Your ideal HR Partner – Tried and Trusted by hundreds of businesses for over 30 years
Why Positive People?
We take the time to understand where your organisation is at and where you want to be. We work alongside you and your team to provide practical, hands-on HR support in a strategic framework that delivers tangible results and empowers you to achieve your business goals.
Our story
In a world where small and medium-sized businesses struggled with the complexities of HR, one man saw an opportunity to make a real difference. Alan Pettersen, Managing Director of Positive People, was already a seasoned senior HR professional, managing HR in the complexities of a unionised corporate environment. During his career he learned the value of honest, people-centred communication, delivered with integrity. But it wasn’t just in the boardrooms that Alan found himself solving HR challenges. Time and again, friends and acquaintances turned to him for advice—at weekend BBQs, casual get-togethers, and seemingly every social gathering in between!
No-one to help.
During these conversations Alan had his ‘aha’ moment. He realised that for most small to medium sized businesses, HR wasn’t just a headache, it was a mystery – a daunting challenge they often feared but desperately needed to get on top of. He understood that each employee was an integral contributor in the success or failure of an organisation and that many organisations simply didn’t have the expertise or resources to navigate the legal complexities, policies, and best practices you need for good people management. And there was no one to help them.
A dream to make HR accessible, straightforward and impactful.
Alan knew there was a better way. In 1994, he took a bold leap. Leaving behind the security of his corporate career to create something entirely new, he founded Positive People HR Consultancy, with a dream to demystify HR for businesses. At a time when consulting and outsourcing were still novel ideas, Alan’s mission was clear – make HR accessible, straightforward, and impactful. With a deeply-held belief that any organisation—regardless of its size—could thrive with the right HR practices, Alan was inspired to share this expertise.
Trust and a work-life balance.
Alan’s vision didn’t stop at helping businesses. He wanted to transform the way people worked. After years of burning the candle at both ends in a corporate role, he knew there had to be a better way to work and the idea of a flexible, people-first environment was born. Trust, values, and a work-life balance became the foundations of our culture at Positive People. We thrive on the philosophy of empowering people to create a life that’s not just successful but balanced, enjoyable, and fulfilling.
A very happy Alan Pettersen, on the day Positive People was born – August 1994!
We champion well-being and work satisfaction.
Every consultant at Positive People enjoys complete flexibility in their work schedule. We believe that when you love what you do and have the freedom to create your ideal work-life balance, the results speak for themselves. It’s a philosophy that has helped nurture not just our business, but our people.
It wasn’t always easy.
Back in 1994, armed with nothing but a phone book and relentless determination, Alan began calling business after business, starting with the letter A. The response? Overwhelming. What began as a small consultancy for local businesses quickly snowballed into a thriving HR force.
A pivotal moment was when Toni Jacka, one of the founding consultants, joined Positive People. Together, Alan and Toni—now the General Manager—put in the hard work and dedication required to establish Positive People as a leading outsourced HR solution.
Fast forward to today:
Positive People HR has celebrated 30 years of excellence! We have a team of 16 experienced HR consultants, and a growing roster of over 300 happy clients. Our mission remains the same – to make HR straightforward, accessible, and transformative for all businesses.
HR for everyone.
Whether you’re establishing a strategic HR framework, navigating employment and compliance challenges, fostering employee engagement, developing leadership capability, or providing recruitment support, Positive People has shown businesses the incredible power of great people practices—and how you can truly transform your organisation.
The promise from Alan and our team is unwavering– HR is for everyone. This legacy of positive change has empowered businesses and employees alike—and we’re just getting started!