It’s a somewhat overused term – “employer of choice”. Many companies claim to be one, and many more aspire to become one, but what does it mean? And more importantly, what does it look like in practice?
The Institute of Internal Auditors Australia defines it as “an organisation with a good reputation that candidates want to work for.” The reasons can be varied – culture, career opportunity, flexibility.
“Being an employer of choice is an aspiration,” said Delivery Manager Jamie Waddington. “Elysium EPL has experienced significant organic growth since its establishment in 2017, supported by a considered and targeted recruitment strategy designed to nurture and support the organic culture that has been bred since the beginning.”
The company has grown from four Australian Defence Force veterans to now more than 80 personnel spread around Australia.
“We’re proud of how far we have come in a short time, but what remains at the forefront is our people – they are our secret sauce and without them, the expertise we offer our clients wouldn’t be in the same realm,” continued Jamie.
It's this commitment to our people that has led us to become an “employer of choice”, and it’s evidenced by the experience of our people.
“Elysium EPL is one of the most positive and I would have to say best companies that I have worked with - in all of my years to date,” according to procurement and program management consultant Lavinia Constable.
“I cannot speak more highly of the company’s commitment to sharing knowledge amongst the team (for upskilling and growth), empowering its people to drive their own career path and investing in them to make it happen. “
Lavinia’s journey
Lavinia came to Elysium EPL in 2020 an experienced architect. Since then, she has completed a formal qualification in procurement and contracting, become one of the first females in Australia to become a qualified collaborative working practitioner through the Institute for Collaborative Working Australia and is now helping the company establish a dedicated Business Development team to support its rapid growth.
It's a career path she certainly didn’t anticipate.
“I joined the team to help deliver a major reform program to a Federal Government department,” said Lavinia. “I loved the collaborative nature of the project and being able to combine my experience with design and project management and my somewhat (strange) interest in research and report writing.”
As the contract neared its end, the company rightly identified that Lavinia’s skills could be used on a range of other projects. And so, they put the question to her – what next?
“I expressed an interest in understanding more about procurement and contracts with a hint of law,” continued Lavinia. “Within a week, I was enrolled in a Certificate IV in Procurement and Contracting.”
It’s a step that paid off almost instantly – Lavinia secured a 12-month procurement officer role; due to the collaborative nature of the role, she was in plum spot to become a member of the ICW whilst also spreading her wings working alongside the Transformation, Engagement and Communication team to support the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO).
Now, she’s bringing her myriad skills together to drive Business Development for the company.
“It’s been a positive and interesting learning curve, and I’ve enjoyed seeing a different side of the business and supporting the Directors and Operations Team,” said Lavinia.
Walking the walk
Whilst being an employer of choice is somewhat subjective, what isn’t is the hard facts from the Elysium EPL team that it’s a great place to work– in fact, 97 per cent of them agree, which has led to the company achieving Great Place to Work certification every year since 2022.
Scheduled employee check-ins and pulse checks, quarterly staff updates, an annual staff offsite and a commitment to transparency are some of the routine things the team does to ensure that culture is retained and fostered as the company grows.
“Anecdotally, we often hear from our team that Elysium EPL feels like a big family,” continued Jamie. “It’s really important to us that people feel they have the opportunity to contribute in a capacity that’s manageable for them, that they have the opportunity to be challenged and to stretch themselves and that work is a fun, enjoyable and supportive place to be.”
Importantly, diversity across the Elysium EPL workforce, client base and the projects they deliver is also a key ingredient in being an employer of choice.
“I like the people and clients that we work with, the diverse areas that Elysium EPL practices in and the opportunities through project types and upskilling that I’ve been fortunate to have,” said Lavinia.
“Because we have people from diverse backgrounds, it makes for great conversation and a unique collaborative effort to create an environment that fosters and encourages growth and gets the work done.”
A Great Place to Work
The Elysium EPL team has again achieved Great Place to Work certification in 2024. With its growing and loyal employee base, and strong organic culture, it’s a trend that is set to continue in the future.
“What makes Elysium EPL a great place to work, in my view, is intrinsically linked to its three values: E=Ethos, P=Pathos and L=Logos,” said Lavinia. “Each of these provide and sustain the purpose that drives Elysium EPL to help our clients the best we can and creates a work environment that you enjoy being in whilst having flexibility to ensure we have a work – family – life balance.”
Elysium EPL an Australian-owned SME that helps business and government realise complex transformation. We provide trusted advice and comprehensive, tailored solutions that deliver enduring value by building our clients’ capability so they succeed long after we are gone. Learn more about our services: elysiumepl.com.au
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