Andrew Choueri, Author at Flare HR

The top 5 small cars in Australia

Posted on December 12, 2022August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

Small cars are great for zipping around your neighbourhood and helping you conquer the day. But identifying the best small car for you is no easy task. The best small cars come in all shapes and sizes and at various costs. They also play different roles. For some buyers, space will be the biggest factor, while for others, it could be fuel efficiency or even performance. So how do you choose?

Look no further. We’ve checked out five of the most popular small cars available in Australia so that you can get behind the wheel of your dream car.

1. Kia Picanto

The Kia Picanto is an excellent small car that’s perfect for zipping around town. It’s got a stylish design and is packed with features, making it the perfect everyday car. It has Daytime running lights and alloy wheels and offers excellent safety features, such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Hill Start Assist (HSA).

2. Hyundai i30

The Hyundai i30 is another popular small car that packs a punch. With its sleek, sculpted presence, refined surfaces and precise lines, you’ll be the envy of every onlooker. It also has a range of advanced safety features, including, but not limited to, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind Spot Collision Warning and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA).

3. Toyota Corolla

For those looking for something with a bit more power, the Toyota Corolla is an excellent choice. Both the Sedan and Hatch feature seamless technology like Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, alongside a stunning design and dynamic performance. The Corolla also comes with a range of advanced safety features, such as the Pre-Collision Safety System and Road Sign Assist.

4. Mercedes-Benz A-Class

If you’re looking for something even more luxurious, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a great option. It’s packed with features, such as Urban Guard vehicle protection Plus and Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX), which harnesses the power of AI to make your drive as smooth as possible. The A-Class also comes with a range of advanced comfort features, like heated front seats, climate control, and a panoramic sunroof.

5. Audi A3

Finally, there’s the Audi A3. This luxury small car is beautifully designed and is packed with cutting-edge features such as Audi Active lane assist and turn assist, to the pre-sense front with pedestrian and cyclist detection, perfect for busy city streets. The A3 also comes with a range of advanced comfort features, like dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and an advanced infotainment system.

There you have it!

So now you’ve seen some of the most popular small cars available in Australia. Whether you’re looking for something stylish to zip around town or a luxury car with all the bells and whistles, there’s something out there for everyone.

Looking to make your car purchase go further? Many of us haven’t been exposed to the huge savings advantages that a novated lease can offer, yet it’s one of the cheapest ways to own and run your car.

How does a novated lease work?

A novated lease is a cost-effective car financing option. With a Flare Novated lease, you can get the car you want now. We bundle up all your vehicle finance and running costs like fuel and maintenance into one convenient before-tax payment. By doing this, you could make significant savings on the purchase price, your income tax, and GST too.

The car you want, now
No deposit is required for a novated lease on eligible vehicles, so you can secure the car you want today. We’ll also speed up the process by sourcing your new car and organising a test drive.

Save on car running costs
By salary packaging your car with a Flare novated lease, you could enjoy significant tax savings as well as no GST on your car purchase, fuel, servicing, and maintenance.

Get the best pricing
You benefit from Flare’s buying power. Our team of car experts do the hard work to negotiate on your behalf and secure the best deals. You could save thousands through our fleet network on both new and used cars.

Everything is included
You benefit from before-tax savings on all the running costs of your vehicle, so you have nothing left to worry about. This includes fuel, service, maintenance, rego, CTP (NSW), and insurance.

At Flare, all our experts have extensive experience in the industry and know cars inside and out. They can provide expertise and guidance and step you through the car salary packaging process to find, test-drive, and buy the best car for your needs and budget. Chat to us to find out more.

How to charge your electric vehicle: the ins and outs.

Posted on December 2, 2022August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

If you’re like the majority of drivers, you’re probably curious about making the switch to an electric vehicle. You may have a few questions about how to charge your electric vehicle and what kind of charging station you need. All plug-in EVs in Australia have a lithium-ion battery, but the plugs and connectors can differ between makes of vehicle, meaning not all types of charge points can be used with all vehicles. We’re here to take a deep dive into EV charging and what it means for you.

EV Charger Levels

Level 1 Slow Charger
These plug into a standard 10A power point and deliver a “trickle” charge at about 2kW per hour. The typical cable supplied with an EV is a level one charger, and all you need is a standard power point to plug in and charge away.

