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By Madison Porter, CEO of Nudge For as long as I’ve worked, I’ve heard the same phrase repeated in boardrooms, HR meetings and business coaching circles: “It’s not personal. It’s just business.” I understand why people say it. It’s meant to create emotional distance. To sound rational. To soften impact. But here’s the truth many people won’t say out loud: Business becomes personal the moment it touches your livelihood, your values, or the work you care deeply about. And prete

If you’re noticing younger workers moving jobs quickly, taking breaks earlier, or questioning the “stay loyal and climb the ladder” advice, it’s not your imagination. Recent research shows: • 47% of Gen Z plan to take an early career break • Only 6% intend to stay long-term with their current employer At first glance, this can look like disengagement or a lack of commitment. But dig deeper, and a very different story emerges. This isn’t laziness, it’s recalibration Gen Z ente

If you’re starting your career or considering a change, you might wonder: Do internships really matter?  The answer is yes. When chosen and approached strategically, internships can be a career accelerator , giving you experience, connections, and clarity about your professional path. Why Internships Matter 1. Real-World Experience • Internships give you hands-on exposure to the industry. • You can apply classroom knowledge or previous experience in a professional setting. •

You got the role. You earned the promotion. People come to you  for answers. So why does it still feel like you’re about to be “found out”? That quiet (or loud) inner voice telling you that you don’t belong, that your success was luck, timing, or someone else’s mistake has a name: imposter syndrome . And it’s far more common than people admit. At Nudge, we see it across every career stage: graduates, managers, founders, and executives alike. What Imposter Syndrome Really Look

Speaking up about wrongdoing can feel risky, especially when HR and lawyers are protecting the company’s image. But Australian law exists to protect you . Here’s how to do it safely. 1. Know What Counts as a Protected Disclosure Under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)  and other whistleblower laws, you are protected when reporting: • Breaches of law (e.g., tax evasion, financial misconduct) • Serious wrongdoing or corruption • Unsafe workplace practices or WHS breaches • Discri

Let’s clear something up first. Being an introvert does not  mean you’re bad at work, bad with people, or destined to sit silently in the corner of the office forever. It simply means you get your energy differently and when your job matches that energy, you thrive. The good news? The Australian job market has plenty  of roles that reward focus, thinking, and calm problem-solving over being the loudest person in the room. Let’s get into it 👇 First: what introverts are actual

Starting a new job is exciting, but it can also be disorienting. Sometimes the reality doesn’t match the promise. Maybe the culture feels off, colleagues aren’t welcoming, or the vibe just doesn’t sit right. The good news: you have options, and you’re not alone . 1. Pause and Observe It’s normal for the first few weeks to feel overwhelming. Before making any decisions: • Take time to observe the dynamics  rather than react immediately. • Notice patterns: are issues isolated i

Your manager is a key influencer of your success. Managing up helps you: • Clarify expectations  and avoid miscommunication • Gain visibility  for your contributions • Secure support and resources  for your projects • Reduce conflict  and improve collaboration • Advance your career  by demonstrating initiative and professionalism 1. Understand Your Manager’s Style Start by observing how your manager works: • How do they like to communicate? (email, meetings, Slack) • What are

Being invited to work dinners can feel like a perk — a chance to network, connect with colleagues, or impress leadership. But what happens when these invitations become regular, unpaid expectations ? Do you have to go? The short answer: no, you are not legally obliged to attend work-related dinners outside your contracted hours . 1. Understand the Difference: Optional vs Required • Optional social events : Fun, informal gatherings outside work hours. Attendance is voluntary.

