Australia Post

Australia Post already had a range of traditional employee development courses and policies, but as Neil Wells, human resources director commented: “the results generally have not always met our high expectations.” The company felt that: “they seemed to be taking one step forward and two steps back in the management development area”. As a result, the company invited IMCA faculty in Australia to contribute to the development initiatives offered to its employees. The courses developed have been very successful and Neil Wells comments:
“We were attracted by a management development process where everyone could be winners, the individual, the client organization and the individual sponsor, and by the emphasis on outputs rather than inputs. We are well pleased with the contribution which IMCA has made towards the development of our management and supervisory people.”
The change to action learning was not initially easy for the organization’s employees as they found it to be a real cultural shock, “real world learning called for them to make things happen”. Action learning now plays an important part in the organization and is a critical part of the organization’s employee development. Sample projects include:

• The development of a sales management model within Australian Post.
  
• The improvement of marketing effectiveness and regional office operations through information technology: a case study.
  
• A process for improving the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams.
  
• A strategy to develop inward product licensing: a case study of the integrated group Australia.
  
• The role of a founder-owner in cultural development and change management.
  
• Strategically managing a merger: a case study.