More than 150 administration staff have been invited to the seminars in Dunedin and Invercargill. Inspirational speakers on the Southland programme include cyclist Alison Shanks, and blind Dunedin woman Julie Woods.
There are workshops on work/life balance, work relationships, and "putting the end user centre stage". Public Service Association organiser Julie Morton said administration staff had a crucial role managing patient lists that for too long was ignored.
"You look at the eye department and the shambles that department’s been in.
"There are some key admin people in there who are doing some excellent work to make processes work better, and get through the backlog."
In the past, the board consulted only senior doctors or other senior staff about such systems.
Mrs Morton credited SDHB organisational development and performance director Mike Collins for the new approach.
"He is busting a gut to try to do positive things for the DHB, and to try to get the DHB to be a more positive place, and for everyone to be valued.
"He’s got the best attitude you could want in that kind of role, and I’ve not seen that ever on the DHB."
Mrs Morton said the board no longer had casual pools of back-up administration staff, which meant the permanent staff worked harder than ever. Not everyone is impressed with the seminars, however. A Southland staff member wrote anonymously to the Otago Daily Times criticising the "talk-fest" and questioning the cost of the days.
"Five hours off work being talked at is not going to help any of us deal with the mountain of paperwork we all have to endure every day," the person wrote.
SDHB chief executive Chris Fleming said the seminars would cost $13,400, including venue hire.
"We recognise our administrators are often juggling many tasks and that it is not always easy for them to take time out to meet one another and share ideas.
"This is why we wanted to carve out the time and encourage everyone to attend," Mr Fleming said.
