Only one in three (32%) mid-to-senior level business leaders said the last change they led achieved healthy change adoption by employees, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

Gartner defines healthy change adoption as the success elements that leaders can directly influence – getting employees to act on change, on time and in a healthy way that doesn’t adversely impact employee performance and engagement or cause undue stress.

“Changes today are continuous, stacked on top of one another, highly interdependent and often driven by factors external to the organisation,” said Kayla Velnoskey, Director in the Gartner HR practice. “While leaders are used to operating in a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) environment, the nature of change today has made it ungovernable.”

Ungovernable change has lowered employees’ trust in an organisation’s ability to change effectively. An April 2025 Gartner survey of 141 HR leaders found that organisations experiencing ungovernable change are 1.6x less likely to experience high change trust. Another April 2025 Gartner survey of more than 2,850 employees revealed that 79% of employees have low trust in change.

“Organisations with better than average healthy change adoption report two times higher year-over-year revenue growth rate,” said Ingrid Laman, Vice President, Advisory in the Gartner HR practice. “For companies with more than 50,000 employees, this can equal up to $2.2 billion USD annually.”

Typically, leaders use inspiration and the vision of change to get employees to adopt change, however Gartner analysis found the inspirational approach only works when there is high change trust. When change trust is low, Gartner’s model predicts that only one-quarter of changes led by inspirational leaders would achieve healthy change adoption.

“In Australia, the inability of managers to lead change has been a significant factor contributing to employee dissatisfaction, with manager quality the top reason employees left their employers over the past year,” said Neal Woolrich, Director, Advisory in the Gartner HR practice. “HR leaders have a great opportunity and a duty to address this, by teaching leaders how to build change reflexes in their teams.”

The best change leadership approach is when leaders routinise change, so it becomes instinctive for employees to adopt change as part of the normal course of doing work. Gartner has identified three ways HR can help leaders routinise change to achieve healthy change adoption (see Figure 1).

HR Clarifies Leaders’ Change Role

HR needs to help leaders communicate that constant change is today’s business reality and focus employees on making regular progress on the change journey. This requires business leaders to embrace a new, active role in leading change all the time, not just when it is most intense. Leaders must regularly prepare employees for change and focus on acknowledging progress on interim goals, not the ever-shifting vision for the future.

“To business leaders, this sounds like more work than they have capacity to tackle,” said Laman. “HR can help by showing business leaders that acknowledging the change journey is not more work; instead, it requires them to apply the skills they already have in new ways, redistributing and balancing their time and effort to make change leadership sustainable.”

HR Equips Leaders with Emotion Regulation Tools

Leaders and employees often feel great discomfort when they are asked to lead through or adopt changes. It is hard for leaders to help employees manage these emotions without knowing what’s driving employees’ discomfort. However, if leaders and employees cannot cope with this discomfort, it can create resistance to change.

HR must equip leaders with tools and techniques to regulate the emotional component of change, including resources to help employees self-identify and cope with their reactions to change. Ultimately, leaders are responsible for equipping employees to get to an emotional state where they can act on change despite how they feel.

HR Teaches Leaders to Build Change Reflexes

Leaders who routinise change drive employee action by training intuition, so that change adoption is second nature. HR must help leaders build employees’ change reflexes by identifying what core change skills matter most and finding moments within daily work to practice those skills.

HR should partner with leaders to address the following:

• What are core change skills – skills needed by employees to prepare for and adopt change regardless of the type of change – that employees must practice?
• How and when do they practice these change skills?
• How can leaders get employees to commit to practicing these change skills?

“When leaders routinise change, our model predicts that employees are three times more likely to adopt changes on time and in a healthy way even though they have low change trust,” said Velnoskey.

The Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) hunt for GST fraudsters continues as four more individuals are sentenced following action of Operation Protego.

These recent sentencings reinforce the ATO’s unwavering commitment in investigating and holding all offenders to account.

