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6 steps to create a mentally healthy and vibrant workplace

It’s estimated we spend a third of our life at work. It may even be more if you run your own small business. From working overtime during the week to catching up on paperwork on the weekend, having enough time to get everything done is a challenge for most small businesses.

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So, it’s easy to understand why you might not feel like you have the time to think about your own wellbeing let alone the wellbeing of your employees or your co-workers. However, understanding how the people in your business are coping with both life and work pressures is just as important as paying your suppliers every week or doing a stocktake.

45% of Australians experience a mental health problem at least once in their lifetime.

In 2022, 52% of serious mental stress claims in Australia were because of work-related issues. These issues included harassment, bullying, work pressure and occupational violence.

Poor workplace wellbeing affects workers’ mental health and productivity, costing our economy up to $22.5 billion a year. Asking a colleague ‘R U OK?’ may begin a conversation that not only helps them but also helps build a healthy workplace.

This year, R U OK? Day is on Thursday 12 September 2024. The day serves as a reminder that asking, ‘are you ok’ any day of the year is important to the mental health and wellbeing of those around you.

One way to improve workplace wellbeing, safety, and performance is to use Dr Martin Seligman’s (2012) PERMAH framework. This evidence-based model highlights 6 factors that help us feel good and perform well at work. Workplace culture can be improved by prioritising these 6 elements.

A graphic showing the PERMAH Framework.

1. Positive emotions: ‘AMP’ up your understanding of stress


A healthy workplace is not absent of stress, but it is one where people know how to manage it. Stress is natural, especially if you run your own small business. Often, it’s our body’s way of trying to alert us that something we care about is at stake.

By noticing the signs of stress in yourself and your employees, Associate Professor of Psychology at Standford University Dr Alia Crum, found we can harness our body’s stress responses to help us meet life with the energy and courage we need to deal with whatever is at stake.

You can help your workplace ‘AMP’ up an understanding of stress by encouraging your people to:

Be Aware when they feel stressed, that their body is trying to get their attention by making them feel uncomfortable (sweaty hands, racing heart, tight jaw or hunched shoulders).
Find Meaning for these feelings by asking them what's happening that's important and may not be going the way they want.
Prioritise Conversations and/or actions that can positively impact the outcome of what's unfolding. Remember, tiny steps can have a mighty impact because they motivate people to move forward with confidence.
Whether you’re a sole trader or run a small team, understanding the signs of stress can help keep you and your employees in a positive frame of mind. Sometimes stress can’t be avoided, but we can manage how that stress affects us and do things to help reduce it.

2. Engagement: give strength-focused feedback


High-performing teams share nearly 6 times more positive feedback than average teams, while low-performing teams share nearly 2 times as much negative feedback as average teams. Make giving strength-focused feedback to your employees a priority, and easier and more effective by using the ‘THANK’ method:

Track: What is the positive impact you’ve seen this person’s work having recently on others? How specifically might they be making work or life easier or better?
Highlight: What can you see them learning, doing, and/or delivering that is making this positive difference that you value?
Appreciate: What strengths – the things they are good at and enjoy doing – can you see being used to make this effort and/or outcomes possible?
Nurture: How can these strengths be built on? How might they avoid overplaying or underplaying their strengths that could help improve their performance?
Kindle: What support might they need/want and what does this look like?


3. Relationships: build psychological safety


Vibrant workplaces welcome honesty, prioritise learning, encourage asking for help, and support taking risks together. Everyone struggles at work from time to time. Workplaces that normalise the feeling of struggling can promote healthy learning and growth.

Removing any barriers or embarrassment to having open conversations can help unlock the potential for people to become better at their jobs. Psychological safety can be built by using the following Safety Check Chat questions to check in with your team:

What’s working well?
Where are we struggling?
What are we learning?
What do we want to try next?
Four people in an office sitting at their desks, laughing on a coffee break.

 

Four people in an office sitting at their desks, laughing on a coffee break.

4. Meaning: create a giving culture


We long to be more than the sum of the tasks we perform at work. The good news is researchers have found that meaning can be found in any job by helping people identify the difference their work makes to others. Encourage a healthy workplace by getting people to invest in 5-minute favours that make a positive difference in someone else’s life by:

offering to help with a hands-on task
sharing their expertise (i.e. offering their skills)
coaching or mentoring others (i.e. teaching someone how)
passing on favourite resources (i.e. books, podcasts, articles, recommendations)
supporting a colleague by listening to their struggles and/or successes.


