What does Tradie Resources do?

Tradie Resources provides practical HR and WHS support for tradies and service-based businesses across Australia.

We help with employment contracts, workplace policies, payroll setup, award compliance, and safety systems - making it easier to manage employees and stay compliant with Fair Work and WHS requirements.

Do you only work with trade businesses?

Our focus is HR and WHS for tradies, including construction, electrical, plumbing, and service-based businesses.

We also support related industries such as logistics and manufacturing. For businesses outside this space, we operate a separate HR consultancy at 360hrconnect.au

Why is HR important for tradies?

HR for tradies ensures your business is set up properly to manage employees, reduce risk, and comply with Fair Work laws.

Without proper systems, many trades businesses face issues with payroll, contracts, and employee disputes.

What is WHS for tradies?

WHS (Work Health and Safety) for tradies involves implementing systems to keep workers safe on-site and ensure compliance with Australian safety laws.

This includes safety inductions, SWMS, risk assessments, and incident reporting.

Do I need employment contracts for my employees?

Every trades business should have written employment contracts for employees, apprentices, and subcontractors.

Contracts set clear expectations around pay, conditions, and responsibilities while protecting your business from disputes.

Can you help draft or review employment contracts?

Yes - we draft and review employment contracts tailored to your business and the relevant award.

This includes full-time, part-time, casual, and apprentice contracts, as well as subcontractor agreements.

What workplace policies should a trades business have?

Most businesses should have:

• an employee handbook
• workplace behaviour policies
• leave and entitlements policies
• WHS policies and procedures

These policies help ensure consistency and compliance when managing employees.

Can I just use free contract or policy templates online?

Generic templates often don’t reflect your business, industry, or applicable award.

Incorrect contracts and policies can create compliance risks, especially around pay, overtime, and termination.

What is Fair Work and how does it apply to my business?

Fair Work governs employment laws in Australia, including pay, leave, and termination.

All businesses must comply with Fair Work legislation and applicable awards.

Can you help us interpret or apply our Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA)?

Yes. We can review your EBA in detail, break down its obligations (wages, breaks, allowances, RDOs, overtime, etc.), and help integrate it into your payroll systems such as Employment Hero. We also prepare cheat sheets to support practical application.

Do you offer payroll setup and ongoing processing?

Absolutely. We specialise in building compliant payroll systems tailored to your specific award or agreement - we use Employment Hero Payroll. We can also take care of weekly or fortnightly payroll processing (in line with the relevant award or agreement), including timesheet review, compliance checks, STP submissions, and superannuation.

Can you set up and manage Employment Hero for us?

Yes. We’re experienced in setting up Employment Hero Payroll from scratch - including configuring awards, creating employee profiles, migrating leave balances, and building complex rule sets (like EBAs). Ongoing management is available as part of our tailored payroll services.

Do you offer support with WorkCover claims or registration?

Yes. We assist employers in understanding their obligations under their relevant WorkCover, setting up WorkCover insurance, and managing claims or disputes. We also guide you through notification, reporting, and return-to-work processes.

Can you help with performance management and reviews?

We can provide performance review templates, facilitate check-ins, and train managers in effective feedback and performance processes. We also offer simple, tailored systems (like shared forms or spreadsheets) to track progress, goals, and employee development. We can also manage the end-to-end process of conducting performance reviews, or managing underperformance.

Do you assist with difficult terminations or HR disputes?

Yes - we offer support around terminations, redundancies, disciplinary processes, and compliance with the Fair Work Act. We aim to minimise legal risk and provide you with step-by-step guidance, including documentation and communication templates. We can provide guidance so you or your team can manage the process, or we can take over the process entirely.

What is award compliance?

Award compliance means paying employees correctly under the applicable modern award, including overtime, allowances, and penalties.

Many employers unknowingly underpay staff due to misunderstanding award requirements.

Can you help us understand which award applies to our business?

Yes - we can assess your business activities and employee duties to determine the correct Modern Award(s). We then interpret the award provisions (e.g. pay rates, allowances, rostering rules) to help ensure full compliance with Fair Work requirements.

Can you tell us exactly what to pay our employees?

Yes. We provide tailored wage assessments and BOOT (Better Off Overall Test) analysis, breaking down how much you need to pay under the award (or EBA), what allowances apply, and how to manage overtime, penalty rates, or flat rates without breaching the law.

We’re paying above-award – do we still need to track hours or overtime?

Yes - if you’re paying a salary or flat rate, you still need to track time and ensure that employees remain better off overall. We can review your arrangements and prepare a detailed offset analysis to confirm how many hours of overtime your current rate covers.

What happens if we need to fire or discipline an employee?

We guide you through lawful termination processes to minimise risk of unfair dismissal or general protections claims. This includes issuing warnings, conducting investigations, and documenting poor performance or misconduct - step by step.

Do you help with rosters and workforce planning?

Yes - we can support you with rostering practices that comply with award limits (e.g. maximum hours, breaks between shifts), while also helping you manage RDOs and casual staff. We can also advise on structuring shifts around project needs and compliance.

Can you train our admin staff or site managers on HR and payroll?

Yes - we can run tailored training for internal staff on award interpretation, payroll processing, performance management, and more!

Do you support Fair Work disputes or audits?

Yes - we assist with responses to Fair Work audits, help with backpay calculations, draft correspondence, and support your business in negotiations or dispute resolution processes. Early support can prevent penalties or reputational damage.

What WHS documents do I need?

Most trades businesses require:

• WHS management plan
• SWMS
• risk assessments
• safety procedures
• incident reporting systems

These form the foundation of compliance and safe work practices.

Can you help us set up HR and WHS systems from scratch?

Yes. We specialise in building HR and WHS frameworks for trades businesses - including contracts, policies, payroll systems, and safety processes.

Do you offer ongoing HR and WHS support?

Yes. We offer ongoing advisory support to help with managing employees, compliance, and day-to-day HR or WHS issues.

How do you price your services?

We offer project-based pricing, hourly consulting, and ongoing support options depending on your needs.

Can you help us grow our team?

Absolutely. We help businesses scale from their first employee through to larger teams by implementing structured HR and WHS systems.