Your event is guaranteed to succeed when you choose to work with Events by ATC. With a number of unique and iconic indoor/outdoor spaces, combined with exceptional and plentiful cuisine, your event is destined to be a winner. Led by an elite team that delivers year-round high profile events and world-class carnivals, we have the experience and champion mentality to ensure your meeting, conference or gala dinner is simply unmatched.

Premium Race Day Hospitality

Every qualifying event will go into the draw to win a Premium Race Day Hospitality experience with Naming Rights to a race on the day. This includes a dining experience for four, ATC beverage package, on table TV monitors, private bookmaking facilities and priceless national brand exposure on TV, radio and racing publications and websites. Plus, every booker will also receive a Magnum of Moet and Chandon… it’s just ATC's way of saying thanks*. (*Subject to T&C’s under NSW permit LYPS/19/34677).

https://www.eventsbyatc.com.au/champions/

By Michael Page

A company with a strong learning culture is one where everything from the structure to the processes to the culture are all geared towards allowing but also encouraging employees at all levels to continue their education in skills, knowledge, and performance. Importantly, this culture allows for insights and facts to inform growth across the entirety of a company.

Try these tips to instil a learning culture in the workplace, and reap the benefits of a workforce that is constantly improving and growing:

Implement formal training

On-the-job training is commonplace throughout organisations but at times can be informal and more on the relaxed side. For some employees, this can create an atmosphere where the training isn’t taken as seriously as it should be, and those skills may not be implemented as a result.

It’s vital to put training at the forefront of your culture by creating a formal process for upskilling, no matter the employee level.

Reward learning

As much as most managers understand the value for learning, there’s also the very common problem that nobody has spare time especially when business deadlines, priorities and problems need immediate attention. It’s therefore easy for learning to fall by the wayside.

Creating a formal structure for rewarding learning will encourage employees to bump training up their list of priorities, and to show learning is just as valuable as meeting targets. In many companies, often a full day of intensive learning on a Friday means an early mark as a reward.

RELATED: Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian’s co-founder, says lifelong learning is key to the future of work

Create time for learning

To truly show your commitment to creating a learning culture in the workplace, it’s essential to carve out time for employees purely dedicated for learning. An example could be pausing an employee’s projects one day of the month to allow for learning time, or setting aside a company-wide time slot to watch and discuss a presentation or similar.

Lead by example

Set the standard as a manager by bettering yourself through learning. Whether it’s through courses, conferences, or even simply sitting down with employees with different skill sets of your own, showing others in your team you are committed to learning demonstrates: you value their development, you lead by example and you follow through.

When others see you taking the time and genuinely enjoying the process, they may be more inspired to commit to learning themselves. After all, the responsibility of defining and setting the example of the business’s learning culture often comes from the top and filters its way down.

Ensure new skills are applied

To highlight both the importance of learning and then ensuring those new skills aren’t wasted or forgotten you must find ways to test, utilise and review what your employees have learned. You might consider incorporating their new skills into their tasks, or create a brief test or exercise to double-check that the new knowledge has become ingrained.

Hire the right people

Another fantastic way to create a learning culture is by planning ahead and hiring those who show a genuine interest in improving their skills and knowledge. They can help take ownership of your initiatives and may have some new approaches, since knowledge and further development comes naturally to them.

Incorporate questions into your interview process that will allow those with curious minds to shine, and include a penchant for learning as a bonus factor when making your hiring decisions. Eventually, this should lead to a workplace filled with staff who proactively seek learning opportunities, strengthening your business and its culture as a result.

New JAWS Open For Business

Western Sydney’s popular home-grown jobs website, Jobs Available Western Sydney (JAWS) has undergone a major upgrade.

Exciting new features have been added to enable an easier journey matching job seekers and candidates.

Job seekers and employers in Western Sydney now have a specialised platform that delivers the region’s most advanced online employment matching service.

JAWS has posted thousands of jobs since its inception in 2013. The popular portal focuses on Western Sydney job opportunities and has a Facebook following exceeding 45,000.

The new look state-of-the-art website enables job seekers to create and post their resumes with the resume builder feature.

Employers can source applicants from among the bank of resumes. Employers can now post their opportunity with greater confidence.

