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Integration moves ahead
Integrating our teams is about aligning together to support shared values, consistent processes and common ways of working so that we deliver an intentional, valuable and positive customer experience with every interaction.
Common ways of working
With McKenzie Aged Care joining us earlier this year, we now have 87 residential homes across Australia. From 3 July, all homes will be part of a single operating model, and with this expanded capability comes more opportunities to further consolidate our systems, processes and ways of working.
Making it easier for McKenzie teams to communicate and collaborate across the Group is a key focus right now, with extension of Microsoft Teams, shared calendars, Buzz and devices all underway. Standardising the systems used in key areas such as finance, payroll, rostering, resident management and billing is also a priority.
For our at home support teams, we are introducing a new client management system (Alayacare) which will eventually replace the four different systems and processes currently used across our teams. At home support representatives are helping with planning and initial design, building and testing the system, which will be introduced from 2024 starting in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia locations.
Across the Group, another major focus for integration remains on having the right skills and resources to support our growth. Our new rostering system, Humanforce, is being implemented across more residential homes and at home support teams and is already making a real difference in creating more visibility and opportunities to share resources across our locations.
Through these activities and much more, we are leveraging the strength of our combined organisation so we can deliver innovative care, support and living options to more people in more locations.
Team members provided valuable feedback on potential uniform designs, fabrics and styles at a hands-on workshop in Brisbane.
Moving to a single brand
Since 2021, we have welcomed Acacia Living Group, Allity and McKenzie Aged Care to Bolton Clarke Group. Introducing a single Bolton Clarke brand is an important priority to leverage the proud heritage of all the brands that make up Bolton Clarke into a unique and relevant proposition for our customers and our teams. This will happen progressively over the next couple of years, and one of the first steps will be updating our visual identity through a refreshed uniform range.
Over the last few months, team members from across our organisation have been providing valuable feedback on potential uniform designs, fabrics and styles through workshops and a wearer trial.
A series of in-person and virtual workshops have taken place, including a hands-on session held in Brisbane in April. At this session, representatives from at home support, residential aged care and retirement living teams had the chance to touch, feel and try on select uniform pieces and provide feedback on initial design concepts.
Participants travelled from within Queensland and from interstate to help ensure our uniform reflects the needs of team members across the Group. Overall feedback from the session was very positive and will be used to help shape final designs.
A wearer trial in May provided a further opportunity for team members to try out some of the proposed uniform pieces. This involved wearing unbranded items to work over a two-week period and providing feedback on important aspects such as comfort, durability and fit.
Now that the wearer trial is complete, the team is busy working through feedback to confirm design and fabric options. The new uniform range will be progressively introduced across the Group from early 2024, starting with our teams in Victoria.
More information about our refreshed uniform range will be available later this year.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, email brand_program@boltonclarke.com.au
Main image: Residential care and project team members participating in a workshop for our new rostering system, Humanforce.