ESSA, We Have a Problem.
A quick note: What I’m about to express publicly, I have told already articulated to Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) on multiple forums including the ESSA NSW state chapter AGM 2021 & 2020, regular state chapter meetings, phone calls to ESSA, survey responses, and most recently a virtual meeting with members of the ESSA NSW chapter committee and national office.
*Exercise & Sports Science Australia was contacted for this article but they declined to comment.
Background
There has been recent discussions amongst the NSW ESSA membership regarding our profession’s standing both amongst our healthcare community and in the public. Where our profession should be front and centre we are not. Instead, the headlines are for other professions such as personal trainers and physiotherapists.
When concerns are raised by the membership, the reaction from ESSA is defensive and will usually respond with some good news or a win before referring concerns to an email address or directing the member to call national office. Although it might not be ESSA’s intention, their comments are perceived to be devaluing the member’s query or concern, or suggesting that the member doesn’t have all the information and is lacking context, or that social media is the incorrect forum, or at worst – that the member has no right in raising a concern and they are just complaining.
Let’s work the problem people
I think ESSA has a problem with member inclusion, engagement and participation.
The pandemic has served to highlight where ESSA excels in providing their members with support. ESSA did great things during COVID, much better than most associations if you are to believe some reports. Credit where credit is due. The pandemic also highlights, however, where ESSA struggles to engage its members and meet expectations.
ESSA appears to have very little idea as to what the membership really wants. Attempts to truly engage and speak to the membership have failed. Over the many years, I have listened as ESSA on both state and national levels tell me to quote “speak up” and to tell them what I want as a member. They have asked me to encourage others to volunteer, attend meetings and to contact ESSA. The following is an excerpt of a comment I recently posted in response to a post on the ESSA NSW Facebook page dated 23 December 2021.
“For many reasons members are unable, unwilling or simply do not want to volunteer. This does not disqualify them from complaining or commenting nor does it make their voice or opinion less valuable that those who choose to volunteer.
ESSA is aware they have a challenge with membership engagement. I know this because in addition to completing their many surveys, most recently the culture survey (p.s. only 2.6% of members responded – ouch!), I have personally told them about my experience and those of current and ex-members. Most of which are so disillusioned with ESSA that they have given up on even trying to communicate or moved to another profession.
All members should be equally valued and when another member has a differing experience to ours, it is an opportunity to hold a safe space to listen, engage and discuss.
The final page of the ESSA 2021 Culture Report was on defining The "ESSA Team" Roles. The final paragraph reads: “Members provide input and feedback as required to ensure outcomes being achieved in a way that benefits members. Raise concerns or risks when they occur and work together in finding solutions that will help manage these risks or challenges. Support the creation of effective, fun, responsive and impactful solutions achieved in a collaborative and inclusive way.”
This is for ALL members, even those who choose not to volunteer.
We should be encouraging every member to talk, comment, interact, (and yes, even complain) and reach out to ESSA. At the very least, ESSA will listen. At the very best, we will be a stronger profession.”
I have made numerous suggestions on how to better engage the membership. I have suggested a more personal approach to member engagement, to utilise senior members like myself to reach out to younger members and to personally interact with them. Other members have suggested ESSA build specific industry working groups made up of member volunteers who work in and have intimate knowledge in those specific areas and are more sensitive to changes in that space (i.e. NDIS, Personal injury, Private health).
I have also suggested holding open forums where people can speak freely and without fear of consequence.
There are members who genuinely fear that they will be targeted should they speak up or against ESSA, which is a foreseeable risk when our membership body is the same as our governing & accreditation body.
Does there need to be a discussion around separating the membership body from the accreditation body? From what we’ve seen recently, at the very least there needs to be more transparency regarding the choice to opt into or out of membership.
The explanation (ahem, excuse) provided by ESSA about the billing system being incapable of separating accreditation fees from the membership fee seems like it could be fixed.
There are also members who just don’t care anymore, who have become so disheartened and apathetic about ESSA and who would leave ESSA if they had any other choice. These are the same members who refer to ESSA as a “necessary evil” to be able to continue to work in their chosen field of healthcare. I know all of this because members, both past and present have told me this. At times, I too have felt the same way.
Let’s take a look at the 2021 culture survey which no doubt costs thousands of dollars and in which only 2.6% of members completed (ouch!). Here’s the full list of responses by groups within ESSA:
100% Board & Leaders
10% Volunteer
81% Employees
2.6% Members
According to the ESSA Annual Report 2020, there were 7,276 full members. Someone check my math – 2.6% of 7,276 members is 189 (double ouch!)
There are also more statistics on face-to-face participation across the groups on Page 3, if it interests you.
Given those statistics, it seems like an utter waste of our membership fees and resources if the intent was to get a view of ESSA’s culture.
Does the absence of responses tell us more about ESSA’s culture than the results of the survey?
