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  • 16-Sep-2019 16:36 | Deleted user

    Picture this: your business has finally overcome the challenges of being a startup and has now reached the growth stage.

    However, as you take a breath, celebrate and consider plans for expansion, you begin to notice that what was working a year ago is no longer delivering the results you want, and you start to experience issues with stagnating sales, poor customer experience and increasing staff turnover rates.

    Recognising the need to fix the situation, you look to the help of an external consultant to help fix these issues within your organisation.

    Problem solved and job done… right?

    While they are experts at identifying organisational issues, most consultants seek to fix the immediate problem (i.e. the one they can see) without understanding and addressing issues at deeper levels. Without properly resolving these, any fix is simply a ‘Band-Aid’ solution, which, in the long-term, can cause your organisation to bleed out!

    Effects, Causes and Structure

    The issues experienced by your organisation are the effects of shortfalls in your business strategy or a plan not working the way you intended. These are typically reflected in Business Performance KPIs such as profits not being met, poor teamwork and poor customer service. Because these effects are visible, we often try to ‘Band-Aid’ these problems.

    Causes are intangible impacts on your business, typically external. Such ‘catalysts’ include competitors delivering more value, customer demands, economic factors, disruptions in technology and industry regulators.

    Structure refers to the key internal systems and processes which significantly influence the way a business operates. It is often overlooked and its impact underestimated. Structural factors include a business’ mission and vision, people practice and the quality of an organisation’s leadership.

    Getting to the Root of Your Organisation’s Issues

    Rather than resolving only visible problems or playing guessing games, taking a diagnostic approach to solving your organisation’s issues can help you truly understand the causes and identify correct, impactful ways to rectify the problems.

    ChandlerWoods has developed an approach that partners with your organisation to analyse your business holistically, seeking to understand the root cause of the issues. Our diagnostic approach studies the catalysts, structure, performance and people impact surrounding your business (see image below).


    Once the root cause of the issues is understood, we then develop solutions that address the effects, delivering sustainable performance improvements to help your organisation get back on the road to growth.

    Get in touch with ChandlerWoods today

    ChandlerWoods’ award-winning solutions have helped businesses of all-sizes increase growth and performance.

    Speak with them to discover how their unique diagnostic model can help your business do the same.

    The first five WSBC members to respond to this press release will receive a free business diagnostic and debrief for their business.

    Get in touch with ChandlerWoods: 

    Melissa Powick

    Director, ChandlerWoods

    E: melissa.powick@chandlerwoods.com.au

    M: 0412 606 552


  • 16-Sep-2019 16:17 | Deleted user


    Join PARKROYAL Parramatta for an indulgent seafood buffet lunch in their Governor’s Ballroom for Melbourne Cup. Enjoy a selection of locally sourced fresh seafood and a variety of enticing hot and cold dishes, salads, a live cooking station and decadent desserts to finish. Includes a three and a 1/2 hour beverage package.

    Available Tuesday 5 November 2019 from 12:30pm until 4:00pm, this package includes: 

    • A seafood buffet lunch including hot and cold dishes, salads, live cooking station and desserts
    • Three and a half hour beverage package including beer, wine and soft drinks
    • Live telecast of the race, displayed on the 4-metre Ballroom screen
    • Sweepstakes
    • Prizes for best-dressed male and female
    • TAB runners for main race
    • MC to run the day's activities
    • Complimentary car parking

    Click here for more information or to book. 


    Terms and Conditions

    Available Tuesday 5 November 2019 only. Bookings are essential. Car parking is subject to availability. A merchant service fee of 1.1% for Visa, MasterCard and 3% for Diners, Amex and JCB will be applied to all credit card payments. 

  • 11-Sep-2019 16:15 | Deleted user

    Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney once again invites you to celebrate Spring Carnival racing in style on Saturday, September 28th, at Rosehill Gardens.

    This race day event is the perfect way to enjoy the De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Day, which features the Golden Rose, along with the Golden Pendant.

    Catch all the action overlooking the winning post at our Exclusive VIP function in the Grand Pavilion while you enjoy a delicious lunch, networking opportunities, guest speakers, and private bookmaking facilities. Helping to raise vital funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney (RMHC GWS). RMHC GWS gives seriously ill children the best gift of all – their families. RMHC GWS provides a warm and supportive home-away-from-home for families of children travelling to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for treatment.

