Rork Projects is a national Indigenous construction company specialising in fit-out and building refurbishment project delivery. Privately owned and operating since 1996, Rork is a nationally accredited mid-tier fit-out and refurbishment company servicing all major industry sectors. With over 20 years’ experience delivering construction management services, Rork has established offices in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, employing 65 employees. The Company provides clients with responsive, dependable and tailored solutions that lead to exceptional project outcomes.

In its market, Rork Projects attributes success to factors including strong leadership, focus on a niche in which it delivers successfully and profitably, the recruitment and effective management of committed and capable employees, maintaining good relationships with subcontractors and suppliers and the support of professional internal systems and processes. Rork Projects’ vision is to meaningfully engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in order to build reciprocal capacity, leverage on and create opportunities for Indigenous employment and businesses from procurement. Growth of the company to its current size has been organic, well-considered and opportunities are carefully assessed using a weighted decision tool to bring value to the company and mitigate risk.

Rork Projects’ Integrated Management System (IMS) provides comprehensive safety assurance for all its business and project activities. Rork Projects utilises a National Systems + Safety Manager to be responsible for the ongoing management and improvement of the IMS in meeting new and emerging internal and external risks, the needs of interested parties, and compliance with regulatory and stakeholder compliance.

Rork Projects has a culture that is relaxed yet professional, inclusive and collaborative. The company is dynamic, agile and responsive. Employees are encouraged to work together as a team to achieve project delivery as one entity and success is celebrated together.

The organisational culture is shaped by the senior leaders of the company and company values created by employees of Rork Projects who collaboratively developed the commitment statement and cultural values. As the company’s senior leaders model expected behaviours and reward the demonstration of these values day to day, there is clear alignment of employee behaviour to the company’s mission, vision and values. The senior leadership team meets quarterly to share discuss strategic direction, market positioning and opportunities. Whilst the four offices operate independently there are synergies and communication between them allowing optimisation of knowledge, relationships and talent.

The Rork Way is an Employee Recognition Scheme that identifies and rewards outstanding employee contribution in line with the Company Values. These values were created by employees and are important as they define what it means to be a Rork employee and shape what is said and done. The culture is what makes Rork Projects stand out from its competitors.

As an Indigenous business, Rork Projects values the unique contributions made by people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Rork Projects has an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity and is supportive of women in construction. Rork Projects is committed to providing a workplace where all people are respected, can confidently contribute and thrive. These principles are embedded in the Code of Conduct and company values. In doing so, Rork Projects continues to strengthen its brand and employee offering. Further, employees are provided opportunities to express ideas, share mistakes in a non-threatening environment, make suggestions for improvement and to an extent have flexibility and control of their roles, contributing to job satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of communication breakdown.

Rork Projects values the continual learning process and benefits of providing development opportunities for employees. All employees are provided career development opportunities through the Annual Performance Appraisal process. Development can be a combination of paid external study with approved education and training providers and time off/job flexibility, on the job learning and scheduled mentoring/support with identified experienced mentors as part of their Career Development Plan extension of the Annual Performance Appraisal process.

Rork Projects believes that healthy retention rates, a happy and productive workplace and business success are all interrelated; that helping employees develop to their full potential leads to the ability for Rork to achieve its business objectives. Employees are empowered to ensure that business processes at Rork Projects are streamlined for efficiency, good communication is encouraged and rewarded at all levels enabling employees to deliver their individual targets which are aligned to Rork’s strategic business objectives. Through career development opportunities discussed during the Annual Performance Appraisal process and Career Development Plan setting, the company engages in talent mapping and creation of pathways for employees to learn and grow in a managed and supportive environment. Rork believes it is the combination of remuneration and job satisfaction that is effective in retention of its employees.