How to bring staff together while keeping infection at bay is now being tackled by Management at Nardy House.
COVID brought an abrupt halt to staff meetings at Nardy House when the virus first appeared in early 2020.
Nardy House, like many other businesses, had to keep operating and keep its staff members safe; the first thing to go was our monthly staff meeting.
While email made communication possible this was not the same as seeing people face to face and sharing information, ideas and problems. The nuances of working with people with very high level support needs were lost in email communication.
Unfortunately while staff and residents are vaccinated the threat of infection for our vulnerable residents remains so we are trialling staff meetings based on shift personnel- with an invitation to casuals to attend. This restricts the risk of infection to a much smaller group of people who have already shared , or will be sharing a shift. We are starting with an AM meeting at the end of the day shift and the following month we will go to the PM staff. ALL staff may place Agenda items through the Chairperson and ALL staff will receive Staff Meeting Minutes.
We really want to know how our staff members have coped with the problems and restrictions that have been imposed by COVID and the previous trauma of bushfires. We seemed to move from bushfires to COVID without a pause. While we have dealt with COVID and the bushfires at the individual level ( as best we are able) as an organisation there is still the trauma in the background.
Many people are grappling with minimising their infection risk while rebuilding their homes and their lives; coming together is where we can support each other and offer assistance. Dealing with workplace issues should be the least of our worries so it is hoped the return to staff meetings may be a step to recovery.
Denise