This month we celebrate Valerie Lesaulnier’s 15th anniversary with the WorkPac Group
This month we celebrate Valerie Lesaulnier’s 15thanniversary with theWorkPac Group. Please see below some words from Valerie on her WorkPac journey. What has been the highlight of your WorkPac career so far?WorkPac has a genuine desire to give back to the community, whether local or international. As part of our 2017 mission to Cambodia, we built seven houses for seven families in Siem Reap with our partners. I will never forget this unique and humbling experience as one of the most memorable days of my life.What do you love most about your role?The diversity of the role requirements and the engagement with our teams. What have you learnt about yourself since starting?Like many others at WorkPac, I have GRIT. We are passionate about what we do, and we have made this business a success by being persistent and 100% driven.If WorkPac was an animal, what would it be, and why?Chameleon, WorkPac is an agile business that can adapt quickly to change.From Valerie’s Manager:15 years! How lucky are we. You are an absolute superstar Val and we would be forever lost without you. You are an integral part of the WorkPac family and are greatly admired. It is not only your insightful operational knowledge that is applauded but the enormous sense of fun and energy you bring each and every day. You have played an instrumental role in key WorkPac business improvements and are constantly striving for better outcomes for our candidates and clients. We don’t just celebrate you today, but every day.
Checking in on a mate
Australia is built on a tradition of helping mates.It’s what we do when times are tough.We have a long and proud history of helping our mates through drought, floods, and fires. This year some of our mates will need us to help them through one of the busiest times of the year.The TV version of how wonderful this time of year can be, simply isn’t so for many people.Research suggests that the December to January period can be one of the most difficult periods for some people and unfortunately the rates of suicide increase over this period. The reasons are personal and can vary from grief, loneliness, financial stress and even a lack of mental health support due to services closing or having reduced hours during this period.Now is the time for us all to check in on our mates.Warning signs your mate may be strugglingYou may find that one of your mates has started posting on social media that they are getting excessively and frequently drunk, sharing a lot of anxiety/ depression/ mental health memes, or constantly joking about overspending and not being able to afford it. Your mate may also display signs of withdrawing from you and family members, their appearance may become unkempt or disheveled.You may notice changes in their mood such as sadness or agitation. This could be your sign to catch up and ask some tough questions, such as how they are feeling and even if they are feeling suicidal. It’s okay to reach out to someone we are worried about. Sometimes when we ask the tough questions it opens a gateway for conversation and allows people to express how they are feeling.Tips to support mates going through a hard timeCheck in regularly This is one of the best things you can do to support a mate who is going through a hard time.Send them a text, call them, sit on the couch, and watch TV, just be present with them.If they aren’t in the mood to talk or do anything and want to be left alone, let them know that that’s okay too.Don’t try to fix anythingIts human nature when we hear that someone is struggling, we want to make that person feel better by doing something.The best approach is to listen. As hard as it is, make no suggestions.Making suggestions or trying to fix the issue may come across as you be dismissing their struggle or pain.Let your friend talk and express what they are going through.Listening will help you truly understand.During the conversation you can acknowledge that some of the experiences they have had were not ideal. This will allow your mate to feel validated with their feelings and will allow them to further express their feelings.Don’t avoid the sensitive topics, for example if the person is grieving for a loved one, talk about this person by name and share memories.Don’t assume Sometimes when we recognise people are struggling, we want to shield them from situations that we feel may make the situation worse.For example, we may feel that they don’t want to participate in social events or traditions but in fact this may help them feel normal. Offer to go to events as their plus one, offer to help them decorate their place, assist with shopping for events.Let your mate decide what they need. And most importantly do not judge their decision. If they want to spend the time alone, let them.Do not place any further pressure on them as it will create further stress.Navigate support service.We can also help our mates by suggesting that they may need to talk to someone with experience in helping people with similar issues.We can provide them with a list of options of support services.Several support services are still available during the December to January period and it’s important to let your mate know that its okay to call if they need further support. Remember to take timeout from the busyness and give a mate a call, it may be just the support they need.It's OK to call..Emergency 000Beyond Blue 1300 224 636Kids Help Line 1800 551 80Lifeline 13 11 14Mensline 1300 789 978
WorkPac Christmas Closure Dates – Contact Over The Christmas Period
Need to get in touch with us over the Christmas period? From Monday 26 December 2022 to Tuesday 3 January 2023, WorkPac’s office locations will be available via appointment only from 8.00am to 3.30pm. To ensure your enquiry can be handled quickly and efficiently, please contact us on 1300 967 572.For further information regarding when pays will be processed over the Christmas period, please check out our recent blog post here.On behalf of WorkPac, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support throughout 2022. We hope this festive season brings you happiness and a joyful start to a prosperous new year.
