“We had a shared vision of how to create sustained and long-term sector change. We would absolutely recommend HR Assured” – Jodie Milenkovic, Founder and Co-Director, My Right 2 Voice.

It began with a quest for the best. Western Victoria disability services provider My Right 2 Voice set out in 2019 to offer high-quality services for NDIS clients delivered by the right staff. Aspiring to run a great organisation soon attracted lots of staff and lots of business – and it wasn’t long before My Right 2 Voice needed responsive HR support.

The impressive growth story of My Right 2 Voice began in 2019 after Jodie Milenkovic and Maverick Clissold finished up their roles with the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria and looked at starting something new in the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIS) sector. The two wanted to break new ground while offering meaningful services for people who have a disability.

So, why did Jodie and Maverick start the company? Jodie says: “We went out independently because we had a shared vision of how to create sustained and long-term sector change – not just immediately within the service you’re providing.”

The business Jodie and Maverick created was firmly underway by 2020, with a couple of LaTrobe University students that Maverick previously taught as the first hires.

The NDIS services My Right 2 Voice focused on offering included:

  • Behaviour support.
  • Specialised support coordination.
  • Therapeutic support.
  • Individualised support.
  • Workshop training.
  • Training for families.

Over the next two years, My Right 2 Voice began to work with up to 160 clients and their family members at any one time, with its staff structured into four teams.

So, what does a regular day look like for Jodie? “While there isn’t a typical day, most days consist of client-based appointments, training and workshops to other organisations, and training our own teams. It’s rewarding work – but very stressful and demanding. Our clients are complex; there’s plenty of one-to-one service, though sometimes it’s two practitioners to one client. We support families to build capacity and skills. Our staff also go to supported accommodation.”

More demand means more HR compliance

With plenty of responsibility came plenty of HR requirements.

NDIS requires strict standards as well as auditing every two years, though this wasn’t the only reason Jodie and Maverick wanted to keep the company’s standards high.

Jodie wanted to find a great outsourced HR provider not only to make sure My Right 2 Voice was compliant with Australian work laws, but to make sure support and helpful HR recommendations would be available as the company size increased several times over by 2022.

“We’ve grown so well because we try to go above and beyond in providing outstanding service. We always put people at the forefront, and by doing that you build a good reputation – and this is what makes you grow. It’s about high integrity, ethics, and showing due diligence in all decisions we make. So, it wasn’t just about making sure we had HR compliance – it was about taking on board suggestions for managing HR optimally, because sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know until someone supports you,” Jodie said.

 

Settling on a provider whose HR support was assured

When My Right 2 Voice was ready to find outsourced support at the end of 2020, Jodie and Maverick approached a couple of options.

When asked how they settled on HR Assured, Jodie told us: “We knew we’d grown enough that we needed constant reassurance. Being directors and also working directly as disability support practitioners, it was hard. We would have to sometimes phone Fair Work or the Commission. It was more informal support.”

Of all the outsourced HR support companies the pair approached, HR Assured’s response swiftly demonstrated that it cared deeply about solving workplace challenges.

“We chose HR Assured because we were just impressed from the get-go. We did a bit of research and contacted different organisations based on the first interactions and their follow-up calls. The difference was HR Assured were really professional. I couldn’t speak highly enough of everybody we’ve spoken to – and we’ve phoned a lot. If we have questions, we ring, and they’re always professional and supportive.

“In all honesty every time we’ve rung the Telephone Advisory Service, we’ve experienced nothing but fantastic service. When we ring it’s usually like ‘This happened which might be a bit of a concern’ so we are given great advice and support.

“If further consultation is required, they ring us back promptly. They give very practical suggestions and recommendations, and this helps inform our policies and processes, whether it’s something simple like how to facilitate a meeting, or something more complex.

“Often, we phone to make sure we’re covering all bases in terms of making sure our processes comply with employment rights. Many a time on the phone the telephone advice staff have given suggestions that allow us to expand on the setup we already have, because we believe in growth and learning in work conditions”, Jodie said.

When asked who uses HRA Cloud the most, Jodie said: “Mav just loves it. He loves that it’s easy to navigate and that information and resources cover a really wide scope. From inductions to checklists to employment, it’s smooth sailing.

“I couldn’t hope for anything better than what we’ve got now. It’s consistently good standards – it’s been across the board. With good advice and good service, we would absolutely recommend HR Assured”.

How HR Assured can help?

Managing people can be a time-consuming, challenging juggle for business leaders, so make the most of HR software, 24/7 telephone support and auditing to help you spot areas for improvement and stay compliant so you can focus on core business.