Outplacement and Change Management Testimonials

"I would really like to thank you for the support that you provided during the week after I was retrenched. The help with my resume and interview practice was invaluable, particularly as I hadn't been unemployed for many years and was very much out of practice. It really boosted my confidence which I really appreciate.

Thank you also for your advice and support long after your contract with (my former employer) was completed. I attended most of the seminars you recommended and met with other people in my age group in a similar position. It can get very lonely while searching for employment and it was good to exchange ideas and stories with my peers.

Thank you once again."
David Brewer
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"Bridget provided a very professional service when handling a difficult situation. I had never heard of outplacement services until I met Bridget. I investigated other outplacement options and decided to choose HR Development at Work. I have been extremely pleased with the service and support that she provided."
Elwyne Smith
Genesys Wealth Advisors
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“The interview was in 2 days time. My call for help went out. Bridget was great. She was able to accommodate me at short notice and provided me with really useful tools and resources as well as a very supportive and practical learning experience that no doubt aided my success in winning the position.”
Alison Martin
Previously Organisational Development Consultant
Educational Services
SA Ambulance Service
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"Bridget was highly recommended to me by another organisation and when the time arose to use her services I could not have been more pleased. Part of our organisation was going through a restructure, so with Bridget's expertise we were able to offer external support to our employees and this service was used by a number of them. To also assist myself and a couple of managers, I sought Bridget's expertise to run a workshop on "Managing the People Aspects of Change". This was presented professionally but flexible to those attending."
Paula Ridge.
formerly Human Resources Coordinator
South Australian Cricket Association
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"Hi Bridget, just a brief note to let ya know that I have cracked a new job… Yes I am very happy and wanted to say a big thank you for ya advice and support in this long and ongoing process. It was something I didn’t expect to happen, and I have been very angry that I have had to go thru the process. Hopefully this position will work out and I can move forward knowing that I can not change the past. Once again thank you, you have been a great support"
Regards
Phil
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“Thankyou for your assistance during my recent outplacement counselling sessions. I have no hesitation in saying that the sessions were major factor in my finding suitable employment so quickly. The personal meeting sessions were relaxed and productive. From the first session my confidence was raised…When first provided with the offer of outplacement counselling from my previous employer I had not really decided whether to take up the opportunity. I had a preconceived view of this type of counselling more as a stress or grief management service than as a pro-active employment training exercise…I may not even have contacted (Bridget) if you had not made the initial contact. Needless to say I am now extremely glad you did… The entire program was extremely useful”
Emailed by an outplacement candidate assisted by Bridget Hogg.
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"On behalf of the Southern Metropolitan Employment and Skills Formation Network (representing the DFEEST South Australia Works program) and the Cities of Onkaparinga and Marion, I would like to commend HR Development at Work for their management and implementation of the recently completed Trades Promotion project. This workforce development project was initiated to professionally document immediate skills shortages in the region, to assist the Network develop training programs to match demand.

The Trades Promotion project ran from September 2005 to December 2006 and involved extensive industry consultation, data gathering, training program development and individual participant support (for both employers and jobseekers).

At around mid project there was a significant change in focus for the program in March 2006 (extending the program to December 2006) towards greater individual participant and group support, through targeted job seeker workshops. This eventuated as a reaction to the needs of the training participants, who were still no job ready after completing their various technical training courses. While HR Development at Work was responsible for all aspects of the project, their strong human resource background, flexibility and project management skills enabled them to easily adapt to this change in focus from the original project brief.

There were two main successful outcomes from the project. These were:

The identification of local employers wanting to be involved in workforce development activities for their current and future staff (one employer received a State award for their involvement in a subsequent program resulting from this project).

The provision of individual and group support for a number of jobseekers identified through the project led to many gaining employment.

The success of the Trades Promotion Project was due to the skill and effort provided by HR Development at Work, and as a result I do not hesitate in recommending them for similar types of projects in future."
Brett Mayne
formerly Regional Coordinator
Southern Metropolitan
South Australia Works
and
Glenn Hickling
Economic Development Officer
Employment and Training
City of Onkaparinga
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"Bridget provided outplacement support for a number of people in 2001 when I worked at SA Brewing. Clearly there were some high emotions involved for individuals with this change and they all spoke glowingly of her ability to be supportive, objective and keep them focussed on what they had to do next. They were also quick to comment on Bridget’s genuine concern and how at ease they felt with her. Additionally, Bridget provided career counselling for another individual using a variety of techniques to help them come to the conclusion their current role was incompatible with what they truly wanted to be doing. She achieved what years of internal coaching had not been able to! I would have no hesitation calling on Bridget's services again."
Erin Taplin.
formerly Organisational Development Manager,
Carter Holt Harvey Consumer Brands (Melbourne)
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"Good Afternoon Bridget,
Just a line to say how impressed I was in the way Justine and Julia presented themselves and the professional way they assisted me. It certainly confirms that they have a good mentor.
It would be remiss of me not to mention that the survey that I was sent following the presentation at South Adelaide Football had a glowing report of your presentation. I would also mention that I took the opportunity to thank the Minister, Paul Caica and his staff for implementing such a valuable program."
Regards
David.W.
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"As an associate to TPS, Bridget managed a large critical project for us with British Telecom, a major client. Her expertise meant she identified the critical issues very quickly and assisted senior managers to identify key issues to take into account in managing their change program."
Dr. K. V. Coaley,
Managing Director,
Training and Psychological Services Ltd, Herts
UK
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"Bridget's change program was adapted for us to address the needs of small business. We liked the content, the new ideas and the interactive presentation style - and this program is now part of our Better Business Series.
Highly recommended."
Tony De Vries,
(formerly General Manager Small Business Services,
Centre for Innovation and Business Manufacturing,
Adelaide)
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"The best thing about this workshop was the psychological contract - I have sat through change sessions before but this was really different and I had not considered it before."
Lillian Fowles,
Senior HR Consultant,
TAFE SA.
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Attraction and Retention Consulting, Speaking and Training Testimonials

