It's the season one grand finale of Hire with Confidence and we recap all seven episodes in seven minutes. Throughout the year, we had six incredible guests sit down with the show to discuss challenges within their businesses and job roles, but also outline what opportunities have been created within the workforces they are apart of.
Following the season recap, People 2U's CEO Patrick Schirripa talks from a business perspective and also details that being the boss isn't always sunshine and rainbows. There is a great bit in this sit down chat where a candid piece of feedback is read out loud to him with a response required for the listeners.
Join us for this season closing episode of reflections and revelations.
People 2U is not your usual labour hire company in Australia. Enjoy a simple labour hire process, from start to finish, where every step is taken care of by a team who understands how much you need effective people solutions for your workforce. We know you need quality solutions, and you need them fast.
It's the season one grand finale of Hire with Confidence and we recap all seven episodes in seven minutes. Throughout the year, we had six incredible guests sit down with the show to discuss challenges within their businesses and job roles, but also outline what opportunities have been created within the workforces they are apart of.
Following the season recap, People 2U's CEO Patrick Schirripa talks from a business perspective and also details that being the boss isn't always sunshine and rainbows. There is a great bit in this sit down chat where a candid piece of feedback is read out loud to him with a response required for the listeners.
Join us for this season closing episode of reflections and revelations.
People 2U is not your usual labour hire company in Australia. Enjoy a simple labour hire process, from start to finish, where every step is taken care of by a team who understands how much you need effective people solutions for your workforce. We know you need quality solutions, and you need them fast.
Welcome to the Hire With Confidence podcast presented by People2U. There's Spotify wrapped and now there's Hire With Confidence wrapped. Today we're looking back at our first season and highlighting key insights from each episode. Then we'll be joined by People2U's CEO, pat Sharupa, to talk more broadly about the labor, hire and recruitment industry moving forward. I'm your host, rebecca Miller, and, on behalf of People2U, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and pay our respects to elders, past and present, and extend their respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. We will introduce you to some of our amazing people. Detail similar workforce challenges other businesses face, discover what opportunities can be created for your company, hear from industry leaders and be inspired to hire with confidence through People2U. So that's what we set out to do in season one. Let's take a closer look at some of our interesting guests and what they taught us, because, jeez, there are a lot of lessons we learned throughout the season.
Speaker 1:
So, episode one four day week global. Co-founder Andrew Barnes. Our first episode started with a bang. Andrew Barnes, co-founder of four day week global, discussed current shifts in re-evaluating the traditional working week. He explained how it can work in any industry, which is handy as People2U, provide workforce solutions for various industries. His main point was that time doesn't equate to productivity, and goes on to explore the future of work for businesses and employees. He provides advice to both businesses and employees about how they can best prepare for this change, which is happening right now.
Speaker 2:
But if you're not debating this in your company, you need to be, because your biggest risk is not implementing a four day week. Your biggest risk is your biggest competitor. Does it for it.
Speaker 1:
Episode two Sarah Wiley on embracing equity. For International Women's Day, To recognise his global day, celebrated annually on March 8, we spoke with Sarah Wiley about her careers across sports and healthcare, emphasising the 2023 theme of embracing equity. Drawing on her extensive career in healthcare, plus her longstanding influence with the Richmond Football Club Women's Program, Sarah discusses positive industry changes while also courageously addressing existing gaps. We aren't all created equal. We're all brought into this world, but not everyone. It's not an even playing field across the board and I witnessed that firsthand. Episode three Australian F1 board member, Jon O'Rourke part one. In one of his first public interviews as the newly appointed president of Richmond Football Club, Jon O'Rourke provides a behind the scenes glimpse into Australia's F1 event. Focusing on the economic impact through a labour hire lens, he delves into job creation and business involvement. He also commented on the surge in female F1 fans and the influence of the famous Netflix Drive to Survive series. And that's only part one.
Speaker 3:
I'm sure you know, there's many, many cities that would love to be in our position of having, you know, an F1 and an Australian Open and everything else we do right here.
