Australian Conveyancer edition nine - Burnout

BUDGET ’24

WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO THE INDUSTRY AUSTRALIAN

Conveyancer.

THE PRACTITIONER’S COMPANION

At last: The conversation we need to have

BURNOUT THE DANGER LURKING INSIDE OUR TEAMS 18-PAGE SPECIAL REPORT M AY 2 0 2 4

POWERED BY

2 • A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R

BUDGET

24

THIS EDITION CONVEYANCERS AND THE BUDGET We talk to industry leaders about their take on the Federal budget measures.

Page 4

THE RIGHT OF REPLY Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton dissects the budget and puts his alternative plan out there.

Page 7

JESS SHARES A VISION We sat down with the director of the Australian Property Council, Queensland Jess Caire.

Pages 8-10

SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT AT WORK At last the conversation that the conveyancing industry needed to have: cruel and damaging effects of professional burnout. Our 18-page deep dive into the topic examines the cause and focuses on the ways to overcome the issues.

Pages 12-29 COPYRIGHT © Copyright 2023 triSearch Services Pty Ltd. triSearch and its licensors are the sole and exclusive owners of all rights, title and interest (including intellectual property rights) of this publication including all data, information, images, commentary and content (content). All rights reserved.

Putting Chalmer’s theory of economics to the test

By POPPY JOHNSTON in Canberra

W

hile the federal government says its budget will lower inflation, analysts counter that broad cost-of-living relief, such as energy rebates and tax cuts, could make things worse.

An expanded version of the energy bill relief delivered in last year’s budget and another boost to Commonwealth Rent Assistance are expected to help tame the consumer price index, Labor says.

Treasury forecasts in the budget for 2024/25 show the cost-of-living measures will reduce inflation by about half a percentage point in the next financial year, possibly as early as Christmas.

Committee for Economic Development of Australia chief economist Cassandra Winzar said cost-of-living relief – including stage three tax cuts and energy bills support, that’s not means tested – risks working against the central bank.

“Electricity rebates may alleviate headline inflation but will drive spending elsewhere,” Winzar said. The stage three tax cuts take effect from July 1.

The government has earmarked $3.5 billion for the next 2024/25 financial year to give every Australian household $300 off their power bills.

Eligible small businesses will get slightly more relief, with $325 to be taken off their bills over the year.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers defended the government’s decision to provide cost-of-living relief for all Australians, not only low-income households, pointing to Treasury’s forecast that it wouldn’t

be inflationary. “The clear advice we got from Treasury was that by designing our cost-of-living package the way we have will take the edge off inflation and won’t add to inflationary pressures elsewhere in the economy,” he said.

“We took that advice very seriously and we proceeded on that basis.”

Economist and budget expert Chris Richardson said the budget was expansionary, with $9.5 billion in new spending in the next 12 months.

“The government said it wouldn’t front-load stuff, it would be careful not to poke the inflationary bear, it would put it at the back – they have absolutely got it in the front,” he said.

The next federal election is due to be held by September 27, 2025.

Asked if wealthy households needed energy bill relief, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government’s job was to get the fiscal settings right.

“This is the most efficient way to deliver it,” he told ABC television.

Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said he hoped Treasury’s prediction that inflation would fall by half a percentage point on the back of the cost of living relief turned out to be right.

“But we do note that when you’ve got more money in the economy, that means that there is the potential for people to be spending more and that can put pressure on inflation,” he added. “So ... we hope that that’s the case, but we’re mindful that there is that risk.” Annual inflation is running at 3.6 per cent.

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 3

The great balancing act Federal budget at a glance • Budget surplus of $9.3 billion in 2024/25 net debt to rise to $552.5 billion • Commonwealth (20 per cent of GDP) in 2024/25 • Economic growth to rise to 2 per cent in 2024/25 • Unemployment rate to rise to 4.5 per cent in 2024/25 as measured by consumer price index to be • Inflation 2.75 per cent in 2024/25 • Wages to rise by 3.25 per cent in 2024/25 KEY MEASURES

• Every Australian taxpayer receives a tax cut, averaging $36 a week bill relief for all households ($300) and 1 million • Energy small businesses ($325) Commonwealth Rent Assistance for nearly • Increased 1 million households medicines for all, with a $7.70 cap for five years for • Cheaper pensioners and concession card holders • Student debt relief for more than 3 million Australians payments on government-funded paid • Superannuation parental leave funds available for building houses, roads and • More other infrastructure public money available for women fleeing violence • More at home and for housing incentives, funds for promotion and other support for • Tax the Future Made in Australia initiative Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivers his third budget.

Photo: Lukas Coch

4 • A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R

BUDGET

24

Wait and see: The mixed reaction from conveyancers

By SAM McKEITH

T Ann Blannin-Ferguson

Matt Dunn

Shakila Maclean

he federal government’s 2024/25 budget has met mixed reviews from key players in the nation’s conveyancing industry, who have welcomed extra investment in housing but say an opportunity has been missed to boost home buyers with additional support.

The budget, handed down on May 14, booked a surplus of $9.3 billion for 2024/25. It included $7.8 billion for cost of living relief as well as more funds for building houses, roads and other infrastructure, which the government claims will not stoke stubbornly high inflation.

AIC NSW president Ann Blannin-Ferguson welcomed the support for housing, but said questions remained about the outlook for inflation, which remains above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2-3 per cent target band, putting many households under cost of living pressure.

“If inflation really is controlled as they’re saying it’s going to be and the RBA maintains its interest rates, then that augurs well for us in our profession because then more people will be looking at buying land and housing,” Blannin-Ferguson said.

“As far as the profession goes, all things being equal, that’d be great.”

She was also positive on small business measures unveiled in the budget, including the one-year extension of the $20,000 instant asset write-off scheme.

The budget extends the instant write-off measure, aimed at improving cash flow and reducing compliance costs, by a further 12 months until 30 June 2025.

“It’s useful if you need a new photocopier or new computer systems, that sort of thing,” Blannin-Ferguson said.

The government’s $300 energy bill rebate for every household was also a positive, she said, describing it as a measure that would help “both the personal and business side of things”.

The maintenance of the small business debt helpline,

which offers financial counselling and mental health support was another win, according to the AIC NSW president. “We have a system through the AIC for that as well but it’s always good to have another set of eyes on things,” she said.

Matt Dunn, Queensland Law Society chief executive, said it was good to see budget investment in the supply side of housing, with money for infrastructure and rent assistance.

Dunn also noted spending to cover fee-free TAFE to get more workers into housing construction, as well as changes to foreign investment rules allowing foreigners to get into build-to-rent developments “as long as they continue to [create] build-to-rent developments”.

Under the changes, foreign investors can buy established build-to-rent developments with a lower foreign investment fee, conditional on the property staying build-to-rent.

“That’s good from the point of view of the supply side in order to pick up activity in the market, which is a good thing,” Dunn said.

Dunn was less upbeat on the little budget movement on “structural impediments” like issues of GST and stamp duty. “They’re just not dealt with in any way”, he said.

There was also potential for “quite significant” extra compliance costs flowing from investment for the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre’s (AUSTRAC) second tranche of counter terrorism financing reforms.

The budget allocated an additional $160.8 million over two years from 2024/25 for AUSTRAC, the country’s financial intelligence agency.

The extra AUSTRAC money meant regulation, which currently applied mostly to banks and financial institutions, was moving closer to being extended to the legal, real estate, accounting and conveyancing sectors, Dunn said.

“It will have some significant kind of burden in terms of having to risk-rate clients and having to undertake a whole

BUDGET

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 5

24

Headed for one in a trillion

A

ustralia remains on track to rack up a record $1 trillion in debt within two years, but the Albanese government is still claiming a win because it didn’t get there sooner.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has frequently castigated the former coalition government for leaving Labor with “one trillion dollars of debt”.

Under the previous government, gross debt as measured by the Treasury borrowings was on track to crack that milestone this financial year.

