Building business capability through health and safety leadership and accountability

1. PRESENTED BY Name: David Diment Assistant Commissioner ATOPP, Australian Taxation Office External Conference October 2007 Building business capability through health and safety leadership and accountability

2. The Tax Office – An Overview. • Our role is to manage and shape tax, excise and superannuation systems that fund services for Australians. • Last financial year the Tax Office collected 215 billion dollars in tax. • We are one of the Australian Government’s largest agencies in terms of client base, volume of transactions and budget.

3. The Tax Office – An Overview. We manage: • more than 10 million tax payers • over 3 million businesses and non-profit organisations • regulation of around 300,000 self managed super funds • over 1 million written enquiries • over 11 million telephone enquiries

4. The Tax Office – What does the organisation look like? The Tax Office:- • Employs around 23,456 people • Is located in approx 60 metropolitan and regional sites around Australia • Is arranged into business structures: • Sub-plans (6) • that house a number of business lines • The main work types across the six sub plans comprise of: • Clerical administration (mainly screen based) • Call centre • Field staff (education and audit)

5. Senior Management Engagement and Support The Health and People Management area:- • Is supported by senior management. • Has values espoused by the Commissioner • Articulated in core documents • Tax Office Corporate Plan • Safety and Health Plan 2005-2010 • Taxpayers charter • Integrity Indicators

6. Developing the Concept of a Supportive Workplace • Multi-faceted approach • Across a range of corporate areas such as: • Workplace diversity • ATO Concern • Health and People Management

7. How have we made this change? • Concentrating our efforts in 3 areas: • Prevention • Early Intervention • Case Management

8. Health and People Management Framework

9. Health Management Complex Health Advisory Team – (CHAT) In 2005 a complex advisory team was established. CHAT provides ongoing support to the Tax Office through improved management of risk associated with complex health cases; and improved quality of practice and consistency in health management.

10. Health Management Rehabilitation The Tax Office has reviewed all rehabilitation related policy documents to ensure that they also align with early intervention practices.

11. Health Management Medical redeployment In February 2005 a national approach to medical redeployment was introduced. This was an ‘in principle’ agreement to assist in the placing of complex medical cases within a business line or across business lines. As you know any delay in the redeployment of people adds significantly to the time taken to recover from an injury.

12. Health Management Comcare Integration Project This project will provide electronic interaction between the Tax Office and Comcare for easy and efficient communication between the parties.

13. Early Intervention Early Intervention Team The Early Intervention Team was established to action reports of early warning signs. Where employees are experiencing warning signs of an injury or illness, early intervention will start. Action for both physical and psychological conditions can be taken before a condition needs medical intervention and treatment. By reporting an injury or illness before it becomes fully entrenched.

14. Early Intervention Incident Notification Report Is in place. Is phase one of the introduction of online compensation related forms. This form will be the starting point for the compensation claim process. The electronic incident notification form ensures legislative compliance, provide a reduction in the duplication of effort and allows for early intervention to be initiated Speeds up the process

15. Early Intervention On Site Ergonomic Specialist Program (OESP) This program entails the provision of an on site ergonomic specialist at targeted sites. The specialist will conduct any assessments that have been referred for a particular site, review employees who have recently undergone assessments and facilitate education sessions for managers on the benefits of early intervention.

16. Early Intervention Tax Office Nominated Doctor Program The program provides staff with immediate (within 24 hrs) access to a Tax Office nominated doctor at Tax Office expense. The program is an established cost-effective Health and People Management Early Intervention initiative, which is contributing to the reduction of the Tax Office compensation premium.

17. Prevention Tax Safe Map A staged process that asks business areas to: • self assess against agreed OHS standards • support and contribute to an internal audit • act upon the resulting audit report • provide ongoing information to determine the status of compliance against report recommendations Based on ComCare audit tool

18. Prevention Employee Assistance Program (EAP) The Employee Assistance Program offers staff and managers access to counselling services. A quarterly reports on usage and presented issues is provided.

19. Prevention Wellbeing Wellbeing is a national program within the Health and People Management team that focuses on providing information about personal health and health promotion. Wellbeing representatives are located at all Tax Office sites. The philosophy underlying the program is that the health risks of staff are risks that can and should be managed, both for the benefit and wellbeing of staff, as well as the cost savings and productivity benefits that such an approach can generate for the Tax Office.

20. Prevention Intervention with Business Lines Health and People Management continues to work with the Business Lines to assist them to identify and progress their prevention activities and Occupational Health and Safety legislative obligations.

21. Prevention Change Initiative The “Change Program” is a program to improve our products and services and make client experiences easier, cheaper and more personalised. Health and People Management recognise that with the introduction of the “Change Program” assistance in assessing the risks on implementation is crucial. Comprehensive and effective communication and consultation is undertaken throughout various stages of implementation.

22. Prevention Smart Health This is an operational/business management platform for managing safety and health risks that is integrated into normal everyday business practice in the Tax Office environment. The scheme strengthens management practices, decision making and priority setting through: • Providing an end to end enterprise wide approach to safety and health risk management; • Building a risk smart workforce and environment that allows for responsible risk taking; and • Providing a set of risk management practices.

23. Prevention Occupational Overuse syndrome (OOS) OOS prevention continues to remain a high priority for the Tax Office, with a number of strategies implemented within the 2005/06 year requiring ongoing support. The Body Challenge and targeted education and communication activities were a highlight of the Program. The OOS Program was evaluated and a positive impact was clearly demonstrated. There is now much greater awareness on how to prevent OOS type injuries across the Office and speedier resolution of OOS issues in the workplace through early intervention. There was a clear reduction in costs with 50% decrease from cost in 05/06 compared to that in 04/05.

24. Prevention Psychological Wellbeing Initiative - Interventions Primary • On-site psychologists • Early intervention Secondary • Mind our people: manager education product Tertiary • Psychological illness in the workplace booklet • Range of products and service providers – on the intranet • Communications • Branding under the theme of Mind the mind • Calendar of communications over the next 12 months

25. Prevention – A special focus on workplace diversity Addressing Bullying and Harassment Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy contains a direction that must be followed by all employees. The policy:- • Explains the types of behaviour that amount to harassment • Defines direct and indirect forms of discrimination • Provides advice on access to areas that will address issues • ATO Concern • Harassment Contact Officers • Specifies the role of the manager • Implemented a number of prevention activities

26. Attendance Management • Focus on people taking the correct amount of leave at the right time • Major focus is improving the relationship between the manager and the staff member • Products: • Keeping in Touch (KiT) • Client Contact in Touch (CCiT) • Reporting suite including the testing of hypotheses

27. Health and People management Summary:- • A tiered or “pyramid” approach is undertaken (Prevention, Early Intervention and Case management). • The objective is to focus on prevention and reduce the need to redirect resources to case management. • The implementation of a number of targeted and corporate initiatives across the 3 tiers aim to provide a holistic approach in managing health and safety in the workplace. • The health and people management area work in partnership with the business lines to provide targeted intervention that enable the Tax Office to meet its business outcomes.

28. End of Presentation Questions? Thank you