5. Accomplishment: setting and celebrating learning goals


A vibrant workplace is one that learns and understands failure and mistakes are part of how things are accomplished. They do this by embracing a ‘growth mindset’ that recognises that while we all bring to the workplace certain talents, abilities, and intelligence we can improve upon these with learning, practice, and support. To help your team develop their growth mindsets you can ‘SET’ learning goals:

Spark your curiosity: Challenge your mind by picking a small learning goal that can make a big difference.
Experiment: Act on your learning goal within the next 24–48 hours. Remember as long as you show up, give your goal your best shot, and stay curious about the results, you can’t fail.
Tune into feedback: Measure your progress, seek feedback, and reflect on what you’re learning to move closer to your goals.


6. Physical health: the need for rest and recovery


Vibrant workplaces recognise we are built to swing between periods of activity and recovery. They understand the power of short breaks throughout the day. In turn, this helps people stay energised, healthy and more productive.

Recovery doesn’t mean you need to take a nap in the backroom or under your desk. Researchers have found that short breaks allow the thinking parts of our brains to rest. This can be just as effective as naps. Here are some easy ways to add these to your workplace:

Encourage ‘walk and talk’ meetings/discussions where possible.
Encourage shared lunch breaks, eating together away from desks or finding an external lunch location.
Provide exercise cards/posters for quick stretches between tasks.
Organise fun workplace challenges that encourage activity and involvement, e.g. a sit-stand challenge to see who can hold the position the longest.
Allow short social breaks like tea/coffee conversations, which help rest the brain and build connections between employees.
How to create change in the workplace
Business owners and leaders may face challenges when trying to bring about behaviour changes. Professor James Prochaska, (a leading researcher in behaviour change), highlights that there are 3 common derailers when it comes to caring for our wellbeing. These include:

‘I don’t want to’
‘I don’t know how to’
‘I don’t think I can’.
Creating safe places for people to learn and grow can be a strategic way to help overcome these barriers. Business owners can do this by tapping into curiosity rather than judgment, as well as encouraging their employees to switch their mindset about how to deal with people:

Instead of making assumptions, slow down and ask questions to understand.
Rather than being embarrassed to ask questions, assume learning is helpful and seek/offer support.
Instead of complaining about someone’s performance, assume everyone is capable and spark kind conversations to enable growth.
Rather than pointing the finger and blaming others, encourage shared responsibility and create transparent and safe spaces for accountability.
Building a vibrant workplace culture is an ongoing process requiring long-term strategies. A learning loop can be helpful to enable continuous improvement:

Act: What have you tried? Why did it matter to you?
Assess: What went well? where did you struggle? What did you learn?
Adjust: What will you try next? Do you need support?
Building a healthy and vibrant workplace isn’t something that can be done overnight or something that you must do by yourself. It’s done by encouraging a workplace culture of positive behaviours every day. It’s the small things that count in the end. Researchers suggest that small and consistent ‘wellbeing wins’ amplify our confidence and motivation so we can scale up our efforts over time.

Small changes can have big results
In a vibrant workplace, people feel safe, energised, and ready to collaborate. They’re resilient and productive, navigating both highs and lows as part of learning and growing together. Ask yourself, are you creating and leading a vibrant workplace culture?

Start implementing the frameworks and wellbeing strategies above. Your proactive commitment to making even one small change today can make a meaningful difference both now and in the future.

Let’s make R U OK? Day the opportunity to not just ask this vital question, but to create sustainable and vibrant work environments where wellbeing is prioritised and businesses perform at their best. For more information on R U OK? Day, visit the R U OK website.

For more information on building resilient people, healthy relationships and vibrant workplaces, visit the Wellbeing Lab website.

Tools to improve your workplace’s mental health
Work Safe Victoria’s mental health: safety basics
The Victorian Mentally Healthy Workplaces Framework | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au)
Mental health support services
Mental health support and assistance services
Free support and advice with Partners in Wellbeing

 

 

 

THE WELLBEING LAB
12 SEP 2024
business.vic.gov.au

 

 

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Rundles Chartered Accountants & Financial Planners disclaim all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or consequential loss or damage) arising out of or in connection with any use or reliance on the information or advice on this site. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material on this site, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied. The information on this website is no substitute for financial advice.

