I help HR leaders create healthier, happier, and more productive workforces by replacing outdated EAPs with evidence-based wellbeing strategies that deliver real results.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

Welp, if there’s a better way to start the year, I don’t know what it is. 

We’d planned to go to the South Coast for a week with friends when a client asked if I would run a workshop to get their team switched on and ready for a big year - on the South Coast. 

Since that’s my favourite part of this job (and it was literally on the way to holidays) I of course said yes. 

Word got out and 1 workshop turned into 4 and a quick stop into 2 full days but still, pretty good universal alignment, I would say. 

Here’s to plenty more of that this year and to choosing the work that makes you happy. 

Let’s go!

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

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Something that's not talked about much with burnout is how it erodes your sense of purpose.

That's what it does to a lot of people and that's why it can be so hard to shake - because you lose a big piece of yourself.

Shelley Johnson and I talked about this and heaps more when we caught up to talk all things work and wellbeing.

This one's for the leaders, the workers, and anyone trying to figure out how to work well while staying healthy.

Give it a listen and let us know what you thought in the comments (which is where the link will be).

#burnout #leadership

Giving 100% effort at work is a trap.

Not only do you get diminsihing returns over time, but there's nowhere to go but down.

I'm a real 85% type of guy.

You can give that level of effort indefinitely and it gives you room to ramp things up when you need to.

Plus, chances are you'll actually enjoy your work and your life if you're not absolutely spent at the end of each day.

Shelley and I talked about this and heaps more in our chat, so make sure you check it out and let me know your views!

#burnout

I don’t put a lot of stock in awards. 

I think most of them are performative nonsense you can easily buy - but this one I’ll gladly accept. 

My nieces think I’m smart, kind and funny. 

As far as recognition goes, that’s about as good as it gets.

I thought 2024 was going to be the best year ever, and it was. 

Then, I thought 2025 was going to be even better, and it was.

Now, I reckon 2026 is going to be even better than those two. 

This is not a wait-and-hope type thing.

I'm sowing the seeds of the life I want to live, and actively working to create the conditions to make that life a reality.

That means two things above all:

1. Saying no to things that don't align with the life I want to live, even if they're easy and/or tempting.

2. Saying yes to things that do align with the life I want to live, even if they're hard and/or scary.

I don't always get to do what I want (none of us do) but I've made a conscious choice to build a life that allows me to do more of what I want to do.

So, for that reason, I reckon 2026 is going to be the best year ever. 

Let's see how it pans out.

Ahh January 27th, the day the year actually starts.

And it's going to be a big year!

This is what we're doing at Kinex Health:

1. An alternative to outdated EAPs
I'm sick of reactive, low-value programs that don't do what they say on the tin - so we created something proactive, holistic, and accountable instead. It's called the Welbeing Enrichment Program and its the end of traditional EAPs. 

2. Backing early childhood educators (with Macquarie Uni)
We've co-designed a comprehenisive wellbeing program with the Early Childhood Educators Wellbeing Project and we're running an RCT to prove that it works. 

3. Showing up for regional and remote communities
Phil and Ciara are taking Kinex on the road all around Australia with a roving office (caravan) to reach communities that often miss out on PD and wellbeing initiatives. 

4. Sustainable high performance
We’re expanding our Sustainable High Performance Program and teaching teams how to perform at a high level without burning out. 

5. Elevating great practitioners
We’re backing the people doing wellbeing properly and bringing more and more exceptional practitioners into our work this year. 

2026 is going to be our biggest year yet, and I can't wait to get stuck in. 

If any of this piques your interest or aligns with what you're tackling this year, send me a DM and let's chat.

This is a PSA to all the extroverts from us introverts. 

You’re great. 

We like you. 

We love spending time with you. 

But it’s an energy cost for us. 

So if we say no to stuff, it doesn’t mean we don’t want to hang out. 

It just means we need to replenish our energy.

Sincerely, the people who pretend they’re busy when they’re home on the couch recharging.

10 underrated forms of self care that you can do without booking a spa treatment:

1. Drink more water.

2. Leave 10 mins earlier than you normally would. 

3. Go for a walk in the sun.

4. Put off answering that email until the morning (during work hours).

5. Make a cup of tea and sit in the garden.

6. Close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths and do 5 shoulder rolls.

7. Eat more protein in the morning (your afternoon self will thank you). 

8. Put your phone in the other room for an hour.

9. Put on a song you love and do nothing until it ends. 

10. Smile at the next person you see and watch what happens. 

Which one are going to try today?

My best longevity hack for anyone in (or wanting to be in) business for themselves:

Do whatever it takes to maintain enthusiasm in what you do.

That might mean:

- Changing your environment.

- Taking more breaks or holidays. 

- Tweaking your offerings so they excite you again. 

- Outsourcing or automating the tasks you hate.

- Finding an audience that you vibe with more. 

It might mean you move more slowly than you thought.

It might mean you make less money than you thought.

But it might also mean you stay in business longer.

And it'll definitely mean you have more fun doing it. 

If you like it, it's a lot easier to find the energy to do it.

If you hate it, everyday is a battle.

Find a way to do s**t you like and business gets easier.

Do away with the 'new year, new me' garbage and make this year a good one not by hoping, but by following a process.

Check out the article for some practical steps to get you off to a good start.

View newsletter: Workplace Wellbeing Specialist

The magic you’ve been looking for is in the work you've been avoiding. There’s something powerful about the start of a new year. A clean slate. A psyc

Open article: How to Make 2026 a Good Year by Phil Wolffe • 3 min read

Most businesses pay for an EAP.

The problem is the s**t ones cost the same as the good ones.

