Wellbeing Archives – Page 3 of 9 – IPAA South Australia

“My hope is that we have a new way of working in the future, and be able to adapt” – Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, IPAA SA President, Erma Ranieri FIPAA

The word “unprecedented” has been thrown around a lot recently to describe the situation we have found ourselves in, both as a nation, and a public service. COVID-19 though has indeed brought unprecedented challenges and changes to the way we live and work.

For leaders and managers at all levels, there has been a demand to quickly adapt to new ways of managing teams remotely and ensuring business continuity even through the height of the pandemic.

As we learned from our Virtual on the Couch guests, the challenges leaders have faced and overcome have been substantial and even as we move into the recovery phase, key leaders share that the drastic shift in workplace paradigm will remain with us. The question for leaders here, is how do you apply the lessons from leading in crisis to support teams and reach goals in the ‘new normal’?

Be open to change

“Leadership is an area where you are focusing on change. It’s being prepared to change yourself. It’s being prepared to lead people through those changes” – Chief Executive, Environment Protection Authority, Tony Circelli

Tony circelli

It’s simple to stick to what we know and feel comfortable with, and COVID-19 certainly did the job of pushing many people far beyond their comfort zone. Appreciate your own capacity to adapt, knowing that you have led through one of the biggest crises of recent times. As future opportunities for change and new ways of doing things emerge, keep this in mind and don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone, in order to embrace these changes and opportunities.

Communication is Key

“You have got to have clarity, you have got to have purpose and you have got to communicate, communicate, communicate” – Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection, Cathy Taylor

From all the public sector leaders that have joined us On the Couch one thing that has stood out is the importance of communication. We have seen across the sector and through messages to the public how vital it was that everyone felt informed and confident that they had the correct information. Looking forward, what lessons in communication can you apply to your role? Perhaps foremost is that in new work paradigms, where your team might not always be in close proximity, we need to engage in new methods and channels of communication. Staying connected with your team, even over distance, through digital platforms will help remote workers stay engaged and accountable.

Leading Together

“Leadership is about making sure people feel they are in, whatever your missions is, together” – Acting Chief Executive, Department of Human Services, Lois Boswell

As we all banded together to face this crisis, cohesion and teamwork were at an all-time high, and a key challenge for us now will be how to maintain this in the recovery period. Change is hard to maintain, and you will need to use all your skills in communication and emotional intelligence to find new ways to enthuse and connect your team about projects you are undertaking. The pandemic has taught us that communication matters, and that when your team members feel considered and part of the process, then there is a much higher will to perform and engage. As a leader, you will need to look for ways to bring your team together to reach goals, allocate work effectively and know where to build your team’s skills to enhance their confidence and ability to contribute.

Using Emotional Intelligence

“Healthier happier staff give you better returns as an organisation” – Chief Executive, Department of Treasury and Finance, David Reynolds

The experience of COVID-19 has been different for everyone, but whether big or small we have all been impacted in some way. As a leader, this may have meant a wake-up call to the different circumstances and challenges your team members are facing, where a high degree of emotional intelligence was needed to care for the health and mental wellbeing of your team. In the new normal, where flexible work and remote work becomes increasingly available, you should consider investing in building and developing greater emotional intelligence skills to communicate with people empathetically and effectively no matter what the future throws at you.

Modeling expected traits, flexibility, and adaptability

“If you create the space, leaders will step into it” – Rick Persse

Many leaders who have spoken with us have shared that longstanding silos have been seemingly demolished in the wake of the pandemic, bringing new opportunities for collaboration across departments. Leaders who excelled during this crisis demonstrated key attributes which they modeled to the rest of their team, including the expected behaviors to engage in, as well as how to hold a positive and resilient mindset. Adaptive leadership is perhaps the most apt term to describe the style of leadership required here, where teams are operating in often uncharted territory. Now is the time to build and develop your skills in adaptive leadership, as well as to understand how your leadership style impacts the performance and wellbeing of your team.