WorkPac Christmas Pay Run Guide for 2022
Christmas is just around the corner! And we know how busy this time of year can be. To help we have popped together a handy reference of key dates so you can plan ahead, relax, and focus on what matters most this festive season.Payroll Changes | All Divisions & FTMsWeek commencing Sunday 18 December 2022Payroll operates as usual this weekPlease ensure your approved timesheet is lodged by 10am AEST Monday 19 DecemberWeek commencing Sunday 25 December 2022Payroll closed Mon 26 and Tues 27 December (all pays will be pushed back by 2 days)Please lodge your approved timesheet by 10am AEST Wednesday 28 DecemberThe main pay run will be processed Friday 30 DecemberWeek commencing Sunday 1 January 2023Payroll closed Monday 2 January (all pays will be pushed back by 1 day)Please lodge your approved timesheet by 10am AEST Tuesday 3 January Importantly, our Payroll team are aiming to minimise these delays where possible. For example, if all employees in a division have lodged their timesheets, we will endeavour to process payments earlier. This is a great reason to make sure your data is logged promptly.We also encourage you to reach out to your bank for assistance with queries regarding their processing days.Please contact your WorkPac Recruitment Coordinator for assistance with any queries.Wishing you all the best for the festive season and a joyful start to a happy new year.
Scheduled Website Maintenance | Wednesday 30 November
Scheduled Website Maintenance | 9pm – 11pm AEST Wednesday 30 November Our websites will be undergoing essential scheduled maintenance between 9pm and 11pm AEST, Wednesday 30 November.During this time, there may be short service interruptions of up to 20 minutes.The following websites will be affected.workpac.comworkpacgroup.comworkpachsc.combrcrecruitment.com.auIMRLocumBank.com.auWe apologise for any inconvenience caused. If you are unable to access our website, please check back at a later time.Our contact email address is contactus@workpac.com
This month we celebrate Jade Shepherd’s 7th anniversary with the WorkPac Group
This month we celebrate Jade Shepherd’s 7thanniversary with theWorkPac Group. Please see below some words from Jade on her WorkPac journey. What has been the highlight of your WorkPac career so far?Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Dudleys. I was lucky enough to be nominated for Business Centre Administration Manager of the year in my 1styear with WorkPac. Although I didn’t win, it made me want more! I went on to win a Dudley the next year forServices to WorkPac. Everyone at WorkPac should strive to attend these awards, it’s an amazing night and you get to meet other ‘WorkPacians’ from around Australia. Some you work with daily and have never met.What do you love most about your role?I’m lucky enough in my current role to work with all teams across the WorkPac Group including Operations, Service Centre, WES.jobs and JobTrail. No two days are the same and I’m constantly learning and understanding the way we operate and how we can improve our processes across the company.What's one thing you wish you knew before you started working here?I feel like this is a sentiment across WorkPac - WorkPac is like a second family, it truly is. I have forged many long-lasting friendships within WorkPac. Also the opportunities in WorkPac for progression, it’s endless. It still amazes me when you talk to people within the company on where their WorkPac journey started to where they are now.If WorkPac was an animal, what would it be, and why?A Bear – one word “Beast”From Jade’s Manager:Over the years, I have been known to reference employee’s who have WorkPac in their blood. Jade you are truly one of these employees. You are a true WorkPac hero and highly regarded not only within our team, but the greater WorkPac family. Your commitment to WorkPac knows no abounds and you approach every day with enthusiasm and determination to succeed. Thank you for your unwavering support, today we applaud you.
SCAM ALERT - Be alert to receiving WhatsApp messages claiming to be a WorkPac Recruiter
Updated 25 January 2023 Jobseekers are being urged to watch out for scammers, with new Scamwatch figures revealing Australians lost over $8.7 million to recruitment scams in 2022.The ACCC’s Scamwatch is warning young people in particular, to protect their personal information when applying for jobs and to beware of job offers made through social media platforms or messaging services such as Whatsapp. Read more (opens on ACCC Scamwatch website).SEEK.COM.AU also has a current warning out about scammers contacting people across Australia and New Zealand via WhatsApp pretending to be recruiting for SEEK. We are sharing this information to protect you, our job seekers, from scammers. Read more (opens on seek.com.au website).Beware of WhatsApp messages posing as a WorkPac recruiter (Originally published 30 September 2022)The first scam message states that a recruiter from WorkPac Recruitment is looking for candidates. The second scam message used a WorkPac recruiter's name and image with false contact details and false job ad information, there are grammar errors and it requested bank account details.Remember – WorkPac does not communicate using WhatsApp. If you are unsure about any email, SMS or message, please call our recruitment team on 1300 967 572. If you have identified something as potentially fraudulent or a scam account, please screenshot it, before deleting it from your inbox and delete items or your device. ReportingPlease report this scam from your app: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/q7OQCBNqNZIPOryzIztIvL?domain=faq.whatsapp.comWhen you report someone:WhatsApp receives the last five messages sent to you by the reported user or group, and the sender won’t be notified. WhatsApp also receives the reported group or user ID, information on when the message was sent, and the type of message sent (image, video, text, etc.).You can also choose to report an account by long pressing a single message.Please forward a copy to contactus@workpac.com
This month we celebrate Joey Ray's 5th anniversary with the WorkPac Group