Level 2 Medium Charger
This consists of a dedicated charging unit on the wall and can deliver 7.2 kW from a 240V AC single-phase connection. It’s much faster than a level 1 charger and is fast enough for most EV drivers. These are the chargers you want at home and are found in public areas like shopping centres etc.

Level 3 Fast Charger
These are high-voltage direct current (DC) chargers, usually installed at public charging stations such as the Tesla fast charge network. They can deliver from 50kW up to 350kW, depending on the type.

The level of power from the charging point is only one element of EV charging; the other is the type of charging port on the charger and the car itself. These plugs and ports have multiple pins; some are for transferring electricity, and others are data connections used by the car and charging stations to manage the electricity flow in the best way. Some EVs have multiple connection type options.

Types of EV Charging Plugs

Type 1
A five-pin design, also known as J1772 or SAEJ1772 and is mainly found on older models of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV or Nissan Lead.

Type 2
A seven-pin design is the standard type used in Australia, and it’s what you’ll find on almost all EVs sold in Australia. Also known as IEC62196 or Mennekes plug.

CHAdeMo
Short for “charge de move”, meaning “move using charge” or “charge and go” in French. This is a fast charger used by several Japanese and some European EV brands.

Combine Charging System (CCS)
Another fast charger type, CCS (Combined Charging System), has two types: CCS1 & CCS2. In Australia, many EV brands have a CCS2 port on the car, also known as a CCS Combo, meaning it can plug into either a type 2 charger or a CCS fast charger. Cars that feature this charger include the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq and Porsche Taycan, among many others.

Flare is the leading expert in electric vehicles. We can help you save money and get behind the wheel of your dream car. Our novated lease experts will work with you to find the right EV for your needs and lifestyle, plus show you how to save thousands. Let our expertise and experience make your dream of driving an electric vehicle a reality.

A novated lease was simpler, convenient, and saved Alexandra money

Posted on November 11, 2022August 9, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

Alexandra Myers, a Veterinarian Pathologist, recently moved over from the USA and was in the market to purchase a new car to explore her adopted country and make the daily commute to work easier.

With a busy life and a new job, Alexandra felt overwhelmed by the idea of car shopping. In the past, car shopping had been an unpleasant experience where she had visited multiple dealerships, compared lists of options, and was forced to haggle on prices.

She explored a novated lease. “The novated lease option seemed really appealing to me since a) I realised I could use pre-tax dollars toward payments and b) someone would be guiding me through the whole process,” says Alexandra.

Alexandra decided on a Subaru. “We owned a Subaru in the US and loved it, so we knew we wanted another Subaru. My husband is 2 metres tall, and the Forester is plenty roomy for him and has lots of cargo space for our adventures,” she says.

“Our experience with Flare was much less stressful than our previous car buying experience. I told the Flare folks what kind of car we were looking for, and they found the car, got us quotes, and handled the financing and salary packaging aspects. Basically, they took care of everything,” shares Alexandra.

She adds, “I’d recommend Flare Cars to friends or colleagues. For me, the whole novated lease process was simpler and more convenient than the traditional car buying experience, and the Flare folks basically held my hand through the whole thing. They got me the car I wanted delivered to my door, and I can use pre-tax dollars to pay for it which reduces my taxable income.”

Workplace software Flare partners with SWEAT, the app founded by Kayla Itsines

Posted on November 17, 2020August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday Nov 17, 2020

Sydney, NSW: Flare today announced a new partnership with SWEAT, the fitness app founded by world-renowned Australian fitness trainer Kayla Itsines. This partnership will enable Flare customers to access exclusive discounts to the SWEAT app within Flare Benefits & Discounts so they can bring physical health and fitness programs to women in the workplace.

“We are delighted to partner with SWEAT, the #1 leading fitness app for women, as a new wellness provider on the Flare benefits platform. SWEAT has created an ever expanding fitness community for women and we are excited to bring preferred pricing on subscriptions to the hundreds of thousands of employees, and women, in our growing network.”

– Janine Fry, Head of Customer Experience at Flare

Key takeaways for the partnership:

SWEAT is the leading fitness app for women across the world. This partnership enables working women to access exclusive discounts within Flare.
Members have access to hundreds of workouts including Kayla’s BBG Program (Bikini Body Guide), plus high intensity cardio, weight lifting, yoga and post-pregnancy
Members get access to hundreds of recipes that have been designed to help women achieve their health and fitness goals

To learn more about Flare x SWEAT, visit SWEAT x Flare to learn more or login to your Flare benefits portal.

