What happens when senior leaders step out of meeting rooms and into frontline service environments?

In this episode of Work with Purpose, host Louise MacDonald, managing partner, at EY, Canberra speaks with Kirsty Kirk, director of Leadership Programs at Services Australia, and Ken Walker, National Manager, Emergency Response at Services Australia, about Services Australia’s Service Delivery Immersion Program.

The program gives SES leaders and policy partners firsthand insight into how decisions, systems and policies land for staff and customers. By spending time in service centres and call environments, leaders see the complexity of frontline work, the needs of vulnerable customers, and the opportunities to make services simpler and more effective.

Recognised through the IPAA ACT Spirit of Service Awards, the program has expanded across government and is helping build more empathetic, customer-centred leadership.

Key tips:

1.      Stay close to the people your work affects. Regularly step away from the desk to observe services, speak with communities, and see firsthand how policies and programs land in real life.

2.      Design and decide from the user’s perspective. Ask, “What does this feel like for the person on the receiving end?”. Aim for interactions that are simple, human, and seamless.

3.      Treat frontline staff as partners, not endpoints. Involve the people who deliver services in shaping policy, programs and systems. Listen to their insights, act on what you hear, and keep feedback loops open.

4.      Lead with curiosity and empathy. Frontline immersion helps leaders better understand customer complexity, staff pressures, and the human impact of their decisions.

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