching and a national conversation about our attitudes to ageing as well as achieve improvement for both consumers and staff across the industry going forward.

Anyone who knows me will be aware of the fact that I love a good quote, so in order to stay true to myself I shall finish with one;

“Everyone thinks they're not going to get old, so no one's really bothered... but we're making a bed that most of us will have to lie in” - Monash University professor Joe Ibrahim

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, please feel free to contact me for a confidential discussion.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

IS YOUR BUSINESS READY FOR CHANGE?

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 13:59:57 GMT

LAST WEEK PROJECT RESOURCE PARTNERS SPONSORED AN EVENT HOSTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT (AIPM) ABOUT ‘INTEGRATING PROJECT AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT’. THERE WERE SOME REFRESHING TAKE OUTS FOR ME PERSONALLY (I’VE LISTED BELOW) WHICH I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO REFLECT ON WHEN ORGANISATIONS, LEADERS AND PROJECT TEAMS AS A COLLECTIVE ARE CONSIDERING BRINGING ON BOARD DEDICATED CHANGE RESOURCES.

IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING ORG CHANGE, EVEN IF THE PROJECT IS A SYSTEM OR TECHNOLOGY

Varying in scale, technology inevitably impacts an entire organisation. It changes the way of working and in most cases corporate culture. Some important organisational change factors to consider include ensuring the business retains strong talent, determines organisational readiness and measures success from employee satisfaction, not only customer.

Often the reason change isn’t successful is down to employee’s unspoken expectations. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but collaborating and work-shopping with employees invites a workforce to participate and contribute to the change and outcome.

ANALYSIS OF THE BUSINESS AND PROJECT ENVIRONMENT

Project Managers may argue that so long as a project is completed within scope, cost and schedule, why does the environment matter?

The leadership team, capacity to absorb and sustain change, tools, team culture and a holistic view of projects through an enterprise lens; these are important factors to consider at the beginning of a project and all must connect for a greater degree of project success.

THE POSITION TITLES OF CHANGE PROFESSIONALS ARE EVOLVING

Change lead, analyst, specialist, practitioner, enabler, realisation lead, director, project manager…is there any difference? Ask any of them their role and responsibilities and often it is the same.

Titles and are becoming less relevant, so long as change management is part of the project plan and being considered a business case will ultimately give the project and business the best opportunity for success. Terminology differs across industries, stakeholders and often isn’t referred to as ‘change’ at all. In some organisations ‘Project Managers’ take ownership of change management rather than having a dedicated change resource.

As the change management field matures, it’s really exciting to explore the various pathways change professionals have ventured and experienced to be where they are today. I am excited for what the next 6-12 months presents in terms of projects and skill sets.

If you are looking for your next move, wish to discuss market insight or seeking change specialists for business transformation and projects, please do reach out.

Zoe Winn
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8101
E zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

CHANGE MANAGEMENT, HAS THE PERCEPTION CHANGED?

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 13:50:20 GMT

Today’s world is in continuous movement. We have all experienced how disruptive technologies transformed aspects of both our personal and professional life – from Uber, to Airbnb to the simple fact that information is immediately available at the tip of our fingers. With our day-to-day continuously changing, is it safe to say the Change Management discipline has evolved accordingly?

Companies implement new systems, work on major upgrades and when change is not tech driven, they work on improving processes or designing a new team structure. As such, change is no longer a one-off exercise with a clear beginning and end but change is rather the only constant. The fact that change is perpetual is key when preparing the workforce to embrace change as part of their daily routine. While in the project world, Change Management has historically been perceived as a luxury rather than a necessity, if we understand Change as a continuous exercise that also changes.

It’s been demonstrated projects are implemented faster and more efficiently when Change Management is present. More importantly, change helps improve business culture and aids a workforce who is struggling to keep up with (quite often) confronting messages. One of the reasons is that change-averse stakeholders are identified earlier in the process and Change Managers can support those individuals and work with them to understand their concerns, encourage them and uplift their change capability – after all, it is an imperative skill to have in today’s world.

What does all this mean for the change community? With this shift in perception, companies are investing in change as a key resource for their teams. This obviously translates to more opportunities but also longer engagements as change is present during the full project life-cycle. There has also been an increase in permanent roles, which certainly indicates we are moving towards a more mature market.

This would not be possible without the efforts of change professionals during the past 10-15 years. Their perseverance and ability to influence stakeholders has demonstrated how Change Management helps mitigate projects risks.

If you want to continue this discussion, want to take your next step, or you are looking for change resources for your team, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Jaquelina Iselli
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107
E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THREE WAYS TO BE A BETTER BUSINESS ANALYST

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 13:43:02 GMT

THE CURRENT MARKET IS ONE WHERE THERE ARE A PLETHORA OF PROJECTS ACROSS MULTIPLE BUSINESS TRANSFORMATIONS, OPERATIONAL REVIEWS AND ERP IMPLEMENTATIONS. CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF ALL THESE BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY ALIGNED PROJECTS IS THE NEED FOR BUSINESS ANALYST WHO CAN GO ABOVE AND BEYOND. GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN A BUSINESS ANALYST WOULD SIMPLY COME IN, GATHER, DOCUMENT AND ANALYSE BUSINESS NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS BEFORE PROVIDING A SOLUTION IN ORDER TO DEFINE OR MODIFY A BUSINESS IT SYSTEM.

Yes, a Business Analyst needs to be able to do that, but they need to be able to add so much more. Their commerciality and ability to understand not only what is needed, but why it is needed is key. It is the softer skills that will differentiate Business Analysts in the eyes of our Clients.

Given that, what do Project Resource Partners see as the three most important traits that a successful Business Analyst needs to be able to demonstrate?

UNDERSTAND THE WHY?

The Business Analysts that we find to be the most successful are those who appreciate every role will be different. What is required in terms of the day to day responsibilities may be the same, but you need to understand why a business is modifying or implementing that new business or IT system. What are they trying to achieve? Why are they trying to achieve it? What happens if they don’t? It’s about more than asking your customer a question and writing down what is asked for. Understand the real requirement – your customer’s need.

CONSTANT COMMUNICATION

Businesses like people have a habit of changing their minds, so don’t set and forget. It is important that you or someone in your project are constantly talking to stakeholders to ensure that their needs have not changed, or even that the why has not changed. Equally it is essential that you ensure you have fully understood the requirements and the why. That means keep asking questions, and keep communicating with your customers, the stakeholders and the sponsors.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

Once you understand the why, you’ve done the requirements gathering, analysed the needs and come up with a solution – make sure it is simple. In the background it may be highly complex, but your customer, stakeholder and sponsors need to be able to understand it and make sense of it. They want to know that it meets the why and delivers to the requirements. Can you communicate a complex solution to someone who doesn’t need to know all the detail, and ensure that it is credible and coherent?

Whilst there are many other skills and competencies that go in to making a great Business Analyst, we are finding that it is the people who can demonstrate the ability to ask why, constantly communicate and deliver simple solutions who are in the highest demand. These allow a Business Analyst to be more tailored in their approach and be a more value add proposition to a business or technology transformation.

If you are looking for your next move, if you would like more insight or if you're simply seeking advice as to what's happening in this space, please do reach out.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:03:44 GMT

PATIENT EXPERIENCE IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF HEALTH CARE. ORGANISATIONS THAT PROVIDE CARE TO PATIENTS STRIVE TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE AND TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WHILE USING THEIR SERVICES OR ARE IN THEIR CARE, SUCH AS GETTING TIMELY APPOINTMENTS, EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND GOOD COMMUNICATION FROM HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. UNDERSTANDING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE IS KEY TO MOVING TOWARDS PATIENT-CENTERED CARE.

Patient-centred care can be defined as treating a person receiving healthcare with dignity and respect and involving them in all decisions about their health. This type of care is also called ‘person-centred care’ and is an approach that is linked to a person’s healthcare rights. Evaluating patient experience as well the effectiveness and safety of care is essential to providing a complete picture of health care quality and at the same time being respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values.

A key part of patient-centred care is YOU becoming involved in your own healthcare. This means you choosing to be included in all decision making, healthcare planning and goal setting.

What better way to get involved in your own healthcare, than to work on transformational projects in the sector. In this way you can contribute to and work to improve healthcare delivery and best practises first hand.

Here at Project Resource Partners we have noticed an increase in the number of candidates who wish to move into the health care sector. Many have spent their careers predominantly in the corporate sector, notably across banking and finance. We have noted the main reasons for this transition being; wanting to be able to make a difference, having a greater purpose at work, doing work that is making a contribution to society and having a work/life balance. As well as, of course, being engaged in a role which allows you to shape Australia’s healthcare sector first hand to ensure that the sector continues to improve for you, your children and your future generations.

I manage the health care portfolio here at Project Resource Partners. I have built strong relationships with many health care providers here in Melbourne and understand the nuances of this sector. If you would like to have a discussion with me regarding opportunities in this sector or if you require resources on your healthcare team from a project management perspective, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

ADAPTING WITH TECHNOLOGY

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 13:20:23 GMT

AS A MILLENNIAL, I EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY BUT SLIGHTLY RISK ADVERSE. I AM NOT DECLARING I AM A TECHNO-PHOBIC (THOUGH I DO GIVE MYSELF TECH / SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS AND TRY MYSELF BEFORE SEEKING A YOUTUBE TUTORIAL). BUT AS WELL AS THE EXCITING PROSPECTS PRESENTED BY TECHNOLOGY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FRIGHT FACTORS POSED TO THE WORKFORCE AND THE VARIOUS GENERATIONS IMPACTED.

Data security, people replacement with robots, and loss of human interaction aren’t new concerns to many people. It is imperative we develop, learn and adapt with technology, not to technology.

I have recently had the opportunity to attend various industry events and workshops surrounding the topics of employee engagement, business culture and organisational development. These reaffirmed that though technology is often a huge catalyst or focus for business growth, change and efficiency, it is important the structure and people are adaptable and supported through the change and transition.

Change Management, Learning & Development and Human Resources are three core functions of a business that will help develop, support and adapt to the future of work. I've listed some key findings from conversations and events below.

Key employee attributes for the future workforce:

People management, leadership and coaching
Human connection and interpersonal skills
Team collaboration
Problem solving and strong communications
Flexibility and empathy

Focus for business and people development to support future roles:

Become more computer literate as we become more technology dependant
Organisational behaviour and culture
Employee motivation, satisfaction and development opportunity
Hone the skills that can’t be automated or taught to technology

My experience in partnering with candidates and organisations across change management is that in many cases the introduction and growth of technology within organisations as well as change to organisational structure is happening simultaneously, and impacts employees in different ways.

Some key transformation initiatives in the market at present include HRIS implementations, Big Data programs for deeper customer understanding as well as digital capability. These initiatives are also encompassing specialist change resources to apply human-centered design, people centered implementation principles and brand awareness.

