Taking Staff Resignations Personally

funny moments in between. So, whether you're in business already, you're wanting to start, or you're even not in business at all and you're just looking for some inspiration or you want to hear a great story, this is the podcast for you. Coming up in today's episode, we are diving into a topic that is as real as it gets. Staff turnover. Now, if you're anything like me, you probably never gave much thought to what it's like when someone

decides to part ways with your business. But let me tell you.

But here's the thing, it's not not even close. Having staff come and go is just another part of the entrepreneurial journey, albeit it's a tricky one. So in today's episode, we're going to unpack it all the highs, the lows, and everything in between, because when it comes down to it, handling staff turnover is just another lesson in resilience, adaptability, and the art of moving forward. Anyway, time is money,

So let's get down to business. I'm going to start this episode with a question that I've had a few of you ask me on my Instagram account, and I guess it's a good place to start for this. I've had so many people ask me when is the right time to hire that first employee for your business. Every business owner, at some point is going to get to that stage where they feel like they need to make their first hire, especially if you've started it yourself and

you're doing all the groundwork. As for me, I knew. I think you, like Kath and Kim say, you just feel it in your orders when you need to hire that first employee. For me, my first employee, I hired kind of as just like a general assistant, and I hired her as a casual employee because I was so scared that I wasn't going to have enough work for her to do. And mind you, this is when I had started Fate, and it was underneath the garage, underneath the garage. No, it was in the garage. It was

in the garage under my house. And I was also doing all my influencing at this time, and I'd been managing myself doing that for years, and even then I was scared, even though I had all these brand deals I was doing that she could have helped me organize with the emails, and she was going to be helping me pack all of our orders, I still had that fear and worry that I wasn't going to have enough money to pay her or I wasn't going to have

enough work for her to do. But when it comes to making that first hire, you'll know yourself that you're ready for it because you will feel completely stretched. And with the financial side of hiring someone as well, you also want to make sure that your business is in a good financial point and you've got a decent cash flow coming in every week so that you can afford to pay that person. So that could even be a question for your accountant. It's hey, can we look at

our numbers? Do I have enough money coming in that I can afford to pay this person? And what I've found as well is as as it is to hire that first employee. Trust me, I know the feeling all too well. When you hire someone new. You can't just see it as you're paying them and they are an expense. It's actually an asset for your business because that person is then going to be able to generate your business

more money. They're going to take things off your hands. Yes, you're going to pay them to do it, but then you're going to have more time to do the things that are more important, which is going to bring more money into your business. So moving on to the juicy stuff. Why do employees choose to leave their roles? Well, the reasons are as varied as the individuals themselves. And if there's one thing that I've learned in hiring so many

people over the years is just how different everyone is. Like, we all know that we're individuals, but hiring people and working with them will just open your eyes to how different we all truly are, from pursuing new career opportunities to seeking better work life balance, or it can even be as simple as they think your workplace this is horrible and they hate their job. You can't control the way people feel. There's no shortage of factors that can

lead someone to resign from their position. But let's be real for a minute. Staff turnover isn't just about saying goodbye to familiar faces. It's about navigating the inevitable waves of change that come crashing down on your business. It's about adapting to new dynamics, redistributing responsibilities, and yes, occasionally

feeling like you're back at square one. I had someone in my Big Business podcast DMS my Instagram account asked me a question the other day, and the question was, being in the shoes of your old bosses, do you feel bad for leaving some jobs the way you did? And that's a great question because That's something that I've thought about a lot over the years, especially now that I'm on the other side. And I'm sure most of you would know, especially if you've listened to my first

episode of Big Business. I had a lot of jobs back in the day, and I was just on this constant hunt trying to find what it was that I liked. And admittedly I quit jobs in the worst way possible, to be honest with you, I never had a job long enough where I really mattered, you know, like I never started a career or anything, and then had the opportunity to like leave in a really nice way and

do the handover and send off and all that. I was getting jobs and having them for a month and then text and saying I quit, or just like not showing up at all to like waitressing jobs. I never really experienced a career. I remember I had one career sort of role when I lived in Brisbane when I was like twenty and I was an assistant to this big regional manager. And I quit in the right way then because I was moving home to Newcastle and they did like a lovely send off and like got me

