Staff Loyalty

You can’t force people to stay in your life.

Loyalty is a choice for the person who gives it, and a privilege to the one who receives it.

For employers, it can be an elusive concept.

Done well, it creates a thriving business and a good life for the people who call that business home.

ICD’s The People Project (TPP) take this to heart, and work hard to get the ingredients spot on for a fulfilling work life.

And the proof is in the pudding.

18 per cent of ICD staff have been with the company for at least five years, with 45 per cent for two years or more.

And five per cent have been with ICD for 10 or more years.For some, that’s almost their entire professional lives.

So what is it about ICD and TPP that makes someone want to stick around into the double digits?

We sat down with deputy managing director Sal Quah, who has spent 10 years with ICD, about what has kept him coming back.

Sal, when did you start at ICD, and how did you end up in your current role?

I started as a casual research assistant at ICD in 2009 when I was pursuing my Masters degree in engineering. It was the first research role at ICD in the early days of the company starting up.

I began with zero to little knowledge of property development and was quickly intrigued with the complexity and challenges a career in the industry could give me. A passion in property development has followed me ever since.

Do you remember your first day on the job? What is memorable about those early days?

I remember being excited because it was my first job in Australia, having migrated from Malaysia. But at the same time I was really anxious because I really didn’t know exactly what I’d be doing.

Some of the most memorable times involved having to do many tasks within my role – it was a small office at that point.

I learned a lot in those early days. It was great because the staff worked together as a team to help one another and I think that’s a spirit that ICD still operates with today.

How has ICD met your needs in terms of career progression, work life balance and workplace culture?

More than I have ever imagined or expected. I would never have thought this is where I would end up.

The company provides all kinds of assistance to make sure the staff are well looked after, especially in achieving work-life balance.

More recently we have introduced ‘life leave’ where staff can take three weeks leave (in addition to standard annual leave) to travel, rest, or pursue other interests. It’s an amazing benefit.

What makes ICD a great place to work?

The culture here is really people-focussed. ICD provides lots of opportunities for growth and really cares about staff development.

I’ve also always admired the diversity of the staff and the contributions everyone makes. We have extraordinary people and that makes for remarkable culture all round.

And of course, the trust that we get from the management team and ICD board is second to none. We’ve always had an outstanding pipeline of projects and real flexibility in our work.

TPP. Engage. Produce. Grow.