PeopleSense

Counselling and Therapy

PeopleSense by Altius employ a large team of psychologists who are experienced in providing psychological counselling and therapy services. Our psychologists have experience in supporting people with a full range of mental health issues using evidence based and solution focused interventions.

Our aim is to improve the wellbeing of our clients and make positive adjustments as soon as possible. This means working proactively with clients to identify key presenting problems, understanding contextual factors and gaining greater insight into variables that could be maintaining presenting problems. We also aim to create robust therapeutic alliances with our clients and work collaboratively to mitigate distress and improve overall levels of functioning.

PeopleSense by Altius accepts referrals through Mental Health Care Plans (GP or psychiatrist), insurer referrals for adjustment/support counselling due to injury, private health insurance, and self-funded requests from the public.

EAP Counselling

We provide confidential counselling services for employees (and in some cases their immediate family members) for over 200 organisations throughout Australia. These services can be accessed for personal or work-related issues and are designed to provide short-term psychological assistance for employees (or their immediate family members) in need.

PeopleSense by Altius only uses qualified and registered psychologists to provide EAP counselling so that employees can be assured that their situation will be managed by a competent and experienced professional. EAP services are for all employees, and there is no issue too big or too small that we can’t help with. Common presenting problems include:

• Relationship issues
• Anxiety and worry
• Depression and low mood
• Trauma
• Family problems
• Conflict at home or work
• Grief
• Stress
• Anger
• Sleep difficulties
• Drug and/or alcohol problems
• Decision making
• Career transition

Manager Assistance Program

Through the MAP we provide advice and guidance to managers or senior leaders who may be faced with managing people-related issues. Usually this service is provided through the EAP and can be accessed in the same way.

Common reasons managers call for advice include:

• Concerns about an employee’s fitness for work
• Performance management
• Organisational change
• Managing difficult behaviours
• Retrenchment/redundancy/career transition
• Workload
• Work life balance
• Enhancing resilience 

As we understand the importance of dealing with issues as they arise, our psychologists offer swift availability for appointments and respond immediately to critical incidents and trauma, with face-to-face, phone or Skype appointments available. As part of both the MAP and EAP, PeopleSense by Altius psychologists are available to employees 24 hours per day, 7 days a week for emergency situations, including critical incidents.

Critical Incident Response

The Critical Incident Response (CIR) intervention is designed to provide psychological support for distressed employees following a workplace accident or death. Our approach aims to introduce the normalisation process as soon as possible to prevent the onset of abnormal reactions following exposure to a traumatic event.

PeopleSense by Altius psychologists aim to facilitate return to normal functioning for all affected individuals in the most efficient way possible. This means being mindful of not re-traumatising individuals through the process. Our CIR aims to identify individuals who may have pre-existing mental health conditions that could pre-disposing them to the development of abnormal reactions following exposure to trauma. We offer pragmatic and solution focused advice to support both the individual and the organisation.

Conflict Resolution and Mediation

Mediation is a conflict resolution strategy designed to minimise the impact of relationship problems in the workplace. The PeopleSense by Altius strategy involves a psychologist undertaking a thorough assessment of the relevant parties, including the common manager. If appropriate, our psychologist will arrange a joint mediation meeting to discuss the issues in greater detail and facilitate ideas on possible ways of moving forward. If resolution is unlikely, we will liaise with the referrer to develop alternative approaches to manage the situation effectively. 

Fitness for Work Assessments

Our Fitness for Work (FFW) Assessments are designed to assist employers when assessing an employee’s psychological fitness for work. The assessments provide guidance for employers in relation to the management of employees and how best to facilitate a client’s return to work following psychological or psychiatric intervention. A comprehensive report is developed for the referrer which addresses any referral questions and states the employee’s fitness to perform the inherent requirements of the relevant job role.

Drug and Alcohol Assessments

Drug and Alcohol Assessments are available to assist employers to develop management plans for employees who have tested positive during an on-site drug or alcohol test. Recommendations are designed to reduce the risk of relapse associated with a positive test. They also ensure clients who receive a positive test are physically and psychologically fit to return to work once deemed appropriate.

Education Sessions

Our psychologists are trained educational facilitators who provide tailored education and training sessions for workplaces. Our training sessions cover a range of mental health issues such as resilience, anxiety, stress, depression, conflict and relationship issues and are aimed at demystifying mental health. Through education we aim to raise awareness of mental health issues and provide comprehensive and pragmatic strategies – to help build a more resilient workforce, skilled to manage their own mental health and support others. Our education sessions are based on the needs of the organisation and run from brief toolbox sessions, through to one or two day training events.

Factual Investigations

We carry out factual investigations, usually on request of an insurance company, to determine liability regarding a workers’ compensation claim. Our consultants gather information from the claimant to assist with developing a statement of evidence. The claimant’s allegations are then cross referenced with witnesses identified by the claimant. PeopleSense also performs investigative services for employers following alleged workplace grievances such as workplace bullying.

Our highly experienced team of organisationally-trained, registered psychologists offer tailored support services to a wide range of organisations across Australia – at the employee, team and organisational level. We understand the psychological support that benefits organisations and their employees and have developed a suite of services to meet these needs.

Coaching

Through personalised coaching plans, applying key tools and techniques, we aim to improve communication skills and interpersonal style while heightening insight and emotional intelligence. Surveys and psychometric testing guide sessions that develop our clients’ skills and help them to realise their goals and achieve sustained behavioural change in the workplace.

Training and Development

Our organisationally-trained psychologists cover topics such as Building Resilience, Mental Health Awareness and Positive Psychology as well as customised training with an emphasis on developing practical skills that can easily be applied within the workplace.