ATO Deputy Commissioner and Serious Financial Crime Taskforce (SFCT) Chief John Ford said the ATO’s ability to detect and halt GST fraud is unwavering.

‘Our fraud detection and prevention capabilities are advanced thanks to partnerships, technologies, and risk models all working together to stay ahead of fraudsters and criminals,’ Mr Ford said.

Included in these sentencings are individuals who, at the time of offending, were current employees and contractors at the ATO. Once their involvement was identified, their employment ceased.

‘We expect all staff to act with the highest levels of integrity and these individuals violated the trust placed in them by the community.’

‘The community rightly expects all ATO staff to act with the highest levels of integrity. Those who do not meet our values have no place at the ATO,’ Mr Ford said.

Latest sentencing outcomes:

• Kim Orense was sentenced in Penrith District Court to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be released on recognizance after serving 10 months subject to conditions to be of good behaviour for 2 years and to accept the supervision and guidance of Community Corrections, for dealing in money or property that was and which Mr Orense believe to be the proceeds of indictable crime, contrary to subsection 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). Between October 2021 and April 2022, 14 false business activity statements (BAS) were lodged in Mr Orense’s name, which resulted in him receiving $214,011 in fraudulent GST refunds. He transferred these funds to other bank accounts or associates, including Abigail Ussher, his former partner, who has also been sentenced. A search warrant conducted in June 2022 at Mr Orense’s residence found no business records, invoices, tools or equipment, that would suggest he was carrying out a house repair business that he claimed.
• Abigail Ussher was sentenced in the Penrith District Court to 12 months’ imprisonment, to be released on recognizance after serving 5 months subject to conditions to be of good behaviour for 2 years and to accept the supervision and guidance of Community Corrections, for dealing in money or property that was and which Ms Ussher believed to be the proceeds of indictable crime, contrary to subsection 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). In 2022, Ms Ussher lodged 3 original and 4 revised BAS and received $117,297 in refunds through an ABN she claimed was for a business that provided crime scene cleaning services. Upon receiving the funds, Ms Ussher transferred them to personal accounts, or other third parties. She transferred funds to Kim Orense, her former partner, who has also been sentenced. An investigation into Ms Ussher’s bank activity and a search warrant on her home concluded that she was not carrying out a business and therefore not entitled to the refunds she had claimed.
• Former ATO employee Menuwarage Ranasinghe was sentenced at Adelaide Magistrates Court to 4 months’ imprisonment with an order that she be released immediately upon giving security by recognizance of $500 to comply with a condition that she must be of good behaviour for 18 months for three counts of the offence of
  obtaining a financial advantage by deception. Ms Ranasinghe lodged three BAS which misrepresented the creditable expenses incurred by her business and, as a result, obtained $16,056.00 in GST refunds.
• Former ATO contractor Baby Dee Zearwie was sentenced at Melbourne County Court to 8 months’ imprisonment, and immediately released on a two-year recognizance release order for 1 count of obtaining a financial advantage by deception by joint commission and 1 count of obtaining financial advantage by deception. Ms Zearwie obtained $87,649.60 in fraudulent GST refunds. She was also ordered to make reparations of $23,709.43.

These matters were prosecuted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth)(CDPP) following a referral from the ATO.

You can confidentially report suspected tax crime or fraud to us by making a tip-off online or calling 1800 060 062.

For more information about Operation Protego including recent sentencings, visit ato.gov.au/protego.

Australia is home to more than 1,221 franchising networks, with the sector generating over $110 billion in turnover each year. However, recent data from the Franchise Council of Australia and FRANdata shows that, as of March 2025, many franchise business owners report feeling the strain, particularly when it comes to securing finance. In fact, access to funding has emerged as a significant challenge across the sector.

Given the scale and significance of this industry to the Australian economy, it raises an important question: how can franchisees access the most suitable funding to support their growth and operations – and how can finance brokers connect franchise owners to the right funding partner?

