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Career counselling

We provide career development services to assist individuals on a private referral basis. We also provide a comprehensive career transition planning service to private and public sector organisations and staff. Our approach to career development includes an emphasis on both personal and corporate responsibility with a focus on maximising career potential in a changing workplace and global environment.

Counselling services and programs include a focus on:

· career transition and the new employment

· personal marketing: curricula vitae that gain interviews

· presenting at interviews to secure the job

· handling change in job transition.

Career appraisal

A comprehensive appraisal of skills, abilities and interests can make a significant contribution to career planning.

Comprehensive appraisals provide objective information regarding strengths and areas for further development and improvement. These appraisals involve individually administered psychometric tests from our extensive psychological test library. The selection of the specific tests used for each client is based on the particular needs in each case. Following the assessment process, usually completed over a 2 to 3 hour period, the results of the assessment are discussed with the client. Recommendations and follow-up are discussed at this time. A written report consolidating the results and discussion is formulated and forwarded to the client following this session.

Career Mobility Index ^TOP

This McPhee Andrewartha product is a questionnaire based instrument which is used as a key tool in the outplacement process. An individual’s capacity to make a career transition is established and the results facilitate job seeking and employment readiness.

see: Outplacement/Redeployment

Clinical Counselling for Adults, Couples, Children & Families^TOP

Individual therapy

Counselling for a wide range of clinical issues is available. Issues may include:

· poor self-esteem and low self image

· drug and alcohol dependency

· relationship difficulties

· anxieties and phobias

· sleep disturbance

· pain management

· family concerns, ranging from young children to aged parents

· career decisions, self-identity and future directions

An initial 50 minute session is scheduled to assess the area or areas of difficulty for each client. This session is invaluable in establishing the context of the problem and factors arising from the individual’s family of origin and current life position. At the end of this session a treatment program is discussed. In most cases this involves between four and eight sessions of therapy.

Couple counselling

This often begins with one partner seeking assistance for a problem or difficulty they are experiencing with their partner. In some cases we work with only one of the partners, in other cases we work with both parties, especially where a resolution of the difficulties and the continuation of the relationship is being sought. The presenting problem is often symptomatic of external forces. Some of these include changes in career for one or both parties, changes in educational status for one or both parties, a change of financial status and parenting disagreements. Where it does not appear that resolution of the problem is possible, we will continue to work with clients to come to terms with and move on from the relationship.

Child related difficulties

The initial 50 minute session in this case often involves one or both parents discussing the problems they are experiencing with their child. Concerns of other agencies, such as the child’s school or family doctor, may also be discussed. This session allows an assessment of the whole situation and places in context the particular difficulties being experienced. We may also see the child and any other family members who may be affected. At the end of a period of assessment a treatment program is established. This may involve counselling the child individually, or with the parents, or counselling the parents on their own.

Depending on the age of the child we will either work more directly with the parents in devising and implementing strategies for managing the child more effectively, or will focus more directly on the child. With young children the involvement of the parents is critical to the success of any therapeutic intervention. In most cases we will also utilise a range of techniques and approaches with the child to stimulate, develop and maintain progress.

The child’s parents generally know best what strategies will work for their child and their personal circumstances. Introducing or extending a range of activities and developmental tasks that fit within the scope of normal family or other social/physical activities is the goal. These activities should also have some intrinsic interest or challenge for the child rather than be imposed as additional or special activities that they and their parent(s) needs to perform in order to progress academically or socially. The trick is often in identifying an activity that the child enjoys and that can be adapted to facilitate other associated goals.

Balancing the Personal and Professional

We are experienced in working with managers, executives and other busy professionals who are seeking to maintain an effective balance between their work demands and their commitments or involvements in other areas of their life.

We also work with Directors and Senior Managers within small to medium sized businesses to assist the development of a balanced approach to work commitments so that family and whole of life issues are considered and implemented. Our individual approach involves both personal techniques as well as managerial advice.

Educational Assessments ^TOP

Assessment of children in the early primary, primary and high school years

The preschool and early primary school years are a critical time in preparing the foundations of later life and work. It is important at this time to know what your child’s abilities are and where he or she may benefit from special emphasis, so you can plan and act to maximise your child’s unique potential.

