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A quick glance around any Ulton office is all it takes to realise our fondness for ‘long-term’ — long-term staff, long-term clients, long-term working relationships.
As we all know, the value of ‘long-term’ is about a lot more than having big numbers to broadcast. Rather, we understand that the more time we share in someone’s journey, the better we understand who they are, what they value, and how to provide them with the guidance and support they truly want and need.
Christine Guy, Ulton’s HR consultant, is someone who is especially familiar with the world-changing value of partnerships built for the long haul.
Christine began her journey at Ulton by stepping in to manage Ulton’s internal HR while our People & Culture Manager, Ammie Cauchi, took some time off to settle in with the arrival of her new baby. When Ammie returned from maternity leave in 2016, Christine was invited by the partnership to stay on at Ulton as a HR consultant to further support our business clients with advisory services.
“And the rest is history,” said Christine.
Seven years on, Christine has become the go-to HR partner for various Ulton clients, many of whom have been with her since the beginning.
“I mostly work with small to medium sized businesses who don’t have a HR professional on their payroll,” Christine said.
“These are businesses who want a HR business partner they can turn to for advice and guidance, but don’t have the ongoing requirement for a full-time or part-time HR professional,” she continued.
Christine’s areas of advisory span everything from interpretation of awards and helping her clients meet their employer obligations; to managing employee contracts, behaviour, and performance; to developing strategies to improve workplace culture — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
“Simply, employers don’t know what they don’t know,” said Christine.
“And when it comes to staying up to date with legislative changes and understanding the exact provisions of legislation and how it relates to your specific business, the devil really is in the details,” she said.
Often, it’s clients becoming aware of their own HR knowledge gaps which leads them to partnering with Christine.
“Sometimes, it’s the simple question of ‘do you know what award your business falls under?’ or ‘do you have a workplace health and safety strategy in place?’ that makes employers realise their need for a dedicated partner in the space,” said Christine.
“I love getting to know the client and forming the kind of relationship that means they can feel confident to just pick up the phone, we can talk about their challenge or question together, and then I can do the work and provide them with the right advice for them and their situation,” she said.
A testament to the value of Christine’s partnership over the years can be seen in the journey she’s taken with her client, Olivia.
Olivia first sought Christine’s expertise back in 2016, when she and her husband Chris had the management rights to Ocean’s Resort & Spa in Hervey Bay.
Christine guided them on everything from annualised salary commitments and employee performance management, to developing a social media policy and delivering respect at work training.
Years later, when Olivia and Chris sold the business, Olivia expressed her gratitude for Christine’s support during their time together, saying that should she ever have a business that required HR support again, she would be right back in touch.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Earlier this year, Olivia the new owner of a venture called Beach Property Group, reconnected with Christine for her professional guidance on employment agreements, award changes, and the development of various policies.
“It’s all about developing that relationship. Even during the time that Olivia wasn’t a client of mine, we still kept in touch socially,” said Christine.
“There’s a real trust there because she knows me and knows that I would be there to support her should the time come when she needs HR help again,” she said.
Richie Hyne, owner of Avis Gladstone, is another business owner who has reaped the rewards of Christine’s long-term partnership.
“Ulton have been our accountants since 1989 and we began working with Christine in 2018,” Richie said.
“As any business grows, you really do need an HR expert on board to help keep an eye on all your obligations and make sure you’re doing things right,” he said.
“In the beginning, Christine helped us with things like workplace health and safety, social media policy, privacy and confidentiality — those types of things.”
“Over the years as our business has changed, Christine has helped us with lots of different things. She’s always been there to fill the gaps and help us develop systems for how we do things,” said Richie.
Reflecting on what has made their partnership so valuable, Richie said, “Christine takes a real interest in our business. She understands how everything works, and she can rattle off the name of every employee we have.”
Ulton's HR consulting, led by Christine, is more than just advice; it's about building lasting, trust-based relationships. Through personalised service, Christine acts as a sounding board, ally, and partner to her clients — guiding them through the complex world of human resources.
If you hear a client share concerns about their employees, connect them with Christine. She's here to provide expert guidance and support, ensuring our clients receive the best solutions for their workforce challenges.
