Ben Irving

🚨 Heads up, business owners! 🚨 Mark your calendars for 25th October because we're going to be dealing with some of the most significant updates to workers' rights in a generation, starting from the very moment Parliament kicks off on 17 July 2024. Here’s the lowdown on what’s likely to be coming up: ⭐️Immediate Worker Rights: Forget waiting two years to challenge an unfair dismissal; that’s old news! Employees will have day one rights (after a short probation period). ⭐️Flexible Working: Another right from day one. Remember, the right now is just to make the request …! 😳 ⭐️Protection Against Harassment: Big moves to tackle third-party and workplace sexual harassment. This will be serious with employers being liable - a beefed up version of the current changes coming in Oct. ⭐️National Minimum Wage: One rate across the board, because we all face the same bills, right? This is already on the cards but will be bigger, bolder, more expensive. ⭐️Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): Changes are coming that could benefit your lowest earners. Also, the payment itself may well be increased. Watch this space! ⭐️Statutory Bereavement Leave: Yes, it’s finally being addressed. ⭐️Rights for the Self-Employed: At last, the right to a written contract and some real action on late payments. (Which I fully endorse!!) Feeling overwhelmed? You should be! There’s a shit-ton more where that came from, too much to cover in this post. So, what’s your next move? Well, it’s time to hustle: 🚀Get an HR Consultant on Board: Obvs!! You cant do this alone. 🚀Review Your Policies/Contract: You will need to make sure your probationary clause and other HR policies are crystal clear. You need your team to know what's expected right from the start. 🚀Train Your Team: The expectations on preventing workplace harassment are sky-high. Start raising awareness now, and you'll be way ahead of the curve. Don’t just sit there; action is needed before you find yourself scrambling. Trust me, it’s going to be one heck of a ride, and you’ll want to be ready! Drop me a message - let’s ensure your business is not just surviving but thriving in this new regulatory landscape. Yes, it’s scary and feels overwhelming but I’ve got you 🚀👏🏻

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There's still time! With all the drama around us, why not share what's been working? Come along and share your tools, templates or mini user stories that have been effective in building shared understanding. Don't have anything to share? Come along and learn from others! Link to register in the comments below.

I recently had the honour to speak at Me. We. Pōneke – an incredibly uplifting event designed to inspire, connect and raise the voices of our wonderful community of Wellington women 💛 What I love about the Women of Pōneke women’s network is that it’s open, real, welcoming and pragmatic. And there’s no hustling or salesy bullshit. They believe that magic happens when women come together. And oh my did I FEEL the magic that night 🪄 I wanted to shared a condensed version of my talk so you also get a feel for that magic ✨ I started my talk by asking the audience to really let this sink in… We spend on average… 👉 10% of our life 👉 Quarter of our weeks 👉 1/3 of our weekdays... WORKING! So how would you describe your current relationship with work? Is work enhancing your overall happiness and wellbeing? Or wearing you down? I gave the crowd an overview of my career, outlining how I’ve merged my passion with my profession. And how I took a massive leap of faith in 2021 to quit my corporate job and start my own business 🙌 I believe EVERYONE is capable and deserving of having a fulfilling career too. I hope by sharing my top career tips some of these resonate and get you fired up for growth! They’re designed to help you discover your career sweet spot & reach your full potential... Without compromising your wellbeing in the process. What's a courageous leap of faith you'd like to take? Be courageous by sharing it in the comments below 👇 What is the first small step you can realistically achieve in the coming days or weeks? And what are you going to ask for so you get it?! Thanks to the crew for your support and making this epic event happen 🙏 Amanda Millar Lisa Allen Heather Peacocke Kate Lee Jacky Laverty Louise Aitken Jodi Willocks And a big shout out to my speaking peers - you all ROCKED 🎸 Sarah Meikle Katie Hair Tennessee Mansford Kirsty Brown 📸 The talented Melanie Parkin #careerdevelopment #leapoffaith #womensnetwork #liftingothersup #passionwithprofression #ikigai #boundaries #sweetspot #wellbeingfirst #wellbeingtick

