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Work Design for Performance, Learning, & Beyond About stream 2 In this stream, we focus on how work design can shape job performance (e.g., creativity, productivity), learning-related outcomes (e.g., cognition, active development), and other outcomes including moral development and identity change. QUICK LINKS Stream 1 Stream 3 Stream 4 Stream 5 Ongoing and Past Projects How work design can affect performance. In Knight & Parker (2019) , we summarize evidence from a systematic review showing how work redesign interventions such as job enrichment, on average, result in improved job performance. We provide an example in Hay, Klonek, & Parker (2020) ; a study that shows how the effective design of team work improved the diagnosis of rare diseases. Also in the health context, Fruhen et al. (2020) showed how teamwork can improve the communication and safety of surgical teams. In one PhD project, we show that there are curvilinear effects of job autonomy on job performance and other outcomes, suggesting that too much autonomy is not necessarily ideal. For more information, contact Dr Cheryl Yam, cheryl.yam@curtin.edu.au . Work design and effectiveness of virtual work. A focus of our research has been on how to enhance the effectiveness of virtual work and virtual teams (see Stream 4 for more detail). In reviewing the literature, we identified that work design factors (in particular task interdependence) are often critical for virtual teams to be effective (Handke et al., 2019 ). In an experimental study, we manipulated the extent to which virtual teams had shared resources and showed that this team-level work design manipulation significantly improved the team performance outcomes (Klonek & Parker, 2021 ). Furthermore, we developed novel technology (i.e., the communication analysis tool) that allows tracking team collaboration processes ‘in the wild’ so that organizations can better understand the key drivers of team performance (Klonek et al., 2020 ). For more information, contact Dr Florian Klonek, f.klonek@deakin.edu.au How work design can affect learning and cognition. We are investigating how work design affects learning and cognition. In a thorough review of the literature, Parker, Ward, & Fisher (2021) showed that work design can affect cognition in the short-term (e.g., good work design can accelerate learning) and in the long-term (e.g., good work design protects people from cognitive decline as they age). See “Practical Resources” below for a video to understand how smart work design helps to create smart workers and a summary article in Sloan Management Review. On the theme of cognition, in Ward, et al. (2021) we showed that the physical design of the work context can shape cognition and performance. Specifically, cognition is impaired when surgery is conducted in a very hot setting. WALC: Working Across Lives and Careers. WALC is a long-term longitudinal study in which we investigate the role of work design in preventing cognitive decline, fostering moral reasoning, and promoting identity change. We also assess how work is changing, such as the impact of digitalization on work design (e.g., who is thriving in the digital age? Who is missing out?). Once it's rolled out, all individuals are welcome to participate in WALC, and can join at any time. When participants complete surveys, they receive personalised feedback and have access to videos, tips, and guidance to support your career development. For more detail on the WALC project, please go to our dedicated website: walc.org.au Work design and moral engagement. In her PhD project, Dr Anu Jolly has investigated how people are more likely to engage in moral disengagement and make unethical decisions when they lack autonomy in their work. For more information, please email anu.jolly@curtin.edu.au . Practical resources Parker, S. K., & Fisher, G. G. (2022). How Well-Designed Work Makes Us Smarter. MIT Sloan Management Review, 63(3). https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-well-designed-work-makes-us-smarter/ Animated video (Parker, Ward, & Fisher, 2021): Good work design can help older employees stay sharp Klonek, F., & Parker, S. K. (2021). Designing SMART teamwork: How work design can boost performance in virtual teams. Organizational Dynamics, 50(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2021.100841 Research Publications Related to Work Design and Mental Health Parker, S. K., Ward, M. K., & Fisher, G. G. (2021). Can high-quality jobs help workers learn new tricks? A multidisciplinary review of work design for cognition. Academy of Management Annals, 15(2), 406-454. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2019.0057 Hay, G. J., Klonek, F. E., & Parker, S. K. (2020). Diagnosing rare diseases: A sociotechnical approach to the design of complex work systems. Applied Ergonomics, 86, 103095. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103095 Knight, C., & Parker, S. K. (2021). How work redesign interventions affect performance: An evidence-based model from a systematic review. Human Relations, 74(1), 69-104. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872671986560 Handke, L., Klonek, F. E., Parker, S. K., & Kauffeld, S. (2020). Interactive effects of team virtuality and work design on team functioning. Small Group Research, 51(1), 3-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/104649641986349 Klonek, F. E., Kanse, L., Wee, S., Runneboom, C., & Parker, S. K. (2022). Did the COVID-19 lock-down make us better at working in virtual teams?. Small Group Research, 53(2), 185-206. https://doi.org/10.1177/104649642110089 Klonek, F. E., Meinecke, A. L., Hay, G., & Parker, S. K. (2020). Capturing team dynamics in the wild: The communication analysis tool. Small Group Research, 51(3), 303-341. https://doi.org/10.1177/104649642090412 Parker, S. K. (2014). Beyond motivation: Job and work design for development, health, ambidexterity, and more. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 661-691. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-05-2012-0063 Parker, S. K., Morgeson, F., & Johns, G. (2017). One hundred years of work design research: Looking back and looking forward. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 403-420. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000106 Carpini, J. A., Parker, S. K., & Griffin, M. A. (2017). A look back and a leap forward: A review and synthesis of the individual work performance literature. Academy of Management Annals, 11(2), 825-885. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2015.0151 Parker, S. K., Ward, M. K., & Fisher, G. G. (2021). Can high-quality jobs help workers learn new tricks? A multidisciplinary review of work design for cognition. Academy of Management Annals, 15(2), 406-454. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2019.0057 Ward, M. K., Yam, C. M., Palejwala, Z., Wallman, K., Taggart, S. M., Wood, F. M., & Parker, S. K. (2021). An experimental simulation of heat effects on cognition and workload of surgical team members. Annals of Surgery, 274(5), e395-e402. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000004598 See our publications page Read More For further information on our research

Top of Page Working in virtual teams Project Brief In a world characterized by rapid technological advancements and increasingly flexible workplaces, highly capable information and communication technologies have created the possibility of work environments strongly influenced by technology-mediated-communication. This is reflected in the high prevalence of so-called virtual teams–that is, teams working on interdependent tasks even under conditions of geographical and/or organizational dispersion. Moreover, these advancements have spurred both a societal as well as academic interest in designing future jobs and teamwork in a way that both workers and organizations can benefit from. Albeit the strong conceptual overlap of team virtuality and work design from a socio-technical systems approach, little has yet been done to build bridges between the individual-level focus on e.g., job characteristics and the team-/group-centered perspective of autonomous (virtual) work groups and socio-technical systems theory. In this research project, we aim to combine these two research streams to gain a better understanding of how team virtuality and work design affect each other as well as team - and individual-level outcomes. On 17 August 2020, our CTWD team (Dr Florian Klonek and Cecilia Runneboom) co-facilitated with Dr Lisette Kanse in a session called “Working in virtual teams” in Unit PSYC5556 (Work Design). We recorded the session and reflected on the virtual team simulation below: Contact for more information: Florian Klonek Faculty: Florian Klonek Sharon Parker Partners: Lisa Handke (Free University Berlin) Tom O’Neill (University of Calgary) Patricia Costa (University Institute of Lisbon) Lisette Kanse (UWA) Serena Wee (UWA) Publications: Klonek, F.E., Kanse, L., Wee, S., Runneboom, C., & Parker, S. (in press). Did the COVID-19 lock-down make us better at working in virtual teams? . Small Group Research. Klonek, F.E., & Parker, S. (2021). Designing SMART teamwork: How work design can boost performance in virtual teams . Organizational Dynamics. (Free publisher-copies available until April 11th 2021) Handke, L., Costa, P., Klonek, F.E., O’Neil, T., & Parker, S. (2020). Team perceived virtuality: An emergent state perspective . European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (Advanced online publication) . Doi: 10.1080/1359432X.2020.1806921 Handke, L., Klonek, F.E., Parker, S., & Kauffeld, S. (2020). Interactive effects of team virtuality and work design on team functioning . Small Group Research , 51(1), 3-47. doi:10.1177/1046496419863490 Costa, P. L., Handke, L., & O’Neill, T. A. (2021). Are All Lockdown Teams Created Equally? Work Characteristics and Team Perceived Virtuality . Small Group Research . Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/1046496421997897 Media and Resources Radio interview Virtual teams’ can overcome barriers to thrive How you can improve the performance of your virtual team - Psychology Today article Team Virtuality and team functioning: What is it, why should we care, and what can be done about it? Video lecture Improved collaboration a pandemic "silver lining": study - HR Daily Other Projects on Team and Organisations

