Building stability where labour shortages and turnover risk are high
Across two regional sites in South Australia and New South Wales, RWM transformed ongoing labour shortages into a stable, highly reliable workforce delivering zero turnover and absenteeism below 0.05%.
Problem
The cleaning and sanitisation business was facing a challenge felt across the industry - finding consistent, dependable staff who can meet the demands of shift based food manufacturing work. With multiple regional sites in South Australia and New South Wales and demand for labour consistently exceeding supply in both regions, workforce shortages and turnover were creating a risk to operational continuity and site performance.
"It's a challenge we often see across a lot of businesses in these sectors - finding reliable people who want to do shift work and can adapt to the environment. It's hard work and that's why so many operators are dealing with shortages and high turnover,” said Julieanne Gommers, Operations Manager at Regional Workforce Management.
Solution
RWM partnered with the cleaning and sanitisation business in August 2025 to supply 12 staff across two of their regional sites in South Australia and New South Wales through the PALM scheme.
The approval and mobilisation process began two months prior to the employees commencing in Australia, with RWM managing the end to end delivery of the workforce solution, removing the administrative and coordination burden from the client’s team. This reduced the need for internal management of recruitment, relocation and onboarding, enabling site teams to remain focused on core operations.
RWM’s dedicated team oversaw:
- Recruitment, screening and compliance
- Workforce coordination and mobilisation
- Onboarding and settlement into accommodation and local communities
- Ongoing 24/7 welfare and wellbeing support and check ins
RWM prioritises being a workforce partner who understands how businesses operate inside out and ensures consistent communication and support across both workforce and business needs. With dedicated site teams acting as the 24/7 go to for both clients and staff, they provide immediate support on the ground and after hours, reducing pressure on internal teams and ensuring issues are resolved quickly before they impact operations.
"It's incredibly important for us to understand the individual business we're working with, their wants, needs and preferences. Every business is different, every site has its own rhythm and we can't assume we know what that looks like unless we're there, on the ground, having those conversations. That presence is what lets us get to know our clients and get it right," said Julieanne.
RWM’s end to end approach ensured staff were not only placed into roles but fully supported to settle integrate and remain engaged long term both in the workplace and within their local communities. This level of structure fosters an engaged, reliable and productive team creating stability for day to day operations.
"We see the positive impact of our welfare and wellbeing support in the day to day. When someone has a safe place to live, a local community to embed themselves within, and things to do outside of work, they show up happy, motivated and wanting to be there. You can tell the difference,” said Julieanne.
“We actually ran a survey on this and 90% of our employees feel part of a community here in Australia – that’s something we’re really proud of, it's important to us and to the work we do," she said.
Outcome
The structured support model delivered outstanding early retention outcomes, with zero turnover across all 12 employees after completing their first six months across both sites. This sits well below the Australian average of 16% and RWM’s own average turnover of 10%, with absenteeism also exceptionally low at less than 0.05%.
For the client, this means a stable, reliable workforce they can depend on to maintain consistent shift coverage without the usual disruption of labour shortages or churn. The result is stronger operational continuity, improved predictability across regional sites and greater confidence in day to day delivery.
Client challenge
Workforce gaps in skilled trades continue to be a major challenge, however, international talent is helping RWM to bridge this gap. One of our clients in the manufacturing sector needed a skilled boilermaker for a long-term role but struggled to find local talent.
What we did
To bridge this gap, we leveraged our international recruitment expertise to connect our client in Victoria with highly skilled boilermakers from overseas to address critical workforce shortages. Lewis and Abel, who joined us from South Africa on three year visas are now contributing their expertise to keep manufacturing operations productive and competitive. We identified talented individuals like Lewis and Abel, facilitated their relocation, and ensured their transition to Australia was seamless.
We provided end-to-end support, from initial recruitment to onboarding, including:
- Comprehensive recruitment: Our process involved conducting in-depth skill assessments and ensuring compliance with visa applications, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. This enabled them to access highly skilled tradespeople from across the globe, effectively addressing skill shortages.
- Relocation and mobilisation: Our team handled all the logistics, from coordinating flights to ensuring safe, efficient travel to the worksite. We arranged airport pickups, transport to accommodation, and supported the workers with settling into their new roles, providing a smooth transition for Lewis and Abel’s new international hires.
