20 Oct 2023
A culture of openness and inclusion: Perspectives from long service employees
The longitudinal nature of the real estate sector is not merely defined by its endearing and enduring buildings, but also encompasses the passionate professionals across the various asset classes who help shape and create inspiring experiences.
The people-centric approach we adopt at Frasers Property emphasises employee well-being and development, and aims to foster a culture where people can be collaborative, respectful, progressive and real.
In a follow-up to our ‘People of Frasers Property’ feature on long service staff, we now hear from two professionals with over four decades of service between them. Aaron Knight and Primopa Natchajaruwit share their insights and experiences working with Frasers Property.
Aaron Knight, Senior Development Manager, Frasers Property Australia
Length of service: 25 years
Aaron began his career with Frasers Property via the Graduate Programme by Australand, starting out as a trainee estimator. Over the years, he rose through the ranks from an Estimator to a Construction Supervisor, to a Project Manager and most recently a Senior Development Manager.
Despite being promoted to management, Aaron’s expertise in ground-level construction remains highly valued, and he was brought back into the construction team for a couple of years to oversee the Commonwealth Games Village at Parkville, Australia.
Primopa Natchajaruwit, First Senior Vice President, Property Management, Frasers Property Thailand
Length of service: 16 years
In 2007, Primopa joined the sales team at Ticon Industrial, which later became Frasers Property Thailand. She was previously responsible for managing clients from Japan and attending to their needs during site visits, providing them with supplementary information related to owned factories and facilitating contact between government agencies and foreign clients for investment opportunities. She is now part of the property management team that provides customer service to clients who rent factories and warehouses at Frasers Property.
Hear from Aaron and Primopa their reflections on their decade-spanning tenure with Frasers Property.
Is Frasers Property any different from when you first joined?
Aaron: Frasers Property has changed a lot since the old Australand Days. After Frasers Property acquired Australand and rebranded it as Frasers Property Australia, the team found that operating under a single brand allowed the company to leverage the scale and reach of its residential business. The scale and scope of our design expertise and experience broaden our market research and provide us with opportunities to develop supplementary asset classes.
Primopa: The company previously operated on a family business model. However, it later restructured to become Frasers Property and adopted a clear and distinct company culture with a key focus on internal development to support employees’ career growth. While the business model has evolved over the years, one thing remains – Frasers Property always provides everyone with equal opportunity to learn and grow.
What do you like the most about the culture at Frasers Property?
Aaron: It is not uncommon for people to remain employed with Frasers Property for a long time, and that includes myself. The result is a solid core group of people who are more like genuine friends than work colleagues, which makes coming to work more enjoyable. A well-defined culture of openness and inclusion has also been adopted by the company, enabling hard conversations to be undertaken easier than they might otherwise be.
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Primopa: I am always appreciative of the supportive and collaborative colleagues who have gone through ups and downs with me. We may have occasional disagreements and differing viewpoints, but we have always maintained authenticity and respect towards one another. Our shared values of collaboration and progressiveness really align with Frasers Property's current corporate values.
Any words of advice to new or younger colleagues?
Aaron: My advice is to be respectful and open to new people, new ideas and different ways of doing things, and look for opportunities to step out of your comfort zone. I also believe it is important to be true to yourself because you’ll be happier when you enjoy what you’re doing.
I’m glad to have found a company with values that resonate fully with me, and I am even more thankful that the company works hard to look after its people and culture while recognising the value in doing so.
Primopa: I would encourage future generations to learn from every experience and soak up the knowledge that they can from their seniors – whether it’s ideas, opinions or advice. Over time, these experiences will strengthen one’s fortitude both at work and in personal life.
Keen to be part of Frasers Property and work alongside the the likes to Aaron and Primopa? Visit our Careers page for available opportunities.