Sketching Work Competition Outcome We want to say how thrilled we were with the number and quality of the entries. We received 42 entries from 9 countries (Australia, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Portugal and USA were all represented). We got to hear about a range of interesting jobs, including artists, dog walkers, mechanics, wedding planners, teachers, mine workers, community workers, textile factory workers, home workers, cattlemen, butchers, waitresses, bookbinders and upholsterers. It was a joy to open the entries as they arrived, and we thank all entrants for the care and attention they put into their beautiful sketches and stories. As you can imagine, it was hard to make a decision, but we are pleased to announce our winners are: First prize – Deb Mostert (Australia) for her sketch and story on a Collection Manager from the Queensland Museum. Professor Sharon Parker, the Director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design, commented: “Apart from the wonderfully detailed and beautiful drawings and the explicit efforts to capture aspects of work design in the story, I love how the artist used colour to draw attention to the 'person' as that resonates with our focus on people as critical in the work system". Lynne Chapman described the entry as: "Exceptional: detailed, communicative and beautiful. The different processes involved in the job are captured with understated and fascinating precision. The text is always relevant and is well integrated with the drawings, so that the work flows seamlessly along both sketchbooks. Read the Story Second prize – Rita Sabler (USA) for her sketch and story on a freight train operator for The Union Pacific Railroad. Sharon commented: “the story vividly portrays the joys and challenges in people's work, and I love how you captured his personality in your colourful and detailed sketches". Lynne described the entry as: "A beautifully captured portrait of an individual’s very personal relationship with his work. The sketchbook has excellent flow and impact with lovely, delicately detailed sketches which draw you in. The interesting text brings the job to life.” Read the Story As we were so pleased with the calibre of the entries, we are currently having all entries professionally scanned so that we can host an online exhibition of the sketches in the near future. This will take a little time to organise, so we will let the entrants know when it is launched and will post updates on Lynne Chapman’s and our social media platforms. For those who entered the competition and included a self-addressed envelope to have their entries returned, we thank you again for your entry and we will have to ask for your patience. The professional scanner has only one suitable flatbed scanner and has over 84 sketches to scan for us, so it will take a little time to get your sketches back to you. We thank you in advance for your patience. See our Sketches of Work Design View other entries Mark V.

SMART Work is Relational About the model The fourth letter in the SMART work framework stands for 'Relational'. Relational is defined as the extent to which an individual experiences a sense of support, purpose and social contact in their role. As humans, connection to both others and the purpose of our work is a necessary ingredient for feeling satisfied and fulfilled with our jobs. JUMP TO Stimulating Mastery Agency Tolerable demands RELATED RESEARCH SMART Design for Care Watch this animated explainer video on Relational Characteristics of highly Relational jobs Jobs that are highly relational are likely to involve: Employees and supervisors who support each other and show personal interest consist of tasks which add a clear sense of value to the organisation contain a degree of feedback from outside the organisation, leading to sense of feeling valued "People can be having the worst day ever, but they have their hair done and feel better. I like making people happy." - Hairdresser “You get criticised when you're injured and literally can't use your leg form the pain.” - Professional Dancer Characteristics of less Relational jobs Jobs that are less relational are likely to involve: teams and supervisors which offer insignificant social support to one another tasks which provide minimal, if any feedback on their value within the organisation minimal opportunities to feel valued for efforts by people outside the organisation What are the risks of jobs with poor Relational design? From a mental health perspective, research shows that individuals with a low level of social support are at a 24 – 44% level of increased risk for experiencing poor mental ill-health. Interestingly, there was no reported difference in effects between whether this support came from co-workers or supervisors [1]. From an organisational perspective, a lack of relational aspects in work such as social support have been linked to a broad range of outcomes including job stress, job satisfaction, burnout, organisational commitment and employee wellbeing [2] [3]. Research spotlight Several studies have shown that structuring jobs so that workers experience a sense of contact with those their work affects has demonstrated positive effects. In one study, call centre agents were given brief contact with beneficiaries – in this case, individuals who received a scholarship due to funding raised by callers. Compared to controls, these callers significantly increased the time they spent on calls in the subsequent month in addition to their average weekly revenue [4]. A study based in an Australian hospital looked at the effects of introducing increased support through the