excellence in care

National Mediation Conference 2012

Taking the Triple Zero ‘000’ out of workplace conflict

Practical approaches to conflict resolution in the Ambulance

Service of NSW

Louise Ashelford, Manager, Healthy Workplace Strategies

excellence in care

• Ambulance provides emergency health transport, rescue and patient

transport systems for the state of NSW

• One of the largest ambulance services in the world,

serves > 7 million

• Employs approximately 4,300 people + 250 volunteers

• A 2008 Parliamentary Inquiry highlighted workplace conflict and

bullying and harassment as key issues

• Challenge was how to effectively address these issues and initiate a

more positive organisational culture

Background

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• In 2008-2009, all staff provided with Respectful Workplace Training

• Executive management trained first

• Staff feedback was positive

“ The training gave me confidence to tackle different situations”

“ I intend to be more proactive-not sit back and think that behaviour is

ok-instead nip it in the bud”

“my mother in law should attend the next course!!”

• Culturally important because it promoted individual responsibility in

conflict resolution

What we did – training our staff

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• Crucial so that all staff could obtain the information easily and quickly

• Straight Talk™ / Respectful Workplace Training principles integrated as the

first step in policy

• Flowcharts outline assessment, pathways, timeframes and required action

• Produced in A3 laminated posters for tea rooms

and managers’ offices

• Promoted direct resolution and encouraged

mediation as legitimate and the preferred

option

Simplifying our Policies – making them accessible

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• Increasing confidence of managers to manage grievances was essential to

reducing impact of workplace conflict

• Goal was to bridge gap between policy and practice by demonstrating how

to put policy into action

• Developed ‘Working it Out: A Guide to Managing

Workplace Conflict DVD’ and training program

• Utilises our own staff and deals with common disputes

• Also designed to raise awareness of the impact

of managers’ behaviours

Training Our Managers

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• In 2011/12 Ambulance provided Phase 2 Respectful Workplace Training to

over 4200 staff

• Designed to reinforce training provided in 2009

and build confidence in using policies

• Emphasised the responsibilities of all staff to

resolve conflict

• Used a ‘train the trainer’ model and Managers

were educated in how to deliver the training

and engage staff on the issues.

Keeping our staff involved

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• Internal mediation service coordinated by Healthy Workplace Strategies

• Five Ambulance staff are currently accredited mediators and work in

operations and corporate areas

• Provides individual mediation, facilitation, conflict coaching and

management coaching

• Increasing demand for group support and team building

• Assistance from our Peer Supporters, Grievance Contact Officers,

Chaplains and EAP is routinely offered and provided to parties

• External mediators sourced from LEADR

Mediation services

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• 79% of staff agreed that the AMQ improved their knowledge in handing workplace

concerns/grievances

• 81% of staff agreed their managers had been able to provide them with more

effective support since attending the AMQ

• 94% of staff recommended or highly recommended Phase 2 Respectful Workplace

Training

• Staff felt the RWC Policy, Straight Talk™ and DVD demonstration of a facilitated

meeting helped them most in their role

• HWS programs contributed to 20% reduction in psychological claims and 24%

reduction in claim costs between 2010/11 to 2011/12

Outcomes

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• Executive leadership facilitated employee engagement across organisation

• Identified project management is required to ensure completion of an

organisation wide program

• Training needs to be devolved to an appropriate management level to

maintain quality

• Local management of rosters and rotating scheduled training times assisted

in training a 24/7 workforce while ensuring continual services to the

community

Lessons Learned

excellence in care

Thank you

Any Questions?