"Regional Development Australia Barossa through the Barossa Career Service was keen to kick-start our Employer of Choice initiative with a ‘big ticket’ opening.  Consequently we opted for your Attracting and Retaining Talent workshop to stimulate this initiative.  Bridget, we were not disappointed and have received some very positive feedback about the workshop.  Participants were particularly happy with the practical strategic planning tools and I will be happy to promote these tools as I have opportunities to assist other businesses in the Barossa region. Thank you so much."
Stephen Birch
Career Coach, Barossa Career Service, Human Resources Planning
Regional Development Australia Barossa Inc
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"The Attracting and Retaining Talent workshop in the Barossa was extremely insightful as General Manager of an organisation that is going through a transitional period at the moment and thus has a real need to ensure staff retention, their well being and motivation remains throughout.  This workshop was very helpful in identifying ways that we can not only attract but also retain talent. It was very informative, relaxed and interactive and I liked the general insight into solutions to everyday problems, the reminder of old ideas (that refreshed my memory) and new ideas that I had not thought of before. It was excellent, thanks."
Ian Bellingham
General Manager in the Barossa
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"The Attracting and Retaining Talent workshop in the Barossa was a very valuable experience. I found the session to be very informative, and Bridget’s presentation style was very engaging. The workbook is a great resource that I will definitely keep on hand for future reference. The ways you can improve your advertising to increase the quality of candidates you are attracting, was interesting; the discussion on engagement of workers across different generations was also very thought provoking."
Sara Young
Yalumba Winery
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“I interview and employ staff on a regular basis.  Bridget’s ‘Retaining Talent’ workshop provided an entertaining and comfortable environment through which to reflect on my current practice, and to ensure that we do retain talent in the future.”
Lyn Helbig
General Manager - Residential Aged Care, Nurse Practitioner,
Barossa Village Inc
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"The Attracting & Retaining Talent workshop was very enlightening. It dealt with issues such as Gen Y & X and the ever changing landscape of recruitment. It clearly focused on culture and leadership in attraction and retention. I will be reviewing my current HR Strategies."
Simon Newbold
Barossa Village Incorporated
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"There were plenty of new ideas and reinforcement of existing ideas at the Attracting and Retaining Talent workshop in the Barossa. I liked the balance of ideas, experience and anecdotes that were shared."
Jo Hill
Team Services Manager
Yalumba Wine Company
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"Fast Forward – Creating Workplace Happiness was two “extremely well spent” hours. Everyone was looking for that magic bullet that would create workplace happiness but the topic skillfully turned to focus on our individual happiness and our role within the team. Great discussion, even greater insights. Thank you"
Janet Coster
Executive Manager
Life's for Living
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"The Fast Forward session on Creating a Happy Workplace was fantastic. I told my manager it was great value for money - the organisation definitely got "bang for its buck". It was very interactive and the discussion flowed, the number of participants was just right."
Arlene Jasper
Team Leader Customer Service
City of Burnside
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"Bridget was an excellent presenter and provided great insight into how to market yourself to prospective employers. I was not only impressed with her presentation, but also with the background work she did talking to business owners and other expo presenters to get their personal opinions to add value to her own presentation. Thus adding great value to the information given to everyone in attendance."
Annette Annandale-James
Project Officer, Community Engagement
Science and Information Economy Directorate
Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology
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"As a result of your seminar on phased retirement, all the HR Managers and leaders present will have realised there are many factors to take into account before they start to implement phased retirement in their organisations. This seminar really helped to make the pre-requisites for a successful program clear. The seminar will become even more valuable over the next five years as more companies face major skills shortage and knowledge retention issues linked to growth and the aging workforce. It is an excellent addition to the workforce development tools available to Service Skills SA. Thanks and Regards"
Graham Oades
Executive Officer
Service Skills SA
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“Thanks for your session yesterday on workforce planning, attraction, selection and Employer Branding - it was just what I wanted. I was really pleased with this and the full day session you ran for the HR team previously. Yesterdays session will really help the working party to decide how to progress with the improvements to our attraction and selection processes.”
Julie Stace
Organisational Development Coordinator
Courts Administration Authority
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"I got everything out of the Interview Skills workshop that I wanted – even though before I came I wasn't sure what I wanted! It’s just such a simple process that anyone can follow it - with lots of practice! The workshop was very helpful in improving my ability to identify and ask effective questions and helping me know what to listen for in an interview. I have plans to roll this out to everyone who interviews for us so we all do it the same way."
Lynette Treleven,
HR Manager
Broken Hill City Council
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"Bridget's ability to meet the needs of our organisation around interview skills was professional, efficient and extremely useful. The impact of the content was made possible by her engaging facilitation style and individualization of the content for the audience. Bridget provided relevant feedback to all participants which enabled personal development and opportunity for ongoing learning in the art of interviewing skills. I would recommend this workshop to any organisation wishing to build their capacity in the recruitment of quality staff."
Vanessa Ryan
Education Team Coordinator, Program Delivery
Adelaide to Outback GP Training
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"As we head towards an employee’s market, attending the Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass proved to be an invaluable exercise in finding creative solutions and innovative ways to onboard talented staff at every level.

