Ashley has found her calling

Ashley has found her calling with APL’s ‘Hauora’ programme

If a checklist of 'workplace wellbeing' included loving your job, Ashley would have it nailed. "I've found my passion - and that passion is people, and building a positive workplace culture" says APL's Health and Wellbeing (Hauora) Coordinator and Executive Assistant to the Executive Director.

Even before she joined APL, Ashley had a good impression – albeit formed under pretty favourable circumstances: with a husband, brother and father all working for APL, she'd attended several end-of-year parties. "The energy and culture was amazing," she recalls. "I definitely had some intel on the company and I knew APL was the company I wanted to work for. I was just looking for a foot in the door."

A lucky break

After graduating from the University of Waikato and travelling overseas, her opportunity arrived in the form of a maternity-leave admin position. That soon turned into a role in HR, then to her current position, where her energies are devoted to making a good workplace environment even better.

Promoting wellbeing in all its forms

"We want our people to be healthy, motivated and engaged at work, and that goal totally drives our Wellbeing programme," says Ashley, who describes Hauora as an all-encompassing approach that incorporates the physical, social, mental/emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of employees, plus some sustainability aspects for good measure.

That broad definition means she organises everything from financial education seminars to healthy lifestyle workshops to social sports teams. "I'm constantly looking for opportunities to get our staff involved."

A change is gonna come

So what change has she seen? "Morale is great; engagement is amazing; the programme is making real changes and giving staff opportunities to develop healthy and sustainable lifestyle habits. It's one of the most rewarding parts of my job," she says.

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