Yes, I was one of the 2.6% who completed the survey and I did put my name forward for further consultation. (Still waiting to hear back). Here’s my feedback about the actual survey, the questions in the culture survey were long-winded, difficult to comprehend and at times impossible to answer. The final outcome was a 23-page report full of words. Lots and lots (and lots) of words. So, I suggest you start on page 14.
A Personal Experience
Allow me to share a personal experience from the 2021 ESSA NSW State Chapter AGM as a personal example and also my experience with involvement in the 2021 ESSA NSW State Occupational Rehabilitation Symposium.
I will begin with the latter because my experience and thoughts on that were relevant to the comments I made during the ESSA NSW State Chapter AGM. I would like to formally note that my comments during the meeting are not accurately reflected in the meeting minutes and I will address this further down.
Let me preface the following account by stating, I have been a full member of Exercise Sports Science Australia (ESSA), previously AAESS, since 2004 and prior that a student member. I have served on the NSW Chapter Committee of AAESS during the application to then WorkCover NSW, Private Health Insurance and Medicare Benefits Scheme. I was one of the members who presented the initial WorkCover NSW training courses for accredited exercise physiologists. I have been a workplace rehabilitation professional for the majority of my career. I have worked as both a clinical exercise physiologist and workplace rehabilitation consultant, published a book about my experiences in the industry, intensively studied regulations and frameworks within personal injury, have been directly involved in thousands of cases, and my company currently provides the most comprehensive professional development course for workplace rehabilitation consultants available in the industry (which, it should be noted, is an accredited course by ESSA). With this experience, I consider myself somewhat of an expert.
When I heard about the ESSA Occupational Rehabilitation Symposium I was extremely excited. ESSA was recognising exercise physiologists working in occupational rehabilitation and this was something for which I have been advocating for many years.
I had advised ESSA of my interest in being involved in any capacity though my strong preference was to be a speaker at the symposium. During an impromptu chat with an NSW ESSA committee member in which I expressed my interest in speaking, I was told the committee were looking for quote “experts” in the industry, they had already secured two speakers and were looking for only a few more. I questioned the committee member if any ESSA members / AEPs were being considered and the answer was no. The committee member commented they were looking for lawyers, psychologists and other professions who could quote “add value” to the symposium. It was made quite clear that no ESSA members were being considered as a speaker and that included me.
Only a few hours later and following on from some public recognition from a highly respected individual in the workers compensation industry, I was quickly approached by the same committee member who said he would now consider me as a speaker at the symposium and he would be in touch.
After formal discussions with ESSA I was confirmed to be a speaker and was told that ESSA National would reach out to me to confirm details. As the proposed date of the symposium was nearing and restrictions around the pandemic were increasing, I had not yet been provided any details so I contacted ESSA to follow up.
Between confirmation and following up, I had also attended a NSW ESSA monthly meeting and expressed my enthusiasm, support and continued commitment to speaking at the symposium, face to face or virtually as the pandemic allowed.
I was contacted by telephone by the same committee member with whom I’d initially chatted who informed me that due to COVID, the face-to-face symposium was cancelled and the committee had to quote “make some tough decisions.” They were now only permitted to choose two speakers for a state symposium event and that the event was no longer being billed as an occupational rehabilitation symposium but rather as a stand-alone professional development event. The committee member was apologetic and pragmatic and although I was disappointed, I understood the situation. I was told the decision on speakers was based on a few things including what would be the most relevant content, what would be a quote “broader subject matter” to attract both ESSA members and other healthcare professionals and again the matter of expertise was raised.
At the time of the call, I was quick to express my disappointment with being dropped from the line-up though the consolation was a view to still hold a face-to-face occupational rehabilitation symposium in the future. The committee member reiterated the event would be billed as a state symposium with broader focus. When the marketing material was released I was both surprised and disappointed the symposium was billed as having a quote “occupational rehabilitation focus.” I was also quite upset because I felt that I had been misled in my discussions with the committee member. I also felt frustrated because I have certainly earnt my space on the (virtual) stage both as a member of ESSA who has advocated for workplace rehabilitation for many years and as an expert in the field. I also felt that my topic which addressed occupational burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma was a relevant and broad subject matter for healthcare professionals and would have met all the criteria for inclusion in the new virtual event.
I will admit my reaction is personal and emotional. I will acknowledge that my personal experience leads to bias. Without the experience, however, I would not have a first-hand account of what it feels like to be let down and overlooked by my own professional association. Up until my experience, I had only listened to peers speak about theirs. I turned to these same peers along with other colleagues, friends and my mentors to discuss, process and reflect upon my experience. And with that, I attended the ESSA NSW AGM with the intention of raising a discussion and expressing my strong opinions about member inclusion, diversity, expertise, and engagement.