Bridget’s approach in how to create an environment that attracts and keeps the right staff in any workforce was insightful and a must for any employer who wants to know how to market their ‘brand.’

I came away with a great understanding of ways to attract, recruit and retain the best talent and how ensure this becomes an essential part of the strategic and workforce planning process."
Paula Roberts
Executive Manager
Life’s for Living
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"Bridget’s workshops are such a refreshing change from the plethora of workshops I have attended over many years. They are insightful, knowledgeable and full of practical ideas that can immediately be applied back at work. She makes learning fun. She challenged me to look at things in an entirely different way and what I have learned I have applied and noticed an immediate difference in my approach, whether that be interviewing for staff or knowing how to interpret people’s reaction to change. She has made a real difference to our organisation!"
Lis Burtnik
Formerly Chief Executive Officer
Life’s for Living
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"Thankyou for facilitating a workshop for our organisation on interviewing skills. I thought the workshop was extremely useful and practical. The practice and feedback on our interviewing technique was great. Having participated in this day I feel more confident in my interviewing skills and look forward to putting them into practice in the near future."
Taryn Elliott
Adelaide to Outback GP Training
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"The interview skills workshop assisted me in knowing what to look out for in an interview and how to phrase questions in order to obtain the evidence I need."
Carolyn Cheah
Business Manager
Adelaide to Outback GP Training
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“An attractive topic for delegates, that generated new ideas and kept participants engaged.”
Karen Treacy
Events Coordinator
Workplace Research Centre
re Bridget Hogg speaking on “Is the Boss Killing You (or are you asking the wrong question?)" at the
Workplace Happiness and Wellbeing conference, 2009.
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"Personally, I found the Managers Role in Retention very informative and timely. The structure of the workshop provided ample opportunities to ask questions tailored to my industry and profession. I enjoyed the interactive, personal components of the workshop and learnt a great deal from the expertise of Bridget and her team members. Another very informative session - thank you."
Georgia Harrison
Human Resources Manager
BDO Kendalls
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"The Attracting & Retaining Talent Masterclass was a very pragmatic course, in that the practical tools provided can be used throughout any industry. I will use the tools as part of the process in updating our current system. I found the lecturers to have a sound knowledge of the topic from both a practical and research level."
Brian Tarry
General Manager Human Resources
Intercast & Forge
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"I thought this session (The Managers Role in Retention™) was very good for upper management to do as it highlights the savings these strategies can make. We often are constrained as a not for profit organisation by the perception of wasting money. I have and do advocate that looking after our staff can only benefit all involved including our client base, and that is the perception we need.

Your course was good at highlighting the benefits of staff retention and therefore that it is money well spent, actually an investment in social capital