Many jobs and tasks will be sacrificed in the future but so many also morphed or newly created, so new they can’t even be distinguished right now. This is exciting and naturally as humans, let’s grow.

If you are looking for your next move, wish to discuss market insight or seeking change specialists for business transformation and projects, please do reach out.

Zoe Winn
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8101
E zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

DATA ANALYTICS - RESOURCING IN A MATURING MARKET

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 13:12:54 GMT

IN THE EVER EVOLVING WORLD OF DATA ANALYTICS, BUSINESSES ARE ACCELERATING GROWTH BY INVESTING IN A COMPREHENSIVE DATA STRATEGY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO EFFECTIVELY CAPTURE AND CENTRALISE DATA. IN ADDITION, THEY CAN CLEANSE, EXTRACT AND ANALYSE THE DATA TO GIVE BETTER INSIGHT AND ULTIMATELY ENABLE BETTER DECISION MAKING.

Whilst technology has to underpin the ability for companies to do this, it cannot accelerate a business alone. The need for statistical and quantitative expertise coupled with information technology and market knowledge will give those businesses who invest in the right resources the competitive edge in understanding their customers and their behavioural patterns better through data.

Advanced analytics is the use of sophisticated techniques and tools, typically beyond those of traditional Business Intelligence to discover deeper insights and make predictions. The use of data mining, machine learning, artificial intelligence and robotics are at varying levels of maturity across the market. Typically customer and digital focused businesses are paving the way.

An immature market creates challenges for both analytics professionals and companies hiring talent. The definition of roles can become blurred. For example, in the case of Data Science, what someone is exposed to and has the opportunity to create in one organisation can be very different to another who is more advanced in their data journey.

There is an increased frustration from the Data Science community about clients over-complicating their business problem where companies should actually focus on data cleanse and governance before they even consider Data Science as a solution.

I have witnessed varying degrees of client expectation in mathematical/algorithm/predictive modelling capability of a Data Scientist which often does not reflect in level of salary. This also applies to other areas such as Data Engineering, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence showing a lot of inconsistency across the market.

The opportunity is also significant for skilled professionals as we see businesses invest more heavily in their data strategy, building robust analytics teams and using contractors to flex up and down as project requirements fluctuate. This is also evident of a maturing market as businesses begin to worry less about losing IP and see more benefit in hiring specific expertise to ensure successful delivery and outcomes.

Project Resource Partners is in the unique position of engaging with clients across sectors in relation to resource planning around their data strategy as well as networking with skilled professionals who are seeking their next engagement.

As transformation resourcing specialists, our market coverage includes:

Data Analytics & BI – Data Analysis, Data Science, Data Engineering, Data Modelling, Analytics & Insights, Commercial/Performance Analytics, Web/Digital Analytics, Market Research, Big Data, Business Intelligence, RPA, Artificial Intelligence, Analytics Consulting & Strategy.

Change Management – Change, Communications, Organisational Design & Development, Training, Learning & Development and Instructional Design

Project Services – Business Analysis, Project and Program Management & Delivery, Portfolio Management, PMO strategy, start-up & management and Transformation, including Continuous Improvement (Green & Black Belts).

If you would like further insight or a confidential discussion, please feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to assist in any way I can.

Janelle Kelly
Director
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8102
E jkelly@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE CHANGING OF RETAIL

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 07:00:33 GMT

AS CHRISTMAS BEGINS APPEARING ON THE HORIZON, REPORTS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE RETAIL INDUSTRY BECOME MORE PROMINENT. IT IS INTERESTING THAT WHILE THE REPORTS FOCUS ON THE CHALLENGES THE INDUSTRY IS FACING, PARTICULARLY FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR BUSINESSES, THERE IS STILL A HIGH LEVEL OF OPTIMISM IN THE INDUSTRY.

Yes, there are stories about how stores will close and how Amazon will further disrupt the retail landscape as it entrenches in the Australian market, whilst other newer players such as Aldi continue to erode traditional leaders market share. Yet overall ASX retailers continue to perform and, in some cases, grow. For example, JB Hi-Fi has recently become one of the largest electronics retailers in the world.

So, what is driving this perception in the market and what can be done about it?

The first factor is the changing consumer patterns that are driving the way key consumer demographics are shopping. Millennials are time poor and will shop in ways that allow them to purchase in their own time without having to battle the crowds in traditional shopping centres. As such, the more avenues that a business provides purchases to buy, the more opportunities there are to capture sales.

One only needs to look at the near overnight success of Afterpay who in Fiscal Year 2018 will have processed AU$2.18 billion by creating a new, flexible product offering that appeals to millennial consumers that have shown themselves wary of credit card debt. With an economy that is growing, unemployment low and low interest rates, retailers should be in a position to capitalise on a strong end to 2018. But how should they go about doing this?

Many businesses are streamlining how they work and are looking at projects that drive efficiencies and enhance their customer's experience. These transformations are creating opportunities for people with strong and proven skill sets across change and project services, in addition to data analytic specialists who ensure there is objectivity in the decision making process and that the right areas are focussed on.

Project Resource Partners is a specialist recruitment consultancy that partners with organisations across industries to execute transformations to ensure they position themselves to succeed into the future. I lead our retail practice and have partnered with a range of retailers from established legacy brands, new market entrants and start-ups to find the best quality talent to execute these transformations.

We aim to partner with retailers who want to view the future positively and who want to invest in the future to reap the future rewards. We do this by matching ambitious businesses with the talent that will deliver on their vision.

If you are interested in a confidential conversation about opportunities or about the talent in the market, Project Resource Partners are always wanting to help connect the best talent with the best clients.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

SHIFTING FOCUS IN THE AGED CARE SECTOR

Thu, 03 May 2018 06:48:37 GMT

PEOPLE ARE LIVING LONGER. THANKS TO IMPROVED HEALTH SYSTEMS AND BETTER AGED CARE SERVICES, ACCESS TO SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE IS NOW MORE OF A FOCUS. THIS FOCUS IS PARTLY DUE TO THE KNOWLEDGE, OUR AGEING POPULATION WILL INCREASE, SEEING MORE DEMAND FOR SERVICES IN THE COMING TEN YEARS. SERVICES NEED TO BE SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE, OFFER CHOICE AND FLEXIBILITY FOR CONSUMERS, ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO INVEST AND GROW AND PROVIDE DIVERSE AND REWARDING CAREER OPTIONS.

Moving towards consumer-directed care means that consumers, will have greater choice. This means organisations must become more competitive, understand what their customer wants and that the care and services offered will be based on needs, as well as demand.

When one reflects on the aged care industry, residential aged care generally comes to mind. However people often want to live independently for as long as possible. They want to continue to reside in their own home. They want to be connected to their family and community, in familiar surroundings.

Aged Care organisations must be flexible in their focus on home support for those traditionally focussed on residential care. The home care packages program has been the subject of significant reform to ensure that the services evolves to meet the care and lifestyle needs of our older Australians. Organisations are therefore looking upon home care as the highest growth and most profitable space in this sector.

From partnering with many of the leading organisations across aged care and residential care as well as across the disability sector, all of these evolving factors do raise some very interesting questions. Would internalising workforces benefit organisations financially, whilst providing the right service levels? How should this change be best managed from a C-level perspective? Should organisations look to expand their workforce with resources who have sector experience and resonate with the organisation on the ground level? Or should organisations hire staff with corporate experience to instil strong project and change methodologies, including project rigor and discipline in an industry just beginning its’ journey to maturity across their project landscape?

This means that when you are looking for people to join your team there are some key traits that it helps to look out for in a person:

Can they deal with ambiguity in terms of information?
Are they able to be empathetic with front line staff who have been, are and will continue to deliver the end service?
Can they balance that empathy and understanding with a commercial understanding that they are able to communicate?
Can the person manage change and influence people as to why change is required?

To date it has been a very rewarding and enjoyable journey assisting and consulting with Aged Care and Disability organisations to establish PMOs and transformation teams and to build and expand program and project teams from scratch. Partnered exclusively with many players in this market has shown that the challenges facing these businesses are shared, but the approach to solving them differs.

This often means that the staffing or resource needs of these organisations are different, but in sourcing for them it is important to understand the challenges they face. It is a privilege to be able to work in the Aged Care and Disability space, helping companies build their capabilities across Project and Change Management. Building the capability of their workforces and having the opportunity to play a key role in the growth, development and constant evolution in this ever changing, and ever more important sector.

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

LET US HELP YOU ENHANCE CHANGE PRACTICES AND CULTURE

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 04:52:54 GMT

IN A WORLD OF CONSTANT CHANGE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NAVIGATING EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE CHANGE PROCESS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT.

Challenging environments that companies are working in are often made more challenging until they recognise the importance of Change Management and how it can benefit the business. If change is never considered, new system implementations may then never get used as intended or to their full benefit or people may leave for a better culture where employees feel valued and can have their opinions recognised.

Many corporations traditionally managed change through their HR team, adding it to the direct responsibilities of a Project Manager or as part of a BAU managers day to day role. The need for specialised Change Management resources is now becoming of greater importance, particularly when there are additional business pressures warranting projects to be successful. I believe we have moved past defining a successful project by making sure it was implemented on time and on budget, but also by reviewing the adaption rate and the engagement from the impacted stakeholders.

Change Management has evolved to become more than a box-ticking exercise; it involves engaging with stakeholders, working on embedding a change culture and ultimately creating an environment where change is a key element of the company’s DNA.

Since change can be found everywhere, there is a critical need for having a specialist Change Management resources. This doesn’t mean a person scattering large and complex words from textbooks, but someone who can relate to and empathise with affected employees, can understand their concerns and has the ability to guide them to help them see the advantages of the new strategy, system or process. Change might not always be beneficial to the parties involved, but the beauty of change is also the ability to experiment, to learn from past mistakes and create a better version of ourselves, and our organisation.

Through conversations with clients and candidates throughout the first quarter of 2018 we have seen organisations increasing their investment in Change, and putting more value on the outcomes it helps create. Every week Project Resource Partners are approached by companies recognising the importance of change management and wanting to increase their capability. They have come to realise that employees are their most important asset, and in many cases key to their success.

Our aim within the Change practice at Project Resource Partners is to ensure that we are consulting with our customers to enable them to embed or enhance change practices and culture. We want to understand the overall goal of what a company is trying to achieve through their change program, whether it is people, organisational or maybe process change. That allows us then to advise on solutions and people that may be best placed to help an organisation reach their objectives.

As part of our change management team, I specialise in Health and Aged Care, Education and Not for Profit sectors. This is a market that is going through extremely large transformation at the moment; often through changing the way they see the customer and also through becoming more user-oriented and data savvy. Change is constant, but we are here to assist you.

If you are looking for your next move, if you would like more insight or if you're simply seeking advice as to what's happening in this space, please do reach out.

