Winds of Change

We're in full swing now, with earnings seasons having just ended for large companies and with March approaching. Recent winds of change have also blown through AusCorp with resignations from both Virgin and Woolworths CEOs, and Nick O'Kane (Macquarie's rainmaker) hanging up the boots. We continue to hear of (stealth) redundancies happening across various industries, but hopefully this will stabilise soon.

In this edition of Flat White, we cover gender pay gaps (due to be released by companies this week), how MS Co-Pilot is going (average), and revamped our “Community Bantz” section to bring you our top post from our new subreddit. We were also able to snag 20% for Flat White readers on the Lehman Bros. Trilogy (Syd), if you’re looking for something to do in March. So read on!

If you would like to partner up with us in 2024, we would love to hear from you!

But first, some insights from our sponsor…

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💡 Brain’s Trust - conversations in AusCorp

I. Gender pay gaps

This week on 27 February 2024, the WGEA will publish the gender pay gap for private companies with a workforce of 100 or more employees. This follows a trend overseas for further transparency on gender pay data, such as in the UK, where gender pay gap data is very much already a thing.

Why is it interesting?

Currently, Australia’s pay gap is at ~21%, with NSW, VIC and QLD all having an average pay gap of around 10-13%.

This initiative represents a pivotal moment in the pursuit of gender equity, as the government has now mandated transparency in gender pay disparities. Companies will be scrambling to ensure that they at least appear to be working towards closing this gap.

The initial release of the Gender Equality Report will cover the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 (so will be old data) but we are sure that companies being reported as having greater inequality will meet the brunt of any media backlash this week (ruthless they are).

II. Co-Pilot… 3 months on

Last November, Microsoft launched Copilot, its new “Clippy” and what has been touted as ushering in the new era of AI at work. Since then, companies with Microsoft Office 365 (and that have paid for this add-on) have slowly been rolling Copilot out to its employees.

Why is it interesting?

Now it’s not perfect, but 3 months on, we think there are some practical use cases that integrate pretty seamlessly into your day to day workflow:

• Record Teams Meetings: If you start recording and transcribing meetings, Copilot can help produce meeting notes, highlight key action items as well as decisions made.

• Quick Proofreading: Copilot can help you proofread your emails. Save yourself time trying to find any typos or grammatical errors, and leave it to AI.

• Personal PA: Booking meetings is a huge chore we can now avoid. No more needing to check calendar schedules - just ask Copilot to find a good time for all participants, and it’ll book you all in.

• Deep Search: Once integrated properly into your company, instead of digging around your inbox for long lost emails, you can just ask Copilot directly to help you retrieve this instead.

• Summarise email threads: Ever get flicked a huge email chain with zero context and an unhelpful “Pls see below”? Copilot can analyse the entire conversation and provide a succinct summary of key points.

AI is increasingly entering our workplace and AusCorps are constantly finding new ways to improve efficiency. If you're interested in tech adoption, why not be an early advocate at your company? Working with AI is something management froths about these days, so you'll definitely stand out in performance reviews!

📮 Postbox - DM highlight

Home from Office

Why is it interesting?

In an era where "Work from Home" has become standard, why not flip the script if we’re being forced to return to the office? As we're reluctantly returning, it might make sense to bring a bit of home into the office - like what we've gotten used to during the COVID WFH days.

And why stop at a slow cooker? Picture this: sliding some sleek, compact kitchen gadgets into our workspace—a sneaky coffee maker for those crucial morning brews, or maybe a mini-fridge chockers with your fave cheese and beers. How about decking out meeting rooms with bean bags, coffee tables, and comfy loungers, making face-to-face catch-ups way more bearable? And let's talk about tweaking our personal space with desk lamps that let us adjust the brightness and colour temperature. Personalisation's the go here.

Sounds a bit out there, but could this be the win-win scenario return to office proponents are after?

🙊 Community Bantz - AusCorp Subreddit highlight

🩺 Health Check - health tip/reminder

Plants v Office

If you've been feeling your workspace is a bit drab and in need a revamp, why not adopt a plant for your desk/cubicle? Whilst it may be hard for those hotdesking in the office, your WFH set up could definitely use a spruce up.

Why is it interesting?

In addition to being great decor for your Teams video chat, these mini powerhouses can boost your mood, creativity, and even productivity. Here's the lowdown:

• Boost Your Brain: Research shows that having a plant on your desk can increase productivity by up to 15%.

• Stress Less: Studies have found that people who work around plants report a significant decrease in stress and anxiety levels. We're talking about feeling 37% more relaxed!

• Clean Air, Clear Mind: Plants can reduce indoor air pollutants such as CO2 levels by up to 10% in air-conditioned offices and up to 25% in buildings without AC. Breathing easier means working smarter, not harder.

Want more?

I hear ya if you’re one of those Aussie Corporates that are hopeless at keeping plants alive. But we think this just comes down to plant selection:

• Snake Plant: It's not just tough but also helps with air purification. It also has a pretty nice and clean look.