Speaker 1:
Episode four Richmond Tigers president Jon O'Rourke, part two. Part two discusses Jon's immediate priorities for the Richmond Football Club, the challenges of succeeding Peggy O'Neill, as well as navigating Richmond's tumultuous 2016 AFL season as a board. Offering insights into the inner workings of Tigerland, this episode is a compelling must listen for those eager to understand the fabric of Richmond Football Club.
Speaker 3:
You know, the foundations, I think, of what made us a good club were started five years before that, or even, you know, seven years before that. Really, when you think about key leaders coming into the club, like Damian Hardwick, brendan Gale, blair Hartley coming with Damian in terms of list management, and those people were put into their roles and I think credit to the board back in the day was okay. We're here now to do things differently at Richmond, where we're going to stay the course.
Speaker 1:
Episode five Sali Mifsid from Mifsid Consulting on Indigenous Affairs and Employment in Australia. We must note this episode was recorded six months before this year's voiced parliament referendum. In this extended episode, sali Mifsid focuses on Indigenous affairs and offers valuable insights for employees seeking inclusive workplaces, as well as employees keen on understanding Indigenous perspective in the workplace In real life examples and actionable solutions. Sali addresses key questions about Indigenous Australians and job expectations.
Speaker 2:
There is such a great desire for the First Nations community to reconcile and be a part of our society. We've always welcomed people into our communities. We always will welcome people into our communities and I think that the broader Australian community needs to understand that we do want to be a part of Australia and we do want to be a thriving part of Australia and I think that's key, that word thriving.
Speaker 1:
I think we're here, we're just not thriving yet Number six, Elizabeth Quinn culture and leadership in high performing teams. If you only have time to listen to one episode from the series, make this the one. It is our most popular episode and we've had some great feedback from the lessons within this episode. Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Quinn, R-A-N, combines 20 years of Navy experience with leadership coaching for some of Australia's biggest sporting organisations, including Tennis Australia and the Richmond Footy Club. Serving into high performing teams, Elizabeth explores the crucial elements for successful cultures. As the founder of Clutch Leadership, she shares invaluable insights for enhancing team performance and cultivating a success driven workplace culture.
Speaker 4:
I think it goes back to what I said about. What I've observed about great company cultures or great team cultures is exactly that is, making sure that you are putting people before performance. Performance is extremely important, but the people are the ones who are performing right. So if you're not getting the people right, the performance doesn't follow Episode seven multiculturalism in sport and business.
Speaker 1:
Media professional David DeVoodovich celebrates the multicultural magic of the mighty Matilda's at the FIFA Women's World Cup. Drawing from his award winning podcast Football Belongs, the, voodovich illustrates the impact of multiculturalism in sport on Australian workplaces. This is a great lesson for those passionate about building inclusive workplaces and embracing the game changing potential of multiculturalism.
Speaker 5:
Football is a sport that has been underfunded and, I think, a rising tidal. If it's all boats, you get this football community united and you invest more in it, I think it really has the potential to deliver great outcomes for this country and just produce better athletes and just make Australia a better country.
Speaker 1:
It's awesome to have our Chief Executive Officer, patrick Shrupa, in the studio today. Welcome to the Hi with Conference show.
Speaker 6:
Thank you, beck. Yeah, it's great to be here looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:
Let's talk. You mentioned the big build before. Are there any good examples or stories you have from 2023 about people to use involvement?
Speaker 6:
Well, we were lucky enough to assist one of the stakeholders on the project in putting together the access doors. So, if you don't know, so to the airports that you might see overseas, the Metro Tunnel will actually have a set of doors that will be platform side, before you even get onto the train. I think it started early part of this year and finished in August. That was a big project. We're moving into a bit of a maintenance phase on that as well to install another body of work, so our fitters and trade assistants will be working on that. It's just so great.
Speaker 6:
I was out there early days and then just to see that sort of unfold. We just know, in a couple of years, when we're all going to the 40 year or just mowsying around the city, being able to hop on a train and being able to look at the doors as an example and be like hey, we had a little bit to do with the big build project and hopefully that then moves into other projects such as North East Link and maybe later down the track, the airport rail link.
Speaker 6:
That's being negotiated at the moment. It's on, it's off.