About Flare

Flare is a workplace technology business offering market-leading digital workplace solutions, including onboarding, benefits, employee engagement and financial products designed to help Australians live their best financial lives. Over 2,500 companies use Flare’s technology to deliver solutions to their 650,000 employees, creating compliant, employee-centric journeys that automate traditional processes to save time, build culture and improve employee retention. In November 2020, Flare has raised $22 million in series C fundraising and will use this funding to expand beyond HR into a full suite financial wellness solution.

About SWEAT by Kayla Itsines

SWEAT is the leading fitness app for women across the world founded by Australian trainer Kayla Itsines. Since its launch in 2015, the SWEAT app has expanded to support and educate millions of women in their health and fitness journeys. SWEAT’s vision is to empower women through fitness. The app contains hundreds of workouts including Kayla’s BBG programs plus high intensity cardio, weight lifting, yoga & post-pregnancy.

For media enquiries contact Brittany Wong: [email protected]

Top team-building activities you can do to strengthen your company culture

Posted on November 10, 2020August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

Good team building exercises allow employees to get to know each other on a more personal level – learn about their strengths, personality and passion. As they say, a team that works well together is more productive and successful! Team building can also play an important role in building a successful company culture, however, finding the best ones that suit your organisation can be a challenging task. That’s why we put together these six team building ideas which you can use to strengthen your company culture and to improve employees engagement and productivity.

Continue reading “Top team-building activities you can do to strengthen your company culture”

How to build an effective human resource planning checklist

Posted on June 18, 2020August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

Human resource planning comprises four comprehensive steps

When creating a human resources plan, these are the main considerations for any HR professional. Start with broader goals, narrow them down to strategies, evaluate your business, and build a workforce that will grow alongside your business.

Before getting results, businesses need not only a clear picture of their company but a good understanding of several other factors before they can put their plan into action. Think about this in actionable terms. If your company currently has fifty employees but you expect to double in size over the next five years, how will you maintain your culture? How will you encourage an atmosphere of learning and growth? Can your staff keep up with the technological changes and your company objectives of the future?

Step 1: Analyse company objectives and HR needs

What gives one company a record of success with human resources while others do not have a strong reputation? Much of this is due to a strategic planning effort on the part of the organisation.

Strategic aims within an organisation must be aligned to human resources practices in order to ensure that a human resources plan is as effective as it can possibly be. For example, FedEx is a corporation with a track record of success in their industry and among customers. They obtained this reputation with a clear focus on strategic aims. They even follow the philosophy “People-Service-Profit” for every employee, customer, and stakeholder. Employees are trained to follow this philosophy and their feedback is collecting annually for consideration.

Moving forward with analysing your company objectives next to HR needs involves asking yourself some questions. It also should include C-suite executives, managers, and HR team members. Questions to ask include what growth or decline is expected? How might this impact the workforce? What are predicted sales for the forthcoming year?

Goals need to be shared; CEOs should be on the same page as HR professionals so that the focus on human resources is fully embraced by all of the people involved in the planning.

Some ways to invest all people in the creation of the strategic plan include:

Incentivising staff members to give honest opinions
Allowing an open forum between staff members at different organisational levels
Reverting back to the mission statement or vision in all organisational goals
Focusing on the expected growth of the business

The human resources plan should cover every part of a businesses from sales to expansion, from recruitment to training. An excellent way to ensure that everyone is on the same page is to implement a strategic plan for human resources to utilise.

This plan should include factors such as upcoming retirements, staff who will be undertaking further training which will advance their skills and any other factors which will affect the future of your workforce.

ACTION – Create a strategic plan for HR and ensure it aligns with company objectives. Consider using cloud-based HR solutions to centralise and save valuable time.

Step 2: Determine recruiting strategy and evaluate current human resources

Recruitment strategy is a powerful tool when well implemented. Consider Starbucks; this is a company ranked at 120 on 2022’s Fortune 500 and with projected growth of global and U.S. comparable store sales between 7% and 9% year over year until 2025. How does a company this massive, even begin to successfully manage their human resource plans?

A vital aspect for Starbucks is their recruitment strategy which targets potential employees who are ‘on-brand’ and who pass a carefully structured interview process. Starbucks also puts a lot of energy into employees’ well-being and as a result, the company has an extremely low turnover in staff. Their somewhat unusual practices are working extraordinarily well and have been for many years.