• Zanzibar Gem: Known as the "eternity plant" because it's practically indestructible. If you forget it exists for a bit, it won't hold a grudge.

• Peace Lily: A very popular plant and you will no doubt have seen its flower before. It's one of NASA's top picks for removing airborne toxins (though no guarantees how effective this actually is!).

• ZZ Plant: With its waxy, hearty leaves, the ZZ plant can endure months of neglect if you’re busy on a gruelling deal.

• Spider Plant: It’s not only resilient but also excellent at purifying the air. It gets its name from the look of its stems so this one is safe for arachnophobes.

All these plants are pretty inexpensive but a great way to enjoy the benefits of fresher air, less stress, and maybe even a boost in your work game. Who knew a little leaf could do so much?

👴🏻 Old is Cool - meme throwback (22 February 2023)

💻 Made in Australia - showcasing Aussie start-ups

In collaboration with Overnight Success

Circadian Health Innovations (CHI) is a Melbourne-based MedTech that guides users toward healthier light consumption (i.e. how much light you should be exposed to). The small device recently landed investment from Scalare Partners.

What is it?

CHI's signature product, the Melanopic Eye or 'MiEye', is a wearable device that uses advanced light-sensing technology to monitor the light users are exposed to.

The device can memorise your circadian rhythm and guide you towards healthier light consumption behaviours. Unbeknownst to many, unhealthy light consumption/exposure can have an astounding impact on your health, and through a lack of awareness and the rise of artificial lights, there has been a trend towards this disrupting peoples’ sleep, health and wellbeing.

Starting with research, CHI is planning to tap into an estimated total addressable market of at least USD$70 million, a serviceable obtainable market of USD$18 million per year and robust annual growth of 4-8% annually.

Growth potential is extensive in B2B markets, such as optimisation of sports performance and shift work management. CHI intend to supply these markets with much-needed, real-time recommendations based on meaningful data insights.

Want more?

Have a listen here as the co-founders discuss the intersection of mental health and light on The Huberman Lab Podcast.

If you know (or are creating) a great Aussie product, we'd love to hear from you!

👍 The Nook - AusCorp recommendations

🎭 Lehman Trilogy (26 Feb - 24 March, Theatre Royal (Sydney)) - “A play about the family and collapse of the company that triggered the GFC; it’s been described as “Succession on stage”. For Flat White readers, we’ve also managed to snag a 20% discount!

🏳️‍🌈 Mardis Gras (2 March) - Join the vibrant festivities of the Mardi Gras 2024 March. Dazzling parades, pulsating dancing, and indulgent food. It’s always an unforgettable experience.

🏎 Australian Grand Prix (22 - 24 March) - Once again, Melbs hosts the opening GP for the F1 season in 2024! Get on down there for some fast cars and flashy festivities.

📕 The Next Big Thing (book | Goodreads 3.9/5) - "Great debut Aussie novel by James Colley. Heartwarming and quirky. Couldn't put it down."

📺 One Day (TV Show, Netflix | IMDb 8.2/10) - "Boy meets girl and they play romantic ping-pong for almost two decades. It has been a week and I'm still not over it!”

🎵 It Never Rains (in SoCal) (Devin Morrison, 2022) - "It’s just an incredible track - makes me melt each time I listen to it.”

🎵 IDOL (Oshi no Ko) (YOASOBI, 2023) - "A no.1 song in Japan and it’s all I’ve been listening to on repeat lately.”

🍷 The Dancing Bear (Bar, Sydney) - “A small neighbourhood bar in Wentworth Point with absolute elite cocktails, guaranteed good vibes and just the friendliest team.”

🍽 Banco (Restaurant, Sydney) - “Unreal restaurant northside, untapped gem in Manly. Great mediterranean food, the cocktail and wine list is stacked, and the staff are awesome.”

🍞 Miss Sina (Bakery, Sydney) - “Vegan bakery. Their savoury danishes are to die for.”

🚗 Under the Hood - what we're working on

✍️ Grad Salary Survey

Our upcoming Grad Salary Survey will be our first survey of the year and our third annual edition!

We had a tonne of submissions last year and hope to continue this trend in 2024. Our aim has always to increase transparency in salary within corporate Australia and this is one of our many initiatives.

Merch, merch, merch

We are in the early stages of coming up with designs that you will love. Hopefully, we will be in a position to launch our shop around mid-year with an initial collection so we can get our kangaroo mascot into your offices.

AusCorp subreddit

We kicked off a forum for discussion amongst Aussie Corporates last month via Reddit, and it has been growing at a blistering speed (up to 13,000+ redditors as of the date of this newsletter). Watch out for the AMA with Danny Gilbert this coming Wednesday… we’re hoping to eventually make this a regular feature with other high-profile / leading individuals in AusCorp.

📰 Pick & Scroll

For the eagle-eyed TAC fam, you will have seen we have been big supporters of Pick & Scroll News. We’re currently working with them to bring this IG-focused biz news publication under our wing, which is super exciting!

✍️ Feedback Loop - share your thoughts

If you have want to provide more detailed feedback or have any topics that you want to hear more about, you can let us know HERE.