Clair Talady, the Afternoon Shift Manager at Visy’s Hemmant box factory, says the site culture is a key reason why Visy is a great place to work.
“We have a very good culture here on site. The leadership team said from day one we want this to be a fantastic place to work that people want to come to. It is important to me that when the team leave work, they don’t worry about it at all, they can go home and spend quality time with their families and friends.”
She says open communication and knowing the rest of the team as individuals are important elements to building this culture. “Every now and then my team get together for our dinner break on a Friday night and have a joint meal, the good old ‘everyone brings a plate’.”
Clair says her role is quite diverse as she has a wide range of responsibilities including safety, product quality and production targets. “I love that every day is different. I get to learn new things as well as stretch and improve upon the knowledge that I already have. Now that we have gotten the plant up and running, I enjoy interacting with my team and helping them to learn and improve their skills.”
She says 2024 is a big year for the team, as they will be celebrating 1 year of operation in the second half of the year. “My focus is working with the teams to get better and better so that we can be the most successful box plant in the network. Ambitious I know, but you always need to aim high.”
Like Clair, about 65% of the team at Hemmant were new to Visy. She came on board while the factory was still being built. “I had previously spent nearly 11 years at a food manufacturing business but I wanted a change and to be able to progress my career.
“This opportunity at Visy came along at the right time, and the fact that we were building a brand-new site was certainly a large factor in my decision.”
She’s had a positive experience since joining Visy, with the team a highlight. “I think they are fantastic. As a new person coming in, I felt welcome and supported from day one. Everyone is helpful and willing to spend the extra bit of time out of their day to help me out or explain something in more detail.”
Her advice for people considering applying for a role at Visy: “Just do it!”