introduction an advanced practice nurse to assist with junior doctors working on after hour’s shifts. It was found that this change greatly improved the social characters of the work design for junior doctors due to increased support, feedback and interdependence. As a result, junior doctors experienced less uncertainty and improved their proactivity, carrying out more self-initiated rounds of wards compared to previously [5]. Strategies to make work more Relational Whilst some jobs will naturally offer more opportunities to connect with others, there are a number of practical steps you can take to make your work more relational. Below are a number of recommendations to try out. Strategies for Employees Strategies for Managers Strategies for Organisations Here are some tips to make your work more relational: If your work does not have a social club, consider starting one. If there is a social club, make a conscious effort to attend and get to know your colleagues better by showing a personal interest in their lives. Try implementing ‘team lunches’ where members of a team, department or business unit meet once a week and have lunch together. This simple measure can help to boost feelings of connection whilst better understanding how different business units work. To learn more strategies, check out our training opportunities. Explore opportunities Employees who feel more supported and connected with their work are likely to experience a greater sense of wellbeing. To help foster this, below are some strategies to consider: Suggest your team start each day or shift with a short 5-10 minute ‘huddle’ where every touches base and discusses any potential issues or areas where they may benefit from support. When creating project plans or undertaking new initiatives, try to think of members outside your immediate circle of colleagues who may be able to assist or provide guidance. Having a shared objectives with other members of the organisation can help to dissolve silos. To learn more strategies, check out our training opportunities. Explore opportunities To learn more strategies, check out our training opportunities. Explore opportunities Further resources References [1] SafeWork NSW. (2017). Review of evidence of psychosocial risks for mental ill-health in the workplace. New South Wales, Australia. [2] Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Van Rhenen, W. (2009). How changes in job demands and resources predict burnout, work engagement, and sickness absenteeism. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30(7), 893-917. [3] Parker, S. K., (2015). Does the evidence and theory support the ‘Good Work Design Principles’: An educational resource. Safework Australia. [4] Grant, A. M., Campbell, E. M., Chen, G., Cottone, K., Lapedis, D., & Lee, K. (2007). Impact and the art of motivation maintenance: The effects of contact with beneficiaries on persistence behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 103(1), 53-67. [5] Johnson, A., Nguyen, H., Parker, S. K., Groth, M., Coote, S., Perry, L., & Way, B. (2017). “That was a good shift” Interprofessional collaboration and junior doctors’ learning and development on overtime shifts. Journal of health organization and management, 31(4), 471-486.

Videos Play Video Play Video 05:49 Sharon Parker- FIFO report Press Release - 5 Dec 2018 Play Video Play Video 01:16:11 Report launch: How work design shapes mental health in the Healthcare and Social Assistance industry Play Video Play Video 03:37 FIFO workers' mental health and wellbeing - How do FIFO workers experience FIFO work? Play Video Play Video 04:21 Centre For Transformative Work Design - Our Research Play Video Play Video 00:54 Work Design and Cognition (Hot Surgeons) - MK Ward Play Video Play Video 03:18 Highlights - State of psychological injury in the NSW Healthcare and Social Assistance industry Load More

FOR INDIVIDUALS Home office setup A separate workspace in the house is important firstly due to potential greater work-home conflict associated with a lack of a physical boundary and secondly, for your recovery and ability to switch off from work during non-work time. Find more flexible work resources for workers: Download Back to main page

The intersection between work design and entrepreneurship has been considered, but generally speaking, the two domains have progressed separately. Merging these domains may prove fruitful given their potential overlap. Top of Page Work Design and Entrepreneurship Participate in our global study Click here to apply Project Brief How confident are you that your organization is structured to perform? Will the work design in your organization disrupt your growth before you can disrupt your industry? What data can you show to validate that your work design decisions and actions are developing your teams capabilities and setting you up to attract top investors--not causing burnout and bleeding talent? Curtin University’s Future of Work Institute is conducting a study that offers founders/CEOs of high-growth start-ups over 30+ free access to tech and evidence-based frameworks that support visibility into who does what in their organizations, and how to fix resourcing gaps, cracks and overlaps. For 2.5hrs over the next 90 days, share your thoughts on work at your organization as we walk you through guided reflections, and in exchange we’ll give you free