33: National Disability Insurance Agency Employee Reviews

I did reception and administration work here. Within a few months of working here I was asked to train new people and ended up having to take on a lot of responsibility long term that I was not supported to do, or being paid to do. My manager pretended I wasn't doing the extra work, which speaks to me of a company culture that doesn't really appreciate its staff when it's convenient to ignore unfairness. It was also unpleasant to have to tell participants of the NDIS that they would have to wait long periods of time for anything to be done because the NDIA is slow and frustrating. Pro's include an inclusive environment and good mix of people, loved helping participants and also the pay is descent compared to other similar jobs.

Pros

Decent Pay, Helping People

Cons

Slow and Frustrating

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Good intentions but lacking in understanding of people with disability especially non visible disability

Legal Officer (Former Employee) - New South Wales - 6 December 2023

Be careful and do your due diligence before working here. There are some good people and intentions are good. But there is a lack of understanding with some senior management about working with people with disability especially non visible disability. This led to unfair disadvantage and poor treatment, in a nutshell uninformed decisions based on ableism. There is a lot of movement and change in staff, especially at higher levels. A lot of the time management themselves didn’t know what was going on with operational changes.

Pros

Flexibility with hours and work from home

Cons

Stressed out, poor management

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Working parents would appreciate the work life balance

Planner (Current Employee) - Penrith NSW - 9 November 2023

There’s so much room to progress and multiple opportunities within the agency frequently . Management are approachable and often check in with all levels of APS . Plenty of training available . Though they aren’t the highest paying public service agency they are currently negotiating same level APS as other higher paying agencies . The best perk of NDIS is their work life balance . You can discuss your working hours between 7:00am - 6:00pm and they’re flexible with work from home too . Currently 2:3 days home to office ratio but can be 3 days home 2 days office if you have a reason .

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stressfull

Business Analyst (Current Employee) - Sydney - 5 November 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?Lot of bureaucracy and bootlickingWhat is the most stressful part about working at the company?people and only people, specifically how contractors are treated by permanent employees.What is the work environment and culture like at the company?work from home, no space in officeWhat is a typical day like for you at the company?toxic and full of uncertainty of pests in office

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Toxic Work Culture with lots of in-house hiring of friends

Planner (Former Employee) - Sydney NSW - 1 May 2023

Such a poor experience working for this government agency. I have seen first hand why their reputation is so bad within the community services field. It was a pleasure serving our vulnerable community members, but there was so much bureaucratic red tape and nonsensical decision making from planners and NDIS staff who have no idea of the difficulties of living with the disability. I have also seen some deplorable treatment of staff who live with a disability. All in all, if you want to actively help the disability community, work in the private sector.

Pros

Decent Office

Cons

High expectations with little reward, hiring of friends over competancy, a poorly run government initiative

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Great place to work

Team Leader (Current Employee) - Gold Coast QLD - 4 April 2023

NDIA provides a flexible work environment that fosters personal and professional growth. Great development opportunities for those wishing to progress their career. Leaders are understanding and supportive and colleagues are friendly. Overall a positive place to work.

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High intencity workload with consistant changes

Participant Support Officer (Former Employee) - Western Australia - 23 February 2023

In the span of 10 months, I had been under the leadership of 5 different Team Leaders who have 5 different leadership styles and muliple changes to exevutives, directors and CEOs. This created an instable and stressful enviroment with a lot of movement and turn over.You will have a KPI that is generally achievable, but the platforms and processes provided as tools to achieve this are outdated and make a simple task difficult.An example of this is being told to utilise certain computer programs that contain information to complete your work, while simultaneously being told that the information found in these progras are also innacurate and "Not to trust the programs and its information" as directly quoted by a Team Leader. I have witnessed numerous discussions and comments that fly in the face of the NDIS values and priciples, with certain practices of the work do not "put the participant at the centre of what we do." There is a sentiment amongst my former co-workers that the agency is expected to "act as a business with business intetests, rather then a government service designed to aid and support people living with a disability.All in all, I did enjoy some elements of the work, for example the investigative side to my duties and assisting vulnerable memebers of our community (albeit at arms length) However, my experience with the Agency was stressful and I quickly saw why the Agency doesn't have the best reputation inside and outside of the workplace.

Pros

Decent wage, potential for job growth

Cons

Staff turnover, Difficult work procedures, Values did not align

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Fairly flexible but poor salary packaging and low remuneration compared with other federal govt agencies equals lack of satisfaction overall

APS5 Planner (Current Employee) - Central Coast NSW - 10 February 2023

As secure a job as possible . Reasonable benefits but no good work/life balance - any job in the agency is stressful. Unrealistic expectations from management result in unattainable kpis for some staff which creates stress and anxiety.

