Dingo digs deeper

Take a tour of Dingo Australia and you can’t help but notice a sense of pride amongst employees.  There’s determination to get the job done, laughter mixed with concentration, and a sense of achievement when each new Dingo leaves Dalby bound for any number of locations worldwide.  It’s hard yakka, but it’s satisfying.

Employees know they’re part of something big. Last year Dingo had its best sales year yet and the accolades keep rolling in. In 2005 Dingo was named Australian Manufacturing Industry Employer of the Year and was highly commended in the Queensland Premier’s 2007 Smart Awards. With demand continuing to grow and more export markets opening up, the Dingo just keeps on digging.

@Dalby Magazine sat down with Dingo’s Human Resources Manager Russell Darbey to find out more.

What has made Dingo a success?
Ultimately, we have a good product that’s been innovated over the years. The first dingo was really just a motorised wheelbarrow now it’s a versatile hydraulic machine. It saves on manual labour and goes where other machines can’t go.  We now have more than 70 different attachments from post-hole diggers to lawn-aerators and road-profilers…and they’re being used everywhere from Wembley Stadium to Aussie backyards.

But a good product doesn’t make itself. There’s no way we’d be where we are today without the loyalty of our people.  Dingo started in 1989 with three people, and now there’s about 160 (with 89 based in Dalby), but the original three are actually still working with the company in one way or another.

How would you describe the company culture?
Openness and honesty. We have an open-door policy and no ‘smoke and mirrors’.  The company owner and CEO always have time for staff, and if staff have a question, they get an answer.

How do you keep staff involved?
We hold a monthly breakfast meeting. Everyone gets a big feed of bacon and eggs and we open the floor for ideas and feedback.  It might be a safety issue, something about workplace facilities or improving a product…it doesn’t matter – if someone has an idea they’re encouraged to share it. Some really great ideas have come out over brekkie.

Are there opportunities for training?
We really like to promote from within and help people map out a career path. We encourage training at all levels from school-based trainees to mature age apprentices.

What’s the key to keeping staff motivated?
Firstly, to have a culture of achievement, but it’s also important to make sure they have fun. Employees put money into a social club and the company matches it two-fold – it’s just another way to let our people know they are appreciated.