OFFICIAL HUMAN RESOURCES PARTNER OF TRADIEWIVES
About Karen Hillen
Tapping into more than 30 years’
experience in Human Resources, staffing & payroll, Karen loves helping you get the best out of your people while providing you, the business owner, with peace of mind.
Karen partners with you to assist in
proactively managing your people, providing the tools you need to enhance productivity & maximise profit. With her friendly, approachable & professional manner, she ensures you feel comfortable & confident in her services. Just knowing you can speak with Karen & receive the right advice, eliminates the concern of HR issues – providing welcome reassurance for busy business owners.
Practical, compliant HR support — without the stress or guesswork
Running a tradie business is demanding. HR shouldn’t be the part that keeps you awake at night.
If you employ staff (or are about to), I help you feel confident, supported and compliant — so you can focus on your business, your family and everything else on your plate.
To book an HR Advice call, scroll down to book a time that suits you.
Hi, I’m Karen 👋
Founder of My HR Partner, proud TradieWife, TradieMum, and daughter of a tradie (my Dad was a French polisher).
I understand tradie life because I live it. I’ve also been working with the TradieWives community from the very beginning, supporting women behind (and often running) tradie businesses with practical, real-world HR guidance.
This isn’t corporate HR or jargon. It’s calm, clear support that actually fits how tradie businesses operate.
How I Help TradieWives
I help tradie businesses manage their people fairly, confidently and in line with Fair Work without things feeling complicated or overwhelming.
Working with me means:
✔️ Feeling confident you’re doing the right thing by your staff
✔️ Understanding your obligations without needing to “Google everything”
✔️ Knowing what to do when issues arise — and what to document
✔️ Reducing risk and avoiding costly mistakes
✔️ Having someone in your corner when HR feels tricky
Whether you’re hiring your first employee or managing a growing crew, I make HR simpler and easier to manage.
What Support Looks Like
Depending on your needs, I can help with:
Employment contracts that protect your business and set clear expectations
Practical HR policies that support consistency and fairness
One-on-one HR advice when you need guidance or reassurance
Access to the My HR Partner HR Hub — a trusted library of HR templates, toolkits and resources designed to save you time and reduce stress
Everything is designed for Australian businesses and tradie-led teams — clear, practical and easy to use.
Why TradieWives Choose My HR Partner
Because I understand your world.
Because you’ll never be made to feel silly for asking a question.
Because HR is handled with kindness, clarity and professionalism.
And because having the right HR support in place makes running a business feel lighter.
Book a Chat
Use the calendars below to book a time that suits you. (Booking times are shown in your time zone)
Whether you need quick clarity, help setting things up properly, or ongoing HR support, I’m here to help.
By working with Karen, you’ll have the
right HR contracts and policies in place,
your business is compliant with
employment law and you’ll know you’re paying the correct rates of pay to your
staff. She is skilled at analysing complex
HR issues, able to quickly adapt to a
variety of situations and offer a choice
of viable, practical solutions.
Karen is a Certified HR Coach with
a Diploma in Human Resource Management, Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and Certificate IV in WHS. She also is a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) & the Industrial Relations Society of New South Wales.
Why not benefit from Karen’s vast level
of HR expertise and experience? To discuss
your HR requirements book in for a call.
About
My HR Partner
As your on-demand HR Manager, we deliver competitively priced, reliable & practical HR solutions for professional service business owners and teams across Australia. By tapping into our comprehensive industry experience, My HR Partner actively supports you with expert HR advice & assistance, whenever you need it, while ensuring you are compliant with current workplace legislation.
We have trusted Employment Law
partners to assist with any employment
law issues outside of our scope.
You speak directly with one of our
HR experts, not a call centre or generic
phone advisory service. We provide tailored, personalised service & advice, and vitally, we deliver consistent information throughout our relationship with your business. We’re proactive in offering a range of potential options and solutions, so you never have to worry about an HR problem while you’re working with us.
Most business owners & managers
don’t have the time, knowledge or skills to manage HR themselves. Our role is to help you eliminate the worry of dealing with HR issues, wasting hours of valuable time waiting on the phone for Fair Work or trying to determine whether you’re doing the right thing by your employees.
My HR Partner provides a higher level of support and advice than many similar services. While we happily answer questions, providing advice and guidance quickly and efficiently, we also offer for your employees to speak with us directly, once authorised by you. This can help resolve staff concerns before they even become an issue.