    Giddy up to enjoy the best of Spring Carnival racing while you help families with a seriously ill child. #keepingfamiliesclose

    Details

    Date: Saturday, 28 September 2019

    Time: 12pm-5.30pm

    Venue: Grand Pavilion Rosehill Gardens

    Tickets: Table of 10 - $2350, individual ticket - $235

    Book: https://fundraise.rmhc.org.au/event/rmhc-gws-race-day

    Tickets include:

    • Access to a VIP function
    • 5 and a half hours beverage package
    • Buffet luncheon and afternoon tea
    • Guest speakers
    • Private betting and bookmaking facilities
    • Live and silent auctions and on-site raffles
    • Networking opportunities
    • A race book to keep track of the action


  • 11-Sep-2019 16:02 | Deleted user

    By Michael Page

    To see real change when it comes to decreasing the gender pay gap, there are practical, workable steps businesses can take without having to commit significant investment to the issue.

    At a Michael Page panel event held in Sydney, “Closing the Gap: An open discussion around progress in equal pay”, executives shared their experiences and insights from their own organisations.

    Ryan Atkins, HR Director at Philips offered a reasonable starting point for any size company or business: “In terms of what is measured and what is done, there are various things you can do that won’t cost any money. Look at your data. If you’ve never looked at your data, you will find bias all the way through it.

    “Go through every promotion, every end of year review – collate it and you’ll be able to see where the issues are so you can share it with management and say, ‘We have these biases at work and we need to create structures and processes to continuously protect us from them’.”

    Atkins said the heath technology company takes into account female participation at application stage: Is it going up or down? Why? Is its employee value proposition working or not?

    “We also look at women in shortlists and the women who are hired – all very easy to measure,” he added.

    Jane Hansen, Group Head of Talent and Diversity at Lendlease said a key internal focus for the multinational construction and property company is around the diversity of thought.

    “If you think about diversity in its broader sense, it’s actually about having difference,” she said.

    “And part of the way you overcome your biases, whether they’re conscious or unconscious, is by having a diverse group of people who are entitled to decision-making and whatever it is your organisation is focusing on. So if we need to get down to the root of it all, this has to be a primary consideration in ‘how we do things’.”

    RELATED: How women are driving the new work agenda

    Importantly, Libby Lyons, Director at Workplace Gender Equality Agency underscored why attempts to close the gender pay gap often failed.

    “Equal pay is something women first won the right to in Australia in 1969. We won the right to be paid the same wage as a man for doing work of similar or equal value. Prior to that, it was enshrined in legislation and different workplace acts that men were actually allowed to be paid more than women,” she clarified.

    “The gender pay gap, on the other hand, is the difference between the average earnings of a man and the average earnings of a woman across an organisation or an industry or the nation.”

    Lyons explained the gender pay gap takes into account other crucial factors:

    • There are generally more men in management than women, so looking at the pool of managers as an example, men out-earn women by the fact that there are more of them.
    • There are more women in the lower-paid, lower-valued jobs in an organisation or an industry or across the nation.
    • Women work part-time at three times the rate of men.
    • Women are discriminated against when it comes to pay and being granted a pay rise when they are on parental leave or work part-time.
    • For every hour of unpaid domestic work or caring that men do in Australia today, women do 1 hour and 46 minutes.

    RELATED: 5 reasons it pays to have women in the workplace

    If you're looking for your next role in Western Sydney, or need help with staffing, contact a Michael Page specialist today.

  • 11-Sep-2019 15:47 | Deleted user

    The inaugural Golden Eagle takes flight at Rosehill Gardens on November 2nd. The 1500m race for four-year-olds is Australia’s third richest race with $7.5 million in prizemoney, 10 per cent of which is donated to the winning owners’ charity of choice.

    A new landmark sporting event for Sydney's West, the Golden Eagle will provide a significant boost to the visitor economy with world class racing, live entertainment, fashion, award-winning hospitality and excitement of the first ever running of the Golden Eagle.

    Be part of the buzz of Golden Eagle Day in The Hive’s exclusive Gold Party. Enjoy gourmet canapes, beverage package, Moёt and Chandon and live music entertainment throughout the day.

    The Gold Club offers a lively, social atmosphere in Rosehill Garden’s Grand Pavilion with gourmet buffet, beverage package and easy access to trackside viewing. Secure your place to enjoy all the trackside action including the new $7.5m Golden Eagle.

    For bookings and all other hospitality options, contact the Sales team on 1300 729 668 or at hospitality@theATC.com.au



  • 11-Sep-2019 15:38 | Deleted user

    The September 2019 Parramatta Light Rail quarterly newsletter is now available.

    In this edition, you can find the following stories and more:

    • Road widening works kick off on Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, in preparation for Parramatta Light Rail construction.
    • A new interactive map is up and running at Parramatta Light Rail’s website showing proposed light rail stops and attractions nearby.
    • Parramatta Light Rail celebrates School Trees Day with the kids at Parramatta North Public School.
    • Local businesses sign up to free business mentoring before and during construction of the light rail – find out how your business can get involved!
    • Enjoy discounts and deals at Parramatta’s ‘Eat Street’ dining district on Bankwest Stadium game days.
    • Site investigations and enabling road works continue around Parramatta.

