I help HR leaders create healthier, happier, and more productive workforces by replacing outdated EAPs with evidence-based wellbeing strategies that deliver real results.

Since 2011, I’ve worked across industries from mining to pharmaceuticals to early learning - designing programs for tens of thousands of employees that improve wellbeing, boost engagement, and cut turnover.

If you want to work with me, here are the ways you can:

1. Replace your EAP with our Wellbeing Enrichment Program - guaranteed higher engagement, value, and results than any EAP on the market (yes, even that one). 

2. Hire me as a consultant: To help you figure out where to start, what to do and how to do it when it comes to workplace wellbeing.

3. Access our Sustainable High Performance program - a 12-week, value-packed program that teaches your entire organisation how to perform at a high level without burning out. 

4. Get your very own Workplace Wellbeing Specialist: To upskill your people in health and wellbeing (through regular individual consultations) and work with you to optimise your work environment to make it easier for your people to be healthy and well.

5. Book me as a speaker: This is my favourite way to engage people and give them a whole lot of value in a short space of time. Our talks and workshops focus on practical knowledge and skills your people can use to improve their wellbeing and performance. 

6. Get some wellbeing initiatives: Want to book a massage therapist? Skin checks? Health checks? Meditation sessions? Group yoga? Group training? Healthy cooking demonstrations? Mental Health First Aid training? Regular First Aid training? Easy. We do it all so just ask.

If any of these look like something you could use, send me a DM.

Phil Wolffe

Kinex Health turns 8 this week!!

From our (very) humble beginnings to where we are now, it’s been a boot-strappingly wild ride.

Our very first contract was worth $600 for 6 weeks of boot camp classes in the city, which I thought was the greatest thing ever. 

That feeling has never gone away, and I still think every time someone trusts us to deliver for their people, it’s the greatest thing ever.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped us along the way.

To our staff, our contractors, our customers (some of whom have been with us from the very start), our network and everyone I’ve ever asked a dumb question, thank you for everything, and I think you’re the greatest thing ever.

No cake this year.

No faff.

We’ll raise a quick toast this weekend, check out the view from where we’ve made it to so far, then turn around, put our boots to the rock face and keep climbing.

Big things are coming in 2026 and we can’t wait to share them with you all!

Replacing EAP with a Better Way | Workplace Wellbeing Specialist | Building Sustainable High Performance in Teams

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11 underrated skills of the people everyone wants to work with:

1. They figure s**t out

2. They have a good sense of humour

3. They take accountability for the whole, not just their part

4. They're genuinely enthusiastic

5. They're easy to get along with

6. They're kind

7. They have a good energy (don't pretend you don't know what I mean)

8. They own their mistakes quickly

9. They share credit freely

10. They have good taste in music

11. They don't show baby pictures unless asked (or they at least limit it to one)


I know there's probably more but these are the big ones.

"Most people wait until their mental health is struggling before they start working on their mental fitness."

Last week I had the opportunity to present a session on Resilient and Resourceful Minds for Tzannes. 

It wasn't a session based on theory alone (because life doesn't happen in books). 

It was the practical side of mental health and mental fitness.

Both of those things aren't just something you have, but something you build, practise, and strengthen over time.

We explored things like:
 • How to recognise when your thinking is working against you (and change it)
 • Tools to reset your mental state during stressful moments
 • Habits that build mental fitness over time
 • How to get your discomfort reps in

Mental health is often framed around coping when things go wrong.

But mental fitness is about capability.

The ability to adapt, think clearly under pressure, and respond constructively to challenges (like when holding a 3 minute plank or wall-sit and having to think quickly AND identify emotions without losing your s**t 😂 ). 

It's always encouraging to see people taking the time out of a very busy schedule to learn something new. 

And even better when they're genuinely interested in strengthening their mental wellbeing and resilience.

Thank you all for having me, and I look forward to the next one!

In 10 days we're off to the Regional, Rural and Remote Early Childhood Forum in Coffs Harbour.

