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2014 Women in Industry Award Winners: Employer of the Year Award – Brookfield Multiplex

Construction contract firm Brookfield Multiplex has won the 2014 Employer of the Year Award for its commitment to ensuring diversity is promoted within its ranks.

Leading by example, the company’s executive team has increased its female representation from zero to 33 per cent over the last three years as part of its wider “Women@BM” program which aims to promote talent.

The company enlists a talent development team to work with managers and individuals to discuss workers’ performance, potential and aspirations.

It also has a number of programs in place to support women and ensure the company’s high retention rate is maintained.

Most recently, one of these programs has centred around supporting mothers returning to work.

Brookfield says it considers diversity in “everything it does” and the company’s talent succession process means every employee gets assessed each  year. 

The company said succession and talent is a key focus; it has visibility of the female workers considered to have  high potential; and knowledge of any gaps in female representation.

Through the introduction of leadership and technical frameworks, Brookfield works to drive meaningful conversations around development, assist in any capability gaps, and provide career path visibility.

It said evaluation of its diversity programs are the key to success, and to this end the company undertakes a comprehensive analysis of key factors within its business including workplace profiles, remuneration data, job changes, and exit interviews.

An organisational wide diversity survey, which quizzed 166 women, showed 91 per cent felt they were actively engaged.

Brookfield also quizzed its workers on any barriers they saw in regards to career progression and development. It plans to use the answers in the creation of further diversity initiatives at the company.

Submissions co-ordinator at Brookfield, Sophie Leitch, said she started with the company over two years ago as personal assistant for construction and development but was soon provided with opportunities for growth.

“After 18 months I was offered a position within the bids and submission team. Brookfield provided me with this huge opportunity despite my limited experience,” Leitch said.

“BM has provided me with a huge career opportunity and has also supported my personal growth and development.”

The judges said the initiatives being undertaken by Brookfield were a “great example of what can be achieved to increase and facilitate greater diversity”.

“Great results – Well Done.”

On the night, Brookfield said its “Women@BM” program was born out of asking women in the company what was important and what they needed.

“That then formed what we planned to do over the next few years,” Brookfield Multiplex HR Manager Rachel Surgeon said.

Networking opportunities, workplace training and management education are the three areas Brookfield will be targeting, and Surgeon said it was important for the company’s workforce to reflect the communities in which it operates.

“We want to mirror those communities we’re working in and make sure our workforce represents that,” she said.

CEO of Brookfield, John Flecker, said he was proud of his company's win at the awards.

"We want to effect change for both our organisation and the construction industry as a whole," Flecker said. 

Employer of the Year Award proudly spnsored by NLT Australia.

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