The team from AIM has grown in 2011 in numbers and skill sets; we hope this has helped us to meet your various needs.  We have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the high quality and consistency we all aspire to and hope this encourages you to utilise our team in 2012.

Thanks so much all of you that have supported and helped us to prevent injury and discomfort as well as rehabilitating people from injury.

We have valued being invited to work alongside some caring, dynamic and inspirational people in 2011.

Merry Christmas and have a great break from AIM.

Reduce Your Employment Risk with Pre-Employment Screens!

Active Intervention Management (AIM) Ltd developed a superior Pre-employment Screening (PES) process available to all companies small or large.  PES is the way of the future putting employers at ease when hiring.

Its multi-disciplinary approach gives employer(s) a risk rating for a potential employee, including functional, medical and psychometric testing, with options of choosing one or all of the above in a package deal.

Companies often only screen potential employees for medical history missing vital screening of past physical injuries and how they can affect their performance.  Hiring managers may not have the skills or infrastructure to support their assessment of whether an individual has the right level of skills, personality and background to complete a role to the standard expected, inevitably putting a company at risk of making permanent hiring decisions that may cost them (and the worker) in the future.

PES is carried out by highly skilled specialists in their areas of expertise

• Doctor
• Physiotherapist – Debbie Perkins, Active Intervention Management (AIM)
• HR and Recruitment

Specific Functional Screen covers the following:

• Past injury history
• Blood pressure
• Heart rate monitoring throughout testing ensuring we can pick up discomfort/ stress
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Cardiovascular fitness
• Abdominal strength
• Back strength and endurance
• Safe maximal lifting capacity to different heights
• Postural tolerance (a workers tolerance to static challenging postures)
• Full joint and range of motion testing
• Muscle strength and flexibility
• Ability to climb ladders and manoeuvre uneven terrain
• Carrying loads over all terrains

Once screened we are able to provide employers with a risk rating for injury, comparison for the potential job role, recommendations/ risk reduction strategies for potential employees, and alternative recommendations for less physical role(s).

For larger companies with many different roles we are also able to complete work site assessments for common roles giving a more accurate risk rating.

Medical Screening

Widdowson and Sprague Medical Practice Medical screening includes:

• General health medical screen
• Blood Pressure
• Vision/ hearing testing
• Drug testing
• Spirometry (lung function testing)

Psychometric Testing and Background Checks

Rachel Dennis is experienced in Recruitment, Human Resource Management and trained in the administration and interpretation of the suite of GenSys Psychometric Tests.

The company chooses aptitude and/or personality profile test(s) they want administered based upon business and employment needs.  Tests take no longer than 30 minutes to complete, ensuring the recruitment process isn’t affected.  Employers then receive a detailed report communicating results easily understood and useful.

Psychometric Tests:

•   Measures of Aptitude and Ability:
  

Accumulated evidence supports the power of ability tests in predicting occupational and academic outcomes. The following tests are developed on this foundation.

•  Industrial Proficiency Test:

Measures processing oriented aptitudes and skills including following instructions, numerical reasoning, symbolic reasoning and checking ability

•  Technical Test Battery:

Measures aptitudes relevant to a technical role including mechanical reasoning, spatial reasoning and visual acuity

•  Graduate Reasoning Test:

Comprehensive assessment of high level mental ability

•  General Reasoning Test:

Assesses general ability covering verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning

•  Adaptive Reasoning Test:

A precise measure of reasoning ability

•  Critical Reasoning Test:

Assesses high level verbal and numerical reasoning abilities

•  Clerical Test Battery:

Measures clerical aptitudes and skills including verbal reasoning, numerical ability, clerical checking and spelling

Measures of Personality and Preference:

Personality questionnaires provide a fair, objective and cost effective method of predicting likely behaviours in a wide range of settings.

•   Fifteen Factor Questionnaire Plus:

Comprehensive trait based assessment of personality

•  Occupational Personality Profile:

A focused assessment of 9 core personality traits

•  Jung Type Indicator:

Personality preferences along four dimensions, giving a classification of psychological type

•  Sales Preference Indicator:

Measures successful sales behaviour

•  Values and Motives Indicator:

Measures workplace drivers and personal values

•  Occupational Interest Profile:

Measures vocational interests and personal work needs

Background Checks

Rachel Dennis’ wide and varied experience in managing high volume recruitment, across a range of industries and positions has enabled her to design a strong and efficient background checking service that can adapt to suit your business’ needs – targeting specific queries for each applicant.

Background checks can be a timely administration process that is easily missed out or not completed properly due to time and resource restraints.  It is important to obtain thorough understanding of potential employees work history, verifying information on their CV while asking targeted questions based on competencies for the position being interviewed.

• We can take the administration process away and complete a confidential reference checking process specific to what your company’s needs are.

• We will provide an in depth and thorough report on the provision of individual’s reference details and a discussion of what information is required.

Active Intervention Management can tailor a Pre-employment Screen to meet your specific requirements.

‘Pick and Mix!’

Poor Work Station set up - BEFORE

Good workstation setup – AFTER

Wayne Stokes – Director and CEO of Kia Tupato Security Services, was the winner of the laptop stand from the AIM display at the 2011 Northland Business Expo, you can see from the photos that his posture is much improved.

We hope Wayne continues to be comfortable and safe at work.

To find out how you can improve your Workstation, contact us at link below.

Unfortunately, didn’t win anything but it was a great experience. A few photos of the event below…

A workplace assessment is conducted at the worksite and completed to ensure clear and concise documentation of the clients work tasks, biomechanical, cognitive and sensory demands.