Privacy Policy

Contents

1. Privacy Policy

2. How do we collect personal information from you?

3. What type of personal information do we collect?

4. How do we use your personal information?

5. How do we disclose your personal information?

6. Access to your personal information

7. Accuracy and correction

8. Our security procedures

9. Data breach notification

10. Identifiers

11. Links to other sites

12. Collecting data

13. Changes to our Privacy Policy

14. Complaints resolution

15. Disclaimer


1. Privacy Policy

1.1 Rundles (Company) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your privacy. The Company understands the importance you attach to information that identifies you (your ‘personal information’) and we want to help you protect it.

1.2 We are bound by and committed to supporting, the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information that we learn about you when you submit any personal information to us or our associated entities in person, by mail or email or by visiting our website.

2. How do we collect personal information from you?

2.1 We will only collect personal information which you have voluntarily provided to us or consented to us collecting the information. We may collect personal information about you in a variety of ways, for example:

2.2 From time to time, you may be able to visit our website or deal with us anonymously or by pseudonym. However, we require certain personal information to be able to provide you with the services and information you request. If you do not provide us with certain personal information, we may not be able to provide you with access to those services or respond to your request.

3. What type of personal information do we collect?

3.1 The type of personal information we may collect from you includes (but is not limited to):

4. How do we use your personal information?

4.1 The Company will use the information you supply for the purpose of providing you with the service(s) agreed under our engagement, such as accounting or business advisory services.

4.2 We may also use the information we collect for our internal business and management processes (for example, accounting or auditing purposes), monitoring and improving our website, keeping you informed about our services and company news, and for any other purposes that would be reasonably expected by you and to allow us to comply with our obligations under the law.

4.3 The Company may also use your personal information for the purpose of marketing our services. If you do not want to receive marketing material from us, you can unsubscribe by contacting us as detailed below:

5. How do we disclose your personal information?

5.1 Your personal information will only be disclosed to those employees or consultants of the Company related to the agreed provision of services. Depending on the nature of the engagement, we may need to disclose your personal information to third parties which may include service and content providers (for example accounting or auditing service providers or our website hosting service providers), dealers and agents, or our contractors and advisors.

5.2 The Company shall not knowingly provide personal information to any third party for any other purpose without your prior consent unless ordered to do so by a law enforcement body, court of law or other governmental or regulatory body or agency.

5.3 The Company may store, process or back-up your personal information on servers that are located overseas (including through third party service providers). The privacy laws in other countries might not be the same as in Australia. However, where the Company provides your personal information to third parties overseas, the Company will take such steps as are reasonable to ensure that your information is handled and stored in accordance with Australian privacy laws and this Policy.

6. Access to your personal information

6.1 You can request us to provide you with access to personal information we hold about you by sending us an email: reception@rundles.com.au (no spam please) or writing to us at PO Box 223, COLLINS STREET WEST VIC 8007.

6.2 We may allow an inspection of your personal information in person, or provide copies or a summary of relevant documents, depending on what is the most appropriate in the circumstances. Any charge we make for providing access will be reasonable and will not apply to lodging a request for access. Your request to access your personal information will be dealt with in a reasonable time.

6.3 Note that we need not provide access to personal information if a request is frivolous, or where to provide access would pose a threat to health or public safety, unreasonable interference with another person’s privacy, or be a breach of the law. If we refuse access, we will provide you with reasons for doing so.

7. Accuracy and correction

7.1 To enable us to keep our records properly, please notify us if you believe that any information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date and we will take reasonable steps, in the circumstances, to ensure that it is corrected. You can notify us by sending us an email: reception@rundles.com.au (no spam please) or writing to us at PO Box 223, COLLINS STREET WEST VIC 8007.

8. Our security procedures

8.1 The Company takes your privacy very seriously. We will take reasonable steps in the circumstances to protect any personal information you provide to us from misuse, interference or loss and unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

8.2 We will also deidentify and destroy the personal information we hold about you once our legal obligations cease. Our security procedures are reviewed from time to time and we update them when relevant.

8.3 Please be aware that the transmission of data over the internet is never guaranteed to be completely secure. It is possible that third parties not under the control of the Company may be able to access or intercept transmissions or private communications without the Company’s permission or knowledge. The Company takes all reasonable steps, in the circumstances, to protect your personal information. However, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us. Such transmissions are done at your own risk.

9. Data breach notification

9.1 Under the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017 (Cth), the Company is required to give notice to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and affected individuals of an “eligible data breach”. This means that if we hold personal information about you, and there is unauthorised access to or disclosure of your personal information, and if you, as the “affected individual” would be likely to suffer serious harm from this access or disclosure, we must notify both you and the OAIC.