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🌟 Exciting Workshop Alert at Bx Networking Noosa! 🌟 Join us for an exclusive workshop with Luke Hawley, a renowned networking and connection coach from the Sunshine Coast, and the host of @linkedinlocalsunshine LinkedIn Local Sunshine Coast. With a wealth of experience in marketing and strategic business growth, Luke has transformed the way small business owners and entrepreneurs approach networking and relationship-building. 📅 Event Details: Topic: Crafting Your Networking and Connection Strategy Date: Thursday 2nd May Time: 8:00 am to 10:00 am Location: The Depot, Noosaville RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gVGYGjzd 🔍 What You’ll Learn: Identify Your Ideal Customers: Pinpoint who they are. Determine Their Trusted Advisors: Find out who influences your potential clients. Outline a Connection Plan: Develop a strategy based on valuable content and a helpful approach, ensuring your networking efforts translate into meaningful business relationships. Why should you attend? Networking isn't just about exchanging business cards; it's about building a strategic, reliable, and supportive community that propels your business forward. This workshop will equip you with the necessary tools to transform random networking into a powerful component of your marketing strategy. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a seasoned marketer who has helped countless businesses enhance their visibility and forge lasting connections.  Come ready to gain clarity on your networking efforts and leave with a plan tailored to help you succeed. 👉 Secure your spot now! Spaces are limited to ensure a personalised experience. Looking forward to seeing you there and helping you make networking a cornerstone of your business success! RSVP:https://lnkd.in/gVGYGjzd #noosa #BXNoosa #Noosanetworking #Networking #businessgrowth

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From The Table Talk Project … Part of the Mental Health workshop that founder Neil Milton ran for Yarra Ranges Council was about how to keep the conversation going. Too often someone will be brave enough to share their story of how they may not be coping right now and many are not equipped with what to say or how to help them. This question was asking the audience to discuss: What are some of the ways we can support those who can’t or wont see a doctor? The reality is for some seeing a doctor or health professional brings with it a whole bunch of trauma and for others seeing a doctor means they have to face their struggles. This can be all too much right now and so we brain stormed some ways we can help those people. I’m definitely not saying referral isn’t the right choice but it might not be right now. People came up with some wonderful ways. From sitting with them, to supporting them and bringing them a coffee, being on the journey with them, to offering to go with them and so many more. But what if that is someone in your family? Where do these conversations happen. The Table Talk Project creates space for these conversations with those at your dinner table to discuss even this deeper stuff. The key is be willing to be vulnerable with those around you and you might discover they need our support. The Table Talk Project was privileged to be part of peoples journeys for this workshop and are looking forward to more opportunities like this one. https://lnkd.in/guiY5ipy

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At Lionhearted Foundation we have designed all the content for our life series around the principles of Ikigai to help you live a long and happy life. Come join us at The Lionhearted Life Series - Sunshine Coast - July 2024 to dive deeply into the 10 lessons As an added bonus we will be going to Japan to visit a blue zone in September 2025 collaborating with the inspiring Michelle Eckles. 10 Lessons From Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life 1. Find what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. Your Ikigai lies at the intersection of these four elements. 2. Pursue your passions wholeheartedly. When you engage in activities that you're passionate about, you naturally feel more fulfilled and energised. 3. Keep your body and mind active. Engage in physical activities, mental challenges, and lifelong learning to maintain vitality and cognitive function. 4. Build strong connections with family, friends, and community. Surround yourself with people who support and uplift you. 5. Life is filled with ups and downs. Cultivate resilience to navigate challenges with grace and bounce back from setbacks stronger than before. 6. Strive for balance in all aspects of life—work, relationships, leisure, and personal development. Avoid extremes and seek harmony. 7. Practice mindfulness and savour the present moment. Let go of worries about the past or future and focus on fully experiencing the here and now. 8. Take care of your physical and mental well-being by prioritising sleep, nutrition, stress management, and self-care practices. 9. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Appreciate the blessings in your life, big and small, and express thanks regularly. 10. Stay curious and open to new experiences by continuously learning, growing, and evolving as an individual. Book here - https://lnkd.in/ggSA-z5q When you attend a life, leadership or leisure series you become part of our Lionhearted Foundation Alumni - Business Collaboration Group. This group will stand shoulder to shoulder with you in life, leadership and business.

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🛠️ Innovation: A Trait Woven into the Australian Psyche 🛠️ The iconic image of a farmer mending a tractor with only fencing wire is a testament to the inherent ingenuity within the Australian spirit. This story, while simple, captures an essential truth about our national character: innovation is in our DNA. This inventive mindset is vividly displayed in our students, particularly in their consistent success at international F1 in Schools competitions, where they have repeatedly clinched the Best Engineered Car award. These achievements are not just wins on the scoreboard; they reflect a broader culture of resourcefulness and adaptability. We possess remarkable talent within our borders. Our task is to nurture this potential and support its integration into career pathways that will continue to build and shape our nation's future. Let’s champion this spirit of innovation and pave the way for the next generation of Australian leaders. #Innovation #AustralianIngenuity #F1inSchools #FutureLeaders #EngineeringExcellence #rea #stemeducation

