Siddel, Helen M; Norris, Melinda J; Peter, Clive; O'Brien, Mike; Connell, Thomas G.

Aim & Goals: An organisation wide initiative designed to build the mindset and behaviours needed to live our aspired culture at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) will be presented. In this presentation, one key stream of work will be shared, outlining the approach and key evaluation results, highlighting the value and positive impact on the cultural experience, the delivery of care to patients and on people outcomes (e.g., engagement, wellbeing).
Content: The RCH Compact will be shared, which is made up of 10 commitments about how we will behave and work better together. The impact of cross-craft programs that were delivered to build the mindset, behavioural micro-skills and psychological safety will be the focus. Programs were co-designed with external partners and built on methodologies drawn from incivility research, blending knowledge sharing, individual reflections, small group activities and participant discussions. The design of the programs ensured everyone could learn the same cultural language and skills needed. A key focus was ensuring leaders understood their role in successful change (underpinned by Prosci’s ADKAR model of change), optimising their influence on team dynamics, providing supportive leadership, and taking responsibility for facilitating and modelling desired behaviours to build a safe and positive workplace. The learning was spaced out and included small peer learning groups to build in accountability, enable deeper connections and promote the translation of learning to action.
Twenty-five leader and 132 team programs were delivered over 2.5 years to 458 leaders and 2,213 staff (~52% of workforce). Along the learning journey several evaluation touchpoints enabled insights into the program experience, application of skills and impacts observed over time. The evaluation methodology draws on the Kirkpatrick-Phillips Model and impact analysis. To track change in our culture over time, items from our staff survey were identified as key indicators of desired behaviours. The survey was administered to all staff prior to the programs starting, mid rollout and towards the end of all programs, enabling robust before and after data for insights. In 2023, program participation was also included, enabling differences in the cultural experience & program impact to be examined.
Key findings will be shared that highlight positive effects of the program. Results show the program experience was positive and built the mindset, skills and team connections desired. Results also show evidence of an overall positive impact on our culture, underpinned by a foundation of civility, respect and psychological safety.

1. An understanding of a co-design approach to setting behavioural norms; and how it can be used to purposefully drive enhanced teamwork, and ultimately delivery of better services in line with an organisation’s strategy. (Create)
2. An innovative approach to building the leader and people capabilities (mindset and micro- people skills) needed to live an articulated aspired culture across a complex organisation, comprised of many different roles. (Apply)
3. An example of the power of building deeper connections and learning experiences that promotes civility and psychological safety across multi-disciplinary teams and peers to create positive cultural change. (Analyse)