People and Culture News February 2025

Welcome to your people and culture update.👋 Meet our newest team members, Harleen Kaur, Katrin Cichon, Jennifer Burrows and Olivia Warmington and learn more about them as they share three interesting facts about themselves.

Plus, dive into our latest blog about our Employee Value Proposition and how we keep and build strong relationships.  

We also have some current vacancies, so check out the exciting career opportunities at Ulton Careers. 🌟

Are you new here?

Welcome to the team...

To all our new starters, we hope you settle in nicely and wish you every success in your new role. If you’re an “old hand” and see these new faces around the office, introduce yourself and make them feel at home.

Movers and Shakers!

Recent position changes:

Connor Silcox | Senior Tax Advisor | Tax Advisory, Bundaberg

Connor Silcox has officially stepped into his new role as Senior Tax Advisor in the Tax Advisory Team. He’s working alongside Stacey Harrison and reporting to Daryl Corpe while continuing to provide compliance services to select clients, including Nioa and Wessels. Well done Connor.

Our Employee Value Proposition   

We're excited to be partnering with People Co. to develop a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP).  An EVP highlights the unique benefits and rewards that are offered to employees when they work at Ulton. 

This initiative aligns with our Strategic Plan and focuses on capturing and communicating the Ulton Culture so we can attract and retain top talent. By understanding your (our team's) values and aspirations, we can continue to foster growth, holistic well-being, and a sense of purpose. 

Our Employee Engagement Survey is open from 6 February and closes on 20 February 2025. This is an opportunity for all employees to share their perspectives, the survey is confidential and will be analysed by People Co.  

From March 3 to 10, Ashlea Roach from People Co. will conduct interviews with the Partners and facilitate seven focus groups with a representative sample of employees. These interviews and focus groups will help People Co. deep-dive into Ulton and what our team values.    

In May, People Co. will present the proposed EVP, and we will continue to communicate and implement the EVP over the coming months.  

Your involvement matters 

Your input is crucial to the success of this project, please be open in sharing your insights and thoughts.  

Every employee has an opportunity to share their perspectives through the Employee Engagement Survey, and we encourage everyone to participate.   

If you have any questions or want to learn more, please don't hesitate to reach out me, Hannah Curran, People and Culture Manager.  

Building strong relationships  

Building strong relationships is fundamental to our success; it's how we collaborate effectively within our teams and deliver exceptional service to our clients. 

We all know that busy periods and increased stress can sometimes impact our interactions and behaviour. It's crucial to remember that inconsiderate behaviour can damage our relationships, and can even impact team productivity. 

“On average, after experiencing an act of incivility at work, it takes an individual 31 minutes to recover, impacting productivity,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., CEO of SHRM. 

Conflict and disagreement are inevitable in any team, and diverse perspectives are valuable assets at Ulton. In times of disagreement let's always strive for constructive and respectful dialogue. 

Three habits to embrace: 

1. Noticing our reactions: Pay attention to our own emotions and how we respond to others. 

2. Inhibiting automatic responses: Take a moment to pause and consider our responses before reacting. 

3. Communicating clearly and respectfully: Express our views with empathy and consideration for others' perspectives. 

Building strong relationships takes effort and consistent practice. 

Dale Carnegie - 9 Ways to Enhance Relationships 

Fostering a positive work environment is crucial to our success as a team. Dale Carnegie's 9 Ways to Enhance Relationships are habits we can implement every day to help continue to build strong relationships:  

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain. 

   Don’t criticize or condemn others; you’ll only hurt that person and your own reputation. Do not complain; focus on your own personal growth.  

2. Give honest, sincere appreciation. 

   Be thankful and show gratitude to others. When people receive appreciation and recognition, they feel more valued, they are happier, their stress reduces and they have a great sense of fulfilment.  

3. Peak the interest of others. 

   Framing your requests in terms of mutual benefit is a powerful strategy for gaining support and building stronger relationships.  

4. Become genuinely interested in other people. 

   Take interest in their ideas and listen to what they have to say. This builds your own reputation and strengthens your ties with the people you work with and the people that surround you. 

5. Smile. 

   Smiling at others signals friendliness, approachability, and trustworthiness. When we smile at others, we create a sense of connection and rapport, making it easier to build relationships and foster cooperation (psychology behind smiling).  

6. A person's name is important, remember it. 

   Remembering someone's name is a powerful social signal that demonstrates respect, attention, and genuine interest. It makes individuals feel valued and important, fostering stronger connections and building rapport. 

7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. 

   Neuroscience has shown that active listening can increase social bonding and enhance relationships. Ask people questions about themselves and take genuine interest.  

8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. 

   Everyone loves to talk about something that they know about or like to talk about so always keep others’ passions in mind. 

9. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely. 

   By doing every one of the above listed, you are making the other feel important and building relationships.   

Let's commit to cultivating these habits in our daily interactions, recognising that strong relationships are the foundation of a thriving and successful team at Ulton. 

Wanted: Awesome people

We’re currently looking for talented, skilled and enthusiastic people to become part of the next chapter in Ulton’s success in the following roles:

• Team Manager | Business Services | Fraser Coast 
• Senior Accountant | Business Services | Brisbane, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast or Remote
• Business Advisory Senior Accountant | Business Insights and Advisory | Bundaberg
• Intermediate Accountant | Business Services | Bundaberg

Remember, internal applications are most welcome.

If you are interested personally or have an excellent recommendation, please contact me, Hannah, at hcurran@ulton.net 

And don’t forget to check our Team Handbook for more information about our Team Member Referral Bonus policy. You may be eligible for a $7,500 bonus. 

To share a specific job advertisement, go to:
1.    https://ulton.elmotalent.com.au/careers/careers/jobs
2.    Scroll to our vacancies (bottom of page)
3.    Click on the job you wish to share
4.    Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Facebook or LinkedIn share buttons (see picture below)

For the complete list of career opportunities, go to: https://ulton.elmotalent.com.au/careers/careers/jobs