Inclusivity: One of many “good things” happening at Coles

Can you imagine a brighter way to begin your grocery shop, than seeing Laura’s smiling face at the door?

Judging by the enthusiastic way she greets customers, it might be hard to imagine that Laura’s pursuit of a job had been derailed by a lack of confidence during interviews. 

This all changed in February when Laura, who lives with autism, was shortlisted for an interview after applying for a job at Coles through MAX’s Employer Services Team. 

In line with Coles’ efforts to attract and employ people from different backgrounds, Store Manager Mona took an inclusive approach during recruitment, focusing on ensuring Laura felt comfortable during the interview.

After her interview, Laura was eager to share her excitement with her MAX team, sharing “This was the best interview experience I have ever had! I felt so much more confident and happy!”

Combining interview preparation support from MAX with Mona’s inclusive approach during the interview, Mona was able to see Laura at her full potential. 

All Laura’s hard work paid off and Mona was pleased to offer Laura a job.

Laura is now enjoying working with the Coles team as a Door Greeter, playing an important part in welcoming customers to the store and supplying sanitised shopping baskets and trolleys to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The things I look forward to when I come to work at Coles are knowing that I’ll be learning something new each shift and having a great support team that always looks out for my needs,” says Laura. 

In the last year, the partnership between Coles and MAX has given opportunities to hundreds of new team members. 76% of the team members employed by Coles through MAX have been unemployed long term, and half of those identified as having a disability. 

Coles will be providing even more opportunities for MAX customers across Australia over the coming months as they recruit team members for several new stores opening across the country. 

Together, we’re creating transformational change for hundreds of people as Coles continues to create jobs and make a positive difference to the communities it serves. 

We can definitely confirm that “Good things start at Coles.”