Gross debt is still on course to crack the trilliondollar mark in 2025/26 when it will reach 35.1 per cent of gross domestic product.

The following year debt will rise to $1.1 trillion, peaking at 35.2 per cent of economic output, as Labor runs a series of budget deficits.

At the same time, Australia’s annual interest bill will rise to $34 billion by 2027/28, from about $22 billion in the next financial year.

Net debt - which takes into account the positive financial impact of certain government assets - will peak at $698.5 billion in 2026/27, which is better than expected.

lot of compliance activity to report suspicious transactions to AUSTRAC,” he said.

AIC Vic President Shakila Maclean focused on the budget’s housing theme.

Maclean said while the cost of building a new house had surged in the last 12 months, the budget “did not include assistance for home owners with the cost of buying a property. I thought that was a really interesting aspect.”

She praised the government’s plan to build 1.2 million houses in five years as ambitious, but said “there’s not

relief for anyone who’s actually buying a property.

I didn’t really think it was an inspiring budget,” she added.

In Maclean’s view, the government had missed a chance to take another look at providing extra help for home buyers across the country. “None of that was really reviewed,” she said. “From a conveyancing perspective it would have been good for the government to review existing grants and then obviously look at something new to assist home buyers.”

6 • A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R

BUDGET

24

Dutton to cut migration but no word on nuclear sites

By TESS IKONOMOU in Canberra

S

lashing the permanent migration intake in a bid to fix the housing crisis is part of Peter Dutton’s blueprint for Australia’s future.

If elected in 2025 a coalition government would introduce a two-year ban on foreigners buying existing homes and cut the number of foreign students.

In his third budget-reply speech, the opposition leader said Labor had made life “so much tougher” for Australians.

But Dutton didn’t reveal any detail on two major issues: nuclear energy and lower taxes.

He placed housing at the forefront, saying more than 100,000 homes over the next five years would be freed up through reduced migration.

The coalition would cut Australia’s permanent migration intake of 185,000 by 25 per cent for the first two years, before raising it to 150,000 and then 160,000 in the fourth year.

The coalition will back energy-bill rebates in the government’s budget, worth $300 for every household, but warned Labor was “treating the symptom” and not the cause of higher prices.

Mr Dutton would scrap the $13.7 billion in tax incentives for hydrogen and critical minerals, the centrepiece of Labor’s Future Made in Australia plan.

“These projects should stand up on their own without the need for taxpayer’s money,” Mr Dutton said.

The opposition leader criticised Labor’s “’renewables only” energy policy

and said going nuclear was “right” for the nation.

Dutton said older Australians and veterans would be able to earn triple the current income rate, up to $900 a fortnight, without having their pensions reduced.

He announced an instant asset writeoff scheme for small businesses would rise to $30,000.

On industrial relations, Dutton said the coalition would revert to a “simple definition” of a casual worker.

Following a number of violent attacks, the opposition leader said there would be a restriction on the sale and possession of knives for minors and dangerous people, with tougher bail laws for family violence.

Speaking after Dutton’s speech, Education Minister Jason Clare described the address as “dark”.

“If you want to be prime minister of this country, you’ve got to do more than look dour and angry and bark at the camera,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“You’ve got to have a positive vision for the country and you’ve got to have details and costed policies.”

Clare said Mr Dutton “talked a big game” on immigration without providing detail on how a reduction of that scale would impact the economy.

He criticised the coalition for not revealing the locations the proposed nuclear reactors would be built under the coalition’s energy plan.

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 7

Budget winners and losers WINNERS

• businesses - energy bill rebates •andSmall extension of asset write offs • Renewable and other energy companies - tax breaks and other Lower-income households - more energy bill assistance on the way

incentives for investment

•

Renters - second year of increases in Commonwealth Rent Assistance

LOSERS

•

Jobseeker and youth allowance recipients - no across the board increase despite recommendations

•

Foreign companies and residents more funds to address tax avoidance and strengthening capital gains regime

•

Environment - no major disbursements to address damage such as reef bleaching, species extinction

•

Regional healthcare - focus on regional infrastructure leaves communities in the bush disappointed

Opposition leader Peter Dutton gives his Budget response to Parliament.

Photo: Lukas Coch

q+a

8 •

FACE-TO-FACE

with Executive director, Australian Property Council - Queensland, JESS CAIRE

It’s a year of change, positivity and possibility

By SAM McKEITH

J

ess Caire landed the role of Property Council of Australia - Queensland’s executive director in February, tasked with advocating for a continuation of a strong state property industry. Prior to joining the council, Jess was Property Exchange Australia’s executive manager, stakeholder relations and before that she ran and owned her own consulting and conveyancing firm. With a big year in property already underway, Australian Conveyancer sat down with Jess to find out more about the well-respected and highly regarded industry leader.

Executive director, Property Council of Australia, Queensland Division’s Jess Caire and Pippa.

PHOTO: DAN PELED

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 9

AUSTRALIAN CONVEYANCER: How did you get into conveyancing?

JESS CAIRE: I would say conveyancing found me. When I finished high school, I got into university but desperately wanted to travel, so I decided to jump on a plane and go and live in the UK. When I returned, I started working in law firms and quite quickly conveyancing was something that made sense to me. It played to my personality strengths – organised, people-centric and with tangible results. From there my passion grew.

When I reflect on it now, I was always exposed to property growing up. My parents were very hard workers and my dad in particular, having grown up in a housing trust home, was driven to acquire property. He was always buying, building, or renovating something, and in fact he still is, even in his retirement.

AC: What were the early days of your career like?

JC: I formalised my qualifications in South Australia, which as your readers know is the home of conveyancing, with the Torrens Title system having been founded there. I then worked for a law firm in South Australia, then a conveyancing practice with all the weird and wonderful things property transactions have to offer – rural transactions, water licences, crown leasing, easements, subdivisions. I just loved it and wanted to learn it all.

Early on in my conveyancing career, I became a business owner, acquiring the firm I worked in followed by another one quite quickly afterwards. I had to upskill pretty rapidly and my natural curiosity and drive meant that I was constantly improving – there wasn’t a day I didn’t learn something. There were challenging times but without those I wouldn’t be who I am today, both personally and professionally.

AC: Would you recommend running your own conveyancing business?

JC: I would definitely recommend it. Running your own business is one of the most empowering, daunting, and thrilling experiences. It can also be lonely. As I have transitioned out of self-employment to being an employee, I’ve realised I have done things in reverse to most people who tend to work for someone else, then later on move to self-employment.

In hindsight, probably the thing I had then that I don’t have now is youthful naivety. When you’re younger, your risk appetite is greater. My advice to anyone starting out is build a great team of professionals – accountant, business coach, and lawyer. Do your homework, know your market, find your niche, and make sure you ‘network, network, network’.

Lastly, commit to working on yourself. Remember, you are always a work in progress. Knowing what drives you, what makes you tick and your ‘why’ is the most important thing. If you align with your own values and purpose, you’ll be able to cut through the noise.

10 • Q+A

AC: What did you enjoy most about conveyancing?

JC: Property is the only industry I have ever worked in and what I learned during my time as a conveyancer has put me in good stead as I swapped from conveyancing and the business-owner life to the corporate world, first at PEXA now at the Property Council of Australia.

I loved working on complex components of conveyancing, whether that was a rural transaction that had stock and various agreements or licences attached to it, or working with a property developer from site procurement through to on-sell. Seeing a project go through all the various hurdles to completion and settlement was magic.

Having worked in South Australia and seeing the critical role the profession plays in property transactions, you are entrusted with one of the most important transactions someone could make in their lives. In my mind there will always be a role for a conveyancer across the broad spectrum of property transactions.

AC: What has it been like to be a woman coming up in the industry?

JC: I’ve only ever worked in the property industry and my experience has been in most parts overwhelmingly positive. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have had very supportive colleagues and mentors – both male and female, many of whom I consider dear friends – all of whom have helped me grow and guide me.