Performance Management and Checking in With Your Team

“Make sure that you are looking at them holistically, not just what they might be producing at their home or not” – Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, IPAA SA President, Erma Ranieri FIPAA

If we are embracing a new work model where remote work and virtual team management becomes part of normal practice, then you will encounter a need to shift your mindset around traditional styles of management and measures of performance. As many of the leaders who joined us On the Couch highlighted, performance can no longer be measured solely on the basis of ‘turning up’ each day. Instead, you need to look at the members of your team holistically- including their mental and social performance as well as their outputs. It has been noted throughout the pandemic that remote work has helped boost productivity levels, where people are getting more done in the day, removed from time eaters such as office chatter, etc. On the flip side of this however is that social isolation has had a negative impact on many people, so whilst we might be seeing increased productivity, we need to weigh this against mental wellbeing. If you are going to lead a remote team post-pandemic, you will need to make sure you have the skill set to help both yourself and your team;

Create boundaries between work and home-life;
Build and maintain connections with regular check-ins and catchups;
Create a safe space to address issues around mental health as they arise.

Want to hear more? Our full Virtual on the Couch series is available to view here, where key SA public leaders share their insights on leadership styles, mantras and much more…

Resources

Mentally Health Workplace Toolkit – https://www.publicsector.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/292580/Mentally-Healthy-Workplaces-Toolkit_150920.pdf
Remote Working for Productivity Managers Guide – https://www.publicsector.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/215227/002-Remote-Working-for-Productivity-Managers-Guide.pdf

Forensic Psychologist, Luke Broomhall joins us in the latest instalment of the COVID-19 Wellbeing – Interview Series. Mr Broomhall shares his tips and advice for leaders, managers and team members on how they can look after their own mental health and that of others.

How can leaders check in on the mental health of their team members?

Mr Broomhall urges us to look out for behaviours that sit outside the norm for that person, such as bouts of tearfulness, withdrawal, or anger. If so be prepared to sit down and open up a conversation with this person on the behaviours, you have noticed.

You might like to start the conversation by saying…

“ [Name} I have noticed lately that you seem a bit more [describe the behaviour e.g. withdrawn and quiet] and [these goals or items haven’t been met] and I’m a bit concerned about you and I just want to know if you’re okay and if there’s anything I can do?”

The role of the manager or leader when handling the response to this question is to have a human response grounded in empathy, but to also understand what they can and can’t control, and in turn to provide resources for the individual to access that will support them. When you encounter a strong emotional response from an individual you can respond to them as described below:

Demonstrate empathy for the emotion that is occurring by acknowledging the emotion exists and that you can see that they are experiencing this.
Affirm that their experience of this emotion is valid and okay, and that you are there to listen and help in whatever ways that you can control.

“I understand you are feeling this way, tell me more about your experiences and what you are going through at the moment”

Take the time to listen and not jump in too soon with solutions.
Act to change what you can for the wellbeing of the individual and provide access to support resources and persons as needed.

Returning to the Workplace

In the transition back into the physical workplace there are several measures and tips that leaders and managers can employ to ease people into the ‘new normal’ of post-COVID-19 work.

Be patient while employees’ transition.
Ensure workplaces do not grow complacent with preventative COVID-19 measures.
Be aware that not all staff members will be positive about the return to the workplace and should be aware of this as a flag for potential issues around conflict, bullying and other concerns.
Encourage the access of Employee Assistance Programs for early intervention.
Develop and grow the mental health literacy of leaders and managers.

How Can We Help a Colleague or a Friend Who is Struggling?

We all want to be able to help and support our friends and colleagues when we can see they may be experiencing mental distress. Mr Broomhall shares that we can all take an active role in checking in with others during this time, but firstly you must:

Fit your own oxygen mask first – make sure you are in a balanced and centered place and ask yourself continuously ‘Am I coping okay myself?’, as it is very hard to look after other people if we are in a difficult space ourselves.
Focus on the behaviours you can see when discussing your concerns, refrain from saying that they seem more depressed or anxious, instead note that they may have been more withdrawn tearful, etc.
Provide an opportunity for them to speak openly with you, for example go for a casual coffee or walk together building on social connection.

If you have had a chance to view this interview, please provide your thoughts here.

