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Yellow research: Australian small business owners struggle in silence with stress and anxiety

ALMOST HALF of Australian small business owners feel stressed or anxious about work every day, yet most don’t seek help, according to a recent survey by Yellow.

Yellow surveyed 100 small business customers across the country from a wide range of sectors and found 40 percent of respondents are stressed about work, but an alarming 72 percent do not seek any help. This was most prevalent among small business operators aged 51 or above.

The survey investigated the impact of running a small business on the mental wellness of SMB owners, and how they cope with it.

Three quarters of the survey respondents have been running their business for more than 10 years, a tell-tale sign that managing work-related stress does not come any easier for seasoned SMB operators.

Managing business finances (32%), juggling multiple responsibilities (26%) and no work-life balance (16%) were cited as the top stressors. Half of those surveyed say they work more than nine hours per day – significantly higher than the daily average of 7.6 working hours.

One in five say not only their productivity takes a hit as a result of their work anxiety, but they also feel the brunt of it on their personal relationships. Despite this, 22 percent cite not wanting to be a burden to others as a deterrence from seeking help, while 14 percent say they are not sure where or who to seek help from.

“Running your own business can be hugely rewarding but it comes with high pressure and often small business owners find it hard to switch off from work after hours,” Yellow executive general manager James Ciuffetelli said.

“Having worked with Australian small businesses for more than four decades, we understand the challenges that come with being a small business owner. With Mental Health Week raising awareness of the issue this week, we want to remind all small business operators to take the first step of reaching out to someone – whether that’s a friend, a partner or a family member – and start a conversation about their mental wellbeing.” 


Yellow has produced a mental health handbook for small business owners in partnership with RUOK?, which is available for download here.

About Yellow

Yellow helps everyday Australians find, choose and connect with the best local businesses Australia wide. Yellow is the longest standing business directory, helping consumers solve their everyday life admin pressure and get things done. As the digital marketing experts, Yellow also champions Australian small to medium businesses. Yellow has an extensive range of digital marketing solutions including Yellow SEM, Yellow SEO, Yellow Digital Display, Yellow Social Ads, Yellow Websites and Pocket Office. Yellow is a division of Sensis – one of Australia’s leading marketing services companies. Other Sensis brands include White Pages, Sensis Data Solutions and Skip. Consumers use www.yellowpages.com.au. Businesses use www.yellow.com.au

About Sensis

Sensis helps Australians connect and engage through its leading platforms. Sensis helps create and manage valuable connections via itsdigital consumer businesses (Yellow, White Pages, True Local, Whereis and Skip), search engine marketing and optimisation services, website products, social, data and mapping solutions, and through its digital agency Found. Sensis is also Australia’s largest print directory publisher including the Yellow Pages and White Pages. www.sensis.com.au

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Further public hearing on nuclear energy

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy is holding a further hearing in Sydney on the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia.

The committee will hear from a number of witnesses during the course of the day.

A full program is available on the inquiry website at https://www.aph.gov.au/nuclearpower.

Public hearing details:

Date: Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Time: 9am to 4:35pm
Location: Portside Conference Centre, 207 Kent St, Sydney

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

The committee intends to hold further public hearings, which will be announced in due course on the inquiry website: https://www.aph.gov.au/nuclearpower.

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First gas at Senex's Project Atlas another win for Qld jobs: QRC

THE Queensland Resources Council has welcomed first gas produced from Senex Energy's Project Atlas near Wandoan in the Surat Basin.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the achievement from Brisbane-based Senex was testament to the diversity of Queensland's gas industry and getting the State Government's policy settings to promote development of gas in Queensland for Queensland use.

"Queensland has both large and small producers such as Senex supplying gas which allows all gas fields to be developed. Everyone benefits when we develop our gas responsibly," Mr Macfarlane said.

“Gas from Atlas will supply Queensland manufacturers, including CSR, Orora and O-I and coincides with the completion of a pipeline connecting the project to the Wallumbilla gas hub.”

Project Atlas was granted a domestic only supply lease by the Queensland Government in March 2018.

“At the time it was a pilot guarantee for gas for domestic use which avoided the overly prescriptive conditions in a gas reservation policy. Now it's a flagship example of best-practice regulation in action – fast, effective and focussed on outcomes," Mr Macfarlane said.

“This project vindicates the Palaszczuk Government’s decision to release land specifically for developing gas for the domestic market but sadly Queensland continues to do all the heavy lifting to provide extra gas for the eastern Australian market.”

www.qrc.org.au

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Off again, on again - super guarantee amnesty

THE Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) has commended the Federal Government for reconfirming its commitment to ease the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) penalty regime by reintroducing a Bill for a one-off amnesty for historical SG underpayments.

“With increased transparency around when employers make SG contributions on behalf of employees thanks to Single Touch Payroll (STP), it is an opportune time for employers to make good any outstanding SG liability without the full draconian penalty regime applying, which acts as a disincentive in coming forward,” said IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway.

“We fully support the extended amnesty as it gives employers who wish to be compliant the opportunity to make good past underpayments and we encourage all Parliamentary parties to support the measure.

“The Opposition previously did not support the amnesty on the basis that employers should not be rewarded for SG non-compliance.

“While any non-payment of this worker entitlement represents wage theft; a practice never to be condoned, the IPA supports this amnesty period as it incentivises employers to come forward and do the right thing by their employees by paying any unpaid superannuation in full.

“We acknowledge that small businesses can sometimes experience cash flow issues, making them vulnerable when it comes to meeting their SG obligations by the required due date.  This amnesty gives them time to atone.

“At the end of the day money is been directed into employee’s superannuation accounts with some interest added and that’s a good thing.

“Employers that do not take advantage of the one-off amnesty will face significantly higher penalties if they are subsequently caught. In addition, throughout the amnesty period the ATO will continue its usual enforcement activity against employers.

“We are now urging all parties to support the amnesty and make it happen for employers to make the most of the situation,” said Mr Conway.

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About the Institute of Public Accountants

The IPA, formed in 1923, is one of Australia’s three legally recognised professional accounting bodies.  In late 2014, the IPA acquired the Institute of Financial Accountants in the UK and formed the IPA Group, with more than 37,000 members and students in over 80 countries.  The IPA Group is the largest SME focused accountancy organisation in the world. The IPA is a member of the International Federation of Accountants, the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board and the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants. 

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Political donation disclosure bill under review

THE Electoral Matters Committee has commenced a review into the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Real Time Disclosure of Political Donations) Bill 2019.

The bill, introduced to the House of Representatives by Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie, would amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act to require the agent or financial controller of the party, branch or campaigner to advise the electoral commission, within five days, of any donation received by the party, branch or campaigner that meets or exceeds the disclosure threshold of $13,800.

The Committee invites written submissions addressing any or all aspects of the bill.

Prospective submitters are advised that any submission to the Committee’s inquiry must be prepared solely for the inquiry and should not be published prior to being accepted by the Committee.

Submissions are requested by October 21, 2019. Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at the following link.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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