When the Future of Ageing Awards opened in 2023, I was honoured to be nominated by my workplace, Resthaven, in the ‘Emerging Leader’ category and also for the program I managed to also be nominated in the People and Culture category.
Both were “Highly Commended” at the awards, bringing recognition to the area of workforce strategy.
I’ve been with Resthaven since 2021, joining at a time when Resthaven’s workforce and organisational culture was facing the challenges of the Royal Commission, a global pandemic, and ongoing government reforms. Resthaven’s Team Talent Showcase – a unique professional development program – was one such strategy that we implemented in response to these challenges.
For this program, I coordinated with an external consultant to foster collaboration, confidence, and staff retention — tackling staff turnover through offering leadership development. The Team Talent Showcase brought staff together from across Resthaven, allowing them to showcase their talent and experience in managing and leading practical challenges in the workplace, and fostering cross-site collaboration and understanding.
The Team Talent Showcase Program demonstrated significant success, as evidenced by:
- The program was oversubscribed, indicating high demand and enthusiasm.
- A post-program survey showed that 90% of respondents found the program to be a valuable professional development activity.
- Participants reported improved skills in various areas, including confidence, listening, delegation, presentation, public speaking, and understanding leadership styles.
(editor) Read more about the Team Talent Showcase here.
Additionally, program participants shared their positive experiences and the value they gained from the Team Talent Showcase. We heard participants gained from experiencing the enriching experience of learning about Resthaven and collaborating with employees from different roles and departments. They also highlighted the opportunity to form new connections and engage with colleagues they might not interact with otherwise, and they enjoyed working toward a common goal.
The Team Talent Showcase Program achieved its goals of fostering collaboration, enhancing staff development, and infusing a sense of joy into the workplace. An employee pulse survey conducted in October 2023 indicated that 76% of employees felt Resthaven was a ‘truly great place to work’, rising more than 15% since September 2021.
The Future of Ageing Awards is a great program that recognises the important work that is being done in the aged care sector. I’m looking forward to seeing where my role takes me in the future, and I’m excited to see the positive impact these initiatives will have on staff engagement and development.
The 2024 Future of Ageing Awards are currently open for entries…Read more