Our work this year is taking us all around the country, bringing welbeing and professional development to centres outside the major cities.

This is a fantastic opportunity to meet, speak to, and learn from the people we'll hopefully be working with, and we can't wait.

If you're attending, send me a DM, and make sure you come say hi to Ciara (pictured back right) and myself (pictured back left) because we'd love to talk to you!

Does anyone still use hashtags on LinkedIn?

I might be late to this party but it seems that since I've stopped using them, my content has gone further.

I still reach the same audience, just more of them.

Are hashtags dead?

Can they be revived so I can search relevant content?

Did this happen ages ago and I'm just noticing now?

Is this a Boomer question or can I safely retain my Elder Millennial status?

I’m currently waiting on some news that could transform our business (and eventually, the industry) overnight. 

I’m an optimist for sure, which means I often get disappointed when things don’t pan out the way I imagine.

I don’t know if you’re the same, but that’s a tough life. 

So I’ve had to start using tools that allow me to keep my optimism intact but that help me turn bad news into something more useful.

The Stoics called it premeditatio malorum (premeditation of evils).
I like to think of it as gaming out disappointment.

I imagine the worst realistic outcome has already happened.

I imagine how I’ll feel and how I’ll react.

Then I imagine what I will do next, and how I can turn it into something useful.

I find that whenever I use it, I instantly feel less anxious, because I’ve already experienced the “pain” and I have a plan for what’s next. 

Having said that, I would much prefer this news goes our way, but there’s a strong chance it won’t.

If it doesn’t, I know I’ll be alright, because I already was when I gamed it out, so I will be if it happens.

How do you deal with disappointment?

P.S. that’s a real question because I’ll need all the tools I can get if this one goes to s**t.

I think we might be overcomplicating our ways of working.

Before we add another framework, policy, or process, we should try this simple test:

If everyone just followed the rules, would they be:

1. Safe (physically and psychologically)

2. Productive (for the organisation)

3. Prosperous (for themselves and their families)

If someone has to go above and beyond just to achieve all three, the system is flawed.

Because in a well designed system, doing your job properly should already mean:

1. You stay safe

2. You create value

3. You build a decent life

So when you review your systems and processes, ask:

Is this safe?
Is this good for us?
Is this good for them?

If the answer is yes to all three, you are on the right track.

If the answer is no to any one of them, it needs work.

We can’t nail this every time, but we can use it as a guiding principle 

Too simple?

Happy to overcomplicate it (pending good reasoning in the comments).

Workplace Wellbeing Specialist | Building Sustainable High Performance in Teams | Replacing EAP with a Better Way

We tend to get a lot of calls from October onwards from people and teams who are struggling.

But burnout isn’t really an end-of-year problem.

Just putting on a jacket doesn’t help much after you’ve already got hypothermia.

It’s quicker, easier, and a lot less risky to stay warm than it is to get warm again.

Burnout works the same way.

It’s far easier to prevent than it is to recover from once it hits.

The teams that finish the year strong usually didn’t start thinking about recovery in October.

They started months earlier.

So if things feel fine right now, that’s the best time to build the habits that keep them that way, while you still feel like you don't need them.

If you do that, you might never need them.

‘Lazy’ is a lazy adjective. 

I’ve not met many truly lazy people. 

I’ve met lots who are disconnected or unmotivated.

Plenty who feel excluded or misunderstood.

A tonne who lack confidence or competence or both.

Heaps who are low on energy.

A whole swath who are in the wrong job or industry. 

Multitudes who have become disillusioned. 

Quite a few who lack purpose or direction.

Even more who don’t know why what they do matters.

A whole stack who have never had the right leadership or training. 

And a whole lot who have pushed as hard as they can for years and feel like they can’t do it anymore.

I’ve met all these people, but not many that I would truly call 'lazy'.

How about you?

I wish just once the things I wanted were either on THIS side of the s**t I don't want to do, or on the other side of the s**t I DO want to do 🙄

But once again, this statement has annoyed me in how true it has proven to be.

The latest iteration of this has been in building with Claude Code.

