Ergonomics at PACT Group.

Over the past three years, we have partnered with the PACT Group, completing over 200 hazardous manual task risk assessments across 12 sites in Victoria. We have eliminated or engineered over 20 solutions that have reduced the overall risk of musculoskeletal injury to their workforce. We have had regular mentoring sessions with the PACT WHS team and are upskilling them to understand how to reduce manual hazards at each of their sites.  

Ergonomics at the Woolworths Group.

The Woolworths Group asked Productivity Matters to assist in a “Proof of Concept” which included the development of an Ergonomics Training programme for “Ergonomics Champions”, incorporating the use of wearable data and developing risk controls that incorporated user-centred design. There were several engineering solutions identified across the group of Brands including those for Big W, Supermarkets and Metro’s.

Award Winning “Healthy Minds Work” Project – CDC Buses Victoria.

CDC Buses wanted to go further in their pursuit of a psychologically healthy workplace. They engaged Productivity Matters to drive a project that would assist them in obtaining a deeper understanding of the psychosocial risks and complete comprehensive consultation with their workforce.  Their team identified more than 20 Risk Controls. Just some of the actions included upskilling leaders on understanding mental illness and identifying early signs of presentation and referral to professional support, improving efficiencies in customer response to reduce workload for leaders, providing tasks to night shift call monitoring, reducing boredom and enhancing connection to purpose and introduce wellbeing monitoring at depot huddles. The results: 

  • Increased use of EAP 
  • Increased skill of leaders to know how to respond to and manage mental challenges in the workforce 
  • Opened up wellbeing conversations and checking in 
  • Re-ignited the informal social BBQ’s 
  • Reduced mental injury claims and costs associated 
  • Won the Worksafe Award for Commitment to Prevention of Mental Injury in the Workplace I 2023 

What our clients say.

“Productivity Matters are the leading subject matter experts with physicality in the workplace.”

“They work from an evidence-based framework. If I receive a report, I know it will be factually correct.”

“Their technical knowledge is phenomenal.”

“The relationships they have built with our brands are excellent, and the transfer of knowledge.”

“They’re very efficient at getting things done and getting reports out – it always stands out to me.”

“They have phenomenal client engagement. It’s definitely not a transactional relationship.”

“They are the first people we think of when we need outside help.”

“They are my go to consultancy, particularly for ergonomics and complex matters.”

Reducing Hazards at Life Blood.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service introduced a nationwide programme to tackle hazardous manual tasks in both their processing and donor centres.

Identifying and controlling the risks

Productivity Matters were engaged in Victoria and New South Wales in both the Processing facilities and Blood Donor Centres over a 6-month basis to engage and identify hazardous manual tasks and collaborate with Australian Red Cross Blood Service Managers and Employees to come up with controls or solutions that would assist in reducing the risks these proposed.

Reduced Employees on modified duties

A key outcome of our ergonomists involvement was the establishment of a new job rotation guideline for supervisors and staff of the processing facility that saw a 75% reduction in employees on modified duties. Employees also reported reduced overall discomfort levels because of the job rotation changes.

One of our engagements saw the implementation of job redesign guidelines in their Melbourne Processing centre, which resulted in nine employees no longer requiring restricted duties and a collaborative approach that saw perceived exertion scores lowered by up to 50%.

Innovation

The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood together with Productivity Matters and, with clinical direction from LaTrobe University, have commenced the introduction of the APHIRM Toolkit to three of their donor centres.

This has already created an uplift in overall culture and a change in language around risk.

What is the APHIRM Toolkit?

A Participative Hazard Identification and Risk Management toolkit for improving the risk management of musculoskeletal disorders.

Safety and Wellbeing at Reece.

The Reece Group’s People Experience team engaged Productivity Matters to assist in the development of a 12-week program of safety and wellbeing activities.

A Suite of Measures

Through the partnership with Reece, we have helped gather key health and wellbeing insights through employee surveys, identified ways to reduce risks in branches, developed site traffic management plans, and started the conversation on mental health.

Net Promoter Score 9

This commenced a four-year partnership which has included the delivery of:

  • Support to the safety team
  • Support to the Injury Management team
  • Development of a Hazardous Manual risk assessment tool
  • Training their Injury Management team in Mental Health First Aid
  • Training their Regional Leadership team and the Business Management team in Mental Health and Wellbeing

Long term partnership

Since our initial assignment, we have also assisted the Reece Group with their launch of training on mental awareness and fitness, and provided support to their safety and wellbeing team.

The Reece Group have relied on us as a trusted partner, and we have delivered with no less than 9 scored on all Net Promoter Score feedback.

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