Ensuring our employees receive the same AFGRI support

AFGRI Equipment has a settled HR team tasked with providing support to the company’s near 500-strong workforce. The team’s mission is to deliver world class HR customer service and processes which enable the company’s continued growth and make it an employer of choice in the communities we do business. At the head of this team is AFGRI human resource manager Tim Stubenvoll, who has set an ambitious plan to make sure our employees experience a great workplace culture. Tim joined AFGRI last October after relocating to Western Australia from California with his wife and son. They welcomed a baby girl to the family shortly after he joined the company. He has a master’s degree in HR & industrial relations and has held HR roles in both the US and the UK, while working in the oil and gas industry. “I feel really lucky to join the AFGRI family,” he said. “This company is special because of the passion our people bring to providing great products and service to our customers, and our team wants to provide that same level of service to our employees. “I’m thankful that I’ve found a team of great people that work hard and are excited to earn the trust of the workforce.” The team provides support for many aspects under the HR umbrella including recruitment, training and OHS. Bree Rothnie is the company’s HR administrator, joining the company late last year. Originally from the Goldfields region, Bree has completed a HR traineeship and has previously worked in the not-for-profit sector in youth services. “My role is mostly focused on employee relations and assisting with recruitment,” she said. “I’m a bit of an all-rounder and usually the first point of contact for our employees with general HR support. “It’s important our employees feel comfortable with us and know we are here to support them.” Emma Johansen is the team’s training administrator joining the company at the start of the year, after relocating from Tasmania with her three children. Emma has a Certificate IV in Human Resources and previously worked in training and recruitment in the marine industry. “My role is to ensure our employees receive training required in their roles and that they can continue to upskill and stay up-to-date with the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs,” she said. “We have a wide range of roles that require different training plans and I find it very rewarding making sure employees receive the correct training applicable to them. “I’m also quite closely involved in our apprenticeship program which continues to go from strength to strength.” Emma said she enjoyed travelling to the branches and getting to know the staff first-hand. “We cover such a large land area with our branch network in WA and I’ve enjoyed visiting the branches, meeting and working with our employees on their training requirements,” she said. Joel Wilson is our HSE advisor and joined the company at the start of the year. Joel has a Certificate IV in Workplace Safety and previously worked in operations in the agriculture, mining and manufacturing industries. “My role is to help contribute to an effective safety culture, improving safety processes, reducing workplace injury and training staff on the best procedures and processes to undertake,” he said. “It’s very important to build relationships with our employees and communicate the importance of safety in the workplace and to discuss expectations. “I find coming from working in operations, it’s much better to use real-world examples and build that understanding through scenarios that may arise in an employee’s everyday work. “Our employees want to know they work for a company that cares about them and that they should feel safe in knowing they will come to work feeling fit and healthy and leave in the same condition.” If you wish to find out more about our workplace culture and careers at AFGRI Equipment, visit www.afgri.com.au/careers today.