I put it off and put it off, but last Friday I started working with it, and it's changed everything.

I'm now brimming with ideas of all the things I can use it for, and how we can integrate it into our business.

It'll make things faster, easier, cheaper, and much less frustrating than trying to explain my ideas to even more frustrated team members. 

Believe me when I say, if I can do it, you can do it.

So, once again, the things I wanted were on the other side of the s**t I didn't want to do.

What are some of those things for you?

What's X???

For all my people people out there, I have a question...

If you could design the perfect Employee Assistance Program, what would it include?

We all know EAP needs (ahem) some work.

So, what kind of work?

What have you seen that you would love to incorporate?

What does yours have that's great?

What doesn't it have that you wish it did?

How could EAPs better support wellbeing? 

This is not just for HR, EX, P&C, people leaders, and wellbeing leads.

It's for anyone who's ever looked at an EAP and thought, “I wish our EAP did X."

Well, what’s X?

Imagine you need to build a boat. 

You have a willing and capable team and you start issuing instructions.

Team 1, you cut down the trees.

Team 2, you shape the trees into planks.

Team 3, you nail the planks together.

Team 4, you find some pitch to make it waterproof.

Team 5, you find some fabric and stitch together a sail.

The teams go about their work - maybe they have questions, maybe they don’t.

You spend your time running around telling them what to do and how to do it and solving problems as they arise.

After a time, the work is complete.

Then you launch the boat.

What happens?

(Open the article to read on).

View newsletter: Workplace Wellbeing Specialist

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and

Open article: On Purpose - The Task vs the Sea by Phil Wolffe • 4 min read

We specialise in the recruitment of exceptional people in Accounting, Finance, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources and Executive roles.

We are passionate about the industries we support and are advocates for creating healthy, progressive, and happy workplaces.

Whether you are a fresh graduate ready to embark on your career journey or a seasoned professional leading the charge at a senior level, or anywhere in between, we are here to support you and find you the best, most culturally suitable opportunities.

It's all about attitude and aptitude. We invest the time to really get to know our candidates and dig way deeper than what's on their resumes. This allows us to make well-suited introductions that form long-term partnerships.

If you are wondering what's next for you in your career or are looking to grow your team and are a little tired of the 'standard' recruitment process, we would love to hear from you.

Jesse Herrick

How good is the phone call screening feature that a lot of people are using....

I must say that my success rate for getting through to people is diminishing. 

Maybe it's my pitch:

Phone: "Record your name and reason for calling"

Me: "Jesse from Calidus Group. Job opportunity"

Phone: "Sorry, they are unavailable to take your call"

What would get you to pick up the call?

"Jesse, with your next pay rise"

"Your soon to be favourite recruiter"

"Jesse, with your next promotion"

Help me out!? 🤳 😁

Calidus Group

Specialist Recruiter for Accounting & Finance talent across public practice & high-growth SME / PE-backed businesses

Five common cringeworthy interview questions and what to ask instead!


1 - What's your biggest weakness?
Translation: Tell me a fake flaw that sounds like a strength.
Try this instead: What part of your last role did you find most challenging, and how did you handle it?

2 - Where do you see yourself in five years?
Nobody knows, nobody answers honestly. They just try to make it sound impressive. 
Try: What would you love to learn or master in your next role?

3 - Tell me about yourself.
No one shares the good stuff for fear of being judged. 
Try: What are you most proud of in your career so far, and why?

4 - Why should we hire you?
It puts them on the spot with no real context and just forces a sales pitch.
Try: What can you bring to this role that you think most people overlook?

5 - How do you handle stress?
Nobody reveals the truth of their maladaptive coping mechanisms. You need to wait a few months to learn those!
Try: "Tell me about a time you were under pressure at work. What went wrong, and how did you fix it?"

Interviews that cut through and allow real connection and honest conversation will always win.

Want honest answers? Ask better questions.

Ditch the cringe. Get real. You'll find the talent everyone else misses.

What are some interview questions that made you cringe?