Speaker 1:
It's a great legacy. As you say, a lot of people are going to walk through those doors and probably not even think twice, but it would be cool to sort of when it is open and we're riding through the Metro tunnel. But we've played a small part.
Speaker 6:
Yeah, it is a bit of a proud moment, definitely for the guys. They've done all the work. We've just provided what we can to them, but they've done all the hard work. So shout out to the people, to you fitters and trade assistants that have helped deliver that and looking forward to getting them onto more important projects as well.
Speaker 1:
On our wonderful employees. Just how special are the people within our community.
Speaker 6:
Oh well, I've said it a lot Without them we actually don't exist. I know it's obviously in our name people to you, but without our employees we simply don't exist, and that's why we do what we do. Whether you're working on the Metro tunnel project or working in a factory or working wherever you're working, I have people to you, we take. I've actually got in my notes again just reiterating the importance of checking in on our staff, seeing if they're enjoying their time. You've got to enjoy where you're working. You spend, let's just say, a third to a bit more of your day out there. If you're not enjoying it, what can we do to make it better? Can we help find another opportunity? When I see the numbers come through and we've placed 30 people there and 10 people there and 15 people there, they're great numbers. Are they happy? Are they enjoying it? Are they being listened to? Are they being heard? Do they have everything they need? So there are sort of things that we think about. It's quite simply, without them, you don't really have a business.
Speaker 1:
And the flow and effect of providing our wonderful people meaningful work. You know what do they do within their communities and their family and friends. How's that flowing on to them Exactly, yeah, yeah, so big ripple effect, isn't it?
Speaker 6:
Oh, being able to. I think I had a bit of it like a what did I say A few weeks ago, where we our job is kind of to help someone choose what they want to do on their lifestyle, whatever it is, it's just yeah, it's certainly gratifying.
Speaker 1:
Well said Radio.
Speaker 1:
so this one's a bit off the cuff the package, but I've got this email in front of me 1st of February 2023. And it's a screenshot from yourself just sending out an all staff email. And it was a text message sent from one of our great employees to Ben Tucker, and it says thanks, hopefully see you tomorrow. Speaking for myself, and I'm sure the others feel the same. I've worked for so many companies. People to you has been one of the best hands down absolutely no complaints at all. It's refreshing to work for a company that actually cares. Yeah, how does that make you feel?
Speaker 6:
Validates what we're doing, quite simply and again, just proud for everyone involved, because it's not just myself or it's not just been, it's everyone in people to you and what we do. It's just so simple but you can get it so wrong. So I do remember that text message and I know who that is. I say to a lot of people because I have got that feedback and, quite simply, we're just doing our job. If we're working to an EBA, quite simply it's just making sure we're paying people on time and paying entitlements and just doing the things that you should be doing. If it's getting a call about needing more shirts or whatever, it is going out there and delivering those shirts in a timely manner. That's all it's about. And my one of my focuses for everyone is just try to be reliable. Yep. So whether that's picking up the phone or Responding to an email or responding to, you know, a worker needing something, you build that trust in that person. That text message was just as a result of Caring. It's not hard to do doesn't take much, does it?
Speaker 1:
No, there's been one really valuable client who's come on board with us sort of half-way through this year. Can you explain a bit about their story and their journey that we've had together?
Speaker 6:
Yeah, so this client's based in the northern suburbs. I believe they called us, like many of our prospective clients do, just to Scour the industry and see what might be available. Basically, what they do is they've got large contracts within the automotive Industry and they had quite a large Contracts come through that they needed some. We call it some top up. Now, ideally what we try to do is get in there With top up only if we can provide, you know, any other efficiencies.
Speaker 6:
We obviously try to get the majority of the business and in this instance we were able to provide, I think, initially a couple of staff and Gave them the confidence that we can supply. And then we've just been lucky enough to Go from strength to strength with them and they're talking about potentially expanding into state and Bringing us on as a partner because we know how they operate. And it's just amazing where a client that we've never had before Then comes to us and says, yeah, that's so strange, how well, not strange, but what they said, strange how you've been able to supply 10 to 15 people, whereas Previously it's been tough to supply. We've used this client as a perfect example of how we can hone in on our skill set, know what the client wants and you make their problems go away. Yeah, so that's our job really to make a, whether it's a HR business partner or a maintenance manager or supervisor. It's our job to make their life easier, because if they're life's easier, they can deliver it's incredible as well.