I now reference the 2021 ESSA NSW AGM meeting minutes. It reads:
“Rhea – thanks for the Occ Rehab Symposium. It would be great to see more NSW EPs pitch in.”
Firstly, you’re welcome.
Secondly, given the nature of my comments and concerns raised, this single line in the minutes is not adequate. I will now openly share some comments and opinions which were raised either at the AGM or in my phone call with ESSA National the following day.
When I initially asked if ESSA members were being considered for the symposium the answer was no. This is a failure by ESSA to not consider having even one member to be a part of an occupational rehabilitation symposium. Even when I explicitly asked to be considered as a speaker, I was overlooked and told that the committee were looking for quote “experts”. Even if ESSA doesn’t consider me an expert in occupational rehabilitation, then surely it could find another member who they do consider to be one.
Furthermore, with just a touch over 7,200 members it is utterly inconceivable the committee could not find just one member who they consider an expert in the field of occupational rehabilitation and compensation. In my phone contacts alone I have at least 10 exercise physiologists whom I would consider experts in various sectors of the occupational rehabilitation industry who would have happily spoken at the symposium. Interestingly, there were another five who expressed to me their utter disdain for our association that they wouldn’t give ESSA the time even if they were asked.
It was not until I had been publicly acknowledged by a highly regarded authority within workers compensation was I considered for further discussion. That just felt wrong. And yes, this continues to annoy me.
If ESSA is unwilling or unable look to its own members for expertise in any specific field then how can we expect the wider community to value us?
In addition to marketing to members, I was told the state symposium was also being marketed to the wider healthcare and rehabilitation community. This was a prime opportunity to showcase some of our members who are doing great things in occupational rehabilitation and compensation, instead ESSA chose to showcase different professions.
In general, if ESSA exists to serve its members then the professional development offering should reflect it. ESSA should be looking at professional development not because it will be popular or make lots of money or attract massive interest, but because it is attempting to serve all its members not just the majority. If ESSA put on a professional development event and only a handful of members attend, this should be deemed as successful as an event which attracts hundreds.
Some comments from the committee was that members need to approach ESSA to offer their time and expertise because opportunities exist such as to present a webinar, participate in a business chat, write articles for Exercise Right, serve on committee and/or volunteer.
My response - some members do offer and they are turned away, others don’t feel comfortable asking and putting themselves forward or they don’t believe they have anything to offer, some don’t know they can ask, and other members feel so devalued they don’t believe ESSA would even listen.
I believe this is going to be our finest hour
ESSA knows it has a problem with membership inclusion, engagement, perception and satisfaction. They appear to be trying, though I have yet to see them consider novel and innovative solutions to increase member engagement. With over 7,200 members, it’s time to tap into that collective knowledge.
I want to see more recognition of our profession in the wider community.
I want to see more of our members on stages, in positions of influence, writing policy and creating change.
I want our members to understand the value of our association and to feel that their skills and attributes are enough to contribute.
I want to see ESSA value every member.
ESSA needs to hit the reset button and begin simply with asking why it exists. ESSA has grown exponentially over the years and it seems like they don’t know how to keep up. ESSA appears to have fallen into the every other corporation bureaucracy crap, lots of strategic planning, surveys, lots of committees and sub-committees and focus groups.
The final page of the ESSA 2021 Culture Report was on defining The "ESSA Team" Roles. The final paragraph reads:
“Members provide input and feedback as required to ensure outcomes being achieved in a way that benefits members. Raise concerns or risks when they occur and work together in finding solutions that will help manage these risks or challenges. Support the creation of effective, fun, responsive and impactful solutions achieved in a collaborative and inclusive way.”
We can no longer claim that our profession is in its infancy. There are many brilliant minds, visionaries and innovators amongst us though ESSA cannot or will not engage with them. They will not capitalise on members who already advocate and promote our profession because they don’t fit into whatever strategic plan, marketing plan or nice little box they have built and want members to fit into.
There are members who have offered their time, experience, industry knowledge, skills and networks to promote and advocate for exercise physiologists. I am one of them and like many others I am now exhausted and I am weary. I have put in the time and the effort, I have completed every survey, attended meetings, spoken with the national and state chapter, written emails, put my hand up for webinars, done business chats, commented on Facebook groups, written for Exercise Right, applied to be on focus groups and working groups. Now I’m writing this.
ESSA needs to build better relationships with key industry decision makers and actively maintain these relationships so as to have genuine influence in policy or at least some warning on what changes are coming.
ESSA needs to rebuild its own community. It needs to encourage all voices to speak and share their experience. ESSA needs to understand that when people comment, (and yes) complain, it’s because they actually give a shit. It’s because they want a better system. ESSA should see this an opportunity to engage in compassionate discussions.
Cheers for now,
-Rhea. ESSA #2804. My opinions are strong and loosely held. Let’s have a discussion.
*Exercise & Sports Science Australia was contacted for this article but they declined to comment.