Calidus Group

Connecting Accounting, Finance, Sales, Marketing & Operations Talent with the Right Opportunities

Everyone wants to know the secret to high-performing teams.

It's not budgets. It's not perks. It's not even fancy offices.

It's trust.

Not the fluffy kind. Not trust that people will be polite, or show up on time.

I'm talking about brutal honesty. Teams where you can call out a bad idea or admit you missed the mark and feel safe doing so. 

I've seen it across top-performing Accounting, Finance, Sales and Marketing teams. The best teams don't sweep issues under the rug. They argue. They debate. They admit mistakes. They fix things, fast.

No trust, no progress. With trust, there's momentum. People take risks. They own results. No one hides when things get hard.

Funny thing is, most leaders talk about "teamwork," but never ask if their people actually trust each other, or build a culture that celebrates it. 

You want a top team? Build real trust, and allow people to feel safe being vulnerable. 

Calidus Group

#topteams #trust #performance

Here's what's working for the companies that are winning the best talent...


Flexibility is a must-have. Even one or two days a week of remote work makes a difference. It's not about extremes; it's about giving people trust and options so they can focus and perform.

Fast, clear hiring wins. Top candidates want businesses with vision, not endless delays and hoops. A clear, quick process gets you noticed for the right reasons.

Show your growth path. The best talent wants to know you'll back their ambition. Share real examples of people you've promoted or invested in. Paint a picture of where someone could actually go.

Be open about culture. Candidates want to see how you support wellbeing, teamwork, and performance, day in, day out. You can't fake that, and you don't have to.

Forget perfect CVs with endless tick-boxes. Hire for attitude, curiosity, and potential. The rest you can teach.

In 2026, the advantage goes to businesses bold enough to move first, communicate clearly, and offer genuine flexibility. That's how you build trust and attract the people you want on your side.

Calidus Group

#talent #recruitment

One of the best recruitment strategies is retention. 


We just helped a CFO land a new role they never saw coming. When I reached out, they weren't searching. They were comfortable. Telling themselves things were fine. Going through the motions. 

But the truth is, most high performers know deep down when they're outgrowing their environment. The only thing holding them back is fear of the unknown.

What really tipped the scales? Their leaders promised support, but their actions said otherwise. No real backing. No additional resources. Just more demands.

The true stars want more than a title and a payslip. They want to be challenged, backed, and trusted with real responsibility.

If you're serious about attracting and keeping the best, create space for ambition. Follow through on your promises. Build an environment where high achievers can outgrow even their own expectations.

Because when you do, you'll find your talent isn't looking elsewhere. They're building the future with you.

Calidus Group

#talent #finance #recruitment

Every day, I speak with Accountants and Auditors who ask the same question:

“Should I stay in public practice, or move into commercial?”

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. But there are a few things worth thinking about before you decide.

1. Why do you want to leave?
 Is it the work itself, the workload, or the people you work with?

2. If you genuinely don’t enjoy the work
Whether it’s Business Services or Audit, the decision becomes fairly straightforward.

3. If you like the work but the workload is overwhelming
 It may not be public practice that’s the issue — it may just be the firm.
 There are firms out there with a healthier work-life balance.

4. If the culture isn’t right
Sometimes it simply comes down to the people. There are plenty of other firms worth exploring.

5. What are you working towards?
Do you have the ambition to become a Partner one day?
It’s a great goal, but it’s not an easy path.

If partnership isn’t something you’re aiming for, then the next question becomes: when is the right time to move into commercial?

For many accountants, the natural point tends to be after completing their CA/CPA and reaching the Manager level.

Everyone’s path is different — but being clear on why you want to move makes the decision much easier.

Calidus Group

Most SME hiring falls into the same trap.

Quick ad. Generic interview. Roll the dice and hope for the best.

It feels efficient in the moment, but the payback comes fast. The new starter doesn't click, isn't actually engaged in the work, or leaves before probation ends.

That's when the regret hits. The time lost. The cost to team morale. Another round of "maybe next time."

It doesn't have to be like this.

