'Make sure that it's a great place to work every day': Employer of Choice awarded

During a presentation dinner at the Goulburn Workers Club on Friday night, Ms McCauley was announced the winner of the category as part of the headline NSW Business Awards.

ALSO READ: Masala Mill overcomes three years of challenges to win prestigious award

"I knew I had been nominated when I saw the promotions, but I didn't know I was being nominated and I really didn't think I had a hope of winning, this is such a lovely thing," Ms McCauley said.

Ms McCauley said the nomination had come from her staff and after being dubbed the Employer of Choice it was important to thank her team.

"How could I not thank my staff? Because I can't be the employer of choice if my staff don't like what I do and I work really hard with my team to make sure that its a great place to come to work every day," she said.

She has owned the business for 15 years now and said it was great to not only have an incredible team with her now, but also to see former employees flourishing as well.

"They have opportunities to develop their own skills and develop their own businesses in some instances, I've got two people out there who have been nominated for other awards in the last couple of years who were ex-employees - they've been able to go on on and develop their own businesses.

"So it's not just the people you're working with today, but it's the people you've worked with in the past and how you've helped them.

"I give my staff as much opportunity as I can - and they've paid that back by being great staff members."

ALSO READ: Remembering Goulburn Waterworks engineer-in-charge on centenary of his death

While the pandemic presented numerous challenges, Ms McCauley said the most important thing had always been keeping her staff safe, while providing clients the best access possible to support like Job Keeper and Job Saver.

"It's been a tough two and a half years without a doubt, but we've come through the other side," she said.

"And something like tonight is a great way to celebrate how we've done that.

"I feel like we've put so much hard work in to get through the other side and to help as many people as we can to have that acknowledged is such a nice thing."

She said the Chamber awards night was a wonderful coming together of people after gatherings had been limited for so long.

"To be around people again - I think tonight is so special is that we're actually with other people celebrating together and we haven't been able to do that for the last two years and it's so good to be able to do that again."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: