At AIG, we talk a lot about people as our greatest asset. And these are not empty words.
This is very much the case for our longest-serving AIG staff member, our Finance and Operations Manager, Jolene Peacock, who has worked with us since 2015.
After all this time, throwing in moving interstate (twice), COVID-19, and learning to navigate work remotely, Jolene remains passionate and committed to AIG’s vision.
This week the office is abuzz with excitement as Jolene pulled her work clothes out of mothballs and arrived back in the Darwin office for the first time since 2019.
Jolene generously sat down to reflect on her AIG journey so you too can hear the ‘why’ that underpins her commitment to our organisation.
How many years have you worked at AIG?
Since August 2015, 8 years.
Why did you join AIG?
I had just moved to Darwin from Queensland, and I originally joined the team as an agency temp doing data entry for one of the projects and was brought on permanently after a couple of months. I enjoyed working for a small organisation and I could see that I could add value and was excited about improving efficiencies.
And more importantly, why do you continue to work at AIG?
I continue to work for AIG because I see the change we are trying to affect, and I am very proud of our positive influence on so many lives throughout the NT.
I also have been lucky enough to have/had employers who see and acknowledge the hard work I put in and show me respect, as I do for them.
Moving around the country– how has it been possible to remain with AIG and why did you want to remain?
Leaving the NT in December 2019 was unfortunately inevitable and at the time meant I could no longer work for AIG. But, with the way the world evolved into remote working, I was welcomed back onto the team looking back at everyone through a computer screen from Adelaide. I am now in Perth and have been remotely working for over 3 years. It has been a surprisingly easy transition, utilising technology innovations.
However, working remotely has come with some challenges, it is not all that it is cracked up to be. Isolated interstate, I miss out on the social aspects of working in an office which can be very lonely. Not being involved in office chatter means missing out on a level of communication.
I keep working remotely because of my growth since my first day at AIG. Plus, as you can probably tell, we move a lot, so having that job security for myself knowing that I don’t have to look for a new job every few years and forever starting from the ground up is of massive value. Who knows, I might end up back in Darwin one day.
What have been the highlights?
Travelling to communities and meeting the members, attending the official openings for the stores and laundries, and seeing the joy in the communities. As we were driving down to Adelaide, we even made a slight detour to Beswick to say goodbye to some lifelong friends and introduce them to my baby.
I have taken lots of photos of my time in communities, some still hang around the AIG office. They are nice memorabilia of my time in the Top End.
Can you describe the evolution of the organisation during your tenure?
Being with AIG for as long as I have, I have seen its vision evolve with many projects starting off as just an idea, some progressing into funding applications and some of those developing into a funded project. Each direction we have taken has always been to disrupt the space and to make people think about what is possible.
Another way I have noticed AIG evolve over my time is we have grown in employee numbers, there was a short time there was only me and the CEO, and it made Secret Santa way too easy to guess. And more flexible working arrangements, there are a lot more kids in the office during school holidays and there are options for other employees to work from home if needed.
What is your vision for the organisation?
My vision is for AIG to become nationally recognised for its efforts. With that comes more interest in what we do, more sponsorships to be able to grow and help more people and the inspiration for others to want to do better.
I see the rollout of the Remote Laundries project, in conjunction with the Heart Foundation as a key avenue for us to achieve this.
