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Customer Service gets a big tick at Work and Income

Changing face of Work and Income launched today

Wellington, June 26, 2018

Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni celebrated today the launch of a brand new face to Work and Income, including a newly introduced set of Client Commitments and an online Eligibility Guide.

She also shared the results of changes to how benefit suspensions are undertaken, saying that the much-needed change was well underway, and that the new look offices were only the start.

Following is the Statement issued by her.

Pilot Model at four Centres

Work and Income is piloting a new front of house model in four of their service centres.

The Ministry has taken up the challenge to do things differently.

It can be difficult to ask for help. Creating a friendlier, warmer environment helps. Giving people more privacy, a space thats welcoming and inclusive for everyone, and creating a child-friendly zone for children to learn and play is important.

As of today, Work and Incomes Client Commitment will also be on display in every Work and Income office, in English, Mori and in New Zealand Sign Language.

Peoples Response

Clients have told Work and Income how they want to be treated, and the client commitment that reflects that.

It is their commitment to clients, and puts whole new expectations in place in terms of the values Work and Income will live by.

Today also marked the introduction of an online eligibility guide. Check your Eligibility

As of today anyone can check what they might be eligible for from any mobile device or the web, including service centre kiosks.

People dont always know what help is available, and now they can see for themselves what support they might get.

These changes build on other good work already underway.

Clearer Guidelines

Already Work and Income has been using clearer guidelines and providing more support for staff when making discretionary decisions about suspending benefits.

I have been clear that our staff must explore every other option rather than suspension of a benefit, and that the decision to suspend is not to be made by a single person alone.

In the first three weeks since the new guidelines were introduced, there was a daily 23% reduction in suspensions. That demonstrates how critical those changes were.

We have a long way to travel, and there is a lot more to do, but I am confident that under this new Government, things will only get better for both clients and staff at Work and Income.

Access the online Eligibility Guide: https://check.msd.govt.nz/

Summary of Key Changes at Work and Income, New Plymouth

People will be greeted as they enter the service centre in a professional and welcoming manner.

Bright colour on the walls – clients say having colour makes things more welcoming and less clinical.

Pot plants to create a more relaxed comfortable feeling. They can also help to create private and quieter areas.

Displaying local artwork to create more of a community feel. Work and Income supports a lot of people in the community and want to reflect this at work.

Having guards wear a polo shirt and black dress pants rather than a formal security guard uniform.

Creating an easier way to find your way around: More signage and making things clearer;

Using different coloured carpet tiles to create different zones; Creating quiet zones – People like the idea of a quiet zone for people with sensory or learning disabilities.

For Children

Introducing a child-friendly zone for children to learn and play

There are 12,285 children living in benefit dependent households in the Taranaki/Whanganui region giving them something to do while they wait for mum and dad (or their carer) and helping their parents feel more relaxed, is a way Work and Income can help families have a better experience.

There will be iPads and activity packs on hand for children to use.

Furniture options

Work and Income is looking at furniture with a high contrast in colours. Some people with vision impairments find it hard to differentiate between the chair and carpet if theyre a similar colour.

Providing water coolers

Work and Income is making water available. Theres overwhelming support from clients to have water available (especially in the front of house).

Greater privacy

To make sure people feel respected Work and Income is providing people with more privacy because theyre often talking about personal information.

There will also be more private zones in the front-of-house space.

The pilots in the Flaxmere, Willis Street and Rotorua Service Centres will start this week also. Not all the changes that are in New Plymouth will be in the other service centres from day one, but will be introduced during the pilot period.

When Work and Income gets to the end of the pilot in September, they will know more about what works best with all the things they are testing, and how to bring everything together in a cohesive way.

Other initiatives

Welcoming people at our front door

Work and Income is making changes to ensure everyone to receive a warm welcome when they come to our service centres, starting at the front door.

At the same time they need to make sure theyre keeping people safe. The safety and security of staff and clients will always come first.

Guards wont be checking peoples names off a list and asking everyone for ID any more, like they have done in the past.

They will be taking the time to greet and talk with everyone as they come to the door.

There will still be controlled access in sites – when a door wont open until it has been released by a security guard.

Welcome Messages

Continuing the welcoming feeling inside service centres

There are welcome messages from Work and Income staff in different languages on TV screens, acknowledging the beautiful diversity of our communities.

Ensuring bathroom facilities are made available to clients

There are 14 service centres with dedicated client bathrooms, including the New Plymouth site. New signs will make it clearer for visitors that bathrooms are available.

If there arent bathrooms easily accessible for clients and their children at our sites, Work and Income is encouraging people to talk with the person on reception.

They will be able to help with directions to the closest bathroom, and reassure them they wont lose their place.

*

Pictures of Carmel Sepuloni at Work and Income New Plymouth from Twitter.

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