Lauren Brewster

Carina Leagues Club is one of Queensland’s leading clubs with 175 staff, 300 gaming machines (maximum legislated in QLD), three bars, restaurant, café, TAB facilities, Keno, Kids Club and function spaces, Carina Leagues is the leader in the state for innovation, customer service and turnover.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide HR Leadership and support to the Management and Executive team;
• Managed employee relations issues professionally, resolving conflicts efficiently while maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Maintained accurate HR records in compliance with applicable laws, ensuring efficient data retrieval when required.
• Motivated employees through special events, incentive programs, and constructive feedback.
• End to end recruitment;
• Rostering of 175 staff using various rostering platforms;
• Management of up to four direct reports;
• Project Manager for implementation of various HRIS, payroll software and training platforms;
• Ensure training compliance across all staffing levels;
• Coordinate and facilitate training programs and deliveries;
• Review and develop HR policies and procedures;
• Performance reviews and performance management;
• Conducted thorough internal investigations, addressing employee concerns with fairness and transparency.
• Streamlined HR processes for increased efficiency, reducing paperwork and manual tasks through automation.
• Collaborated with executive leadership to align HR initiatives with overall business goals and objectives.
• Remuneration assessments and salary reviews;
• Award interpretation;
• Ensure legislative and IR compliance;
• WHS Vice-Chairman, ensuring WHS compliance at all times.

Within my role of Human Resources Manager at SKYCITY Darwin, forming part of the current Executive team, I led a HR team of 7 to provide HR and Employee Relations support, for up to 1500 employees. Areas of focus included industrial relations, operational HR support, change management, leadership development, employee support, learning & development and HR administration. This role was responsible for all aspects of the HR function on both operational and strategic levels to achieve business objective. Additionally, I managed SKYCITY Darwin’s Wardrobe team, comprising of 5 staff.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide HR support and leadership to the organisation;
• Lead the HR team to deliver HR services including recruitment, employee and industrial relations, learning and development, and workforce planning to meet organisational objectives whilst ensuring SKYCITY Darwin complies with all legislative and regulatory requirement;
• Investigate and provide advice on all IR claims or performance management issue in line with SKYCITY’s internal policies and procedures;
• Partner with the Executive team to provide HR Leadership, strategy development and the delivery of HR programs and services;
• Develop and deliver strategies and solutions aligned to key business objectives;
• Implement initiatives to address key site issues including retention, turnover, and employee engagement;
• Development of annual HR budget;
• Advise Senior Management on restructures and change management;
• Proactively manage relationship with Unions and external Government bodies necessary;
• Review and/or develop employment policy and procedures to ensure compliance with employment legislation and best practices;
• Provide leadership in investigating and resolving claims/challenges raised by unions or external Government bodies that have an impact across the business;
• Roll out and manage calendar of HR activities such as KPI setting/review, salary review and engagement survey for the Darwin site

RMT is a Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB) recovery plant located in Wagga Wagga. This facility converts used batteries into reusable lead, polypropylene and sodium. During my employment, RMT employed approximately 100 employees.

Key Responsibilities:

• Management and coordination of end-to-end recruitment process;
• Create and deliver induction program for new employees;
• Liaise with recruitment agents as necessary;
• Interpret Awards and create Individual Contracts;
• Handle all Workers Compensation claims, working with insurance agents, employees and Management as required;
• Address and resolve all IR issues;
• Complete and update all employee records and HR administration;
• Create and update policies and procedures within the Code of Practice;
• Create and follow HR budget;
• Liaise with Team Leaders and Management team to coordinate training packages for employees;
• Handle all dispute resolution processes;
• Investigate and action all disciplinary procedures, and;
• Point of contact for all HR related queries.

This five-star property is a Leading Small Hotel of the World property located in Sydney. Comprising of 100 rooms, this stand-alone role reported directly to the General Manager providing generalist HR activities for approximately 100 employees.

Key Responsibilities:

• Management and coordination of end-to-end recruitment process;
• Monitoring, recording and delivery of various training sessions as required;
• Completion of all HR Administration – employee record, selection assessments, letters of offer etc;
• Conducting performance management and counselling sessions, including all required documentation;
• OHS Coordinator;
• Coordinating OHS Committee Meetings, preparing agenda’s and meeting minutes;
• Return to Work Coordinator;
• Interpreting Awards and Agreements;
• Addressing and resolving all Industrial Relations issues;
• Preparing weekly and monthly HR reports for Head Office in India;
• Liaising with Head Office HR team (located in India) to discuss HR needs and requirements in Sydney, and amend HR initiatives from International Properties to suit Australian culture and workforce;
• Fortnightly payroll for all employees;
• Creating and adhering to HR Budget;
• Responsible for organizing staff events – including Christmas party, movie nights, fitness sessions;
• Point of contact for all HR related queries, and;
• Introduce various initiatives to increase staff moral throughout the Hotel.

E.L Blue is a Human Resources outsourcing organisation. Within this role I was responsible for the HR coordination and delivery of three sites across Sydney, ranging from 15 employees to 150. This role reported directly to the HR Manager and was responsible for giving advice in the following HR areas:

• Management and coordination of end-to-end recruitment process;
• HR administration;
• Training and development of staff;
• Conducting performance management and counselling sessions;
• OHS Representative – coordinating OHS Committee meetings, preparing agenda’s and meeting minutes;
• Interpreting Awards and Agreements;
• Participating in and managing HR related projects;
• Assist with payroll queries, and;
• Point of contact for all HR related queries.

This 4 ½ star property was located in Sydney’s Darling Harbour and had a total of 102 apartment style rooms. This position was a stand-alone role reporting directly to the General Manager and was responsible for all HR activities for approximately 70 employees.

Key Responsibilities:

• Management and coordination of end-to-end recruitment process;
• HR administration;
• Attending and reporting at daily Management meetings;
• Training and development of staff;
• Conducting performance management and counselling sessions;
• Coordinating OHS Committee meetings, preparing agenda’s and meeting minutes;
• Interpreting relevant Award;
• Creating incentive programs to increase staff moral;
• Ad hoc HR projects;
• Preparation of weekly and monthly HR reports for senior Management;
• Point of contact for all HR related queries.