So thank you for the support and guidance in a very important ideology - look after your staff and they will look after everything else!!"
John Leicester
Acting Program Manager - Housing
Helping Hand Aged Care
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"The Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass was probably the best one day training course I have attended in the last ten years. Bridget's easy-going presentation style enabled plenty of interaction amongst the attendees and we were able to share our experiences in trying to attract and retain staff. The Masterclass was extremely informative and provided a very useful, practical and appropriate model for the development of a Workforce Attraction and Retention Plan. I have already used the model to develop a strategic plan for a specific work group. I wish more training courses were as good as the Masterclass!"
John Windsor
Human Resource Manager
SA Dental Service
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"Since taking the Masterclass, my senior management team and I have a greater awareness of the impact that all managers, whether they are at a supervisory level, eg, coordinators and even team leaders, have … over those working within their scope of responsibility. While we except great outcomes from them, we often don’t arm them with the appropriate skills to carry out their roles. The Masterclass has given us greater clarity in supporting our managers to work better. We will be engaging Bridget to run the “The Manager’s Role in staff Retention” for all our management staff."
Lis Burtnik
Formerly Chief Executive Officer
Life’s for Living
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"I found the day very insightful, and in particular, the session on Employer Branding. I would recommend this Masterclass to other HR practitioners who are wanting to develop retention and attraction strategies for their organisation, I just wish that there had been more time as one day just wasn’t enough!"
Kylie Graeber
HR Advisor
Helping Hand Aged Care
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"I enjoyed the Masterclass. It allowed me to see that I am tracking in the right direction with my attraction and retention strategies and my methodology for workforce planning. It provided me with some great tools to use to engage the executive and also showed me that I need to gather more information than I currently have. Thanks Bridget for an enjoyable and informative day."
Michelle Holland
formerly Manager, Human Resources
Helping Hand Aged Care
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"I thought the seminar on 'The Manager's Role in Retention' was very well presented, and demonstrated a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject. It confirmed in my mind that management style is critical in retaining staff, and was a timely reminder of the importance of feedback to staff, flexibility and generally meeting their needs/expectations. I feel that this training day would prove excellent value and a great refresher for all managers, regardless of how much experience they have had in the role."
Margaret Hurrell
Manager Administrative Services
UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide Inc.
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"I'd just like to say that your Attracting and Maintaining Talent Masterclass was fantastic. It was practical, relevant and the most useful course I have been to since my time in HR. The content was readily translated in the workplace and I have used all of the materials that you gave us for writing reports and guiding our workforce planning, attraction and retention strategies. Very rarely do you attend a course and take away so much from it!
Thanks Bridget."
Antonietta Girolamo
HR Officer Training and Development
Adelaide City Council
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"Well done, interactive, involving, you kept us engaged. You are a gifted teacher"
from a participant on our Interview Skills for Small Business Owners workshop
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"I keenly anticipated being provided with some very useful outcomes and methodologies when I convinced my Director that I should attend the Attracting & Retaining Talent Masterclass - and I was not disappointed. Thank you Bridget for pointing out the right questions to ask ourselves with regard to our A&R practices and philosophies! I particularly found the A& R Plan and the Workforce Planning suggestions to be very useful and the foundation to build a positive framework on. Thank you Bridget for your genuine interest in A&R, your cheerful disposition and your research and understanding of the issues.

Now comes the time for implementation. We prefer to have an innovative outlook and anticipate developing a brand that will compel our staff to stay with us and attract high quality and genuine people to our Council!"
Stephen Birch
Human Resources Office
District Council of Yorke Peninsula
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"Like most managers, I can not achieve my Council's targets unless I have the appropriate, reliable staff . Once you have built up a great team you don't want to lose any members, so The Managers Role in Retention seminar assisted me to understand the dynamics of the "team spirit" and how to keep the spirit alive. It helped me contemplate the needs of individuals plus how to relate to the changes currently occurring in the Local Government area of employment.

Due to attending this seminar, I now know what indicators to put in place with my team to ensure , as a manager I can retain the appropriate staff. The workshop was enjoyable and involved quality information which I could use.

I would recommend this workshop to any manager who considers their team highly."
Ken O’Neill
Manager Regulatory Services
City of Holdfast Bay
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"As a newcomer to the HR world, I found 'The Managers Role in Retention' enormously beneficial; a wonderful opportunity that highlighted how critical it is to attract and retain the right people, which is especially important when skilled staff are in short supply. We endeavour to retain our staff, but this workshop reinforced that improvement is always possible. The processes of recruiting and retaining must be actively managed with communication and feedback being essential. I am now in a much better position to help select the right staff and feel empowered about managing our existing talented people."
Jenny Walsh
Practice Manager
C A P I T A L | A R C H I T E C T U R E
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"Thank you for a most enjoyable workshop on The Managers Role in Retention. I learnt various tips and techniques and it will be very helpful in assisting me to improve staff retention. I also enjoyed the high level of interaction between the presenter and the participants. All managers should give this workshop a go! It is great value for money."
Jeremy Ong
Manager Financial Services
ECH Inc
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"Prior to attending the Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass, I thought I knew how to attract staff, just tell people how good the company was. The Masterclass gave me a whole new perspective on why people would want to work for a company. It also showed me that every company, no matter what its industry, can apply Bridget’s principles of Attracting and Retaining Talent. Anyone involved in recruitment can benefit from principles that Bridget teaches and these can be applied immediately from returning from the class."
Shane Booth
OHS & Employee Relations Co-ordinator
Resourceco
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Talking about The Managers Role in Retention™ for the Toro Australia top team:
"It was much better than I thought it was going to be. It promoted a lot of discussion and you allowed it to take its own course and brought the discussion back when it needed to be. It opened up ideas and let people talk about things…It was great"
Richard Walne
Managing Director
Toro Asia Pacific and Australia
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"I really liked the practical approach on the Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass – especially 'the equation' and Employer Branding Strategy. It was very helpful in helping me identify ways to improve attraction and retention of staff and, as a result, I'm going to improve our employment branding and finalise our A&R policy and plan.