- Onboarding: We assisted with essential services like opening bank accounts, setting up SIM cards, and completing health checks. Plus, with our 24/7 pastoral care support, we ensured the workers' emotional and cultural well-being, helping them feel welcomed and supported both on-site and off-site
By facilitating a smooth transition, we helped our client secure the skilled workforce needed to maintain efficiency and drive business success.
Solutions delivered
RWM not only helped our client to fill critical skills gaps but also ensureed Lewis and Abel had the support they needed to settle into their new roles – and a new country. Our approach provided a smooth transition for both the business and the workers joining it. Here’s how we made it happen:
- Housing: Upon arrival, both workers were provided with employer-arranged shared accommodation, giving them the time to find a suitable apartment to move into near their work.
- Setting up essentials: Both workers received support with bank accounts, SIM card setups, tax file numbers, and other key services to ensure they were set up and could settle in quickly.
- Community integration: Lewis and Abel quickly acclimated, with Lewis arriving 2 weeks earlier, learning the ropes of Melbourne and then guiding Abel through the adjustment process when he arrived, helping him settle into Melbourne.
- Personalised support: Lewis purchased a car when he arrived in Melbourne, and then spent time introducing Abel to the city when he arrived, further strengthening their friendship and easing the transition.
Impact and results
Both Lewis and Abel have become integral to the client’s operations, contributing their trade expertise to an exciting new project. Their skills have ensured that manufacturing deadlines are met, client expectations are exceeded, and operations remain ahead of schedule.
Their journey highlights RWM’s broader mission: empowering skilled international workers to build futures in Australia while addressing critical skills shortages for clients.
As Lewis reflected, “RWM really looked after us. They arranged our flights, picked us up at the airport, and made sure we had everything we needed, like setting up a bank account and a SIM card.”
The ultimate goal for both workers is to reunite with their families in Australiar, made possible by the opportunities and support provided by RWM.
Looking ahead
By bringing international talent to Australia, RWM continues to solve the challenge of finding skilled tradespeople, helping clients like ours maintain productivity and competitiveness.
If you're facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, RWM is here to help. Contact us today or reach out to our Recruitment Operations Manager, Maike Holland, at MHolland@fipgroup.com.au, to discuss how we can support your workforce needs.
Bridging the skilled trades gap with international talent
Client challenge
Workforce gaps in skilled trades continue to be a major challenge, however, international talent is helping RWM to bridge this gap. One of our clients in the manufacturing sector needed a skilled boilermaker for a long-term role but struggled to find local talent.
What we did
To bridge this gap, we leveraged our international recruitment expertise to connect our client in Victoria with highly skilled boilermakers from overseas to address critical workforce shortages. Lewis and Abel, who joined us from South Africa on three year visas are now contributing their expertise to keep manufacturing operations productive and competitive. We identified talented individuals like Lewis and Abel, facilitated their relocation, and ensured their transition to Australia was seamless.
We provided end-to-end support, from initial recruitment to onboarding, including:
- Comprehensive recruitment: Our process involved conducting in-depth skill assessments and ensuring compliance with visa applications, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. This enabled them to access highly skilled tradespeople from across the globe, effectively addressing skill shortages.
- Relocation and mobilisation: Our team handled all the logistics, from coordinating flights to ensuring safe, efficient travel to the worksite. We arranged airport pickups, transport to accommodation, and supported the workers with settling into their new roles, providing a smooth transition for Lewis and Abel’s new international hires.
- Onboarding: We assisted with essential services like opening bank accounts, setting up SIM cards, and completing health checks. Plus, with our 24/7 pastoral care support, we ensured the workers' emotional and cultural well-being, helping them feel welcomed and supported both on-site and off-site
By facilitating a smooth transition, we helped our client secure the skilled workforce needed to maintain efficiency and drive business success.
Solutions delivered
RWM not only helped our client to fill critical skills gaps but also ensureed Lewis and Abel had the support they needed to settle into their new roles – and a new country. Our approach provided a smooth transition for both the business and the workers joining it. Here’s how we made it happen:
- Housing: Upon arrival, both workers were provided with employer-arranged shared accommodation, giving them the time to find a suitable apartment to move into near their work.
- Setting up essentials: Both workers received support with bank accounts, SIM card setups, tax file numbers, and other key services to ensure they were set up and could settle in quickly.
- Community integration: Lewis and Abel quickly acclimated, with Lewis arriving 2 weeks earlier, learning the ropes of Melbourne and then guiding Abel through the adjustment process when he arrived, helping him settle into Melbourne.
- Personalised support: Lewis purchased a car when he arrived in Melbourne, and then spent time introducing Abel to the city when he arrived, further strengthening their friendship and easing the transition.