Offering valuable insights to franchise owners on how to borrow smarter, Banjo Loans’ Strategic Partnerships Manager, Frances Rikard-Bell, outlines three key reasons why partnering with a non-bank lender can offer long-term benefits for both brokers and franchise businesses.

The time and resources to uncover a franchises’ needs

A strong understanding of the franchisees’ business needs, how the franchise got to where they are and where they want to continue evolving to in the future is crucial to determining what funding they need. It takes time to uncover the intricacies within the books beyond the profit and loss statements, with many non-bank lenders having the resources to do so.

Ms Rikard-Bell reiterates the importance of taking time to get to know the client, “When speaking with a client, go a little deeper than surface level numbers to see how you can support their growth. As franchises are cashflow-reliant, it’s important their brokers and lenders are able to help them.”

A more streamlined and faster approval process

Faster approval times and processes ensure franchises can get back up and running in no time. While non-bank lenders still have policies and systems in place, there are fewer hurdles to jump through to receive funding. Lenders can also present various financing solutions that can provide a lifeline during cashflow crunches or unpredictable obstacles.

“If an instrumental part of your client’s business breaks down, such as a coffee machine in a cafe, they’ll need funding very quickly so they are not impacted by customer relationships and revenue changes in the long run and can continue with their day-to-day,” said Ms Rikard-Bell.

Easy points of contact and relationship management

Non-bank lenders can provide easy relationship management and a single point of contact for you and your clients, making it easier to get the answers you need without jumping through hurdles.

For more information on how brokers and clients can get the most out of their franchise funding, visit the A Broker’s Guide to Unlocking Franchise Funding webinar via the Banjo Loans website.

The world of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is fast paced. There’s never enough time, people, or budget to do everything. Yet expectations are higher than ever: customers want instant responses, decision-makers demand better insights, and teams are drowning in repetitive tasks that add little value. 

According to the Productivity Commission, Australia’s headline labour productivity has stagnated, particularly compared to leading economies like the U.S, and CPA Australia reveals that SMBs are particularly impacted, lagging other markets, including mainland China, Hong Kong, India, and Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines when it comes to growth. 

There could, however, be a solution – AI agents. The beauty of AI agents isn’t just in their raw intelligence – it’s in their ability to work together, across tools and tasks, to accomplish outcomes once reserved for large enterprise systems and dedicated teams. And they’re doing it in a way that’s accessible, affordable, and surprisingly easy to deploy.

From chaos to clarity: a collaborative future

One of the biggest breakthroughs is the move toward collaborative multi-agent systems. Imagine multiple AI agents – each with different strengths – working together seamlessly to handle business functions like customer support, content creation, sales outreach, or data analysis. 

Rather than requiring complex engineering diagrams or hardcoded workflows, many modern platforms now offer intuitive, chat-based interfaces. These feel more like delegating to teammates than configuring software. Business users can assign tasks, review outcomes, and iterate – all through conversation. This shift in user experience lowers the barrier to adoption and makes the power of AI accessible to non-technical teams.

Solving real problems in “unsexy” industries

While flashy use cases in creative industries often get the headlines, the real revolution is happening in often-overlooked sectors where spreadsheets, email threads, and manual document reviews have ruled for decades. Think commercial real estate, logistics, insurance, and manufacturing. In these domains, teams – often including the highest paid professionals – can be buried in repetitive work that can be a barrier to growth. Collaboration spans dozens of emails and meetings. 

This is where AI agents can flex their muscles. They have the ability to step in, not to replace humans, but to eliminate the friction that prevents them from doing their best work. They unify siloed data, streamline communications, and automate error-prone processes – all while maintaining compliance and security.

Scaling without the overhead and achieving ROI

Perhaps the most compelling value proposition for SMBs is the ability to scale without scaling headcount. AI agents allow businesses to handle greater volumes of work, take on more clients, or enter new markets – without the traditional burdens of hiring, training, and managing larger teams. That’s not so say they replace headcount, but they allow SMBs who often do not have the capital to invest in new hires when they are bootstrapped, to scale and put themselves in a better position to reach the stage where they can hire the skilled individuals who can catapult their business forward. 

