Exclusive Audio Interview with Dr John Tickell, Medical Doctor, international expert on longevity and health, best-selling author
1. Why do so many individuals and companies struggle to address the work / life balance in a bid to reduce stress and how do you think this can be combated without impacting on productivity?
2. Can you run me through a few simple tips on how to develop winning self management skills and breaking the stress cycle for a healthier, successful and more fulfilling business and personal life?
3. Can you run me through the ACE Program and how it is improving everyday life skills?
4. You’re speaking at IIR's National Workers' Compensation Summit 2011 taking place on 21 – 22 February 2011 in the Gold Coast, what would you like delegates to gain from attending your presentation?
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Exclusive Audio Interview with Doug Sexsmith, President and CEO, Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (Canada)
1. How does the Canadian approach to workers compensation claims compare with the Australian methodology and what lessons can be learnt?
2. How can you prevent injuries and build a safety culture whilst supporting safe and timely return to work?
3. How can a employer strengthen service delivery to workers and employers?
4. Can you outline the explain the process of enhancing stewardship in the current environment?
5. You're speaking at IIR's National Workers' Compensation Summit 2011 taking place on 21 - 22 February 2011 in Surfers Paradise, what will be the focus of your presentation?
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Exclusive Audio Interview with Coralie Wales, President, Chronic Pain Australia,
1. What is the philosophy behind taking a preventative approach towards return to work?
2. How can you efficiently integrate chronic pain management into the rehabilitation process?
3. How can an employer provide job training /flexible hours to reduce the incidence of workers’ compensation?
4. How should rehabilitation providers and insurers work together to more effectively alleviate return to work pressures?
5. You're speaking at IIR's National Workers' Compensation Summit 2011 taking place on 21 - 22 February 2011 in Surfers Paradise, what would you like delegates to gain from your presentation?
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Exclusive Interview with Siusan Mackenzie, Principal, Equilibrium Worklife Solutions
Can you briefly explain the theory behind Work-life initiatives?
Until quite recently work-life initiatives were simply viewed as what an employer did to retain 'good' women with parental responsibilities....
Now, the best contemporary employers are more likely to consider work-life initiatives much more broadly with respect to changed social conditions and strategically as part of a company's approach to people management. The health and wellbeing of people is more commonly a core organizational value and this means companies see the value of investing in people through a range of work-life initiatives aimed at having a positive impact on both mental and physical health. By establishing management practices, and developing people so that the workplace culture consistently supports the work-life needs of people, it has been shown that what people can do, and are motivated to do, more effectively matches what the organization needs them to do, and this naturally leads to performance improvement.
How can a business make these initiatives an investment that benefits the company?
Work-life initiatives are an investment in people and they should be designed to improve performance on a number of fronts. It is expected that heightened interest in human capital will see CEO's and Boards soon asked to report more comprehensively on how they manage people. This new wave of interest by investors and analysts means employers will be under increasing pressure to demonstrate greater respect for work-life balance and effective people practices. This will require companies to reveal the impact of strategies designed to support people's work-life balance and in turn, how that links to the performance of the organization. Good base line data, clear performance indicators and effective monitoring process are just a few of the elements which will need to be established so that change can be measured.
What will be the focus of your presentation at the 11th Annual National Workers Compensation Summit on the 17-18 February 2010 in Sydney?
Leaders often say they don't know how to get started with work-life initiatives. The focus of my presentation will be to outline how to take a thorough and strategic approach to work-life balance which will provide mutual benefit for people and their employers and go beyond meeting the new legislative requirements that now provide many employees the right to request flexible work arrangements.
What would you like delegates to take away with them from your presentation?
I want delegates to take away an understanding that the clear link between individual physical and mental wellbeing and performance has shifted the landscape in terms of people practices. Having this at the heart of how an organisation operates is no longer a nice to have - it is essential for improving performance. Like all change processes it will take time and commitment to establish the sort of culture which can consistently demonstrates how its support for work-life balance makes a difference to the performance of people and the company - but your efforts will be well rewarded. Pressure on employers to demonstrate respect for work-life balance and people practices more generally is not only coming from new statutory requirements and employees, but also investors. Click to view/hide details....
Exclusive Interview with Mandy Pengilly Feely, Manager - Professional Development & Innovation
Can you explain a bit more about the philosophy of restoring and redefining relationships and its importance in the return to work process?
Relationships are the key to most aspects of business success and it is no different in the RTW process...
Often companies take professional and work relationships for granted prior to an injury or illness at work and in the event of such an issue the foundations are often missing, resulting in poor injury and return to work management from the beginning.