9.2 “Serious harm” could include identity theft, threats to physical safety, economic and financial harm, harm to reputation, embarrassment, discrimination or harassment. The test is whether a “reasonable person” would expect you to suffer serious harm.

9.3 If you are likely to suffer serious harm from a data breach, we will notify you of:

9.4 We will notify you using the same method that we usually use to communicate with you. If it is not practicable for us to notify you personally, we will publish the notification on our website.

9.5 There are some circumstances in which we do not have to notify you of a data breach. These include:

9.6 Depending on the nature of the breach and the harm, we will also consider informing other third parties such as the police or other regulators or professional bodies.

10. Identifiers

10.1 We will not adopt as our own, any government identifiers you may provide to us such as TFNs etc.

11. Links to other sites

11.1 The Company’s website may provide links to other sites for you to access. You should be aware that these other sites are not subject to this Privacy Policy or our privacy standards and procedures. You will need to contact them directly to ascertain their privacy standards.

12. Collecting data

12.1 The Company’s website may deposit “cookies” in a visitor’s computer. Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to an individual’s hard drive for record keeping purposes. Cookies are only sent back to the website that deposited them when a visitor returns to that site.

12.2 Cookies make it easier for you by saving your preferences while you are at our site. We never save personal identifiable information in cookies. Most web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. You can, however, reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.

13. Changes to our Privacy Policy

13.1 This information relates to our current Privacy Policy. From time to time, we may vary this policy for any reason. We will publish any changes on this website.

13.2 By continuing to use our website and continuing to provide us with your information, you confirm your acceptance of these changes. This Privacy Policy was last amended in October 2021.

14. Complaints resolution

14.1 The Company is committed to providing a fair and responsible system for the handling of complaints from parties whose personal information we hold. If you have any concerns regarding the way we have handled your privacy, please send us an email at reception@rundles.com.au or write to us at PO Box 223, COLLINS STREET WEST VIC 8007. We will address any concerns you have through our complaints handling process and we will inform you of the outcome of your complaint within a reasonable timeframe.

14.2 If after receiving our response, you still consider that your privacy complaint has not been resolved, you may refer your concerns to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au

15. Disclaimer

15.1 By using the Company’s website, you signify your understanding and agreement to comply with all terms and conditions and confirm your acceptance of the terms of this Privacy Policy and consent to the use of your personal information as set out in this Privacy Policy.

15.2 If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use the website or otherwise provide us with your personal information.

Revised Terms of Business – for Rundles Website

Terms of Business – Engaged Clients of Rundles

1. Who may instruct us

As an engaged client, you, and any other person you nominate in writing from time to time (provided we have acknowledged such nomination), are authorised to give us instructions and information on behalf of all persons we are acting for and to receive our advice and documents on their behalf.

If we are acting for a business, and we receive conflicting advice, information or instructions from different persons, we may refer the matter to the board of directors, partners or proprietors (as applicable) and act only as requested by them.

2. You and your spouse/partner

We will advise you and your spouse/partner on the basis that you are a family unit with shared interests. We may deal with either of you and may discuss with either of you the affairs of the other. If you wish to change these arrangements, please let us know.

3. Know your customer

We may be required to verify your identity for the purposes of the anti-money laundering laws. We may request from you such information as we require for these purposes and make searches of appropriate databases.

4. Your responsibilities

You must provide us with all information necessary for dealing with your affairs including information which we reasonably request, in sufficient time to enable our services to be completed before any applicable deadline. We will rely on such information being true, correct and complete and will not audit the information except to the extent we are specifically engaged to provide audit-related services.

You authorise us to approach such third parties as may be appropriate for information that we consider necessary to deal with your affairs.

You must keep us informed on a timely basis of changes in your circumstances that may affect our services.

5. Qualifications on our services

To the extent our services involve the performance of services established by law, nothing in the engagement letter or these terms reduce our obligations under such law.

You must not act on advice given by us on an earlier occasion without first confirming with us that the advice is still valid.

Our services are limited exclusively to those you have engaged us to perform. Unless otherwise specified in the engagement letter, our services cannot be relied upon to disclose irregularities and errors, including fraud and other illegal acts, in your affairs.