Assessment in the early years of school means earlier detection of possible difficulties, and positive potentials, and allows parents to provide appropriate support and encouragement early, with the best emphasis and focus to assist each child. Early detection and intervention is important because the longer habits, behaviours and learning gaps exist-the more effort is needed for change and development. International research on learning and development consistently indicates that early detection is critical to the long-term outcomes for the child’s learning. Appropriate referral to other professionals in the areas of speech therapy, numeracy and literacy development, physical coordination and overall development is an essential component. There are much larger rewards for the energy and effort put into developing good habits and behaviours early.

However, even when a difficulty has gone unnoticed or unaddressed for some time, a comprehensive assessment can be invaluable in enabling energy to be focused in the most appropriate ways.

It is important for overall development that a child is provided with experiences that encourage a good balance of social skills and interests with intellectual interests, and this is best accomplished when commenced early.

Assessment in mid to late primary years has a positive role to play in identifying emotional, behavioural or cognitive development issues as there are still many decision points relating to planning remediation, or extension, or to fine tune the learning path.

Assessment in the middle and later years of high school can be beneficial in assisting students and their parents to set appropriate study targets, determine subject choices and to identify whether further support is needed.

Assessment reports provide an accurate framework for discussion of the child’s unique needs and potentials within their learning environment and for planning a personalised developmental pathway for the child.

Career counselling for high school students

It is increasingly important that students make informed choices with regard to their future study and career options. There is increasing competition and pressure to meet tertiary entry criteria together with an increasing concern among many parents for their child’s future employment prospects. Not all children will go on to formal study and it is often important to also identify and validate alternative pathways for both the student and their family.

A supportive and informative approach that involves a formal appraisal of the child’s areas of skill and interest is recommended for effective career planning at this time. A detailed examination of a broad range of options that may or may not include tertiary study follows the assessment phase. The process provides relevant information concerning career choices and also provides the opportunity for the student to discuss their hopes, fears and concerns with the assessing psychologist, as well as their parents.

Influence Dimensions ^TOP

The Influence Dimensions is based on the theoretical and practical foundation of Erickson, Mehrabian and Zeig. The questionnaire and evaluation process has been constructed and tested in the Australian business environment over the last five years. The instrument measures six dimensions of communicative behaviour and three modes of perception in the work context. Each of these dimensions of influence represents different aspects of communicating and influencing others. Each dimension can be thought of as a spectrum, such that each of us displays behaviours somewhere between two extremes.

The six dimensions are as follows:

Dimension 1 Thinking: linear/lateral

Dimension 2 Focus: detailer/conceptualiser

Dimension 3 Timing: rapid processor/gradual processor

Dimension 4 Evaluation: self-evaluator/other-evaluator

Dimension 5 Relationship: initiator/responder

Dimension 6 Emphasis: exaggerator/understater

The Individual style derived from responses to the questionnaire indicates a person’s communication behaviour—the pattern of unconscious behaviour, which shapes all communication.

Mediation/Conflict Resolution ^TOP

We are experienced in providing effective conflict resolution support to both public and private sector organisations. Our approach is to be pro-active to avoid escalation of difficulties. To this end it is preferable that early intervention take place. Our experience is such that wherever we have been called in at the lowest level of difficulty and at the first identified sign of conflict, positive outcomes occur.

Our effective conflict resolution process with individuals and teams is flexible and can be modified to suit the particular organisation, unit or section involved. At the core of our approach is a firm emphasis on personal responsibility ensuring that each person involved in the issue is clear where their own personal responsibility lies and that they have the resources and capacity to change.

Our approach is to adopt a pragmatic, practical problem solving approach that maintains a ‘no blame’ self-responsibility focus. In many instances the process involves meeting each individual involved from the most junior to the most senior protagonist, through to a facilitated meeting and group or team building exercises to develop a lasting change of reference or position in relation to the difficulty that has arisen.

In many instances also, effectively dealing with the conflict involves providing mentoring or assistance to the supervisor or manager dealing with the on-line employees who are having the most significant problem.

Over the years we have assisted people at all levels in organisations, from the CEO and senior management level to the base grade or technical areas. We have provided effective support in situations where staff to staff, staff to supervisor or management difficulties have arisen and have a negative impact upon the productivity, motivation and commitment of all staff.