And the impact isn’t just about efficiency. AI agents also unlock new revenue streams. Forward-thinking companies are beginning to create and share their own agent-based workflows with partners and clients, effectively turning AI into a product as well as a productivity tool.

The success of AI agents is measured not in abstract technical metrics but in clear business outcomes: time saved, errors avoided, deals closed faster, and revenue per employee increased. For SMBs that live or die by their margins, this is no small matter.

It’s not about replacing people – it’s about freeing them

The best use of AI doesn’t eliminate people; it elevates them. AI agents take on the mundane so that humans can focus on creativity, strategy, and relationship-building – the things that truly grow a business. 

For too long, SMBs have been left behind by waves of enterprise software that promised transformation but delivered complexity. AI agents change that. They offer fast wins, minimal setup, and tangible results. The businesses that lean into this shift now will be the ones who find themselves not just surviving – but thriving.

In short, if your SMB is still bogged down by manual workflows and legacy tools, the question isn’t whether AI agents can help – it’s how long you’re willing to wait to find out.

Contributed by John-Daniel Trask, CEO at Autohive

Employment Hero, the global authority on employment, has today released modelling that shows businesses will need an extra $124,000* in working capital on average to meet the government’s new Payday Super rules; a seismic shift in payroll and compliance requirements due to take effect in less than 12 months.

Employment Hero owns a deep vault of real-time payroll data, trusted to run payroll for more than 300,000 businesses, with 2 million verified payslips each month and AU $120 billion flowing through the platform annually. Employment Hero is urging Australian businesses to start preparing for Payday Super now, with less than 12 months to meet the raft of proposed requirements, and little detail on how infrastructure will be modernised or how businesses will be supported through this milestone change. 

Employment Hero supports the intent of Payday Super – to improve and protect retirement outcomes for Australians – but advocates for legislation to account for how businesses actually operate today, and not overload SMBs with unfair risk or cost that could work against the policy objective. 

In an Employment Hero survey of its business customers, 65% of SMBs said Payday Super will have a moderate to huge impact on the day to day running of their businesses and 32.5% said they would have to build larger cash reserves to prepare for the change. 15% of SMBs were not aware of Payday Super at all. 

Employment Hero is working to iterate on and build new solutions as part of its industry-leading Employment Operating System, designed to remove the compliance burden for Australian SMBs. Automated superannuation payments, seamless, digital employee onboarding, Single Touch Payroll integration and ATO compliance and employee pay features will all be available to help businesses start to prepare and ensure accuracy, ease and transparency of their super and payroll payments. 

Employment Hero is working closely with the government, as well as clearing houses, the ATO and super funds to develop a dedicated new suite of Payday Super solutions, as well as advocating for changes that will remove the disproportionate risk for SMBs and reduce significant unintended consequences. 

Employment Hero CEO, Ben Thompson, says Payday Super presents a huge opportunity for all Australians, but currently presents an untenable risk for small and medium businesses. 

“Payday Super could be the biggest positive change to super since its introduction, but it must be done in a way that doesn’t break small businesses or cost Australians their jobs. Without changes to SuperStream, payments infrastructure and proposed penalties, we risk a system where small businesses are punished for delays outside their control, and that’s simply unfair,” said Thompson.

“That’s why we’re doing everything we can to support SMBs through this change, including advocating for changes that will reduce the risk of insolvency for SMBs and in tandem, building solutions that are going to make it easier for employers to be compliant, regardless of where the legislation or infrastructure change lands,” added Thompson.

As part of the proposed reform, employers will have a seven-calendar-day deadline from the payment of wages to pay the Superannuation Guarantee (SG), which is a 75% decrease in leeway to make payments. If the compressed deadline is not met for any reason – including an error or delay from any external party – the employer is liable for the updated SG charge, which includes the shortfall, daily interest and an administrative uplift of 60% of the shortfall. 

