At APM, employees’ mental and physical health are treated as a top priority, because the reality is you can’t pour from an empty cup!
The work we do means we’re exposed to difficult things – we hear upsetting stories of some of the worst days of people’s lives. APM makes sure we’re given regular opportunities to debrief with colleagues so we’re better able to shoulder those burdens, and quick and easy access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services when we’re in need of a little more help. They also put a lot of other general wellbeing initiatives in place.
I’ve also experienced my own personal challenges while at APM and I received really amazing support from the company to help me through it.
Navigating a difficult time
A couple of months ago, I lost my grandma after she went through a three-month battle with cancer. During this time, I found it difficult to focus on work as my mind was often elsewhere. My team leader and state manager checked in with me regularly, and let me work from home frequently, allowing the flexibility to spend maximum time at the hospital and with family.
After she passed, a gift basket showed up at my door, with treats and self-care items from my team. That meant so much to me. They also kept in touch with me all the time whilst I grieved. I never felt pressure to return to work before I was ready as they worked hard to ensure my clients were taken care of in my absence.
When WA went into lockdown just before her funeral, the team understood how much the restricted guest numbers would affect my family and me, and never stopped checking in to let me know I was in their thoughts. These small gestures all had a big impact on my wellbeing.
Key initiatives at APM
Some examples of the wellbeing initiatives at APM are monthly team reviews where we celebrate positive developments and opportunities, and a 24/7 mobile safety app called ‘Sonder’ that provides preventative safety, critical incident response and alerts. We also have regular team building activities (both local and national), most recently a national virtual quiz where we competed as randomised teams across the states. It’s a lot of fun!
Flexibility is also a big one. We can choose our start and finish times when we want to work from home (outside of lockdown) and we’re responsible for our own schedules and caseloads. In addition to all that, we’re given salary packaging for cars, insurance discounts, and the option of purchasing additional leave twice a year.
Additionally, the company’s support throughout COVID has been great. Wellbeing activities have ramped up even further to include weekly virtual workout sessions and a virtual wellness retreat. We were also given home-based ergonomic assessments to keep our home working environments safe, EAP services, guides on maintaining wellbeing and resilience during lockdowns and regular updates on the virus and APM’s COVID-19 safety plan.
My immediate team kept up with each other’s lives via regular virtual coffee catch-ups, and my State Manager sent us lockdown survival packs with sweets, games and information on the vaccine and how to obtain one as a healthcare worker.
APM’s teams are built on a foundation of support
The supportive environment at APM is one of the reasons I love my job. My colleagues and I aim to be there for each other for both work and non-work-related issues, and if someone is struggling, we step up and help. It’s just part of our culture to check in with each other, and it makes for a very supportive workplace.
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