Starbucks is a large company with operating goals that are a struggle to implement. Yet, they focus on their goals and design targeted programs which eventually lead to the desired result. By treating people as their biggest resource, Starbucks has lowered their employee turnover while building a booming brand.

You can begin by looking at the number of people currently employed, taking into account their skills and potential for future development, you should be able to determine which positions will need to be filled in future. Creating a profile for your ‘ideal employee’ which covers the gamut of openings within your business will also ensure your staff turnover is lowered.

Digitising employee onboarding can be a powerful way to not only cut the costs of recruitment, retention and management, but can also help your employees to feel more empowered and engaged.

Also consider which jobs will be created or phased out, how can the new positions best be filled? A performance evaluation strategy can help here as you review your employees’ performances. Cost-effectiveness of external hiring depends on the position you are filling, your current workforce, and required training costs for your team.

Once your plan is in place you can implement the best options for recruiting the best people for future gaps in the workforce. Hiring before the skills are highly sought out can get you ahead of the competition with employee selection. Always look internally at the potential growth of your current employees.

ACTION – Create a performance evaluation strategy and implement it across the organisation.

Step 3: Predict need

This is the practice of estimation. Looking at the potential numbers of future employees in an organisation and ensuring that they are of the best quality. The well documented worker shortage continues, and employers need to consider their recruitment strategy carefully.

It’s not an exact art. There is some estimation involved and because of this, it’s quite challenging. Gathering the data needed to predict the future of your workforce is tricky in itself and involves both statistical data and ordinary observation. Utilise data you already have access to including predicted sales and slumps. A few established ways to predict need would be to:

Check out industry trends
Track the economic forecast for your product and country
Assess company sales and historical growth numbers
Know the common trends that occur within your individual sales cycle

ACTION – Gather statistical data to predict the future staffing needs of the business

Step 4: Planning training and development

The previous steps will show you where, if at all, there are gaps. Will there be skills shortages within your workforce? Do you need to implement training for certain individuals now to ensure that you have the right workforce in place at the right time? Upcoming retirements for example can necessitate further training for individuals on lower rungs. This also serves as an opportunity to develop some of your more stellar, but lower-level staff members.

Some changes can’t be predicted; long-term illness for example and employees changing careers or the shifting needs of their families can all impact your team but there’s no effective way to predict these changes. You can however forecast some variables and these should be carried out with care.

Ensure that you keep records of the skills your workforce currently have and update them as the staff receive further training and development. It is also worth preparing for future skills needed in your sector. An aspect of Human Resource planning would be to invest in the proper training of staff, enabling your team to feel confident in spearheading programs, and building a business able to handle the future. Knowing the current gaps in your workforce can propel you toward a fully-prepared future.

ACTION – Carry out strategic forecasting to ensure that the company is well prepared for future changes.

Step 5: Build out your EVP

As the employment landscape becomes more competitive, and the fight to attract and retain workers is subject to a range of post-pandemic economic pressures, companies need to consider what matters most to their potential hires. Companies with a strong employee value proposition (EVP) seek to identify and align with their employees’ needs and values across workplace benefits including flexible working, career development opportunities, competitive salaries, and expanded benefits packages.

Using an EVP in job postings

At a time when digital portals are clogged with posts and offers, strategically including your EVP in your job ads can help you stand out from the competition. Begin with language that talks about your company’s unique culture, values, and benefits. This can help job seekers understand what makes the company different and why they should want to work there.

Mastering job ads

Structure, placement and guidelines that work Job boards don’t just randomly post ads on their platform — they consider many different factors when deciding where (and how far up the page) to place them. And, although there may be some differences from site to site, the following elements constitute best practice.

Syndicated content

Digital content syndication is a powerful way to get brand cut-through with your EVP. It involves distributing or republishing your own content like articles, blog posts, videos or infographics through third-party websites, social media platforms and other channels. Digital content syndication can expand your reach and attract new audiences, all while showcasing your unique value proposition and building brand awareness. Content syndication can also position your brand as a thought leader in your industry — something that can be leveraged for both sales and talent acquisition.