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Want to make a complaint about the Hobson's Pledge ad in the NZ Herald with the Advertising Standards Authority? Here are the details: https://lnkd.in/gE2_gzYg First page you need to click "Yes, Proceed" four times before you get the "Next" button and can actually start your complaint. Advertiser is Hobson's Pledge, publication is NZ Hearld. You will need a copy of the page (attached). You will need to put in details of why this fails to meet the standards? Having gone through the standards here are a few of my suggestions of principles it goes against: - Rule 1(c) Decency and Offensiveness - Rule 1(f) Violence and anti-social behaviour - Rule 1(g) Fear and Distress - Against Principle 2: Truthful Presentation You will need to put your details in then you can submit the details. Also InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa and DNCL talk about disinformation and misinformation but seem to have no ethics when it comes to holding to account people on our domain names that spew hate about us? Why is this .nz domain still even running? How do we complain? Or is this just showing us how that Systemic racism report is coming along?

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Who has the Minister consulted with so far? One or two disgruntled business operators and...? The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety has today announced an intention to tour NZ to better understand the current pain points associated with the implementation of the Health and Safety at Work Act. This comes weeks after televised interviews saying the same thing, yet... the Minister has already submitted recommended alterations to the Act under the Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill? So who has she consulted to date to make those recommendations? Based on the press releases of NZISM and Business Leaders H&S Forum today, it doesn't seem to be the H&S profession. Unless I missed something? What can the health and safety community do? I recommended rallying behind our institutes, forums and leaning into community groups like the New Zealand Health and Safety Professionals. Attending the public forums and politely asking questions. To my business executive connections, I suggest asking yourself whether you are keeping close enough to your health and safety management team and keeping up with the latest in this evolving space.

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"Founders today are creating our future tomorrow" A quote from Marian Johnson (Chairwoman Electrify Programmes at Ministry of Awesome | Manatū Mīharo) at the Electrify Aotearoa conference for women founders in Pōneke yesterday. Such a powerhouse set of 39 speakers and over 600 attendees! Marian started the day by sharing some powerful stats about women founders. The potential economic growth contribution to NZ GDP is $32 Billion! For every $1 invested in women -owned ventures, it generated $0.78c in revenue (compared with $0.31c for male-owned). Check out the full report on https://lnkd.in/gvtm8kC2. We have an obligation collectively to unleash this potential for the benefit of all!! The Electrify Aotearoa conference highlighted some of the actions needed and already underway to do this, inspiring a community of likeminded wahine. Lets shift the dial so that more than the current 7% of women-owned start-ups invested in by NZ Capital Growth Partners (using taxpayers dollars) actually happens. If we want to double our exports - let's triple our investment in this space, especially for wahine Māori and Pasifika. With 30% of our population in Aotearoa predicted to be Māori and Pasifika by 2040, how are we going to shake up the investment ecosystem now to unleash this incredible potential? Talk about gamechanger for our regions! This is an area I'm passionate about and want to start firing 🔥 up my fellow founders in this space! What better way to start than sharing free resources from credible entrepreneurs who have put NZ on the map globally - like founder of #Ethique and #Incrediballs - Brianne West. Have an awesome idea you want to share with the world? Check it out - www.businessbutbetter.com The icing on the cake was having a fabulous dinner with some incredible wahine making an impact and building connections - Trish Wilson, Melissa Viviers, Isabelle Pryde, Angela James and Roanne Hurley, PhD Bring on the connections that will continue to flow from this inspiring event. Ngā mihi Manatū Mīharo - See you in 2025!

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In support of Pink Shirt Day - let's stand up - speak out and do what we can to say Bullying is not OK. Just yesterday new figures showed that workplace bullying costs NZ Businesses $1.5 Billion a year. And lives are being ruined Families are being torn apart Let's do better. https://lnkd.in/eUKWEBmN #bullying #safety #culture #leadership #wellbeing

