Leading food manufacturer, General Mills Australia has been listed as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces for Women in 2023 as revealed by Great Place To Work, the global authority on workplace culture.
General Mills was one of 50 companies to make the list after being subjected to rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback.
General Mills Australia supports working women through its Women’s Leadership Network which offers mentorship, coaching and leadership training, as well as a range of employee services including a school holiday program to ensure working parents are supported.
“The Best Workplaces for Women celebrate companies that go above and beyond to ensure that women are treated fairly. To be named as one of these workplaces in Australia is a testament to General Mills’ commitment to create an inclusive and empowering culture where everyone is supported to be their best self and thrive both professionally and personally,” General Mills human resources director for Australia and New Zealand, Shontel Turner said.
“Our people are our greatest asset and is fantastic recognition of the ongoing efforts to encourage a diverse and inclusive workforce that supports women to ensure they are seen, heard and valued.”
With over half (55%) of management positions held by women, General Mills is committed to supporting women at work and helping them reach their full potential through a variety of initiatives.
“For example, our Women’s Leadership Network offers mentorship, coaching and leadership training. The benefits of the network are two-fold as it empowers women to ask more questions about work opportunities and put themselves forward,” Turner said.
“Secondly, it shows men attendees the actions they might have missed in considering women for opportunities. It’s our largest employee network and has thousands of members with representation in every country where General Mills operates – including Australia.
“We also offer flexible working arrangements to acknowledge the unique challenges many women face. Coupled with our employee support services, we encourage working parents to balance their work and personal lives.”
Turner was fundamental is developing the company’s ‘Work with Heart’ initiative that enables flexible working arrangements for working parents. These have since been adapted by the company globally.
“Work with Heart recognises that people are what makes General Mills a great place to work and balances flexibility with in-person moments to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging. It’s not an arbitrary schedule or a one-size-fits-all solution, it’s recognising when it’s important to bring people together for moments that matter. For celebration, collaboration and culture. But it’s also recognising that there are times that we need that flexibility for focus and rebalancing,” she said.
“As a 150-year-old company, we know there’s always work to do, and we will continue to introduce new initiatives and take actionable steps to increase representation across our workforce. We continue to listen to our employees to understand their pain points, through benefits, or how we work, and ensure we respond.
“A diverse workforce fostered through inclusion and a sense of belonging is the right thing to do. When employees feel like they belong in the workplace and can be their authentic selves, this contributes to a more positive culture. Not only can a positive working environment encourage a higher sense of satisfaction among staff, better teamwork and increased productivity; a strong culture is imperative for attracting and retaining top talent too.”