a card and everything, and that was really nice. But looking back, I never used to give a fuck about the way that I quit jobs with my companies. Over the years, it's definitely made me look at it in a different way, and I've done some self reflection and thought, shit, I was never once caring about the impact me leaving

would maybe have on that business. And it's like a weird thing to think about as well, because it's like where do employees draw the line with how much they care versus how much they just want to go and live their life. And I still see it that way as an owner now, like I would hate for someone to just quit their job and not show up the next day, and like we've pretty much had that happen,

like people ghost us before. Being an owner. Now I can see the other side of how impactful that actually can be to a business and the shit that happens after that, and how the business has to pick up all the pieces of someone just leaving. But at the same time, I still think back to my twenty year old self and when I would just quit jobs, and I still get it. So it's a really interesting predicament to be in to be able to look at it

from both sides of the fence. People always say, like, your employees are never going to care about your business as much as you do. And sure you'll get some really passionate employees and they will live and breed the business, especially if you're a smaller business. I think it's very different if you're working for a huge business, like you're not going to care about it like it's your own.

But when you're the founder and you are working with your employees every single day, you are going to find those people that are super passionate about it and would like die for the business and whatever. Not quite literally, but you know what I'm saying. But one thing that I've had to remind myself of over the years, and when I've spoken with other friends that own businesses and they're having a hard time because someone in their team is leaving, it's really hard to not take it personally,

but you've got to remember. And one thing I like to remind myself of is their life is far more important than my business, even though my business is everything to me and this is my world, like fate is my world, but it's not my employee's world. And I always I've said that to friends that have said, hey,

like this girl's leaving, Like what do I do. I'm like, you've got to let people do what they want to do, because that's all I ever did in life in my early time is I didn't care what the business thought of me. I'd go, I'm quitting because I'm going on

to the next thing. So that's one thing that I am always super mindful of is, yes, we want people to work for us that are super passionate about us and the business and everything, but at the end of the day, like their life and what they want to do is far more important than that, and I think that's what we need to embrace as business owners. And here's the thing. Staff turnover isn't always a bad thing. In fact, it can be a catalyst for growth an

evolution within your business. As the old saying says, one door closes, another one opens. And every time someone does leave our workplace, I see it as an opportunity. It's not something to get upset about. It's a new and exciting opportunity. It's an opportunity for new perspectives, fresh ideas, and diverse skill sets. All of these can breathe new life into your business. And as tough as people leaving can be, I have learned to get excited by it.

So as you navigate the twist in terms of staff turnover, remember this change in business is inevitable, but growth is optional. So we need to embrace the opportunities that come with each new chapter and never underestimate the resilience of your team or yourself as an owner. So let's chat about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with staff turnover. I thought I would also say I'm not majorly experiencing staff turnover. We have had a few. Like we're still quite new

to business. I've got a lot of staff that've been working with me for years and years and years. We've had a few people come and go over the years, and if I'm being honest, we've dealt more with having to fire people from their roles than people actually leaving. So, anyway, have you ever had a bad breakup, whether it was a relationship or even a friendship breakup like they suck? I have experienced both of these, and they fucking hurt

in a weird way. Sometimes having staff resign can feel like a breakup in a weird sort of way, And I guess this is also dependent on the situation. I'm sure, the CEO of Kmart doesn't really care if someone working at their local Westfield store resigns, but I guess I'm more so speaking from the experience of starting out really small, when you're working super closely with all of your employees, having them leave can really hurt, and weirdly can have

you make you question yourself. I've had people leave their roles over the years, and even if it's been in the most positive way and we've ended everything on great terms, I've still laid in bed at night and thought, fuck, am I even a good boss? Even if they've left in the most positive way, I will still lay in bed at night and go what could have I done better?