The key points covered in the assessment are considered by the insurer to assist in determining cover for a work-related gradual process, disease or infection claim are that:

• there is a property or characteristic in the clients work task or environment (some feature, such as a repetitive movement or noisy workplace) that causes or contributes to your injury
• the property or characteristic is not found to any material extent in the non-work activities
• the risk of injury to the client in their job or work environment is significantly greater than for someone who doesn’t do their job, or work in that environment

AIM is able to negotiate cost in the delivery of this service to private organisations/individuals.

Activity as the Key to Rehabilitation Success

Pain contributes to activity avoidance. For individuals with persistent pain, activity avoidance can lead to deconditioning, lower tolerance for physical activity, increased disability and ultimately, reduced quality of life. Recent research has supported the view that return to activity is critical to the success of rehabilitation for individuals with persistent pain conditions.

Unfortunately, simple recommendations to increase activity involvement have not been effective in reducing the degree of disability associated with pain. It has become clear that increasing activity involves a complex interplay among many factors including the individual’s physical symptoms, lifestyle, environment, perceptions and beliefs, and his or her confidence in the ability to overcome these difficulties. Indeed, psychosocial factors are currently considered to be the most significant determinants of disability associated with pain.

The Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAP) is the first disability prevention program specifically designed to target psychosocial risk factors for pain and disability.

PGAP is a 10-week activity mobilization program that has been tailored to meet the rehabilitation needs of individuals who are struggling to overcome the challenges associated with a wide range of persistent pain conditions. PGAP is suitable for clients who are suffering from a persistent pain condition, and for whom pain symptoms and psychosocial factors are significant barriers to rehabilitation progress.

PGAP has produced positive results for individuals suffering from chronic musculoskeletal conditions, whiplash, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Intervention within the Community

In order to increase the accessibility of the Progressive Goal Attainment Program, the intervention was developed as part of a broad community-based approach to disability management.  This program was developed in Canada and has been brought to New Zealand by ACC.

AIM currently has  five practitioners trained in the delivery of PGAP who are available to assist clients.

Measure of Impact of PGAP

A recent study compared individuals who participated in PGAP + Physiotherapy (N = 70) to individuals who participated only in Physiotherapy (N = 60). All individuals had sustained soft tissue injuries to the neck, shoulders or back subsequent to a motor vehicle accident. On average participants in the trial were 6 months post-injury at the time of referral. Participation in the PGAP + Physiotherapy treatment condition was associated with a higher probability of returning to work (75%) than participation in Physiotherapy alone (50%), p < .001.

Differences between treatment conditions were most pronounced for the subgroup of individuals who obtained the highest scores on measures of psychosocial risk factors. The findings suggest that PGAP can be an effective means of improving function and facilitating return to work in individuals at risk for prolonged pain-related disability

• testing the suitability of job options and the work types identified in the Initial Occupational Assessment (IOA) and Initial Medical Assessment (IMA) of the Client
• orientating the Client to a specific work type
• minimising employment market barriers to the Client either returning to work or work readiness in suitable occupations
• re-establishing work routines, which will ensure that the Client receives the assistance required

At the end of this program the goal is for the client to demonstrate an ability to perform a work type(s) identified in the IOA and IMA.

This service is for clients who are entitled to receive vocational rehabilitation; have the potential to be work ready in specific occupation (s) as stated in the IOA and IMA; and may have previously completed a Work Preparation programme (IWPP).

What is involved?

On referral an interview is arranged and a plan of action developed for approval.  A work trial is then sourced with the AIM consultant monitoring and  troubleshooting during the work trial including progress reports. It includes an on site assessment of the Work Environment, Curriculum Vitae Modification  and reporting to the insurer.

• Pprepare the Client for the work types identified in the Initial Occupational Assessment and Initial Medical Assessment
• Increase the Client’s work readiness and injury management skills in an effective, timely and safe manner
• Return the Client to independence and/or work and/or work readiness
• Ensure that the Client achieves the maximum possible level of functioning through the use of activity, psychological and vocational interventions , promotion of self-management strategies, and enhancing the level of independence and participation in usual activities such as work
• Enable the Client to achieve the outcomes specified in the Client’s Individual Rehabilitation Plan (IRP) as supported by the Initial Occupational Assessment (IOA) and Initial Medical Assessment (IMA) in a safe, cost effective, timely and durable manner.

What is involved?

Following the initial interview the clinician recommends a program based around job search skills (PEP -4 weeks) or a lengthier program (IWPP – up to six weeks) incorporating vocational, rehabilitation and psychological components.  Each program needs to be approved by the payer prior to starting.

Vocational independence

Vocational independence is achieved when a client can do the work they are trained, experienced, or educated in and they can work for 30 hours per week or more.

The purpose of the VIOA is to:

• Consider the Individual Rehabilitation Plan prepared with the client.
• Review the vocational rehabilitation carried out and completed under the plan.
• Consider the types of work suitable for the client.

A report is provided that will show whether a client’s rehabilitation has been completed and they are able to obtain/maintain employment or have achieved vocational independence. This assessment confirms that the client has been given comprehensive vocational rehabilitation that has addressed any injury-related barriers to their independence in employment.

AIM will provide case managers with access to time limited high quality standardised Transitional Job Search Services which are cost-effective, provided in a safe environment, and delivered in a timely manner;

The goal is to achieve a job placement for the client that is sustained for at least three months.

What is involved?

The TJS provides job seeking advice and placement assistance up to maximum of 12 hours within 10 weeks per referred Client. The Transitional Job Search Service consists of:

• Development of a Transitional Job Search Plan of Action
• Job Seeking/placement Services provided in accordance with the plan.
• Update of Client’s Curriculum Vitae if required,
• Progress Reports
• Transitional Job Search Service Completion Report
• Non-Participation notification