Mount Gambier Office ^TOP

In recognition of the needs of regional South Australia we commenced a weekly, 2 days per week consulting service in Mount Gambier as of 31 January 2005. This has been established in response to our existing client base and identified need. Registered Psychologists Michael Correll and Mary Bird will be available on alternating weeks at Kelly House, 10 Wehl Street North, Mount Gambier. We welcome doctor referrals, patient self referral and doctors may also refer patients under an Enhanced Primary Care (ECP) multidisciplinary care plan. We recognise the importance of an integrated approach to patient management, especially where employment and families are affected, and we seek to keep treating doctors and other designated relevant parties informed regarding patient progress, with the written authorisation of the patient.

We also provide consulting and counselling services under EAP arrangements with several government and private sector agencies.

For referrals please contact our Adelaide office on (08) 8357 1800.

Outplacement/Redeployment ^TOP

McPhee Andrewartha consultants are outplacement specialists, providing career transition services for individual executives and groups of staff involved in large scale downsizing and restructuring.

Outplacement involves the effective management of the process of letting staff go. Handled expertly, outplacement consolidates the effectiveness and loyalty of the staff who remain, supports those who leave, and demonstrates the integrity of your organisation.

see: Career Mobility Index

Psychometric Test and Protocol Development ^TOP

Screening and Recruitment Protocols

McPhee Andrewartha consultants provide a protocol development service for organisations requiring psychometric assessment for recruitment or selection. Such testing can provide specific information about an individual that cannot be gained through written applications, interviews, observation or referee screening. It is used to determine individual strengths and weaknesses in a variety of areas and allows for a high degree of comparison.

Assessment fits into the recruitment and selection process after application and initial screening, once shortlisting has been carried out and inappropriate applications have been set aside. Information gained through assessment can also be used to determine if follow-up interviews and checks are necessary, and as a guide for questioning candidates or their referees further.

The main categories of assessment are skills, knowledge and abilities, personality characteristics, and interpersonal style/communication. Typically, tests should provide information about an individual’s capacity to communicate with others with clarity, undertake tasks and apply problem solving strategies in both simple and more complex situations.

Psychological Test Development

Specifically designed assessment tools provide additional value for an organisation undertaking internal or external assessment. This is because the tool can be designed to ‘fit’ with organisation requirements and be appropriately standardised using information from a range of sample individuals with certain characteristics. Such a unique test can also be designed to meet specific time requirements.

The tool can be up-dated and developed continually it will have been developed using accurate data collection, broad sampling and extensive comparative studies and retain validity and reliability over time.

Sport Psychology ^TOP

With the increase in professionalism and to some degree competitiveness in all sports there has been an increased need for our targeted Sports Psychology Services. Consultants have provided assistance to athletes at all levels in areas relating to performance enhancement, motivation, injury management and in particular, career planning issues. We have also worked with children and their parents in order to provide strategies for dealing with the various forms of pressure exerted through any form of sporting activity. In all instances we have had positive results and continue to enjoy assisting those who desire to achieve at the highest level.

360º Appraisal Process ^TOP

360º Appraisal is related to performance management. Performance management is outcomes focussed and has direct links to the organisational planning process. 360º Appraisal is skill or characteristics focussed—it collects people’s perceptions of someone’s skill and attributes based on their observation and experience of that person at work. 360º Appraisal is an individual development tool. It is a way for people to get information on their performance that is not readily available in other forms—relating to how they impact on others—and to use this information to plan individual (and team) development.

Executive Dimensions

Executive Dimensions is our comprehensive 360º appraisal process which measures perceptions of the leadership and management skills of executives or their achievement of key objectives. It is customised for the organisation, to match the organisation’s set of executive qualities or objectives and provides feedback for each executive in relation to their qualities or objectives.

HRM—Organisational Consultancy ^TOP

This consultancy business is conducted through our international company MasterSkill. It involves strategic planning, 360º appraisal, performance management assessment and implementation, organisational restructuring, HRM audits, mentoring and coaching for executives, and wide range of leadership/management development and assessment practices.