access to Functionly and tailored reporting with benchmarks based on independently validated research. That’s US$1,800 in value. You're most likely to benefit from this study if.. Your org is growing to keep up with your ambition, and the complexity of your teams and responsibilities means you're constantly evolving your org structure and resource planning. You are a founder/CEO, senior executive or head of department You have 30+ people who report to you You will make changes to your team in the next 1-2 months You’ve never been a customer or trial user of Functionly If you don’t meet these criteria, consider spreading the word and share a link to this page to other founders and executives . Click here to apply (2 mins) Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) has approved this study (HRE2018-0477). Calling out all start-up founders and CEOs: Join our study! Your Skin in the Game = 2.5hrs over 90 days Use the Functionly intelligent org chart for 90 days (What is Functionly - Demo ) Have four confidential conversations: a 45 min baseline interview + 2 x 20min check-ins + 45min final session with the FOWI research team Complete and share surveys: Share insights about your work and distribute a 5min SMART work design survey to your direct reports at the start, middle and end of the project. What You Get ~ US$1,800 Free access to Functionly intelligent org chart for 90 days to help you with: functional alignment, team accountability, strategic mapping, and building your organization ~ US$300 An evidence-based assessment giving a data-infused snapshot of your work design without the noise. It gives guideposts towards maintaining your work design strengths, and visibility into work design weak points before they create problems like strain and dissatisfaction among employees.This looks like: Personalized guidelines for good work design and how to improve the design and structure of work at your organization ~ US$550 Benchmarks of the SMART work design survey for you and your team. SMART is the leading work design model available worldwide. Developed by Prof Sharon Parker at FOWI, it’s based on decades of research ~ US$950 Click here to apply (2 mins) Share this LinkedIn post Retweet this Twitter post Project Lead M.K. Ward RESEARCH FELLOW Other Projects on Future Work

FOR TEAMS Embrace complexity Allow your virtual team to embrace complexity: - Avoid breaking down complex tasks into piecemeal ones. - Provide your virtual team with enough time to master the complexity of a project. - Facilitate learning and growth by allowing time for your team to reflect on the process once a project is complete. Find more flexible work resources for managers: Download Back to main page

FOR INDIVIDUALS Work-home segmentation preference Research shows that people vary in their preferences for segmenting or integrating aspects of work and home. Find more flexible work resources for workers: Download Back to main page

The Mature Worker’s in Organisations (MWOS) project aims to investigate the experiences and needs of mature and maturing workers and the organisation that employ them. COVID-19 Employment Study Mature Workers in Organisations The trend towards an ageing population is expected to continue for decades to come. The Mature Worker’s in Organisations (MWOS) project aims to investigate the experiences and needs of mature and maturing workers and the organisation that employ them. What is the Project About? The trend towards an ageing population is expected to continue for decades to come. The Mature Worker’s in Organisations (MWOS) project aims to investigate the experiences and needs of mature and maturing workers and the organisation that employ them. The recent outbreak of the novel COVID-19 virus has caused governments to take extraordinary measures restricting the movement of large proportions of the population. Organisations have had to rapidly respond to these continuously evolving conditions, including making decisions about staffing and work locations. We hope to learn about what experiences with staffing and actions organisation leaders are taking during this unprecedented global pandemic. Results from this study will shed light on current work practices and will identify lessons learned and opportunities for employers and workers in the future. We are expecting to recruit approximately 1-3 leaders per participating organisation for this project. Want to participate? See full info sheet Need support during COVID? Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Frequently asked questions General Who is doing the Research? The project is being conducted by Professor Sharon Parker at the Future of Work Institute, Curtin University in Perth, WA, Australia and Professor Marian Baird AO, Professor of Gender and Employment Relations, Head of Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies, University of Sydney in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Data collection outside of Australia will be managed by local Research Collaborators and/or Research Assistants. Our research collaborators and/or research assistants are highly professional people with research interests around the issues of workers and organisational practices. This research project is funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) to the Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (project