41. Leading with Wellness: Mat Rigby's Journey to Cultivating a Thriving Work Culture

Building Doors with Lauren Karan

Mathew Rigby is currently the Executive General Manager for Schlam, an award-winning Mining Equipment business gaining recognition for their culture driven with Mat’s leadership.

Despite facing challenges such as an economic crisis, labour market shortages, and a global pandemic, the organisation has undergone tremendous transformation. Schlam has on average, an impressive 96.4 percent staff retention rate and 41% growth in its workforce, which now sits at over 500 employees.

With over two decades of experience in the mining equipment industry, working with reputable OEMs such as WesTrac and Atlas Copco, as well as five years of contracting expertise, Mat possesses extensive knowledge in managing large and geographically dispersed teams.

In 2022, under Mat's leadership, Schlam proudly earned the title of WA's Employer of the Year at the esteemed RISE Business Awards. A few months later, they were officially certified as a 'Great Place to Work®', the first mining company to receive this certification.

Furthermore, in 2023, Schlam was honoured as an Employer of Choice [EOC®] in The Australian Business Awards 2023.

In this episode we delve into Mat’s moments of self-discovery and how his wellness journey helped shape a culture.

We chat more about his journey including:

· How we can learn from poor leadership and avoid repeating their mistakes

· Why work should not mean sacrificing out mental health.

· How his own health struggles led him to real change.

· Why we should be present for our family and make it a priority now.

· How simple routine changes can establish healthy habits.

· The real impact of our lifestyle choices for our children.

· Why hiring the right cultural fit and attitude is essential to growing a high performing business.

Mat’s humble reflection on his leadership journey reminds us that through focusing on our own wellness and family as a priority, we can help shape a future generation in the mining and construction industry. He reminds us that if we support our teams, allow them the freedom to learn from failure and we hire the right attitude then we can create a work culture that people truly want to come to.

Mathew can be connected with on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-rigby-3b323517/

See below for contact and podcast details for Odhran McCorry

https://www.linkedin.com/in/executivehealthcoach/

https://theeliteexecutives.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-elite-executive-podcast/id1705005624

About your host:

Lauren Karan, Director, and Founder of Karan & Co.

With over a decade of experience as a recruiter and development coach, Lauren Karan found that her priorities rapidly changed after the birth of her two children. In 2022 she founded Karan & Co flipping the out-dated recruitment model with a focus on retention through career coaching and development.

Lauren believes that If opportunity doesn’t knock, you have to build a door – and it’s this same philosophy that inspired her to create the Building Doors podcast.
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