Leadership Development Programs ^TOP

McPhee Andrewartha consultants can develop and have significant experience developing tailored Leadership Programs (based on the action learning model, from the seminal work of Reg Revans), where the focus is on incorporating and consolidating new leadership skills over time, utilising a meaningful work based project, in a stimulating and challenging adult learning environment.

As examples of our experience we have designed, written and presented many leadership/management programs under the auspices of several Australian Universities. Our firm is in conjunction with our international company MasterSkill, one of the successful consultancies to design and write the Crest program or Critical Enabling Skills Training for the Singapore government and Graham Andrewartha is co-author of the best-selling text Developing management skills in Australia. This text is used in several Master of Business Administration programs around the country. Graham and other McPhee Andrewartha consultants are involved in presenting and teaching Master of Business Administration units.

see: Executive Dimensions

MasterSkill ^TOP

MasterSkill is based in Hong Kong. The purpose of this organisation is the design, development and presentation of executive training programs throughout Asia. In addition we engage in many consultancy projects involving organisational restructuring, strategic planning, human resource management and performance management.

Performance Management ^TOP

Effective performance management is one of the most complex and difficult areas of organisational life. It requires the responsibility of the organisation and the individual. Successful management ensures that people are capable of their own performance development. Our psychological, management and HR skills enable us to blend organisational, individual and structural requirements together to achieve affective integration of these elements.

Performance Management Programs

We offer assistance in developing, implementing and maintaining effective performance management and development processes in organisations. We are committed to ongoing continuous improvement performance reviews and not simple static annual reviews.

Individual Performance Assessment and Performance Improvement Programs

We conduct individually designed assessment procedures for staff, managers and directors to provide a comprehensive feedback on skills and abilities in situational context.

The Performance Partnership ^TOP

The Performance Partnership is an active and supportive performance management process which results in clear expectations of the work required of individuals and work teams and greater relevance of the work conducted to the ‘bigger picture’ of the organisation. It also means better and more timely recognition of accomplishments and better coordination of the work of individuals, the amount of resources required and when and what support is useful. Finally it is a performance management process that will clarify the weight and relevance being given to individual development.

The Performance Partnership encourages empowerment, equity and effective communication. This begins with the development of a corporate strategy through a process of consultation. The corporate strategy is then incorporated into local work unit business plans that take into account specific client needs and priorities. The business plan then forms the basis for specific work team plans and objectives.

Strategic Planning ^TOP

Effective facilitation of strategic planning involves two core skills: the ability of the facilitator to rapidly meld with the firm, and, to ensure the outcome is a practical benefit to the firm’s future success. The first requires professional expertise in matching, communicating, motivating and developing people. The second depends upon business planning skills to assist the directors separate the wheat from the chaff in order to maximise the firms strategic advantage.

McPhee Andrewartha facilitators utilise three main approaches to strategic planning:

· The traditional approach utilises the standard SWOT analysis combined with establishing priorities and action plans to achieve those goals of the following five years. A systematic priority setting technique assists in achieving agreed and effective targets.

· The scenario methodology is based upon the work of Van der Heijden, strategic planner for Royal Dutch Shell. It is a complex combination of competitive business futures creation combined with organisational learning techniques.

· The values approach typified by the work of Wheatley, explores the values and culture of the firm, to derive the unique competitive advantage, and therefore the direction of the firm, in the marketplace.

Using each of these methods, facilitators will achieve the goal of team building, participation, and conjoint decision-making and specific requirements can be tailored to the current context and the culture of the organisation.

Targeted Research ^TOP

As a management consultancy firm, McPhee Andrewartha has experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of research projects. We have worked in the public and private sectors and investigated a range of organisational and customer service issues as well as undertaking specific information surveys about products, programs and services. Much of this research occurs in conjunction with other consultancy services such as HR and Organisational Audits but many projects have related to more focussed needs.

Team Development ^TOP

For many years, McPhee Andrewartha has worked to develop the management, skills, attitudes and general cohesiveness of teams in a range of organisational settings and circumstances. Our facilitators are skilled at working with senior management, team leaders and individual team members to design tailored team development programs in addition to assisting with planning exercises addressing team selection, communication skills, and process implementation.

