Employment group awarded for service

A FOCUS on fostering a positive work environment for WDEA Works employees has earnt the organisation an Employer of Choice gong at the Australian Business Award (ABA) for 2022.

Announced on September 15, the award is given to organisations that maximise the full potential of their workforce through structured policies and practices, and can demonstrate effective employee recruitment, engagement and retention.

The ABA commended the disability employment support organisation for its priority commitment to employee wellbeing, mental health and satisfaction during the pandemic.

Special mention was given to the regular employee check-ins undertaken by managers and members of the People and Culture team, and the formation of a COVID-19 Crisis Management Team that managed the flow of health authority information to key stakeholders.

“I’m so proud of the strong, inclusive, and diverse culture we’ve built that allows our people to do amazing work and deliver outstanding, long-term results for our clients,” CEO Tom Scarborough said.

“Our team is at the heart of everything we do. We invest in our people by listening to our staff, investing in professional development, and continuing to grow and protect our culture to ensure our teams remain committed to our purpose of building inclusiveness in our communities.”

The Warrnambool founded not-for-profit launched in 1989 with the purpose of helping people with a disability find employment opportunities and has since spread to 36 sites across the western half of regional Victoria and over the border to South Australia.

In its 30-years of operations WDEA has helped more than 40,000 people find meaningful and inclusive employment.

With more than 400 people now part of the team, Mr Scarborough said the organisation’s success rests largely on the sense of purpose people get working there and the importance of giving them opportunities to grow.

“Our people often tell me they’re doing some of the best work of their careers at WDEA Works and how our values resonate with their own personal values that they feel they are genuinely contributing to social impact within our communities,” he said.

“WDEA Works takes very seriously the responsibilities of being an Employer of Choice, continuously striving to retain and strengthen achievements in key areas of Organisational Culture and Leadership; Employee Education, Training and Development; Employee Health, Safety and Satisfaction; Performance Management and Recognition & Remuneration.”