Member Spotlight: From research agency to a not-for-profit client-side role with Jennie Griffin

In early 2023 Jennie Griffin took a big step from her research agency background to client side. This move might be familiar for many, or be a thought for the future. But in this role Jennie moved to Benetas, a not-for-profit aged-care provider at a time where the sector and its importance were ever more critical.

We spoke to Jennie about her experiences in a new role, industry, organisational set up and a renewed purpose in her research career.

What appealed to you about the move from agency to client side?

It was the opportunity to do research with a more meaningful social impact that piqued my interest in the role at Benetas, a not-for-profit aged care provider. When I read the ad, I immediately thought of the challenges the aged-care industry faced during COVID. I thought maybe I could help in some small way.

I also liked the idea of combining research design and analytics into one role and participating in the entire research process from conception to implementation.

And has this been more or less different than you imagined?

A transparent and honest recruitment process helped me understand what to expect in the role and the dynamics of working for Benetas. I’m new to the role of Insights Manger, but it’s a lot like agency side work. The research is still the research, and the mechanics don’t really change. Both sides have stakeholders, and the process of understanding stakeholders’ needs is the same, whether they’re internal or external.

As expected, it's been great working on projects from beginning to end. And I’ve enjoyed learning more about the challenges in the sector from people who really care about our customers.

How does working for a not-for-profit differ in your day to day?

Working for a not-for-profit aged care provider has added a unique and fulfilling dimension to my day-to-day work. Providing the best care and support to our customers drives all decisions and projects. Knowing that our research might make a difference in someone’s quality of life gives me a sense of satisfaction.

Of course, there are also some challenges. The budgets of NFPs are often tighter, so resource allocation requires careful consideration. This also encourages creativity and resourcefulness – similar to the thinking that goes into client proposals.

Benetas’ Insights function is new and consists of just one person. At this early stage, we do most of our research in-house. Even though I have a good network of connections in the research industry to tap into, I miss working closely with other researchers where ideas can be bounced around quickly.

Is there anything specific about the aged-care sector that impacts the role?

The aged-care sector has its own unique qualities. Getting to know our customers and potential customers has some interesting challenges. Very few of our customers would be a member of an online panel. Many wouldn’t be able to complete an online survey. Because of this, we use traditional research methods, which are used less often today, such as hard-copy questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. We need to ensure that our surveys are maximised for people with poor eyesight. Even the time of day we do our interviewing is important as our customers often nap in the afternoon! Interviewing can take longer, as our customers enjoy the company and like to chat. Also, we have a significant number of customers that can’t answer a survey for themselves due to either cognitive or physical impairment. In these cases, we need to interview family members and carers to answer on their behalf.

What has been the most rewarding and/ or insightful project you have worked on since making the move?

It’s still early days but it’s been very rewarding working on the government’s Customer Experience and Quality of Life surveys. These are a small part of the quality measures that residential aged care providers report back to government each quarter. As part of these surveys, I’ve had the opportunity to visit some of our aged care homes and chat with the residents, a very rewarding experience. I’m looking forward to doing more research with our customers in the future.

Are there any technological advances in the research and insights space that you are particularly excited about in your role?

At the moment, I’m most interested in the technologies that are being used in aged care to improve the lives of our clients and residents. For instance, robotic cats as pets and VR therapy for the elderly. I admit, when I first heard about these, I was a little sceptical. But I’ve seen the cats and heard firsthand stories of people using them and the positive impact they can have. I’ve also learned more about the specialised VR and its many applications. It is heart-warming to see the amazing work being done in academia and industry to improve the lives of our older citizens.

In terms of research technologies, I’ll be looking for ways to make customers’ participation in our research easier, less burdensome, and more engaging.