Bima Aryuna: Membangun Tempat Kerja Masa Depan yang Inklusif dan Tergamifikasi

Australia Awards alumnus Bima Aryuna wants the workplace to be somewhere that people can learn through having fun, and where the principles of gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) are valued.

Bima had been working in marketing and event management when he became interested in human resources (HR). He regularly planned seminars for gaming, software and education companies on HR topics when he discovered his niche.

‘I did a lot of research. At first, it was to find suitable HR leaders to fill the seminars. But the more I delved into it, the more interested I became, and it turned out to have an overlap with the field of event management that I was involved in, namely employee management,’ he recalled.

He was curious about the application of psychological theories and principles to workplace settings. This led the Telkom University graduate to seek an Australia Awards Scholarship for an opportunity to learn more.

In 2023, he began the Masters of Business Psychology program at The University of Western Australia (UWA) to gain a deeper understanding of human resources.

Support From a Disability-Friendly Campus

In his first week at UWA, Bima, who has scoliosis, was introduced to UniAccess. Through UniAccess, students with disabilities can discuss their medical and accessibility issues, and the adjustments they need during their time at the university.

With this support and the accessible campus facilities, Bima says he was able to manage his studies very well.

‘An issue for me is sitting, and that was very well considered, so there were no obstacles when I had to spend hours in class sitting,’ he said.

In addition to life on campus, other disability-friendly experiences broadened Bima’s knowledge. During a workplace internship at an events company, he learned how the company trained staff and interns in health and safety issues, to avoid workplace injury.

When preparing for an event, they were reminded to be open to helping each other. For example, Bima said, they were asked to work in pairs when lifting heavy objects.

‘There’s a proper way to lift objects, which is to squat and not strain your back,’ he said. ‘For me personally, I was always reminded not to hesitate to ask for help when lifting objects due to my scoliosis or when I couldn’t lift something heavy enough. This made me feel safe.’

Contributing to People and Culture at AIYA

Bima’s experience at the Australia-Indonesia Youth Association (AIYA), where he served as one of the people and culture coordinators, also provided opportunities to learn more.

At AIYA, Bima was allowed to build the People and Culture division. Previously, matters related to people and culture were handled in other divisions, for example, under the secretary.

In this role, Bima made progress in areas such as recruitment. He created a recruitment pipeline to clarify the process and make it more measurable. This included a form for manpower requirements, and finally, continuing the pipeline to the interview template. Important things were made more structured and streamlined.

During this time, he learned more about volunteer engagement and training, including online volunteer engagement surveys and hosting games and guest speakers for training.

He also asked several related divisions and other volunteers at AIYA about their training needs, so that he could help them upgrade the skills needed beyond their roles in the organisation.

Engaging Employees to Grow Through Gaming

Since graduating in 2024, Bima has worked as a business development manager at Agate Level Up, a company specialising in gamification for brand engagement and people growth.

Bima finds creative solutions for business challenges in marketing and human resources. He does this through gamification – something familiar to him from his UWA studies.

‘At that time I took courses in organisational development and work design,’ said Bima. ‘Both courses used game-based learning to deliver their material. One example was a simulation game related to change management in a company.’

Some examples of Bima’s work include mobile game simulations designed for learning. For the agricultural business Karyamas Plantation, for example, employees or field officers play the role of plantation managers in simulation games. Through various scenarios, they learn how to maximise productivity in palm oil plantations. They can also learn about the situation on the ground before they are deployed. 

Seeking Further Learning and Networking

Bima’s efforts to deepen his understanding of how human resources can be innovated led him to receive a grant through the Allison Sudradjat Prize in 2024. He was able to take a series of training courses on various topics, such as International Relationships at Work, Effective Communication, and Psychological Safety and Psychosocial Risk.

The workshops helped him with relationship management within his company and with external business partners.

‘I remember how difficult it was to make changes in my workplace. After studying organisational development, I realised the importance of buy-in and support from other employees to be able to make changes,’ he said.

Bima views lifelong learning as something that can be pursued not only through formal training but also through informal study.

He’s particularly keen to learn new languages and seek networking opportunities, both at home and abroad. Eventually, he hopes to join events on the global stage or participate in professional fellowship programs.

‘As I gain more work experience, I hope to continue to be active through knowledge sharing in line with my expertise, for example, through seminars or mentoring sessions,’ he said.

Building a More Inclusive Work Environment

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Bima encouraged the public to become more aware of disability issues globally, including the rights, dignity and support of persons with disabilities.

According to Bima, participation in the International Day, commemorated on 3 December, encourages a deeper understanding of the issues faced by persons with disabilities, whether visible or invisible.

‘It’s a reminder for us to continue to strive to create an inclusive environment,’ he said.

He urged people not to stop at the level of understanding, but to play an active role in addressing the issues faced by persons with disabilities. He praised workplaces that were integrating GEDSI principles to promote greater harmony and inclusion for all employees.

‘The steps to create a more inclusive environment must continue. We should celebrate and follow the organisations that are implementing GEDSI principles, and those that even have a dedicated department.

‘Additionally, always strive to be the best version of yourself for your friends with disabilities.’