At MAYDAY, “Recruitment with Care” is a lived daily practice, not just a slogan. And no one brings that philosophy to life more than Kat, Co-Founder and HR Director. From mentoring future leaders to shaping the programs that support our team’s wellbeing and progression, Kat plays a pivotal role in building the people-first culture we’re so proud of. We sat down with her to talk about what care looks like behind the scenes, how we support long-term growth and the little moments that make it all worthwhile. 1. What does “recruitment with care” actually mean for you day-to-day? It means treating people like people. Picking up the phone, being honest, keeping promises and remembering that every candidate is a real human with a real life. Care is in the micro-moments - the follow-ups, the empathy, the effort to really listen. 2. How do you support career growth at MAYDAY? By actually listening. We talk openly about goals, strengths, ambitions and the parts someone might want to develop. From there, we build a pathway that feels achievable and personal. Our approach includes: Clear expectations and structured progression plans Regular check-ins Access to senior mentors across the business A robust internal training calendar designed around real needs. We want every team member to see a future here and feel supported getting there. 3. What initiatives are you most proud of implementing? For me, it would be creating and implementing our people focused initiatives - the ones that genuinely make a difference in someone’s day, not just look good on paper. Things like: Stay interviews that help us understand what keeps people at MAYDAY Our return-to-work support framework The wellness program built around Move, Money, Munch and Mind Our mentoring and internal training programs The clarity of our progression plan. These are foundations, not add-ons. We’re in a constant pursuit of creating an environment where people feel supported, valued and set up for success. 4. Leading a growing team can’t be easy. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned? Communicate everything, even the small stuff. Transparency builds trust, and trust builds teams. And be kind - to yourself and to the people around you. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about showing up consistently with empathy and clarity. 5. What gets you out of bed in the morning (besides coffee and 4 children)? Usually my one-year-old… or my husband returning from the gym! But professionally, it’s watching people grow. I love bringing new people into the business and seeing them settle, succeed and surprise themselves. Watching existing team members step into new challenges or progress their careers is the most rewarding part of my job. 6. Can you spill the secret sauce that makes MAYDAY such a great place to work? Our people. We hire genuinely great humans, trust them, support them and keep the ego out of the room. We genuinely want the best for every person. Want to learn more about Life at MAYDAY? Inspired to learn more about Life at MAYDAY? Connect with Kat for a chat or head to our Careers page to see where your next step could take you.
Client Overview A leading private healthcare provider, specialising in surgical and outpatient care. The organisation employs specialist staff across multiple departments and prides itself on delivering high-quality, patient-centred care. The Challenge The client needed a confidential executive search for a Director of Nursing. Their existing DON was relocating interstate, and the organisation required a seamless transition with minimal disruption to operations and patient care. Finding a candidate with the right leadership experience, cultural alignment and clinical credibility was critical. Our Approach Conducted an in-depth job briefing with the two owners to define essential skills, leadership attributes and cultural fit. Developed a targeted job ad and social media collateral in collaboration with the client. Initiated a strategic headhunting campaign, leveraging our national network of senior nursing leaders. Maintained regular, transparent updates with the client, ensuring alignment at every stage of the process. The Impact 4 days to deliver a shortlist of high-calibre candidates. 2 weeks total turnaround from brief to placement. 100% compliance checks completed before the candidate started. Zero operational disruption reported during the transition. A highly skilled Director of Nursing was successfully placed, bringing immediate leadership impact and cultural alignment. The client could focus on their clinical responsibilities, confident that the transition was managed seamlessly. Client Feedback: The two owners, both surgeons, praised the process as efficient, low-disruption and professionally managed end-to-end. They highlighted our proactive communication and sector expertise as key factors in the successful outcome.
The Brief A longstanding healthcare client urgently required coverage for 54 critical registered nursing shifts across NSW, VIC and QLD, all within two weeks. With tight compliance requirements and zero room for error, they needed a recruitment partner with proven speed, scale and precision. Key considerations: Multi-state logistics: Coordinating placements across three states with varied workforce availability. Speed and volume: Meeting a high-volume request with limited lead time. Strict compliance: Ensuring every nurse met specific credentialing requirements before deployment. The Challenge Filling dozens of critical shifts on short notice is always complex, especially across multiple states. In this case, the client needed fast action without compromising compliance, consistency, or care. Limited lead time to avoid disruption to services National scale requiring seamless logistics High compliance standards for all placements Demand for reliable, ready-to-go healthcare professionals Our Approach We immediately activated our national network of pre-screened nursing professionals. With deep experience in high-pressure, time-sensitive environments, the team: Mobilised resourcing and compliance within minutes of the request. Matched qualified and available registered nurses to the required shifts within 24 hours. Ensured all placements were fully vetted and aligned with the client’s specific compliance and credentialing requirements. Maintained open and responsive communication throughout the process to keep the client informed and confident. The Impact The outcome was fast, compliant and seamless. All 54 shifts filled within 24 hours - across multiple states 100% compliance with client onboarding and credentialing requirements Zero disruption to patient care or internal operations Strong client feedback, praising the speed, professionalism and fit of candidates. Client Feedback “MAYDAY Healthcare is an exceptional agency. Recently, we had an urgent need for registered nurses across various locations, and they impressively filled the roles in less than 24 hours with outstanding candidates. Siobhan and her team are always professional and a pleasure to work with. Despite our unique, fast-paced environment and short turnaround times, they consistently provide excellent service and truly understand our needs.”