number CE170100005). There will be no costs to you and you will not be paid for participating in this project. Why am I being asked to take part and what will I have to do? We are looking for adults employed in leadership roles. Participants will be asked to take part in an interview/focus group that asks about how their organization is responding to changes to staffing and work resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The study will take place via video conference, and will take approximately 20 minutes. There will be no cost to you for taking part in this research and you will not be paid for taking part. We will make a digital audio recording of our discussion so we can concentrate on what you have to say and not distract ourselves with taking notes. After the interview/focus group we will make a full written copy of the recording. Are there any benefits’ to being in the research project? There may not be direct benefit to you from participating in this research. We hope the results of this research will allow us to better understand how organisations make staffing and work decisions in times of crisis. Are there any risks, side-effects, discomforts or inconveniences from being in the research project?" Apart from giving up your time, we do not expect that there will be any risks or inconveniences associated with taking part in this study. However, we understand that during this time many people may be feeling overwhelmed or stressed due to COVID-19. We have collated some information on services if you would like to seek support during this time, which can be found at the end of this Information Sheet. If you do feel upset or would like to discuss any issues further, you are encouraged to contact Relationships Australia which offers counselling services, visit their website https://www.relationshipswa.org.au/services or call 1300 364 277. This number will put you in touch with the nearest Relationships Australia branch to yourself. For crisis support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Alternatively, please contact your preferred counselling service or General Practitioner. Who will have access to my information? The information collected in this research will be re-identifiable (coded). This means that we will collect data that can identify you, but will then remove identifying information on any data orsample and replace it with a code when we analyse the data. Only the research team have access to the code to match your name or position if it is necessary to do so. Any information we collect will be treated as confidential and used only in this project unless otherwise specified. The following people will have access to the information we collect in this research: the research team and, in the event of an audit or investigation, staff from the Curtin University Office of Research and Development. The results of this research may be reported to participating organisations through a summary of key themes that have arisen across interviews. Any excerpts from the interviews shared with the participating organisations to illustrate main themes uncovered in the interviews will be deidentified by removing your name as well as any other identifiable information such as exact job role, department etc. The information we collect may also be presented at conferences or published in professional journals. You will not be identified in any results that are published or presented. The information we collect in this study will be kept under secure conditions at Curtin University for 7 years and then it will be destroyed. All electronic data will be password-protected and any hard copy data will be locked in storage. The employing organisations will not have access to your raw interview recordings or transcripts. Do I have to take part in the research project? Taking part in a research project is voluntary. It is your choice to take part or not. You do not have to agree if you do not want to. If you decide to take part and then change your mind, that is okay, you can withdraw from the project. If you choose to leave the study we will be unable to destroy your information because it has been collected in an anonymous way. What happens next and who can I contact about the research? Contacts: Gretchen Petery gigi.petery@curtin.edu.au 08 9266 4877 Alison Williams alison.williams@sydney.edu.au 02 8627 7792 If you decide to take part, your interviewer will ask for your consent by asking the question “Do you understand the purpose, extent and possible risks of your involvement in this project and do you voluntarily consent to take part in this research project?” By responding “yes”, you are telling us that you understand what you have read and what has been discussed and that you agree to be in the research project. Please take your time to ask any questions you have before you decide what to do. You will be given a copy of this information form to keep. Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) has approved this study (HRE2020-0177). Should you wish to discuss the study with someone not directly involved, in particular, any matters concerning the conduct of the study or your rights as a participant, or you wish to make a confidential complaint, you may contact the Ethics Officer on (08) 9266 9223 or the Manager, Research Integrity on (08) 9266 7093 or email hrec@curtin.edu.au.