Leadership Development Program (LDP)

Understanding the pivitol role good leaders play in organisations, our specialist team’s LDP aims to empower new leaders by developing key competencies in:

• What makes a good leader, leadership theory, workplace values and staff alignment.
• Engagement and empowerment, developing self and others, providing and receiving feedback, managing change and enhancing resilience.
• Building and maintaining relationships – fostering collaboration, navigating differences between people and celebrating success.
• Communication skills – including assertiveness, verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening and engaging staff effectively.

Career Transition

We support employees transitioning from an organisation into alternative employment during instances such as redundancy due to downsizing. Our psychologists and employment consultants provide adjustment counselling, resume development, job search and interview skills as well as career counselling.

Change Management

Our organisationally-trained psychologists consult closely with organisations and employees to customise structured change management strategies. We provide continuous support and evaluation throughout the process - to help employees and their leaders adapt, rather than react, to change.

HR Consulting and Mediation

We provide professional, third-party support to an organisation’s Human Resources operations:

• Providing advice on performance counselling and behavioural management strategies relating to potential disciplinary action and/or termination.
• Independent HR audits and provision of HR coaching and recruitment.
• Services to assist in maintaining compliance with HR policies and procedures.

As experienced mediators, our registered psychologists prevent workplace tensions escalating into costly problems. We employ communication strategies, individual meetings and insights to bring together successful mediation interventions and agreements.

Psychometric Assessment

We use an array of psychometric tests, including the Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ), Hogan Personality Suite (including the 180 and 360 degree feedback tools) and Genesys Ability Tests. Our assessments support our clients to recruit the right staff for particular jobs or teams as well as assisting in skill development and coaching for individuals and teams.

Surveys and Cultural Reviews

Our team designs the cultural review process to include multi-level analysis and achieve real outcomes at an individual, team and organisational level. Our services include:

• People and Cultural Surveys: enabling organisations to identify, measure, monitor and evaluate key drivers.
• Psychological Risk Reviews: to gather information, analyse risk factors, identify psychological symptoms and signs, support the organisation to manage and control risk and develop key recommendations reports.
• Team Values Alignment: our multi-layered approach enhances team effectiveness through assessing what motivates a team, developing an insight report, facilitating a values alignment workshop and developing a charter to align a team’s behaviours with organisational values.

Research demonstrates that the longer a worker stays away from work, the less likely they are to make a full return to their job. Injury Management is initiated when a worker is injured in the workplace. Our coordinated, integrated approach to injury management involves early intervention with appropriate, adequate and timely services based on assessed needs.

Proactive Workplace Rehabilitation

Our team of allied health professionals apply their range of specialist skills to facilitate recovery and assist injured workers to make an early and safe return to work. We have extensive experience managing the complex nature of workplace injuries, working with employers, workers, insurers, medical practitioners, allied health and rehabilitation professionals. Our approach, in partnership with all stakeholders, incorporates a range of strategies to ensure a safe and durable return to work for an injured worker.

Our workplace rehabilitation services include:

• Early intervention assessments
• Comprehensive initial assessments
• Case conferencing with medical practitioners
• Worksite assessments
• Return to work programs
• Motivational interviewing
• Barrier identification 
• Employer engagement
• Medical engagement
• Vocational redirection

Ergonomic Assessments

Our approach to ergonomics moves beyond the traditional workstation setup as we recognise many people are affected by injury due to poor person-environment fit at work and at home. Identifying risks can improve an individual’s well-being and decrease injury potential. Our assessments involve thorough analysis of the individual's person-environment fit including the cognitive and physical demands of a role.

We ensure we add value to your organisation, by completing holistic ergonomic assessments to provide professional and honest feedback in relation to your operation, work practices and correct working aids. Our clients receive valid and cost effective recommendations regarding elimination of unsafe work practices and modifications that can be made to existing furniture and equipment to minimise the risk of injury.

Ergonomic Training

We tailor workplace ergonomics training to ensure it meets the needs of the organisation and improves standards. Training is designed to assist workers to understand their physical functioning and the importance of following good ergonomic practice to prevent injury and maintain their well-being.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Audits

An Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management system is a planned, documented and verifiable method of managing hazards in the workplace. An OSH audit is used to determine the presence of hazards as well as occupational safety and health issues likely to impact employees during the course of their work. Our exercise physiologists and occupational therapists apply their sound industry knowledge to deliver best practice recommendations.

We gather information during an audit via a structured interview and worksite inspection to determine the level of risk and compliance with legislative requirements. This enables us to devise strategies to minimise the risk of injury and harm to the health of employees and persons within the workplace, to comply with relevant legislation and codes of practice and promote best practice in safety standards.

Home Assessments

Our experienced occupational therapists and ergonomists provide Home Assessments to maximise an individual’s capacity to function independently with day-to-day living, within their own home. This service assists individuals to remain functional in the home and is  offered as a service for elderly individuals, those discharged from hospital or people living with chronic conditions.

We assess function, independence and accessibility of the home and provide a comprehensive report including recommendations for aids, appliances or home modifications. This includes competitive quotes for client/referrer reference and we can facilitate, purchase, arrange installation and conduct a review of the home to ensure modifications are implemented correctly.

Manual Task Training

Manual  task training ensures employees in any role understand how to follow safe manual handling practices in the workplace. Manual handling injuries are not limited to those sustained whilst undertaking heavy or repetitive activities, our allied health consultants understand this and complete a thorough assessment of the workplace and work practices, prior to providing a tailored and interactive solution. Our courses provide participants with the knowledge and skills to apply safe manual task techniques to any workplace scenarios and reduce the risk of costly workplace injuries.