FOUNDATIONAL mode
Strong businesses are built on strong people foundations.
Foundational Mode is about building your business with confidence. The right People & Culture foundations reduce risk, create consistency, and give you the stability to focus on running and growing your business.
The goal isn’t more HR. It’s the right People & Culture system for the way your business operates today.
Foundational Mode at a glance: Primary Objective | Reduce Risk & Build Stability |
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| Leadership Focus | Create confidence and consistency |
| Key People Priorities |
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Best suited for businesses that…
Typically suitable when… | Value simplicity, consistency and confidence in their people practices.
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What good People & Culture looks like in Foundational Mode
Operating well isn’t about having more HR. It’s about creating confidence, consistency, and reliable foundations for the business.
Confidence instead of uncertainty
Leaders have confidence that –
- Employment obligations are being met
- People decisions are fair and consistent
- Performance is achieved
Consistency instead of firefighting
- Managers know what’s expected of them
- People issues are addressed consistently
- Recurring people issues no longer consume leadership time
Confidence for what's next
The core people systems are reliable enough to support the business today and flexible enough to support whatever comes next.
What each people domain should look like
Every business manages the same people functions. What changes is the level of capability each one requires. Explore each domain to see what operating well looks like at the Foundational Maturity Level.
Protect the business - Compliance & HR Governance
Compliance & HR Governance establishes the core employment practices that help a business operate with confidence. It brings together HR policies and compliance, workplace wellbeing, and payroll to create consistent, reliable people practices.
In Foundational Mode this means:
- Employment obligations are understood.
- People decisions are consistent.
- Risk is reduced.
- Leaders can focus on running the business.
How CTG helps
We review current practices, identify gaps, and build practical policies, processes, frameworks, and systems that fit your business.
We help businesses with:
- Fair Work compliance
- Modern Award interpretation
- Employment contracts
- HR policies and procedures
- Workplace Health & Safety (WHS)
- Psychosocial safety obligations
- Payroll compliance
- Underpayment audit
- Position descriptions
- Employment legislation updates and implementation
- HR governance frameworks
- Employment documentation reviews
- Employee record management systems
- Leave management systems
- Superannuation audits
Build the workforce - Talent & Workforce Capability
Talent & Workforce Capability focuses on attracting, onboarding, rewarding, and supporting the people your business needs to operate effectively. It brings together recruitment, onboarding & induction, compensation & benefits, and HR technology to create a capable and dependable workforce.
In Foundational Mode this means:
- The right people are hired for the right roles.
- New employees are onboarded consistently.
- People are paid fairly and appropriately.
- Simple HR systems support day-to-day operations.
We help businesses with:
- Recruitment and talent acquisition
- Position descriptions
- Interview guides and selection
- Onboarding and induction
- Probation management
- Employee remuneration
- Salary and wage reviews
- Bonus and Incentive structures
- Profit sharing remuneration models
- Employee benefits
- Employee Share Scheme Utilisation
- Fit-for-purpose HR systems
Improve workforce Performance - Performance & Alignment
Performance & Alignment helps create clarity around expectations while supporting employees to perform and develop in their roles. It brings together performance management and learning & development to build a workforce that contributes consistently to business success.
In Foundational Mode this means:
- People understand what’s expected of them.
- Performance conversations happen consistently.
- Employees receive the training they need to perform their role.
- Performance issues are identified and addressed early.
How CTG helps
We help you establish practical performance and development practices that set clear expectations, improve performance, and support consistent business outcomes.
We help businesses with:
- Performance management models
- Productivity measurement
- Performance measurement frameworks
- Productivity improvement
- Performance reviews
- Probation reviews
- Performance improvement plans (PIPs)
- Goal setting for alignment
- KPI modelling – design, implementation, and measurement
- Learning & development
- Training needs analysis
- Training provider search and management
- Individual development plans
- Performance documentation
- Coaching for managers
- Employee performance conversations
Retain and engage the workforce - Employee Engagement & Experience
Employee Engagement & Experience focuses on creating a positive workplace where people feel connected, supported, and motivated to contribute. It brings together employee engagement, employee experience, and culture to create an environment where people can do their best work.
In Foundational Mode this means:
- Employees feel welcomed and supported.
- Workplace expectations and behaviours are clear.
- People feel valued and respected.
- A positive workplace culture is intentionally encouraged.
How CTG helps
We help you create practical engagement and culture practices that strengthen the employee experience and support a positive workplace from day one.
We help businesses with:
- Employee experience design
- Employee feedback programs
Employee recognition programs
Employee wellbeing initiatives
Values and behaviours
Employee communication
Employee listening strategies
Stay interviews
Exit interviews- Workplace culture
- Culture improvement initiatives
- Employee engagement surveys
- Employee engagement action plans
The next step is alignment.
Strong businesses align their People & Culture systems with the way they operate. If your business is operating in Foundational Mode, your people systems should be at the Foundational Maturity Stage.
The SMEs People Maturity QuickScan™ helps you understand whether your People & Culture has kept pace with your business, and identifies where your next priorities should be.
Want to know exactly where your business sits?
Get the free QuickScan and see your People Maturity stage in 10 minutes.