Engaging our service is like having an HR manager on staff, at around 10% of the cost
of employing one. Consider us to be an insurance policy for your HR requirements, with great return on investment.
Our Latest Blog Post
Managing Employee Issues Without Making Things Worse
A calm, practical approach to performance management.
Managing employee performance can sometimes feel tricky especially when you genuinely care about doing the right thing.
A lot of business owners tell me they hesitate when it comes to managing employee performance because they don’t want to:
Damage the relationship
Say or do the wrong thing
Be seen as unfair
Accidentally create risk
That hesitation is completely understandable. But when performance issues are left unaddressed, they rarely improve on their own and they often become bigger issues, and more stressful over time.
But managing underperformance doesn’t have to feel confrontational or complicated. With the right approach, it can actually be fair, supportive, and clear for everyone involved.
Let’s go through when to step in, what to document, and how to stay fair and compliant without making things worse.
When Should You Step In?
As a general rule, it’s time to step in when underperformance is:
Ongoing rather than occasional
Affecting work quality, clients, or the wider team
Creating frustration or tension
Something you’ve already noticed more than once
Stepping in early doesn’t mean jumping straight to formal action. In most cases, it starts with a simple, respectful informal conversation about expectations and what support might be needed.
Addressing things early is often the kindest option - it gives the employee clarity and a genuine opportunity to improve.
Why Avoiding the Issue Can Create Bigger Problems
It’s natural to hope performance issues will resolve themselves, but avoiding them can lead to:
Confusion about expectations
Frustration from other team members
Inconsistent standards across your business
Clear, timely conversations help protect your business and your people.
What Should You Document?
Documentation often sounds more daunting than it needs to be.
You’re not building a case against someone, you’re simply keeping a clear record of what’s happening and how it’s being managed. The objective is for the employee to improve their performance.
Helpful documentation usually includes:
What the performance issue is, based on facts
When it occurred and whether it’s ongoing
What expectations were explained
What support, training, or guidance was offered
What was agreed as the next steps
Good records show that you’ve acted reasonably, communicated clearly, and given the employee a fair chance to improve.
How Do You Stay Fair and Compliant?
Fairness isn’t about getting everything perfect, it’s about following a reasonable and consistent process.
To stay fair and compliant:
Apply the same approach to all employees
Focus on behaviours and outcomes, not assumptions
Give the employee an opportunity to respond
Allow reasonable time and support for improvement
Follow a clear, structured process
Even valid performance concerns can lead to claims if they’re not handled well. Having a clear framework removes a lot of uncertainty and stress.
A Clear, Supportive Way to Manage Underperformance
One of the biggest challenges for business owners is feeling like they’re making it up as they go and not knowing what they can and can't do.
That’s why the Performance Management Toolkit inside the My HR Partner HR Hub exists.
It’s designed to give you:
A step-by-step approach to managing performance issues
Guidance on what to say and what not to say
Practical templates and checklists for documentation
Confidence that your process is fair, reasonable, and aligned with best practice
It supports you to handle issues calmly and professionally.
HR Support That Fits Where You’re At
Every business is different, which is why there are flexible options:
Subscribe to the HR Hub for ongoing access to HR tools and resources
Purchase the Performance Management Toolkit if this is your immediate challenge
Combine resources with an HR advice call if you’d like reassurance along the way
You don’t have to do everything at once just take the next right step.
You Don’t Have to Avoid Performance Conversations
Being a good employer doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations.
It means handling them with clarity, fairness, and care.
👉 Explore the Performance Management Toolkit for practical, supportive guidance
👉 Or subscribe to the HR Hub for ongoing HR support as your business grows
With the right tools, managing employee performance can feel far more manageable, and much less stressful.
Ready to Feel More Confident About HR?
You don’t need to navigate HR alone — and you don’t need to overcomplicate it either.
👉Explore the HR Hub and new toolkits to see what support looks like when it’s practical, calm, and genuinely helpful.
👉Subscribe for full access, or choose the toolkit that fits your current challenge.
Sometimes, having the right resource at the right time makes all the difference.
For further expert advice on human resources or if you have any questions about anything HR related, get in touch.
Karen Hillen is your HR Partner, she helps businesses by providing HR support and advice services.
For the right HR support and advice, book a My HR Partner HR Advice call with Karen Hillen.
We provide HR advice and support. We have trusted partners to assist with any employment law issues
outside of our scope.
