Message from the Secretary of DPC Tim Reardon

Update to the NSW Public Sector on COVID-19

30 March 2020

All,

You will have seen the latest restrictions announced on how we can go about our daily lives.

In summary, we have been instructed to stay at home unless you have a valid reason to travel for work and education, purchase supplies, for healthcare, or to exercise. Basic living to further minimise spreading the virus in the community. These measures came into place overnight.


In addition, even more large scale economic stimulus packages have been put in place by the Federal Government and complementary measures by the NSW Government. Again aimed at preserving jobs and supporting as many businesses as possible throughout the coming months.


This brings us closer to a steady state of what our lives and society will look like over the winter.


For all of us individually, it has required dramatic change to our daily routines, and that has happened in a matter of weeks.


None of us have lived or worked in the way we will need to for the period ahead of us. It will take some getting used to.


Apart from the mammoth changes to many of our working arrangements, and resetting our households, now is also the time to think about your own wellbeing.


My simple message is to take time right now to reflect on your physical and mental health. Stay connected. Eat healthy. Exercise. Get into good habits. They will sustain us.


Talk to your colleagues, talk to your family, talk to your friends, get your working arrangements sorted now.


Once you get those things in place we can start turning our minds to how we can innovate during this period, and how the circumstances placed upon us can actually change the face of our workplaces for the better, forever.


To demonstrate the point, we have promoted customer service through digital means such as Service NSW - that is now a necessary reality for millions of people in NSW.


We have pushed flexible working over the last five years, it is now a necessity across vast parts of the NSW public service.


We have been trialing ways of providing health care in the home via digital technology, to take the load off our hospitals - that approach will now be crucial for many.


We have our kids receiving education either in our homes through distance learning or at our schools, and new ways of delivery continue to emerge.


The transport system works best when the morning and afternoon peaks are spread out over the day - that is happening before our very eyes right now.


No doubt many things will be tested, our technology, the broadband, the protocols of working remotely, driving productivity through good leadership, an inclusive culture using digital, and maintaining harmony amongst our teams.


There are no right or wrong approaches to our working arrangements at a time like this.


I ask that you think about how we will need to go about things differently through necessity, and how some of the best of those different approaches can be made permanent so we can do what we do - serve the NSW community.


And finally, thank you.


Many of you have seen people you know out of work, we worry about the health of family members, particularly our vulnerable, and we are educating a generation of youth in a different way. Amongst all that, you keep turning up daily to deliver.


So again, thank you.

Tim

Update to the NSW Public Sector on COVID-19

30 March 2020

All,

You will have seen the latest restrictions announced on how we can go about our daily lives.

In summary, we have been instructed to stay at home unless you have a valid reason to travel for work and education, purchase supplies, for healthcare, or to exercise. Basic living to further minimise spreading the virus in the community. These measures came into place overnight.


In addition, even more large scale economic stimulus packages have been put in place by the Federal Government and complementary measures by the NSW Government. Again aimed at preserving jobs and supporting as many businesses as possible throughout the coming months.


This brings us closer to a steady state of what our lives and society will look like over the winter.


For all of us individually, it has required dramatic change to our daily routines, and that has happened in a matter of weeks.


None of us have lived or worked in the way we will need to for the period ahead of us. It will take some getting used to.


Apart from the mammoth changes to many of our working arrangements, and resetting our households, now is also the time to think about your own wellbeing.


My simple message is to take time right now to reflect on your physical and mental health. Stay connected. Eat healthy. Exercise. Get into good habits. They will sustain us.


Talk to your colleagues, talk to your family, talk to your friends, get your working arrangements sorted now.


Once you get those things in place we can start turning our minds to how we can innovate during this period, and how the circumstances placed upon us can actually change the face of our workplaces for the better, forever.


To demonstrate the point, we have promoted customer service through digital means such as Service NSW - that is now a necessary reality for millions of people in NSW.


We have pushed flexible working over the last five years, it is now a necessity across vast parts of the NSW public service.


We have been trialing ways of providing health care in the home via digital technology, to take the load off our hospitals - that approach will now be crucial for many.


We have our kids receiving education either in our homes through distance learning or at our schools, and new ways of delivery continue to emerge.


The transport system works best when the morning and afternoon peaks are spread out over the day - that is happening before our very eyes right now.


No doubt many things will be tested, our technology, the broadband, the protocols of working remotely, driving productivity through good leadership, an inclusive culture using digital, and maintaining harmony amongst our teams.


There are no right or wrong approaches to our working arrangements at a time like this.


I ask that you think about how we will need to go about things differently through necessity, and how some of the best of those different approaches can be made permanent so we can do what we do - serve the NSW community.


And finally, thank you.


Many of you have seen people you know out of work, we worry about the health of family members, particularly our vulnerable, and we are educating a generation of youth in a different way. Amongst all that, you keep turning up daily to deliver.


So again, thank you.

Tim

Page published: 31 Mar 2020, 02:31 PM