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KARI’s annual Corporate Golf Day took place on Wednesday 28 September 2022, with Team Taylor participating in a day of golf, friendly competition, networking and, most importantly, fundraising to support KARI’s Sport and Healthy Lifestyle programs.  

Congratulations to our players on an excellent round, winning first place on the day, the very talented: Ben Folkard, Gary Stein, Stephen Player, and Mark Reynolds. 

Earlier this year, KARI was officially announced as Taylor’s Reconciliation Action Plan Partner with the launch of the Annual $15,000 KARI/Taylor #WomenBreakingGround Scholarship. This initiative supports high achieving young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and women to take up tertiary studies in construction.  

We look forward to building on this partnership over coming years, by participating in important KARI fundraising and volunteering initiatives such as the Corporate Golf Day, City2Surf, Unity Day and more.  

Congratulations to Wayne Bass, Senior Project Manager, and the Taylor WINX Stand project team for winning at the Australian Institute of Building’s (AIB) Professional Excellence in Building Awards. 

This accolade recognises individual building professionals who have demonstrated leadership and assisted the on-time and on-budget delivery of construction projects. Wayne Bass, Senior Project Manager, was acknowledged for his high level of industry leadership and expertise throughout the design and construction of the WINX Stand. 

The WINX Stand is a new multi-purpose entertainment venue in the heart of Royal Randwick Racecourse. The facility was designed and constructed to significantly enhance the commercial function amenities and race day experience for patrons whilst providing increased weather protection.  

Despite inclement weather including snow, hail, rain and strong winds, the Bathurst MRI & Imaging Department Extension site team has celebrated the achievement of various key project milestones while keeping the existing hospital and imaging department a live, operational environment.

Working closely with Western NSW Local Health District and NSW Public Works, Team Taylor has completed all external works, pouring of concrete slabs, in-ground services and installation of the structural steel framework at the modern facility.

In the coming months, works will commence on the metal deck roofing, installation of building services and external cladding/façade works.

Once complete, the single-story extension to the Ground Floor will provide Bathurst Health Service with a new MRI room, control room, anaesthetic prep area, change facilities, bathrooms, shared office and general store. The scope of works also include external alterations to the existing pedestrian walkway between the emergency department and main hospital entrances.

The Taylor team is excited to be delivering a final outcome that will make a meaningful impact in this regional area. On completion, the new extension will provide improved healthcare services to the broader Bathurst community.

Works are due for completion in January 2022.

Team Taylor and Raston Group joined forces at KARI’s Aboriginal Employment Expo, which saw more than 40 employers across construction, design, retail, health and sales connect with high school students, school leavers, young parents, first time workers and young members of the community seeking immediate employment. 

Karen Ryan,People Relations Manager at Taylor, and Dan Copping, Talent Manager at Taylor, were joined by Bruno Rao and Luke Stone, Directors at Raston Group, engaging with young people aged between 17 and 25 to discuss Apprenticeship and employment opportunities, that may come to fruition through our trusted, long-term partnership. 

Future Directions is an initiative developed to support young property professionals under 35 years old, by providing pathways and networking opportunities through events, committees, research and learning. 

Driven by the The Property Council of Australia, Future Directions Committees in every state across Australia, formed from representatives under 35, create opportunities for young professionals to work together, build a network and develop their career. 

This new generation of young leaders drive real world change – striving to make the world a better place for our clients and communities. By leaning into their diverse experiences and backgrounds, they exemplify responsible leadership – one that accelerates business growth, prioritises the protection of the environment and ecologically sustainable practices, finds real opportunities to make a positive social impact and strives to ensure safety is kept top of mind by all.  

Congratulations to our Future Leaders – your service and leadership play a pivotal role in the work we do, and the value we create for our clients.  

– Aaron Persson, ESD Manager 

– Christina Succar, Cadet 

– Dylan Massad, Contract Administrator 

– Elijah Rendon, Accounts Payable Officer  

– Emily Carlton, People Relations Coordinator 

– Georgia Barnes, Senior Marketing Coordinator 

– Jake Michelutti, Contract Administrator 

– Jason Gikler, Site Engineer  

– Jason Hanna, Graduate Site Engineer 

– Nick Tsai, Cadet  

– Rushanth Kumaranathan, Finance Manager  

– Steven Stamateris, Assistant Development Manager 

The construction industry is well known for its fast-paced, dynamic, and often complex nature. To better understand these nuances and how they impact individuals working in the industry, Matthew Famularo, Site Engineer, examined the perceived stress and burnout of construction professionals as part of his final year research project. His findings highlighted that individuals perceive, and react, to stress and burnout differently due to their unique characteristics and situational context.

