SCORE is a workgroup-based civility intervention. Although informed by experience with CREW, SCORE differs in important ways.
- SCORE occurs through 5 sessions.
- SCORE’s 5 sessions have a consistent curriculum. Rather than facilitators selecting activities from a large toolkit, SCORE has a structured agenda for each session that all groups follow.
- SCORE uses a professional Facilitator from a consulting firm (PeopleScape for the Australia initiative). One or two co-facilitators from the organizational work with the Facilitator.
The Western Health (WH) Project
Western Health is a health district in the western sections of Melbourne with facilities in the suburbs of Footscray, Sunshine, and Williamstown. These facilities include hospitals, outpatient clinics, and aged care. (Australia has universal healthcare similar to Canada but allows a private sector option in parallel.) Note: Western Health agreed in writing to identify itself as the participating institution in publications arising from the project.
WH had previously contracted with PeopleScape for management services. WH expressed a keen interest in a civility intervention when WH became aware of the service. Government had urged health care providers across the state of Victoria to improve workplace relationships in light of many complaints about bullying and violence.
Anne Wright and Suellen Bruce of WH’s People and Culture sector took the lead for WH. They invited interested unit managers and executive directors of WH departments (note: NUM is the commonly used term for Nursing Unit Manager.) I (M Leiter) gave talks to managers and interested personnel at the main hospital.
The baseline survey invited participation from 12 units with 403 employees; we received 235 responses (58%). Units were told that a high response on a unit would increase their changes of being in the initial phase of SCORE as it would indicate employee enthusiasm for action. WH had committed to implementing SCORE on five units: two in Wave 1; three in Wave 2. Further implementation depended on funding. WH selected participating units in light of initial profile and participation rate.
Michael P. Leiter, PhD
Professor of Organizational Psychology
Deakin University
WorkEngagement 