I do think it is important to acknowledge the property industry is historically male-dominated, and we must shine a spotlight on areas where gender equality still lags. By directing focus to these overlooked corners, we can illuminate paths to greater inclusivity and ensure everyone, regardless of gender, has an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed.

AC: What role can the property industry play on this front?

JC: The property sector is one of the largest employers in Australia and with that comes great responsibility, but also a great capacity to drive change. The Property Council, and many changemakers, have championed lasting and critical initiatives such as Property Champions of Change, 500 Women in Property, Girls in Property, and our panel pledge just to name a few.

They’re all game-changing initiatives that continue to drive change, and are aimed at advancing equality and empowering women in the industry.

AC: What advice do you have for women in the property industry?

JC: Build a really strong support network and ensure that you embrace networking. It can be super uncomfortable, but everyone feels like that. Make sure you invest in professional development and find mentors. I have had various mentors over my career, and you will find you need different mentors at different stages of your career.

It’s well known that diverse teams are more productive, innovative, and creative, and a more diverse industry means access to a wider talent pool, which in turn builds an industry in which everyone, regardless of gender, can develop and grow their career in property.

AC: What issues should be on the radar for conveyancers right now?

JC: Like many sectors, conveyancers are facing a rapidly evolving landscape. COVID-19 in particular saw a shift in the move to digitisation, and platforms like PEXA have really changed what has been a paper-heavy process in the past.

Embracing digitisation presents huge advantages, including reducing the administration components of file management, so you can focus on more meaningful engagement like business development and client management. It also presents some challenges, especially for smaller businesses that may not have resources to adopt digital offerings on scale.

Another issue is ensuring any processes and systems that are implemented are supported by robust cybersecurity measures. This is an absolute must, especially given the sensitive nature of the data involved in property transactions.

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 1 1

Staying abreast of the ever-changing regulatory landscape is also critical, as well as ensuring sound business processes are adopted. Implementing efficient workflows and cultivating strong meaningful relationships with clients and stakeholders is another absolute must.

AC: How does it feel to be in the new role, and the big responsibility it entails?

JC: It feels pretty incredible. I stand on the shoulders of some of the best advocacy brains in the industry, and knowing you’re continuing that legacy is humbling but also such a privilege. I am so deeply passionate about advocating for our members, they are sources of much knowledge and inspiration, and it is such a privilege to advocate on their behalf.

I do suffer from some pretty crippling imposter syndrome, and I still feel like someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and say ‘your number’s up’. But as I’ve got on in my career it’s surprising to find how many people resonate with this feeling. These days I acknowledge that voice and the anxiety that comes with it. I use it to fuel my determination to succeed.

AC: Where’s Queensland’s property industry at right now?

JC: It’s a pivotal time in both our industry and in Queensland. A thriving property industry underpins health and sustainability of our cities, boosts consumer confidence, enables a buoyant business environment and ultimately a more prosperous Australia. While Queensland’s economy is robust, there are big challenges to overcome if we’re to be in the best position possible to host the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Delivering product to market has never been more challenging as the industry faces unprecedented demand, a top-heavy infrastructure pipeline, soaring construction costs, crippling supply chain challenges, inclement weather, natural disasters and a welldocumented skills shortage amid a housing availability and affordability crisis.

It’s important to remember that without a thriving property sector, we cannot deliver the homes we so desperately need, the infrastructure we rely so heavily on, or secure the economic growth and stability that underpin the state’s prosperity.

AC: How does a looming state election play into the equation?

JC: In an election year, the opportunity for sensible policy, aimed to attract and retain investment into housing must be front and centre. We will continue to advocate for bold leadership and policies to deliver generational, social, environmental, and place-making benefits for all Queenslanders.

Key here is to ensure there’s a home for every Queenslander and that Queensland is the most attractive investment option in Australia. It’s also important that the settings are right to deliver iconic Queensland precincts and partnerships.

To that end, the team here in Queensland will continue to position evidence-based, solution-focused advocacy and remain committed to working in partnership with all levels of government and other key stakeholders to unlock the opportunities for Queensland.

AC: What do you see as the outlook for the sector in Qld? JC: We’re only three months into 2024, but it’s already a busy year and set to get even busier. Australians in four states and territories will head to the polls this year, with housing rates to remain a barbecue-stopper conversation across 2024.

In Queensland, there’s an opportunity for the government to work with industry to alleviate some of this pressure to ensure the settings are right for the private sector to continue to deliver homes for Queenslanders.

Increasing housing supply is the only way through the housing crisis. It’s simple supply-and-demand economics and at the moment demand is outpacing supply, making it more difficult for first-home buyers to enter the market.

Whether it’s ensuring the government’s QBuild program has adequate resources to teach tradies modular construction, or adopting a mandatory state-wide housing code that incorporates modular, prefabricated, and tiny homes, there’s opportunity for government and industry to collaborate on fostering innovation in building and construction.

* The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity

“In an election year, the opportunity for sensible policy, aimed to attract and retain investment into housing must be front and centre.”

Jess Caire

12 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

Conveyancers:

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 1 3

we’re cooked W At last: the conversation we need to have

orking in a high-pressure, time-poor, multitasking environment, many Australian conveyancers are at risk of reaching burnout if they don’t heed the warning signs and learn how to deal with them, according to health and industry experts.

With the Australian property market at near-record high clearances and conveyancers needing to wear many hats on any given day, it can be a struggle to maintain good work-life balance and not take the job – and the stress – home.

“Burnout is absolutely a concern in our industry,” says Shakila MacLean, President at the Australian Institute of Conveyancers (Victorian Division).

“The increased workload can lead to longer hours, more stress, and a higher chance of making errors. This can be especially challenging when dealing with multiple files at once, or when facing tight deadlines.

“Conveyancers may also have to deal with difficult clients, complex legal issues, and changes in legislation, all of which can add to the pressure and demand for their services.

“Overall, the demanding nature of the job can take a toll on a conveyancer’s mental and physical wellbeing.”

Burnout expert and trained anxiety counsellor, Bev Aisbett, author and illustrator of The Book of Burnout: What It Is, Why It Happens, Who Gets It and How to Stop It Before It Stops You!, says the three warning signs of burnout are easy to spot: • energy depletion or exhaustion • negativity and cynicism • reduced efficacy “Essentially burnout occurs when one’s physical, mental and/or emotional ability to manage an occupation, endeavour or responsibility in a balanced or healthy way is outweighed by the demands,” Bev tells Australian Conveyancer magazine.

“In simple terms, you have trouble keeping up without it taking a toll on your wellbeing.

“Someone experiencing burnout will be feeling stressed, overwhelmed and worn out.” >>

Special Report by LEIGH REINHOLD

14 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

“A good worklife balance comes when we feel healthy and fulfilled.”

John Colbert

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Conveyancers are not the only Australians feeling the burn with figures from the Australian HR Institute’s 2019-2022 workplace report showing 68.5 per cent of Australian workers polled felt like they were burning out at work. And those in leadership roles were more likely to report feeling like they were burnt out compared with their team members.

Sydney-based work-life balance specialist Barbara Holmes says burnout will manifest in sickness, and absenteeism, and may result in someone choosing to leave the profession.

“Work-life balance is critical for a person’s physical and mental health. And for their wellbeing in their family, social and work relationships,” she says. “If we’re stressed and we’re not living our life according to our priorities, then it really does have an impact on us.”

Founder of Your Move Conveyancing, David Winning, says he has experienced the results of ignoring work-life balance with family life and his health suffering from his inability to switch off.

He also knows of conveyancers who have left the industry and has seen the family units of conveyancer friends break down because the pressure got too much.

“In the early days of our business, what got to me was that availability seemed like it was 24/7,” says David, who was suffering from anxiety and high blood pressure before he set down some self-care rules. “You’re working with clients and real estate agents that want to get deals done at ridiculous hours of the night and having to make yourself available.