From the moment that you find out that one of your team members is moving on, maybe they drop the bombshell during a casual conversation, or perhaps you get an official resignation letter in your inbox. Either way, it can feel like a part to the gut and suddenly you're hit with a wave of emotions shock, disbelief, maybe even a hint of sadness, and those self questioning thoughts start rolling in. But here's a thing. It's okay to feel

those emotions in fact, it's perfectly normal. We are only human, after all. These are the people that you've worked alongside, laughed with, and maybe even shared a few happy hour drinks with. But here's the kicker. While it's okay to feel sad or disappointed, it's also important to remember that this isn't the end of the world. In fact, it's just the beginning of a new chapter for both you and your team member. So instead of dwelling on the negative,

try and focus on the positive. Celebrate the time that you've had together, the memories you've shared, and the lessons that you've learned along the way. I think the same thing for breakups too. As shit as they are, they are an opportunity. We just really struggle to see that in the moment. Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room, reject yep I said it. For many of us, having someone resign from their role, it can feel like a personal rejection, like we're not good enough or that

we somehow failed as leaders. But here's the truth. When someone resigns from their role, it's not about you. It's never about you. I thought I would also add in here this is me just speaking from my experience sometimes people resigning can be a reflection of the owner if the owner has done something terribly wrong. But me, in my business, I would never want to do wrong by someone or anyone. So again I'm only speaking from my experience.

People leave for all sorts of reasons, career advancement, personal growth, or even just a change of scenery. It's rarely, if ever, a reflection of your leadership or your worth as a person. I feel like I just need to disclaim They're like. It depends on the situation. So how do you navigate this emotional rollercoaster with grace and resilience. Well, it starts with acceptance, acceptance that change is a natural part of

life and business. I'll actually never forget many many years ago, it would have been probably four years ago, I had an employee, and this was only when I had a couple of employees. I had an employee say to me, as we were growing and I was hiring some new people, I don't deal well with change, and my eye just started twitching in the corner. With business, you have to embrace change, especially if you want to grow a business. I'll just never I'll never forget her saying that to me.

I was like, girl, if you don't like change, like you've got a lot coming for you in life, because life is full of changes, and so is Fate. Because we were this tiny, little baby and I knew that I wanted to grow. The thing other things that you have to accept is that you can't control everything, no matter how hard you try, and acceptance that sometimes the best thing you can do is let go and trust

that everything will work out in the end. A funny thought that I I have to myself, and there's a lot usually when I'm laying in bed at night, is about the fact that everyone that I have working for me now, like we have sixty plus employees at Fate, there's a high chance that one day they're all not going to work for me anymore. Why are you scrunching up your face at that. Yeah, it's just a bit scary. It is scary. And this is a real, a real thought to have, especially for us, because we are in

this business where we're all young. Everyone that works for Fate is in their twenties and thirty. Like I'm the oldest employee, I'm pretty sure, like I'm the oldest one. So it's inevitable that people are going to want to change things up. Sure, I'd love to keep everyone that's working for me right now, forever and ever and ever. But like, how many people do you actually know that have worked in the one job their whole life? When you hire people to you have in your mind the

consideration that there's career progression for them within Fate. Absolutely, and that's one thing that we are huge on at FATE. I'm all for career growth within Fate, and the girls that are working for me now that have been with me for years would be able to vouch for that. I would never want to be a workplace where I'm just hiring someone and I want them to stay where

they are forever. Like I'm all for it. Of course, growth also has to be earned in a way from staff, Like you can't just keep making someone grow if they don't want it or they don't have the initiative. But I'm huge on growth, and I would only hope that everyone that I have working with me now can continue to grow with the company as it grows. I would never want them to leave to go and do something

else because they felt like they weren't getting anywhere. But I think one of the challenges I have as a business owner is getting my company to that point where I can keep the girls growing in their roles, if you know what I mean, such as constant trying to grow and people express to us, hey, like I'm interested in growing, and I'm like, all right, bear with me, Like give me six months and I'm going to try and make this happen. And I've done that for some staff,

so it's really interesting. Like I'd love everyone, I'm sure every business owner, especially if you've got a great team, you want them forever. I want them to be with me forever. But sometimes I stop and think, I'm like, fuck, maybe one day I'm never going to be working with these girls again, like because they're going to be in their forties one day and their fifties, and like, is