Active HRM ^TOP

Active HRM is an active process for achieving best practice in managing your people. It is a truly innovative approach to developing best practice people management in your organisation, and:

· is uniquely and comprehensively tailored for your organisation;

· is integrated, coordinated, comprehensive;

· produces a three—year master plan with clear priorities, timelines, and action items;

· results in HR ownership throughout the organisation.

The Active HRM process:

· Strategic HRM consultation with the CE and HR director.

· Developmental HRM audit and evaluation.

· Comprehensive analysis on how to actively develop the HR function.

· Strategic and managerial HRM consultation.

· HRM ownership campaign.

The results:

· Direct $ savings within 12 months.

· Enhanced strategic business advantage.

· Significantly improved customer service.

· Enhanced ownership of HR responsibility by everyone.

More information available—Products, Active HRM

Attitude and Climate Surveys ^TOP

Our team of skilled researchers will custom-design an employee opinion survey specific to the identified needs of your organisation. These surveys can address the need to understand the general, underlying pervasive organisational climate and employee attitudes, through to seeking specific employee feedback on particular issues relating to restructuring and change. Our service includes the design, delivery, analysis and both verbal and written reporting of the survey.

Benefits vary according to the need for the Attitude Survey. The following are a list of common outcomes:

· compares manager perceptions with staff perceptions

· measures change of attitudes

· shows responses to specific changes in Company

· indicates staff reaction about proposed measures

· links to hard productivity measures

· identifies trends

· compares data to other companies

· morale indicator

· assists in staff recruitment

· empowers staff directly

· aids in business plans

· provides longitudinal data for company

· reviews quality improvement programs

· measures perception of manager performance

· provides an employee satisfaction index

· is good internal PR

· provides data for best practice

· offers a direct link to customer service

· provides data for enterprise bargaining.

Benchmarking and Best Practice ^TOP

The Benchmarking Program provides middle sized to large organisations with a set of nationally and internationally comparable measures of HR functions and organisational efficiency, which provide crucial data in strategically planning the utilisation of employees. In addition to providing numerical and statistical data about an organisation’s HR performance, the more important function of the program is to promote best practice HR by identifying both areas of development for organisations, and other, best practice organisations in each of these areas. The philosophical under-pinning of the program is to encourage a paradigm shift in HRM from a payroll and leave processing engine to a key contributor

Change Management ^TOP

In partnership with the client organisation we provide assistance with large scale restructuring, amalgamation and operational review projects. We provide expert assistance in the management of the personal impacts on change from executive level to operational level.

Cultural Diversity ^TOP

Cultural diversity, if managed successfully, increases innovation and allows the competitive boundaries to encompass global markets. No longer is an equity approach to staff relations sufficient, instead a model of ‘complementary contribution’ is needed. McPhee Andrewartha provides culturally sensitive programs to assist in the move to models of diversity involving both staff and clients. This is a customised workshop individually designed to meet organisational needs.

Customer Service ^TOP

Good customer service is what brings your customers back. It is the difference between a business failing or being successful. Success is not just selling your product. It means sustained growth and continued profits, whatever the economic climate.

We conduct tailored programs to assist organisations in providing genuinely effective customer service, focusing in particular on communication skills and on attitudes to service. The goals of such development programs include:

1. raising the awareness of your staff about their customers’ hidden needs.

2. teaching your staff how to improve their service skills.

3. rewarding staff for their service approach.

4. increasing the team approach to serving your customers.

5. developing staff motivation for improved service.

We also provide a comprehensive customer attitude survey service, along similar lines to the organisational climate survey service, which can address both internal and external customers.

This way of identifying the strengths and blocks in your service to customers, from their perspective, can be crucial in planning appropriate service development programs.

Customised Training Design and Delivery ^TOP

Our management training team provides a full range of services including training needs analysis, writing and developing customised training, presentation of training and ‘train the trainer’ development of ‘in-house’ facilitators.

