Regardless of which industry our businesses operate within, invariably business owners want to talk about improving their people skills.

I often say to business owners that we don’t do business with other businesses - we do business with people.

Understanding people and cultivating winning relationships is paramount.

In this blog, I want to expand on the different personas that exist within every business. Customers, Employees and Suppliers are all key cohorts of people that we need to build relationships with.

Let’s look at the personas within these three groups.

Later in 2024, Australia will introduce legislation (amendment to the Fair Work Act) around employees having the right to disconnect from their employment outside of normal working hours.

This will grant employees the right to refuse to respond, monitor or engage with any work-related communications from their employers or third parties outside of working hours. Should an employee refuse, an employer may not instigate any negative consequences upon the employee.

I’ll leave brighter legal minds to provide detailed commentary on the specifics of the legislation.

However, I see this ‘Right To Disconnect’ (RTD) legislation as a solution to a problem we don’t need.

Most of us are aware that high-achievers typically have their own set of daily Morning Routines.

These are typically a range of activities and steps attended to prior to commencing your workday.

I have always been fascinated by Morning Routines.

Looking back, the first time I set up my Morning Routine, I had a range of themes and tactics offered by many.

Let’s call them Morning Routines 1.0

During Covid lockdowns, the workplace changed. For most employees, the traditional 9-5 Monday to Friday week was turned on its head as employees worked from home.

Post pandemic, the workplace remained changed forever. For most employees, the working week was a hybrid model of a combination of days working between the office and home. Some employees continue to work exclusively 5 days a week working from home (WFH).

Much commentary has been written on the various pros and cons of this ‘once in a century’ game-changer.

Many commentators suggested that this would be a huge win for employees with no reduction in productivity. In fact, it has even been suggested that productivity would increase.

Throughout all of this, I have remained sceptical.

In Part 2 of this 2-Part Blog, I outline the critical quantitative areas to review at the half-year mark.

You will recall In Part 1 we reviewed the ‘Qualitative’ areas.

So now let’s look at the quantitative areas in conducting your mid-year review.

We are half-way through the financial year.

How are you, your team and your business tracking against plan and budget?

It is critical that you check in now and conduct a mid-year review. Are you in front, on par or behind your expectations for the year so far?

In this 2-Part Blog, I outline the critical areas to review at the half-year mark. While monthly and quarterly progress must be monitored, the mid-year review is the key milestone before hitting the end of the financial year.

In Part 1 I will outline the ‘Qualitative’ areas to review, and next time in Part 2, I will pivot to the ‘Quantitative’ factors.

So let’s get started on considering the qualitative areas to consider in conducting a mid-year review.