“Something had to change, so I made the decision that, if something hadn’t happened by 7.30 at night then it could wait until the morning.”

Executive business coach John Colbert, director of leadership development company Corporate Edge, says implementing strategies to achieve work-life balance will help. And he advises including exercise, boundaries, holidays, daily digital detox and seven hours sleep each night will help you avoid burnout.

“A good work-life balance comes when we feel healthy and fulfilled,” he says. “We are a whole person with energy and purpose in all of the areas that matter. We can be more present in all areas of our life because we have taken care of every aspect. [It’s] when we don’t have to define it at all because we just call it ‘life balance’.”

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 1 5

CASE STUDY

Welcome to my war zone Conveyancer Renee Newlan, 46, loves her job but often feels like she’s working in a “war zone” with the daily stresses affecting her health and her wellbeing. Australian Conveyancer magazine asked Renee, the principal of Flash Conveyancing in north-west Sydney, to describe her typical work week and she gave some honest and revealing answers.

How long have you been a conveyancer?

I started learning conveyancing in 2010 and became licensed in 2012.

How many hours do you work a day/week?

It depends on workload. The last couple of weeks I’ve been starting at 8am and working through to around 8pm. My husband Julian works with me and does longer hours than me – maybe an extra six to eight hours on a weekend and at night for an extra two or three hours.

How many matters would you settle per week?

On average between six and 12 a week. Some days there are none, today I had six and it was hectic! And as soon as you get a problem it throws you off schedule.

How many new clients would you take on each week?

Between 10 and 12.

What is the breakdown of your usual work day?

This is different for me and for Julian. Julian is the front end. He will spend his day speaking with all the new purchasers on the phone, explaining the purchase process, quoting, reviewing contracts, requesting amendments, advising amendment replies to clients, providing the contract reviews to the clients, answering all their queries and concerns, liaising with the inspectors, brokers, etc so they are ready to get past the cooling off period or to go to auction.

He will also deal with all the amendments to the contracts on the sales. When purchasers send us requests he will ring the vendors, go through all their questions, relay that info back to the purchaser. And he’ll do ID verification when clients go to his office. He also does the marketing and videos for the company.

We have someone who handles the phones and the middle section. And I do all the back end – the settlements.

I will check all the sales contracts going out, the post exchange paperwork going out to the clients, prepare all the settlements and make sure they are all on track, deal with 100 or so emails a day, deal with the high level drama that others can’t deal with, look after the reviewing of offthe-plans once they have registered, monitor stamp duty due dates, do all the trust accounting, save all the invoices >>

16 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

in Xero and attend to any bookkeeping questions and then fix any errors in the accounts.

I pay a lot bills – I’m constantly transferring money here, there and everywhere and then meeting with clients, doing their ID verification when they want to come to my office.

Do you work through lunch?

Yes. Today I didn’t eat until 5.30pm.

Do you take work home with you?

Yes, but I try not to.

Is it difficult to have a work/life balance?

One hundred per cent, because this job has such critical deadlines so you just have to do it. And there is so much competition in this profession, if you don’t keep your referral partners happy, they will go to someone else and you lose work. You live in this cycle where you never know when someone might come back and try to sue you, so you need to make sure you are on top of your game all the time. By the time you are finished work, you are exhausted and you don’t want to do anything else.

Do you find it difficult to switch off from work?

Yes, because there is always a drama – maybe a difficult client – that is there waiting for you. So, you constantly think about it. My sister is a conveyancer, so we talk about it. My husband works with me, so we talk about it.

It’s everywhere.

Does your work impact on your private life?

Yes. I started my own business to have more freedom and it’s ended up with me working harder than I have ever worked in my life. Yes, it’s all for me but it really restricts you in life and you get really resentful. I can’t go away during the year.

I have to wait for the Christmas holidays – the most expensive time of the year. And then clients get upset because you want to have a lousy three weeks off and they want you to settle in that time. Or you have a developer and they have a city firm working for them and the off-the-plan has just registered and they want you to settle in the Christmas period or they will charge your client interest penalties.

So, you have no choice but to try and do a settlement in the middle of the Pacific Ocean whilst on a cruise.

Who’s going to remember that in 50 years time when I am long gone? I am the only one that feels the pain of this.

What do you think of your job?

It has literally been sucking my life force out of me for years. I love helping people but it’s too much. It’s too demanding. And then I get frustrated because what else can I do? Work for someone else? Earn less money? I wouldn’t be happy with that either. This year we put up our fees a lot and I feel better for that as now at least I feel we are being paid our worth.

Do you work from home?

We have two offices. I am located at the Riverstone office.

I’m currently working from home as the landlord won’t fix the ongoing mould issue so it is a little hard to separate work and home life but I have gotten much better over

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 1 7

“It has literally been sucking my life force out of me for years. I love helping people but it’s too demanding.”

Renee Newlan

the years. I now stop and take more time to spend with my two boys because this stuff will still be there tomorrow!

Do you feel like you are on top of your workloads?

Probably never. There is always something I can do.

Do you have a hobby?

I manage both my boys soccer teams. I go to all their training sessions and games.

How stressful is your job on a scale from one to 10 (10 being very stressed)?

ELEVEN! I always say this job is like a war zone. It is that stressful that you cannot make a mistake. In this job, you type one wrong date or you don’t write something clearly and someone interprets it incorrectly – not how you meant it – and then, all of a sudden, you are being sued.

You need to explain to a client why you lost them money,

why someone got out of a contract, why they need to pay penalties. It can never be your fault.

How do you relieve stress?

Drinking. Well, I used to. I used to drink a lot and found that a lot of conveyancers, once you start talking to them, drink a lot. I have cut down as I know it’s not the answer.

I have now started to spend more time meditating and also reminding myself not to take this all so personally.

I’m here to guide people – it’s not my money and I can’t control everything. All I can do is advise and roll with the clients.

Have you experienced health problems (physical/ mental) because of your workloads?

I suffer chronic stress and migraines. I’ve always got a headache. I never really feel well. My body has so many aches but I think it’s because I’m sitting so much throughout the day plus hunching over in front of a computer for so many hours a day.

Do you implement workflow management processes in your business? Like what?

Our software has workflows with tasks. That way everyone knows where every matter is up to when looking at it.

Do you use technology like AI to streamline your operations?

Julian’s a little more techy than me. I know he uses AI quite a lot for his contract reviews, his responses and even for his marketing. I’ve used it to dumb down the legalese that I can’t understand or to summarise so I can explain it easier.

Have you ever consulted a business coach?

No, I haven’t. Who has time for that? They will tell me I need to work more on the business than in the business, which I already know and then give me more work to do! I think I’m best to manifest my dream reality and go with that!

Do you outsource work?

The only thing I outsource is my accounts. I used to do all my own bookkeeping as I love it but I just couldn’t do it all.

18 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

INDUSTRY LEADERS

It’s widespread but fixable I

ABOVE: AIC NSW chief executive Chris Tyler.

PHOTO: JULIAN ANDREWS

BELOW: AIC Victoria president Shakila Maclean.

PHOTO: AARON FRANCES

ndustry leaders agree that lack of work-life balance is an ever-present issue in the life of conveyancers and property lawyers, who are pulled in many different directions on a daily basis.

“Conveyancers may have to deal with difficult clients, complex legal issues, and changes in legislation, all of which can add to the pressure and demand for their services,” says Shakila Maclean, president of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers (Vic Division).

“Overall, the demanding nature of the job can take a toll on a conveyancer‘s mental and physical well-being.

The increased workload can lead to longer hours, more stress, and a higher chance of making errors. This can be especially challenging when dealing with multiple files at once, or when facing tight deadlines.”

AIC (NSW Division) chief executive Chris Tyler blames the rapid rate of change in the industry over the past few years – including new practices and procedures, changes in legislation and cybersecurity threats – for the increased demand and stresses conveyancers are facing.

