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Meet one of our Perth members! Mark Small is the Director of Elect Training and Consulting and has been with Victory Offices since 2019.
Let’s get to know Mark.
Tell us about yourself and your company. What problem are you solving for your customers?
I have been working as a safety professional for nearly 20 years. I am an experienced company Director, a fellow of the Australian Institute for Health and Safety, and an Adjunct Lecturer at Edith Cowan University.
Elect Training and Consulting is a respected provider of workplace health and safety solutions, servicing Australian organisations that value tailored specialists informing the safety and well-being of their people.
Our clients use our services to meet their Work Health and Safety obligations. We offer a variety of services, including access to specialised courses and practical support from our expert WHS Consultants.
Describe a lightbulb moment when you knew your venture was going to become a success.
Not so much a light bulb moment but a stage in the business when the work became consistent. We had long-term contracts in place, and the business was sustaining strong growth.
What or who inspired you to establish your company?
Before starting Elect, I worked as an Executive in other businesses. I had lamented over not using the knowledge and experience I had gained to build my own business. So, when the opportunity arose, I grabbed it. Starting my own business was the best gift I have ever given myself.
What are you most passionate about in business? How do you continue to challenge yourself?
I love that I can add value for my clients and make a difference in people’s lives. I am also very pleased to be in a position where I can give back. I currently sponsor the Energy Club of WA’s Next Generation Program, the Australian Institute for Health and Safety WA Safety Symposium, and other professional development events.
What was the best business advice anyone ever gave you, and did you follow it?
“You have to be in business to be successful in business.” Yes, I followed it.
What’s your motto/ what words do you live by?
“Trust yourself”.
I was previously the Chair of the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation. The Foundation provides the opportunity for our youth to take a voyage at sea on a tall ship. The voyage challenges the participants and allows them to discover their strengths and talents, building self-confidence. At first, it seems impossible to them. However, once they have achieved it, it shows them what they are capable of. It is a moment of realisation that “if I can do this, what else can I do?” An amazing program. I am very proud to have been involved with the Foundation.
Who do you most admire and why?
I am very fortunate to have a close relationship with my brother and sisters and their spouses. I take great inspiration from what they have achieved.
What is your 5-year goal?
To be Australia’s most trusted provider for WHS Solutions, adding value to organisations large and small by helping them achieve safer and healthier workplaces.
“Trust yourself”. I was previously the Chair of the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation. The Foundation provides the opportunity for our youth to take a voyage at sea on a tall ship. The voyage challenges the participants and allows them to discover their strengths and talents, building self-confidence. At first, it seems impossible to them. However, once they have achieved it, it shows them what they are capable of. It is a moment of realisation that "if I can do this, what else can I do?" An amazing program. I am very proud to have been involved with the Foundation.
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]]>Read More "Benefits Of A Virtual Office"
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]]>Benefits of a Virtual office
A virtual office is a fantastic way to ensure your company maintains a solid and professional appearance in times of growth or change. Modern technology is rapidly transforming the way we do business, and Virtual Offices allow you to stay one step ahead of your competitors in a dynamically changing business environment.
The benefits of having a virtual office are often underestimated and at most times overlooked. We have compiled a list that highlights merely some of the benefits of having a virtual office:
Less time on the road.
One question we often get asked when applying for a job is ‘Do you have a driver’s license?’ Punctuality is an important aspect of any business and your ability to get around efficiently is vital. In a post pandemic world, where things have shifted digitally quiet significantly, this aspect has become less important.
One of the major benefits of having a virtual office means more flexibility with your working arrangements and routines. It means your employees are spending less time on the road travelling to office locations and more time being productive.
More ‘ME’ time.
The less time it takes you to travel to work, the more time you have for the things that are important to you. This significantly reduces stress and improves your employees work-life balance, which significantly increases their work satisfaction. Giving your employee the ability to work on their own terms improves their efficiency and builds an extra level of trust. Granted, this may not be applicable across all industries, where meeting with clients physically is essential.
Less time off.
Naturally, with a flexible working solution, the workdays tend to feel shorter even with the same number of working hours. Reducing 2 hours of travel time from your workdays will help your employees feel a little less exhausted and overworked, which in turn reduces their need for more vacation days or time off to rest. It gives them the opportunity to work on their own terms with a result focused approach.
Global expansion.
Looking at expanding nationally, or maybe even internationally? It is possible with a Virtual Office. Having a global presence when possible is a huge benefit to your business while allowing you to expand geographical and acquire global talent without the need to have a physical location tied to a long-term lease contract. This also allows you to operate at different time-zone and increase your global reach.
Less overheads
No long-term lease, no office costs, no in-house expenses associated with a physical location means you have more money and time to invest in your people and your clients. This also means you will save money on workplace fitouts and office setups and provide your employees with the opportunity to have their own ergonomic setups that work bets for them individually.
Prestigious addresses
Finally, and one of the most important aspects is the ability to have a prestigious address or several addressed in some cases as part of your location portfolio that you can potentially display to prospect clients. Most virtual office packages also come with additional services like mailing, a dedicated phone line with secretarial and meeting room services that you can utilise when you choose to visit the physical office.
