Employer of Choice Toolkit

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become an employer of choice? Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast (RDALC) have recently answered that question with the launch of their Employer of Choice Toolkit, which aims to support businesses and organisations on the journey to become an employer of choice. In simple terms, ‘employer of choice’ describes a business or organisation that people actively choose to work at and want to remain with because of a combination of attributes that make them a great place to be.

“From the many years working with businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes, we know that there are some key indicators that clearly signal that they are ‘employers of choice’. These include quality leadership, excellent communication, a high level of operational organisation, a positive workplace culture, and staff that are cared for,” said RDALC CEO David Wheaton.

The Employer of Choice Toolkit and framework is built around these five things, or what RDALC have called the ‘5 Pillars’. These are: Leadership and Culture; Modern Operations; Care and Inclusion; Recruitment and Retention; and Support, Develop, and Reward.

Each section of the 108-page Toolkit covers a Pillar and provides suggestions of what business owners and operators can implement, change, or do in their workplaces to help them demonstrate those employer of choice practices.

“The Toolkit is designed to be suitable for employers from a broad range of sectors and backgrounds, with the style conversational and familiar, and hopefully easy to read. The Toolkit is grounded in the reality that regardless of how long we have been employers, we all have areas for growth,” said Rachael Ashman, RDALC Deputy CEO.

The release of the Toolkit comes after an opportunity earlier this year to test the concept at a full-day workshop delivered by RDALC. Twenty-eight business owners, operators, and employees in leadership roles from across the Limestone Coast attended the workshop at the end of March 2023. Presenters Di Ind (Limestone Coast Solutions), Karen Bryant (Latitude Recruitment), and Rachael Ashman (RDALC) took participants through the Toolkit and its 5 Pillars, providing them with a range practical tools and ideas for making changes in their workplaces. Feedback from the attendees was then used to refine final version of the Toolkit.

“For some employers, the changes they might want to make in their workplaces are small, and for others they might be bigger and take a bit longer,” said Ms Ashman. “We followed up with employers after the workshop, and one told us that they had made some small changes with their team including initiating more regular one-on-one meetings about workload, as well as regularly checking in on their team’s mental health. It might seem small, but showing that you care for your team can have a huge impact”.

The Employer of Choice Toolkit was created as part of RDALC’s Region Ready program, made possible by funding from the Government of South Australia’s Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

You can access the Toolkit on RDALC’s website here – www.rdalc.org.au/employer-of-choice/