We know that programs of this nature do not survive unless there is senior management support. In turn this will not be given unless they are clear that the program in question adds value to the organisation. Bridget was able to help participants crystallise a means of demonstrating the added value of an attraction and retention program for any senior management team, but at the same time make it particularly relevant to a specific organisation.

Bridget is an energetic and enthusiastic presenter who makes sure her audience is engaged. She made sure that there were opportunities also to learn from others in the group."
Malcolm Butcher
Human Resources Manager
RAA
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"From the Masterclass I most appreciated being shown a structure and a plan to follow. There were also plenty of data and resources which support my cause back on the job! Your great experience was valuable and it was a very inspiring day, thank you Bridget."
Julie Le Lievre
Learning & Development Manager
RAA of SA Inc
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"I found your training on The Manager’s Role in Staff Retention to be extremely useful. I have had a reverse situation where I have been having to performance manage people, once I have the right people in positions I will be able to use the skills you have taught me to help provide them a positive, supportive and flexible workplace."
Tracy Scrutton
Branch Manager
Noarlunga Office
Workskil
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"Well done Bridget on another riveting and inspiring workshop! The Managers Role in Retention is a brilliant opportunity to further understand the importance of attracting and retaining talent, particularly with the prediction of staff shortages over the next few decades. This workshop encourages you to think laterally and consider various scenarios and strategies. Although we all endeavour to retain our staff, this workshop is a reminder that we can always do it better............."
Dee Kazek-Hoad
Human Resources Manager
d'Arenberg Pty Ltd
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"I liked your presentation style, it was quite refreshing. I got a lot out of The Managers Role in Retention myself and it was good to see that the engineering leaders who came with me were impressed as well, they identified with it. It was a bit of a shining light – something positive to look forward to, to impact both business performance and employee development. It was good to see there is something appropriate for the managers and leaders in our business to attend."
Debbie Lawson
Senior Human Resources Advisor
Electrolux
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"The Managers Role in Retention was very helpful to me. I particularly found the practical examples and the way we worked through participant issues very useful in consolidating the subjects discussed during the day. There were a number of factors impacting staff dynamics that I had not actively considered such as generational differences but now that I know what to look for, I can now see signs of those in the workplace. As a result of what I learned on the day I am now going to put together a clear plan on improving team dynamics which should also aid in staff retention."
Andrew Makin
Managing Director
Auspace Limited
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"The Performance Conversations and Feedback session run by Bridget was extremely useful. Having only managed staff for a few years, I was keen to extend my thinking about managing performance. The day reiterated to me the importance of continuous feedback and communication. The workshop assist me to develop some strategies to ensure that this topic stayed on my agenda and becomes part of my everyday practice with staff. The workshop allowed us to also share some of our more frustrating performance management issues, and work through these. It was a great exercise to see how different people approach different situations and what may be the consequence of various approaches. Bridget lead the group well, allowing the group to drive some discussions, but bring it back in line when needed. The workshop has motivated me and given me more direction in my supervisory role with my staff."
Jane Rajkowski
Regional Community Care Manager - Southern Region
Masonic Homes Incorporated
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"Thank you for your presentation at the 2007 Nursery and Garden Industry South Australia State Conference… on 20th June. Your presentation was very well received by the attending delegates, speakers, trade exhibitors and sponsors. Exploring the opportunities in staff retention is an important issues into the future of our Industry. I’m sure you will see members of the Industry attending your workshops in the future. We look forward to working with you into the future."
Cameron Baldock
Nursery industry Development Officer
and
Geoffrey Fuller
CEO Nursery and Garden Industry SA.
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"I really enjoyed The Managers Role in Retention, especially understanding different motivating factors based on generation, gender and other unique factors. I liked the way the workshop was interactive and the open discussion with the group provided valuable insight. It was a really helpful workshop – I’ll definitely recommend it to others."
Kathryn Hawkins
Masonic Homes
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"The Coaching Skills Workshop offers real opportunities to progress both personally and professionally. Concepts learned can easily be applied to practical workplace situations, and will deliver outcomes for not only myself, but also my team and employers."
Ben Parkinson
Maintenance Coordinator
City of Unley
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"This seminar has influenced the way we think in retaining and seeking new employees. Whilst I was aware of the changing values in the market place the enormity of the changes hit home during a most enlightening and entertaining day. This is one of the few seminars that I have stayed to the end...."
Phil McMahon
Phil McMahon Real Estate
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"I'm so glad I participated in this class. As a manager of a municipal design consultancy service, it was enlightening for me to gain different perspectives from Bridget and the participants who were mainly HR practitioners. It corroborated some of the 'change of paradigm' issues required within this difficult market and within the organisation and provided further models and options to better enable me to communicate with my HR providers."
Christopher Stephens
Manager Technical Services
Gold Coast City Council
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"I enjoyed the Masterclass and found the case-study particularly helpful. As a result of the Masterclass I an now going to look at HR from a more strategic viewpoint and not get bogged down in day to day activities."
Chiquita Searle
HR Assistant
Abigroup Contractors Pty Limited
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"The Attraction and Retention Masterclass far exceeded my expectations. Bridget was an informative and interesting speaker, who managed to convey in one day and enormous amount of practical, user friendly information on latest trends and best practice attraction and retention methodologies. Bridget's organisational psychology background helped her convey the important information about the intrinsic need of people in the workplace. Bridget has helped us to reframe out frame of reference around which we recruit and retain. Thanks Bridget for an enjoyable day."
Natalie Henderson
Human Resources Officer
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
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"I thought the masterclass was comprehensive and presented a practical set of strategies and actions that could be carried forward into the workplace and implemented fairly readily. The seminar style enabled interactive learning between participants and I came away with a number of useful actions to carry back to my organisation."
Ken Shelston
Senior Manager - Corporate Development
Sutherland Shire Council
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"I found HR Development at Work's 'Attracting and Retaining Talent' Masterclass both informative and thought provoking. As a country council faced with an aging workforce and serious competition from developing industries for talented staff I was keen to find a fresh approach and to discuss some workable solutions. Bridget Hogg's planned approach is excellent and as well as clearly identifying the problem will encourage ownership of the solution at departmental / sub unit level.

