For Joanne Avasti, the hour and a half train journey from her office in Melbourne’s bustling CBD to her idyllic country home, nestled between eucalypts and a wide dam in the picturesque town of Kyneton allows for reflection and thought. Inside the quiet train carriage, gliding past farmland dotted with “dancing kangaroos” and the verdant Macedon Ranges, is the ideal space to explore and analyse work decisions in greater depth.
“The reality is, having a young family means that you have to work differently,” Avasti explains. The EY partner, Avasti and her husband have two young boys and they both work part-time. She spends three days in the office and one day working from home.
“My days at work are quite frenetic, with meetings crammed back to back, so I have to be highly organised and categorise what can be done in the office and at home,” she says. The commute provides a welcome opportunity for reflection.
Avasti works in EY’s human capital team, specialising in executive remuneration. Her determination and drive is palpable, but she also attributes her career success to not being restricted by processes and procedures and rather being open to different problem-solving methods, creativity and ideas. She has worked for three of the big four accounting firms after beginning her career in professional services in the United Kingdom. She transferred to Melbourne in 2004, after falling in love with Australia’s sunny climes and sweeping horizons.
There’s a balance of different elements and ingredients in her role that matches her personality, which she says is an important part of why she excels at what she does.
“I have a low boredom threshold – I like change and being kept on my toes. I have a strong desire to help clients resolve issues in what is a very sensitive and topical area. A lot of the work focuses on change and problem-solving, looking at a number of different angles – the consulting and advisory side to my position suits my personality, gives me variety and an intellectual challenge” Avasti says.
Having an employer that recognises the significance of flexibility and diversity in the workplace – particularly in how different people work – is something Avasti believes is important.
“My approach isn’t necessarily a process driven one. I find if you only strictly follow a process you get the same answer each time, which may not reflect the client’s current challenge” she explains. “I use a lot of analysis and use data to validate my suggestions, but there’s a balance of the numbers and facts with the less tangible, the interpersonal impact of what you’re trying to do. Remuneration is a very emotional area for people and a lot of the time people don’t articulate clearly what they want.”
When Avasti embarked on a degree in law and business at Aston University in Birmingham she had “no idea” what she wanted to do and even upon completion, she still didn’t.
“When I graduated I had no idea what I’m doing now even existed! There is a whole world out there of jobs people aren’t even introduced to. I studied law because I enjoyed studying it, I didn’t necessarily want to be a lawyer,” she says.
After she finished her research masters she “lucked out”, spotting a job ad in a magazine that wanted someone with an interest in human resources and a legal background.
“I attribute part of my career success to this – finding the right job for my personality. It’s important to find a job in which you can work happily, that’s in line with your values,” she explains.
The most influential career advice she ever received came from a senior male partner. “We were just having a catch up and it was three months before I became pregnant for the first time. He said ‘Jo, I don’t remember what year I became partner, the only thing I remember is that I didn’t spend enough time with my kids’. That was a really poignant moment for me. It was when I knew I wouldn’t go back to work full-time after my kids were born.”
Juggling her family life with fulfilling work is tough and is possible because of the flexibility her employer and her husband, who works part-time in his own business, provide.
“EY have been fantastic in terms of flexible arrangements – I have a wonderful boss who said ‘tell us what you can do and we’ll make it work.’ I’ve been part time for six years now and having the day working from home allows me to see my kids in the morning and evening – it’s a delight.”
Avasti’s sons – the eldest is about to start primary school – spend two days in care, two with their dad, two with their mum and one with the whole family together.
“We don’t have parents or a network of relatives here in Australia so there’s no safety net with babysitters. If one of our boys is sick one of us needs to stay home, move meetings around, change our work days. Having a flexible employer is even more critical in this regard,” Avasti says.
One of the biggest challenges she’s had in her career has been “letting her head get in the way of what I need to do”. She says it’s something she believes many women suffer.
“Women doubt themselves so much and there is absolutely no need for any doubt. We’re equally capable. I make a real effort with the women in my team to let them recognise that early on, right from the start if possible, to deal with it quicker,” she says. It took her a long time to break what she realised was a subliminal habit of doubting herself.
Avasti is thrilled to see a slow but steady rise in the number of women working at executive level. After 15 years working in the field, last year she worked with her first female board appointment. “She is just a phenomenal director,” Avasti says. “There is still an imbalance in the number of women being appointed to chairs or boards. While progress is being made, there is still a long way to go.”