2 August 2022

Watch: what does the Region Media head of HR do every day?

| Genevieve Jacobs
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Among a slew of high-profile appointments in recent years, Region Media identified a critical need for human resources to nurture our staff during the pandemic.

We found the ideal candidate in Mr Smiggle, an RSPCA rescue dog who joined us in June 2020.

And now Mr Smiggle’s busy working day has been documented as part of our work with the Google News Initiative, including the morning editorial stand-up, his range of meetings and the toll taken at the end of a busy working day.

His role has grown considerably since he arrived at the RSPCA in Weston Creek, where he’d been regretfully surrendered by his previous owner. In addition to filling a much needed role at work, he was also our poster boy for the RSPCA’s take your pets to work campaign.

Mr Smiggle has worked closely with the RSPCA ever since, leading our coverage on issues such as buying pets for Christmas, dealing with pets and holidays and raising awareness of the need for a new shelter. He’s also starred on our Christmas message.

In February this year, the rapid growing Region Media team moved to new offices in the Burns Centre on National Circuit. With the move came new staff and responsibilities: the HR team expanded and Mr Smiggle took on an apprentice called Toby, a (much larger) black Labrador belonging to co-CEO Michael McGoogan.

Sure, there are occasional tensions, mostly over the toys and who gets the lunchtime leftovers (and this is an office where pretty much everyone gains four kilos on joining the team).

woman with dog

Shayna and Chelsea. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

Things can get fairly exciting when we’re visited by Nala (belonging to our commercial director Adam Gill), Chelsea the French bulldog (account executive Shayna Siakomotu’s best friend) or Oreo (who lives with China platform lead Laura Liu). Frida the dachshund has even dropped by with her managers from co-CEO Tim White’s family.

The head of HR also runs a tight regional team with Edna (companion to content director Kim Treasure), Micky (a fellow rescue pup who manages Sally Hopman’s life) and our coastal connection, Pumpkin, who lives with business journalist Katrina Condie.

It’s a dog’s life!

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loved it! and so great Mr Smiggle has found a new good home.

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