Almost 20% of Employment Hero customers stated they do not feel very or at all prepared to meet the seven-day deadline, with an additional 50% stating they only feel ‘somewhat prepared’. Respondents also shared their concerns on clearing houses or super funds causing delays and putting businesses at risk of penalties. Some open-ended commentary showed many businesses are not aware that liability would, in fact, fall to them. 

Shaun Sullivan, Director at Elite Bookkeeping Enterprises said “The industry needs certainty and clarity on who is responsible and accountable when delays and/or errors happen. We’re very concerned that currently, only the business is responsible for the payment landing within the new seven day deadline but there are so many edge cases – such as public holidays or other events outside of our control – which could see this deadline miss. We need concessions for delays and more information on how any corrections or adjustments can be done in what is currently an unreasonable time frame.”

Employment Hero is asking for legislate required modernisation of the super system infrastructure to combat this, along with a staggered implementation to give SMBs more time to prepare, to extend the payment window to 10 business days until faster, real-time payments and messaging infrastructure is in place and to make penalties fairer for SMBs and providing more transitional support. 

Thompson said: “Most business owners didn’t go into business because they wanted to manage employment; they want to use their time to do what they love and what they’re passionate about. Employment Hero exists to make employment easier and more valuable, which is why we are passionately working to help make Payday Super a positive change for all.

“12 months may seem like a long time, but the impact on SMBs and required infrastructure upgrade imposed should not be underestimated. We’re encouraging all businesses to turn their attention to Payday Super and making sure you have the right systems and processes in place to manage the admin and cashflow impacts,” added Thompson. 

Notably, 20% of Employment Hero customers said they would have to or were unsure whether they would change the frequency of their pay cycle to meet these requirements, but 84% stating their employees would be somewhat or very concerned if their pay cycle had to change. 

* Employment Hero Modelling has been calculated based on the average employer size and the average employee salary on the Employment Hero platform and looks at the current average payroll cycle versus the increase in SG events per year under the proposed Payday Super Reform, using anonymised and aggregated data. Based on these calculations, the increase in SG events per year will require $124,615 in order to meet the proposed timing requirements. 

In a move into banking services that signals a significant step-change in the evolution of the 34-year-old ANZ technology leader, MYOB has launched an embedded finance feature, Solo Money, a business transaction account in Solo by MYOB, the all-in-one admin app for Australia’s 1.6 million sole operators.

With around three-quarters (76%) of non-employing Australian businesses running without a dedicated business bank account*, Solo by MYOB is uniquely designed to help Australia’s smallest businesses. Using personal bank accounts for business purposes risks confusion and increases admin load by intermingling personal and business transactions.

MYOB CEO Paul Robson says Solo Money will provide an all-in-one mobile solution for sole operators from day one, incorporating a transactional bank account with market-leading accounting software so they can stay on top of their finances.

“Sole operators take a leap of faith when they start their own business. Finding ways to reduce complexity and provide cashflow transparency is critical in helping Australian startups start, survive and succeed.

“MYOB is leveraging 34 years of product expertise and leadership in Solo by MYOB. Solo by MYOB is the result of MYOB’s extensive experience, providing market-leading innovation for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners.”

With the launch of Solo Money, Solo by MYOB can become the single source of truth for near real time cashflow reporting, with transactions made visible and reconciled in the accounting software through AI smart matching. Combining accounting, business admin management and now banking in a single app can minimise the double handling of data entry through automation and integration.

Solo by MYOB will be the only admin app in Australia to offer a bank account with the flexibility to link other existing bank accounts with its connected accounts feature, powered by MYOB’s first Open Banking deployment.

Solo Money joins other features that include AI-powered transaction matching and auto reconciliation, along with invoicing capabilities. Solo by MYOB was the first accounting software in Australia to offer Tap to Pay capability for both Apple and Android devices, enabling instant payments for completed jobs.