Jaquelina Iselli

Consultant

Project Resource Partners

Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia

T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8107

E jiselli@projectresourcepartners.com.au

In Change Management, Project Services, Project Management, Business Transformation

RETAIL IN AUSTRALIA: CRISIS OR OPPORTUNITY?

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:53:16 GMT

ANY NOISE AROUND THE RETAIL INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA IN 2018 SEEMS TO COME DOWN TO THE FAILURES OF CONVENTIONAL BRICKS AND MORTAR RETAIL. THE STRUGGLES OF LEGACY BRANDS MAY DOMINATE THE HEADLINES BUT IN EVERY CATEGORY IN RETAIL THERE IS A DIFFERENT MARKET LEADER UNDERTAKING SIGNIFICANT, STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUCCESSFUL FOUNDATION FOR THE YEARS TO COME.

The current view is that retail in Australia is a battle between e-commerce vs. bricks and mortar with e-commerce laying waste to storefront retail. Any successful retailer in Australia has e-commerce as an essential part of any business strategy to succeed long term. IBISWorld estimates that e-commerce in Australia is a $20 billion industry employing nearly 70,000 Australians while growing 13% year on year. This is one statistic that highlights the incredible opportunities in retail as customers are demanding that retailers invest significantly in e-commerce. In a time poor world, customers and in particular millennial consumers want choice and flexibility in their retailers.

Although there is a challenge coming from fast fashion and online retailers like Amazon and ASOS, the reality is that legacy brands in Australia matter. Legacy businesses may not have been the first movers, but they are currently undertaking large scale transformations that are some of the most exciting in Australian business.

Businesses like Officeworks have had success in understanding the needs of their customers and offering them options up to near instantaneous fulfillment in local stores. This is a perfect example of an established retailer adapting to changing customer patterns to great success.

Officeworks have increased their investments in systems and transformation to ensure they meet the changing needs of their customers and to future proof their position in the market. The investments are significant, the projects are demanding but the returns are worth it.

As always, industry change and transformation leads to a demand for people who are able to devise and implement strategies that future proof businesses. This in turn provides opportunities for people who have worked on or are able to add value to these organisations.

Project Resource Partners is a specialist recruitment consultancy with a focus on business transformation. I lead our retail practice and see every day the investment in transformation that Australian retailers are undertaking to appeal to more shoppers in more ways. Click and collect, same day and next day deliveries, smarter warehousing systems and cutting edge use of business intelligence are just some of the examples of new projects we are seeing businesses execute to ensure that retailers prepare themselves for their futures.

I lead the e-Commerce, FMCG and Retail portfolio here at Project Resource Partners. I have been partnering closely with leading organisations across the sector to assist them to establish business transformation teams, project management offices as well as a multitude of roles spanning across project services, business process improvement and business analysis.

If you are looking for your next move, if you would like more insight or if you're simply seeking advice as to what's happening in this space, please do reach out.

Dan Corbett
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8105
E dcorbett@projectresourcepartners.com.au

In Project Management, Project Services, Business Transformation, Business Analysis

$2.2B CUT FROM UNIVERSITY BUDGETS - WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 07:28:56 GMT

FUNDING HAS BEEN FROZEN - WHAT WILL THIS MEAN TO TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGE WITHIN THE EDUCATION SECTOR?

At the end of 2017, the federal government announced there will be a $2.2 billion cut from university budgets. The reduction is to be primarily through a two-year freeze for teaching and learning in Commonwealth grants funding. This means that funding will be capped at 2017 levels and an estimated 10,000 university places will go unfunded this year.

As expected this is a concern for the whole Education sector, and potential undergraduate students and university staff will be feeling a sense of nerves as to the ongoing security of their positions. However, with every dark cloud there is always a silver lining and this could present opportunities for those who are looking to be part of business transformation and change programs of work. This is because universities will have to develop new solutions of how to manage their resources ‘cut’ and streamline certain processes, with a potential focus on re-engineering the current ways of working.

Universities will now have to be more strategic in their approach. This will mean allocating and the right resources to drive business & process improvement, transformation and change. Under the new regime this will be more crucial than ever.

I manage the Education portfolio here at Project Resource Partners and partner with several leading universities across business transformation, within project services, analytics and change. Through the conversations I am having with my network it is clear there could be a significant benefit in having specialised project based resources who are focused on transforming current processes. This is in order to save costs, and in some cases to find new ways to generate revenue. In the past year there has been a focus in universities on identifying the duplication of processes and working out how they can operate in a different manner to ultimately streamline processes to ultimately provide savings.

Consequently, transformation and change resources have been faced with challenges, including some level of resistance to change. Often there is a stigma attached that my job could be at risk from the work that is being conducted. Those carrying out the transformations know this is not the case, and ‘organisational restructures’ have never been part of the agenda. However, with the announcement to freeze funding, there is no question this challenge will be presented again and will carry the worry of pending ‘organisational changes’.

With the announcement, the strategy within the sector appears to be that critical and revenue generating projects or programs of work will continue. Anything that falls outside of this will either be put on hold or closed. Obviously, this is far from ideal for any tertiary education organisation as with the increased competition between universities, coupled with the emergence of RTO’s, online learning platforms and vocational learning, the need to keep delivering a transforming learning experience for students is greater than ever.

Ultimately for all universities across Australia this will mean some form of transformation or change process will have to take place to manage the ‘funding freeze’ in 2018 and into 2019. As discussed this could present opportunities to project personnel who have delivered process improvement projects and programs that have led to cost savings in an industry that is at the heartbeat of the nation. The route which each university takes will be ever evolving as they seek to deliver the changes needed to cope with the ‘cuts’ skilled transformation and change resources will be vital so the process is as effective and smooth as possible.

Gavin Barclay
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8103
E gbarclay@projectresourcepartners.com.au

In Change Management, Project Services, Business Transformation, Project Management

AGED CARE - THE FASTEST GROWING SECTOR IN AUSTRALIA.

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 07:17:01 GMT

DO YOU ALSO HAVE A SOCIAL-CONSCIENCE AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO NEED A HELPING HAND? WOULD YOU LIKE TO STEP OUT OF THE OFFICE EVERY DAY KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY?

Aged care is a $20 billion+ industry in Australia, employing over 224,000 staff across more than 1,800 businesses who care for over 270,000 elderly and disabled Australians across the country.

The Federal Government’s 2015 Intergenerational Report predicts the number of Aussies aged 65 years and over will double from 3.6 million today to 8.9 million by 2055.

While this is news that should both concern and excite Australians, it does make the Aged Care sector an attractive prospect for job seekers looking for a stable, rewarding career. The resulting increase in demand on Aged Care and community care services will create an oversupply of roles in the Aged Care market.

Given that Aged Care job vacancies in January 2016 exceeded applicants by 400 per cent, this certainly highlights the volume of opportunities that exist within the sector. In fact, the Department of Health estimates the Aged Care sector will need to expand its workforce from 366,000 to 980,000 by 2050 to meet the needs of our ageing population, while SEEK predicts growth of 30 per cent by 2020.

To care for our aging population, and to ensure that you (yes you!) will receive the care you require when you are old and grey, we need to build a skilled and dedicated workforce. That is a workforce with the capability to drive projects that will constantly look to improve service delivery and enhance the customer experience and customer journey for end users. A workforce loaded with the appropriate toolkits, approaches and styles required to drive these changes in this niche sector.

Historically this sector has been behind technologically, however, digital technology is set to transform and modernise the provision of Aged Care services in Australia . Technology has the ability to enable administrative tasks to be completed more efficiently, freeing up quality time for support workers and care givers to tend to residents’ social and emotional needs. These advancements range from innovative comparison websites which would allow you to read reviews of individual facilities and compare fee structures, to more futuristic advancements such as smartwatch-style monitoring devices and robotic assistants who can follow nurses around facilities as they tend to residents.

Unfortunately age escapes no one. Why not work in a sector that will directly affect you and your loved ones in the future. Make your mark. Make a difference.

I manage the Aged Care, Health Care and Not-for-Profit portfolio here at Project Resources Partners. I have been partnering closely with various leading organisations across this sector to assist them to establish business transformation teams, project management offices, communications teams as well as a multitude of roles spanning across project services, business process improvement, business analytics and change management.

From my perspective the opportunity to establish and be part of these greenfield project management and change management functions in the fastest growing sector in the country is exciting and rewarding. To work with passionate, caring, values-orientated people who are all working towards the same goal and mission, which is focused around those in their care, is the reason I relish coming in to work each day. Would you also like to make your mark on this crucial sector that provides a valuable community service?

Lydia Mc Williams
Consultant
Project Resource Partners
Level 29, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T +61 3 9949 8100 D +61 3 9949 8106
E lmcwilliams@projectresourcepartners.com.au

TRANSITIONING TO OPERATIONS

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 06:52:22 GMT

Recently Project Resource Partners held an event in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Project Managers that discussed ‘Transitioning into Operations’. The discussion was to explore how rarely now there is a simple ‘handover’ on a project, as the point at which project delivery ends and operations begins is increasingly blurred.

To investigate this topic, we had industry experts from diverse backgrounds with sector experience in transport, utilities, health, financial services, government, emergency services and commercial services. The projects covered; automation, business transformations, new capital works, construction, facility upgrades and ICT roll-outs.

Despite this diversity there were central themes that our four speakers all agreed were integral to both the success of a project and managing the transition into operations. Below are five points that seemed to resonate across the speakers, and whilst they seem obvious the nature of different environments and structures mean that often it is far easier said than done.

Understanding who the client is?

Know who this is from the start of the project. This can be difficult; is it the founder of the project, the end user, the final customer, is it all three, or even someone else? Knowing this will help with regards to communication throughout the project life cycle and through the transition into operations.

What is the project delivering?

Understanding the desired end outcome is also very important, and ensuring that it is clarified and continually discussed throughout the lifecycle of the project. Sometimes what is wanted changes, and it’s better to know that earlier rather than later!

Accountability

Given the matrixed nature of a lot of projects it is important to understand who has overall responsibility for what, and who can make decisions of what. This ensures that when a decision needs to be made it can be made, there is someone who can make it. This is particularly important when decisions are needed quickly and where opinions may differ.

Expectation management

This is important to continually stay on top of and ensure that expectations of your end client are being met throughout the lifecycle of the project. What you can’t do is assume that you are on the right track as requirements change. In relation to the topic of the discussion it is also important to understand what the expectation is around handover and who is responsible for what.

Communication

Throughout all the above points the importance of two-way (or multi way) communication is key, and the channels need to open throughout the project and through the handover phase. The clearer these communication lines are and the more transparent the project is the more chance they have of success.

None of these things by themselves will guarantee success, and there are other areas that are needed such as governance, strong design etc. What they will do is ensure that the project has a better chance of delivering what is required and ensuring a smoother ‘Transition into Operations.’