More info
Suite 17, 741-743 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale NSW 2515
Suite 4, 133 Wharf Street, Tweed Heads NSW 2485
ABN 30 644 527 015
Get HR Advice from our HR expert
Our Latest Blog Post
Managing Employee Issues Without Making Things Worse
A calm, practical approach to performance management.
Managing employee performance can sometimes feel tricky especially when you genuinely care about doing the right thing.
A lot of business owners tell me they hesitate when it comes to managing employee performance because they don’t want to:
Damage the relationship
Say or do the wrong thing
Be seen as unfair
Accidentally create risk
That hesitation is completely understandable. But when performance issues are left unaddressed, they rarely improve on their own and they often become bigger issues, and more stressful over time.
But managing underperformance doesn’t have to feel confrontational or complicated. With the right approach, it can actually be fair, supportive, and clear for everyone involved.
Let’s go through when to step in, what to document, and how to stay fair and compliant without making things worse.
When Should You Step In?
As a general rule, it’s time to step in when underperformance is:
Ongoing rather than occasional
Affecting work quality, clients, or the wider team
Creating frustration or tension
Something you’ve already noticed more than once
Stepping in early doesn’t mean jumping straight to formal action. In most cases, it starts with a simple, respectful informal conversation about expectations and what support might be needed.
Addressing things early is often the kindest option - it gives the employee clarity and a genuine opportunity to improve.
Why Avoiding the Issue Can Create Bigger Problems
It’s natural to hope performance issues will resolve themselves, but avoiding them can lead to:
Confusion about expectations
Frustration from other team members
Inconsistent standards across your business
Clear, timely conversations help protect your business and your people.
What Should You Document?
Documentation often sounds more daunting than it needs to be.
You’re not building a case against someone, you’re simply keeping a clear record of what’s happening and how it’s being managed. The objective is for the employee to improve their performance.
Helpful documentation usually includes:
What the performance issue is, based on facts
When it occurred and whether it’s ongoing
What expectations were explained
What support, training, or guidance was offered
What was agreed as the next steps
Good records show that you’ve acted reasonably, communicated clearly, and given the employee a fair chance to improve.
How Do You Stay Fair and Compliant?
Fairness isn’t about getting everything perfect, it’s about following a reasonable and consistent process.
To stay fair and compliant:
Apply the same approach to all employees
Focus on behaviours and outcomes, not assumptions
Give the employee an opportunity to respond
Allow reasonable time and support for improvement
Follow a clear, structured process
Even valid performance concerns can lead to claims if they’re not handled well. Having a clear framework removes a lot of uncertainty and stress.
A Clear, Supportive Way to Manage Underperformance
One of the biggest challenges for business owners is feeling like they’re making it up as they go and not knowing what they can and can't do.
That’s why the Performance Management Toolkit inside the My HR Partner HR Hub exists.
It’s designed to give you:
A step-by-step approach to managing performance issues
Guidance on what to say and what not to say
Practical templates and checklists for documentation
Confidence that your process is fair, reasonable, and aligned with best practice
It supports you to handle issues calmly and professionally.
HR Support That Fits Where You’re At
Every business is different, which is why there are flexible options:
Subscribe to the HR Hub for ongoing access to HR tools and resources
Purchase the Performance Management Toolkit if this is your immediate challenge
Combine resources with an HR advice call if you’d like reassurance along the way
You don’t have to do everything at once just take the next right step.
You Don’t Have to Avoid Performance Conversations
Being a good employer doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations.
It means handling them with clarity, fairness, and care.
👉 Explore the Performance Management Toolkit for practical, supportive guidance
👉 Or subscribe to the HR Hub for ongoing HR support as your business grows
With the right tools, managing employee performance can feel far more manageable, and much less stressful.
Ready to Feel More Confident About HR?
You don’t need to navigate HR alone — and you don’t need to overcomplicate it either.
👉Explore the HR Hub and new toolkits to see what support looks like when it’s practical, calm, and genuinely helpful.
👉Subscribe for full access, or choose the toolkit that fits your current challenge.
Sometimes, having the right resource at the right time makes all the difference.
For further expert advice on human resources or if you have any questions about anything HR related, get in touch.
Karen Hillen is your HR Partner, she helps businesses by providing HR support and advice services.
For the right HR support and advice, book a My HR Partner HR Advice call with Karen Hillen.
We provide HR advice and support.
We have trusted partners to assist with
any employment law issues outside
of our scope.
More info
PO Box 1079
Coolangatta QLD 4225
ABN 30 644 527 015
Get HR Advice from our HR expert