Sole operators can apply in as little as three minutes for Solo Money, which will initially launch as a business transaction account and business debit card. Solo Money will be available in Australia in July 2025. To sign up for the app, visit Solo Money.

Australian small businesses are undergoing a significant transformation in branding. No longer is it content with merely functional designs, they are embracing premium, personalised, and innovative branding strategies to stand out in a competitive market. This shift is not just aesthetic; it’s a strategic response to the evolving business landscape.

According to the Wunderkind 2025 Australia Consumer Insights Report, Australian consumers are prioritising quality, authenticity, and value in their purchases. The report highlights that brands are responding by offering personalised experiences and premium products to meet these expectations. An example can be seen within the coffee industry in Australia.

The Australian Coffee Market Overview indicates that the coffee industry is experiencing steady growth, with consumers increasingly demanding premium and ethically sourced products, highlighting an obvious shift within the Australian market.

For marketers, this shift unlocks new opportunities to support small businesses in their branding journey. As a result, there’s a growing demand for suppliers and marketers to go beyond functionality. Small business owners are looking for ways to express brand personality through design-forward, custom-crafted, and high-quality materials that reflect their values.

So, how can a small business begin to build, elevate, and ‘premiumise’ its brand?

Define Your Target Audience

Defining your target audience isn’t just about demographics like age, income or geography, it’s about uncovering what your ideal customer values. Are they time-poor professionals looking for convenience and efficiency? Are they experience-driven consumers seeking individuality and story? Once you’ve identified who your ideal customer is, the next step is understanding what “premium” means to them.

For some, it may be cutting-edge design or for others, it might be handcrafted details in products. This strategic alignment between audience insight and brand expression ensures that every detail from packaging to pricing reinforces your premium positioning and resonates authentically with your target market.

Offer Limited Editions or Bespoke Options

One of the most effective ways to elevate your offering is through scarcity and personalisation. Limited-edition products or bespoke services add a layer of exclusivity that turns everyday purchases into sought-after experiences. According to a report by Insight Led, 75% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer personalised experiences.

This trend is pushing small businesses to tailor their products and services to individual customer preferences, further enhancing brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. When something is only available in small quantities or can be tailored to the individual, it inherently feels more special, and more valuable.

Monitor market trends

Staying ahead in the premium space requires constant awareness of shifts in design, culture, technology, and consumer behaviour. Small businesses should invest time in regularly scanning and monitoring trend reports, industry publications, social media, and even customer feedback to identify emerging expectations.

By keeping a finger on the pulse, businesses can adapt their offerings to align with what consumers now define as “premium.” This might mean investing in eco-friendly packaging, integrating smart technology, or responding to demand for ethical sourcing. It also means paying attention to what’s resonating on social media, in design, and in lifestyle shifts.

The next era of small business branding isn’t about looking big; it’s about looking you. Authenticity, consistency, and design excellence are no longer nice-to-haves. They’re foundational tools for growth. And as the ecosystem of creators, designers, printers, and marketers, it’s our job to meet this moment with bold ideas and better tools.

Because when small businesses win on first impressions, everyone wins.

Looking ahead to FY26, this premium shift in branding is more than just an aesthetic decision, it’s a strategic advantage. As consumer expectations continue to rise and competition intensifies across industries, businesses that invest in quality, differentiation, and personalisation will be better positioned to capture attention, build trust, and earn loyalty.

Premium branding not only elevates perception but also enables higher pricing power, longer customer lifetime value, and greater resilience in market fluctuations. In short, premium isn’t just better looking, it’s better business.

Contributed by James McPhie, Product Director at VistaPrint Australia

Optus has launched more affordable Business nbn plans designed to lower cost barriers for small businesses that move fast, work-hard and can’t afford to be offline. The new pricing structure maintains all premium features including business-grade speeds, 4G backup via Wi-Fi 6 modems, and prioritised service levels with rapid fault restoration, while reducing monthly costs on select plans to better support cash-conscious business owners.