The opportunity to network with other councils on a range of issues was invaluable.

Bridget's presentation pace and control of the session ensured plenty of input from participants and an effective exchange of good ideas.

Highly recommended and a 'must' for those serious about workforce planning."
Phil Hayden
Manager Human Resources
Gunnedah Shire Council
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"With the economy currently flourishing and competition for talented team members intensifying it is vital, if not essential, to take the time to participate in the Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass. The session was well structured with open participation and sharing of ideas from a range of industries. The key benefit for me was to re-position a number of initiatives we currently have in place to align them more with the overall purpose of attracting and retaining talent. We’re currently achieving 97% employee retention in the IT sector, but that’s no reason to be complacent. My sincerest thanks to Bridget, Sherylee and to fellow participants for a very rewarding session."
Ben O’Brien
Finance & Services Director
Sybiz Software Pty Ltd
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"I found the Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass riveting - it really made sense !! Bridget is an excellent presenter who puts things into perspective and prompts you to think outside the square. It was also a brilliant opportunity to network with other companies, hear about their staffing issues and discuss various solutions. The Masterclass prompted me to redefine our recruitment process, and focus on the numerous benefits of employer branding. Attracting and retaining talent will become a big issue over the next few years, and our recruitment strategies will now be proactively designed to meet these demands. We will ensure our future recruitment campaigns highlight the numerous benefits the company can offer to prospective employees - the thrills and challenges of working in a successful boutique winery, the benefits and knowledge to be gained, and above all our advertising will now stand out and be exciting, which is what d'Arenberg Winery is all about."
Dee Kazek-Hoad
Human Resources Manager
d'Arenberg Pty Ltd
.............

"I have found the Masterclass beneficial for a number of reasons. It was good to interact with a number of managers from other industries, and gain their perspective on issues affecting business. I enjoyed the interaction and discussion groups pertaining to the Masterclass. You literally don’t have the opportunity to just sit back and listen – you have to engage and participate. You obviously have worked with a number of companies and can bring some beneficial insights into the attraction and retention of staff. The case studies relate to issues you have already dealt with and I certainly believe that “HR Development at Work” has encouraged us along the path to developing our own strategic plan in this respect for our own organisations. The day was well structured in its use of lessons, planning and discussion groups. I have found the day has reinvigorated me to challenge my business and to see the opportunity best found in people."
Phil Ransome
formerly General Manager
Multi Slide Industries
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"The Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass conducted by HR Development at work was extremely useful in assisting my organization with its current workforce planning project. The highly relevant case studies and the importance of providing an “employee value proposition” to prospective applicants provided by Bridget have already greatly assisted us in our HR planning. I would recommend this course to anyone who is serious about retaining and attracting talent to their organization."
Paul Trumble
Manager Organisational Development
City of Charles Sturt
.............

"I found the Masterclass exciting, whilst giving me the opportunity to learn new ways of attracting a more suitable calibre of candidates by using the “what we can offer you mode” which I have already implemented with success. I highly recommend the Masterclass to other HR Practitioners across all industries who are seeking the opportunity to "think outside the square" particularly in such a competitive market place - it can make the difference between a good candidate and a great employee."
With kind regards
Liz Razzano
formerly Manager Human Resources
City of Holdfast Bay
.............

"On the Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass the light came on for me about a lot of stuff. There is a lot to do here and I have spent a great deal of time troubleshooting issues simply because we didn’t have a plan in place but, on the Masterclass everything made so much sense - lots of lights came on about how to move forward. Being new to the position, it helped me define where to start and how to progress."
Anthea Daly
Executive Manager
Human Resources
Churches of Christ Lifecare
.............

"I have really appreciated having you work through some of our erroneous areas and truly hold you in high regard. You have shown an amazing ability to intuitively pick up on areas of difficulty that not only the agency experiences but also our “top team”. Your ability to work through some delicate areas in a non threatening way with slight humor is nothing but welcoming. Thanks once again Bridget."
Andrea Sherratt
Director of Care
SA Care
.............