Novated leasing as a pay boost

Emerging businesses don’t necessarily have the budget to spend on meal services and other costly benefits that have traditionally acted as drawcards for employees at larger companies. But novated leases, FBT-exempt mobile phones, employee discounts at local stores and other in-kind benefits can increase pay packages for your employees and potentially save you money on payroll tax. These benefits are meaningful ways to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of your employees, especially during times of inflation and financial stress. Novated leasing in particular allows employees to lease a car for private use, with payments deducted from their pre-tax salary. This helps employees save money on their private vehicle expenses while supporting their work-life balance. What’s more, employers can benefit from novated leasing by claiming GST on most associated running costs.

ACTION – Build out your EVP with our free cheat codes.

5 ways to develop strong workplace community on any budget

Posted on June 17, 2020August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

Building a positive work environment with a strong workplace community is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. A team that works well together will deliver better results than a team that doesn’t.

Why a strong workplace community is important

When employees feel as though they’re working within a community of likeminded coworkers and managers, their work becomes more meaningful. With a sense of camaraderie comes increasing ease of communication between employees. Simply feeling part of a team working on a task helps motivate people to take on more challenges.

A strong workplace community is particularly important if you’re looking to reduce your turnover rate. To nurture a sense of workplace community, it’s important to be deliberate and plan ahead. Strong workplace communities grow best when someone is focused on working on employee engagement ideas and events.

5 Ideas to build a strong workplace community

Here are five practical ways you can build a sense of workplace community in your company, and you can do it on any budget.

1. Recognition

Saying well done is a powerful motivator. Whether it’s a hand-written note of thanks, a spot-bonus, quarterly awards and commendations from the top, or peer to peer recognition from and of coworkers, there are many ways to recognise and reward your employees. Key to success is to create an environment where recognition can flow from anyone.

Making recognition a standard part of your company culture will help create a sense of belonging and appreciation which is a great foundation for building workplace community.

2. Team outings

One of the most obvious ways to create a sense of workplace community is to organise events outside of work, enabling your people to get to know each other on a more personal level.

Regular social events help create bonds within the team and boost employee morale. Your team outing can be as simple as regularly planning to have lunch at a local restaurant or a few drinks after work on a Friday in the local bar. However, the quirkier you can make it, the more likely you and the team will be able to have a good laugh about it afterwards and bond over the experience.

3. Fitness or sports teams

Promote fitness activities to show your people that you are committed to their health while cultivating team spirit and employee participation. There’s nothing like your employees competing together in organised sport to build team cohesiveness.

Get involved in a local soccer or netball tournament and sponsor a team by paying registrations fees and funding suitably branded kits.

Make sure you take lots of photos of your team in action and publish to your internal platforms and social media. It’s a great way to build your team’s rapport, profile and build community exposure. (For ideas to support wellbeing initiatives, see our previous post on wellbeing initiatives for Millennial employees.)

4. Volunteering

Volunteering for a worthy cause is a great way to cement your workplace community spirit. Taking part in volunteering events encourages both the company and employees to give back to the community, while promoting the causes your people care about most. It’s also worth remembering that your Millennial cohort is a group of idealistic, altruistic individuals. As a generation, they are passionate about social causes that benefit the greater good.

Sponsoring a team of employees to do a charity walk, run, or swim not only bonds your employees together, it can help boost morale, and generate positive vibes in the workplace. At the same time, your company gets the kudos of doing something worthy for the community, and ultimately raising brand perception.

But it’s important to take an employee centric approach to volunteering. Rather than specifying which particular organisations you will support, find out what causes matter most to your people and support individual efforts or group decisions. This will this help to encourage team spirit and camaraderie.

5. Purpose-designed spaces

It’s important to provide your employees with spaces to come together socially – whether it’s the kitchen, ping pong table, or informal seating scattered throughout the office. Your people need to be able to chat, whether it’s about the weekend’s footy or solving a specific workplace challenge.

However, while the physical space you work in is an important factor, so too are the unwritten rules of your workplace culture. Even best physical workspace won’t engender a sense of community if your workplace culture is out of step. Your team won’t use those cool breakout spaces to hang out or take a power nap if senior executives frown upon it.

Build your workplace community with Flare

You don’t have to invest a fortune to build workplace community, but you do need to create structured opportunities for employees to get to know each other.

See for yourself how our platform can help you attract and retain great people with best-in-class employee wellbeing and engagement initiatives. Flare offers a free paperless onboarding software and free employee benefits with access to hundreds of leading retailer like Woolworths and Kmart. If you want to learn more about how Flare HR can support your business and employees during this time, please request a demo.