fate even going to be a thing? Then, Like, these are the thoughts that I have, and it's just really weird to think about on this I thought i'd take it back a bit. In a previous episode, I spoke about setting boundaries and how I refuse to hire friends. If you miss that episode, I don't know what episode it was, but I talk about my experience with hiring friends in the past. It might have been episode two or three, and how it's just a rule that I

have now, So let's put ourselves into a scenario. It was episode three. I've just got confirmation, So let's put ourselves into a scenario. Picture this. One of your employees, the one you've bonded with over countless coffee runs and office banter, suddenly drops a bombshell that they're moving on for whatever. Eat an ouch, right, It's like a dagger to the heart, especially when you formed a genuine connection

with them outside of the office. And I think this is where I ran into issues in those early days. Is obviously my business was so different back then to what it is now. But I was friends with all of the girls that were working with me because we were like a small little team of like three or four of us sitting together every day. We became such good friends. I became friends with their partners. AJ became friends with their partners. And this is where business becomes

blurry if you have those really personal friendships. And then what if one day they decide I want to take a different career path. That's fine, Like I'm all for that. I'm never going to stop anyone from doing what they want to do, because that's what I'm all about, Like, fucking go, Like if you want to go become a paramedic, like, go do it. Like, I'm never going to stop someone

from doing what they want. But when it's your business and then your friends with them, like, it becomes so tricky when someone does come to that point of wanting to resign. And here's a thing with scenarios like that. As much as it hurts, it's important to maintain a professional demeanor in times of staff turnover. Sure you might want to hug it out or shed a tear together,

but remember you're still the boss. So it makes it an awkward scenario if you're friends, But then you have to put on your professional hat in the situation and handle it with grace and dignity. Now that's not to say that you can't show a little empathy along the way.

In fact, it's quite the opposite. Of course, you're going to acknowledge your team member's decision with genuine understanding and support, let them know that you appreciate their honesty and that you wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavors. But here's where things get a little sticky. The dreaded what now moment, the moment when you realize that you're not just losing a team member, your friendship is also going to be different from here on out. And trust me,

I speak from experience with this. I'm not saying your friendship's going to end and that it'll be forever and you'll be enemies, but mixing business and friendships will always change things within your friendships. And the silver lining with this, I guess, is that just because someone leaves your team, it doesn't necessarily mean they've got to leave your life. I will admit that's a really hard thing for me to do. It's really hard for anyone to learn to

set boundaries with your staff, especially given our business. Like I mentioned before, we are all around the same age. Everyone that I work with is my age or a few years younger. Everyone's in their twenties, everyone's in their thirties. So it's actually so and we all get along really well. That's the other thing too, and it's so hard. I've even had friends in business say like, how do you

not become friends with your employees? Like you're working together every day, you're sitting across from each other, You're going to get lunch together. Like it's really natural for us to form friendships, and I've done that in the past, where we become friends and then that goes outside of work. So it's really tricky because I'd love to just say to all my stuff, fuck it, let's go to the pub,

and like sometimes we do, but I don't know. It's just something I've really learned over the years is that you just have to draw that line and know this is a work relationship. I can't be I can't become really good friends with this one because you've always just got to think of the bigger picture and into the future, like what's going to happen in three years if they are going to leave, and then you've got this friendship. I don't know. It's absolutely messy, but it's a part

of it. So as you navigate the personal and professional divide during times of staff turnover, remember this. It's okay to feel a little sad or nostalgic. It's okay to miss your coworker turned friend, but above all, remember to cherish the memories that you've shared and look forward to

the new ones that are yet to come. I've really learned over the years that as sad and shit as it is and hard it is to have someone leave and have to piece it all back together and hire someone new in their place and start all over again, as fucked as that can be, it's also equally as exciting. So how exactly should we handle staff leaving? Let's talk about some more practical strategies, And I want to stress, as Fate has grown, these are really only things that

we've implemented over the last few years. They certainly aren't things that I knew how to do in those early days of business at all. When people would quit back in the day, I wouldn't know what the fuck to do. I'd literally be like, what do I do? But now as we've gotten bigger, we've obviously got some things in place for when this happens. Firstly, your role with dealing with resignation begins well before anyone resigns. How by building

