Award gives company a lift

THERE’S a strong chance that nearly everyone has come into contact with or seen operated a device with an electric actuator designed by Linak Australia.
Practical applications for actuators include anything that needs to be elevated electronically, such as hospital beds, workbenches, recliner chairs and TV lifts.
Part of a global company, the Hallam-based Linak Australia is one of the biggest suppliers of electric actuators in the nation.
Last week, the business won the Employment Award at the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Premier Regional Awards.
Although it was also nominated for innovation, and service excellence, Linak’s outstanding treatment of its employees makes it a worthy winner of the employment category.
Linak offers employees flexible working hours, job share, regular six-month reviews, staff surveys, ongoing training to improve skills, weekly meetings, an employee-of-the-month system voted for by employees – not management – subsidised gym membership at Casey ARC, morning tea celebrations for meeting targets and cash incentives for oddities like giving up smoking or having a baby.
The company also provides real coffee and fresh fruit for staff.
Managing director Greg Pittard said the company’s attitude towards rewarding employees for their hard work was part of the parent company’s core values.
But essentially, Mr Pittard said employees deserved the best treatment because they were putting in the hard yards.
“I think we’ve got a very good bunch of people and we’d like to retain them,” he said.
“We are not a big organisation, we have about 35 people, and we don’t have this big company structure you can advance in.
“We try and always have a really good quality environment and try and involve people and look after them.
“If you treat others the way you would like to be treated, then that’s not a bad way to live life.”
– Shaun Inguanzo