Following insights from the annual People Matter Engagement Survey (PMES). With employees reporting challenges related to wellbeing, learning and development, recognition, and change management, the Ministry sought to foster a workplace culture that balances performance with employee wellbeing, enables career development, and builds stronger engagement through recognition and inclusive change management.

Bendelta was engaged to uplift the employee experience in a way that was meaningful, engaging, and aligned with the Ministry’s broader objectives. This project was deeply rooted in the belief that truly listening to employees and co-designing solutions with them leads to sustainable and impactful change.

What did we do?

Using a human-centered design approach, Bendelta structured the program around key principles to drive impactful change:

• Interactive and inclusive approach: Employees participated in collaborative focus groups, sharing experiences and ideas on improving wellbeing, career development, recognition, and change management.
• Deep listening and co-design: Solutions were developed through a process of genuine employee engagement, ensuring the outcomes reflected their real needs and aspirations.
• Data-driven insights: Feedback from employees was analysed alongside industry research to identify key themes and actionable recommendations.
• Practical learning solutions: The approach emphasised real-world application, with a focus on ‘learning in the flow of work,’ enabling employees to build new capabilities through hands-on experience.
• Leadership alignment: Senior leaders were actively engaged, ensuring new leadership practices were championed at all levels.
• Recognition and feedback culture: A system was developed to promote continuous, meaningful recognition, ensuring employees felt valued and engaged in their roles.
• Embedding change through storytelling: The project leveraged storytelling, shared experiences, and interactive discussions to humanise the transformation process.

The outcome

The response from employees and leaders was overwhelmingly positive. The initiative engaged employees across different divisions, with strong representation from both the Ministry of Health and the Health System Support Group (HSSG). Employees reported a significant increase in engagement and a deeper sense of belonging, leading to greater motivation and workplace satisfaction.

Key outcomes included:

• Stronger leadership commitment to wellbeing and employee development.
• Enhanced recognition culture, with more equitable and meaningful ways to acknowledge contributions.
• Improved change management practices, ensuring employees are involved in shaping the future of their workplace.
• Increased accessibility of learning and development opportunities, fostering career growth and skill development.

A post-initiative evaluation found that 97% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the process was valuable and should continue. One employee commented, “It was the most insightful and empowering session I’ve had in my career at the Ministry.”

Sustaining Change: Development of an Interactive Change Management Toolkit

Based on employee recommendations, the Ministry of Health and Bendelta co-created an Interactive Change Management Toolkit to provide ongoing support for leaders and employees navigating change. This toolkit is designed to:

• Equip leaders with practical strategies for managing resistance and driving engagement.
• Offer employees a structured pathway to adapt to and embrace change.
• Foster continuous learning and improvement through an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
• Provide real-time resources, case studies, and tools to embed a culture of change readiness.

The interactive toolkit enables leaders and employees to move through the key phases of change—essentials, preparation, implementation, and sustainment—with confidence and clarity.

By embedding this change approach within the organisation, the Ministry is ensuring that employees remain at the heart of its transformation efforts, reinforcing a human-centred workplace culture where employees feel heard, valued, and empowered to shape their work environment.