"The A & R T Masterclass is one of the most instructive and useful developmental sessions I have attended recently as HR Manager.

The one day session was relaxed, informative, interactive and skilfully planned by Bridget to combine the strategic and personal aspects of securing a quality workforce aligned to the organisation’s culture and skills sets, with both progressive learning and practical applications.

The outcome is a structured Attraction and Retention Plan combining enhanced organisational insight and implementation strategies valid for the current and future needs of your own organisation."
John Arvan
Manager Human Resources,
Department of Trade
and Economic Development, SA
.............

"The Attraction & Retention Masterclass Workshop forced me to rethink the way we recruit and retain staff. I will certainly be taking the knowledge & skills with me to my new role".
Evelyn Pollard
formerly Employee Relations Co-ordinator
City of Onkaparinga
.............

"HR Development at Work revolutionised my recruitment process. The training and materials were tailored to my needs. Now I am able to clearly define what I am looking for and have interviewing tools and skills to help me choose the right candidate for the job. Recruiting now is less subjective and is something that I can do with confidence."
Gavin Klose
formerly Director
DO-DA
.............

"I am pleased to recommend HR Development at Work to any organisation seeking to examine, and plan strategies for attraction and retention of staff. Our recent project required interviews with Industry people, with recent school leavers and Vocational practitioners, bringing them together in forums so that barriers and breakthroughs could be achieved: The facilitation and attention to detail were first rate."
Anthony J Leverenz
Executive Officer
EEE&W Skills Board.
..............

"The Attraction & Retention Masterclass is strategic and thought provoking. It was fantastic to be able to learn from case-studies, from Bridget's input, and from the experiences of other participants. I recommend this to anyone who wants help to develop a strategic attraction and retention plan - and be part of an ongoing support group to help with implementation."
Janelle Gavin
HR Manager
..............

"The Attracting and Retaining Talent Masterclass was fabulous and was full of relevant and useful case-studies, we shared what we learnt with our colleagues and we now want to progress the attraction and retention plan that we developed at the Masterclass in our organisation. I'm sure that the information gleaned from this day will have a big impact on the way we go forward. Thoroughly recommended."
Anthony Arbon
Senior Human Resources Consultant
Department for Transport
Energy and Infrastructure
..............

"I found that the Attracting and Retaining Masterclass workshop was extremely helpful. It helped me understand what we as an organisation can do to attract and retain talent. I recommend this workshop to anyone who understands the importance of the issue that is attraction and retention of talent"
Kind regards,
Debbie Stillitano
Human Resources Co-ordinator
Tagara Group
..............

"My initial perception of this course, prior to commencement, was negative, in that I have conducted many interviews and had grown comfortable with my interview style and could not see the need for the course. Throughout the course, it became apparent that my interview technique/style was deficient. This is an extremely valuable course and essential for all our ASC management team to ensure that we interview competently and have a standardised technique that is applied. This course will provide managers with the necessary skills to properly assess candidates against an agreed set of competencies and ensure they are apply suitable interview techniques (ORCE and SOAR) to achieve the best outcomes for ASC."
Simon Ridgeway
ASC (formerly Australian Submarine Corps)
..............

"Using our guidelines, HR Development at Work trained our managers to conduct effective interviews using best practice interview techniques. We now have a standard interview process, and our managers are more skilled and confident in using the process to select the candidate who best suits the needs of our business. In time this will improve both our attraction and retention rates."
Kylie Bishop
now General Manager
LBW Environment Pty Ltd
..............

"I found the Attracting and Retaining Masterclass workshop extremely helpful in deepening my understanding of what we can do to attract and retain talent. I thoroughly recommend the workshop to anyone who wants to improve retention rates in their organisation."
Ian Ward
Organizational Development Manager
Philmac Pty Ltd.
..............

"Bridget is one of the best speakers I have heard. She covered the topic comprehensively and knowledgeably and helped us learn so much. She captures her audience with ease"
Danny Olsen
SA Retail Manager
Beaumont Tiles
..............

"The workshop gave me a better understanding of how to interview using competency-based questions instead of the closed questions resulting in very little information to assess applicants on. I now know how to make our interviews more beneficial and time effective."
Amanda Wardle
Town & Country Maintenance & Fencing
..............

"I found the introductory "Interview Skills Workshop" very informative, interesting and professionally presented. Bridget's explanation of the Competency Based style of interviewing was very easy to understand and the format of her presentation encouraged interaction by all participants. I found the workshop very helpful and valuable in terms of offering additional interview techniques in my role as a Recruitment Consultant. The workshop gave a different perspective on interviewing and provided a good introduction to Competency Based Interview Skills."
Pauline Goegan
Recruitment Consultant
..............

