A Job Worth Getting Up in the Morning For

Sarah Hyatt stood looking out toward Lake Ferry, taking in the quiet before starting her job for the day. “This is the view from the office today,” she said. It was a beautiful morning to mow the grass at the reserves while enjoying the view.

She has been a Mower Operator with Citycare Property for just over a year, and she’s genuinely enjoying it. Sarah has worked in grounds maintenance for a few years now, and being outdoors suits her. For her, there is something about the work that feels honest and satisfying. “You can just turn around and see what you’ve done, and see how much better it’s looking,” she said. “When you do your job, you can immediately see where you’ve been and what a difference you’ve made, and how much nicer it will be for the community.”

Five years ago, Sarah moved to the Wairarapa, a place that already felt familiar. “I grew up in Wellington, and this was our holiday destination,” she said. “Every school holiday, my dad would be like, right, we’re going over the hill.”  

Before joining Citycare Property, she’d had jobs that didn’t offer the same sense of purpose. “I have had jobs where I’ve sort of tried to chase the dollar, and I’ve never been happy,” she said. “This is, to be honest, the first job I want to go to work to.”

A big part of that is the team environment. “I work with a good bunch of people where we’ve got each other’s back. We look after and check in on one another.” She’s currently the only wāhine on the crew, but that doesn’t faze her. In fact, she felt that the guys were going out of their way to be extra helpful so she let them know that she could do the mahi and said, "thanks guys, but if I need help, I'll ask."

For Sarah, the combination of meaningful work, a supportive crew, and the landscapes she grew up loving has created something she didn’t expect to find in a job. It feels like the right place to be, and she’s proud of the work she does each day.