Tags Project Manager Jobs Melbourne, Change Management, Change Analyst, Transformation Projects, Expectation management

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 06:45:00 GMT

Digital transformation, or digital disruption as some may say, is becoming a large focus for many organisations. This is no different in the Education sector where it is gaining significant attention.

Project Resource Partners have great visibility of the different projects and programs taking place in the sector. The main theme we have seen in recent months is the need for digital transformation to improve customer experience (students and staff) for education institutions.

With the range of new systems and technologies that are available now, the education sector, including universities, colleges and schools are all being forced to review what they need to do to stay competitive in the market. New ways of teaching and learning are now becoming necessary, with a major market developing for the online learning and teaching space. This is where a student can successfully complete a degree without having to set foot on campus.

The growth in the digital market has caused a move away from the traditional forms of teaching. This means that some of Victoria’s higher education institutions are all competing to make sure they secure the best Virtual Learning Environment for their students. Within the market there are thoughts that the days of academics teaching at the front of a lecture theatre for certain subjects are numbered, and that the use of digital mediums to deliver learning are becoming more prevalent.

SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR PROJECTS?

We are finding our clients in the Education sector are now in need of specialised resources with proven expertise in delivering projects related to specific education systems. For candidate’s this means if you have strong skills related to Learning Management Systems, Students Management Systems or bespoke education based CRM products, you will be in high demand.

As a partner with the Education industry we are always looking at ways to add value to make sure our clients and candidates are gaining maximum benefit from our services. As a result, I now specialising within this market to ensure Project Resource Partners can continue to add value to the Education sector.

This will ensure our clients are being presented candidates and solutions that deliver the correct skills and expertise needed to successfully deliver project work. The candidates we work with are being allowed to utilise their expertise within the Education sector and the digital realms to the best of their ability.

Please reach out if you are seeking project resources or if you are a candidate with project experience seeking a new role.

In Project Services, Project Management, Business Transformation Tags Education, Digital Disruption

THE CHANGING CONSUMER

Fri, 02 Jun 2017 06:36:34 GMT

There are number of extremely exciting projects and business transformations occurring across Retail, Utilities and Education, and a key driver of these is the digital experience of customers.

Within Retail for instance, a customer with a smartphone in hand can seek the best deals and make a purchase by clicking a button. Strategic shoppers will take a liking to online shopping and ‘self-serve,’ however others prefer the in-store shopping experience and human advice. Organisations need to understand these habits and be able to react to them, particularly digitally.

As more organisations embrace Digital Transformation, a driver other than Technology that needs to be considered is the customer experience and it’s impact on buying decisions. Many organisations are now investing in the importance of effective change management. Changing processes and systems at a customer level most often also require the business to change internally at a corporate level.

Change is about people, coaching and influencing. Change consultants listen, interpret and collaborate across various divisions of a business. They consider the significantly broader and deeper people impact often associated and the use of development and implementation methods such as Agile, Lean human centered design and customer/user experience.

While finding the balance between technology and the human connection can be difficult, getting it right is well worth it and arguably a “must do”. Project Resource Partners provide specialised Change resources who have in-depth experience and understanding of this newer customer focused transformation and what it takes to help an organisation operate in a “digitally customer focused” world.

Please feel free to reach out if you are seeking Change Management resources or are a change manager or analyst seeking new opportunities.

CORPORATISING VOCATIONS

Tue, 02 May 2017 06:22:59 GMT

With Project Resource Partners choosing to have specialist consultants recruiting for Health, Aged Care, and Education, we have been meeting a number of professionals across these industries. These conversations have highlighted THREE key themes that both industries have in common, as they relate to Project Services, Change and Transformation.

1. MANAGING CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION WHERE A HUMAN OUTCOME IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR FRONT LINE STAFF AT THE COAL FACE TEACHING AND TREATING

Communicating benefit to these real life heroes is key to be being able to ensure projects and transformations realise their outcomes. That benefit needs to be communicated in human terms rather than dollar terms. This dichotomy of outcome can be a real challenge in terms of communicating change and ensuring a whole organisation is on board with the evolution.

2. PEOPLE FROM ‘COMMERCIAL’ INDUSTRIES, WHERE DOLLARS AND CENTS ARE OFTEN THE MORE OBVIOUS DRIVERS MAY HAVE TO EMBRACE A NEW APPROACH

Market share, profits and shareholder value are reduced in prevalence meaning project services and transformation agendas in Health, Aged Care and Education are about becoming more efficient to deliver patient or student outcomes. These in turn produce increased end user funding as people choose to use the services you provide. Those dollars can then be reinvested back into the system for continuous improvement in service delivery.

3. A MISCONCEPTION THAT PEOPLE FROM ‘COMMERCIAL’ INDUSTRY AND PEOPLE FROM EDUCATION OR HEALTH OR AGED CARE ARE DIFFERENT

There is often a belief that people from industry lack the same passion towards human outcomes. And vice versa that people from Health, Aged Care and Education lack the commercial skills of those from industry. As with most things the truth is somewhere in the middle and individuals all have different drivers and motivations. Businesses who seem to be furthest ahead in terms of their transformations understand this and build diverse teams.

Industries such as Health, Aged Care and Education are evolving quickly and that means hiring the right people, with the right blend of social DNA and commerciality, is a key challenge. It is something that if met will only add to the patient or student experience. Done successfully it will mean front line stakeholders, who are the cornerstones of these vocational industries, can be engaged in an exciting journey, meaning desired outcomes are more likely to be achieved.

It is for these reasons, and in particular the need to source people with a unique blend of value and skill sets, that Project Resource Partner have chosen to have consultants specialise in Health, Aged Care and Education. If we can assist in aligning what are often viewed divergent agendas, then we can help in the evolution occurring in these essential fields.

For more information please speak to either myself, Andrew Bath , or one of our specialists, Lydia McWilliams for Health and Aged Care, or Gavin Barclay for Education.

In Business Transformation, Change Management Tags corporatising vocations

GROWTH AND DIVERSITY IN THE PROJECT SERVICE MARKET

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 12:50:14 GMT

Project Resource Partners have immense visibility within the project markets. We are able to see changes and trends that are flow through the market - such as which industries are busy, what candidates are in demand, what types of projects are being undertaken, costs and rates etc.

As a stakeholder within the industry we very much value both our client and candidate relationship thus do our best to make sure we partner with both equally. We do this by staying current, working tirelessly in the market and providing relevant information in a range of different areas – again rates, candidate demand, new trends etc.

In recent times, we have seen a shift in two broader areas.

Let's provide some detail around this which will tie into how the market has significantly shifted and changed very recently.

GROWTH:

We have noticed new demand for project resources such as Program Managers, Project Managers, Business Analysts, Change Managers etc. coming out of industries and companies which would not generally have projects. This is also coupled with an increase in projects stemming from a non-IT domains and business units.

DIVERSITY:

We have a seen an increase in the diversity of projects – from business projects to digitising to automation to process optimisations just to name a few.

The effect this has on the market is that candidates now have a larger range of choice and that interesting/exciting opportunities are not only with the bigger brands. Clients have an increased responsibility to be sure to present an interesting project to the market rather than just use their brand, furthermore candidates do have to present themselves in the most relevant light to potential employees.

We are finding that more clients are reaching out to us and relying on us to understand their project and match the candidate skill set required very accurately.

Furthermore we are finding candidates with solid project delivery experience coupled with a diverse range of skills really partnering with us to help them find a relevant opportunity.

In summary the current market is increasing in diversity and growth and very exciting as a whole. With our specialisation, experience and network in Project Services we are well placed to partner with clients and candidates to match requirements in this increasingly complex environment.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are an employer seeking Project Resources or if you are a candidate in the market seeking a new role.

In Project Services Tags Project Services, Diversity, Growth, Transformation Projects

COMMUNICATING TRANSFORMATION

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 12:41:36 GMT

Transformation is a word loosely used in the market with various interpretations; most of them being neither right nor wrong, it is viewed as the vision and future state of operation for an organisation. Drivers often vary, ranging from improved consumer experience, increased globalisation of markets or the need for enhanced business efficiency.

This can lead to change in business model, systems or culture. Large organisations with rich history and smaller fast growing organisations plus all in-between are currently undergoing Transformation across many industries. The scale of this can differ however a key catalyst to success other than a business plan is the delivery of an effective communication strategy throughout all stages.

Change is uncomfortable, challenging but also exciting and there is not one perfect way to communicate. Leaders and participants question the affects that change will have on them within the work setting and what part they will play in the process. Communicating the positive future state of an organisation and the benefits of transformation early on generates engagement and understanding of the why and how.

The team at Project Resource Partners have a comprehensive network of candidates and deep knowledge of their experience. We consult closely with our clients to understand the current journey of their business and vision for future state in order to fully engage the right resources for Project and Change Management. We explore challenges, cultural fit and strategy to fully understand the skill set and personality required to successfully deliver projects and aid transformation.

Change Management and communication is often still an afterthought. Project Resource Partners are working with some excellent communication specialists with cross sector experience, enterprise stakeholder knowledge and an appreciation that every human is wired differently so how information is processed and interpreted is dissimilar.

If you are a candidate or client wishing to explore our services or seeking opportunities and resources within Business Transformation, please contact Zoe Winn on (03) 9949 8101 or zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

In Business Transformation Tags Business Transformation, Change management, Project Management

PROJECT MANAGEMENT - AGILE VS WATERFALL

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 12:00:12 GMT

As a specialist recruitment agency working with multiple clients in the project services realm, we are consistently engaging with candidates and clients to discuss their experiences in end to end project management and what their view is on the “best fit” to deliver projects. From our understanding, the two main methodologies utilised for project delivery are; Waterfall and Agile. There are various opinions on both methods and on what will deliver the best solution, however it seems the general consensus is that it all depends on the type of project being delivered and its needs.

Waterfall methodology is where each phase of the product’s life cycle takes place in sequence and progress in transitions. It’s the traditional way in which projects have been delivered often following the PRINCE2 or PMI PMP framework.

As it follows a single linear process, Waterfall methodology is seen as being easier to understand and more manageable, especially for those who are new to software development and when non-developers are involved. In conjunction to this, waterfall allows for a greater emphasis to be placed upon documentation. This provides reassurance to organisations as it highlights any discrepancies that could cause potential risks during the development phase and therefore removed during the design phase.

Whereas, Agile methodology avoids taking a sequential approach in favour of an incremental, iterative one, commonly referred to as “Scrum”. Agile allows for changing requirements over time by using cross-functional teams which work on successive iterations over fixed time periods. Prioritisation follows an exact priority order based on business value and the work is organised into a backlog. Teams using agile are self-organising and will always include a business representative and have emphasis on efficient face to face communication and short feedback loops. The nature of a Scrum due to the rhythm it creates can help to build highly motivated teams where productivity increases over time.

Each iteration has the goal of producing a working product which can be demonstrated to the stakeholders and then feedback can be incorporate into the next or future iterations. The method of agile has evolved from a number of different lightweight software philosophies which were developed in the 1990's to counter heavyweight methodologies like waterfall.

