2019-2020 Initiatives
Throughout 2019 and 2020, whilst working at Bakers Maison as a Human Resources Manager, I contributed to corporate responsibility and community projects promoting health and wellbeing, a sense of belonging and appreciation of diversity. Below showcases all projects organised and managed by me.
March: Diversity/ Harmony Day
Cultural diversity was celebrated on the nationally recognized date of Harmony Day, March 21st 2019. This is a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home, promoting harmony and social cohesion. Employees generously brought a dish from their home countries
to share with colleagues. Harmony Day is recognised by Bakers Maison each year but this year pull the highest number of participants and encouraged all employees to play a Cultural Quiz game that saw winners and runners up win prizes.
April: Team Building
In April 2019, Bakers Maison employees participated in team-building activities, including ‘public speaking’ where they were invited to present to their colleagues’ projects they have worked on and innovative ideas they would like to work on within their respective departments for the year. By sharing their achievements colleagues, Baker Maison employees were then asked to ‘focus’ when challenged in teams to aim for high scores in games of archery and laser clay pigeon shooting.
Staff were given the opportunity to discuss work and strategies with coworkers they may not always communicate with at work each day.
May: Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
In May 2019, Bakers Maison hosted Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, which saw employees and visitors from the public donate and purchase items in a “2 for $1” drive to raise funds for the Cancer Council. A big effort from the Sales and Customer Experience departments hosting the event on behalf of Bakers Maison saw a total of $500 in just two hours raised on the day.
May: Ways Bakers Maison Employees Help Save the Environment
In May 2019, Bakers Maison opened the door for employees at all levels to start brainstorming and suggesting ways that the business can improve its eco footprint not only at work but at home also. This project involved staff sharing their name and ideas on colourful board placed near the communal break room. The three top contributors were presented their eco-friendly prize; a Microgreens Window Sill Kit.
September: Spring BBQ
On 5 September 2019 Bakers Maison’s Sales & Marketing team and Social Committee members started off the day by hand prepping salads different cuts of meat in time for a Spring BBQ Lunch to thank all staff, especially Production team members, across all shifts for all their hard work and
persistence so far. The BBQ was a success as office staff had the chance to socialise outdoors and enjoy a healthy meal and conversation with Production and Warehouse staff, and will most likely become a yearly Bakers Maison staple!
October: Health is Wealth Month
Throughout October BM chose a more exciting and interactive approach to workplace health and
wellbeing by encouraging all employees to participate in a daily challenge together.
A calendar was set up in the staff common area to view and plan for the following day. This was
accompanied by daily emails instructing staff on how to tackle the challenge with tips, tricks and
advice that could be incorporated at work as well as at home easily. The challenge saw a handful
of employees question their daily eating and exercising habits and encouraged them to bring
home made and packed meals, instead of visiting nearby fast food restaurants and petrol stations
to purchase their lunch and snacks for the month.
October: World Polio Day
In 24 October 2019, the Rotary Club of Padstow held a campaign to raise funds to eliminate polio and Bakers Maison
assisted by donating baked goods for commuters. The Rotary Club has since issued BM a thank you letter a Certificate of Appreciation and a photograph taken on the day with club members standing beside our banner in recognition of our support. The event and Bakers Maison’s involvement was included in local online news and has opened to the door to other businesses in the community contacted Bakers Maison for assistance with baked good donations and spreading the word. Read the article here.
November: White Ribbon Tug-O-War Event
In November 2019, Bakers Maison participated in White Ribbon Australia. White Ribbon Day aims to engage with men to be part of the social change needed to prevent men’s violence against women. To show their understanding and to pledge to take a stand, the men of Bakers Maison participated in a Tug-O-War event against men from other organisations within the community. This year’s event saw several Bakers Maison staff attend to support the men of BM and were awarded, which saw Bakers Maison titled as the “White Ribbon “Pull Your Weight” Shield Champions”.
January: Team Building
In January 2020, Bakers Maison employees did their part to assist with the nation-wide bush fires by making a positive difference to the community and environment. Staff were invited to participate in a Clean Up Day at Georges River National Park whilst rangers that usually preserve the area were called to assist in critically affected zones. In teams of two to three, employees were kitted with gloves,
matching hats and eco-friendly rubbish bags to collect and separate recyclable and non-recyclable rubbish across picnic areas of the National Park for the day, then celebrated all the hard work by reconvening for a team dinner. In total, BM collected nine bags and were presented participation certificates. The park ranger reached out to Bakers Maison via email stating “Well done…Thank you to you and your team for putting the effort in. No matter how hard we try – we can never get on top
of litter. When somebody like Bakers Maison steps in – it helps greatly. Thanks again and regards, Barry.”
March: The March Charge
Throughout March, Bakers Maison chose a more exciting and interactive approach to workplace health and
well-being by encouraging all employees to participate in a personal, month-long step tracking
challenge.
Each week, a Bakers Maison March Charge Leader board was published and posted in the staff common area to view whether they had made it into the top 7. This was accompanied by regular emails to staff outlining the benefits of challenging yourself to complete the universally recommended 10,000 steps per day, including healthy weight management, bone and muscle strengthening and reduced risk of heart disease.
The challenge saw a handful of employees propose healthy competitions with one another, spend more time than previous outdoors in their time off and reconsidering sending emails as opposed to keeping up their step count and social interaction by walking up to their work colleague to converse.
At the end of the March, the top two ‘Chargers’ were presented with a themed online sporting goods store e-voucher valued at AUD$50 to treat themselves. So far, our winners have purchased a mini cricket set for the family’s backyard and a new pair of trainers for running.
December: Employee Engagement
In December 2019, Bakers Maison changed things up by leaving it for all staff to vote on what they wanted to see happen next for the End of Year Party to include them in decision-making on an event meant especially for them. For a month a “2020 End of Year Party Survey” was present in the staff break room that allowed staff to leave a tick in their favourite End of Year Party idea. Suggestions included ‘Dinner at
a nice restaurant’, ‘A picnic outdoors/ garden party’ and ‘A gift from the company only’. The resounding choice made was ‘A cruise’ with ‘A gift voucher I will actually use’ coming in second. This survey helped the Social Committee gain insight on what Bakers Maison staff really want as a token of the business’ appreciation and will be taken into consideration when celebrating everyone’s efforts in 2020 in December.
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