a great company culture. It's our job as owners to build a culture where our employees feel valued, heard and understood. It's something that's so important to us at Fate, and the bigger we grow, the more we are trying to retain that. Because I think companies get to a certain size where they're so big that they can't have that good company culture anymore because it's just grown so big

beyond you could ever imagine. But one thing that's really important for us at FATE is that we try to keep it that way no matter how many more people we hire. We want to create a workplace that people can enjoy showing up to every day. We want to have managers in all areas of our businessiness that their teams feel comfortable going to them about things. I can't even tell you how many times I've had managers over the years that I hated or like they were mean

or nasty or a bitch. Having a good company culture is everything, and it's going to do you a world of wonders in the long run. They forget that the culture is the foundation of everything. Do you hire culture before experience? A lot of the times we have, like a lot of our especially for our office where we're

all working so closely together. Yes, we want people that are going to be able to do the job, but being in the industry that we're in, a lot of the roles that we do have, they can be taught, so we will more so be looking for those personality hires someone that's going to come in and fit in

the team. That's the other thing you have to be so mindful of as well when hiring people is are they going to be a good fit in the team, Because with hiring someone new and bringing them into your business, you run the risk of, like if you put that one bad person in the mix, like they can throw off the whole culture. And it's something that you have to be so careful with. And I guess people, I didn't realize when I started Fate how important making the

right higher is and now it's everything to us. Yes, we want to hire those people that have the skills and that can do the job, but especially when you're in a smaller team like us, you want them to be able to fit into that culture. By having a great company culture, you're probably going to increase your chances of staff staying with you for longer. And if the time comes when they do want to go elsewhere, it's going to make resigning a whole lot better of a

situation for both them and you. So your staff member has told you they're leaving, remember to remain professional and not let your feelings get in the way. I can't imagine how many times, especially if you've got that personal friendship there, people are going, I'm leaving and the boss goes what you can't leave like You can't be like that. You have to remain professional, even though it can feel like, oh my god, why are you leaving? Why you doing

this to us? You can't be like that. When someone resigns, it also gives you the opportunity to have the staff member give you feedback on their role and your business, which is otherwise known as an exit interview. These conversations can be extremely valuable to your business and can help you to uncover any underlying issues within your company. And last, but not least, let's talk about turning lemons into lemonade. I'm talking about leveraging staff turnover as an opportunity for

growth and improvement. So take a step back and ask yourself, what can we learn from this experience. How can we use this transition to make our team stronger, our process is more efficient, and our culture more inclusive. If there's one thing that having staff come and go within your business will teach you, it will be the power of resilience. And I'm not saying that in a way where you'll bounce back from a staff member believing like it's no

bloody big deal. I'm talking more about digging deep, finding your strength, and pushing forward no matter what life throws your way in business, because let's face it, there will be bloody setbacks, there will be challenges, and there will be days or even weeks where you feel like throwing in the towel. Been there, done that. But believe it or not, it's through these moments of adversity that your

true resilience shines through. I haven't learned everything that I have learned from all the fun we have at work or all the clothes that we sell. I have learned everything and am the way that I am from those times that have pushed me to my absolute limit. So when it does come to staff leaving, we have to always maintain a positive mindset. Remaining positive, especially in times of adversity, can make all of the difference. Well, anyway, my friends, that is another episode of big business out

there in the universe. I've got to end it with my tip of the week. Take your time, don't jump into hiring someone, especially based off your personal feelings. If there's ever a slither of doubt take your time with that as well, because I feel like I've got instinct is always right. If you've interviewed someone and you're still not one hundred percent sure, or there's something that you'd

like some more clarification on, speak with them again. Don't jump into it because when you're hiring someone, I know it's probably not something that people think about a lot. That hiring someone is a huge risk in business, and once they're in your company and in there, they are in there anyway. As always, please subscribe to my podcast if you haven't already, and I'm not going to say no. If you want to leave me a five star rating. That's all from me this week, and I'll be in

your ears next week. Thanks for listening. Oh I forgot to say chase after your dreams as if they owe you money. I can't forget that one