This document outlines Redland City Council's approach to employee wellbeing. It discusses how the council has focused on specific hazards affecting its workforce like an aging workforce and sedentary work. Programs developed include strategies on psychosocial safety, aging workers, sedentary work, mental health and occupational health. The council takes a holistic approach and evaluates its programs annually. Current offerings include yoga, mindfulness courses, physiotherapy, massages and fitness classes. The goal is to address risks and listen to employees to develop an effective and sustainable wellbeing program.

1. Wellbeing – Keeping it Real in the World we
live in Now !!!!!!
AIHS (Qld/NT) Visions Conference 2019
Peter Gould ESM – Service Manager WHS & Wellbeing
Safety & Wellbeing Unit – People & Culture Group
Redland City Council

2. So what is Wellbeing all this about ?
• Isn’t it putting out Fruit Bowls for staff ?
• Isn’t it having Fun Run Teams ?
• Isn’t it having yogurt in the fridge ?
• Isn’t it have yoga classes on offer ?

3. Wellbeing is ……..
• Wellbeing refers to diverse and interconnected
dimensions of physical, mental, and social well-being
that extend beyond the traditional definition of health.
It includes choices and activities aimed at achieving
physical vitality, mental alacrity, social satisfaction, a
sense of accomplishment, and personal fulfilment

4. Who We Are
• Rates, roads and rubbish and all things Local
Government
• Around 1000 Employee’s
• 600 in office type roles
• 400 in field type roles
• Self Insured for Workers Compensation

5. What does our Workforce look like?
Age Group Worker Demographic
16-20 years of age 32 workers
21-25 years of age 58 workers
26-45 years of age 553 workers
46 -55 years of age 321 workers
56 to 60 years of age 123 workers
61 to 65 years or age 84 workers
66 to 70 years of age 11 workers
70 plus years of age 9 workers

6. Where did we start with Wellbeing?
• About 20 years ago we started to offer our employee’s 5
free physio visits per year to address all those aches and
pains
• We also wanted to keep small claims out of our Workers
Compensation

7. What have been up to in the last few
years?
• Psychosocial Safety Hazard Management Strategy – 2014/2015
• Ageing Workforce Hazard Management Strategy – 2015/2016
• Sedentary Work Hazard Management Strategy – 2016/2017
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy – 2017/2018
• Occupational Health Hazard Management Focus – 2018/2019

8. Psychosocial Safety
• Developed a Guideline to embed the area into our Safety Management System
• Considered workplace stress factors
• Considered work related violence factors
• Considered mental health and mental illness factors
• Considered workplace bullying and harassment factors
• Considered fatigue related risk factors
• Implemented a “Sensitive Matters” reporting portal

9. Ageing Workforce
• Developed an Ageing Workforce Strategy
• Introduced age related medicals from 45 years of age and over every 5 years
• Outreach physiotherapy services
• Introduced nutrition & dietician services
• Reviewed our transition to retirement assistance
– 2 x workshops run, 5 key areas of focus: Ergonomist, Financial Planner, Exercise Physiologist,
Dietician, Counsellor
• Treated ageing as just another hazard and increased the profile of work and ageing
hazards in out Safety Topic Talks

10. Ageing Workforce Status
• 62 % of RCC workforce over 40 years of age
• Average age of our Workers doing High Risk Functional
Roles – 43 Years of Age
• Most have been in their roles for more than 10 years
• Engaged Labour Hire Workers are also over 40 years of
age as well

11. Ageing Concerns
• More potential for Injury
• Injuries take longer to heal & work harden
• More Absences and for longer times
• Chronic Diseases unmanaged is a Workplace Risk
• More Psychosocial Risks with Ageing
• Elder Care is an added pressure for families
• Workforce Planning needs to consider Ageing as Roles will need to
adjust for people as they age

12. Sedentary Work
• Developed our Take a Stand Strategy
• Developed a workstation self assessment tool
• Offered workstation assessments with an Ergonomist via hazard report
• Controlled the implementation of standing work stations
• Set up some stretching stations in certain parts of the business
• Set up core strengthen sessions on site
• Talked up walking meetings and standing meetings…….

13. Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Increased awareness about mental health & wellbeing
• Revisited our HR Case Management Approach
• Brought EAP in house with onsite counsellor
• Engaged local providers for psychology services as part of EAP
• Introduce outreach services with Counsellor running Tool Box Talks and Employee
Support Services at more remote locations
• Introduced Mental Health First Aid Course & Mandatory Awareness Course
• Attempted to introduce a Peer Support Program…….
• Keep promoting our Sensitive Matters Reporting Portal
• Introduced our Financial Wellbeing Program

14. What we learnt about our peoples
Financial Wellbeing.
• 35 % reported as having good financial wellbeing – connection to earnings & level
of wellbeing
• 61% were living with financial concerns
• 4% were living with financial concerns causing significant stress
• 31% reported they were spending more than they earn
• 29% reported they were having arguments about finances with their spouse
• 4% reported they were avoiding phone calls and mail about finances
• 45% are worried about retirement

