Australian Fashion Partners increase business turnover with family-friendly workplace

Fresh Ideas funding recipient – Australian Fashion Partners Pty Ltd

It was a passion for fashion that led to the founding of Australian Fashion Partners by husband and wife team Dominic and Serena Beirne in 2003.

As the business expanded over the years, staff family responsibilities also increased. Three of the company’s seven employees have children at school or in daycare, but it was the special needs of one employee that led the company to apply for a Fresh Ideas for Work and Family Program grant.

‘A key staff member needed to take extended leave without pay to look after her son while he had medical treatment for a serious illness,’ said company director Dominic Beirne.

‘But she was keen to be occupied professionally to provide a diversion from the hospitalisation and treatment schedules she was involved with during this time.

‘With the $15 000 grant we received, we were able to set up home office facilities to enable her to continue to work and receive a salary, as opposed to taking leave without pay or resigning, while also meeting the needs of her family,’ he said.

‘Before receiving the funding and implementing work-from-home arrangements, it was a challenge to keep staff engaged with the business when they were not able to be in the workplace.

‘However, the new arrangements provided our employee with a diversion at a very difficult time and ensured she was informed about ongoing strategic and operational challenges facing the business as well as facilitating a return to paid work.’

Australian Fashion Partners also used its grant to install communications and IT tools to enable staff to have remote access to company data, email and calendars.

According to Dominic, all employees now benefit from the new arrangements that have been put in place to enable them to work from home when necessary and this is leading to unexpected outcomes.

‘Since implementing the family-friendly work arrangements, our company has experienced increased business turnover. Our employees are more engaged and new business opportunities are being identified and converted,’ Dominic said.