Our Processes

Workbridge is the largest New Zealand-owned employment service for people with a disability or health condition.

Workbridge works in partnership with
jobseekers and employers

Workbridge works in partnership with jobseekers and employers. Our role is to facilitate both jobseeker and employer through a process to develop and maintain their employment relationship. We believe everyone has the potential to be employed. We will focus on identifying and strengthening positive attributes and build on these abilities to get work and keep work. Our ‘strength based’ approach is reflected in our service delivery model. Workbridge has adopted  and reviews itself against the NZ Employment Support Practice Guidelines

You can expect to be working with more than one Employment Consultant according to their strengths and experience. If you have specific needs about how we work with you, please let us know; we will do our best to accommodate this.

How Workbridge works with jobseekers

1

First Meeting

Our first meeting starts the conversation about what work you are looking for and what you want from us. We will tell you about the range of things Workbridge does, check you meet our criteria and exchange details. 

2

Getting to Know You

Our Employment Consultants will work with you to develop an in-depth profile in order to successfully match you to employment. This will include:

  • Your experience, skills and qualifications and how these match to the current labour market
  • Your disability, illness or injury and potential impact on work
  • Discuss if, when and how you might disclose this to an employer. We call this ‘Positive Disclosure’
  • Identifying anything else getting in the way of you successfully finding and keeping employment that we need to work on (e.g. childcare, transport or confidence)
  • When are you available to work (e.g. full-time, part-time, night shifts or weekends)
  • Any support you might require to keep your job once you are in work.

3

Plan of Action

Our Employment Consultants will work with you to develop a plan for success.  We call this a ‘Job Map’ plan. It may include:

  • Developing job search skills (e.g. writing a CV and cover letter)
  • Developing interview skills.
  • Working together on job searching for employment.

4

Job Search

Our employment consultants have the right connections with employers to assist with your job search. It may include:

  • Empowering you with job search skills
  • Direct access to Workbridge’s vacancies
  • Supporting you to apply for advertised vacancies
  • Approaching employers on your behalf

5

Job Interviews

  • Our Employment Consultants will work with you to prepare for actual interviews (e.g. review your ‘Positive Disclosure’ statement)
  • If needed, our Employment Consultants may be able to attend an interview with you
  • For jobseekers who are Deaf, Employment Consultants can support you to make an application to the Training Support Fund to access New Zealand Sign Language interpreters for interviews.

6

Post-Placement Support

  • We will keep in touch with you and your employer (by phone, email and site visits) to ensure your job is going well.
  • This support will be for 12 months and continue longer if required.

Workbridge also assists employees with a disability, injury or illness to retain their employment or find a new job.