For Chief Executive, Department for Health and Wellbeing, Dr Chris McGowan, the pandemic response has been a showcase of collaboration and innovation. In this Virtual on the Couch interview, Dr Chris McGowan discussed how his department structured their response to the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying 6 streams of work to achieve their 3 goals being “Flatten the Curve, Optimise the Public Health System and Keep Public Confidence”. Dr McGowan was interviewed by Tricia Tebbutt, Partner, PwC, where they explored Dr McGowan’s insights into the pandemic and responded to questions from the IPAA SA community and broader public sector.

Questions to Dr McGowan included…

Looking back on the last 3 months, what where the biggest challenges you faced and how did you respond?
Communication is key. What are some examples of how you communicated with your team and the wider SA Community?
What was it like in your department during the early weeks of the pandemic?
Where there some surprises during the early weeks that you weren’t expecting?
What do you think are some of the opportunities that have occurred that you want to take with you into the future?
What did you learn about yourself as a leader over the last few months?
How do you think SA can help demonstrate further support in developing leadership and emerging future leaders?
What’s the focus and priorities of SA Health over the next 6 months as we move into recovery?
What do you think would be the lasting legacy of COVID-19, both positive and negative?
The stabilization of the COVID-19 situation means moving from prioritizing suppression to focusing on detection to protect SA as we move into the recovery period.

As highlighted by Dr McGowan, support for emerging and developing leaders is essential. Learning and capability development is an important steppingstone in the leadership journey, providing the opportunity for self-reflection and growth. If you would like to learn more about leadership training opportunities are available both through the South Australian Leadership Academy and IPAA SA.

If you have watched this interview please feel free to leave your feedback and comments here.

Chief Public Health Officer, SA Health, Professor Nicola Spurrier has joined us virtually ‘On the Couch’ to share how the response to COVID-19 has evolved over the course of the year, and in turn what the future may look like as we face a new “normal”. Professor Spurrier highlights the fantastic work of her team and supporting organisations, as well as the commitment of everyone in the state to suppressing the spread of the virus through social distancing and other restrictions.

“we have a great community here….I had a sense that people would understand, get together and be able to do what was needed”

Professor Spurrier was interviewed by Adelaide Managing Partner, PwC, Jamie Briggs, where they explored responses to the following questions.

How regularly do novel coronaviruses appear? Is this one particularly virulent?
Why did we do so well in South Australia [in our response to COVID-19]?
Was the success of the COVID-19 response common across the country or unique to SA?
How much more do we know now, than January 1st about the virus?
How much work went into the preparing for the pandemic in early 2020 as the virus situation developed?
How much is the national group learning from the outbreak in other places around the world, where there isn’t as much control?
Where is the vaccine and where are the treatments? Where do you think we are at?
Is where we are at, where you think we will stay for the next 6-months according to the Transition Committee?
Being front and centre of the media’s interest how have you handled the attention over the last few months? How has that impacted on you personally?
Do you think that COVID-19 will have longer time impacts on the way that we live?
Are you worried about a breakout here – if it does happen as in Melbourne?
Is Winter and cold and flu season going to impact the pandemic situation? Are people able to get the virus twice?
In a world where global pandemics and the like may become more common, do you think there will be more of an emphasis on public health in the coming years?
How does a good and bad scenario for Victoria play out from this point forward?
Looking back would you do anything differently?

Leave your feedback on this event here.

Earlier this month Lois Boswell, Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Human Services, was IPAA South Australia’s guest for a virtual ‘on the couch’ conversation.

During the conversation Lois talked about her involvement in the state-wide response to COVID-19 and expressed her pride in the work of her staff in support of the Department of Health and the non-government sector:

‘Human Service workers are the firefighters in a pandemic in many ways. Health workers are the front-line and we’re very close behind’.

She also spoke about leadership

‘People do go into “command and control” — and there’s definitely a role for that in crisis, there’s no doubt about that — but there’s also a role for “How do you get people to come along on it?”.