How to build an effective employee wellness program

Posted on May 14, 2020August 9, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

It’s no surprise to see that employee wellness programs are on the rise. With absenteeism costing the Australian economy over $32.5 billion each year, companies are looking for ways to minimise the costs and better support the well-being of their employees. The disruptive effects of COVID-19 have made the need for these programs even clearer.

However, as you’ll learn in this blog post, there’s more to an employee wellness program than subsidised gym memberships and free health screenings. We’ll explain how to build one that your employees actually utilise and has the flexibility to accommodate diverse work situations – including the one we face today with the pandemic.

Why invest in wellness programs?

Up until the late 20th century, work was about bringing home a paycheck. Employees clocked in at 9 a.m., clocked out at 5 p.m., and went home to their families. The line between work and home was clear. Today, our approach to work looks drastically different.

Now the majority of employees will spend one-third of their adult lives at work. Technology allows us to take our work anywhere and blurs the line between the office and the home. We also rely on work as a source of identity, socialisation, and personal development. Employers are recognising this shift and acknowledge that they need to take responsibility for the well-being of their workforce.

However, there’s one problem. Many studies point to the fact that wellness programs don’t actually work. But the problem lies – not with wellness programs themselves – but as a result of companies not taking a holistic approach to them. This is a problem that can be addressed by being more strategic when building employee wellness programs.

Guidelines to build an effective employee wellness program

To build an effective wellness program, companies need to focus on four pillars: financial, emotional, physical, and social. Having initiatives that map to each of these pillars will help you build a more holistic program and more easily measure the outcome of each one. Let’s explore the pillars in depth below.

Financial

Financial health is a core component of wellness but, unfortunately, one that’s frequently overlooked. To understand why financial wellness needs to serve as the foundation for every wellness program, consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. For those who aren’t familiar, the hierarchy is typically represented as a pyramid with five levels of needs: physiological, safety, love/belonging, self esteem, and self actualisation. The theory is that people need to fulfill their basic needs (physiological) before moving on to their higher, more advanced needs (self actualisation).

Having enough money to meet basic needs, such as buying groceries and paying rent, falls under the category of physiological needs. This means financial wellness is necessary to achieve before addressing the other pillars. Given that 1 in 5 Australians have less than $1,000 in savings, it’s clear that the financial health of employees needs to be a priority when building an employee wellness program.

There are many initiatives you can introduce to help your employees prioritise their financial health, such as:

Educational programs on topics like saving for key milestones and developing healthy financial habits
Encourage additional superannuation contributions
Financial planning services and tools to help employees map out their goals
Real-time payments to make money management easier

Emotional

Untreated mental health conditions cost Australian workplaces approximately $10.9 billion per year. But it goes beyond just costs. Employees struggling with mental health issues face many other consequences: they may have trouble performing at work, experience isolation, and find their personal and professional relationships negatively impacted.

All of these side effects lead to unhappy, unproductive workers. As Josh Bersin describes: “if you want to make your employees “well” and “happy” you have to make it easy for them to do quality work.” One way to do this is to provide employees with the tools and resources they need to not only manage their existing mental health problems, but also proactively address them before they become more serious.

Here are a few mental health initiatives to consider offering:

Counselling or coaching services (virtual and in-person)
Mental health resources on how to build resilience, unplug from work, and manage stress
Meditation or mindfulness apps
A flexible leave policy that allows for mental health days

Physical

Most companies are already aware of the importance of physical health. But there are an overwhelming number of initiatives to choose from. The best way to choose? Ask your employees. Each workforce is different – for example, some may have more deskless workers or remote workers than others – and your wellness program should be customised to what your employees actually need.

But if you need some ideas to help you get started, here are a few physical health initiatives to consider:

Subsidised gym memberships or fitness classes
Flexible wellness budget that can cover everything from physical therapy sessions to running shoes
Preventive health offerings, such as health screenings and vaccinations
Private health insurance
Onsite activities and programs that get employees moving

Social

Finally, it’s critical for companies to recognise that their employees have a life outside the office. People need to connect with their loved ones and engage in non-work related hobbies to feel fulfilled. But employees may not feel like they have the time or space to do so, which is why companies need to create those opportunities for them. Not only does this lead to happier, more balanced individuals, but it also allows employees to be more present when they’re at work.