    You can download a copy of the newsletter here.


  • 11-Sep-2019 12:34 | Deleted user

    Watch the races live on multiple large screens, feast on our delicious buffet lunch with a glass of champagne on arrival and take part in competitions throughout the day to win amazing race day prizes.

    Date: Tuesday 5th November 2019 from 12.00pm

    Price: $79 per person

    Includes: Hot and cold buffet lunch, live coverage, prizes for best dressed, tab machines onsite

    Where: The William Inglis Hotel, 155 Governor Macquarie Drive, Warwick Farm (parking is free)

    To Book: Call (02) 90580310 or email hb042-sb@accor.com to book your seat.

    Click here for further information. 


  • 11-Sep-2019 12:11 | Deleted user

    The Parramatta CBD will be transformed with food, music, theatrical performances, and art installations when the award-winning 2019 Parramatta Lanes festival returns from 15-18 October.

    Over four huge nights, 14 laneways across the City will come alive with more than 45 food stalls, six bars, and an incredible program of live music acts and commissioned art installations.

    “Parramatta Lanes brings the community together for a huge celebration of food and culture,” City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Andrew Wilson said.

    “We are now in our eighth year and are expecting more than 100,000 people from across Sydney to come along and experience this amazing event. The festival’s large and diverse program means that there is something for everyone spread across hidden laneways and pocket parks in our CBD.”

    EATS

    The food offerings span across many cultures, including Southeast Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, French and Italian, and other popular restaurants, such as Butter, Monkey’s Corner, Berlin Bangers, Chophouse, and Jamaican Delight will be taking part. Visitors with a sweet tooth will find plenty to satisfy their cravings. Koi Desserts will be creating a signature Parramatta Lanes dessert, which is sure to be a crowd pleaser, while the Bearded Bakers will also be bringing their unique Middle Eastern dish to Parramatta Lanes.

    On the grounds of the historic Willow Grove property, visitors can try a range of cheeses, cured meats and wine, as they listen to soothing jazz sounds. Nearby, the Riverbank will be turned into ‘Little India’, featuring an array of vibrant colours, spicy aromas, rich flavours, and Bollywood beats.

    BEATS

    The music line-up at Parramatta Lanes will be as eclectic as the food, with everything from K-pop and Bollywood, to 90s tunes and future jazz. The line–up of artists includes Midnight Pool Party, Mariam Sawires, Esme, Fishing DJs, FBI live broadcast with Slim Set, Free Souls, Spvrrow, Soul of Sydney, Andy Trieu and more. The University of New England Parramatta campus on Church Street will be mounting a festival program to remember, as they fuse technology with music, art with science, and food with fun.

    ART

    Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to tour the Parramatta Artists’ Studios (68 Macquarie Street) and immerse themselves in a specially commissioned multi-sensory experience created by resident studio artist Louise Zhang.

    Other art installations include a mesmerising creation by Amigo and Amigo in collaboration with students from Parramatta Marist High School, highlighting the impact of man-made waste on our oceans. Nick Anthanasiou from Skunk Control will light up the Roxy Walk with 25 large illuminated flowers that represent Parramatta.

    Those wanting to test out their own creative flair can do so in a studio workshop on sustainable jewellery led by Emma Grace.

    PLAY

    It will be game on when the Eat Street carpark rooftop is transformed into an “Old Skool Party” complete with Rave Bingo from Bingo Loco, as well as a human-sized Pacman Maze. Don’t miss it!

    To see the full program visit parramattalanes.com.au


  • 02-Sep-2019 15:51 | Deleted user


    A study by Harter et al., encompassing 152 organisations and over 950,000 employees, highlighted the very real negative impact on a business when some staff are not well-motivated, or worse still, demotivated.

    Their results indicated:

    • An 18% decrease in productivity when compared with highly motivated staff
    • A 60% decrease in quality, measured by defects in products
    • A ten-fold increase in errors compared with errors made by highly motivated staff
    • A 37% increase in the rate of absenteeism

    Clearly, it is critical for business that you know how to motivate your team, and how to avoid demotivating them.

    Factors That Demotivate

    1. Micromanagement

    Micromanagers usually have very good intentions. They want to see consistently high-quality work being produced. However, their method for achieving this consistently high quality of work drives most people mad! Their constant questions, instructions and observations leave people feeling frustrated, untrusted or incompetent.

    2. Too much ‘red tape’

    When a business has too many rules and regulations, it can seem to some staff that some of the rules are there ‘just for the sake of it’. These rules can hinder the implementation of improvements and innovation, and over time people tend to stop suggesting new ideas or changes.