Where our engagement is recurring, we may amend our engagement letter and these terms where we consider it is necessary or appropriate to do so. If you do not accept such amendments, you must notify us promptly in which case you may terminate our engagement in accordance with section 18 below and those amendments will not apply prior to such termination.

6. Reliance on advice

We will endeavour to record all advice on important matters in writing. Advice given verbally is not intended to be relied upon unless confirmed in writing. If we provide verbal advice (for example during a meeting or telephone conversation) that you wish to rely on, you must ask us to confirm the advice in writing.

7. Investment and financial advisory advice

We will not provide you with investment or financial advice regulated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) unless we have expressly agreed to do so in writing, specifying an applicable Australian Financial Services Licence number.

8. Professional obligations

We will comply with the professional and ethical standards of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board, available at apesb.org.au. This includes APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards), which among other things contains provisions that apply if we become aware of any actual or potential ‘non-compliance with governing laws or regulations’ (NOCLAR). Where any such non-compliance poses substantial harm (such as serious adverse consequences to investors, creditors, employees, auditor, group auditor or the public), we may be required to disclose the matter to an appropriate authority.

9. Conflicts of interest

We will inform you if we become aware of any conflict of interest in our relationship with you (including between the various persons your engagement letter covers) or in our relationship with you and another client. Where conflicts are identified which cannot be managed in a way that protects your interests then we will be unable to provide further services to some or all of the persons to whom this engagement applies. If this arises, we will inform you promptly.

We may act for other clients whose interests are not the same as or are adverse to yours, subject to the obligations of conflicts of interest and confidentiality referred to above.

10. Fees and payment

Our fees will be charged on the basis set out in the engagement letter and have been set based on the level of skill, responsibility, importance and value of the advice, as well as the level of risk.

If we have provided you with an estimate of our fees for any specific work, this is an estimate only and our actual fees may vary.

We may provide a fixed fee for the provision of specific services. If it becomes apparent to us, due to unforeseen circumstances, that a fixed fee is inadequate, we may notify you of a revised figure and seek your agreement to it.

In some cases, you may be entitled to assistance with your professional fees, particularly in relation to any investigation into your tax affairs by the ATO. Assistance may be provided through insurance policies you hold or via membership of a professional or trade body. Other than where such insurance was arranged through us, you will need to advise us of any such insurance cover that you have. You will remain liable for our fees regardless of whether all or part are to be paid by someone else.

We will bill periodically and our invoices are due for payment within 14 days of issue. Any disbursements and expenses we incur in the course of performing our services will be added to our invoices where appropriate.

Unless otherwise agreed to the contrary, our fees do not include the costs of any counsel, or other professionals or third parties engaged with your approval.

We may charge interest on late paid invoices at the rate of 2% above the RBA cash rate. We may also suspend our services or to cease to act for you on giving written notice if payment of any fees is unduly delayed.

We intend to exercise these rights only where it is fair and reasonable to do so.

11. Lien

If permitted by law or professional guidelines, we may exercise a lien over all materials or records in our possession relating to all engagements for you until all outstanding fees and disbursements are paid in full.

12. Client monies

We maintain a trust account for dealing with client monies on their behalf. We can only accept money into our trust account on your behalf if you have provided us with a written trust account authority letter which details the authority given to us in relation to that trust money.

13. Confidentiality

We will take all reasonable steps to keep your information confidential, except where:

· we need to disclose your information to our service providers (including auditors of client monies if applicable) or regulatory bodies in performing the services, our professional advisers or insurers or as part of an external peer review from time to time. Our files may also be subject to review as part of the quality review program of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. By accepting your engagement you acknowledge that, if requested, our files relating to your engagement will be made available under this program. We will take reasonable steps to ensure any such recipient (other than a regulatory body) keeps such information confidential on the same basis;

· we are required by law, regulation, a court of competent authority, or those professional obligations referred to in section 8 above, to disclose the information;

· we provide limited information (but only to the extent reasonably necessary) to potential purchasers (or their professional advisors) of our practice but we will take reasonable steps to ensure that any such recipient keeps the disclosed information confidential; or

· you give us permission to disclose the information.

We may retain your information during and after our engagement to comply with our legal requirements or as part of our regular IT back-up and archiving practices. We will continue to hold such information confidentially.

We may mention that you are a client for promotional purposes.

14. Privacy

You must make all necessary notifications and obtain any necessary consents for us to process personal information you provide to us. We collect and use that personal information for the purposes of providing the services described in the engagement letter to you and we will comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) when processing that personal information. Our privacy policy provides further details of our privacy practices.