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Putting the wow back in Wellington It's safe to say that post-Covid, Wellington has lost some of its spark. Businesses and individuals are facing tough times, and finding our groove again won’t be a walk in the park. What we really need during this challenging phase are innovative thinkers—those with creativity and foresight to envision what's possible and determine the most effective solutions to overcome our obstacles. One of the most disheartening sights is seeing closed shops and businesses, leaving behind empty spaces scattered throughout the city. This not only affects the surrounding businesses but also results in lost jobs and limited options for locals and tourists alike. So, what's the solution? Well, why not explore the idea of launching a pop-up incubator programme to breathe life into these vacant spaces? It might sound far-fetched, and you might think I've been smoking my socks, but isn't it worth considering? Despite the various property owners and regulations involved, surely activating these spaces is better than leaving them empty? What about converting those empty storefronts into temporary pop-up spaces for local entrepreneurs, artists, and community organisations? The council or anyone backing the initiative could kickstart the programme by offering short-term leases or rental subsidies to aspiring entrepreneurs, artists, and startups keen to occupy these vacant spaces. By offering these pop-up spaces at below-market rates, participation could be encouraged and financial hurdles removed for small businesses. The council and its partners could organise a variety of pop-up themes designed to appeal to a wide audience and cater to diverse interests. These pop-up shops could showcase local artisans, craft breweries, vintage clothing stores, art galleries, wellness studios, or experiential dining concepts etc. With rotating themes, the city centre would stay lively, drawing visitors to explore the different shops and discover new and interesting things. To generate buzz there could be special events, workshops, and activities alongside the pop-up spaces. These could be art exhibitions, live music performances, cooking demonstrations, wellness classes, or pop-up markets. Collaborating closely with local businesses, artists, and community groups would foster a vibrant atmosphere and inject positivity into the city. The council and its potential partners could offer valuable support services and mentorship to pop-up participants. This could include resources like business coaching, marketing assistance, and access to tools for small-scale production or inventory management. By connecting pop-up entrepreneurs with seasoned mentors and industry experts, they can be equipped with the guidance and insights needed to overcome the hurdles of starting and sustaining a thriving business. What do you think? Viable ideas or too out there and unrealistic? #wellington #postcovid #growth #revitalisation #businessmentors #entrepreneurs

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I think conversations with your teams and your clients should be similar to those that you have around the dinner table at home. Julia Ewert (MBA, FAIM) has helped open my eyes to the art of a carefully thought out open ended question and how much it can help develop relationships (especially with your kids) I've been brainstorming what I think would be great transferrable questions - What made you laugh recently? - If you had a wish, what would it be? - Are you scared of anything? - If you could be invisible for the day, what would you do? - What makes you a good friend? These might not seem like work related questions but I think they would help to build relationships and get to know those around you better. What are your thoughts on some other good open ended questions?

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It’s been great to be in Wellington with family. Mary and I had a wonderful time catching up with family and friends. Nothing like standing in line for belongings at security check and seeing some you haven’t seen for many years. Then they share some kind words that they love the work I am doing. Very grateful to be doing what I do. 2025 will be a year of impacting many leaders globally to lift their leadership game. So they can lead and inspire their organizations. The world needs more strong, impactful and adaptable leaders. #LeadershipIsChanging #executives #leadership

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‘We need to look after them’: Mum’s heart-breaking message after 12yo’s suicide. Just after Christmas, a young girl from Townsville took her own life after relentless online bullying. The urgency of the situation calls for action. We all can, and should, be part of the solution. When the b kinder foundation talks about the impact of kindness, it's not just about soft gestures; it's about shifting attitudes, systems, and the way we value each other. It’s about creating a culture where kindness is a foundation for education, policy, leadership, and community. The b kinder foundation's programs and resources are aimed at prevention and early intervention. The more we embed values like kindness, empathy, and compassion from the very beginning of education, the more likely we are to prevent harmful cycles. It’s not just the responsibility of parents or teachers—it’s the collective responsibility of all of us. Whether it's by speaking up, or just showing kindness in our daily interactions, the way we treat each other matters. It's about creating a wave of change through small, consistent acts of kindness. Every moment can be an opportunity to practice kindness, and the more we practice it, the more it spreads. If each of us committed to taking one small step towards kindness today, imagine the ripple effect. Change starts with us. bkinderfoundation.org #bkinder