"Bridget, did a fabulous job of facilitating the Attraction and Retention Masterclass in terms of the pace, the quality of information and interaction with participants. I felt reinforced about the approach being taken within my agency in regard to workforce planning, yet the plan completed on the day added so much more depth and meaning. I have since shared many of the ideas from the workshop with colleagues and have found their response to be equally enthusiastic"
Bernadette Kerr
Manager Workforce Planning
Children, Youth and Family Services
Department for Families and Communities
..............

"In the ever competitive market for securing the right skills for our engineering business, the focus is more and more on not just attracting the right people, but retaining the people we already have! Bridget's Masterclass was a real eye opener in looking at what are the key drivers for our employees, the Gen X'ers vs the Gen Y'ers, and what our business needs to do to meet the goals and desires of our most important asset - our people!"
Sarah Howard
Human Resources SA/NT
KBR Government and Infrastructure
..............

"The Masterclass was great, it identified ways to improving staff retention and as a result, I have many simple strategies to improve our staff retention rates. It also provided the framework to develop an attraction and retention plan."
Neville Peters, GM,
Dare Sutton Clarke Engineers and Project Managers
..............

"Strategic resourcing encompassing the attraction and retention of talented professionals is an important focus for our business. Bridget's Attraction & Selection Master Class provided thought provoking information and statistics on the subject in addition to providing valuable ideas on how we may enhance the success of our attraction and retention strategies in the future."
Cathy Riach,
Recruitment Manager, Human Resources
BAE SYSTEMS AUSTRALIA
..............

"The framework for building the strategy will save a great deal of work for me."
Dr Peter F Teague,
SA Operations Manager & Quality System Manager,
Vipac Engineers & Scientists Ltd
..............

"As a result of this workshop (Attracting and Retaining Talent), I am going to make GHD a better place! Look internally for ways I can improve my management skills. Facilitate a follow-up."
Kylie Bishop
now General Manager
LBW Environment Pty Ltd
..............

"Team Dynamics was an area of concern within our business. With HR Development at Work's input, and hands on workshop, we were able to isolate some of the major breakdowns and areas of communication, probe these areas in more detail and then actively work on the repair process. Today, we're a better company for this....."
Peter Whalley,
Managing Director
Sybiz Software.
..............

"The independent advice has been a valued contribution in developing and implementing successful HR initiatives. Your commitment to delivering pragmatic solutions, maintaining a strategic focus, and your comprehensive understanding of business processes ensures a swift and cost effective service.The work completed in reviewing the Codan competency framework and your recommendations for continued improvement was an important part of the HR development process for engineers at Codan. I look forward to working with you again in the future."
Michael Bailey
(formerly Organisation Development Manager,
Codan)
..............

"Bridget presented a workshop on stress management to our staff last year. She structured the workshop according to our needs and presented it with great enthusiasm and humour."
Leanne Stewart
Legal Counsel,
Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation
..............

"Flexible, diligent and enthusiastic are three qualities that come to mind when considering how HR Development at Work provides its services. Their involvement in consultations across DHS and subsequent report provided the springboard to make a real change in how we do things."
Senior Project Officer, Workforce Services
Department of Health
..............

"The best thing about the Managing Pressure at Work workshop was being able to express my own stress triggers with the team."
Carol Mills
(formerly HR Manager
DAIS)
..............

"The best thing was... having the opportunity to voice my opinions in a safe environment."
Christine Morris
(formerly HR Consultant
DAIS)
..............

"The best thing about this (Situational Leadership) workshop for me was the realisation that style relates to task rather than individual – can use different styles for the same person. As a result I am going to review my relationships with my team, particularly expectations, and fellow party's performance with their team."
Bruce Spangler
CEO
Bentleys MRI
..............

"Bridget is consistently highly rated by participants who provide evaluation. She conducts highly interactive and interesting sessions and is able to put people at ease very quickly. I have no hesitation in recommending Bridget to any organisation seeking to engage a highly experienced, skilled and flexible Training Consultant."
Karen Andrews.
formerly Client Relationship Manager,
Michael Craig Consulting.
..............

"Thank you for running the Managing Pressure at Work workshop for us... The workshop was an important part of our offering to small businesses and received excellent feedback from participants. We enjoyed working with you and look forward to possible opportunities to repeat the session next year."
Susan Devine
Manager,
Inner West Business Enterprise Centre
..............

"I found Bridget to be a true professional. In her pre-workshop briefings, in her delivery and in her post workshop follow-up she impressed everyone with her attention to detail, her understanding of the client's needs, her thorough approach and her personable, capable manner. I recommend Bridget to you without hesitation."
Adrian Skull
(formerly OD Manager,
Adelaide City Council, now at City of Marion)
..............

"The opportunity to create a 'live' plan, as we tracked through the model, was effective action learning, which, along with joining an effective network amongst like-minded managers, including the 'fast forward' initiative, made good use of a day's professional development to apply 'back in the trenches' immediately."
Russell Foote
HR Manager. Toro
..............

HR Development at Work is there for you

HR Development at Work can help you.

Contact us on +61 8 8322 8455 or for help and advice about attraction, retention, managing the people aspects of change and creating a happy workplace.