JAWS director Rick Swaleh said the new portal is ideal for employers looking for the best talent in the region and for job seekers who want to join some of Western Sydney’s top organisations. Benefits include:

For employers:

• Post advertisements with greater confidence direct through the JAWS site.
• Increased chances of securing the best talent through the JAWS online resume builder. Scan live resumes.
• Easily track and receive job applicants through the JAWS interactive portal.
• Tap into a social media network that inlcudes Linkedin and Facebook (45,000 followers).

For job seekers:

• Apply for positions direct through the JAWS website.
• Build an online resume through the JAWS resume builder tool so that employers can scan resumes at their leisure.
• See the latest employment tips and news 24/7.

Visit:

www.jobswesternsydney.com.au

This article supplied by WSBC Media Regional Partner: 

Parramatta's new $280 million Engineering Innovation Hub is closer to being realised with the proposal now on public exhibition.

The joint venture between Western Sydney University, UNSW and Charter Hall will deliver a new education and commercial precinct in Parramatta CBD. Read more about the project and view the plan here. 

In May, the RBA board discussed a scenario in which there was no further improvement in the labour market and the unemployment rate remained around the 5% mark. In this scenario, they judged that inflation was likely to remain low relative to the target of 2-3% and that a decrease in the cash rate would likely be appropriate. The RBA has now delivered, by cutting the official cash rate by 0.25% to 1.25%, the first move in rates since August 2016.

Click here to listen to Martin Lakos, Division Director of Macquarie Wealth Management discuss the recent rate cut.

Macquarie has been providing Business Banking solutions for over 30 years and provides SME clients with tools and strategies to grow and develop their business. You can get regular updates by subscribing to the monthly newsletter, Strictly Business by visiting macquarie.com.au/businessbanking. If you would like to find out more about how Macquarie can support you to take your business further, call Sam McCarthy at our Parramatta office on 0417 518 724 and be connected with one of our banking specialists.

This information has been prepared by Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 237502 (“Macquarie”) for general information purposes only. This information does not constitute advice. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. No member of Macquarie accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct, indirect, consequential or other loss arising from any use of this information.

You’re invited to an exclusive seminar for senior finance professionals.

With the rapid changes in financial reporting, an increased focus by the ATO on tax risk, and an active M&A environment, the challenges facing senior finance professionals are wide ranging and significant. Hear first-hand from William Buck experts:

• Cate Pozzi, National Technical Senior Consultant will provide an update on ASIC focus areas, moving from SPFS to GPFS, the new framework for revenue recognition and other important factors you need to consider.
• Greg Travers, Tax Director will share his insights on ATO’s approach to auditing and reviewing larger private groups and public companies, and how you can reduce your risk of being selected for an audit.
• Mark Calvetti, Corporate Advisory Director will talk about the latest trends in Merger & Acquisition activities and Venture Capital Investments in Australia.

Date: Thursday 13 June 2019

Time: 12.00pm - 2:00pm (11:45am registration)

Location: SKYE Hotel Suites, 30 Hunter Street, Parramatta

Lunch will be served

Click here to register your complimentary place.

Attendees will each receive a complimentary booklet with useful information to help you understand what accounting standard changes mean for your business and how you can be better prepared, and also the key attributes of the ATO approach to analysing the tax risk of business taxpayers.

If you would like to bring a guest, simply request additional tickets when registering.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Natalie Tellis on (02) 8263 4000 or email natalie.tellis@williambuck.com.

Click here to register your complimentary place.

The high cost of living, the impact of addiction, homelessness, and family crises continue to place unbelievable pressure on Australian families, often with tragic results.

But in people’s darkest moments, The Salvation Army is there to show love, care and practical support. In western Sydney that comes in the form of locally-based teams of Moneycare financial counsellors, Doorways case managers and youth services, Salvos Connect sites, and centres in Parramatta, Auburn, Blacktown and Penrith. The Salvos stand beside people to help them get back on their feet again.

Major Beth Twivey has been a Salvo all her life and an officer (an ordained minister) since she was 29. She oversees Sydney’s social services and says that one of the unique things about the Salvos is its ability to support people in many different ways.

“Some of the most marginalised suburbs of Australia are in western Sydney,” she says. “We’re working with more and more people experiencing financial crisis. When people are living below the poverty line, they don’t engage, they retreat. So there’s loneliness and isolation even in a crowd. The Salvation Army helps provide a place to belong, connection, friendship, sense of family. We all need that.”