“It is not an easy transaction; conveyancers have to deal with the client and all the other interested parties and the banks, and at the same time they are worried about getting attacked by some cyber criminal in Bulgaria,” he tells Australian Conveyancer magazine.

“Also, they’ve got all the challenges with strata now in terms of quality of building, those sorts of issues that they have to be attuned to.”

Shakila says meeting client demands and expectations, and dealing with parties that don’t take pride in their work can be challenging at times.

“We are often wearing many hats, like counsellor and magician,” she says. “As a magician, we have to be able to adapt and perform to the best of our ability no matter the circumstances.

“And, as a counsellor, we have to listen to our clients, understand their needs, and find solutions to their problems. It‘s a balancing act, but it‘s all worth it when we see the smiles on our clients‘ faces.”

Shakila believes the three main factors leading to burnout in conveyancing are: workload, client demands and lack of balance which can manifest as chronic exhaustion; detachment from your job or personal life; a sense of ineffectiveness; and a decline in performance.

To manage the situation, she recommends conveyancers and property lawyers should implement “active conveyancing” and know when to shut off and make time for themselves. If the stresses start piling up, they should talk to their peers, attend best practice groups, employ a business coach and get some exercise.

Tyler says the biggest coping strategy he can recommend is for conveyancers to take time out from their business every week to think about how they are coping.

“If they are feeling the stress they should try to put in place some mechanisms to alleviate it, like seeking advice from their fellow practitioners, from family and friends,” he says. “Or go to the doctor and get a mental health check. Pick the phone up and talk to somebody. Go and have a coffee with someone, just don’t bottle it up.

“If they are feeling stressed then give us a call at the AIC – we are always happy to talk and be a sounding board. We are an association and we are there to help our members. That’s what it’s all about.”

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 1 9

WARNING SIGNS

Keep your eyes peeled!

R

ecognising the warning signs is the key to avoiding burnout, according to anxiety and mental health expert, Bev Aisbett, author and illustrator of The Book of Burnout: What It Is, Why It Happens, Who Gets It and How to Stop It Before It Stops You! Australian Conveyancer magazine asked Bev for her advice on how to recognise the symptoms of burnout and alleviate the pressures, and where to seek help if things should get too much.

How does burnout happen? Not everyone in a highstress job (such as airline pilots or surgeons) reaches burnout, so in many ways, burnout tends to be a matter of how one manages demands and this would include setting boundaries, pacing oneself, keeping a healthy work-life balance and easing back on perfectionism.

Who is vulnerable? There is a particular personality type most prone to burnout (and anxiety in general) – the Type A personality. This group comprises high achievers who are competitive, driven, perfectionistic and for whom relaxation is a foreign concept. While it is difficult for a Type A to learn to ease up, it is doable.

Why is burnout on the rise? COVID took quite a toll on people’s mental health – the secure lifestyle that we took for granted was suddenly thrown into chaos. The future suddenly became less predictable and instead of steadily working towards a stable, known set of goals, there arose a sense of urgency to “get things done, while you can”. Since then, the spiralling cost of living has caused people to have to push harder to make ends meet.

Where can people go for help? A good counsellor can help you understand and address the underlying factors that cause you to push yourself so hard.

Seeking professional help is important if your health and wellbeing are suffering as a result of taking on too much. You can also learn techniques to relax, such as meditation and yoga.

Bev’s top tips to manage burnout

1

Recognise when you’re heading that way! Notice changes in sleep patterns, energy levels, mood swings. Prevention is better than cure.

2

Stay in the present, do one thing at a time. You can only do what you can do. Pace yourself.

3 4 5

Stop trying to be superhuman! Know your limitations and respect them.

Bev Aisbett

Ask for help if you need it. Learn to delegate. Learn to say no.

Learn not to live so earnestly. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, why are you doing it? Isn’t the ultimate goal to enjoy life?

6

If you enjoy and value what you’re doing, you probably won’t get burnout. It’s the resentment and resistance that cause the stress.

Bev’s drawings accompany her book, The Book of Burnout: What It Is, Why It Happens, Who Gets It and How to Stop It Before It Stops You! – Harper Collins For more information and anxiety resources from Bev visit: bevaisbettartofanxiety.com

20 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

DEALING WITH STRESS

Own it first, then you can beat it

E

very week executive business coach John Colbert sees clients who are suffering burnout and need to take action to turn their lives around.

The director at leadership development company Corporate Edge, John says the warning signs of burnout are when someone: feels distracted and less patient; is low in energy and more tired earlier than usual; finds it hard to listen to loved ones; is easily agitated and frustrated; and feels more anxious than usual.

“At work sufferers will find it difficult to focus for long periods, struggle to get momentum in complex problems or challenging matters, take longer than usual on simple/ easy tasks, and procrastinate or avoid difficult decisions/ tasks,” he says. “They have a more cynical or negative view of the future; and feel unmotivated by things that are core to their business.”

Implementing some “non-negotiable must tactics” to mitigate the situation will help conveyancers return to some life balance, says John. And he advises stressed out individuals they: Must maintain or increase physical health activities – walking/exercise/gym.

Must set a boundary or cut-off for when work time finishes at night and on weekends.

Must get seven hours of sleep.

Must get off the computer and phone at least three times a day at work and get outside (even five minutes walk – look at the trees not a screen).

Must book a holiday for at least four days (ideally a week) every three months.

Must turn off devices at home.

Must think about trying meditation or other relaxation methods.

• • • • • • •

“The other thing that helps massively, is to recognise the link between energy, productivity and focus,” says

John, who observes many conveyancers will stay at their desk for an entire day to churn through work and feel productive.

“Working at such an intense pace means you’re desk bound and not moving, you’re eating at your desk and choosing more processed foods or less healthy snacks with more sugar, which impacts us negatively in terms of energy spikes, crashes, motivation, focus and memory.

“Giving yourself a break from thinking about work, makes us better able to do it – faster and smarter – when we come back to it.”

John says it’s imperative to identify the type of burnout his client is facing and if it is transitory or lasting.

“If I see permanent behaviour patterns, the client needs to make different decisions about the level of work they take on; it’s hard to confront but critical to acknowledge,” he says.

“On the other hand, if the burnout is linked to cyclical periods, then it is about re-framing the way they think about it and setting small visions/milestones.

“They can recognise this is just a point in time, the pacesetting will ebb and flow, but they will be through this period soon and can then reset. This mindset helps reduce the burnout.”

JOHN COLBERT’S TOP 5 WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS:

1 2 3

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 2 1

Start the day with a definitive intention and the one or two things which are the most important.

Do NOT look at your email all the time, only 3 to 4 times during the day.

Start the work day with the most challenging, or most annoying, task you have on, so that it is done and you feel you have achieved something.

4

Take a “break and reset moment” before shifting gears between different types of tasks. This will signal a refresh and reset of the mind.

5

Have a big block in the day where you do not allow interruptions and use it as your HOUR of POWER to churn through stuff, before taking a proper break.

JOHN COLBERT, director, Corporate Edge PHOTO: JULIAN ANDREWS

GET ORGANISED AND REAP THE BENEFITS A proponent of working smarter, not harder, business coach John Colbert says implementing systems into your day will greatly diminish workplace stress and anxiety and he advises conveyancers to:

1 2 3 4

Find the apps (plug-ins or platforms) that automate the non-core activities that you are doing manually (by non-core, they are not critical to your service delivery).

Create an operating rhythm for your business beyond finance/accounting, so you have specific blocks in the week or month when key categories of work will be done.

Allow at least 10% of your time to be for ideating on how to ‘work on the business’ rather than in it. This is when you find areas to improve HOW you are doing things.

Only have one source of truth for where key files, documents and team communication happen – avoid having different filing systems, email folders or comms platforms that are being used differently. Streamlined means one place to find everything.

5

Bring in outside help to do the things that are not absolutely critical to your service delivery – allowing you to focus on what you do best.

SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES START WITH INTENTION With small businesses you have to make choices about where to put your energy, says business coach John Colbert, who has witnessed clients turn themselves around from burnout to happily balanced success stories by:

•

Setting more boundaries between work and home, which forces you to be more focused and diligent in how you prioritise. If work has permission to creep into evenings and weekends as the rule, rather than the exception, then there is no burning platform to change behaviour and both work and home suffer. If you have no option but to get your work done in 9 to 10 hours, you’ll make better decisions about focus. You will also then feel more present at home, which makes you feel better at work the next day. This step has been huge for many clients.

•

Being willing to say no to work, or be willing to invest in extra resources and help for small periods to get through the volume of work and put some better platforms or systems in place to make it easier for the future. These are the trade-off decisions. Success stories have been about choosing what the right priorities of client work are, to strengthen and preserve the reputation of the business, and to be okay that it won’t mean saying yes to everything.

•

Sharing the workload. If you need to say yes to everything as part of a referral stream – someone sending you work and you don’t want to let them down – but you are always over-capacity, then share the work with an affiliate or hire someone else and make the call to expand.

•

Starting the day with some meditation along with doing some affirmations or reminders of why the business is so important to you. Spend 15 minutes at the start of each day and before looking at any of your devices to offer some gratitude for your business and what you would like it to be – reminding yourself of your vision. Also set an intention for the day like: “What is the single most important thing I would like to achieve today, to feel I have made a small difference?”

22 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

LESSONS LEARNED

Take a lead from Nick’s tour of duty

A

rmy veteran Nick Gould credits his two tours of duty in Afghanistan for giving him the perspective to run his Brisbane conveyancing company with compassion and understanding.

“I think I have definitely learned lessons from my army days that have played well in corporate life,” says Nick, managing director of Colwell Conveyancing Group, who spent 10 years in service before becoming a lawyer.

“My time in the army was my first exposure to that world of post-traumatic stress – I’ve had friends who suicided – and, as such, I’m an advocate for mental health. “I sit on the board of RSL Queensland and one of our services is to provide mental health support to veterans and the veteran community.

“So I’m a big advocate and I feel the same way about mental health in the workplace. I think it’s critical to our business and critical to our people. We have a duty of care to our people and I take that duty of care seriously.”

With a staff of 10 – including four conveyancers – Nick says it’s important to keep an eye on his workforce for the signs and symptoms of burnout. “We are very big on implementing systems and processes that monitor people’s mental health,” he says.

“It’s about culture, it’s about leadership and it’s about creating that environment that allows people to safely put their hand up when they’re starting to feel they might need some support. For me creating a good culture is your biggest risk management tool.

“Law is a fast-paced industry at the best of times and it’s a high pressure environment. These days we have to move away from some of the old-school conservative approaches in some law firms and really create that good culture and team environment where people feel that it’s OK to not be OK.” Nick says recognising what his staff members are dealing with – whether it’s a heavy caseload or something

Nick Gould

happening in their personal lives – is key to tackling the problem of burnout.

“It’s a matter of understanding what they are struggling with because without understanding you can’t really help and solve it,’ he says.

“If it’s from a work perspective, we look at it and ask what we can do to reduce the caseload. Or, is it something outside of the work environment? Then it’s about providing that person with the right support. It might be time off, it might be some flexible working arrangements or some formal type of counselling or support.

“It’s about really listening to understand because then we can find out what we can do to honestly assist that person. My team is really good at jumping in and helping.”

And Nick says being attuned to his staff and their mental health and well-being is demonstrably good for business. “Not only is it beneficial to our employees,” he says, “it also benefits the business because if you’ve got a highly functioning team and a well team, then of course your business is going to run better.”

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 2 3

TECHNOLOGY

Tech can help you avoid repetitive stress-out injury

N

ewcastle-based conveyancer Fiona Eastwood is a self-confessed technology nerd and problem solver who is benefiting from implementing a whole suite of time-saving technologies into her business.

“I love all the new tech and all the new tools,” she tells Australian Conveyancer magazine. “I’m a problem solver so I like to be able to ask, could this be done in a quicker way? If you’re doing a repetitive task, over and over again, could it be automated? And what tool can I use to automate it?”

Fiona, the principal at Impero Conveyancing in Wallsend and Singleton, NSW, says it was PEXA that got the ball rolling with her move from paper to electronic settlements – and then COVID lockdowns hit in March 2020.

“We were all in very different locations and we had to quickly find a way that people working on different files had everything up-to-date at the same time,” she says.

“So we implemented the technology and started working out how we could best utilise it.

“When we went back into the office, it would have been silly to revert back to paper files because we had found a new way to work and move forward.”

During COVID Fiona wrote a comprehensive workflow system in monday.com but more recently she has switched to triConvey’s workflow systems to save even more time.

“I have found the more you can remove switching from one platform to the other, the better. Because every time we switch something our brains take a little time to catch up.”

Top of Fiona’s time-saving technology list are these favourite tools: Microsoft Teams – for the team to stay in touch 3CX – a networked online phone app for your mobile or desktop triConvey – for practice management triVOI – for web–based ID verification

Fiona Eastwood

Practice Management Software – to streamline operations for integrations with PEXA settlements and searches Securexchange – for signing and exchanging contracts Docusign – for electronic signatures Calendly – for scheduling meetings and client appointments Zoom – for holding meetings and collaborations Adobe – for document management Canva – as a marketing tool reMarkable – for electronic note taking

24 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

ANNA RECOMMENDS SOME SIMPLE STRATEGIES TO HELP CONVEYANCERS AVOID BURNOUT RATHER THAN HAVE TO SUFFER IT:

1 2 3

Set yourself a goal of at least taking the weekends off.

Manage your calendar – it’s important to block out time to work on marketing and delivery.

Having regular team meetings – daily 15-minute stand ups, plus one weekly meeting – is a powerful way to keep your team engaged and set up for success.

4 5

Pick up a hobby that brings you joy; perhaps tennis, singing or photography.

Performance 7 CEO Anna Samios advocates the upside of growth.

PHOTO: JULIAN ANDREWS

Be kind to yourself.

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 2 5

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Scaling up to achieve balance

A

s chief executive of business building company Performance 7, Anna Samios supports companies to scale their organisations efficiently and effectively – with work-life balance top of the agenda.

Using the US-developed Scaling Up business growth framework, Anna first advises her time-pressed clients to look within and admit they are working too hard.

“Step one is to acknowledge that running your business is a marathon more than a sprint, and as such you have to take care of yourself first,” she says. “Get very clear on your definition of success – what do you want to get out of your business, both financially and personally?

“The second step is to accept that it’s impossible to scale a company if you are wearing all the hats and making all the decisions. As much as some business owners like to take on the persona of being a heroled business this is not sustainable, and in fact is counterproductive.”

Used by more than 70,000 companies globally – including Australian outfits like Infotrack, Atlassian, Greencross, Big Red Group, Prospa, and Octopus Deploy – the Scaling Up proprietary implementation process supports teams by bringing discipline, focus and accountability to the workplace by prioritising four key strategic pillars: People, Strategy, Execution and Cashflow.

And, putting people first in the work-life balance equation means making room in your diary for you.

“Taking a break is not a nice-to-have but an important part of building a sustainable business,” advises Anna.

“You, your family, and your team will love you for it.”

Starting out in her first business, Anna had a sage adviser who recommended her to set aside time for fun and relaxation at the beginning of every year.

“Glen Richards of Sharktank fame and I had a great mentor in Andrew Geddes as we were both growing our first companies,” she tells Australian Conveyancer magazine. “The very first thing Andrew would make us do is block out four holidays per year. Some were two-week breaks like over Christmas, others were extended long

“Taking a break is not a niceto-have but an important part of building a sustainable business.”

Anna Samios

weekends, usually around the school holidays.

“This forced us to stop and replenish ourselves as our No.1 priority,” Anna adds. “All our board meetings and customer commitments were then diarised around these breaks.

