Working at St John of God Health Care

With more than 8,000 caregivers employed across all divisions, St John of God Health Care (SJGHC) provides significant opportunities for highly developed and motivated individuals keen to pursue a career in the health sector. The term "caregiver" is used to describe all employees, because every person, regardless of whether they are involved in direct hands on care, contributes to the well being of our patients and clients. It is through the caregivers of SJGHC that healing will come to the people entrusted in our care.

Many employment opportunities are available in all locations including nursing, professional/technical, support services, administrative/clerical and supervisory and managerial categories.

SJGHC also has an established Social Outreach and Advocacy program that provides a coordinated and integrated group-wide framework for extending its mission beyond the walls of our hospitals and diagnostic services. There are opportunities for employees to become involved in the numerous programs managed by our hospitals and diagnostic services that provide support to local communities.

2008 Employer of Choice for Women Award 
St John of God Health Care has again been named by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) as one of Australia's employers of choice for women. In 2008, EOWA  awarded the citation to St John of God Health Care for the 7th consecutive year. The award is national recognition of St John of God Health Care's efforts to recognise and advance its predominantly female workforce and provide a flexible workplace for all caregivers.

An Attractive and Principled Employer
A key goal of SJGHC is to be an "Attractive and Principled Employer".  This means having a culture which is supportive of, and values, its caregivers.  We do this by having employment relations based on trust and principles centred on and aligned with our Mission and five core Values of Hospitality, Compassion, Respect, Justice and Excellence. A Code of Conduct brochure provides a guideline for our caregivers who are striving to express these Values in their particular area of work, and assists in clarifying the organisation's expectations for new caregivers.

Being an Attractive and Principled Employer will therefore mean:

• We provide a high level of service excellence to our patients, clients, doctors and customers.
• We have a culture that supports and wholistically develops our caregivers and encourages them to stay.
• We ensure that our employment relations are governed by principles centred on our Mission and Values and supported by policies.
• We ensure that our caregivers are able to work in a safe and healthy environment.
• We offer competitive and just remuneration and benefits.
• We encourage a culture of recognition and reward for our caregivers.
• We strive to promote work/life balance strategies.
• We offer opportunities for caregivers to contribute to the wider community through our Social Outreach and Advocacy and other programs.
• We are seen as an attractive employer to prospective caregivers.

Overall we acknowledge that it is a combination of these factors and the ongoing review and development of appropriate policies and initiatives that make SJGHC an "Attractive and Principled Employer".  Further details regarding specific benefits are outlined below.

Competitive Salaries, Conditions and Benefits
SJGHC continually reviews its salary levels and general conditions of employment to ensure that it remains an attractive employer.  Not only are our rates of pay competitive within the relevant market, but we are continually reviewing general employment policies and benefits to ensure that we can meet the expectations of our caregivers. 

As a caregiver of St John of God Health Care you will have access to a selected group of companies that offer an exclusive range of discounts and benefits. From financial services to health insurance, travel to technology, you can access reduced rates, special offers and discounted fees - just for working with St John of God Health Care. HBF, Medibank Private, Commonwealth Bank, Optus, The Qantas Club, Hertz and the Accor group of hotels are only a few of the organisations involved.

A Supportive Environment
SJGHC is an organisation built on the history of caring for people.   A wide network of support services are available in the workplace for general advice and assistance for caregivers in addition to the support provided by supervisors and managers.  These include our Mission Leaders, Human Resource Managers and Advisors and external assistance through our Employee Assistance Programs.  

Family Friendly Workplaces
Balancing the demands of work and family is one of the challenges facing many employees today. That's why at SJGHC, part-time employment, flexible rostering and flexible leave arrangements are just some of the options to assist in balancing work and family. 

Paid Parental Leave
Paid parental leave is available to caregivers, both male and female, for the birth or adoption of a child.  Usually up to eight weeks leave is provided to mothers and one week's leave is available to fathers. 

Availability of Salary Packaging
Salary Packaging is an optional benefit available to all permanent caregivers. This benefit arises because SJGHC is considered a Public Benevolent Institution for Fringe Benefits Tax purposes. Salary packaging allows caregivers to forego part of their taxable income in return for other benefits (eg mortgage payments or additional superannuation payments). The amount foregone is a reduction in the caregiver's gross salary, thus resulting in a tax saving.  

Modern Facilities
As one of Australia's leading health care providers we have modern facilities which provide a pleasant working environment for caregivers, patients and visitors and access to some of the latest health care technology. 

Extensive Orientation Programs
We understand that commencing with a new organisation can be daunting as well as exciting.  There is an opportunity for every new caregiver to attend an extensive orientation process in their first weeks of employment. 

Commitment to Learning and Development
We are committed to the principle of life long learning and continued improvement and development of caregivers through innovative, creative and nurturing educational opportunities relevant to the caregiver's position and occupation.

Our vision is to inspire and capture caregivers' enthusiasm through learning and to facilitate personal and professional growth reflecting the Mission and Values aligned with St John of God Health Care's strategic direction.  This vision is achieved through the provision of a wide range of professional educational and learning opportunities.

Please contact the Learning & Development team at each division for further information or click on the links below for details of divisional education programs.

Health and Fitness
We encourage people to stay healthy. Initiatives run at most sites each year include meditation, Tai Chi, healthy eating plans and support and encouragement to undertake exercise.  Some sites also provide access to onsite gyms. 

Occupational Safety and Health
The safety and health of employees is an ongoing priority at SJGHC.  Well developed and extensive OS&H systems are in place to ensure that hazards in the workplace are effectively managed ensuring that our caregivers are able to undertake their work in a safe and healthy workplace. 

Subsidised Meals
Subsidised meals for caregivers are available at most sites through staff cafeterias at our hospitals.