For more than 50 years, donations given by generous Australians to The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal have helped it continue its vital work, such as providing addiction treatment services to over 14,000 people annually, 16,000 meals to the hungry every week, and financial assistance to over 43,000 families every year, across Australia.

“Someone might come to our Freedom Centre at Penrith for emergency food relief,” Major Twivey says, “and we can have a conversation and hear their story. This person might struggle with finance or budgets as well as needing food, and because we have several parts of The Salvation Army in that building, we can very quickly understand a person’s need and connect them to a service to support them.”

Supporting an individual transforms whole communities

Major Twivey’s stories paint a poignant picture of Australian life when things get rough. “I recently chatted with a beautiful family, who’d been torn apart by some awful things that could happen to any of us. Their little girl stood up and said, ‘Thank you for giving me my mum back.’ The power of that thank you from that little girl, imagining what her life had been like, and hearing her say that, that’s the sort of thing we want to be able to continue to do.”

So the Salvos would like to say thank you – thank you to the community of western Sydney for trusting The Salvation Army to use the funds raised wisely. The impact is immense, Major Twivey says. “When you’re giving money to support one individual it helps not just that one person, but their family, street, school, workplace and community. The money will be well administered and used effectively so that the community is transformed – all from helping that one person.”

Click here to donate now. 

Malaysia Airlines has a vast network with great connections from all major Australian cities. The airline offers some great year-round competitive corporate discounts to business travellers. Together with Oneworld partner airlines, corporate travellers will enjoy all Oneworld benefits including Golden Lounges in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and London. Business travellers will also enjoy dedicated corporate support from the team at Malaysia Airlines at each check-in counter.

The airline carries approximately 40,000 guests daily, operating 57 weekly services from Australia & New Zealand to its hub at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The Airline touches 62 destinations in 22 countries with its modern fleet of Airbus A380-800, A350-900, A330-200/300 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft, (average fleet age of 6 years). 

Malaysia Airlines offers its corporate travellers access to over 30 Qantas domestic, 60 Japan Airlines domestic, and 80 British Airways flights to the UK & European destinations for just $65 irrespective if travelling in Business Class or Economy Class.

Qantas Platinum & Gold Frequent Flyer members can access Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounges in Kuala Lumpur including domestic and Heathrow Airports.

If you are a business in Australia or New Zealand and frequently travel to Asian countries, this is the best time to enjoy the savings. Currently some airfares are discounted by more than 35% for Business Class travellers. No matter what your annual spend is, call one of the Elite Business Travel specialists to find out more and how to save on your business trips.

If you are planning to travel as a group, Elite Travel can also assist you with priority check ins and extra baggage allowances. Call one of their consultants today on 1800 627 747 or email them at info@elitetravel.com.au to find out more.

Leisure travellers - if you are travelling to Colombo, Chennai, Delhi or Mumbai - there is no better time to book and save. Book today with Elite Travel and find out how you could be eligible for Westfield Gift Vouchers. These offers will not last long. So, hurry!

The most common reason people give for leaving a company is their boss. The uncomfortable truth is that people don’t leave their jobs, they leave their bosses!

On the flip side, it is also true that people will stay with a fantastic manager, even if the work is ‘just okay’ or their commute to work is ‘horrendous’.

Google’s Project Oxygen uncovered 3 significant pitfalls for managers. Falling into these habits will almost certainly mean that your team will NOT regard you as a great boss. Some of them will probably leave and those that do will, unfortunately, be exactly the people you don’t want to lose!

The 3 pitfalls uncovered by Google you need to AVOID are:

1. Having Difficulty Connecting with Your Team

This sometimes occurs when a person is promoted from being a team member to being the Team Leader or manager.

This transition can be difficult for several reasons. Sometimes the other team members struggle with the notion that ‘one of them’ is now ‘managing them’. This can show up as resistance to take direction or advice, or as muttering or complaining ‘he/she thinks he’s/she’s above us now’.

It can also be difficult for the person being promoted to get used to the idea that they now need to have the overview and to motivate others rather than to be an excellent operator themselves. Finding the right balance between managing and operating is challenging for many managers, especially those who pride themselves on ‘getting stuck in’ or ‘being task-driven’.

