The Collab Journal
People + Culture
This is where we keep it real. No jargon, no stuffy HR speak, just honest, practical advice to help you lead your team with confidence and care. Whether you're figuring out how to give feedback, navigating tricky conversations, or trying to keep your culture strong as you grow, you’ll find tips, tools, and behind-the-scenes insights right here. Because people leadership doesn’t have to be perfect... it just has to be human.
The Anatomy of a Happy Team: What I Learned From 6 Months Inside Fast Growing Retail Brands
Over the past six months, I’ve been deeply embedded inside several fast-growing retail and ecommerce brands working with founders, leaders, warehouse teams, creatives, marketers, customer service teams and everyone in between. Here’s what I’ve learned, from the inside, about what genuinely creates happiness in fast paced, founder led workplaces.
What Founders Get Wrong About HR And Why Fractional HR Is the Modern Solution
Let’s talk about the biggest misconceptions I see from founders every week… and why the right HR partner can completely change how your business scales.
Why I Don’t Believe in Performance Reviews (and What to Do Instead)
Performance reviews eat up hundreds of leadership hours and often do more harm than good. Here’s why a talent review is a smarter use of time — and how it actually drives engagement.
The Engagement Paradox: Why Retention Is Up but Employee Happiness Is Down
Employee retention in Australia is at record highs — but so is disengagement. The latest research reveals why staff are staying put for now, why happiness is falling, and what small to medium-sized businesses can do to keep teams truly engaged.
What "Good HR" Actually Looks Like in a Growing Business
Good HR is people-focussed, commercial, and build to support your growth.
Recognition That Works: How to Show Appreciation Without the Eye Roll
Recognition matters, but it has to be done right. Here’s how to nail recognition without making it awkward or leaving you with a cupboard full of company mugs.
What It’s Like to Work with The People Collab: HR Support for Growing Businesses
HR support can mean a lot of things.
An outsourced helpline. A policy pack. An in-house hire. A consultant who hands you a PDF and disappears.
At The People Collab, that’s not how we do things.
How to Have Difficult Conversations at Work (Without Losing Trust)
If you’re a manager or business owner, you’ll eventually face “That conversation”.
This blog will walk you through five practical steps to handle difficult conversations at work with clarity, empathy, and confidence.