We provide customised programs in:

· leadership

· learning organisations

· organisational transition

· women in leadership roles

· communication and negotiation skills

· team development

· problem solving and decision making

· managing change

· managing information

· managing organisational relationships

· performance management

· quality service provision

· empowerment

· working with diversity

We also design and develop larger-scale manager development programs, as we have done for Deakin Australia and the Australian Human Resources Institute.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) ^TOP

For the last 20 years McPhee Andrewartha has been a leader in the provision of best practice Employee Assistance Programs, providing confidential, professional and timely counsellors support and consultancy to employees and managers. We address, as a matter of course, both employee and organisational aspects of any problem. Our experience has been that our interventions have had measurable impacts on productivity, morale, absenteeism and workers compensation claim rates. Our four principles are:

1. Early intervention always pays.

2. Counselling support needs to be provided by a single, independent body.

3. A proper negotiated settlement of the work situation is essential.

4. The combination of management consultancy skills, coupled with psychological skills is an essential element of EAP Best Practice.

We provide a uniquely professional, integrated and effective service, which is much more than just staff counselling.

It is brief, effective and lasting.

In comparison to some other firms it is not the cheapest service per hour.

We guarantee, however, that our service is most successful as an investment in reducing OH&S and other HR costs.

Critical incident debriefing

Our model for Critical Incident Debriefing (CID) emphasises early and focused intervention for any workers involved in a traumatic or critical incident in which:

· a worker was involved in witnessing an act of violence

· a worker was the victim of violence or aggression

· a worker or work team was involved in or witnessed a distressing or traumatic incident such as an amputation, severe burn or motor vehicle accident

· a worker as part of their job had to provide assistance at a distressing or traumatic, incident, for example, personnel responding to accident or emergency situations which are particularly distressing.

The CID service provides for a single mobile telephone number for 24 hour access 365 days of the year. All professionals involved are registered Psychologists with extensive experience and practice not only in the treatment of anxieties and difficulties but also in provision of confidential post-incident trauma counselling, follow up and support.

Our model utilises a group meeting with all available affected staff for initial debriefing, education of normal physical and psychological sequelae of critical incidents, provision of immediate individual counselling to affected staff and arrangement of further group counselling or follow-up counselling at a later time. Long term follow up within three months would also be scheduled to identify those people for whom reactions have taken some time to manifest and who may be showing ongoing signs of post traumatic stress reaction. In introducing the Critical Incident Debriefing Service to a new organisation, we schedule a series of sessions for Supervisors and Managers regarding referral and access to the service.

More information available—Products, Employee Assistance Programs

HR Evaluation ^TOP

The Andrewartha Correll HR Evaluation is a descriptive and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of human resources management in organisations. It can be used either in conjunction with a comprehensive HR Audit, or as a periodic ‘barometer reading’ of HRM climate. It is designed to be completed by employees in an organisation.

Organisations are plotted on two orthogonal dimensions of HR practice:

· Strategic Focus: which will range from a focus on immediate, procedural management issues through to a focus on long term, strategic issues

· Flexibility: which will range from a fixed adherence to established procedures and protocols through to a flexible response, taking each new situation on its merits and allowing creative solutions and options.

They will then identify the perceived nature of their HRM practices as proactive, reactive, responsive or planned.

HRM—Organisational Audit ^TOP

McPhee Andrewartha offers a range of evaluation programs, customised to the individual needs of organisations and based on the many years of HR management, consulting experience and research expertise. Our approach is detailed, thorough and practical. Our solutions and recommendations are recognised for challenging and stretching the HR function, while at the same time remaining realistic in the context of current realities.

The principal tools of evaluation used by McPhee Andrewartha are the HR Audit devised by Schuler and Biles, and our own Andrewartha Correll HRM Evaluation.

Human Resources Auditing

The Human Resources Audit devised by Schuler and Biles, and as adapted by McPhee Andrewartha, is a thorough and comprehensive examination of all aspects of HRM in an organisation. Depending on the needs of an organisation, we can implement a complete audit, or customise a partial audit, focusing on key functions. An audit of this depth and detail would only be conducted, for any function once every two to three years.

Organisational (human resources) review

We provide a complete analysis of the human resources strengths and weaknesses of an organisation and make recommendations for the implementation of organisational structures, including assistance in the creation of effective position descriptions and performance management procedures.

^TOP

360º Appraisal Process

Active HRM

Attitude and Climate Surveys

Benchmarking and Best Practice

Career Appraisal and Counselling

Career Mobility Index

Change Management

Clinical Counselling for Adults, Couples, Children & Families

Cultural Diversity

Customer Service

Customised Training Design and Delivery