THE NOOMA WAITLIST IS NOW OPEN. Founding Members lock in 25% off. Permanently.
Small businesses carry much of the same employment obligations as the big guys, without an HR department to manage them.
Join free for a monthly update on the employment changes that affect you, plus members-only access to an HR specialist whenever something comes up.
THE NEED
Applications lodged with the Fair Work Commission in 2024–25, 24% above the five-year average
Max civil penalty per serious Fair Work Act contravention for a small business company
Increase in serious claims for mental health conditions over the past decade
years max in prison for intentional wage underpayments, a criminal offence
Substantive Fair Work Act reforms commenced between 2023 and 2025
Who it's for
If you write the contracts, handle the complaints, work out the pay rates and have the hard conversations yourself, this membership was built for you. It suits hospitality venues, retail stores, trades businesses, clinics, professional practices and growing startups.
You might not need an HR person every week. When you do need one, you need someone experienced, and you need them quickly.
CREDENTIALS
WHAT OUR MEMBERS GET
What to expect
Members only
$150 + GST
Half an hour with one of our HR specialists, with a call to talk it through and your advice in writing. Need longer? An hour is $275 + GST, for more complex matters or when more than one business partner wants to join. Prefer our founder? Half an hour with Jessie is $250 + GST.
Why headcount matters
Under the Fair Work Act, a business with fewer than 15 employees is a small business employer, and some rules work differently either side of that line. We run two lists, so you only get the updates that apply to a business your size.
Small business list
Growing business list
When counting employees, include regular and systematic casuals, and staff of any associated businesses. Membership and session prices are the same either way. If your headcount changes, update your details and we'll move you to the right list.
The HR Briefing
We go beyond the business news headlines to what each change means for you, and the practical steps you can take to protect your business. Each update is short and leaves out anything that doesn't affect a business your size. Every item follows the same format, so you can read it in a few minutes. Here's one from our October issue. For the detail, read our full brief on the proposed non-compete changes.
Client feedback
Jessie is the Chief People Officer and Director of O-HR, with nearly 20 years of experience leading people strategy, workforce transformation and crisis response across retail, aged care, manufacturing, hospitality and professional services. She has led teams of more than 50 HR professionals, managed budgets of $200m and supported employees across five countries and 350 locations. She partners with CEOs, executive teams and Boards to navigate M&A, digital transformation, cultural change, crisis and operational risk.
Jodie is an AHRI Certified Practitioner (CPHR) with tertiary qualifications in Business and HR Management and more than 20 years of HR experience across hospitality, hotels, manufacturing, NDIS, mental health, aged care and corporate sectors. She partners closely with senior and frontline leaders to lift people practices and business performance.
Kelly is a senior people leader with more than 10 years of experience advising CEOs and executive teams through transformation. Most recently Chief of Staff and People Transformation at Refinery29 in London, she led the business through its post-acquisition integration. She brings calm, commercial judgement and deep expertise in organisational design, employee relations and change management.
Marnie is a Leadership Coach and senior People & Culture leader with more than 20 years' experience across healthcare, retail travel and professional services, including as Interim Chief People Officer. Accredited in LSI, Leadership/Impact and Management/Impact (Human Synergistics) and DISC Advanced, she works with leaders individually and within their teams to build self-awareness and high-performing cultures.
Free to join
It takes a minute. Join free for the HR Briefing, or join and book a call now. Booking takes you to secure payment, then straight to choosing your time.
More than 50 employees? Our consulting team is a better fit. Talk to us
We'll never share your details. Read our privacy policy
Yes. Membership and the HR Briefing are free. You only pay when you book a session with a specialist.
A half-hour session with one of our HR specialists is $150 + GST. For more complex matters, or when more than one business partner wants to join, book an hour for $275 + GST. You can also book half an hour with our founder for $250 + GST. You pay online when you book, so you know the cost before the call starts.
We call you at the time you chose, by phone or Teams. In a half-hour session, the call runs for up to 20 minutes and the rest of the time goes into putting your advice in writing. A one-hour session works the same way, with more time on the call. Either way, you have a record of what to do next.
Choose "Join and book a call", fill in a few details about your business, and pay for your session. Then pick phone or Teams and a time that suits you. Already a member? Use the booking link in your welcome email.
Contact us and we'll find a time that works. If we can't, we'll refund you in full.
We'll help you make sense of it as far as we reasonably can in your session, so you leave with practical next steps, not just a sales pitch. If your needs go beyond the session, we'll deliver what we can in the time we have and give you a clear picture of what further support could look like, so you can decide.
Book a follow-up session whenever you need one. If you expect a longer conversation, book a one-hour session from the start.
Anything to do with employing people, including employee complaints and conflict, performance conversations, dismissals and redundancies, contracts and pay, workers' compensation and return to work, psychosocial risk, policies, and recruitment. If you're not sure whether it's an HR question, book anyway and we'll tell you.
No. Our specialists are experienced HR practitioners and give HR advice. The HR Briefing is general information. Where a matter needs an employment lawyer, we'll tell you and can connect you with one from our specialist network.
It's written by O-HR's HR practitioners, using guidance from the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, Safe Work Australia and state regulators. Every update is checked before it goes out.
Most sessions can be booked within one business day. If it's urgent, tell us when you book.
Some of your obligations change once you reach 15 employees, so your headcount tells us which updates to send you. Membership and session prices are the same either way.
You can leave the membership at any time with one click to unsubscribe. You can move or cancel a booked session up to 24 hours beforehand. Cancel with more than 24 hours' notice and we'll refund you in full. Changes and cancellations can't be made within 24 hours of your session. This doesn't affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Get the HR Briefing every month, and an HR specialist on call when something comes up.
At O-HR, we take pride in our commitment to excellence in human resources. As proud members of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), we stay at the forefront of industry standards and best practices.
Ground Floor, 68 Clarke Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 (03) 8374 7693 hello@o-hr.com.au
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