In 2023 treating your people well goes beyond the provision of good pay, benefits, and a positive working environment. More and more people are looking to work for a company with Purpose. The flip-side of this statement is that companies who are reinvigorating their Purpose, solidifying their ESG strategies, and engaging their people in the process will create the conditions for a more resilient workforce.

Well, it’s that time of year again - the festive season. And I say the festive season because we all know it’s not just Christmas. Between now and the end of January there are important cultural events around the world for Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Wiccans, Baha’i, African Americans… the list goes on. In Sydney, Australia the streets are lined with the trimmings of Christmas, people are out shopping, socialising, holidaying and preparing for December 25. It's an amazing time of year. Every year the discourse begins anew about what the true spirit of Christmas is.

If you haven’t yet heard about the idea of ‘quiet quitting’, I’d have to ask you where you’ve been the last 12 months. COVID-19’s effects on the workplace were significant and manifold. One of the slow burn changes to emerge from the pandemic is ‘quiet quitting’ - the idea that you only do exactly what you’re being paid to do. No more, no less. No late nights or additional weekend workathons. Another name for it is ‘acting your wage’. What’s the silver lining to this cloud then? Is it a challenge or an opportunity? Of course it’s both, but for every challenge, there is a unique opportunity to engage your workforce.

Of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), number 17, titled Partnerships for the Goals, reads like this: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. I’m in two minds why it sits in last place, because really, without partnerships, we limit our ability to succeed at the other 16 goals. Then again, maybe you need to read through all of the SDGs to arrive at the conclusion that we as individuals, businesses and communities cannot go it alone.

At Barefoot Citizens Consulting, we have a saying - ‘Be the butterfly’. What it means is that anyone can decide to make a difference, at any time, in any business. The more butterflies there are, the stronger the momentum for change and the bigger the impact. Small changes, ideas around the water cooler, and creating new ways to do things, can make a big difference over time.

Your company Vision, with a capital ‘V’, can truly be the rallying cry for your staff and your stakeholders. Your Vision can win over the hearts and minds of your customers too. Who doesn’t love a big, bold vision?

From the beginning of time a person’s word was their bond. To be true to your word meant you could be trusted. We were measured by our word. It directly influenced our standing in society. While we’re a long way from pistols at dawn these days, there’s still a societal understanding of a promise in a handshake. Binding deals are still struck on the back of a napkin.