Working with us

The Argyle Diamond Mine offers its employees many attractive benefits, including access to study assistance schemes, staff insurance schemes, medical assistance schemes and healthy lifestyle programs.

As an organisation committed to making a difference, Argyle is also investing in its workforce in other ways, including skills development and employing locally.

Developing the skills of individuals

Argyle invests significantly in training and development of its employees, working from the principle that more skilled employees will offer immediate benefits to the organisation as a whole, as well as delivering long-term benefits to the individuals concerned, their families and their communities. Once the East Kimberley operation has closed, Argyle would like its employees to be able to take up equivalent employment with other organisations, or to have the skills and confidence to start their own businesses.

Staff are therefore encouraged to gain a range of knowledge and experience during their employment with Argyle and are provided with ongoing training opportunities to broaden their skills base. This gives them the chance to progress through the different levels of their trade or profession and/or to explore other career options. Work opportunities at Argyle span a whole range of disciplines - from plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades through to construction, business administration, sales and marketing, horticulture, environmental science, hospitality, training and engineering, just to name some of the many and varied positions found throughout the organisation.

Employees are assisted to gain various tickets and licences associated with their trade, and the company is supportive of employees engaged in external study, such as TAFE diplomas, undergraduate or graduate degrees. Time off work is granted for staff to study, and assistance can be provided with fees.

Employing locally

As part of its 'localisation' policy, Argyle gives employment preference to local East Kimberley residents, and is particularly committed to providing training and employment opportunities for indigenous people. The company has made this shift from its previous 'fly-in, fly-out' policy - which saw most of its Perth-based employees being flown up to the mine site each fortnight because it believes that it is better both for the company and for the East Kimberley region. Commute buses are provided by Argyle to transport employees to and from the major local towns. Assistance is also being provided to help Perth based employees relocate to the East Kimberley.

Initiatives to assist local indigenous people to capitalise on employment opportunities at the mine site include pre-employment assessment programs, fast-track training, creation of new entry points into the organisation and an agreement with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to create 150 new traineeships and apprenticeships within the organisation by 2008. Indigenous people now represent nearly half of the local Argyle workforce, which reflects their population profile in the East Kimberley region.

In addition to the mine site, Argyle has facilities in Perth and Kununurra.

Perth
A portion of Argyle employees are based in the Perth office and provide support services to the mine. Perth is also the location of the stand alone Argyle Pink Diamonds business that is part of the sales and marketing arm of Rio Tinto Diamonds.

Kununurra
The number of employees working at Argyle House in Kununurra fluctuates as many are regularly required to travel and work on the mine site. Activities conducted by those working in Argyle House include supporting the relocation of the bulk of the workforce to the Kimberley region, and working with a range of the company's local stakeholders.

Argyle mine site
At any given time, hundreds of people may be working on the mine. That number is comprised of employees, a range of contractors, apprentices and trainees.

A standard working shift is 12 hours. Several different rosters are in place according to commute arrangements and job requirements. These include a two week on, two week off roster which in many cases comprises a week of day shift, followed by a week of night shift. Some employees based in Kununurra work four days on, three days off. Contractor companies control their employees' rosters, which may include more lengthy stays on the mine site.

While working on site, Argyle provides accommodation in two locations - the Argyle village and Wandarrie hill. Argyle village has a capacity of 363 permanent single rooms. These are brick and tile constructed duplex units arranged along several concentric horseshoe shaped roads. They are equipped with an en-suite bathroom, kitchenette, air-conditioning, linen and television. Wandarrie hill contains approximately 720 temporary (referred to as 'donga' style) rooms. Some have an en-suite, while others are located around shared bathroom facilities. They are all equipped with air-conditioning, small fridge, electric kettle, linen and television.

Each accommodation area has dining, recreational and laundry facilities. The recreational facilities at each location include a bar area, small deli, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, table tennis and snooker tables, and gymnasiums. The village also has a squash court. Additionally, there is a designated path from the mine site to each accommodation site, on which many employees walk, jog or cycle.

Other opportunities to participate in social activities throughout Argyle include departmental and commute panel social clubs. Many of the clubs undertake fundraising activities for internal and external causes, and hold events such as barbecues, quiz nights and annual trips away.

Argyle has a peer support network and employee assistance programme available for employees requiring support or counselling. The peer support network consists of employees who volunteer to be accessible to provide support to other employees experiencing stress for any reason. They are trained to provide a range of support functions or refer to other parties, such as the company's Health co-ordinator, for further assistance. The Employee Assistance Program allows all employees to access qualified counselling through designated external and independent providers. Any service provided is entirely confidential.

Other services and benefits available to employees are detailed in the Employee benefits section.

Communication with staff

Because Argyle is an organisation in transition - with open pit mining operations nearing an end and the current development of an underground mine, communication with staff is seen as extremely important. Employees are regularly updated on business initiatives so that individual staff can manage any change that affects them, or their job, and can assess how these changes fit with their personal goals.