We are currently examining the role of work design of promoting health and fostering growth amongst young adults. Top of Page Longitudinal Raine Study Project Brief We are currently examining the role of work design of promoting health and fostering growth amongst young adults. Contact for more information: Anu Bharadwaj Who's involved? Anu Bharadwaj Sharon Parker and ARC CIs Dr Patrick Dunlop (UWA Psychology) Professor Leon Straker (Curtin) Professor Kathy Parkes (Oxford) Partners: The UWA Raine Team Other Projects on Transforming Individuals

Top of Page Making Surgeries Safer: Non-technical Skills in Operating Theatres About the SWANS Initiative Every year, 2.4 million surgical procedures are carried out in Australia with an adverse event rate of 22%. Findings suggest that as many as 48% of these adverse events are highly preventable. Next to technical skills, non-technical skills such as decision-making, communication and team work impact surgical outcomes. The SWANS project investigates the utility of non-technical skills and their various elements. It strives to uncover some of the mechanisms that support the positive impact of non-technical skills. SWANS is an abbreviation of S urgical W ork Team A dvanced N on-Technical S kills. It is a reference to Perth's many Black swans and the many uncertain and hard to foresee aspects of safety critical work environments. Multi-Professional Team Briefings Multi-professional briefings are short 3 – 5 minute meetings before the start of an operating list. These meetings include all professional groups working in the operating theatre that day. Multi-professional briefings are designed to facilitate effective communication and coordination between team members, and support theatre efficiency and safety. They involve proactive planning to ensure efficiency, and they help surgical teams to set a collaborative tone for the day. They only take up a couple of minutes at the start of surgical lists. Background The research behind is based on research carried out by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and medical practitioners at the University of Western Australia. For the research, data were collected in collaboration with four major hospitals in Western Australia. The research team carried out in-theater observations and engaged staff via surveys. Funded by the Western Australian Department of Health, the research was conducted to understand the effects of briefings and coordination between professional groups, specifically in the areas of problem solving and speaking up, helping and offering support, information exchange, and proposing changes. Conducting Multi-Professional Team Briefings Briefings are best conducted following 5 easy steps. The different steps help surgical staff to get to know each other, provide an overview of the work that lies ahead, and opportunities discuss details of each case. We advice to include all of these steps in your briefing practice. However, we also encourage you to customise the briefings to your and your team's needs. Introductions of team member names and roles familiarise staff with each other. This step clarifies everyone's roles and builds a team spirit. 1. Media release List overview focuses on the number of cases, the list duration, and turnaround times. This step provides everyone with an idea of what kind of work to expect. 2. Media release Case review provides more detailed information on each case. It clarifies roles, expected complexities, potential complications, equipment requirements, and team member level of experience with procedures. Based on the individual case review, changes to the list order that will enhance workflow can be identified before the first patient is called. 3. Media release Questions are then welcomed by all staff members to clarify any issues. 4. Media release Summarising any chances that were made to the list order and any notable issues reminds the team of key issues that have been discussed. 5. Media release Some Practical Tips Who initiates the briefing? The briefings can be initiated by any of the staff members. These briefings are everyone’s briefings. Tone and (body) language Use “we” instead of “I” during briefings. Standing in a circle also helps to ensure that everyone can see each other, and make the briefing feel more inclusive for everyone. Who leads the Briefing? The briefings can be led by any member of staff. We would advise staff to take turns in leading the briefing, however it is no issue if the same individuals lead the briefings. Using open ended questions effectively Open ended questions can stimulate free flowing conversation. Direct some of your open questions (but not all) at specific individuals to engage those with relevant knowledge to actively participate. Common Barriers and How to Overcome Them Based on surveys completed by theatre staff, the UWA team identified that briefings are currently not a common practice at WA Hospitals. We also found that those who experience briefings less often in their work were more dissatisfied with their theatre experience. The most commonly cited barrier to using team briefings was that not everyone was present before the start of the list. Some ways to overcome this could be to notify colleagues over the PA system, include the the missing person by dialling in through a phone call (on speaker mode), or to simply insist on starting the list only after a briefing is conducted. Resource: Let's Talk Teamwork Faculty Prof. Sharon Parker Dr. Laura Fruhen Other team members Dr Joseph Carpini (University of Western Australia) Prof. Yee Leung (WA Gynaecologic Cancer Service, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, University of Western Australia) A/Prof. Stewart Flemming (Fiona Stanley Hospital & Fremantle Hospital) Other resources Executive Summary Research article Video: Meet the Researchers - Joseph Carpini Report: A Guide for Medical Practitioners Other Projects on Team and Organisations