Impact and results
Both Lewis and Abel have become integral to the client’s operations, contributing their trade expertise to an exciting new project. Their skills have ensured that manufacturing deadlines are met, client expectations are exceeded, and operations remain ahead of schedule.
Their journey highlights RWM’s broader mission: empowering skilled international workers to build futures in Australia while addressing critical skills shortages for clients.
As Lewis reflected, “RWM really looked after us. They arranged our flights, picked us up at the airport, and made sure we had everything we needed, like setting up a bank account and a SIM card.”
The ultimate goal for both workers is to reunite with their families in Australiar, made possible by the opportunities and support provided by RWM.
Looking ahead
By bringing international talent to Australia, RWM continues to solve the challenge of finding skilled tradespeople, helping clients like ours maintain productivity and competitiveness.
If you're facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, RWM is here to help. Contact us today or reach out to our Recruitment Operations Manager, Maike Holland, at MHolland@fipgroup.com.au, to discuss how we can support your workforce needs.
Client challenge
Workforce gaps in skilled trades continue to be a major challenge, however, international talent is helping RWM to bridge this gap. One of our clients in the manufacturing sector needed a skilled boilermaker for a long-term role but struggled to find local talent.
What we did
To bridge this gap, we leveraged our international recruitment expertise to connect our client in Victoria with highly skilled boilermakers from overseas to address critical workforce shortages. Lewis and Abel, who joined us from South Africa on three year visas are now contributing their expertise to keep manufacturing operations productive and competitive. We identified talented individuals like Lewis and Abel, facilitated their relocation, and ensured their transition to Australia was seamless.
We provided end-to-end support, from initial recruitment to onboarding, including:
- Comprehensive recruitment: Our process involved conducting in-depth skill assessments and ensuring compliance with visa applications, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. This enabled them to access highly skilled tradespeople from across the globe, effectively addressing skill shortages.
- Relocation and mobilisation: Our team handled all the logistics, from coordinating flights to ensuring safe, efficient travel to the worksite. We arranged airport pickups, transport to accommodation, and supported the workers with settling into their new roles, providing a smooth transition for Lewis and Abel’s new international hires.
- Onboarding: We assisted with essential services like opening bank accounts, setting up SIM cards, and completing health checks. Plus, with our 24/7 pastoral care support, we ensured the workers' emotional and cultural well-being, helping them feel welcomed and supported both on-site and off-site
By facilitating a smooth transition, we helped our client secure the skilled workforce needed to maintain efficiency and drive business success.
Solutions delivered
RWM not only helped our client to fill critical skills gaps but also ensureed Lewis and Abel had the support they needed to settle into their new roles – and a new country. Our approach provided a smooth transition for both the business and the workers joining it. Here’s how we made it happen:
- Housing: Upon arrival, both workers were provided with employer-arranged shared accommodation, giving them the time to find a suitable apartment to move into near their work.
- Setting up essentials: Both workers received support with bank accounts, SIM card setups, tax file numbers, and other key services to ensure they were set up and could settle in quickly.
- Community integration: Lewis and Abel quickly acclimated, with Lewis arriving 2 weeks earlier, learning the ropes of Melbourne and then guiding Abel through the adjustment process when he arrived, helping him settle into Melbourne.
- Personalised support: Lewis purchased a car when he arrived in Melbourne, and then spent time introducing Abel to the city when he arrived, further strengthening their friendship and easing the transition.
Impact and results
Both Lewis and Abel have become integral to the client’s operations, contributing their trade expertise to an exciting new project. Their skills have ensured that manufacturing deadlines are met, client expectations are exceeded, and operations remain ahead of schedule.
Their journey highlights RWM’s broader mission: empowering skilled international workers to build futures in Australia while addressing critical skills shortages for clients.
As Lewis reflected, “RWM really looked after us. They arranged our flights, picked us up at the airport, and made sure we had everything we needed, like setting up a bank account and a SIM card.”
The ultimate goal for both workers is to reunite with their families in Australiar, made possible by the opportunities and support provided by RWM.
Looking ahead
By bringing international talent to Australia, RWM continues to solve the challenge of finding skilled tradespeople, helping clients like ours maintain productivity and competitiveness.
If you're facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, RWM is here to help. Contact us today or reach out to our Recruitment Operations Manager, Maike Holland, at MHolland@fipgroup.com.au, to discuss how we can support your workforce needs.