What is the best method to choose?

Arguments suggest that an agile methodology is best adopted for software development based projects as technology, markets and business is changing so fast software needs to be able to adapt to this. Agile is seen to potentially allow for more flexibility than the waterfall method, as even when components change, there is a consistent focus on value. This means what has been delivered already should be worthwhile.

Comparatively, large scale infrastructure/hardware based projects whereby the requirements are guaranteed not to change and a small amount of uncertainty is present or the project is very simple would warrant a waterfall method. There is belief that these type of projects are becoming more and rarer though. In conjunction, if an organisation is not in a mature enough state a more traditional Waterfall methodology would align better than Agile.

However, some clients and candidates that we have been speaking to of late have expressed a hybrid approach incorporating both Agile and Waterfall approaches into the delivery is now the way forward. The feeling is that this approach gives the best of both worlds and for large scale transformation projects where there are many different elements this has seen benefit.

Tags Waterfall Methodology, Agile Methodology, Project Management, Change Management, Project Services, Waterfall, Agile

THE VALUE OF CROSS SECTOR EXPERIENCE

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 11:54:16 GMT

As a specialist firm in Project Services, Project Resource Partners have a unique view of the external market. We are in a fortunate position where we see first-hand what types of projects are in flight, which sectors are busy and also the skill sets in highest demand. We also understand the frustration for candidates who are met with the sometimes common feedback “unfortunately you don’t have the relevant sector experience”.

As a trusted advisor and recruitment partner, we are often able to educate our candidates and clients that sector experience is not a critical requirement. Undertaking a process to look only within the sector will minimise your candidate pool and more likely have the outcome of higher rates and limited skill. Our extensive network allows us to identify suitable individuals who have the required skill set or experience without coming from the relevant sector, that can deliver! We have a strong track record of successfully transitioning candidates into different sectors and do believe this is of great value to our clients.

We are welcoming and encouraging the recent trend of clients recognising the value of expertise from other sectors. Some of the benefits in doing so include;

Bring a more thorough/complex project execution model (i.e from those sectors with more mature capability)
Bring a different way of thinking into the organisation
Increase capability in your organisation by recognising skill gap (ie. digital capability
Sharing of IP across sectors)
Improve culture.

A client comments below on her recent experience of hiring from outside the sector;

“ I have recently taken a Project Manager from outside the retail sector and I have found it to be an extremely positive process. This experience has been an eye opener for both me and my team and again enormously positive, there have been wins which were definitely unforeseen;

My team have an increased thirst for learning and collaboration – it’s great to see, especially with the junior PMsThe team are draining information from this contractor whom has clearly a wealth of knowledge gained from their varied sector backgroundMy team are implementing new ways of thinking and management which is having a positive effect on outcomes, meetings and issue resolution. My team is sharper!

Overall this experience has been extremely beneficial for the team and the project environment of the organisation moving forward”

As Project Resource Partners work across multiple sectors including Education, Finance, Retail, Utilities, Health, Transport and Industrial amongst others, we have a comprehensive network of candidates and deep knowledge of their sector experience. This holds us in good stead to make informed decisions about relevant candidates on behalf of our clients. We are pleased to see this evolution in our market and strongly believe the benefits will see continued benefit for both the Project Management Industry and Industry in general.

If you are a candidate or client who would like to understand how to best approach this, please feel free to reach out to Evan Xeres on +61 3 9949 8105 or exeres@projectresourcepartners.com.au .

Tags Project Services, cross sector experience

RECENT MARKET INSIGHTS - PROJECT SERVICES

Mon, 11 Apr 2016 11:47:16 GMT

Project services and delivery are fast becoming a critical necessity for most organisations across sectors. Whilst maturity levels are often low, there is a shift towards improving internal capability and implementing strong frameworks and tool kits that allow standardisation and consistency in the way projects are delivered.

We are seeing significant investment into building internal capability by complimenting permanent BAU staff with highly skilled and specialised contract resources, specific to project needs and bridging the gap with those skills that are lacking internally.

Project Resource Partners are strategically positioned to offer this capability to our clients. We partner with your key decision makers to understand your transformational agenda and the challenges you face with your current resource structure and future planning.

Our team excel at providing expert market knowledge and thought leadership surrounding business transformation, projects and change. We track trends taking place in industry and provide insights into the latest corporate initiatives in this space.

For more information, please contact the Project Resource Partners team on (03) 9949 8100 or info@projectresourcepartners.com.au

Tags Project Services, Market Insights, Industry Insights, Project Management, Business Analysis, PMO

THE SHIFTING ROLE OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST - THE STRATEGIC BA

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 11:44:50 GMT

Business Transformation and Change is not possible without projects and projects are not possible without Business Analysts. The good news for the profession is that change is continuous in today’s markets and a major driver of change is culture.

Organisational culture strongly influences working relationships, and in many organisations the culture can vary between business units and even projects. Success is difficult to obtain in organisation’s where a disconnect exists between culture and the business strategy. Often, when this is the case, project execution suffers and stakeholders/vendors are left questioning why.

We work closely with clients to understand their organisational culture and values to best identify the ‘right fit’ candidate for their business. To perform their roles more effectively, Project Resource Partners coaches contractors in the market to better understand organisational culture and how it influences requirements and project success. Business Analysts don’t have much say in how or why some projects are undertaken but by identifying cultural disconnects, they can better define requirements and recognize risks that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Being a strong Business Analyst often requires more than just developing and writing requirements, it means establishing trust with stakeholders and persuading them to embark on a journey of change. BA practitioners are expected to impress stakeholders and demonstrate their worth by asking the tough questions that address the impacts of a new solution or process and what effect the change will have on an organisation and its customers.

Those BA’s who are making people take notice are those who recognize the opportunity to play a more strategic role in a project and take it upon themselves to develop the required skills needed to do it well.

For further information, please don't hestitate to contact Zoe Winn on +61 3 9949 8101 or zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

In Project Management Tags Business Transformation, Change management, Organisational Culture, Project Management, contract resource

WELCOME TO THE TEAM ZOE WINN

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 11:41:00 GMT

Zoe graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK with a Degree in Hospitality, Business Management and Events before choosing Recruitment as her preferred career path in 2009.

Commencing her career in the UK, Zoe specialised in providing temporary and contract recruitment services for large blue-chip clients to support their resource requirements across various sectors including Retail, Transport and Infrastructure.

After relocating to Australia in 2011, Zoe had the opportunity to further develop her account management, business development skills and industry knowledge in a recruitment capacity and additionally gain some direct industry experience as a Project Coordinator with DeakinPrime. The opportunity to combine these two skills prompted Zoe’s drive to join Project Resource Partners allowing her to specialise in supplying project resources from a recruitment perspective.

Zoe brings an ability to partner with clients, is focused on providing a superior service to her clients and candidateswhilst building and maintaining strong relationships.

Direct Line - +61 3 9949 8101
Mobile - +61 423 024 366
Email - zwinn@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR PROJECT RESOURCES ACROSS THE ORGANISATION

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 11:38:30 GMT

As a specialist provider of skilled project resources, we have a very unique perspective of the market. We have a complete view of market trends, specific to certain industries and sectors and are often proactively consulted by our clients on the transformational agenda, strategy and execution plan. This has given us some insight into the reason behind increased engagement and the demand for these types of resources. We also have first-hand experience in seeing what typically makes an engagement successful, what types of candidates operate well within the project landscape and how different organisations deliver projects with a successful outcome.

We are seeing an increased trend of enterprise wide project delivery as opposed to it being solely IT centric. We are also increasingly being engaged to source project resources with a specific disciplinary background such as Finance or Marketing, Lean Six Sigma for operational projects, Change Managers to restructure for example in addition to a broader project skill set.

Clients partner with us in different ways;

Often when they have experienced considerably more growth than anticipated and require additional resources
To work proactively with them to provide resource planning insight based on peak work periods
To consult and strategise with them to provide direction, clarity and definition of what they need.

It is clear however, those clients who have a clear understanding of their internal limitations, and capability, typically see the greatest results and get the most out of their project resources by plugging the gaps and specifically hiring resources to complement their team. We are increasingly working with more clients with stronger visibility of their capability and when reaching out to us they are clearer in what skill set and type of person they require.

We are usually engaged by clients in these scenarios;

They don’t have the capability to deliver the project with their internal permanent staff
When they bring permanent staff onto projects, they tend to get caught up in BAU work and the project just doesn’t get the attention it requires
They only need people with these skills for a limited amount of time, and therefore no point in hiring on a permanent basis
We offer a cost effective alternative to traditional Management Consulting solutions

To be effective in this market, we have had to ensure our level of knowledge and questioning to the client is detailed in order to understand the project, deliverables, stakeholders and ideal outcomes. They are always very different and complex!

In addition to providing a skill set, Project Resource Partners add value by understanding personal motivations and attitude which plays into cultural fit. We also place significant importance in understanding Project methodology and the level of project maturity of our clients to ensure the candidate can operate effectively within this environment.

Contract resourcing within the project landscape is a developing market that is constantly evolving in maturity. We are committed to partnering with our clients to provide clarity and education about the benefits of hiring for a specific purpose. The benefits of doing so include cost and process efficiency, the successful delivery of projects on time, access to external market intelligence and IP and an increase in project maturity and uplift in capability.

For further information, please don't hestitate to contact Evan Xeres on +61 3 9949 0906 or exeres@projectresourcepartners.com.au

RISK IS ESSENTIAL TO CHANGE SUCCESS

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 11:33:37 GMT

Project Resource Partners (PRP) sponsored last month’s Change Management Institute (CMI) event titled “Risk is Essential to Change Success”. It was a hugely successful evening and a great opportunity to hear from industry professionals providing different perspectives and some great debate during the facilitated Q&A.

As a business, we are invested in the Change Management industry and are proud to be affiliated with bodies such as CMI. It was a great evening where the PRP team networked with old and new contacts and had the opportunity to learn even more about the industry we specialise in.

It is critical for us to keep abreast of developments in the industry to ensure we are relevant and in the best position possible to guide and advise both our candidates and clients in choosing career direction and advancement.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out and speak to one of the PRP team members if we can assist in any way.

You can contact the PRP team on +61 3 9949 8100 or info@projectresourcepartners.com.au

REFERRAL INCENTIVE SCHEME

Fri, 29 May 2015 11:31:33 GMT

Referral Incentive Scheme

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEW WITH A COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR

Tue, 26 May 2015 11:27:11 GMT

This Communications Advisor has a strong background in project Communications within both the public and private sectors. She has delivered work in a range of environments including highly confidential programs and deadline focused projects. We have been engaged to assist with sourcing her next opportunity and took some time to further understand her perspective on communications today:

As a contractor who specialises in Communications, where do you see your role fitting within an organisation embarking on a major transformation?