If you’re starting your career or considering a change, you might wonder: Do internships really matter?  The answer is yes. When chosen and approached strategically, internships can be a career accelerator , giving you experience, connections, and clarity about your professional path. Why Internships Matter 1. Real-World Experience • Internships give you hands-on exposure to the industry. • You can apply classroom knowledge or previous experience in a professional setting. •

Australia’s new laws mean “just logging you off” isn’t always legal anymore. For years, ride-share and delivery workers in Australia were told the same thing after being suddenly locked out of an app: “You’re an independent contractor. We don’t owe you anything.” That era is ending. Recent changes to the Fair Work Act  now recognise that many gig workers are “employee-like” , and with that recognition comes legal protection against unfair deactivation . If a platform cuts off

Burnout isn’t always caused by long hours or impossible workloads. Sometimes it’s caused by feeling everything, all the time . When you’re highly sensitive, your nervous system processes more information, more deeply. Over time, in a workplace that doesn’t allow recovery, that sensitivity can quietly turn into burnout. What Hypersensitivity Really Means at Work Hypersensitivity isn’t being “too emotional.” It’s heightened awareness of: • Tone, body language, and unspoken expe

Public holidays are meant to be a break, not a grey area where pay gets quietly “misinterpreted”. Yet every year, thousands of Australian workers are underpaid, pressured to work, or confused about what they’re entitled to when public holidays roll around. Here’s what the law actually says and where people get caught out. 1. Public Holidays Are a Legal Right, Not a Favour Under the Fair Work Act , public holidays are part of the National Employment Standards (NES) . This mean

Hierarchy has a branding problem. Somewhere along the way, we decided that job titles equal competence , and that anyone with “Manager” in their title must be smarter, more capable, or more deserving of respect. That assumption protects the wrong people. Promotion ≠ capability People become managers for many reasons: • Time served, not talent • Being good at tasks, not people • Office politics • Being visible to the right  people Too often, the skill that gets rewarded isn’t

We no longer “look things up.” We ask. Not long ago, finding advice meant opening a browser, typing fragmented keywords and scrolling until something felt right. Today, we open an app, ask a full question, and expect an answer that sounds human, relevant and immediate. Social media and tools like ChatGPT haven’t just changed where  we find information. They’ve changed our expectations of help . Searching is no longer technical, it’s conversational Search engines trained us to

Let’s clear up one of the biggest workplace myths: HR is not your friend. And that’s not because they’re bad people or secretly plotting against you — it’s because their job  isn’t what many employees think it is. Here’s the nudge you need to rethink how you engage with HR and protect your career. 1. HR Works for the Business; Not the Employees HR’s primary responsibility is risk management. That means: • Protecting the company from legal issues • Managing compliance • Ensuri

In Australia, employers can  ask you to work overtime, but only if the request is reasonable . If it’s not? You can legally refuse. The Fair Work Act (s. 62) sets out specific factors that decide whether overtime is reasonable or unreasonable . ✅ When overtime IS unreasonable An overtime request becomes unreasonable  when any of the following apply: 1. You’re already working excessive hours If your regular hours + the extra overtime push you into unsafe or unmanageable territ

Many employees reach the point where they must decide: take your long service leave  (i.e., take the time off) or accept a payout  of your accrued long service leave when employment ends. The decision isn’t just about time off versus cash — it also affects accrual of benefits (including superannuation), continuity of service, and how the law treats you. This article breaks down key considerations, especially how leave and super accrue (or don’t) in each scenario, and how the

Understanding your rights could change the power dynamic at work. In Australian workplaces, knowledge is power — and nowhere is that truer than when it comes to Fair Work laws. These laws, set out by the Fair Work Act 2009 , exist to protect employees from exploitation, ensure fair pay and conditions, and hold employers accountable for ethical and legal conduct. But not every boss is eager for their team to know these rules — and that’s often where mistreatment begins. 1. Whe

In every workplace, things go wrong, equipment breaks, emails get mis-sent, tensions flare, or someone crosses a line. But here’s the part most people don’t talk about: not all incidents are created equal . Understanding the difference between a genuine accident and behaviour driven by malicious intent is the backbone of a fair, safe and psychologically healthy workplace. And yet, many employees don’t know how these situations are assessed… and many managers get it wrong. Let