Intimidation was a word I heard often. However, I believe most staff do try hard to provide good support and all necessary information to clients. But so many of their clients are under extreme pressure these days.
There is no telling when "something will give". Sticking up signs that say, "We treat all people with respect. This is a violence-free workplace. Please do not use abusive language or you will be asked to leave" often serves to inflame situations.
Bad and abusive behaviour happens for a reason; usually when clients believe they are not being listened to and heard. And if you don't know how to communicate calmly without getting upset, swearing and using threatening language, of course, no one will want to deal with you. You get "trespassed" and the opportunity to get entitlement information or additional support disappears.
I have no idea how many times people have been trespassed from Winz offices in the last 10 years. I also don't know which offices take this action the most, because you do get staff with attitude. They can make life difficult for clients who are already in crisis. If issuing trespass notices happens more often at one particular office then questions should be asked.
Pointing to the sign and telling clients to "watch yourself" is intimidation. They will comply; leave the office unhappy, seething. That's why training for front-line staff is important and it must be ongoing. Not all staff are suited to front-line work and performance monitoring should take place regularly.
Over time they can get cynical. They've seen and heard it all before. They become judgmental. They should always model the behaviour they want to see in clients.
I have witnessed off-hand and dismissive treatment of Winz clients by staff; rarely by young staff members. It's mostly older, seasoned staff who I presume have become indifferent to those sitting across the desk in front of them. Their attitude suggested they think the clients are there to rip off Winz. They were reluctant to inform clients of their entitlements. It felt almost as if staff believed it was their money clients were inquiring about to see if they might be entitled to any additional payments. And they were.
There will always be those who rip off the system, but we must never assume this is the case with all people who seek social services support. They are entitled to know what support is available for them to access.
When I was a support person, I was often shocked at how clients were spoken to by staff. Clients are in an unenviable position. They have to keep quiet because they need information that could affect their benefit entitlement.
When I asked staff to modify their tone and attitude, I would get a whispered, "You can't talk to them like that, they might stop my benefit." Wrong. It is their job to support clients to know what is available for them to receive: not to be made to feel like s***. The staff member may not like that the client has had three babies while on a benefit, but that can't be used against the beneficiary.
Righteous indignation is not wanted or called for. It is best when cool heads function on both sides of the desk.
• Merepeka lives in Rotorua. She writes, speaks and broadcasts to thwart the spread of political correctness.