Having specialised in communications for IT change projects, I've found communications to be imperative in ensuring a smooth transition. Transformation may come from a new internal process such as new software, or a rebranding of the company. The role of communications in transformation is to educate the organisation's stakeholders, thus ensuring higher adoption rates and mitigation of any issues. Transparency of information is key, as is a communications approach that uses multiple channels. A stakeholder who is well informed will be more trusting of the transformation as well as the company.

What do you see as the key characteristics of an excellent Communications advisor?

Versatility, resourcefulness, empathy.

Communications is all about getting the right message to the right people, in the right way, at the right time. A good Advisor will be able to work across several channels (print, digital, events) and adapt the tone of their messaging to suit their audience. The same message for the janitor might not be able to be delivered in the same way to the CEO. A good Communications Advisor would understand this and find a way to get inside their audiences' heads to figure out how to deliver their message.

How does a program of work best use communications?

A good Communications Advisor would be approachable. A program representative should be able to comfortably approach the Communications team with their needs and trust that they'd be met.

A GREAT Communications Advisor would attend weekly catch-ups with the program, have an intuitive understanding of the work being done and recognise opportunities.

Either way, two way communications between the program and the Communications team will give best results.

What has changed in communications or what is new?

Social Media as a communications channel is no longer new – it’s mandatory for success. It provides short burst of information, the functionality to link to more detail, an "opt-in" model, and gives the opportunity for two-way communication. With the exception of events, communications was once very one-way messaging and we didn't receive feedback until evaluation time.

Now it’s instantaneous and an excellent way for a company/organisation to know their customers.

What are some interesting differences in communications strategies or activities from the different organisations you have worked with?

In my experience, the public and private sectors are dichotomised in their communications strategies around relationship building/management.

Many Government departments are happy to deliver one-way communications designed to inform or educate. They rely on a "majority rules" mindset, and there is little emphasis on collaboration.

Whereas within the private sector, the company heavily relies on its customers for success so they focus more on engagement. If a customer leaves or declines a service, correspondence is sent asking how the company could improve.

I think great Project Managers within Government are only now starting to mitigate this issue.

What are the benefits to working on an interim basis verses taking on a permanent role within an organisation?

If you're results-driven, working contracts is very satisfying. You have clear objectives and usually an evaluation process at the end to show results. You can come away from a contract saying "I achieved X, Y and Z". Also, everyone you work with will be working to the same goals so there's great team cohesion which usually makes for a wonderful work environment.

With a permanent role, you can really "own" a role by settling into it. You can feel proud knowing that the work you're doing contributes to the company direction. In the right environment, your colleagues will feel like family, and the company would invest in your professional and personal development in a way that you won't get working contracts.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY PRP

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 11:15:04 GMT

Project Resource Partners (PRP) are celebrating their first year in business - and what a success it has been!

With Janelle Kelly leading the charge, we have a dedicated team of four consultants offering specialised and tailored service and advice to our network. The PRP operational team consists of Janelle Kelly, Laura Frazer, Evan Xeres and Evelien Leon.

Our first year in business demonstrated the market was in need of a specialised provider in Transformation and Change. With a few peaks and troughs, we have been consistently busy throughout 2014 and managed to cement a number of our candidate and client relationships for the long term.

PRP have had the opportunity to instrumentally resource large programs of work from conception – often providing a complete solution including the introduction of ‘head of project’ and the team to support. The success we’ve had has stemmed from the strategic conversations we’ve engaged in with our clients. Our objective is to provide an effective solution tailored to our clients' individual requirements that actually realise benefits for their organisation. We would be more than happy to discuss some of these case studies with you if you’re interested to hear more.

Operating both nationally and internationally, PRP have been engaged in Abu Dhabi, New Zealand, Sydney, Perth and of course Melbourne which we are extremely proud of. Our specialised network in Change & Transformation has allowed us to cover a much bigger geography than purely our base in Melbourne.

PRP have had the pleasure of hosting a number of Change Management network events, partnering with ChangeFirst in 2014 and have an itinerary of various other events to take place in 2015 centred around Change and also Process Improvement. If you would like to be involved, please contact us for more details.

If you are interested in partnering with us, we would relish the opportunity to engage in discussion . The PRP team can be contacted on (03) 9949 8100.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEW WITH A LEAN/SIX SIGMA PROGRAM MANAGER

Thu, 05 Mar 2015 09:15:57 GMT

PETER GAFFNEY
TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM MANAGER
METRO TRAINS

As a contractor who specialised in Lean/Six Sigma Program Management, where do you see your role fitting within an organisation embarking on a major transformation?

The role is critical from both a consultative and delivery aspect. It is important that at the outset you are aware of and understand what you were engaged to achieve and the motivation behind this. From this point you then begin to add value to the engagement by creating a road map/strategy to the original request i.e. ‘Option 1’; and more often than not, a road to map to an ‘Option 2’ which is usually what the business actually wants to achieve and only becomes visible through your experienced input.

It is common that a delivery stalls or does not meet expectations, this is more often than not attributable to not correctly identifying the customers genuine requirements or a delivery road map that is lacking thorough development. Thus, the role is that of a guide with the necessary tools and experience to develop an appropriate, realistic and effective strategy that you would be personally prepared to deliver.

What do you think are the key qualities a Process Improvement/Lean/Six Sigma specialist should possess?

There are many, but the foundational are:
- Recognition that Lean/Six Sigma are good tools, but are only tools among many in a good repertoire.
- Insightful; both from a business process and stakeholder management aspect.
- Strategic vision; the ability to see the big picture and then align the deliverable(s) with this.
- Flexible; goal posts are often moved for a myriad of reasons, be prepared and able to move with them.
- Hard working; the nature of this work is such that there will be periods of above average demand on your time.
- Hungry; you must be someone who seeks continuous improvement.
- Analytical; in all ways i.e. numerically, people, process ect.

How does an organisation best tackle Lean/Sig Sigma transformations?

Engage with specialists. Internal development of such capability is a better long term strategy but does take significant time. If you have a transformation requirement that is on the horizon or immediate then you need to engage external professionals to ensure it is scoped properly and will actually get delivered.

What advice would you give to an organisation embarking on a Lean/Six Sigma project for the first time?

Ensure you are clear on what you want to achieve and understand how it aligns with your organisation's strategic direction. Good professionals will then assist with quickly firming this up. If you engage or begin without having put thought into this you will find yourself dissatisfied early in the piece with a perceived lack of progress, which can do a lot of damage to key stakeholder’s perception both at the time and moving forward, thus almost immediately putting you on the back foot.

What has been your biggest achievement resulting from a Lean/Sig Sigma project to date?

The rapid progression of my career and value of my opinion by senior members of my current organisation. To work in this field and be known as someone who ‘delivers’ is my single greatest achievement.

What are the benefits to working on an interim basis versus taking on a permanent role with an organisation?

The benefit of working on an interim basis is that although you will undoubtedly have more expected of you in a much shorter time frame, you are then a in a position to learn, grow and deliver more in much shorter time frames; a win-win for both your employer and yourself.

For more information on Process Improvement roles or for further market information, please contact Laura Frazer at Project Resource Partners on 9949 8103 or lfrazer@projectresourcepartners.com

NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES...

Mon, 02 Feb 2015 08:29:25 GMT

2015 has commenced with a flurry of activity within the areas of business transformation and change management. Project Resource Partners is seeking skilled contractors who are available at short notice with experience in the following areas:

Senior Business Analysts $750 – $900 per day

Candidates with exposure to leading teams of BAs within a larger program of work are encouraged to get in touch.

Transformation Program Lead $800 - $950 per day

We are seeking individuals with large scale systems transformation experience.

Junior Project Manager $600 - $800 per day

Our client is seeking a junior PM that is looking to take the next step and progress to a Senior PM.

Improvement Lead $700 - $800 per day

Expert in process improvement / lean / six sigma required for operational Services organisation.

Financial Lead $650 - $750 per day

If you have experience within group transformation projects please get in touch.

Contracts Manager $600 - $800 per day

Scope of the role is to review/refine existing contracts and run end to end process for onboarding new service providers within IT and Finance.

Programme Manager $1000 - $1200 per day

Reporting to senior Stakeholders you will lead complex, multidisciplinary projects.

Change Manager $800 - $1200 per day

Driving Change agenda from design through to implementation / delivery.

Change Analysts $700 - $850 per day

Supporting a Change Lead on a large scale system transformation project

Organisational Change Specialists $700 - $1000 per day

You must have a demonstrated record of achievement at a senior level in planning and managing the development, implementation and delivery of OCM.

Project Co-ordinators $500 - $700 per day

Must have experience in large scale relocation projects both infrastructure and systems.

Communications Manager $600 - $700 per day

Analyse information, develop conclusions and present content through clear, well-written communication in a variety of media formats

For further information on these roles, please contact Project Resource Partners on 03 9949 8100 or forward your CV to info@projectresourcepartners.com.au

MID YEAR MARKET “WRAP – UP” 2014/2015

Wed, 21 Jan 2015 07:25:31 GMT

Projects & Change

Project Resource Partners approached the beginning of the financial year with a renewed sense of enthusiasm as new budgets released meant that many of our clients began to embark on major transformational change projects. It soon became evident that candidates seemed to have more options available to them particularly in the areas of Change Management, Process Improvement and Business Analysis.

However, enthusiasm turned to frustration with some roles being pulled at the last minute and in some cases, the scope of projects changed with budgets decreasing. More often than not, the recruitment process was delayed or moved slowly. Despite this, the general sentiment was that there was still significant activity taking place, particularly in the Project Management space.

Daily rates have decreased with some candidates prepared to drop their rate by as much as $400 per day in order to secure a role before the Christmas break.

Recent job flow has been predominantly in the areas of Project Management, Process Improvement, Lean and Six Sigma and BA roles in data and business intelligence. There has also been an increase in senior level change management positions available within top-tier organisations looking for high calibre individuals with large scale Programme Change delivery experience. SMEs in Oracle and Primavera continue to be in high demand.

For further market information, please contact Project Resource Partners on 9949 8100 or info@projectresourcepartners.com

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:15:39 GMT

One of the areas that Project Resource Partners specialises in is attracting and providing high calibre Process Improvement professionals to organisations for projects, contracts, temporary periods or fixed duration contracts. Below is a snapshot of four immediately available Process Improvement candidates who are actively looking for their next contract assignment.

Global Program Director- Operations Transformation

This highly experienced transformation and process improvement specialist has local and global experience in banking and insurance. As Head of Strategic Business Initiatives for a tier 1 bank he managed a portfolio of over 180 projects with an annual operating budget of $60 million AUD. He is proficient in developing and implementing innovative workplace improvement programs and corporate communication strategies and excels in leading client understanding regarding consultative processes and their implementation.