15. Ownership of materials

We own the copyright and all other intellectual property rights in everything we create in connection with your engagement. Unless we agree otherwise, anything we create in connection with your agreement may be used by you only for the purpose for which you have engaged us.

16. Limitation of liability

Our liability is limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

You agree not to bring any claim against any of our principals, partners, directors, shareholders or employees in their personal capacity.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable to you for:

· indirect, special or consequential losses or damages of any kind; or

· liability arising due to the acts or omissions of any other person or circumstances outside our reasonable control, or your breach of these terms.

17. Limitation of third party rights

Our advice and information is for your sole use, and we accept no responsibility to any third party, unless we have expressly agreed in the engagement letter that a specified third party may rely on our work.

18. Termination

Each of us may terminate this agreement by giving not less than 21 days’ notice in writing to the other party except where a conflict of interest has arisen, you fail to cooperate with us or we have reason to believe that you have provided us or any other person with misleading or factually inaccurate information, in which case we may terminate this agreement immediately. Termination will not affect any accrued rights.

19. Communication

You must advise of any changes to your contact details. We may send any communications to the last contact details you have provided. Unless you instruct us otherwise we may, where appropriate, communicate with you and with third parties via email or by other electronic means. The recipient is responsible for virus checking emails and any attachments. There is a risk of non-receipt, delayed receipt, inadvertent misdirection or interception by third parties in any form of communication, whether electronic, postal or otherwise. We are not responsible for any such matters beyond our control.

20. Applicable Law

Our engagement is governed by Victorian law. The courts sitting in Victoria will have non-exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any dispute between us.

21. Interpretation

If any provision of the engagement letter or these terms is void, that provision will be severed and the remainder will continue to apply. If there is any conflict between the engagement letter and these terms, these terms prevail.

22. Disputes and complaints

If you have any concerns about our costs or services, please speak to the person responsible for this engagement, who is identified in your engagement letter. To resolve your concerns we have policies and procedures in place to deal appropriately with complaints and will use best endeavours to resolve a complaint or dispute to the mutual satisfaction of the parties involved. We may require you to detail your complaint in writing to allow us to fully investigate any concerns that you raise.

23. Third party responsibilities

We may utilise outsourced service providers and cloud computing service providers, who may be located within Australia or overseas.

To perform the services, we may provide these third parties with access to your data, to the extent this is required to perform the services. 

Your data will be stored in servers physically located in Australia and in accordance with our Cyber Security Policy, the security practices of the third party service provider and our Privacy Policy. 

24. Consumer Data Rights

You may consent for an Accredited Data Recipient under the Consumer Data Right (CDR) to disclose your CDR data to us. You may nominate us as your Trusted Adviser for this purpose. As your Trusted Adviser, we will only access the data necessary to provide the services in your engagement letter.

25. Professional Charge Rates

The following table outlines our current hourly charge rates for the professional services we provide. These rates are updated annually.

Professional Hourly Rate Services (excl GST)

Minimum

Maximum

Partner Services

$400

$500

Consultant Services

$200

$465

Manager Services

$290

$360

Senior Accountants

$225

$285

Accountants

$125

$180

Graduate Accountant

$100

$125

Admin Services

$130

$185

Bookkeepers

$60

$80

Client COVID-19 Safety Information

For the safety of all our staff, clients and visitors, we are requiring all clients and other visitors to adhere to our COVID-19 safety protocols.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

  1. To obtain a safer and faster service from our team members, we recommend that you call or email to make an appointment whenever possible.
  2. Under the current CovidSafe requirements, we will be conducting business as usual in the office, however the office doors will remain locked, and clients/visitors will need to ring the doorbell for assistance.
  3. Clients/visitors to the office will be required to be double vaccinated, wear a face mask and practice safe distancing.
  4. Clients/visitors to the office will be asked to provide verification of their COVID19 vaccination status via any of the government regulated certification services.
  5. Clients/visitors to the office will be asked to “Check-in” either via the Service Victoria QR Check-In service, or manually by the register at reception.
  6. If you are experiencing flu like symptoms or have recently come in contact with a person who has had indirect or direct exposure to COVID-19, please do not attend our offices in person. Ring the accountant to cancel the appointment and set up an online meeting.
  7. Clients/visitors details will be shared with local public health authorities if any meeting participants advise that they have been exposed to COVID-19.