When Andrea Roberts, Human Resources Advisor at SRJ Walker Wayland, started her career, she didn’t know where she’d end up. Andrea had seen herself as a teacher, but after her mother encouraged her to get an office job, she found herself working as a receptionist at SRJWW – which was then just TBC. In her receptionist role, her days were spent tending to the receptionist desk, taking calls, and making coffees.
30 years later and Andrea is our Human Resources Advisor and a well-loved leader in the firm.
Embracing change
Today, SRJWW operates with slick systems, polished processes and a heavy reliance on cloud systems that improve efficiency and compliance. But in 1993, the technology we have today didn’t exist.
“It was a very different time”, Andrea laughs. “Back then, we only had two computers and a typewriter, which fed A3/A4 pages. We did a lot of manual paperwork.”
Andrea has lived through this change and embraced it in the same way she has embraced her career changes – with curiosity, care and patience.
SRJWW ahead of its time with flexible hours
Andrea joined the firm when she was just 17 years old. A few years later Andrea was expecting her first child.
“I was a hybrid worker before hybrid workers were a thing”, Andrea smiles. “It was the 90s. Working from home wasn’t something people did. But the firm was very flexible with my work arrangements and I was able to work and raise my children. The firm was ahead of its time in this way.”
Family first
The SRJWW has organically grown into a family. We take care, respect and support each other, in the same way a family does. We challenge each other too. Not only do we see each other as family, but we ensure that our employees have time to spend with theirs.
“Many members of the firm attended my wedding and we are still friends to this day. We’re also given flexibility so we don’t miss special and important moments in our children’s lives. We are given time to attend sports games, recitals and parents’ evenings”, says Andrea. “At SRJWW, you aren’t just a number. Everyone knows each other and cares for each other.”
A firm that fosters personal and professional growth
SRJWW is passionate about growing people as much as growing businesses.
When Andrea started at SRJWW, she didn’t really know where it would take her. She wasn’t even really sure what she wanted to do. She moved from a Receptionist to an Administration Assistant role and then found herself in an Accounts Receivable position. A role that she quickly learned was not for her.
“It was challenging having to chase money from people who were going through a hard time. It wasn’t something I saw myself doing forever. I did like the finance aspect though and was particularly interested in payroll and people. I spent four years doing payroll and accounts payable when our Director Steve Jones asked if I’d be interested in doing Human Resources.”
Considering Andrea wanted to be a teacher, a Human Resources professional wasn’t too far from her original dream job. Except in this role, she’d be nurturing adults.
“Steven gave me the opportunity to get two diplomas. The first was in Business. The second in Human Resources Management. It is so wonderful to be encouraged and guided on a path to progress in my career and personal development,” Andrea says.
From Receptionist to Human Resources Advisor
Throughout her career path with SRJWW, Andrea has seen three major outcomes in her career.
“First and foremost, the role has given me an opportunity for major personal development. I’ve done a lot of learning, training, observing and mentoring that has helped me grow while helping others grow too,” Andrea continues. “Being considered a leader in the firm is probably one of my proudest accomplishments. It is nice to be thought of as a leader. To be the ‘go-to person’ in the office when people are needing help or direction is nice,” Andrea smiles.
But being an HR Advisor isn’t all sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. When you’re dealing with people, you are also dealing with emotions and feelings, which can be a delicate thing to manage. This takes skill and experience, which Andrea was afforded through her studies.
SRJWW invested in the world’s leading Thinking Styles assessment tool with the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®). A tool that helps assess the way we think.
“Thinking influences everything we do, so we must understand our thinking to apply it for better productivity, communication, collaboration and innovation”, says Andrea. “When I took the assessment, it revealed that I am a balanced thinker. This means that my thinking is evenly spread across all four quadrants – analytical, experimental, relational and structural. Being a balanced thinker means you can see things from every angle and from all sides. This is exactly what an HR professional needs to do.”
At SRJWW, managing people matters. The company prioritises investment in training that teaches our employees how to manage people well. Because if our people are managed well, they are happy. And if our employees are happy, our clients are too.
Employee satisfaction for 30 years and counting
In Andrea’s 30-year career at SRJWW, she has always felt encouraged and guided in her career path. The social aspect of the role is also something she loves.
“I love our social committee. They create a range of events that everyone can enjoy. It’s been great to see events from the cultures of our employees take shape. This year we celebrated Diwali with our Indian and Fijian colleagues which was really fun,” Andrea exclaims. “I’ve made a lot of friends here.”