It is well evidence that an open, transparent communicative relationship with a worker and their supervisor, upper management and peers results in much quicker and more sustainable return to work outcomes.
The philosophy is to identify, redefine and restore relationships prior to an injury or illness in the workplace using specific methods to create employee communication and engagement throughout an organisation.
When relationships are clearly defined, when individuals understand where they stand and expectations are clear any challenges can be overcome.
Often we have to look at redefining and restoring relationships when a significant breakdown has occurred. Often our desire to be "right" hampers our desire to resolve.
How can warning signs of relationship breakdown and strategies be indentified to circumvent the issue in the first place?
Most companies and business already have significant information pertaining to warning signs and why professional relationships do not work. However most business professionals are busy with the job of profitability and the bottom line, often missing the multiple warning signs that occur prior to an injury, that become magnified during injury management process. The biggest sign of relationship issues in the workplace is a lack of employee engagement.
Strong relationships are absolutely essential when creating an engaged team. Employees are usually more inclined to want to return to work if they have a great relationship with their manager. However, there is a raft of other workplace relationships which need to be nurtured, in the injury management and return to work process. These include solid relationships with peers, other departments, and the organisation itself.
There are many behavioural warning signs that exist when a relationship starts to breakdown that in isolation we often overlook, but when reviewed holistically are a significant flag we need to take action!
- Unhappiness - open displays of sadness or discontent in the workplace
- Absences - unusual or significant absences from work
- Criticism - instead of merely complaining, the person attacks and blames their employer
- Contempt - feedback with the intent to insult
- Dismissive - Being dismissive regarding responsibility
- Defensiveness - not being willing to listen
- Stonewalling - ignoring, avoiding and distancing
To circumvent relationship breakdown we have to value our work relationships prior to issues and injuries. Don't mistake strong relationships for friendships, but rather a plan for creating strong relationships from the commencement of employment that can be maintained through issues and injuries.
Processes and behaviours must be implemented to create strong and sustainable relationships even in the face of difficulties.
Some of these include:-
- An effective recruitment strategy (picking the right staff based on culture and attitude rather than just skills)
- Induction processes (no matter what the industry ensuring people understand what is expected, where the resources are and who to go to for what)
- Support mechanisms (life and work is not always simple, it is a fluid and often unexpected things arise. It is important for your people to feel that support exist)
- Commitment to establishing and working on relationships across the business (including peers, upper management and even customers in some instances)
- Job security (ensuring that during injury recovery employees do not feel insecure about their ongoing employment)
- Keeping industrial/performance issues separate to the return to work process. (it is critical to address performance issues AS they arise and keep them separated from the rehabilitation & return to work process)
What specific strategies have you developed for some of your recent cases?
Our strategies are all about relationships and engagement. This is the core strategy in which all other actions in our process bridge from.
Our strategies ensure we facilitate, enable and empower people to return to work by restoring positive relationships and influencing behavioural change, ensuring the adoption of a whole-of-organisation approach. Some strategies include:- - Challenging pre conceived ideas or thoughts about an employee, employer or a supervisor.
- Ensuring all parties understand the cost personally and financially of negative or difficult relationships
- Having a very well defined action plan and RTW plan - so all activities and plans are transparent
- Implementing and role modelling behaviours such as depersonalisation, empathy, integrity
- Naming the situation and behaviour as it REALLY is, rather than trying to tip toe around issues
- Dealing with the issue not the person (80% of problems are caused by process not people)
- Ensuring all relationships are addressed including doctor, case manager, peers, and often legal providers.
- Implementing mediation, life coaching or other assessments to enable restoration of a relationship
How can you indentify the barriers in a case and create simple strategies to successfully move forward?
In order to achieve this goal, you have to get real and acknowledge what is REALLY going on in a case.
Employers/business have to be willing to own up to some of the behaviours, attitudes and actions they have taken which were part of creating the barriersin the first place.
We don't have to always like our employees, but in order to effectively address barriers and move files forward we often have to stop being upset about the past leaving the opportunity to restore relationships and move forward.
All barriers that exist are generally as a result of relationship breakdown or disengagement. Once this component is addressed and people can TALK, successful strategies are EASY!
You're facilitating a workshop at IIR's National Workers' Compensation Summit 2011 taking place on 21 - 22 February 2011 in Surfers Paradise, what would you like delegates to gain from attending the workshop?
Our workshop is about addressing what is REALLY going on when rehabilitation and return to work is not successful.
Delegates will be involved in an interactive workshop where we will discuss:- - strategies to create strong relationships and engagement prior to an issue or injury
- how to identify specific warning signs that would indicate relationship breakdown/disengagement
- Options to restoring relationships and engagement
- Specific issues facing delegates on cases
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