Over the past five years, Clifton has held a variety of roles within the Steel & Tube team. From roofing to distribution to fasteners, Clifton has worked in a range of roles throughout the Steel & Tube family. Here’s the story of Clifton as he settles into his latest role of Warehouse Manager at our Auckland Distribution Centre in Avondale.
What about your work do you enjoy most?
There is always something to do and it’s usually different. The fast-paced nature of the role is great. As I’ve recently joined the team, I’ve been spending most of the day on the floor assisting with picking orders and dispatching. I’m a believer that you can’t effectively manage a process if you don’t understand it. So, I’ve enjoyed working alongside a range of people to better understand their roles and how I can remove obstacles so they can perform even better.
How did you navigate the career transition from Team Lead to Warehouse Manager?
In my role as Team Lead, I led a team of three. Currently, I’m leading a team of twenty-six so it’s been a reasonable shift. During the last five years, I have had the opportunity to work across a variety of sites. Most of the people in my current team have worked across many different sites. That has been a real asset as we’re all able to share ideas of what works well at our sites and other locations, as well as what could be improved. There’s great cross pollination of different ideas. I’m also lucky to be able to catch up with other Warehouse Managers to get their perspective.
Ultimately, I’m still navigating the transition. However, the team has been very supportive. My strategy for the moment is to ask questions and muck in to better understand how the team operates. There’s certainly a lot to do and a lot to learn.
What do you get up to outside of work?
It’s been a busy year and a half with my family expanding. My wife and I both have several members of our extended family in Japan so they are all wanting to meet our young son. Once we’re all able to travel more freely, I’m looking forward to taking my son to Japan.
In the more immediate future, I’ve been planning a trip to the South Island. When I first suggested the trip, my wife thought of the old church overlooking Lake Tekapo. So, I’d like to show her and our son much more of the South Island, particularly the West Coast.
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