SESLHD People and Culture

The People and Culture Directorate is active in a wide variety of functions and services. The staff of the Directorate strive to support workplaces, those who manage people in workplaces, and individual employees.

This is achieved through proactive and collaborative partnerships and touches all parts of the Local Health District, and is dedicated to fostering a positive experience in all workplaces for employees and their managers.

People and Culture is responsible for implementing workplace policies and for ensuring the Local Health District complies with all legislation covering employment matters.

It plays a critical role in programs such as those covering Aboriginal Employment, employment of persons with disabilities, Workforce Planning, Managing for Performance, Workforce Wellbeing and Work Health and Safety.

As it serves the Local Health District the People and Culture Directorate’s desire is to engage widely to stay in tune with workplaces through Facilities, Services and Directorates and to provide knowledge, expertise and skills supporting excellence in health care, health promotion, and population health.

People and Culture is broken into five main functions:

Human Resources Advisory Services (HRAS)

HRAS provide high level support to managers on a range of Human Resource issues. The team of Human Resources Advisors and the support staff are highly motivated and experienced to provide advice and support on matters such as change management, recruitment, staff development, positive workplace programs, misconduct, grievance management and workplace dispute resolution. 

The Human Resources Advisory Services team also assists with the preparation for, and representation of, the organisation in various tribunals on local matters, as well as developing and implementing diversity and inclusion strategies.

Industrial Relations (IR)

The Industrial Relations Specialist provides expert advice on a wide range of employment issues including employment legislation, award interpretation, policy development and interpretation, job grading and evaluation, change management initiatives and complex employee relations issues and disputes.

This role plays a key role within the People and Culture portfolio through negotiations with industrial associations on workforce issues, representation at tribunals and developing industrial relations policies and procedures.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW)

HSW provide advice on a range of issues including, but not limited to, preventing work related physical and psychological injuries, compliance and continuous improvement for Work Health and Safety, ensuring the safe return to work of injured workers, and supporting and enhancing the wellbeing of staff. 

Workforce Operations

Workforce Operations deliver and provide information and support to managers on a range of issues, including recruitment, employee maintenance, position maintenance (establishment), roster support, workforce systems (such as StaffLink (Human Resources Information System), HealthRoster and Human Capital Management Recruitment and Onboarding (ROB)) , workforce reporting and employee files management.  

Learning & Development Opportunities & Resources

Learning and development plays a major role in helping drive SESLHD’s capacity for high performance and strong employee engagement, contributing to our vision of 'exceptional care and healthier lives'.

SESLHD is committed to developing its employees, central to being both a provider of choice for healthcare treatment as well as an employer of choice amongst health care workers.  As a learning organisation, SESLHD creates a culture of continuous learning  and improvement in alignment with our shared CORE values of Collaboration, Openness, Respect and Empowerment. These values underpin a diverse community culture as well as a safe, person-centred and compassionate workplace.

This commitment to development is evident through SESLHD’s Organisational Development & Learning team, a skilled group of adult learning and organisational development practitioners, focusing on the development of people and culture strategies and the development of educational programs and initiatives that will foster a high performing culture.

Initiatives include talent identification, leadership development, team cohesion, employee engagement, change management, coaching programs, individual skills development and workplace diversity, organisational flexibility and culture initiatives, all of which are underpinned by contemporary, evidence based theories and practice.

SESLHD Organisational Development and Learning partners with a number of internal and external stakeholders including The Health Education Training Institute (HETI). HETI  collaborates with NSW Local Health Districts to provide a wide range of online modules and face to face workshops to assist and support staff, from enhancing skills, general effectiveness and mandatory training to career progression and individual growth.