Director - Business Performance and Corporate Strategy

Over 25 years experience delivering strategic and operational programs and projects, with a strong emphasis on driving commercial growth and operational technology performance for complex services enterprises. GE Black Belt qualified, this senior Director has a proven track record of developing and delivering large scale transformation programs in complex and challenging environments across transport, consulting, insurance and banking.

Process Improvement Manager

A business transformation specialist with over 10 years experience as a Management Consultant with a tier one professional firm specialising in strategy, process improvement and change management, complemented by 6 years experience in internal consulting roles in retail and not-for–profits, this candidate has an excellent track record in building and delivering process improvement capabilities.

Process Analyst

This highly regarded Process Analyst has extensive experience across a range of challenging projects with broad industry experience including superannuation, government, financial services and consulting. This candidate has played a pivotal role in key projects whilst contributing to the strategic growth of the organisation.

For more information on these candidates, or to discuss the Project Management market in more detail, please contact Laura Frazer at Project Resource Partners on 9949 8103 or lfrazer@projectresourcepartners.com.au

PRP WELCOMES EVAN XERES

Thu, 20 Nov 2014 08:07:42 GMT

PRP is pleased to welcome Evan Xeres to the team. Evan brings over seven years experience in contract and project resourcing at a senior level and can be contacted on 9949 8105 or exeres@projectresourcepartners.com.au .

Evan commenced his career in recruitment in 2008 whilst living and working abroad in the UK. On returning to his home town of Melbourne, Evan joined a well known recruitment brand to assist in further building their contract and project capability across leading energy and major oil & gas corporations and further extending to small and medium sized enterprises. It was here that Evan gained five years experience recruiting in the Melbourne project and contract market.

In November 2014, Evan joined Project Resource Partners to focus on contract and project resourcing across the Industrial, Consumer Services, Utilities and Transport sectors.

Evan holds a degree in Business Management and has also completed an Advanced Diploma in Human Resources. He brings a relationship driven approach and experience and understanding when working with his clients and candidates.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEW WITH A PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT CONTRACTOR

Thu, 02 Oct 2014 07:04:53 GMT

Demi Anderson
Programme Manager
Finance / Investment Banking

As a contractor who specialises in Programme Management, where do you see your role fitting within an organisation embarking on a major transformation?

As Programme Manager I see my role as a member of the senior level leadership within an organisation. The role becomes a partnership with CIOs, Managing Directors, Executive Directors and Business Leaders, to successfully deliver new capabilities and transition to the desired outcome.

What do you see as the characteristics of an excellent Programme Manager?

Excellent Programme Managers are strong leaders with good communication skills, they are focused and energetic, they are determined, they are detail-oriented and they understand the dynamics of change.

Communication is key with any change initiative and a Programme Manager will need to employ different types of communication to inform, support and inspire the adoption of new ways of working. Always have a positive approach and continue to look for ways to overcome obstacles. Having a strong grasp of the key deliverables, including milestones and budget, is necessary. Recognizing that introducing change is unsettling to an organization, understanding and managing the impact of the change is important.

How does an organisation best tackle transformation?

Be clear on the business case, the investment decision and the value of the benefits. A major transformation requires effective leadership, visible commitment, authority and continuous communication with the wider organisation. There will be a need to engage and influence stakeholders, balance programme priorities with business operations and ensure availability and allocation of required resources to the programme.

What are the benefits to working on an interim basis verses taking on a permanent role within an organisation?

For me the benefits are that you meet and work with intelligent people from various organisations. No two organisations will ever operate in the same manner. You gain an appreciation for the various organisational models and how they operate. This is invaluable as you can call on your experience as you consult and determine the most effective ways to implement change within an organisation.

Most organisations are unable to provide a career development or succession path for a Programme and Project Management professional. The nature of these roles and opportunities are transient and these skills tend to be engages to assist an origination in effectively transitioning from one point to another.

LEAN & SIX SIGMA PROFESSIONALS IN HIGH DEMAND

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 07:47:55 GMT

Project Resource Partners excels at providing expert market knowledge and thought leadership surrounding business transformation, projects and change. We track trends taking place in industry and provide insights into the latest corporate initiatives in this space.

Recent studies have shown that the demand for contract Lean and Six Sigma talent has grown significantly in the project / process improvement space. In some cases, this is due to large organisations shedding great amounts of labour or creating more flexible operations functions in order to service their markets more cost effectively.

Some of our forward thinking clients are using Lean and Six Sigma as a competitive and strategic opportunity to transform their businesses by reducing waste, improving cash flow and lower operating costs.

The foundation of any continuous improvement initiative often utilises a collection of tool sets and our clients sometimes ask for experience or qualifications in more than one methodology.

We are always keen to meet with process / continuous improvement professionals with experience in Lean and Six Sigma and invite suitable candidates to connect with us. Likewise, for our clients, we have recently developed an exceptional pool of immediately available talented professionals in this space which may be a beneficial resource to any process/continuous improvement initiative your business may be embarking on.

For more information, please contact Laura Frazer on 9949 8103 or lfrazer@projectresourcepartners.com.au

PROJECT AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT - CONTRACT SALARY SNAPSHOT

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 06:39:37 GMT

As consultants, we are often asked by our candidates to provide figures around salaries and what they can expect to earn as a daily rate contractor.

Looking back at the financial year that has been, we have summarised the salary ranges by both daily rate and annual salary for each level across Project Delivery, Process Improvement and Change Management.

It should be noted that figures quoted are base daily rates and exclusive of payroll costs.

For further information on contracting and daily rates, please contact Alice Strapp on 9949 8104 or astrapp@projectresourcepartners.com.au .

PROJECT RESOURCE PARTNERS IS GROWING AGAIN.......

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 06:48:27 GMT

We are excited to welcome Alice Strapp to the team. With a functional focus on Program and Project Management across the financial and professional services sectors, Alice recently joined Project Resource Partners as a Consultant after relocating from Sydney back to her home town of Melbourne.

Upon completion of her studies abroad, Alice commenced her early career in events management before joining RBS in Sydney to assist their Equities Research Desk. It was this exposure to banking and finance that led her into recruitment and in early 2012, Alice began working for a Sydney based financial services Executive Search firm as a Consultant, specialising primarily in the investment banking space.

With a degree in Hospitality and Events Management combined with a solid grounding in executive search within the financial services sector, Alice is a welcome addition to the consultative expertise within Project Resource Partners.

You can contact Alice on +61 3 9949 8104 or astrapp@projectresourcepartners.com.au

2013/2014 EOFY MARKET WRAP UP

Sun, 06 Jul 2014 07:08:55 GMT

As we approached the end of 2013, it became apparent that business confidence was rising and a more positive sentiment was starting to give way. The Federal election was over and consumer confidence was buoyed due to low interest rates, rising house and share prices and relatively stable unemployment. It is anticipated that the Australian economy will grow by 2.8% throughout 2014 and this has already transpired into greater confidence and an increase in hiring activity for the first half of the year.

Contract and project resourcing has become an increasingly more popular alternative to using professional consulting firms and even in some cases, to permanent headcount. Whilst some large organisations have continued to cut costs and implement streamlining initiatives, this has also contributed to the demand for contract change management professionals and project resources, particularly across Finance, Technology and HR.

Project Resource Partners has worked with organisations to source contract Change Analysts, Organisational Change Managers, Communications Managers and Transition Managers. Across the project space, Program Directors, Project Managers and Business Analysts have all been in high demand.

As market conditions improve and candidates begin to have more opportunities available to them, it is becoming more important for our clients to move quickly to secure the best talent presented to them before candidates are snapped up by competing organisations.

As we approach the new financial year with more optimism than the last, Project Resource Partners is growing too, we now have four consultants specialising in contract and project resourcing across business transformation and change management.

IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Sun, 29 Jun 2014 07:58:52 GMT

Project Resource Partners specialises in attracting and providing high calibre Project Management professionals to organisations for projects, contracts, temporary periods or fixed duration contracts. Below is a snapshot of three immediately available candidates who are actively looking for their next contract assignment.

Program Director- Candidate 467352

This highly experienced Program Director has an extensive background in successful large-scale $50m+ transformation programs across the utilities, infrastructure services, retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, government and banking sectors. He is proficient in developing and implementing innovative workplace improvement programs and corporate communication strategies and excels in leading client understanding regarding consultative processes and their implementation.

Project Manager- Candidate 467432

With international experience in high profile global and domestic FMCG and also in delivery and logistics companies, this senior Project Manager has a proven track record of developing and delivering large scale transformation programs in complex and challenging environments. This candidate has widespread exposure to people, culture and supply chain systems related projects and is extremely focused on program delivery from the ground up.

Business Analyst- Candidate 459853

This highly regarded Business Analyst has extensive experience across a range of challenging projects with broad industry experience including Education, Utilities, Government, Health and Superannuation. This candidate has played a pivotal role in key projects whilst contributing to the strategic growth of the organisation.

For more information on these candidates, or to discuss the Project Management market in more detail, please contact Laura Frazer at Project Resource Partners on 9949 8103 or lfrazer@projectresourcepartners.com.au

THE NEW GENERATION OF CONTRACTORS

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:22:48 GMT

Project Resource Partners has witnessed an increasing trend in the hiring of senior executives or contract consultants for advice on operational issues, business transformation and Change Management, growth strategy, potential mergers and acquisitions or Program / Project Management and delivery.

Subsequently, a new generation of executive contractors has emerged. Ex-executives, senior managers, change managers and project professionals from a range of backgrounds have chosen to pursue project-based careers independent of any major consulting firm and the request for their services is gaining momentum at a rapid pace.

More and more of our clients are recognising the benefits of utilising contractors who can bring a specific skill set aligned to the business requirement or project negating the need to pull a not necessarily qualified existing employee away from BAU. Using the services of an experienced executive contractor also avoids the inevitable exorbitant cost associated with using a traditional management consulting firm.

The senior contract talent pool is often an ex-executive or management consultant who is interested in diversifying their portfolio of work. They want to utilise their skills on challenging assignments that exercise their talents whilst enjoying the autonomy and flexibility that contract work can bring.

As a growing numbers of professionals decide that they prefer to work on a temporary basis, organisations are finding ways to work with them. The necessity for lean management teams, focus on cost reduction, and a rapidly changing economy combine to make interim solutions a compelling option.

Project Resource Partners specialise in attracting and providing high calibre specialist skilled contract resources for projects, temporary periods or fixed duration contracts.

With a focus on Change Management and Business Transformation, our flexible contract resource pool can provide a wide range of business skills to your organisation supporting continuity and driving performance cost effectively.

SNAPSHOT OF IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Mon, 19 May 2014 07:11:52 GMT

With a focus on business transformation, Project Resource Partners specialise in attracting and providing high calibre Change Management professionals to organisations for projects, contracts, temporary periods or fixed duration contracts. Below is a snapshot of three immediately available candidates who are actively looking for their next contract assignments…

Transformation Lead – Candidate 415908
This highly accomplished Transformation Lead has extensive experience within organisational change, program and strategic management and a proven track record of developing and delivering large scale transformation programs in complex and challenging environments. Key achievements have been to lead the execution of change management activities, including internal and external stakeholder engagement, impact management, communications and training across large scale projects.