Speaker 1:
It's only been about three, four months, but they feel as if they've been part of the family for a very long time. That client now it's obviously not all sunshine's and Ray Bose In a business, especially as a CEO. Have there been any challenges in 2023?
Speaker 6:
striking the balance between an abundance of workers and few jobs and an abundance of jobs and few workers. So it's really just trying to get that balance. So I sometimes tell the team, if a client comes to us and says, hey, I need a couple of people, well, don't give them two. Try and give them a five or as many as you possibly can, because what we do know is a customer has come to us with a need. So in that time of need, if they know that they might be another one or two, there's been probably a fair over 50% strike rate where someone's asked for something and we've given them more and they've accepted it.
Speaker 1:
Well, it's so hard to find good workers, isn't it?
Speaker 6:
That's right.
Speaker 1:
Our employee pool is a pretty quality, high quality pool, correct.
Speaker 6:
Absenteesome.
Speaker 1:
Yep, I'm sure all businesses out there like yes, yes, I know what you're talking about, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6:
So don't worry, we, when we get emails or phone calls early in the morning saying, hey, this person hasn't arrived, or yeah, this person's arrived late, whatever it is, the first thing I used to think of was, oh, that's, that's not good, someone's lazy, someone doesn't care. But if you kind of stripped that back in your own life, you don't know what people are going through, correct, are they going through some tough things at home? Are they going just through tough things Like the world's? You know, interest rates are high at the moment. Rent is high because of those interest rates.
Speaker 6:
So from our perspective, it's making sure our workers are okay. Are they a right fit for the job? Because we can place someone in there. They can look, look the part, but they just don't like it. So then it's our job to go OK, well, that's not going to work, but we can probably put you here and then backfill that other position. There is a mental health aspect as well that we look, look at now. Yeah, when I say now, it's not like we've forgotten about it or haven't looked at it in the past, but it's just something that's quite simply so prevalent in society, and that's why we've we've set up an EAP, so an employee assistance program where, confidentially, our staff can call in and get the support that they might need, no matter what they're going through. We're obviously here to as your employer, but if you need some independent advice, then yeah, we're not the best, we're not the professionals in that area.
Speaker 1:
So we've got you back, Correct, Correct it's. You say it's easy, but it's not. You have a very big job. You've had a just over a year in the role. Now. Have you found where in the CEO hat?
Speaker 6:
I don't like the title. Sometimes I just if someone asks me what do you do, it's like oh, I just look after a lab hire company.
Speaker 1:
Just.
Speaker 6:
Just yeah, oh look, it's definitely a satisfying role. I think the satisfaction does come out of low times and high times. Yep, I've thoroughly enjoyed that. I did say at the start that I probably should get out of the weeds, but I don't mind the weed sometimes. I don't mind being On site or being in the background helping our people on site. Whatever I need to do to to help the business. Now we're quite a lean group, so I don't want to show the team that I'm not, you know, that person that's hands on after 12 months in the role and then putting some key learnings in place and then putting some other things in place in preparation for next year. I think it's, um, it's pretty exciting. Yeah, good to be a part of.
Speaker 1:
Is there anything else you'd like to put on the record at all?
Speaker 6:
Not really. I just reiterating again to all of our, all of our listeners throughout the year and obviously back putting this podcast together to put people to you in another medium. Yeah, just thank you for everything, from our staff to our clients. Again, I'll reiterate without you guys, we aren't a company. I'm looking forward to a big 2024. Yeah, merry Christmas to everyone out there and safe and happy holiday period Perfect.
Speaker 1:
You've wrapped it up really, really well. Thanks for coming on, pat. Thanks Beck. Appreciate it For one last time in 2023, people to you, people for here, there, anywhere, subscribe and share and we'll be back bigger and better for 2024. Thanks, team, thanks team.