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From the Inside Out Building a workplace culture of creativity in the use if information technology as a base for improved client services is rural NSW. Leigh Philpott Clinical Social Work Consultant (Rural/Remote Services) HNE Mental Health. Introduction.
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From the Inside OutBuilding a workplace culture of creativity in the use if information technology as a base for improved client services is rural NSW Leigh Philpott Clinical Social Work Consultant (Rural/Remote Services) HNE Mental Health
Introduction • HNE MH Rural Services run at between 50% staffing in rural/remote sites and 75% staffing at regional sites. • We have a rapidly aging nursing workforce and a much younger allied health workforce. • Recruitment and retention make up a considerable workload for senior staff.
Issues in recruitment in the bush • Perceptions of rural practice. • Aging workforce. • Clinical Isolation. • Lifestyle limitations. • Lack of awareness of rural issues. • Lack of awareness of benefits and reality of a rural lifestyle. • Very few rural “ambassadors”. • Incorrect messages being transmitted through media, universities etc.
Previous strategies for recruitment • Print advertising in rural papers. • Online advertising. • Automated recruitment software. • Rural lifestyle exhibitions. • HR lead recruiting.
Who are we currently speaking to? • Older professionals looking to wind down town. • “Tree changers” • Those looking for a job, any job…
What is our current brand? • Out-dated • Archaic • Unimaginative • Unchallenging • A place to slow down
Rebranding rural practice • If we want to attract younger professionally minded people we need to be: • Up to date. • Relevant. • Creative. • Dynamic. • Professionally stimulating and challenging. • Offers modern lifestyle choices.
You get what you give The language of our target clinicians • Social Networking • Micro-blogging • Blogging • Viral Marketing • Social Conscience
Benefits of viral advertising • Cost effective. • Perceived personal endorsement. • Targeted to clinicians. • Allows a dialog to form between the organisation and the prospective employee. • Sets the scene for expectations and creativity in employees.
The Strategy • Online advertising. • Promote adventure/social conscience versus quiet life. • Encourage staff the send promotional literature via email, Facebook, twitter. • Engage forums in discussion. • Promote viral marketing techniques. • Encourage clinicians to promote jobs rather than HR.
Outcomes Traditional Recruiting • 0 enquiries • 3 applications • 1 out of three with relevant qualifications • 0 successful applicants. Social Networking • 15 enquiries • 6 applications • 5 out of six with relevant qualifications. • 1 successful applicant with 2 eligibility listed.
Online support and training • Online training and development is usually constructed didactically. • Use of forums, real time chat rooms, web casting can support online communities for isolated clinicians. • Research shows that whilst enjoyment of online group activities is reduced outcomes remain unchanged from face to face. • Local staff report increased satisfaction in online practice groups when efforts are made to allow staff to express personal identity. • 85% of rural and remote staff in the service reported that participation in online communities of practice was a key factor in reduction of isolation, burnout and job disatisfaction.
Upcycling software • Software is not always necessarily only useful for it’s intended purpose. • By removing restrictive constraints from supported software clinicians are free to find their own uses to improve clinical practice. • Staff often cite software and web restrictions as the greatest impediment to inclusiveness and creativity. • Some examples of most requested software/platforms by rural and remote clinicians: • Skype • MSN Messenger • YouTube • Facebook • Twitter
Innovation through familiarity • Through use of social networks in personal life, clinicians can begin to explore their use in professional practice. • Some examples of projects by mental health practitioners: • YCOPMI Facebook group. • Family psychoeducation groups via moodle. • Instant messaging for treatment adherence .
Heading into the future • Campaign to drop internet firewalls. • Some projects which have grown from current internal processes: • MSN messenger to engage younger clients and run groups. • Twitter to enhance health promotion activities. • Skype to increase clinician access to remote clients. • Facebook to create an enduring dialog with past students and other prospective employees until they are ready to seek employment.
Final Comments • Rural and remote practice has an image problem, often perpetuated by the way we market and promote ourselves. • If we want to move into the future we must attract a mix of experienced and younger clinicians. • Utilising new paradigms of communication and marketing puts us on an even playing field with more progressive businesses. • In promoting ourselves in creative ways using current trends we therefore attract those who are current and driven. • This then sets the scene for staff to interpret this creativity into new and exciting approaches to the care and treatment of rural and remote communities.