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]]>Read More "HYBRID 101 – Why You Should Make This Change Too!"
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]]>HYBRID 101 – Why You Should Make This Change Too!
Written by Christine Thomson, Multi-Site Manager & Marketing Assistant at Victory Offices.
We all know the age old saying Happy Wife, Happy Life. But what about Happy Workspace, Happy Workplace!
Hybrid working has come about from lockdowns, social distancing, and the amazing economic growth post-pandemic. Some days we can work from the office and others from the comfort of your own home, or the local café, or even another state. Because one thing we’ve learnt is that a lot of jobs can be done remotely and you can trust your people to get it done from anywhere.
But now we sit towards the end of the pandemic and we’ve made a social decision not to return to the old ways of office 9-5 life. Why? Because we are happier. Happier with flexibility, happier with choice, happier with our attire, happier with our families and pets. Just overall happier. And that keeps us engaged in our roles and increases our motivation and innovation when we are working.
Remote working does however give us a craving to be around people, whether it be for meetings, office lunches, socialising with colleagues or even just to wear some new shoes. So a day in the office seems like a school excursion with a packed lunch included!
Hybrid work models give companies an opportunity to rotate their teams in and out of the office, keeping rent costs down and employee expansion at an all time high. Virtual meetings with the team are well known by now, people don’t physically need to be present to absorb the same information, so why not give it a go. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results within a short period of time.
Trust your people, trust your company values and embrace change.
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]]>Read More "5 HR Trends To Expect In 2022"
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]]>5 HR Trends To Expect In 2022
Written by Anisha Fitzpatrick, HR Manager at Victory Offices.
It seems like only yesterday when we were making exciting plans for 2021, believing that the pandemic wouldn’t extend into the new year. Fast forward 12 months and a new COVID variant has only just emerged. Like everyone’s been saying, we’re going to have to learn to live with this virus.
Our workplace has changed so much in these past 2 years, and it’ll continue to do so in 2022 as well. Undoubtedly, the needs of workers around the world have evolved too. It’s crucial that human resources teams are prepared to meet these fast-changing needs. Here are the 5 HR trends to watch out for.
1 – Role flexibility and purpose
Gone are the days when employees were motivated by additional responsibilities and a career growth. Their focus has shifted to learning, personal development and doing something meaningful. Something that makes an impact.
Of course, not every business and role have a direct impact on the betterment of the society; however, leaders can help their teams create a meaning in their role by helping them find their purpose such as “making every customer feel special” or “ensuring that every team member feels valued”. Without it, it’s easy to forget what gets us out of bed each day, ultimately leading to a disconnect.
Concurrently, the pandemic has made most people assess what’s important in their lives, and it’s no surprise that their personal growth and family take precedence over work. Many might request to reduce their weekly hours, or wish to reduce their usual responsibilities, or even just avoid taking on new tasks to be able to enjoy a quality life.
Businesses will learn to accommodate such requests while also ensuring that they don’t lose valuable talent from their workforce. We’ll need to find creative and flexible roles to keep everyone employed and engaged.
2 – Empathetic leadership
There was a 20% increase in calls made to Lifeline during the pandemic, not to forget that other helplines such as Beyond Blue and the Butterfly Foundation also reported a significant increase. People are looking for assurance and certainty while the world around them is stressful and unreliable. It is of utmost importance that leaders lead with empathy, and more importantly, compassion.
The role of a manager is nowhere near what it used to be some years ago. Their job isn’t just to provide feedback and guidance on tasks, but to also be a mentor for their team. Someone they can look up to and approach when they are in need. Someone they aspire to be, someone they can relate to. Businesses must provide their management teams with the necessary skills and training so they can be the leader that their workforce desperately needs.
3 – Evolution of the hiring process
Certainly, we have all come across companies that ask their candidates to meet with several stakeholders during the recruitment process or take forever to make a hiring decision. Soon this will be obsolete if it hasn’t happened already. In this competitive and fast-moving world, businesses can’t afford to spend so much time sitting on it while their candidates are flush with job offers from elsewhere.
We’ll need to reassess our recruitment methods, recruitment styles and the overall length of the entire process. Our systems must become efficient. Additionally, with the candidate market being so scarce and aggressive, HR teams will be compelled to conduct a skills gap analysis and create a development plan within their organisations so they can hire internally instead.
4 – Career experience over development
Employees are now much less likely to work in a single organization their entire lives. The newer generations are known to change jobs more often due to plain boredom or lack of purpose, or merely due to their curiosity to see what else is out there. What can businesses do when they have only so much control over employee retention? No matter how many retention strategies are implemented, not every worker will find it engaging or worthy.
Our focus needs to shift from career development to career experience. We need to come to terms with the fact that not every employee will stay forever. Some will move on sooner than others. The only thing we have any influence on is the kind of experience we can offer them. And who knows, they might want to return to us in future on account of the experience we were able to provide, the development opportunities they were given, and the relationships they were able to build within the business.