Optus is continuing to offer its Bundle Bonus program, delivering value to both business and consumer customers through $15 monthly discounts for 12-months when additional eligible services are added. This initiative reflects Optus’ strategy to reward customers while simplifying billing across multiple services with savings accessible to both new subscribers who add multiple services and eligible existing customers. 

“At Optus, we’re all in for small businesses,” said Emma Jensen, Vice President of Small Business at Optus. “We understand that connectivity is the backbone of every business, and that’s why we’re proud to offer Business nbn plans that deliver business-grade speeds, nbn prioritised fault restoration and built-in 4G backup for further resiliency. Whether you’re running a café, managing a retail store or working from home, our new plans are built to help keep your business connected when it matters most.”

Additional Consumer Service Enhancements

• Simplified nbn Portfolio:  Optus has streamlined its Consumer nbn offerings from nine plans to four core options, each including powerful Wi-Fi modems.
• Connected Device Expansion: Monthly data allowances for tablets and mobile broadband plans increase to 30GB at $25/month, with our Bundle Bonus offer available when you add other eligible Optus services.
• Monthly content credit: On our Consumer Promo and Ultrafast nbn plans, we’re introducing a monthly content credit, so you can get $20 per month towards your favourite streaming subscriptions via SubHub.
• Consumer nbn Speed Upgrades: Optus will automatically enable speed upgrades across eligible plans at no extra cost to our customers on HFC and FTTP connections beginning from September.

Business nbn Key Features:

• Business-grade nbn speeds and reliability with faster upload speeds on select plans.
• 4G backup connectivity via Wi-Fi 6 modem
• 24/7 dedicated business support team
• Service level agreements ensuring 4-hour or 12-hour fault restoration

The new Business nbn plans are available immediately, with Bundle Bonus discounts applied to qualifying existing customer accounts from the first billing cycle.

Square has announced the launch of Square Handheld, giving Australian businesses, from fine-dining venues to fashion retailers, a new way to serve on the move. Combining a sleek, durable design with versatile, all-in-one software, Square Handheld empowers sellers to manage everything from payments to back-of-house operations, all from a device that fits in their pocket.

Power that fits in your pocket

Built for fast-moving environments like bustling cafés, busy restaurants, and dynamic retail floors, Square Handheld delivers peak performance in a palm-sized package. Weighing just over 300 grams and under an inch thick, it’s IP54-rated to withstand splashes and dust – ready for the rigours of a full shift, no matter the conditions. With a 6.2ʺ Gorilla Glass touchscreen and a robust battery that powers through even the busiest days, Square Handheld goes beyond card payments. It’s equipped with advanced features including:

• Built-in barcode scanning for speedy checkouts, gift cards, and inventory updates
• A 16 MP camera for capturing product photos and updating item libraries
• Seamless integration with Square’s full software ecosystem, making it easy to manage operations on the go

Whether it’s taking orders tableside, scanning stock in the storeroom, or finalising a sale on the retail floor, Square Handheld gives Australian businesses the freedom, flexibility, and reliability they need to serve customers better.

Adaptable software for every type of business

Square Handheld is powered by the next-generation Square Point of Sale software, bringing years of commerce innovation and technology leadership into a single, powerful hub for running any size or type of business. With customisable Modes – including Full Service, Quick Service, Bar, and Retail – sellers can tailor their Handheld experience to suit their specific needs. 

Device-specific features like fast-access settings and real-time push notifications make it easy to adapt to any workflow. Restaurants and retailers – which together represent around half of Square’s global gross payment volume – are especially well-positioned to benefit from the new functionality.

Aussie hospo businesses in particular are set to see immediate impact. The large, bright display allows staff to view their full section at a glance, streamlining management across indoor and outdoor tables. The interface follows natural service flow – from specials to sides to order modifications – and the slim, pocket-friendly design ensures it stays out of the way between tables. With an all-day battery and rugged build, it’s ready to go from morning rush to evening service.