To better understand this, Matthew conducted an anonymous survey of fifty-eight construction sector individuals. His survey results indicated that the top workplace stressors were tight deadlines, increasing expectations, and long work hours. Interestingly he found that age played a role in shaping their perception of stress and burnout, and further that gender added additional stressors to the mix.

Those surveyed that were aged between 18 and 27 indicated that they felt they were more susceptible than their senior counterparts to psychological worry and persistent tiredness. Young workers can experience a feeling of culture shock when entering the industry due to its high work demands and often long working hours. It can certainly instantly tip the scale of work-life balance in the other direction! Females surveyed conveyed additional stressors not highlighted by their male counterparts regarding role ambiguity, managing sexual harassment, and managing the challenges of juggling demands at home and with those at work. Additionally, Matthew found his participants perceived that highly ambitious employees and those in supervisory roles were more likely to suffer higher levels of stress and burnout.

Mental health awareness and looking to improve the mental health of our employees by developing effective methods to prevent or manage workplace stress, are critical areas of focus for Senior Leadership in the industry right now. R U OK? Day is an opportunity to talk about issues of mental health, including the effects of workplace stress on mental health in the construction industry, and the wider workforce. The day plays a key role in building a better future. By bringing awareness to the issues of mental health and by acknowledging that we can all do our bit to help improve the outcomeswe can all make a difference.

By simply showing you care about your colleagues and friends – by giving them your attention and being a good listener – you help reduce their psychological stress. Basic kindness could be the cornerstone of a healthy and safe work environment.

Many thanks to Dr. Benson Lim and UNSW for their supervision of this research project, as well as those who partook in the study.

On Friday 9 September, Team Taylor participated in the Property Industry Foundation’s annual Tour de PIF. Wet weather couldn’t dampen attendees’ spirits, with participants from the property and construction industry coming together to walk, run and cycle on the day.  

Taylor has proudly supported the Property Industry Foundation since 2009. Over recent years and despite the impact of COVID-19, Taylor has made substantial progress engaging with the Property Industry Foundation to create a deeper partnership, which has resulted in a year-on-year increase in advocacy and fundraising across the organisation. Taylor would like to acknowledge the fundraising efforts of Tim Christie, General Manager – General Build, who was the second highest individual fundraiser with an impressive $16,254! 

Taylor is delighted to be an ongoing key sponsor of Tour de PIF, a fundraising challenge that has established itself as a significant milestone in our annual calendar. Our regular participation in industry events assist the Property Industry Foundation to plan ahead each year and make long-term improvements by increasing the availability of transitional housing for homeless youth (aged 25 and under) through the PIF House Program.

Some very special guests joined the project team at the Tara Aquatic Centre and Sports Precinct.

The Early Learning Centre (ELC) girls are learning about different things that people make – exploring the concept ‘Making is a process.’ Fred Sedighi, Project Manager, and Fara Alavi, Contract Administrator, worked closely with Paul Ryan, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations at Tara Anglican School and Selvy Tjhia, Project Manager from Bloompark – Pact PM to facilitate a day of learning for the girls. Wearing hard hats and safety vests, ELC students got to be a ‘builder for a day,’ viewing the site from behind fencing to learn about the work taking place.

Today, the Taylor team came together for R U OK? Day. Connecting over a pizza lunch, we checked-in with our peers and reminded ourselves that every day is the day to be asking, “are you ok?” We focused on the opportunity R U OK? Day presents to inspire and empower each other, and to recognise and reach out to others who may be struggling.  

It’s safe to say that we could all use a little helping hand from time to time. R U OK? Day is a chance for us to re-engage and to start a conversation around mental health, to create an environment of acceptance; one that normalises asking for help. 

While asking someone R U OK? is important, it can also be a difficult question to pose. There are important steps that follow this conversation – knowing how to manage these can feel a little overwhelming, however the following approach can help get you started.

1. Ask R U OK?  

Be relaxed, friendly and concerned in your approach – remember, if they don’t want to talk, don’t criticise them.

2. Listen with an open mind

Don’t rush or interrupt – show that you’ve listened by repeating back what you’ve heard, don’t judge, just acknowledge things are tough for them.

3. Encourage action

Be positive about the role of professionals in getting through tough times – we’ve listed some resources below if you’re not sure where to start.

4. Check-in

Stay in touch and be there for them. Genuine care and concern can make a real difference. 

If you, or someone you know has indicated that they are struggling, the following services can provide additional help. 

– Emergency services if there is threat of danger to yourself or others (000)
– Lifeline 13 11 14
– Suicide call back service 1300 659 467
– GP (mental health plan)
– Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
– MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
– Beyond Blue information and referrals 1300 22 4636
– SANE Australia 1800 187 263