Creating Positive Culture - with Assembled Thread's Edwina Walsh
In this ongoing feature, we’ll celebrate the women in accredited businesses who are creating culture in their workplaces! For our next instalment, we talked to Edwina Walsh from Assembled Threads…
Want to tell us what your business is doing to support growth, creativity, retention, learning and anything else? Email us at women@ethicalclothingaustralia.org.au with the subject heading “Creating Positive Culture” if you’d like to share your initiatives with Ethical Clothing Australia’s Women’s Leadership Network!
Can you tell us about something you do in your workplace to create positive culture?
Celebration through the sharing of food is the best way to break down barriers and create strong relationships.
One of the earliest things we did at Assembled Threads, to celebrate at the end of our pilot, was to hold a lunch where everyone bought a plate. The food was incredible, and it was so exciting for everyone to discover new flavours and experiences. Recipes were shared across cultures, and there was a resounding vote to institute our communal lunch as a mainstay. We now hold them once a quarter.
Everyone who is associated with Assembled Threads, including past employees, teachers, project staff and even customers are invited to attend and bring a plate.
What motivated you to start doing this?
Assembled Threads has a highly diverse team. When we first began, we had 13 team members from 11 different countries, spanning multiple religious faiths and cultural heritages. Food is a great icebreaker – we all understand that it is important to down tools, relax and get to know each other on a human level.
What logistics (if any) did you have to consider when setting this up?
Realistically the only logistics we need to have in place is enough takeaway containers. There is so much food! And everyone is super excited to take home something they haven’t made.
”Our team are composed of newer community members who have forged or are forging a new life in a new home country. This usually means all the comforts and security of having extended family support and friendship groups do not exist.
– Edwina Walsh, Assembled Threads
What have been the benefits for you, your staff and your business?
Our team are composed of newer community members who have forged or are forging a new life in a new home country. This usually means all the comforts and security of having extended family support and friendship groups do not exist. They are nuclear families isolated by location and language. What we have seen first hand is strong new friendships blossom and thrive. Older women taking a younger Muslim woman under their wing for example, as she navigates marriage and childbirth alone. We recently had our first hub baby – which was beautiful.
As a majority female workforce – we have incredible discussions, around traditions and free will. We have a rule at the hub – when you cross the threshold you are defined only as a garment technician, not by your visa, culture or religion. Your personal story is your’s and yours alone to share. At Assembled Threads we are all bought together by our shared passion for garment construction. So everyone knows their workplace is also a place of safety – and this would be the one thing we are the most proud of at Assembled Threads. Our team refers to each other as their work family, which is pretty amazing.
Interested in the Victorian Women’s Leadership Network?
The network is open to anyone who identifies as a woman or non-binary in accredited businesses in Victoria. The best way to stay connected is by signing up to the exclusive bi-monthly newsletter only for members of the Women’s Leadership Network – it’s where we’ll share news and events, celebrate the achievements of the community and offer practical resources relevant to our industry to make sure your voice is heard.
