Settle
Outcome
To have your new health workers settled in, happy and delivering quality health services.
Why it is important
Once you’ve attracted health workers to your region, you must ensure they are settled and comfortable. This is true if they have relocated solo, or with family.
Moving to a new area and possibly a new culture is a big step with big stresses. This step is about facilitating a smooth transition in all aspects of their life.
We all know if things aren’t good at home, our work suffers. We can expect the health workplace to take care of the work side of things, but it’s the community that needs to help workers (and their family, where applicable) settle in.
Steps you can take
- Find people within your community who are best placed and a good fit to ‘case manage’ the settling in process, providing links to services, advice and practical assistance (e.g. have young families introduce themselves to other young families or make connections with community groups).
- The community must be educated that new residents need help beyond the first few weeks of the move.
- It’s likely new residents have moved away from friends and family, and if they have children, away from babysitting and childcare arrangements. Offer to help out so they can unpack, settle and get a break from the pressures of the move.
- Keep them informed about events, markets, festivals and opportunities to connect with the community. Often these are learned about through networks, so newcomers may find out when it’s too late. You may even consider holding a welcome event to help your new health workers settle in and meet the locals.
- If the health worker has a partner, try assist with job seeking. Most regional jobs are found through networks – activate yours on their behalf.
- Be there for the little things. It’s the close, informal networks that are most satisfying. Help people to make these connections.
Tips
- Workers who have relocated from the city are often surprised at country opening hours – and where everyone disappears to on a Saturday afternoon (sport, of course). Help them to understand the rhythms of regional life and how to get things done.
- Ask, ask, ask. Your new residents may have moved from overseas, interstate or a bigger city. There is a myriad of things that are different, from postal services and rubbish collection, to getting involved in sporting clubs. Keep communications open to help them settle into the community with ease.