Pros

15.4% superannuation, government job

Cons

Not enough staff to do the work resulting in a constantly pressured workplace

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Meh

Complex Support Need Senior Planner APS6 (Former Employee) - Sydney NSW - 3 January 2023

It's okay. Not very inclusive of people with disabilities. If you want to be a robot and have job security this is the job for you, if you like helping people and making a difference then stay private.

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Did not have good experience working there

Case Officer (Former Employee) - Parramatta NSW - 22 July 2022

Stat driven organisation where you are treated as machine. Out of touch and inaccessible management. The work environment is pretty bad.Would not recommend anyone to work there

Pros

Can't see any except a government job

Cons

Long listof cons

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Very cliquey. Lots of hiring of 'friends'

Corporate (Former Employee) - Geelong VIC - 11 March 2022

Employees always start with great expectations. Unless you find a good pocket with a good immediate manager, will be disappointed by ruthless senior management tactics, more concerned with protecting themselves, than with doing the right thing. Non-compliance with policies, procedures rife (employees not protected). Don't think about raising any concerns - HR and highly paid lawyers will target you.

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NDIA role in deliverying the NDIS is key but the organisation focus is more on managing costs than outcomes for PWD

Assistant Director Rural and Remote team (Former Employee) - Dubbo NSW - 11 January 2022

I was excited to commence work at the NDIA in Qlds finding a highly motivated team. Moving jurustications to NSW saw a change in focus. Disappointing approach in deliverying services to rural and remote areas, with increasing focus on through put and budget than genuine outcomes for PWD. However there are a number of highly motivated staff who are genuinely interested in PWD.

Pros

Some highly motivated staff

Cons

Focus on $$ and through put, Little understanding of issues rural and remote areas or accessing services.

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very bad work environment to work in. Being bullied and work expectations were unreal.

Business Support Officer (Former Employee) - Launceston TAS - 2 January 2022

A typical day would be trying to keep up with the every changing rules. very busy, a lot of changes to procedures but not enough one on one training, the hardest part of the job was to meet KPI's. KPI's are not good in disability cases. The best part were the lovely clients and some of the caring colleagues. Management needs to be looked at closely...

Pros

helping clients/participants and their families

Cons

unreal expectations on staff and confusing rules for the participants too

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Unproductive,unhealthy environment

FOI officer (Former Employee) - Tuggeranong ACT - 6 April 2021

Lots of has been's and people who do not appreciate individuals.If you aren't part of the "club", you can start looking for an exit.Not good (FOI) and unhealthy place

Pros

None

Cons

Backstabbing

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Regretful decision

Senior Planner (Former Employee) - Sydney City NSW - 8 August 2020

Bad management,Some of Team Leaders in planning have no idea about planning, staff supervisions are non existent, I wouldnt work there again, I left.

Pros

Good staff

Cons

Incompetent Management.

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Fabulous Colleagues & Inclusive Culture

Business Support Officer (Current Employee) - Melbourne VIC - 25 June 2020

By far the best agency I’ve ever worked for. Everyone is friendly, collaborative and easy to get along with. Management is encouraging, easy to approach and look after their staff. It would take a very strong offer to move away from this agency so I consider myself lucky to have found such a great workplace.

Pros

Management, work variety, life balance

Cons

None

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Toxic culture

Contractor (Former Employee) - Perth Central Business District WA - 6 March 2020

I feel sincerely sorry for people with a disability and their carers trying to wade through the mire of NDIA beauracracy! Management is disjointed and the workplace is toxic.

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People vs government

Planner (Current Employee) - Geelong VIC - 29 February 2020

The NDIA is truly a great place to work at. You feel like you are making a difference in people's lives. The biggest problem you'll face it's all the bureaucracy the agency is sounded by.

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Stressful, disorganised, dysfunctional and political Public Service environment.

Executive Level 1 Contractor (Former Employee) - Geelong VIC - 19 January 2020

Highly stressful, disorganised working environment, with remnants of dysfunctional and 'clicky' political Federal DHS / Public Service government culture, which creates further barriers and challenges to supporting People With Disability.

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Recommend avoiding working in a TOXIC work environment!

Planner (Current Employee) - Dubbo - 5 January 2020

Management & Team Leaders have no idea about compliance or Policy & Procedures! They run there own show! have built and maintained a grand place of nepotism by recruiting, partners, family & friends to stop any complaints from staff surfacing. A culture of gossiping, bullying and micromanagement.

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Productive and Accomplishment

National Access Officer (Former Employee) - Adelaide SA - 8 December 2019

Working with the NDIA gave satisfaction and accomplishment in knowing you are helping recipients with a disability in getting the acquired funding to help them financially to cope with their disability. The team I worked in gave pride in what we all did in achieving targets that were set.