    3. Lack of confidence in the business leadership

    It is critical that staff believe that their manager and the CEO are highly competent. They don’t have to agree with everything their manager proposes and implements, they don’t even need to really like them. They do need to respect their competence and vision. They do need to believe that their manager and the CEO ‘walk their talk’ extremely well and that they lead by example.

    4. Tolerance of mediocre performance

    If it is obvious, or perceived, that some team members are performing at a mediocre level and that there are no consequences of this, most people will struggle to maintain their own high level of motivation and work performance, certainly in the long term.

    5. Poor communication

    Clear and frequent communication has a major positive impact on the business. People know what they are expected to do and why they are expected to do it, they hear about changes firsthand and close to the event. When the reverse happens and communication is not frequent and not clear, people start to make up their own stories about the situation. Rumours and gossip become commonplace and these have a negative impact on the work environment and motivation levels.

    6. Difficult relationships with colleagues

    According to Gallup research, good working relationships can boost employee engagement levels and motivation levels by 50%. Conversely, even when the work is stimulating and challenging, if we don’t enjoy the people we work with our motivation levels will drop and we will most probably look for alternative employment.

    7. Job insecurity

    When people sense that their company is struggling, they tend to start looking for a new job. This situation is understandable and probably can’t be prevented; however, you can slow the decrease in motivation level by communicating frequently and transparently with the team. This creates a sense of trust, and with that comes additional loyalty and commitment to completing tasks to a high standard as quickly as possible.

    8. Boredom

    Gen Y are known for seeking jobs that are stimulating and inspiring. They look for companies and roles where there is a strong element of variety, and a purpose that they believe in. Interestingly, employees from Gen X, Gen Y and the Baby Boomers all state that they best like a job that is personally fulfilling. Many of them are prepared to sacrifice some salary in order to have this type of job.

    For your teams to be world class teams, achieving world class results, it is critical to have a strong emphasis on creating an environment in which individuals and teams are highly motivated. Only then can they achieve both high quantity and quality in their results, consistently.

    If you want to improve your team’s motivation, get in touch to learn more about our ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS program – a dynamic two-hour workshop that teaches your leaders how to get the best out of their people, achieve high levels of performance with their team and high levels of job satisfaction for each team member. Call World Class Teams on 1300 085 248 or email info@worldclassteams.com.au.


  • 27-Aug-2019 14:43 | Deleted user

    NEC Australia has announced a major Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Digital Display partnership with Sydney’s newest Entertainment, Fitness, Lifestyle and Accommodation destination, West HQ.

    Providing a ‘best in class’ customer experience for patrons at one of the State’s largest entertainment destinations, the partnership is centred around the soon-to-be-completed Sydney Coliseum Theatre; a state-of-the-art 2,000 seat multi-mode venue, offering world class concerts, musicals, and theatrical entertainment.

    The partnership includes NEC’s world-class LED display systems for menus, wayfinding, and interactive customer promotions, powered by CiscoVision IPTV. NEC will also partner with West HQ to develop and deploy market-leading solutions for CCTV security systems, network infrastructure, and across the eight-hectare site, free Wi-Fi for guests.

    The partnership will see NEC establish West HQ and the Sydney Coliseum Theatre as a technology showcase venue for technical innovation. This will include the future deployment of an NEC technology enhanced customer access solution in partnership with West HQ’s other major technology partners.

    “NEC has been intimately involved with the design and construction of the Sydney Coliseum Theatre at West HQ to ensure the customer experience from arrival to exit is exceptional. This really will be a centre of technological excellence, a world class venue with world class technology solutions, and a one-of-a-kind for Sydney,” said NEC Australia Managing Director, Mitsuhiro Murooka.

    “NEC already has a strong relationship with Western Sydney in the Health and Education sectors, but this is an entirely new frontier for us – the possibilities now and into the future are boundless,” Mr Murooka said.

    The customer experience will include another major theatrical first – a digital walkway ‘crystal bridge’ with glass flooring brought to life by the latest in LED display technology, creating a spectacular, immersive visual experience for patrons before they even enter the Sydney Coliseum Theatre.

    “This major partnership with NEC is a step-change in pace, innovation, security, and customer experience for West HQ as a destination, and as an industry leader,” said Richard Errington, Chief Executive Officer, West HQ.

    Following our recent successful opening of West HQ’s Eat. St premium dining precinct which is already showcasing the quality of NEC’s display systems, we can’t wait to welcome the customers to the Sydney Coliseum Theatre this December.

    “We are incredibly excited about the relationship forged with NEC and are confidently looking to how we will evolve the partnership and do exceptional things for the arts and the community together,” said Richard Errington.




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