Who We Are

HR advice from someone who's actually done it.

Not a call centre, not a generic consultancy — one advisor who's led HR at the highest stakes and built People Department to give you that same depth without the corporate price tag.

Founder, People Department

Matt Baldwin

Matt has spent his career untangling employment relations for businesses that can't afford to get it wrong — including as Head of HR across 400+ franchisees and 900+ stores at Domino's Australia & New Zealand, and in senior HR roles across Westpac and CBA.

He built People Department on a simple belief: you shouldn't have to hand your people decisions to a stranger. His job isn't to take over — it's to give owners and managers practical, plain-English advice, and to be there when they want backup.

Direct, practical, and built to make you self-sufficient — not dependent. That's the same approach behind every piece of advice, document and workshop People Department delivers.

Ex-Head of HR, Domino's ANZ Franchise & Hospitality Fair Work & Awards

How We Work

The People Department way

A few principles that shape every conversation, document and call.

01
Plain English, not corporate gibberish
We've worked across almost every sector, from retail to deep sea welding — the advice always fits your world, not a template.
02
One advisor, not a ticket queue
You get a dedicated adviser who learns your business, not a rotating cast of strangers reading your file for the first time.
03
Practical advice, not just legal cover
We work alongside you day to day, keeping you compliant so problems never reach a lawyer in the first place.
04
Built to make you self-sufficient
Our job isn't to create dependence — it's to hand you the skills and documents to run great HR yourself, with backup on call.

Rave Reviews

What clients say

★★★★★

"When you're caught in the weeds of building and running a business, it can be easy to let the little things slide. But those little things, especially when it comes to people management, can become towering forces that need to be taken seriously. Matt's experience, knowledge and heart for people was our super power. Keen to work with Matt again soon."

Zachary Staines

Google Review

★★★★★

"Highly recommend. Matthew's help in structuring our business and getting the foundations right from a leadership & HR perspective has been powerful. We saw great results immediately — both in the culture of our team and in results, having consecutive record months after we finished the program. I wish I'd engaged his services sooner!"

Harry Gale

Google Review

HR advice from someone who's actually done it.

Matt Baldwin

The People Department way

Plain English, not corporate gibberish

One advisor, not a ticket queue

Practical advice, not just legal cover

Built to make you self-sufficient

What clients say

Let's talk aboutyour business.

Let's talk about
your business.