At one point, the Woolworths People team (the group responsible for shaping how the organisation rewards, retains and values its people) reached a strategic inflection point. They were clear on the intent: ensure their remuneration and benefits structures were not just competitive, but truly aligned with the evolving needs of the business and its people. This leadership team knew that compensation isn’t just about pay or perks; it’s a lever for trust, motivation, fairness, and performance.

They asked for support to bring coherence and clarity to their strategy, and over three intense days we designed a facilitated strategy workshop that did exactly that.

This workshop wasn’t about ticking boxes. It was about creating a shared understanding, aligning purpose with practice, and reshaping how the People team thinks about remuneration and benefits as part of a broader high-performance environment.

We started by surfacing the current reality; what was working, where the gaps were, and how the business context and employee expectations were shifting. Through structured activities, candid conversations, and a mix of behavioural and strategic tools, the team collectively mapped out:

Core principles for remuneration that reflect both internal equity and external competitiveness;

A benefits architecture that speaks to meaningful support (from wellbeing through long-term opportunity) rather than transactional perks;

Decision criteria to guide trade-offs (e.g. where to invest versus where to standardise);

And importantly, a shared language and intention around what “right” looks like for Woolworths’ people.

By the end of the three days, what had been a loosely defined set of priorities turned into a cohesive strategy; anchored in organisational purpose, grounded in people realities, and designed to enable a high-performance environment that’s fair, future-ready, and compelling.

The Woolworths team left with clarity, alignment, and a practical roadmap they could immediately activate. What felt complex and overwhelming at the outset became an opportunity for strategic direction-setting; one rooted in thoughtful design, shared ownership, and real human insight.