So one of the things that has been reinforced for me about leadership is something I’ve always believed which is “communicate, communicate, communicate”. Talk about it, ask about it, share what you’re actually thinking and what the challenges are with people, because that’s what makes them prepared to participate.’

Disclaimer: This video contains an unedited transcript

If you have had a chance to view this interview, please provide your thoughts here.

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“Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart. This has been a real test, and the South Australian public sector has proven itself to be extraordinarily capable”

disclaimer: this video contains an unedited transcript

During the Premier’s Address to the Public Sector released 7 May 2020, Premier Steven Marshall extended his sincere thanks to the exemplary efforts of all those delivering services to the community in these challenging times.

Prior to the interview Michael O’Brien gave a moving Welcome to County, highlighting the importance of opportunities such as this to share knowledge.

Premier Marshall was interviewed by Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, Erma Ranieri. Commissioner Ranieri addressed a number of questions from the audience to the Premier seeking his insight into the response to COVID-19, as described below.

Premier, what are the exceptional behaviours that the public service has displayed during these challenging times that every member of the public service can champion to assist our State in the recovery phase?
The healthcare system has undergone a significant makeover due to preparation for COVID, what will happen to Wakefield and Cottage Grove once COVID is past?
To maintain work mobility, post-COVID19 will you issue an across government directive to approve workers requests to continue to work from home e.g. 1day per week?
Will there now be a focus to manufacture our own medical supplies and medication so that we are not solely reliant on China and India?
With so many people out of work do you think it is wise for Chief Executives to get a pay rise when their contracts are renewed?
If SA keeps up the trend and becomes COVID free, what measures will SA take to keep the virus from coming from interstate? Do visitors obey self-isolation?
Are the targets, Gov structures, and ambitions pre-COVID still relevant, given the world has changed? Is there an appetite for a Gov directional rethink and in particular how do we use this current situation to reform the Public Service?
When can we actually do some travel interstate or travel that was postponed?
What would you like to see every single public servant do to see us become stronger than we were before?

To all public sector employees and affiliates, a key takeaway of the Premier’s Address is to keep up their great work which to date has put the state in a great position to meet the evolving challenges of COVID-19. Premier Marshall also emphasised that he can see the state coming out of this pandemic ‘stronger than before’, and the efforts of people working for the public purpose will be the cornerstone in achieving this outcome.

If you have had a chance to view this interview, please provide your thoughts here.

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“The way we’ve performed in South Australia is a credit to the community of South Australia and I don’t think that can be overstated”.

South Australia Police, Commissioner, Grant Stevens APM praised the efforts of the Public Sector and the broader community in their response to the COVID-19 crisis. Commissioner Stevens also shared with us his calm and diligent approach in managing this pandemic in his key role as State Coordinator.

With the easing of restrictions, the Commissioner also reflected on the three elements of the SA COVID response which have paved the way to where we are now, which is;

What the community have done;
The moderate approach we took to start with;
How we as a police service have worked with the community rather than force it upon them.

Commissioner Stevens was interviewed by Imelda Alexopoulos, Partner, PwC where they explored the below questions:

What were your key focus areas when you set about tackling the task and what has been the biggest challenge in having to undertake that role?
What do you think are the key leadership qualities and behaviours that leaders really need to be displaying in times of crisis?
Having experienced [the loss of Superintendent Joanne Shanahan] firsthand and not being able to pay your respects in the usual way, has that given you a different perspective on the impact restrictions are having on the broader community?
Given the current restrictions regarding isolation has SAPOL seen an increase or impact in the numbers of crime in general?
What other factors do you think contribute to the success [of the approach to COVID-19 restrictions in SA]?
Has SAPOL had to innovate or do things differently in order to serve the community?
What does the three-stage plan mean for SAPOL and how do you feel about the outlook in terms of being able to implement and executive that three-stage ease of restrictions?
We have now seen over 5.2 million downloads of the COVID-SAFE app nationally. What does that mean in terms of being able to ease restrictions and being able to move back to normality?
Policing the borders must be extremely difficult. What measures have you put in place for areas where there are less police officers?
What was the SAPOL experience [of flexible work] during COVID-19 and do you think this will continue?
How prepared were we as a state, for the pandemic?
If you were to stay somewhere in South Australia on holiday where would that be?