To give employees the time and space to cultivate their lives outside of the office, there are a few offerings you can introduce:

Remote work or flexible schedules
Subsidised child care or pet care services
Experiential rewards that allow employees to participate in an activity of their choice
Unlimited leave policy

If your company has been on the fence about introducing an employee wellness program, there has never been a better time to take action. Even after COVID-19 passes, the needs of employees will still remain the same. We believe all employers have a responsibility to support their workforce with a holistic approach to wellness – which means recognising all areas of worker’s health including the four pillars of wellness we reviewed in this article.

If you or your employees are in need of support during this time, be sure to check out The Flare Wellness Network, a free wellness hub designed to support Australian workers by giving them access to free benefits and offers, while encouraging businesses to partner together in an effort to support the wellbeing of the Australian workforce.

LinkedIn’s Top Startups: Growing the team at Flare

Posted on September 11, 2019August 11, 2023 by Andrew Choueri

LinkedIn has named Flare as one of the top startups to work for in 2019! We’re excited to be featured alongside so many fantastic local companies who are pushing the envelope with innovation, tech and – yes! – with culture.

The list went live just last week, and we feel it was a testament to who we are, what we believe, and how we work. As a company grows, it’s incredibly important to keep growing into and with your values, and we think this list is a great example of how Flare was able to do just that.

The past twelve months have been a transformative time for the team, and the accomplishments that we can put our names to have made every one of us prouder than ever to be here!

We have a really engaged culture here at Flare. We live by our People First value, we support each other, and we are building that rare mix of team, family and community. Our people get together for team outings, we celebrate our wins together every Friday, we share movie nights, grand finals, and family picnics.

It’s not just a place where we work – it’s a place where we belong.

…And the great part is, we’re growing fast and hiring!

We’re on the hunt for amazing candidates for roles across a number of teams including customer support, marketing, product, tech and sales. These are all roles that will allow you to have a deeply personal impact on the company’s mission, future and achievements throughout the next few years. If that’s a challenge that you’re up for, you’ll find a support network of professionals who will become more than just co-workers – they’ll be your fellow travellers on the Flare journey.

Flare’s Values…

People First

At Flare we put our people first, every time. We believe an employee centric focus will always result in better customer outcomes.

Bat .400

Flare gives everyone the opportunity to swing the bat. We believe great things are only achieved when we promote an environment that encourages trying, even if you fail.

Trust the Process

Flare understands that success and growth are not a straight line – the path is more like a walk of discovery.

Do the Right Thing

We empower our people to do the right thing when faced with conflict. We know that this yields long term success and sustainability.

Act like an Owner

We encourage everyone to take responsibility for the company and the mission. This value is at the centre of our culture and our teamwork.

Check out our listings right here, and apply! https://lnkd.in/dPKvqWt

Products

More info

Take care of your people with free employee benefits

Solutions

Segments

Struggling with high employee turnover?

Featured customers

Industries

Flare customers at Healius have a retention rate of 98%.

Product integrations

Partners

Join the Flare network

Guides

Other Content

Take a deep dive into your industry’s data

Existing customers

Contact us

1 in 3 Australians job starters are using Flare

Services

Other resources

Flare makes novated leases easy

Content hub

Other resources

Get your novated leasing estimate in under 1 minute

Existing Flare member

Support

Contact the Flare team

About Flare

Industries & customer stories

Join the Flare family

Products

More info

Solutions

Segments

Featured customers

Industries

Product integrations

Partners

Guides

Other Content

Existing customers

Contact us

Services

Other resources

Content hub

Other resources

Existing Flare member

Support

About Flare

Industries & customer stories

1. Kia Picanto

2. Hyundai i30

3. Toyota Corolla

4. Mercedes-Benz A-Class

5. Audi A3

How does a novated lease work?

About Flare

About SWEAT by Kayla Itsines

Step 1: Analyse company objectives and HR needs

Some ways to invest all people in the creation of the strategic plan include:

Step 2: Determine recruiting strategy and evaluate current human resources

Step 4: Planning training and development

Step 5: Build out your EVP

Using an EVP in job postings

Mastering job ads

Syndicated content

Novated leasing as a pay boost

Why a strong workplace community is important

5 Ideas to build a strong workplace community

1. Recognition

2. Team outings

3. Fitness or sports teams

4. Volunteering

5. Purpose-designed spaces

Build your workplace community with Flare

Why invest in wellness programs?

Guidelines to build an effective employee wellness program

Financial

Emotional

Physical