Here's how to tackle it differently.

Start with a real conversation about what's actually needed. Not just a list of duties, but the pressure points and the gaps nobody talks about. Get the team's input. What's missing? Where do they actually need help?

Write a job ad that sounds like you, not something pulled from AI. Be specific about the culture, the pace, and what someone will own.

In interviews, ditch the safe questions. Build scenarios out of your hardest days and ask candidates how they'd handle them. Look for honest answers, not the perfect script.

Trust your gut, but also check for red flags. Is the candidate curious? Do they ask good questions? Do they get what matters to your team?

And before you pull the trigger, picture the person in your Monday meeting. Can you see them dealing with the reality, or just handling the basics?

SMEs can't afford to guess on hiring.

Question every shortcut. Make the process fit your business, your people, and your challenges.

If you want someone who sticks, every step has to be intentional.

That's how you break the cycle and build a team that lasts.

Calidus Group

Our brains are not designed to help us succeed!

They are designed to keep us safe and to help us survive.

The resistance we feel before taking action on something outside of our comfort zone, the little voice telling us to take a rest or to rationalise taking the easy way out, are all our brain's way of keeping us safe.

It's easy to get on board with our brain's safety plan because it feels good. But if we consistently give in when we feel any level of resistance, waiting for it to feel right or for the conditions to be perfect, we will make little progress.

Being conscious of the fact that just because your brain is sending signals to stop, it's not a sure sign that the thing you're about to do is bad or that you're in danger, you can challenge the feeling and do the thing. 

What can you tackle today that you've been putting off?

Calidus Group

What makes you stand out as a candidate?


Communication, presentation and confidence! 

People make hiring decisions based on how they feel about someone. Whilst there needs to be a foundation of relevant skills and experience, the rest comes down to how well you connect.

Sparks won't fly for every interaction and interview because you won't hit it off with everyone you meet. 

To stack the odds in your favour, practise listening more than you speak, using clear, succinct communication rather than long monologues, be curious and try to find common ground. 

It's hard to show up and deliver your best performance with all of the nervous energy flowing, which is why rehearsing and knowing what you will say and ask will help, and the rest will be what it will be.

Calidus Group

🚨New Opportunity - Business Services Senior Manager🚨
📍Sydney, CBD

We are supporting a growing boutique accounting firm that is looking to hire its next future Partner! 

This is a succession opportunity, and an excellent chance to fast-track your pathway to partnership with an established portfolio. 

You will have the opportunity to work closely with the Managing Partner and gradually take ownership of client relationships. 

They are a well-established firm with an excellent reputation and a client base comprising real estate, medical, and aged care businesses, as well as high-net-worth family groups. 

Please reach out for more info if you would like to explore the opportunity.

Calidus Group

🚨 New Opportunities - Audit Assistant Manager 🚨
📍Sydney CBD + Chatswood 

We are currently supporting two leading firms in their search for their next Audit Assistant Manager. It's a great time of year to be considering your options before the next busy season swings into gear.

Is work-life-balance and an attractive culture at the top of your list? Check these out:

Firm 1 :
 
- Progressive mid-tier firm with over 100 staff
- Two offices - Chatswood and Miranda
- Realistic upward mobility to Manager and beyond
- Well-resourced teams and a solid support structure, with 2 days WFH
- 5 weeks of annual leave
- Not-for-profit and aged care specialists
 
Firm 2:
 
- National mid-tier accounting firm with a growing audit division
- Interesting and diverse client base with industries including manufacturing, wholesale, construction, mining, marketing and some NFPs
- Sydney CBD-based, plus a second office in Parramatta
- WFH flexibility 1-2 days per week (post probation)
- Healthy work-life-balance and vibrant and upbeat culture

Please reach out for more info:

Jesse@calidusgroup.com.au
0421 713 236

Calidus Group

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The Battle

Phil Wolffe

Jesse Herrick

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taplio

The Battle

Phil Wolffe

Jesse Herrick

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Phil Wolffe's LinkedIn Performance

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