Providing professional development for employees can be advantageous for organisations and enable them to achieve long-term growth. In this blog, Founder and Managing Director of behind closed doors, Donny Walford, shares some of the reasons why it makes sense to invest in your employees and their own professional development.

Anna Hughes is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Department of Treasury and Finance in South Australia.

"Stop and smell the roses" may be a cliche, but research suggests it's sound advice for finding satisfaction in life. A forthcoming study in the Journal of Personality and Individual Differences suggests that appreciating the meaningful things and people in our lives may play an even larger role in our overall happiness than previously thought.

In this blog, Donny Walford unpacks the abovementioned study and shares 10 ways to be present and in the moment. Read on to discover more.

A study was conducted by Evaluation UK and commissioned by The Scientific Affairs Board of the Royal Society of Chemistry to “identify what it is about the culture in certain departments and/or institutions, which causes women to apply for, and accept, posts and subsequently encourages them to remain in these departments and/or institutions.” One of the proposals in the study was that at least two women should sit on the interview panel.

A paper titled Women in male-dominated industries: A toolkit of strategies (2013) recommends a gender diverse interview panel, which includes women from non-traditional roles.

The importance of female panellists in the recruitment process cannot be overemphasised. This blog details why.

If 1% of the workforce in Australia transferred to jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), $57.4 billion would be added to the country’s GDP, according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Part of this workforce is of course, women. To strengthen the country’s economy, women need to be encouraged to pursue STEM careers, industries that have traditionally been dominated by men. Mentoring can assist in turning the situation around and enable women to thrive in STEM careers – or any other career for that matter.

So just how does mentoring cultivate gender equality in the workplace? Read on to discover more!

Being an elite athlete means having to face intense competition, leading by the smallest margins, establishing short- and long-term strategies, applying hard work and determination, working with teammates, and recovering from failures and setbacks, all to achieve your goals and targets. Sound incredibly familiar? 

Success in sports and business alike is determined by your ability to commit, perform and continually improve to the next level. Achievements this year will set newer, higher goals for next year, creating a relentless demand for you to deliver. So, what can business leaders learn from elite athletes?  Read on to learn more!

There is no debate on the power of social media in boosting business. Women all over the world are recognising this truth and going all out in capitalising on this. One paper was even written by the University of Johannesburg on this subject matter where, according to the study, 43% of women entrepreneurs use at least one social media tool for their business compared to 37% of male entrepreneurs – definite proof that women are ruling social media.

So, what is it that makes women better at using social media for their business? Read on to find out!

Heather Price is a Finance Adviser/Partner at FinSec Partners, based in South Australia.

Natasha Miliotis is CEO of SHINE SA based in South Australia.

In this competitive business world, having a mentor to guide you has become an important factor to success where you not only gain valuable insights and advice but also connections. The value that a mentor brings helps you grow in both your career and as a person. Since your mentor will play a huge role in influencing your life, it’s important to first identify the right person. The next step is to work towards having the person agree to be your mentor. But what should you expect during this process? This blog explains what you may encounter, and what you should do in order to find the right mentor for you.