15. Wellness broader proof points
• 25 - 30% Australians financially stressed
• 1 in 12 Australians are losing sleep over financial stress
• 3 - 7 hours per week lost during work hours from financial stress
• + 4 sick days per annum from financial related stress
• 1/3rd of Australians living pay cheque to pay cheque
• 36% of Australian have less than $1,000 buffer
• 3 biggest financial drivers for Australians – goals / cash flow / debt

16. What did we do at Council?
• We acknowledged Financial Wellbeing was to be part of our Total Health and
Wellbeing approach
• We sought out a neutral partner to provide financial education
• We planned some “Retiring Well” Seminars
• We have interfaced Financial Education as part of our HR Case Management Model
• We have specialist provider for Financial Crisis Advice via our EAP Service

17. What does Financial Education look like?
Goal Setting – What's really important to you Principles of superannuation - Making your money last in
retirement
Managing your budget and cash flow –
Putting you in control of your spending
Principles of annual tax planning – Know what you need to
prepare
Debt Management – Strategies for paying debt
down more quickly
Retirement and lifestyle - Foundations to consider
Principles of investing – Building Wealth Retirement and lifestyle - Advanced session
Principles of personal protection – Your
lifestyle and wealth
Dealing with unexpected life events – How well prepared are
you?
Principles of estate planning and aged
care – Supporting dependent family members
Bringing it all together – Develop your plan of attack and
identifying priority areas

18. Occupational Health
• We needed to address Health & Fitness for our confined space
workers
• We have focused more on occupational related immunisations
• We have refocused on respiratory health monitoring
• We also used this period to look at where we had been with our
program and where we needed to go next
• Continuing to address the effect of Occupational Violence Hazards

19. Our Planning Approach
• We have always made it about what Hazards are effecting our organisation and this
has been our business case for Wellbeing
• We have focused on the demographics of our workforce to tailor our program
• We have made our WHS Committee’s our Wellbeing Committee as well….. Kept it
subtle!
• We have used our HSR’s as our Wellbeing connection to the workforce….. A subtle
way of having Wellbeing Champions
• We have had an unofficial Wellbeing Working Party by keeping lines of
communication open with our engaged workers and our Wellbeing Contractors

20. Our Implementing Approach
• We have always taken a holistic approach to Wellbeing
• We think the Total Worker Health Agenda has a lot to offer a Program
• Ongoing Review each 12 months is important for ongoing successful
implementation of your program
• Having a link to the reduction of the impact of chronic disease is the key, as
chronic disease impacts on your workforce and should be on your risk
register
• If we cannot manage a risk - we likely don’t even consider it !!!

21. Our Evaluation Approach
• We have taken it slow with our Wellbeing Agenda
• We have benchmarked with other organisations & third party
experts
• We have worked closely with our workforce – you have to listen!!
• We have kept it real because that is the key – you need the why!!

22. Our Key Numbers from this
Evaluation were..
• 1 in 2 Council Workers were insufficiently active
• 2 in 3 Council Workers don’t get enough sleep
• 1 in 4 Council Workers could improve their mental wellbeing
• 1 in 3 Council Workers could benefit from improving connectedness
• 3 in 5 Council Workers are not fully engaged
• 1 in 3 Council Workers don’t have a sense of control over their work

23. So our current program of offerings is
• Yoga – 4 week blocks at employees cost
• Mindfulness Course (1hrs sessions over 4 weeks) at employees cost.
• Physiotherapist: 5 free visits per financial year, mobile physio
• Massage – various locations at employees cost
• Core Fitness Classes – Tuesday mornings & afternoons
• Warm up to Work Fitness Training – Thursday mornings
• Employee Assist Program: Onsite Counsellor (5 free visits per financial year), Outreach
Counsellor, Offsite Psychologist, (5 free visits per financial year)
• Dietician/ Nutritionist (fortnightly basis, 3 visits per financial year & group sessions)
• Ergonomic Support Services

24. Program offerings continued
• Non-work related return to work rehabilitation services
• Financial Wellbeing information program: 12 module monthly course, Tax
accountant services (at employees cost)
• Mental Health training courses: Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health at work
(employees), Mind Your Mental Health (Supervisor/ Manager)
• Vaccination program: flu vaccinations, occupational related program
• Assisted skin checks
• Safety Topic Talks
• Health @ Work booklets
• Mobile Blood Bank visits

25. Things to consider
• Psychoactive Substances
• Menopause
• Domestic & Family
Violence
• Bereavement
• Pain Medication
Dependence
• Dementia
• PTSD
• Staff Wellbeing
improves with Age

26. Thank You.
• Good Luck
• Keep it Real
• Look around at what others do and how they do it
• The WHSQ Tool Kits will give you the Framework you need to develop your Program
• If I can help – peter.gould@redland.qld.gov.au