One of the first businesses in Australia to use Square Handheld was Canberra-based restaurant, Lunetta, who has praised the design and ingenuity behind the hardware.

“Square has been integral to how we run our business from the very beginning, and Square Handheld has elevated that even further,” says Matt Keeley, Manager at Lunetta. “It blends beautifully into our space, both visually and operationally. The design is so clean and discreet, it doesn’t interrupt the atmosphere we’ve worked hard to create. Instead, it enables our team to take payments and orders right at the table with ease and elegance. That kind of fluid, unobtrusive service helps us maintain the warm, personal experience our guests remember, and return for.”

Continued innovation for Aussie businesses

Square Handheld builds on more than a decade of hardware innovation, from the original Square Reader to Square Register and Square Terminal. With its slim, durable design and the latest commerce software built in, Square Handheld reaffirms Square’s commitment to creating tools that meet the evolving needs of modern businesses in Australia.

“Running a restaurant or retail shop today requires speed, efficiency, and flexibility. Square Handheld was designed to help sellers deliver great service anywhere their customers are – whether that’s taking orders at the table, completing a sale on the shop floor, or checking stock on the go,” said Colin Birney, Head of Business Development at Square. “With Square Handheld, we’re helping businesses across Australia be more productive, and thrive in an increasingly dynamic market.”

Starting today, Australian businesses can purchase Square Handheld online via Square Shop, for $349. To complement the device, Square has partnered with leading accessories brand Belkin to offer premium protective cases in a range of colours, for $59. These cases help protect Square Handheld from accidental drops and scratches, while keeping its sleek, pocket-friendly profile.

Square also upgrading software offering

Square’s product innovation is in full swing. Alongside Square Handheld, Square is also unveiling a whole suite of software solutions to make running a business simpler. No matter the size, structure or sector.

Square has reimagined its Point of Sale experience with a powerful new app designed to meet the needs of every type of business, all in one place. Whether running a fast-paced bar, a growing retail store, or operating solo as a service provider, the new Square Point of Sale app is built to flex around how businesses operate, not the other way around.

By unifying the best of Square for Restaurants, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments into a single, streamlined platform, Square is giving sellers more control, more clarity, and less clutter. Customisable layouts, intuitive workflows, and industry-specific tools make it easy to manage everything from complex menus and in-store stock to customer appointments. The result is a simpler way to run operations and a better experience for customers, and allows businesses to more easily open new revenue streams.

“Simplifying our Square Point of Sale app enables businesses to spend less time on admin and more time on their craft and delivering great experiences for their customers,” says Birney. “For Australian sellers, having a single, unified app to manage payments, inventory, online orders, and customer relationships means they can operate more efficiently and scale with confidence, no matter their size or industry.”

Other new software highlights coming to the Square ecosystem include direct online ordering for restaurants (removing costly third-party commission fees for takeout orders), the addition of combos for restaurant sellers, a revamped inventory dashboard for retailers, custom booking forms for health and beauty professionals, and high-value invoice support for service businesses. Together, these updates reflect Square’s continued commitment to building flexible tools that help local businesses thrive, however they operate.

“One thing that Australian hospitality businesses have been clear about is a delivery solution that protects their margins while maintaining quality service,” said Birney. “With Square’s On-Demand Delivery, we’re eliminating the pain of high commission fees while giving restaurants complete control over their delivery operations. Sellers can now offer professional delivery through their own Square Online ordering page, integrate it seamlessly with their POS and kitchen systems, and keep more money in their pocket. It’s about giving Australian restaurants the freedom to grow their delivery business on their own terms.”

These improvements are part of Square’s broader seasonal product rollout – Square Releases – which delivers biannual software updates based on feedback from Australian sellers. The next batch of product updates will happen later in 2025. 

To learn more about Square Handheld and Square’s ecosystem of business solutions, visit the Square Handheld product page.