While demand for skilled people continues to soar in the Health/Community Services Industries, burnout continues to plague many organisations.
Well-Being Index surveys of staff from around 800 healthcare organisations worldwide revealed that almost 52% of physicians and nearly 65% of nurses reported feeling burnt out. Health Roundtable data reflects similar levels of burnout in Australia and New Zealand.
Occupational Therapy Australia’s Workforce Development Project Summary Report released in January 2024, tells a similar story in the Allied Heath sector.
OT’s are reporting that their early careers are stressful with high work demands and little professional support. Those who reported receiving little to no supervision have a generally more negative perspective on multiple indicators. They also report a less positive work/life balance.
Thankfully for those looking to enter this industry, which offers not only an abundance of opportunity but the ability to make a real difference in people’s lives, there are workplaces bucking the trends on the South Coast.
Shoalhaven Occupational Therapy scored in the top 5 workplaces in Australasia for their STAR Workplace report, which measures organisational planning, HR governance and compliance, performance management and workplace improvement.
SOT scored well above industry benchmarks with a whopping 100% for ‘satisfaction as an employee’, compared to the Health Industry average of 49%. A remarkable 51% difference.
SOT have a strong focus on collaboration, work/life balance, team wellbeing and utilising AI to enhance practice.
Director and Principal OT Claire Carson who started the business 4 years ago from the back of her car to better juggle family life and focus on positive outcomes for clients, says Occupational Therapists highly value opportunities to connect with one another:
“We have a strong focus on providing professional support to one another and exchanging knowledge because we know first-hand that it improves outcomes for both team members and clients.”
CareSouth – a large community-based organisation with hubs across the State, was founded in Nowra 30 years ago has over 650 staff in either clinical, care or corporate roles.
They put their growth and success down to their ‘people first approach’.
“We always ask ourselves what is in the best interest of this person, or this child, or this family?” Said CEO Renee Knight.
“It’s about leading with kindness, offering flexibility and creating a workplace that people genuinely want to be part of.” She added.
Noah’s Inclusion Services, a leading provider of child development, paediatric allied health and family wellbeing services has recently merged with Muddy Puddles, another respected early intervention provider. Reflecting on the challenges that smaller regional providers often face, CEO Alice Lans explains the benefits of the merger:
“Through 2023, our conversations centered on viability and growth. It became clear that expanding and centralising business operations could allow our team leaders to focus on clinical excellence without being bogged down by administrative tasks,” said Alice. “This approach frees up our regional teams to do what they do best – focus on delivering top-notch clinical services.”
