Barker College is excited to announce that the School has been named as a winner of the 2023 5-Star Employer of Choice Award by The Educator.
The Educator’s 5-Star Employer of Choice 2023 winners were evaluated across several criteria, such as:
- benefits
- compensation
- culture
- employee development
- commitment to diversity and inclusion
Each school was recognised for providing an excellent experience for its employees to perform and feel valued.
Being a 5-Star Employer of Choice for Barker recognises each and every member of staff and their contribution to the culture.
“We once spent time on a strategy day trying to articulate the vibe of Barker. And we couldn’t. It’s the feel, the general vibe and how people feel about coming to work here every day,” says Deputy Head of People & Culture, Alison Binet. “Contribution to culture comes from the Chair, the Head, through to every person in their role, whether it be in the gardens, grounds, catering or in the classroom. It’s very much that values alignment piece that supports a strong culture.”
The School has also been quite intentional about ensuring that we have gender diversity and inclusivity in the staff body.
“Generally across the board, we’re getting close to parity,” Alison said. However, the School has made a concerted effort to look deeper and work beyond the School gates.
“We work in partnership with Indigenous communities and with humanitarian programs. We have opportunities to really engage with communities and interrogate our own views,” adds Binet.
Barker’s employee engagement strategy provides broad professional development opportunities and a sense of community within a large education workforce, connected by a mutually agreed mission to inspire every learner, every experience, every day. The School’s teaching and support staff enjoy a physically beautiful work environment and a holistic employee health and wellbeing program to sustain a healthy workforce. A modern and outward-facing recruitment, retention and staff wellbeing program elevates people and culture in an educational context, with valuing and caring for its staff being one of the School’s four key domains of its strategic plan.