Change & Communications Manager – Candidate 41324
This experienced Change & Communications professional combines her Business degree with an extensive history in developing and delivering change and communications management strategies. This candidate has had widespread exposure to people, culture & IT change related projects from strategy development through to delivery across a range of industries throughout large and complex organisations.

Change Analyst – Candidate 2030317
This highly regarded Change Analyst has extensive experience across a range of challenging projects with broad industry experience including Property, Funds Management, FMCG, Resources and Utilities. Combining experience across analysis, training and change, this candidate can provide competent support to any change program.

For more information on these candidates, or to discuss the Change Management market in more detail, please contact Chris Jensen at Project Resource Partners on 9949 8105 or cjensen@projectresourcepartners.com.au

Q1 CHANGE MANAGEMENT MARKET UPDATE

Wed, 19 Mar 2014 06:59:36 GMT

Change Management is a profession that is becoming increasingly more recognised as a valuable necessity within the corporate environment.

Throughout 2013, we noticed a rise in awareness and a greater recognition of the role of change management and its ability to deliver bottom line benefits to any transformation program. Organisations are placing greater value on change management and its contribution to the success of projects and initiatives. This, combined with greater acceptance of the legitimacy of the practice and the competencies associated with change management has lead to a demand for companies to build internal change management capabilities rather than continuing to rely on external consultants.

Organisational changes and IT implementations, in particular to improve operational and process efficiency has seen a rise in demand for project and change professionals. Specific certifications and experience in methodologies such as Prosci or PCI and only trained change management professionals, with a successful change management track record are being considered amongst our clients seeking to resource change requirements.

Tight deadlines and cost constraints within organisations have lead to more employment opportunities taking the form of contract hires. This combined with the nature of transformations being more project based means that the contract market is becoming significantly more buoyant than in previous years. Despite this, while the market is looking positive at a macro level, cost restraints are still evident and salary levels and daily rates have generally not increased.

PROJECT RESOURCE PARTNERS - CURRENT LIVE OPPORTUNITIES

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 07:42:42 GMT

2014 has commenced with a flurry of activity around transformation focused project and contract roles. Project Resource Partners are currently working on a number of opportunities across a diverse range of clients.

Change Lead $700-$750 per day

An opportunity exists for an experienced Change Manager ideally with an understanding of supply chain to join this company based in Geelong on a 3-6 month contract

Training & Development Manager - $Negotiable

Candidates with a strong training and development background are required to join this well known brand based in Hong Kong, 3- 5 month contract

Change & Training Manager $800-$1000 per day

A Change Manager is required to work on a major global systems implementation based at their operations in Geelong. The role incorporates a large training component. 3-4 months contract

Communications Analyst $500-$550 per day

Experienced Communications Analyst is required to join this iconic brand based in Geelong on a 3-6 month contract as part of a major transformation program

Change & Communications Manager $500-$700 per day

Be part of an internal change management team working across concurrent projects delivering people based Change Management.

Change Managers $500-$600 per day

Multiple opportunities exist for experienced Prosci certified Change Managers within this blue-chip organisation

Contact Centre Executive $Negotiable

Leadership opportunity with a turn-around focus, contact centre expertise sought

HR Advisor – $100k Package

An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced HR Advisor to join a large iconic manufacturing company based in South Eastern suburbs to cover maternity leave for 12 months

For an in-depth discussion on these roles, please contact us on 03 9949 8100.

CHANGEFIRST & PRP - PCI USER GROUP MEETING

Tue, 18 Feb 2014 07:29:59 GMT

Last week, Project Resource Partners teamed with Changefirst to host a breakfast for users of the PCI methodology. Twentythree Change Management professionals attended the breakfast taking advantage of the opportunity to network with industry peers whilst keeping up to date with PCI changes and innovations.

Janelle Leonard, Associate Director at Changefirst facilitated the discussion ensuring that users had the opportunity to share their experiences using PCI and also offered advice on how best to apply Changefirst's new e-change software.

Following breakfast, the guests participated in a round table discussion which resulted a volunteer offering a case study of her experience using PCI within her organisation at the next meeting.

Project Resource Partners is proud to align ourselves with Changefirst and users of the PCI methodology. Janelle and Kimberley completed the PCI course in 2013 and enjoyed hearing about the updates and innovations.

We look forward to hosting more user groups in the future.

PRP WELCOMES LAURA FRAZER

Wed, 05 Feb 2014 07:20:34 GMT

Kimberley Britt and Janelle Kelly are excited to welcome Laura Frazer to the Project Resource Partners team.

Laura joined PRP as a consultant in January 2014 bringing a wealth of sales and marketing experience to the team together with four years experience within the banking and financial services sector.

Commencing her career in Northern Ireland within Financial Fraud and FX Investigations, Laura moved to Australia in 2009 and initiated her career in sales and marketing. Quickly progressing to National Sales and Marketing Manager for a prominent health organisation and then State Programs Manager for a ‘not for profit’ business, Laura has achieved great success and developed extensive knowledge and experience in building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships.

Laura holds a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Jordanstown University in Northern Ireland and coupled with her analytical and investigative skills, brings a consultative approach to her role at PRP.

You can contact Laura on +61 3 9949 8103 or lfrazer@projectresourcepartners.com.au

NEW BUSINESS LAUNCH - PROJECT RESOURCE PARTNERS

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 07:15:37 GMT

Janelle Kelly and Kimberley Britt are proud to announce the launch of our new business, Project Resource Partners.

Project Resource Partners specialises in attracting and providing high calibre, specialist, contract resources for projects and temporary fixed duration contracts.

With a focus on Change Management and Business Transformation, our flexible contract resource pool can deliver a wide range of business skills to your organisation aiding continuity and driving performance cost effectively.

Our vertically aligned practice groups ensure that your project requirement is resourced by experienced consultants, who not only understand your unique challenges but have also fostered a ready network with key industry talent. It means our clients can trust us to source candidates that are immediately effective and adaptable going forward.

Practice Areas

HR
Marketing
Technology
Finance

Sectors

Industrial, Consumer & Retail
Health, Education & Government
Services
Utilities, Energy & Mining
Financial Services
Telecoms and Technology
Media & Entertainment

WE'VE LAUNCHED!

Sun, 17 Nov 2013 06:51:30 GMT

OUR NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND RUNNING

Testing out our new website's blogging functionality... PRP is now open for business, check back soon for our latest blog posts and articles.

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How to approach a career transition with Renée Giarrusso

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to set-up RG Dynamics?

What is the career transition 1:1 coaching program all about?

Could you walk us through the key components of the program and how they support a successful career transition?

What inspired you to create this program and how has it evolved over the years?

Your program seems suitable for a wide range of individuals at various stages of their careers. Who would benefit most from the Awaken Career Transition program?

For someone considering career transition coaching, what advice would you give them?

Fridays at Project Resource Partners: Empowering Teams Through Enhanced Communication

Unleashing Communication Skills with a Deck of Cards

Generational Games ​– building a great cross-generational team.

​

​What are the benefits of employing millennials and Gen Zs?

Why personal relationships with team members are so important.

How to recruit millennials and Gen Zs.

A Recruitment Internship: More than meets the eye at Project Resource Partners

Join the Community for School Transformation Professionals

Reducing Inequality - The Gender Pay Gap in Australia

Canvas LMS webinar discussing the ‘State of Higher Education’ in Australia

“Technology is the enabler” (Dr Jillian Tomlinson). My reflection on the ‘Brilliant Connected Women in Digital Health’ event.

How to attract the right people in a talent short market

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL IMPACT AND PURPOSE

HOW PERSONAL WELLBEING BUILDS PERFORMANCE

THINK ABOUT THIS: THREE WAYS TO INCREASE MENTAL PERFORMANCE

HOW BUSINESSES CAN DEAL WITH A TALENT SHORT MARKET

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEAD YOURSELF BEFORE YOU LEAD YOUR TEAM

BUILDING RESILIENT TEAMS

THE RULES OF BELONGING

AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS

RAISING LEADERS

DEVELOPING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS AND YOUR PERSONAL VALUE PROPOSITION

PEOPLE AND CULTURE CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR 'NEXT NORMAL'

LEVERAGING ESSENTIAL SKILLS

CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING CUSTOMER NEEDS

REMOTE WORKING – NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

WHAT IS THE TRUE COST OF A RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR A SMALL BUSINESS?

FOCUSING ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT DURING ECONOMIC HIBERNATION

LEADERSHIP IN A CRISIS

COMMUNICATION IN ADVERSITY

THE ART OF CV STORYTELLING

CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT CYCLE

PROJECT SPONSORSHIP AND SYMBIOSIS

SOFT SKILLS IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

A SNAPSHOT OF RETIREMENT LIVING IN AUSTRALIA

THE CORPORATE TO NFP SWITCH

OUTLINING WORKPLACE CHALLENGES TO PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES

HOW THE LEAN START-UP CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

RECRUITING FOR CULTURE

THE BENEFIT OF E-ASSESSMENTS

WHAT DEFINES AN EXCELLENT VS. A GOOD PROJECT MANAGER?

BANNING MOBILE PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN INTERVIEWING

BALANCING THE ELEMENTS OF CHANGE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATIONS

FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO ACE YOUR NEXT INTERVIEW

HOW DO WE DISCONNECT THE DISCONNECT

PEER REFERENCES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR HIRING PROCESS

NETWORKING IN MELBOURNE

CHANGE MANAGERS, WHAT'S THEIR ROLE?

CHANGE MANAGEMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

FLEXIBLE WORKING: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU

CONNECTING THE DISCONNECT IN THE AGED CARE SECTOR

HELPFUL TIPS ON HOW TO LAND YOUR NEXT ROLE

CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

LEARN ABOUT CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATION SECTOR

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION INDUSTRY

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD

DISABILITY AND INCLUSIVENESS (OR LACK THEREOF) IN THE AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE

DO WE NEED CODE OF PRACTICE?

REFLECTING ON 2018 AND THE DISABILITY SECTOR

MOVING FORWARD

IN MY EXPERIENCE…

THE NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY TO UNDERPIN THE DELIVERY OF AGED CARE SERVICES

EXPLORING CHANGE MANAGEMENT AS A CAREER PATH?

ORGANIC TRANSITION

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

CHANGE CERTIFICATIONS

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT IN DELIVERY PROJECTS: SIMILARITY OR ADAPTABILITY?

SIMILARITY

ADAPTABILITY

Generational Games – building a great cross-generational team.

What are the benefits of employing millennials and Gen Zs?

PETER GAFFNEY
TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM MANAGER
METRO TRAINS