If you are appointed directly into a management role in a company this can also be challenging. You must gain the trust of your team, have enough knowledge or expertise to be credible while at the same time not assume that you are so experienced that you don’t need to learn anything.

2. Lacking a Consistent Approach to People’s Performance

When managers show a lack of consistency in their approach to performance reviews/performance management and career development they lose the respect and trust of their team.

Most people can handle bad news, but they won’t accept what they believe is unfairness. Hence it is critical to have genuine clarity around the criteria for performance reviews. Using these criteria mean that people are assessed against standards and not merely compared with other people. Whenever people are compared to others you will get questions and comments about favouritism and unfair treatment.

Staff must know what specific standards they are being assessed on, prior to the performance review cycle taking place. As their manager, you must be well-prepared with your assessment and have examples you have observed to support your assessment. This enables a constructive conversation to occur rather than an uncomfortable disagreement with blame, excuses and no resolution.

There is no such thing as ‘agreeing to disagree’ with regards to performance. Unresolved performance issues result in disengagement and resentment and very often, a decrease in commitment from the entire team.

3. Spending Too Little Time Communicating

Spending too little time communicating does not mean you should just keep talking for the sake of it!

It does mean that in today’s workplace staff expect two key communication skills from their manager:

TO KNOW THE WHY AS WELL AS THE WHAT

Simply giving instructions or making demands worked, in fact was expected, 20 years ago.

Now people expect to know why they are being asked and how this task or change will be of benefit before they will commit to completing it.

You can choose to mutter ‘Gen Y’ and ‘back in my day’ or you can choose to respond to today’s world and get the outcome you want by adjusting your management style! Interestingly I often hear Baby Boomer managers complain about Gen Y, muttering about how Gen Y should ‘just get on with it as we did’ …… Gen Y are the children of the Baby Boomers. I wonder what that says about parenting as well as managing?!

STAFF EXPECT THEIR MANAGERS TO BOTH SPEAK AND LISTEN

Staff expect their manager to listen actively and openly.

Answering emails or continuing to type while you are listening is not listening actively. Interrupting staff or responding immediately with ‘no, we’ve tried that before’ or ‘sorry, but that won’t work’ will not lead your staff to describe you as a good listener let alone a great boss. Many managers need to learn to ask more questions and make fewer statements, to listen with a ‘researcher’s hat’ on rather than with a ‘judge’s hat’ on.

Managers of course, want to be great managers. Each of us does have talents, strengths, and weaknesses. As a manager, you must acknowledge your weaknesses, particularly if they include one or more of these 3 key pitfalls. After acknowledging the weakness, you must then act to develop in this area.

If you want to improve the way you communicate, collaborate and connect with your team, we suggest attending our international GREENLINE Conversations Program. This dynamic 1-Day program has been used by companies such as Google, Pepsi and EY to create a high performance culture in their businesses.

As a member of Western Sydney Business Connection you have the special opportunity to complete the FULLY FUNDED, nationally accredited 1-Day GREENLINE Conversations Training Program for Managers and Leaders. You can choose to do this by joining one of our Open Programs (see the link below) or by requesting an Inhouse Program for your business.

To LEARN MORE call Ramsina McCully from World Class Teams on 1300 085 248 or book your seats directly via https://greenline-open-program.eventbrite.com.au

Thursday night bowling with the Eels at Parra Leagues - $14 per game per adult, $10.20 per game per child. Includes:

- Meet & Greet with a Parramatta Eels NRL player

Simply book your lane for 4+ people for 6pm on a Thursday between 22 May 2019 and 31 July 2019. 

Mention this offer when you come in to Kicks Tenpin & Arcade and you will receive a free XD Dark Ride and meet & greet with a Parramatta Eels NRL player.

Looking to book for 15+ people? – call the Parra Leagues Functions team on 02 8833 0738.

Ts & Cs

Bookings must be for 6pm on a Thursday night between 22 May 2019 and 31 July 2019. Not valid with any other offer including Parra Leagues Membership discount. Height restrictions apply to the XD Dark Ride. Min 4 people per booking. Groups under 15 people must book online at https://kickstenpin.com.au/book-online/. Every group will receive a meet and greet with a Parramatta Eels NRL player. The player cannot be specified by the group making the booking. Only available whilst stocks last.