“In the early days of running my first business I was all about working long hours, thinking that would mean more sales and more profit … but we know, as business owners, working harder doesn’t always lead to more profit.”

Anna says Performance 7 systems utilise initial tools to help guide the thinking of business owners to avoid stress overload.

“The first is your One Page Personal Plan that you complete yourself and the second is the business’s One Page Strategic Plan that is best completed with your team,” she says.

“If you want clarity and alignment, these tools deliver that in spades, helping you to distill your thinking onto a couple of pages and remove all the noise.

“Gaining clarity of what you truly want for yourself and then for your business – and, yes, they are two very different beings – helps a lot!”

26 • S PA PE GC EI T AILT R L E P O R T : B U R N O U T

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The juggling act is difficult, but needed

BARBARA’S HANDY HINTS FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE

1

Identify what balance means for you and then look at what is or isn’t happening to impact on your ability to achieve that balance.

2

Do a time diary and work out where you spend your time and what needs to change to enable more balance.

3

Talk to your family, friends, work colleagues, and manager about what it is you feel you need to change.

4

Get help. It may be help in the home, getting family to get more involved in home routines. It’s about spreading the load.

5

Set boundaries. Learn to say “no” or question, “How else might we do this?” www.worklifebalance.com.au

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 2 7

N

eglecting work-life balance can have dire consequences for individuals, their families and their relationships, according to work-life expert Barbara Holmes.

“Work-life imbalance absolutely has the potential to create mental and physical health issues,” Barbara tells Australian Conveyancer magazine. “It results in people not sleeping, people having substance abuse issues, impact on relationships, impact on work relationships, missing deadlines, the ability to be able to deliver, and making mistakes on contracts, etc.”

With 35 years’ experience consulting with companies and individuals about work-life balance, Barbara says the first step to creating a less stressful and more impactful work-life balance is to first clarify what is most important to you.

“Work-life balance for each person is very different,” she explains. “It’s important that people define what it means for them, and to ask themselves what will happen when they have achieved a worklife balance that they personally want. They can then develop their personal plan to achieve that goal.

“So, it could be someone who likes to spend time with family and friends and also likes to have a fulfilling job, for other people they may want to make time for sports, culture, arts, whatever matters to them.”

Barbara believes community attitudes towards work-life balance have shifted in the past 20-30 years with employees, employers and sole traders now recognising its significance in creating a healthy workplace environment.

“When I first started in the space, we would talk about work-life balance and people would have this weird look on their faces. Now it is an accepted practice,” she says. “There is more awareness about the need for employees to achieve what it is that gives them satisfaction.

“And legislation has changed to accommodate people’s needs, things like workplace flexibility, parental leave … have improved people’s ability to achieve balance.

And that’s great news.”

So how does Barbara advise her clients when they start examining their work-life balance?

“I will get them to do a time diary for a few weeks to look at how they are spending their time,” she says. “And then I compare that with their values, by doing a value clarification exercise where they may say that family is number one but we would then look at their time diary and see that 90% of their time is spent at work.

“From there we will develop an action plan. And they can renegotiate and reassess how they spend their time and match that with their values.

“This change doesn’t happen overnight, change takes quite a long time to achieve, but at least if we can eat the elephant in bite-sized chunks then it can help.”

Barbara says learning how to say “no” is key to any long-lasting work-life balance, and knowing how to prioritise will help relieve the stress.

“Creating your own boundaries and renegotiating is paramount,” she says. “If there are unreasonable expectations – or even if they are reasonable but they are unachievable – then you need to have the assertiveness skills and the strengths to ask to renegotiate.

“And if you put it in an objective way that reflects on your ability to deliver the service or product or the accuracy of the material you are working with in conveyancing then I think you have a better chance of achieving an outcome that suits you.”

And, once people are on track to achieving work-life balance, Barbara says the results are measurable.

“You do see a difference in behaviour and health and you do see things improve for them,” she says. “Work life balance is like an ongoing quest. Once you have reached one level, you think, oh, I could do more!”

“Work-life balance is like an ongoing quest. Once you have reached one level, you think, oh, i could do more!”

BARBARA HOLMESAnna Saminos

28 • SPECIAL REPORT: BURNOUT

VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

The winning formula for work “I know of conveyancers who have left the industry because of the prolonged pressures.”

David Winning Anna Saminos

D

avid Winning realised he was close to burning out when he couldn’t drag himself away from his computer while on holiday with his young family.

“I was on my phone the whole time with my laptop open and I made the joke it was just an expensive workfrom-hotel stay,” says David, the founder of Your Move Conveyancing.

“That’s when it became obvious that something had to change – I was letting the family down. I might have physically been on holiday with them but I was still fully in work mode.”

Suffering high blood pressure and increased levels of anxiety, David says he was like many other conveyancers who are juggling demanding workloads and increased responsibilities from government.

“Particularly with a small team, you’re wearing a lot of hats, there’s not really an opportunity to turn off,” he empathises.

“The pressures of clients and stakeholders are first and foremost – you become a people pleaser a lot. You don’t want to say no to something because it might have a negative impact on you or the business if you do.

“A lot of us have strong referral partner relationships, mainly with real estate agents and mortgage brokers.

Sometimes they can be more demanding than your actual clients.

“And having to keep up with laws … like some of the changes that have come into play around foreign buyer surcharges. That’s had a massive impact on the industry, particularly in NSW.” David has watched many of his conveyancer friends and associates crumble from the strains. “I know of conveyancers who have left the industry because of the prolonged pressures,” he says.

“They’ve got health issues like anxiety and depression. I’ve seen three marriages break down and, while you don’t know how much the conveyancing role might have affected that, it’s definitely a factor.”

Learning how to manage his time and putting in

boundaries was the first step for David, who vowed to close his laptop in the evenings and spend more time with his family and friends.

“Anything that happened after 7.30 at night had to wait until the next day and that made an enormous difference,” he says.

With his business growing strongly David now spends more time managing his people, implementing a number of workplace strategies and opportunities to create worklife balance for his 24 staff – including 17 conveyancers.

“Training and development and nurturing conveyancers is important to me because I have been through it,” says David, who employs a number of business coaches to guide his staff with mindset coaching and empathy training.

“Empathy training can help a lot because conveyancers are naturally empathetic people, that’s part of our role. But when you throw in different kinds of workload pressures, things have a tendency to boil over quite rapidly and you lose perspective on why it’s happening.

“Building in different coping mechanisms and reminding yourself of what is actually going on is quite important.”

Outsourcing the company accounts and employing IT experts – in terms of cybersecurity and cyber education for staff – has also lightened the load for David and his associates at Your Move Conveyancing’s offices in Sydney and Newcastle.

“We made the decision we are not experts in cybersecurity or IT so we employ a company that manages all our hardware and software,” he says.

“They are constantly running checks on all our devices to make sure that everything is clean and that we’re following best practice with the way we use our devices to try to prevent cyberattacks. I think, no matter what size of your company, it’s good to employ someone to do that.”

David says making his business run more efficiently means he can now savour the joys that being a conveyancer can bring.

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 2 9

Your Move Conveyancing founder David Winning: Time out each day is vital.

BEYOND BLUE

Don’t burn out, burn bright!

I

mproving mental health in the workplace is good for business, says wellbeing advocate Beyond Blue.

Aiming for a mentally healthy workplace will improve productivity and commercial outcomes while helping to attract and retain staff, with research showing investment in mental health has a positive return of an average of $2.30 for each dollar invested.

Beyond Blue says mentally healthy workplaces will incorporate three main strategies as part of their ethos and they will:

• Protect against risks to mental health. Mentally healthy work prevents harm

to your mental health. Among other things, this means fair workloads, fair work practices, and a safe environment.

• Promote wellbeing and the positive aspects of work. Mentally healthy work

includes fairness, inclusion, and employee development. Good culture thrives from good work.