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TOWARDS 2044 Avalanche of Change NZ DIRECTORS AWAY OFF THE MARK Many struggle with meanings let alone scale leveraging Productivity is more than long-run determinant of wages and living standards It’s survival of a Nation But when NZ Governance education is so antiquated It’s sobering fact that our Nation’s capability to participate confuses ambition with Disney Pixie Dust There is an ever disturbing evidence of capabilities gaps on recent governance Boards ‘Gas lighting’ off predecessors and decayed buttress curricula But the high bar for success is “know-how” at the top of all Corporates and Government How To increasingly being acquired globally through digital learning peer to peer connectivity Transition to humanoid robots and automation is firmly established Capitalism is increasingly the centre piece of our economy by definition hyper capitalism Not to be confused with corporatism With robotics & other technology developments it means near zero marginal cost An avalanche of change Artificial Super Intelligence ASI now surpasses human intelligence by a significant margin ASI possesses capabilities far superior to those of humans It deals with every type of task and problem We can't have anti-capitalism because micro chip labs data centers Fusion reactors are too big too expensive So forever we’ll be a capitalist Society This Demands ever increasing investment in AI & alternative decentralised socialised ownership models for various asset classes whether it's land data centers robots or corporations Rate of change exceeds base knowledge to understand let alone apply We can take some comfort from Generative learning GL from about 2026 will be followed soon after by artificial super intelligence and then your very own personal robot agent This helps Advocating on your behalf & helps you to participate Governance Agendas need to include How do we intend making sure we have money to spend on this Grand new economy The days of pumping up the stock price but ignoring longer term Trends Will see boards sinking into oblivion Al technology is not short term profit driven but first principles based and it's going to become increasingly shareholder demanded Meaning radical long overdue shakeups Our Global AI tech brain has to get far smarter We need far more advanced knowledge more self-discipline to stop destroying the planet stop killing each other It goes beyond symbiosis or mutualism because it implies separate organisms But for my simple mind AI and AGI and ASI are complimentary parts of the same global organisms We ignore that at our peril! I’m Doug Marsh JP(Rtd) Life Fellow IMNZ, Fellow IoDNZ (Rtd) To 40 year Chair Director Experience International Diplomat Founding President Business NZ NZ Past President Inst Management  E: marshgovernance@gmail.com #chair’s #managers #ceo #companydirectors #ema #nzinstituteofdirectors #economy

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Where do you sit on the “grid of inquiry” created by Seth Godin? Seth’s blog is one of my absolute favourites and in this blog post entry he outlines that expertise and firmly held beliefs don’t always go together”. He created a simple XY grid to “help us choose where to sit at whatever table we’re invited to - shown in the picture below. He says “plenty of well-trained professionals have earned the right to have strongly held beliefs. These convictions save them time and error, particularly if the world is stable. Surgeons, jugglers and historians make countless decisions, and they rarely have the time or resources to reconsider each underlying factor. This makes them efficient, but can also cause a field to get stuck. Fortunately, there are innovators. These are individuals with plenty of experience and training who have chosen to be flexible, to repeatedly ask ‘what if’ and ‘why’. When an innovator suggests a counter-intuitive or even nutty concept, it might pay to listen carefully. For most of us, most of the time, we have the chance to be curious. We don’t have a lot of domain knowledge, but we’re able to ask intelligent questions and to listen carefully to the answers. The hallmark of a curious person with goodwill is that they’re eager to change their minds.” Alas, Seth says “social media has elevated the foolish. People possessing little in the way of expertise, and generally unwilling to change their assertions or goals.” He asks us to consider where we sit on the grid - for me perhaps at different points depending on the role I’m playing at the time. Whether a public servant, parent, hobbyist or spectator - this is a useful tool for ‘in-the-moment’ reflection and I hope you agree. https://seths.blog #Innovator #Curious #Mindset #Flexible #Professional #Capabiliity #Leadership #Management #Innovation #Ideas

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Are you or a valued team member struggling with burnout and being overwhelmed at work? You're not alone. These issues are more common than you think and can drastically impact productivity, morale and career growth. At Stride Group, we understand the challenges faced by modern professionals in today's hyper-competitive landscape. That's why we've created our Overcoming Overwhelm Programdesigned to address the root causes of workplace stress and provide sustainable solutions. Visit us online for more: #executivecoach #businesscoach #executivementor #businessmentor #burnout #timemanagement

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It's time for GiveOUT 2024 and we're putting forward an ambitious project to create a sustainable model for Regional and Rural Rainbow Parent Playgroups. Rainbow Parents have identified existing playgroup models as a barrier to support. The parents they meet at playgroups mostly assume people are heterosexual and that people will play traditional gender roles in raising their little people. This doesn't work for Rainbow Families who are looking for people who understand their parenting journey and so that their kids can see that there are other families just like theirs. We'll be working with Academics and Industry Experts to understand what works best, then we'll work with Rainbow Families in Ballarat to build the model. We're then going to take all of the things we learn and create a set of guidelines that people can use to set up their own Rainbow Parents Playgroups. We're aiming to raise $10,000. This funding will be matched, bringing the total of our project up to $20,000. This funding will pay for the initial review and then the costs for Rainbow Parents, academics and industry experts to build and implement the new model. We'll also be investing this money into the creation of guidelines that will set out all of the steps that people will need to take to set up a sustainable Rainbow Parents Playgroup. https://lnkd.in/gUu4_rw4

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