Staff Matters October 15, 2020 Issue 279 Week 16
CARING ABOUT OUR STAFF AFFORD’S NEW LEARNING PLATFORM
In This Issue
We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Afford’s new learning resource to support our staff in their continuing professional development, Afford Learning! The new platform will replace our old learning portal, ELMO.
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Afford’s New Learning Platform Trivia Afford Reward Of The Week
The new learning hub will make it easier for staff to access innovative, interactive learning and development resources and tools. Three months of hard work has all paid off as we proudly showcase our new learning platform for our staff to learn about all things Afford. This is just one of the things that make our staff the best trained in the sector! Staff will receive certificates and achievements as they move through the modules, which will encourage a sense of accomplishment. The training which will be on offer includes: • Afford Company Induction
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Head Office BBQ Brings Affordians Together Staff Profile
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4 Weeks Of Wellness – Final Reflection Reminder
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How To: Order Business Cards Handyman Timetable
• Site Inductions
Selfies Of The Week
• Compulsory Training
Upcoming Events
• Live View Event Streaming
Trivia Answer
• Motivational Resources We will also be running a competition for Afford Learning’s first 50 staff to complete their site induction modules. If you are one of the first 50 to complete a module you will receive a $50.00 Visa gift card voucher. Afford Learning will launch this week and staff will be receiving an exclusive invitation via email, so please keep an eye out for your activation email. There are exciting times ahead as we gear up for an entirely new way of learning The Afford Way. “Today is the day to learn something new.”
DEAL OF THE WEEK ENJOY EVERY DAY SAVINGS ON THESE BRANDS!
www.afford.com.au
Staff Matters
STAFF PROFILE NAME: Deb Pratt POSITION: Lifestyle Assistant LOCATION: Wellington Point QLD FAVOURITE MUSIC/SONG Love Bites by Def Leppard FAVOURITE MOVIE? Endless Love FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Interior design FAVOURITE FOODS? Chicken, roast dinner and custard tart IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? One of my spoilt dogs, sausage dog or staffy WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Maldives or England
October 15, 2020 Issue 279
HEAD OFFICE BBQ BRINGS AFFORDIANS TOGETHER Recently we held a BBQ at the Minchinbury Head Office in NSW to help celebrate our new ADE outdoor area and bring our Afford tribe back together. Many staff have not been able to host their regular buzz gatherings throughout COVID-19 and this was a great opportunity for our tribe to reconnect. A grant from Stronger Communities provided funding for the new pergola area at Head Office and it has been a great addition for our staff to use to gather together. The new space features a beautifully made wooden structure, seating and a BBQ which is perfect for those Friday cook-ups our Minchinbury ADE is famous for! The get together was an idea from Grants & Fundraising Coordinator, Toni Preston. It was an excellent opportunity for new staff at Head Office to meet their colleagues and catch up after being in isolation. “We held the event to bring all the different departments together and there was a good amount of people, we had a BBQ and grazing platters. Everyone made an effort. It was great!” said Toni. Staff from many different departments attended such as finance, HR, ADEs, project management, property, IT and support coordination. “It was great to see all your smiling faces,” said Toni.
IF YOU HAD THE POWER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? Poverty and cruelty to people and animals IF YOU HAD TO TEACH SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH? How to be humble and kind SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? I'm not as quiet as people think I am
www.afford.com.au
October 15, 2020 Issue 279
Staff Matters 4 WEEKS OF WELLNESS – FINAL REFLECTION Reflecting on our most recent 4 Weeks of Wellness newsletter feature, we wanted to highlight the key things to note for overall well-being from the last four weeks. Remembering the importance of: • Tips for good mental health and well-being. • Ergonomics in the workplace and at home. • Employer of Choice Initiatives that benefit you financially and mentally. The Afford Way promotes positive health and well-being initiatives throughout our organisation. Looking after your mental health is essential to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships. We gave you three tips for a better mental state: Tip 1: Clean up! Tip 2: Eat well and drink plenty of water. Tip 3: Exercise.
Remember the top 3 tips and try to put them into practice, notice how different they make you feel and the environment around you. Your workspace at home and in the office needs to be ergonomically correct. We reflect on the five tips we gave you for safe and comfortable office space: Tip 1: Get a good office chair. Tip 2: Check your computer monitor, this should be roughly an arm’s length away and eye level or just below. Tip 3: Organise your desk space so that you have everything you need within reach to avoid stretching. Tip 4: You should have your wrists straight and your forearms horizontal when using the keyboard. Your hands should not be bent up and you should have your elbows close to your body. Tip 5: The mouse should fit in your hand so that it is comfortable to work with. We also spoke about the Employer of Choice Initiative, AccessPay, which can assist you with your finances and help you pay off some bills or weekly living expenses such as rent! Utilising AccessPay can maximise your money! To make an appointment visit: BOOK AN APPOINTMENT. For Affordian’s who need support, please be reminded of The Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP is a voluntary, confidential and complimentary counselling service that we offer for all employees as part of our Employer of Choice benefits. If you need assistance with personal, family or work-related concerns that are impacting on your health or quality of life, you can contact EAP and make an appointment for face-to-face, online or telephone counselling services. Contact EAP: 1800 81 87 28 / (02) 8247 9191 or info@accesseap.com.au
Reminder! Staff, please be reminded about the importance of wearing masks: • Please note that all New South Wales and Victorian staff need to wear masks while working – inside and outside. Afford masks are available now, if you have any doubts or issues with stock, please discuss with your Team Leader or Manager. Staff, please be reminded about the importance of how to contact IT for support: • For IT support, please email your request to this address: helpdesk@afford.com.au
www.afford.com.au
October 15, 2020 Issue 279
Staff Matters HOW TO: ORDER BUSINESS CARDS When new staff members begin their employment with Afford, depending on their role, they may need business cards. It’s essential when you do have a new staff member join your team that you understand the business card ordering process, so they aren’t left without cards! It’s straightforward to order business cards for your new staff member. Firstly, you, as the manager or senior of your team, will need to order the cards. These are NOT ordered automatically during the recruitment process and it is important to remember that they are ordered through the marketing team, not through recruitment. To order the cards, please visit our intranet document centre located on the desktop on your Afford network. Navigate to the search bar and search for ‘business card’, this will show the search results and click on the Form - Business Card Requisition.docx at the top of the page.
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Complete the attached form and email it the email address stated on the form: marketing@afford.com.au
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LOYER
CHOICE
DONE! Business cards take approximately 5-10 business days to arrive once ordered. If you are unsure if you need business cards, you can always speak with your Team Leader or Manager.
Handyman Timetable
Meet Our Handyman Tahier
Our Handy Man, Tahier, will be at the following sites this week: - Monday 19th October Mount Druitt, St Marys & Minchinbury - Tuesday 20th October: Marrickville, Ashfield & Lurnea - Wednesday 21st October: Canley Vale, Eschol Park & Eaglevale - Thursday 22nd October:
Mount Annan & St Andrews
- Friday 23rd October:
St Andrews Project, Weekly Catch Up & Urgent Requests
SELFIES OF THE WEEK
misontown LSA's, Selfie Above: Ja iles! and Jodie all sm
Lolo
Pawsome Se lfie Above: Hills LSA, C hloe Collin Gregory s and client Kerem Kan dmir at Che rrywood Friendship Farm.
UPCOMING EVENTS DATE:
EVENT:
1 - 31 October
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
11 - 17 October
National Carers Week
18 - 24 October
Invisible Disabilities Week
31 October
Annual Staff Awards Gala
A: Sixty
www.afford.com.au