Notes for committees and small employers
Short, practical pieces on governance, planning and staff, written for people who run things after hours.
Which workplace policies a small business needs
What to put in place first when you have no HR team: conduct, safety, leave, pay and a few more that earn their keep.
Working alone
If someone closes up alone, drives long distances, or works off-site, write down how they get help — and test it.
Psychosocial hazards
Workload, aggression, unclear roles and poor support are WHS risks too — not only “culture” problems.
Right to disconnect
When staff can choose not to respond outside working hours — and how to say that clearly without killing urgent escalation.
SCHADS Award changes 2026–2027: what NDIS providers need to do
The timeline, what each change means for pay, rosters and roles, and a checklist for each date.
Position descriptions that committees use
One clear page per role. What a useful position description covers, how to write it in plain words, and a template you can copy.
What “compliance” means for a tiny association
For a small association, compliance mostly means following your own rules and lodging on time. The usual obligations, what to stop worrying about and a two-hour yearly check.
Planning season: a year-ahead reset for boards
Skip the 40-page plan. A one-to-three page year-ahead brief, a half-day session that respects people’s time, and a calendar to keep it honest.
Grants and strategy: don’t chase money off-mission
A grant can pull a small organisation away from its purpose. Five questions to ask before you apply, and a simple board habit that keeps funding in line with your plan.
The Bus Factor: a governance risk you’re probably ignoring
If one person left tomorrow, could your organisation carry on? A 30-minute way to find your single points of failure and fix them.
A Treasurer handover checklist that doesn’t lose the year
A handover is where an association either stays on track or spends months rebuilding its history. A checklist for outgoing and incoming Treasurers.
Meeting agendas that decide something
An agenda is a decision tool. Mark each item for noting, discussion or decision, put the hard items first and send papers before the meeting.
Conflicts of interest: a plain guide for committees
In small towns and tight sectors, conflicts of interest are normal. What matters is declaring them early and writing down how you handled them.
When policies sit unread in a Drive folder
Why policies end up unread, how to cut them down, make them findable and use them when it counts. A small review habit that keeps them current.
Recruiting for a small not-for-profit
A short, fair hiring process for small NFPs: write the role first, write an honest ad, ask every candidate the same questions and make the offer in writing.
Induction for new committee members
A new committee member needs enough to contribute without guessing. A week-one pack, a conversation and a ninety-day check-in, without handing over the whole drive.
Respect at Work, in plain English for small NFPs
What “Respect at Work” and psychosocial hazards mean for a small not-for-profit: four practical steps and a short list of questions to check.
Saying no to good ideas: a filter for small boards
Small organisations rarely drift because of one bad decision. A run of small yeses adds up. Here is a set of questions to ask before you take on another program.
Why strategic plans go unread, and how to write one that doesn’t
Most strategic plans get filed and forgotten. Here is what a plan that gets used looks like: a few pages, a few priorities, named owners and a regular review.
Getting ready for your AGM
Most AGM stress comes from timing. A plain guide to working back from the meeting date, keeping the agenda short and finishing the paperwork afterwards.
Volunteer burnout signals boards ignore
Burnout in a small organisation is often a design problem. The warning signs, why thank-you speeches aren’t enough, and what a board can change this month.