New Ways of Working coming to Westmead

Construction of Westmead Hospital’s first New Ways of Working (NWOW) space, O3Hub, is due for completion soon.

Staff are expected to move in mid-August.

New Ways of Working (NWOW), also known as activity-based working, involves changing the physical spaces we work in.

More importantly, it’s about supporting our activities through the physical space and IT tools, and changing behaviours to create a culture that enables a welcoming workplace.

WSLHD is the first health district in Australia to have activity-based working specifically designed for hospital staff.

Acting patient and carer experience manager Wendy Cain has worked at WSLHD’s first NWOW space in Blacktown, the B2Hub, and is excited to move into the O3Hub.

“I’m looking forward to the clinical governance team being more visible to each other, and the opportunities to collaborate and share information,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to how the technology enhances working with our colleagues across the district.”

O3Hub includes high, medium and low focus zones, as well as collaborative work spaces and meeting rooms.

It has been designed to make the best use of space for the teams moving in: finance, clinical governance and procurement.

It is flexible and responsive to how people want to work now, and in the future.

“I am renowned for not being at my desk at Westmead because I am at other facilities or working with people in their areas,” Wendy said.

“To be able to use my laptop anywhere in the district and access Skype for Business for meetings and messaging will save me so much time.”

Staff members have gone through a significant consultative and planning process, which started in early 2016, including “deep dives” and training modules on why WSLHD is adopting NWOW, paper independence and mobility.

This week, the last training module on etiquette and working in an activity-based environment will wrap up, before staff orientation sessions and IT. training kick off next week.

Watch this space!

For more information and resources for staff, visit: http://bit.ly/2u0heSH