Disclaimer: This video contains an unedited transcript

If you have had a chance to view this interview, please provide your thoughts here.

Connect with us now on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to be the first to hear about new interviews and resources.

To help you stay informed during COVID-19, IPAA SA, the South Australian Leadership Academy (Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment) and PwC are pleased to offer the Virtual On the Couch Series.

This Virtual On the Couch session we had the opportunity to hear from Chief Executive, Department for Education, Rick Persse on his views on the challenges of responding to COVID-19 in the education sector. Mr Persse expressed great positivity in South Australia’s response to the pandemic and what this means for our children returning to school in Term 2. Mr Persse was interviewed by Jamie Briggs, Adelaide Managing Partner, PwC where they explored the following questions:

What’s the current outlook for the state with the return of school?
How has the decision to return to the classroom been informed?
How important is the ‘element of normal’ for young people, especially for our year 12’s?
From a public sector perspective how have your interactions with colleagues in other states and departments in similar positions changed?
Do you think the positive changes and new efficiencies we have seen emerging will stay after the crisis period ends?
How are you communicating with teaching professionals to manage increased stress and demands?
How is thinking turning at the government level to ‘switching back on’, what are your observations in this area?
What do you feel you have learned over the last few weeks about managing a crisis?
How have you found the experience of forced change in your department?
What is the biggest takeaway from this epidemic that could be applied to the education perspective?
What do you think the classroom of 2021-22 will look like given recent events, will it impact class size?
What are your thoughts on the impact of changes to families work circumstance affecting choices in school for public and private sector?
Will 2020 end better than it has begun?

disclaimer: This video contains an unedited transcript

Links and Resources

Australian Health Protection Principal Committee

Letter from the Chief Public Health Officer

Schools Open For Term Two – Media Release

Learning in Term 2 – Department for Education

“We don’t want to leave any child in an at-risk situation”, Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection, Cathy Taylor FIPAA, emphasised this as being at the heart of her department’s response to COVID-19.

Ms Taylor also shared her insights on the challenges and opportunities her department is experiencing, and how they can continue to deliver services whilst keeping people safe.

Ms Taylor explored the below questions during this interview with Mark Thomson, Partner, PwC, throughout praising the overwhelmingly positive response from the community, NGO’s and her department.

The need for child protection doesn’t stop because of the coronavirus. What are you seeing in the world of child protection at the moment?
Given what you are seeing how has this event impacted your department?
At a very local level what have been your key focus areas, challenges and key initiatives of your department during this time?
What are you seeing on the ground and at the government level around this conversation?
Has data been elevated in importance for you through this event and do you think there are learnings for society about data? Has such a need arisen the space of Child Protection?
Crises can often kindle people’s innovation, strength, spirit and resilience. Which we are seeing on a daily basis as small businesses in particular innovate. What positive outcomes have you seen come out of the coronavirus?
What advice would you give to those leading teams at the moment?
Are there any leadership frameworks, models and mantras that you find particularly helpful during these times?
Given that there’s most likely some increased costs for carers in terms of access to Internet, technology devices and the like. Is there a plan to address this issue moving forward?
Those who are in processes such as foster care applications or any other involvement in the sector, should they expect any difference in sort of the timeframes that those processes typically run?

Resources

Can We Declare a COVID Dividend, by Martin Stewart Weeks – as mentioned

COVID-19 one-off cash boost for our foster and kinship carers – Media release from Rachel Sanderson MP – as mentioned

Disclaimer: This video contains an unedited transcript

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A normal reaction to a really abnormal situation…

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, including 24/7 news reports, travel restrictions, working from home, pending social isolation logistics and concerns for your own and your loved ones’ health, it is totally normal to experience a wide range of thoughts, feelings and reactions. Everyone reacts differently to times of stress and it’s important to recognise some of the signs and occurrences that you, your family or team members may experience during this time, as well as how to cope with them.

Human Psychology have provided us with 10 helpful strategies to combat stress and anxiety.

You can read and download the tip sheet here.