We recently caught up with Joey Ray, our Development Team Lead for WorkPac Technology, following his 5 year anniversary. We asked Joey about his journey so far with WorkPac, and a little about his role.“Fundamentally, working here has given me an opportunity that I am and will forever be grateful for. The software is great, not just because of the code that we write in our code files, it’s great because of the work that goes into supporting it. Because the support team that works so hard to find fixes for our staff with immediate turnaround. It’s great because of the work our network engineers and cloud architects do, keeping us connected, keeping the lights blinking and keeping us safe in a forever dangerous world. It’s great because of our mindfulness with security, dotting our I’s and crossing our t’s with compliance. It’s great because our Value Stream Leads perform the impossible task of marrying our dreams with the realities of project management and delivery every day. It’s great because our testers now catch almost all of our bugs before they reach users. After all of this, it’s great because our leadership and stakeholders constantly drive us towards innovation, integration and solutions that are modern and holistically considered in today’s software ecosystem.The lessons I’ve learned at WorkPac will stay in my mind forever. The people I’ve met will stay in my mind forever. The projects I’ve had the privilege to be a part of will stay in my mind forever.How are we so successful? With industry tested and innovation leading techniques – cloud integration, automation, webhooks, microservices and unified APIs. We’re applying our research and our intelligence across the system to make everything systemically better.”It has been a wonderful 5 years Joey, and we’re excited to see what you and your team do next.
R U OK? Day 2022
The 8th of September is R U OK? Day, is a National Day of Action that reminds all Australians to check in with the people around them and support anyone who is struggling.The past couple of years have been difficult for all of us. With COVID-19, then a second and third wave and no end in sight, devastating bushfires, floods, war, economic crisis and now interest rates on the rise have changed the landscape of the norm, including our workplaces with work-at-home orders, lockdowns and even changes to the org structure. It’s no surprise that we are feeling fatigued, stressed, anxious or frustrated, and that’s OK, it’s a normal response. But what if we feel hopeless, depressed, or develop ongoing mental health concerns? Asking someone if they are OK isn’t always easy, especially in a work setting where we tend to put on the brave front, smile and just ‘get it done’. Taking the time to ask ‘’ are you ok’ and listen to someone without judgement might feel staged or awkward for some of us at first, but the key is to remember that we have ALL felt that way at least once and the intent behind this conversation starter is to support one another, reach out to someone you know may not be coping as well as they could with genuine intent. There are lots of great guides on the R U OK? website https://www.ruok.org.au/work We encourage you to think about this concept on this day and every other day, there’s no expirySome problems seem to get larger than we are able to manage on our own and ongoing support will be very important. You don’t need to be an expert to talk to someone, but at times, we may need that bit of extra support. There's help if you need itHere at WorkPac, we are lucky to have free access to a team of specialist psychologists and counsellors that offer a confidential and non-threatening face-to-face or over-the-phone service to all of us, including our immediate family members & spouses through Gryphon, WorkPac’s Early Assistance Providers.Remember, anyone can experience feelings of helplessness, depression, anxiety or be overwhelmed, this causes our thought patterns to shift from rational and or reality.If you know someone who needs help or you need assistance yourself call Gryphon today on:1800 056 076or visitwww.gryphonpsych.com.auFurther support at no cost:Lifeline: 13 11 14Lifeline chat online: https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chatBeyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467Headspace: https://headspace.org.au/Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800Mensline Australia: 1800 789 978Blackdog Institute: Free online tools and resources https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/
This month we celebrate Liz Grant's 19th anniversary with the WorkPac Group
This month we celebrate Liz Grant’s 19th anniversary with the WorkPac Group. Please see below some words from Liz on her WorkPac journey. How did you land your role with WorkPac? I first came to WorkPac as a Recruiter in a new division named Light Industrial, with 4 BDMs, and 1 other Recruiter with whom I had worked previously. It was an extremely busy time for the 2 of us. We worked long hours registering candidates and filling roles for the BDMs. We had also just been granted the Job Placement License by the Government so were frantically working to get it running. As the Job Placement License grew and evolved, utilising specifically designed software from our systems team, I moved out of the RC role and into the Job Placement Licence position full time, eventually expanding it and becoming the Manager. I then transitioned into my current role as Injury Management Coordinator which I’ve now done for approximately 13 years. This role is rewarding and frustrating, but a supportive team and amazing operations staff make it all worthwhile. What has been the highlight of your WorkPac career so far? Over the years I have been extremely fortunate to have attended numerous Leadership Conferences at some amazing locations like Uluru, New Zealand, Fiji, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The trips were extremely well organised. Equally rewarding was the team building, camaraderie, and our participation in different activities to give back to the communities whose hospitality we enjoyed. They were amazing times where I rekindled old friendships and met other WorkPac staff from around the country, all while being awarded great insights into different cultures.