Today is International Women’s Day, which means we’re joining millions of people all over the world in celebrating women’s achievements, raising awareness of gender biases, and working to promote a more gender-balanced world.
This year, the theme is #BalanceforBetter and we couldn’t agree more. As an employer, we strive to achieve balance in our workforce. We welcome people from all walks of life, encourage different points of view, and promote inclusion, respect and diversity in all our workplaces. We are also fortunate to have thousands of talented and dedicated women working at ALDI.
Tremaine Spillane, a Store Operations Director based in the Stapylton regional office, is one of those women. A long-standing employee with 10 years’ service at ALDI, Tremaine joined us as a graduate and spent her first four years working as an Area Manager in Brisbane. But when an opportunity in Logistics opened up, Tremaine jumped at it.
“As a woman working at ALDI I have never felt that I had to adjust my style or approach, and I have never been treated any differently to my male counterparts,” says Tremaine.
“Even moving into Logistics, where there is typically less female representation than in other parts of the business, I always felt that I had my team’s respect.”
The reality is that Tremaine has had more than her team’s respect; she has benefited from a culture that actively and supports success in and out of work. Speaking of becoming a mum for the first time, Tremaine says, “I have been incredibly fortunate that ALDI provided me with the flexibility to succeed both at work and as a mum.”
“There is no doubt that ALDI’s employment conditions are among the best in the industry. The training we receive sets us up for success and the support we get at work contributes to the amazing staff retention rates we see across the business.”
But if there is one thing about working at ALDI that Tremaine values above everything else it’s the trust that we place in our people.
“I love that I am provided with true ownership in my area of responsibility and with my team,” she says.
“I’m able to make real decisions and truly empower my people to do the same. Knowing that I can make a direct impact on the business is what keeps me coming back every day.”
And Tremaine has certainly made an impact at ALDI. Starting with a clean slate—or a clean concrete slab to be precise—and five logistics managers, Tremaine oversaw the launch of the Brendale Distribution Centre in 2015.
“Watching that 200-strong team successfully launch the Distribution Centre, which serviced 50 of our established stores, was a really proud moment for me,” she says.
“It was a lot of hard work but seeing the team band together, commit to a common goal, and establish the foundations for what is now a successful region is an experience I will never forget.”
Tremaine’s story, while unique is by no means unusual at ALDI. We’re proud to see a large number of women in our workforce win at work.
Today, as a Store Operations Director, Tremaine is responsible for a team of 13 Area Managers who oversee 36 stores. That equates to about 600 people. It’s a big responsibility, but nothing that Tremaine—and plenty of other women at ALDI—can’t handle.