5 – Managing a multi-generational workforce
For the first time in history, our workforce has five generations working side-by-side – Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Y – each with their own ideologies, values, and priorities. The trick is in finding what brings everyone together, as opposed to what separates them.
It is essential that our leadership team is equipped with an understanding of where each generation is coming from, the best methods to meet their needs, and leveraging those generational differences for success.
What are your thoughts on the above? Are there any other strategies your business has implemented in preparation for upcoming changes in the workplace?
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]]>Read More "New Year, Fresh Start"
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]]>New year, fresh start
Written by Grace Dowell, Assistant Manager at Victory Offices
A fresh start, a new year (we hope). The past few years we have seen many challenges when it comes to working from home and being able to create that happy work-life balance.
If you are one that is dreading going back into the office because you’ve been able to do tasks such as, put a load of washing on just before a meeting or anything else that will allow you that rest time as soon as you are ‘clocked off’, these tips will help you be able to have a smooth transition back into the office.
1. Have a look at your office
Throughout the year, you can see a lot of clutter build up in your office. You may be busy one minute and throw some files somewhere they are not meant to be, and suddenly you see a tower of misplaced items. This can unknowingly cause a lot of stress and remove the feeling that the office can be a nice place to be. Set and organized spaces can create a feeling of accomplishment and can suddenly spark that feeling that makes you want to be in the office!
2. Look at what worked for you in your WFH arrangements
Try to transfer the habits you created when WFH into your working from the office lifestyle. Maybe you liked taking a walk in the middle of the day, in the office try going for a walk at the same time to get a coffee or just to walk around the block and take in some sun. all work and no break time will result in burnout, and I am sure you and your boss don’t want that so make sure to take regular breaks throughout the day!
3. You’re back in the office so make sure you log off at home!
We know that sometimes it’s hard to just ‘log off’, you may have something on your mind that you want to get done because it’s stressing you out, so maybe don’t do this every day of the week, but how about once or twice? You are back in the office which means you CAN separate your work-home life and ensure you create that balance.
4. Create a fresh workspace
You may not be able to redesign your entire office (even though it would be lovely if you could), but you can control the space on your desk in your workspace. Why not try adding some nature to your desk or changing up your pen and document holder. Maybe you’ve wanted to try a new filing system, now is the perfect time! Add a picture of your favorite people to your desk, this might help to inspire you in what you’re doing in the office.
A fresh start can be exactly what some of us need and now is the perfect opportunity. We can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store for you.
Photo Gallery
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]]>The post The Perfect Walk appeared first on Victory Offices.
]]>the perfect walk
Melbourne has been locked down for longer than we would care to remember. The one thing which has stayed constant throughout all the lockdowns, is the time we get to be able to walk daily and explore new tracks and new streets. While this lockdown may put a bit of a halt on the ‘exploring’ side of walking. We want to help you discover an adventure that is within those 5km from home, and to do that, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite walks close to each Melbourne Victory Office location.
Location: 35, 333, 416, 420 & 567 Collins Street, Melbourne
Flinders Street to Jolimont walk is by far one of the most pleasant walks I have done in a while. It is hard to find a walk in the inner city that allows you to take in nature and have breath-taking views from both directions. The walk is roughly 2.15km and takes you via Federation Square, Birrarung Marr and the William Barak Bridge.
Location: 727 Collins Street & 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne
The Waterfront Wander is a 2.2km walk along the Docklands’ waterfront. The walk starts at point park and takes you past sites such as the Yarra Edge Marina, Webb Bridge and through a series of sculpture works by Adrian Mauriks. This walk is even more beautiful at night, the buildings lights reflect off the water and all the boats light up and absolutely shine.
Location: 12 Clarke Street, Sunshine
The Maribyrnong River Trail follows along the river around the north-western suburbs of Melbourne. The Beautiful trail is 28km, beginning in Southbank and ending in Brimbank. The walk however can be started or finished at multiple spots along the track. On this walk you’ll experience all aspects of nature, wetlands, bush, residential areas and stunning city views.
Location: 180 St Kilda Road, St Kilda
The classic Foreshore trail is a great trail for an early morning walk, taking in the sunrise that happens right over the beautiful water and lights up the whole trail. The walk is over 11km and goes from Port Melbourne all the way to Elwood. You can begin and end your walk wherever you like along the trail.
Location: 311 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong
Dandenong has a beautiful green bushland reserve called the Dandenong Creek Trail. The trail is 8km long, running from Wantirna Road to Chandlers Lane. If you don’t want to complete the entire 8km, there are plenty of points to either start or end your walk.
Location: 988 and 990 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
A bit of a shorter walk, the walk around Box Hill Gardens is about 1km but features a beautifully large urban park including playgrounds, netball and basketball courts and a war memorial. The best part about this walk is its very close to a café with delicious coffee- Nelson.
Location: Chadstone
Scotchmans Creek Trail is a walking track that takes you through several different parks around the Monash area such as Caloola Reserve, Brickmakers Park and many more. The track is roughly 5.5km and features an abundance of birdlife and a beautiful lake.
Enjoy your outside time, soak up the sun, take in the beautiful views and step away from the crazy life that is happening right now!
Photo Gallery
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