Here’s a quick checklist to separate a “tick box” EAP from a modern support system.

What to look for in an EAP (or EAP alternative):

- Fast access
If support isn’t available within 48 hours, it’s often too late to be useful.

- Multiple ways to engage
Not just appointments. Look for options like a 24/7 text line, email support, short resources, and self-paced courses so people can start small and build trust.

- Proactive support (not just crisis counselling)
Modern programs help prevent burnout and injuries before they become claims, with practical support across stress, sleep, habits, physical niggles, nutrition, workload management and more.

- A strong onboarding and activation plan
If the provider just “turns it on” and hopes people use it, engagement will be low. Look for a proper launch, education, and ongoing prompts so the benefit actually gets used.

- Tailored support (needs discovery, not generic content)
The best programs start by understanding what your people are dealing with, then tailor resources, training, and focus areas to match.

- Leader support and clinical supervision
Managers need backup too. Supervision, coaching, and upskilling helps leaders handle workload stress, tough conversations, and early mental health flags without becoming the therapist.

- Critical incident capability
If something serious happens, leaders need a clear, supported response pathway, plus training before the incident occurs.

- Psychosocial hazard controls
A modern EAP should support identification, reporting, risk assessment, and mitigation of psychosocial hazards, plus practical training for managers.

- Zero waste pricing
Avoid pay-up-front models where you prepay for sessions you never use. Pay-as-you-go keeps incentives aligned with engagement and impact.

- Monthly reporting that’s actually usable
Not just annual utilisation stats and a bill for the next year. Look for themes, emerging risks, what’s working, what isn’t, and clear recommendations. 

If you’re reviewing your EAP this year, this list will make sure you get a lot more out of the same budget.

What’s the one feature you wish your EAP had, but doesn’t?



P.S. You may have worked out that Kinex Health has an EAP alternative that hits all of these points.
Check it out in the comments and ask any questions you like.

If the only way to learn resilience is to go through hard things, then the only way to teach resilience is to make people go through hard things.

Not a great strategy as a leader.

Instead, look at resilience not just as ‘grit’ or the ability to bounce back, but as a set of skills that can be taught. 

That’s what functional resilience is.

What we generally mean when we say “resilience” is actually: “How much s**t can this person take before they break?”

If that’s the case, then resilience can be broken down like this:

Resilience = energy + skills + grit + connection x purpose

As a leader, this is a much more practical view that allows you to actually intervene. 

Energy: help people understand and optimise for energy, and allow them the flexibility to work within their performance patterns.

Skills: teach performance and self-management skills (conflict management, communication, good habits, health and wellbeing fundamentals, nervous system regulation etc.).

Grit: Can’t be taught but can be learned.

Connection: provide meaningful support and connection (internal and external) at different levels and with various touch points. 

Purpose: connect people to the overall purpose of their work i.e. get clear on where you’re headed and (crucially) why.

Resilience is a set of skills that can be learned, and the sooner we realise this the sooner we can start teaching/acquiring these skills.


BTW, this is exactly the kind of thing we do at Kinex Health, so reach out if you want to bring this to your team.

It’s never been a better time to work in HR… but it’s also never been harder 🥵

The opportunities to influence and shape organisations have never been greater - but so have the pressures, the pace, and the sheer volume of “all the things” on your plate.

One minute you’re celebrating a project milestone. The next, you’re firefighting a disciplinary matter, untangling a payroll glitch, fielding an urgent call from a manager, and trying to find ten spare minutes to prep for that report you promised last week.

You’re ambitious. You want to be strategic. But most days? You’re just trying to keep your head above water.

I’ve been there. I know how overwhelming frontline HR can feel - especially when you’re expected to be both the expert and the problem-solver for everything.

And let’s not forget the pressure to look like the exemplary employee who’s got it all together 😬

That’s why I created HRHQ - an online education and community platform for frontline HR professionals like you, who want to build your capabilities, grow your confidence, and make your desired impact without having to figure it all out yourself.

📌Come join us! Connect with peers who get it, access tools and training you can use straight away, and finally feel supported in one of the toughest (and most rewarding) jobs out there.

Lisa Young

AI isn’t the future of HR. It’s already here 🥵

So the real question for HR isn't “should I use it?” 
it’s “how can I use it?" (responsibly and confidently)

That’s exactly what this AI in HR Workshop inside HRHQ next month is designed to help with.

We are so lucky to have the wonderful Annie Johnson from humaneer joining us to run this session - who truly lives and breathes both HR and AI every day.

Annie will start by demystifying AI, what it is, how it’s evolved, and why it’s reshaping work, before moving into practical, HR-specific applications that you can take back to your role immediately.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:
➡️What AI is (without the complex tech speak)
➡️What AI means for HR today and why it matters
➡️The risks: bias, privacy, over-reliance, and how to stay in control
➡️Off-the-shelf, tool-agnostic examples you can start experimenting with immediately

You’ll leave feeling:
 ✔️ more capable
 ✔️ more confident
 ✔️ ready to integrate AI into your HR role 

So if your current AI strategy is “I know it’s important, I just haven't figured it out yet" (like me 🤭) - you'll definitely want to come along to this session.

📍AI in HR - From Curious to Confident
🗓️Tuesday 17 February 2026
🕒11:00am (NZT)
💻Online via Zoom

HRHQ Members: This one’s already in your calendar, can’t wait to see you there!

Not a member yet? Join now (link in comments) so you don’t miss this session - and get access to all the other practical tools, trainings, and resources waiting for you inside 🔥

Lisa Young 🚀

⚡️HR for HR 🎯 Elevating your HR game with a whole lotta smarts, strategy and style 🔥

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