Hire and Rental News - May 2019

Having a mentor to be accountable to and checking in with you and your progress is also a good motivator. World first Women in Hire program – what its participants really think The HRIA Women in Hire program has now been running for just on 12 months and has proven successful for all its participants, so much so, other rental industry associations around the world are taking note and launching their own Women in Hire programs. D esigned to give women opportunities to develop leadership skills, build confidence and pursue a successful career within the hire industry, the program is now taking Expressions of Interest for the 2019 Women in Hire Mentoring Program for both Mentors and Mentees. Mentors (both women and men) will need 5+ years’ experience in the hire industry. You’ll need a passion for sharing your knowledge and experience and a desire to support women in hire develop critical leadership skills to achieve their goals. Mentees can be women working in the industry including those in operational roles, or with a desire to be in an operational role. Here we talk to one of the program’s Mentees and one of the Mentors to gain an inside perspective on the highs and benefits of being a part of this world first program. Rose Reck – Mentee For the past 12 months, Rose Reck, has been the Service Administrator with Queensland Forklifts, coordinating the daily jobs for five road mechanics. Her role has also included enhancing internal systems to improve customer service and maintain OHS compliance / service standards for the hire fleet as well as stock control, stock management, and purchasing. “I was looking for a change of industry and a position that was challenging but had the right work life balance so I could continue to study (Bachelor’s Degree),” Rose said. “I met with Laurie and Mick and the rest of the team throughout the interview process and knew pretty quickly Queensland Forks was going to be a great company to work for. “I joined the Women in Hire Program as part of the pilot program; our first meeting was the launch hosted by Vermeer at Richlands as part of the HRIA meeting. “Our General Manager at Queensland Forklifts, Mick McGary asked me to join the Women in Hire Program program not long after I started at Queensland Forklifts. He said it would be a good way for me to get to know the industry. “My first Mentor meeting was in August last year. We met at a local Zarraffas cafe. We talked about the material we were given at the program launch and set some goals for the next 12 months.” Rose said she has found the program challenging since it has really forced her to step outside of her comfort zone, but at the same time, also engaging and fun. “Our last session on communication was my favourite so far. It was really cool to have a big group with different opinions and perspectives on a range of topics. We also learnt some skills I have been trying to apply in conversation generally and it is amazing what a few small changes can achieve. “It was also surprising to hear the men in the group say they were not aware of the way women were feeling in the workplace; for example, being overlooked for professional advice and feeling undervalued.” Another session Rose enjoyed was the one on personal finance, where she said the group gained a lot of really good advice about building wealth. Plus, the program has also been a good opportunity for the Queensland Forklift business. “We’ve had some good exposure as a company. I’ve also had a lot of opportunities to meet other people in the industry and build professional networks. “Having a mentor to be accountable to and checking in with you and your progress is also a good motivator. When you have a project you’re working on, sometimes having the time to reflect on what is working well, what hasn’t worked out so well and where you need to be next is really important.” Rose said she is finding the mentor/mentee relationship very helpful. “It’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off; that brings a whole new perspective to Continued on p28... Mentee, Rose Reck said the Women in Hire program has encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone P26 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS MAY 2019 WOMEN IN HIRE