• Support people with poor mental health. In a mentally healthy workplace, your

mental health is prioritised. Awareness, capability, commitment, and meaningful support exist to help workers feel better, earlier. beyondblue.org.au/mental-health

“For me there is a huge amount of satisfaction in being able to tell my clients – particularly first-home buyers or people buying family homes – that they have been successful and their settlement has gone through,” he says.

“That has always been a very satisfying part of the role for me – and most conveyancers would say the same thing.”

data dashboard

30 •

Buyers flock to Sydney’s ring of value in the north-west NSW

network may be a downside for some. But it’s clearly not a deterrent for NSW home buyers.

If you do a little For the second month running, Marsden “desktop research” Marsden Park Park topped the residential sales, on why home buyers according to triSearch data. are flocking to Sydney’s The April numbers showed the north-western suburb of juggle between pricing, lifestyle, Marsden Park, you are and open spaces is landing in favour told that the area offers of “Park Central” as it’s sometimes “a harmonious balance known by locals. between urban and Mt Druitt suburban living”. One St Marys Real estate website Medium, goes on to might think that the call Marsden Park a “hidden gem, offering 49-kilometre commute from a perfect blend of suburban tranquillity and the Blacktown district into the modern conveniences". It says the market has seen heart of the city on a clogged transport strong growth in recent years which has piqued the interest of home buyers and investors.

Hottest areas

The NSW areas where most property was bought in April 2024.

POSTCODE

SUBURB

Whatever is happening in Marsden Park also seems to be the case in Merrylands, slightly closer to the CBD and in the Cumberland City Council area.

The suburb is a stone’s throw from the thriving Parramatta business and shopping hub, and is known for its parks, ground, and community amenities.

First-home buyer activity How many first home buyers entered the market in April 2024, compared to same time last year.

66%

79%

2023

2024

34%

2765

Marsden Park

Overseas investment Countries with people who invested in the Australian property market for the first time in April 2024.

2

2160

Merrylands

3

2560 Campbelltown

4

2750

Penrith

5

2259

Wyong

6

2155

Kellyville

7

2148

Blacktown

The average time a property spends in market before being sold, compared to the same time last year, including advertising.

8

2145

Westmead

April 2024

9

2170

Liverpool

10

2540 Sanctuary Point

3. Nepal

What does that tell us? Keen pricing at a time of high living cost pressures is a key factor in decision making.

5. United Kingdom

4. New Zealand

Time on market

April 2023

64 60

55

70

3.06%

1. India

The real estate sales scoreboard for April ranked Merrylands at No.2. In fact, there’s a band of suburbs in Sydney’s west and north-west – Campbelltown, Blacktown, Westmead, Penrith, and Kellyville – that made the Top 10 of sales.

50

First-home buyer

21%

2.77%

2. China

1

DAYS

Percentage of all properties sales recorded by triSearch.

Existing home owner

80

1.81% 1.28% 1.08%

6. South Korea

0.82%

7. Vietnam

0.63%

8. Indonesia

0.37%

9. Philippines

0.31%

10. Pakistan

0.26%

A U S T R A L I A N C O N V E YA N C E R • 3 1

Queensland’s sales a tale of two cities

Victorians love the big city lights Doncaster

VICTORIA For Victorian home buyers, purchasing decisions are driven by a need for a vibrant lifestyle of and convenience.

Shopping, sport, entertainment, and good dining options – all things at your fingertips in Melbourne CBD put the 3000 postcode at the top of the real estate list in April.

Its time in triSearch property settlement data Top 10 is longstanding, reflecting the value being placed on the inner-city vibe. Neighbouring Southbank, home to great restaurants and cultural events, landed in third spot last month.

Melbourne’s fashionable South Yarra, flanked by Toorak and Albert Park Lake, is known for its art deco apartments facing the river that courses through the city centre.

They say you can see the shiny baubles and shop lights of South Yarra from space. If you’re planning a hit-and-run retail day, this is your zone of choice. The extensive retail precinct includes everything from designer shops to quirky, offbeat fashions.

Restaurants and bars skew towards the trendy and sometimes pricey, but there are plenty of more affordable options if you know where to look.

Yes, this sounds like a great destination if you have the means.

Melbourne St Kilda

Chadstone

Brighton

Hottest areas The Victorian areas where most property was bought in April 2024.

POSTCODE

SUBURB

1

3000

Melbourne

2

3141

South Yarra

3

3006

Southbank

4

3844

Traralgon

5

3030

Werribee

6

3029

Tarneit

7

3029

Truganina

8

3429

Sunbury

9

3030

Point Cook

10

3121

Richmond

Pimpama

QUEENSLAND A tale of two cities dominated the real estate sales scene in Queensland in April. One is roughly 60 kilometres south of the northern capital, the other lies 60 kilometres north.

Pimpama, south of Brisbane and nestled between the state’s M1 motorway and the sands of the Gold Coast, was the most popular location for buyers last month.

The suburb has long been known for its large homes in rural settings and pretty countryside. It also has the area's main retail centre, and despite being of modest size, it manages to cater to most of the residents' needs. Online reviews of the area by long-time residents describe it as safe and friendly and well served by shopping and other amenities.

Morayfield was listed at No.2 of sales. The research here indicated “really affordable housing” and proximity to shopping precincts.

The quest by Queenslanders to buy into the real estate market may be influenced by the pricing and convenience, space and lifestyles of suburbs that are not too far from the action.

Bracken Ridge on the northern outskirts of Brisbane was the third most popular suburb for home buyers last month. People were seemingly attracted to its peaceful setting, abundant parklands, amenities, and well-regarded public transport.

Coomera

Willow Vale M1

Hottest areas The Queensland areas where most property was bought in April2024.

POSTCODE

SUBURB

1

4209

Pimpama

2

4506

Morayfield

3

4017

Bracken Ridge

4

4285

Gleneagle

5

4817

Kirwan

6

4680

Clinton

7

4165

Redland Bay

8

4510

Caboolture

9

4509

Mango Hill

10

4815

Kelso

Disclaimers - The content provided in this publication is of a general nature and does not take into account future market conditions or your individual circumstances.

You should exercise your own skill and judgment when considering investment decisions and seek professional advice where appropriate. While triSearch uses commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the content contained in this publication is current, triSearch does not warrant the accuracy, currency or completeness of the content and to the full extent permitted by law excludes all loss or damage howsoever arising (including through negligence) in connection with this publication.

32 •

the toolbox

Customer feedback Since the dawn of time, word of mouth has been a powerful marketing tool.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but customers who have had a positive experience with a business can help bolster its reputation simply by talking about it.

That’s why gathering positive customer feedback can be so valuable for your conveyancing firm. By using genuine customer feedback as content, you can market your services to new clients.

Customers value what other customers say, and in a competitive service-based

industry like conveyancing, a good reputation travels far.

Being proactive about collecting customer feedback can also help you stay abreast of the changing needs of your target market.

In fact, 77 percent of customers view brands more favorably if they seek out and apply customer feedback, according to research from Microsoft.

Consider these strategies for gathering customer feedback: SEND A FEEDBACK SURVEY

Customer feedback surveys are a great way to get answers to the exact questions you want to ask. They are a practical way to gain useful and valuable insights into how customers feel about the quality of communication, their sense of security using your services and their overall experience.

You can also ask questions about the quality of service at various touch points throughout the conveyance. Surveys can be sent out individually or attached at the end of your service. The beauty is the wide breadth of data you can obtain from each.

TEXT FOR CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

Free reply text messages are a great strategy to get instant, convenient and specific feedback for your services.

If your client feels comfortable receiving calls and text messages from you throughout the property transaction, they will likely be more inclined to respond to your text message asking for feedback.

INTERVIEW YOUR CUSTOMERS

In conveyancing, customer satisfaction is key to securing consistent client referrals.

Regularly checking in on your client’s happiness and helping with any questions as needed is the most important way to ensure satisfaction at every step of the customer journey.

By maintaining good relations, you can also call the client for feedback once the transaction is complete.