Level 4, 60 Moorabool St Geelong VIC 3220
1300 363 128
Harvest Talent Recruitment and People Solutions director Maree Herath knows success doesn’t come easily. That’s why she’s always been willing to do the hard yards and build a network of trusted advisers to ensure future success.
Article as appeared in the Geelong Advertiser, 14 May 2025
When a business faces the unexpected challenges that come along, it pays to be quick to act and resilient enough to weather the storms, Harvest Talent Recruitment and People Solutions director Maree Herath says.
- What does your business do, who are your customers, and what makes it unique?
At Harvest Talent Recruitment and People Solutions, we are a boutique, end-to-end HR services firm, proudly founded right here in Geelong.
What sets us apart is that we’re not just your typical recruitment agency. While we’ve specialised in executive and specialist recruitment for over 15 years, we offer so much more.
We host the Geelong HR Roundtable, provide tailored HR consulting services for businesses, run the Geelong HR Index (a survey that tracks the region’s employment and HR trends), and even offer careers and outplacement services. Essentially, we are a one-stop shop for a company’s people needs.
- What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in business, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I faced was learning the importance of diversification. In 2014, we had a strong recruitment arm and a small contractor desk, and our offices were based in both Perth and Geelong. However, when the commodity market crashed, recruitment in Perth came to a halt. It was a tough lesson — I realised that relying on just one part of the business wasn’t enough. As a result, we had to close our Perth office. The crisis was the catalyst for innovation and we have strategically added careers and outplacement services, as well as our HR and People Solutions division. In 2016, we also launched the Geelong HR Roundtable. These changes gave us more resilience and helped us navigate challenges like Covid and the current softer economy in Victoria. Today, these additional services are vital to how we continue to thrive.
- What’s one decision that had the biggest impact on your success?
Launching the Geelong HR Index was a game-changer for us. The HR Index surveys business confidence, employment predictions, and HR trends in the region, and while it’s been beneficial to Harvest, the real value has come from sharing this information with the broader community. By offering this valuable insight, we’ve built credibility and trust among local employers, and their support in return has been instrumental to our success. The HR Index is conducted whenever there’s a significant shift in the region’s landscape, and being a trusted resource in recruitment and HR trends, has certainly helped us establish ourselves as key players in the region.
- What’s a lesson you wish you’d learnt sooner?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that when the economy takes a downturn, you need to act fast. As a small-business owner, taking too long to respond to economic shifts can have a huge financial impact. I’ve learned this the hard way. After the 2014 crisis, I had to make some very difficult decisions — like selling my house and facing the personal toll of a financial crisis that ultimately led to the end of my first marriage. It was incredibly difficult, especially when it came to letting staff go, but sometimes those decisions are necessary for the business to survive. You have to be tough. While the team may not always understand the personal strain you’re under, you must still make the decisions that are best for the long-term future of the business.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out?
My advice would always be: be prepared to do the hard yards. Success doesn’t come easily — you have to work for it. And, most importantly, surround yourself with a tribe of people you can lean on when needed. I’ll always be grateful to my “Brains Trust” and the incredible business owner girlfriends who’ve helped me succeed or simply been there in trying times. Building a network of trusted advisers is key.
- How do you find and keep great employees?
When I think of my greatest employees, I often think about the “accidental” hires — the ones who came to us out of curiosity, between jobs, seeking a start in HR, or looking for flexibility after returning to the workforce. These individuals have gone on to achieve incredible things in their careers, and I’ve been fortunate to witness their growth. We have a flat structure at Harvest, which means that for our team to progress, they often need to move on to bigger opportunities elsewhere. But it’s always a joy to see them succeed and to know we played a role in their career journey. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see them flourish and contribute to our region’s businesses.
- What’s next for your business?
What’s next for Harvest? We continue to evolve and expand. This year, we launched a Talent Attraction and Candidate Activation Service, which is designed to be budget-friendly and accessible to all businesses. We’ve also recently added services focusing on diversity recruitment and an RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) model to support companies with large-scale recruitment efforts. With over 30 years in the industry and 15 years in Geelong, I’m as committed as ever to connecting people with opportunities. I remain deeply involved in the community, sitting on key committees and contributing to regional talent attraction and development initiatives.
