Delivering for our people with disabilities: In conversation with Claudia, Luke and Nancy

Here at Australia Post, we’re passionate about our team members bringing their authentic self to work, knowing they will always be supported. Proof of this most recently, was launching Australia Post’s Workplace Adjustment Guidelines and Passport, which builds further on the way we support our team members living with disability. 

The program of work gave team members like Claudia Kernan and Luke Nikolovski an opportunity to work on something truly meaningful in their roles on our People & Culture Team. Its introduction ensures team members living with disability, like Nancy Bezerra in our Post Office Network are set up for success to help us deliver like never before.

So, we caught up with them recently to hear about the work, and the impact it’s had and will continue to have on their life at Australia Post.

How did you feel about the opportunity to work on introducing our Workplace Adjustment Guidelines and Passports, and who was involved?

Claudia:  It was a real privilege to be able to work with such a diverse group of people across Australia Post as part of our Workplace Adjustments Project. We know that around 4 million Australians identify as living with disability, and workplace adjustments can play an essential role in supporting team members with disability to perform their role effectively and to the best of their ability. So I was really grateful to be involved in a project that has such a big and positive impact for so many people across Australia Post.

As part of the project, we established an internal working group with a number of stakeholders from our People and Culture business unit, including our Employee Relations, People Experience & Digital and Diversity and Inclusion teams. We also engaged extensively with our Disability Employee Network, ‘Accessibility Matters’. The Accessibility Matters team were integral to the Project, and their involvement really helped us to make sure that our Workplace Adjustment Guidelines and Passport solutions reflected the views of our team members with lived experience of disability.

We also worked with some external partners during the process, with the Australian Network on Disability and Job Access providing us with some really helpful feedback and guidance along the way!

So, tell us what’s been introduced, and why? 

Luke: We have introduced a bunch of new initiatives as a part of this body of work including new Workplace Adjustment Guidelines, an intuitive and easy to use application process, a Workplace Adjustment Passport, and company-wide training and support for our team members and people leaders.

The guidelines were developed to support people with disability to participate fully in all aspects of employment and ensure that our people have a clear understanding of how to access support and adjustments in the workplace. With the assistance of the Workplace Adjustments online application form and passport, we have strived to make life easier for our team members with disability.

Claudia: We have also implemented a Workplace Adjustment Passport which reduces the need for team members to have the same conversations over and over again around their workplace adjustment needs. For example, if their people leader changes – the team member has a quick and easy way to share their agreed adjustments with their new manager.

The Passport is also a great way to normalise conversations around adjustments in the workplace, and the team member is empowered to decide how much information they include in their Passport, and who they share it with.

Is there anything you learnt about our focus and passion for inclusivity and accessibility throughout the process?

Claudia: Hearing how much of an impact that workplace adjustments can have for team members like Nancy – there was a real drive across all levels of Australia Post to get the Workplace Adjustment Guidelines and Passport up and running as soon as possible.

Whilst it was by no means a straight-forward project and we faced into numerous challenges and in a short timeframe – I was really taken by how enthusiastic people were to be a part of the project. From our myHR advisors to our IT team who developed the digital technology solution, there was a real sense of shared purpose about why we were there – to improve the experience of our peers with disability at work.

The project really embodied Australia Post’s commitment to supporting and recruiting team members with disability, and the genuine drive to keep on building a disability confident workplace. 

And Nancy, as a team member living with disability at Post, what was it like for you to be involved?

Nancy: In my case, being involved in the Workplace Adjustment project, makes me feel honoured. It gives me a great sense of acceptance and the chance of helping other team members to achieve what is important for them at work.

Tell us a little about what you do at Australia Post, and what our culture of inclusivity and our progression with accessibility means to you.

Nancy: Firstly what I do at Australia Post has been guided with my desire to be close to perfection in serving customers, learning and performing my duties with responsibility and pleasant manners. I worked as a Postal Services Officer (PSO) for 2 years and as a Postal Delivery Officer since August 2021. At the moment I am doing a PSO refresher training.

The help I have been receiving since April 2021 from the Accessibility Matters group made me feel like the "doors opened for me" again.

How will the Workplace Adjustment Guidelines and Passport introduction help support you and your career with us at Australia Post?

Nancy: The first help I received was to be able to return to Australia Post after a long period out of work due to health problems.

I strongly believe that I have a better way to communicate with managers through the Passport, expressing my career goals. The Passport will be a useful way to ask for work adjustments leading to a better work performance. 

How do you think this step forward will help Australia Post deliver like never before, and what are you most excited about the future of Australia Post?

Luke: The Workplace Adjustments project impact on Australia Post has been incredible. In meeting team members a part of our Accessibility Matters group, including Nancy, we have talked about how this initiative allows us to engage and empower our team members with disability to be confident in their career at Australia Post, the feedback has been truly amazing.

As we move into the future, we will continue to seek diverse thinking and connect with people who bring different perspectives and backgrounds, while empowering these team members to deliver to millions of Australians across the country. I am most excited to see how we continue to educate our team members and people leaders ongoing around disability and workplace adjustments, and getting involved wherever I can to continue to progress Australia Post into the future!

Nancy: Australia Post is already a very important company Australia-wide. I strongly believe that the customer's opinion will improve even more towards Australia Post by the example of being a company with a large acceptance and the commitment of inclusion, especially towards team members with disabilities. I have heard comments about Australia Post after participating in a film for Workplace Adjustments. The comment was: "By watching your film, I felt that I also want to work for Australia Post”

Thanks Claudia, Luke and Nancy for your time with us!

If you’re looking to join a diverse and supportive team, visit www.auspost.com.au/jobs

We’re proud to be the largest Australian employer to successfully complete the Australian Network on Disability ‘Disability Confident Recruiter’ program. If you require assistance at any stage of recruitment, including alternative formats to the application process, please contact us at inclusivecareers@auspost.com.au.