About Jenny Legge - Founder & CEO, JobFit Systems International
Category: Almost there - nearly $1M
I am the Founder and CEO of JobFit Systems International, a software and services company reducing the global multi-billion dollar problem of workplace injuries and illness. I am responsible for all aspects of my business including managing a national network of 60+ services partners. My patented “JobFit System”, is currently being used to improve the working lives of more than 10,000 workers in some of the world’s premier resource companies. I have degrees in Physiotherapy and Ergonomics and am currently completing a PhD. With vision and determination, I am a young woman from regional Queensland paving the way for females in traditionally male-dominated industries.
I am in the ‘Third Phase’ of my career. Initially, I was recruited to work as a Physical Therapist in the USA whilst still studying my undergraduate degree. I moved to the States and rapidly moved to a Director level role managing hospital allied health departments and outpatient clinics. I had a strong desire to learn and broaden my experiences. My rapid promotion required flexibility and an ability to change and adapt to new and challenging environments. My strong focus on quality, teamwork, communication and customer services resulted in increased productivity, stronger relationships with our customers and one of the best Accreditation results in our company.
I returned home to Mackay in 1997 and a year later as a sole practitioner, opened a physiotherapy practice. Through focused marketing, strong relationships with referrers, high calibre professionals, community involvement and excellent customer service, within five years we were the largest practice in the region with seven employees and 6000 customers. Many of our therapists have now gone on to be owners of their own practices. I like to think that I have played a role in inspiring them to take on this rewarding challenge.
Whilst practising in and managing the above business, I became increasingly frustrated with the waste of time and resources treating and managing workplace injuries. I thought “there has got to be a better way!” As a result I developed the JobFit System.
The JobFit System objectively compares worker capabilities to job demands to assist stakeholders make decisions regarding job placement, suitable duties programs, health surveillance and risk management strategies. As we have replaced manual paper-based subjective activities, with automated objective processes, what used to take decision-makers hours or days, now only takes minutes or seconds. Our system helps put people in the right jobs, ensure that they return to work quickly and safely after an injury, monitor changes over time for prevention and compliance, and identify workplace injury risks to make it safer for all involved, not just those who have been injured before.
In 2003 I was awarded a highly competitive COMET Grant from AusIndustry and JobFit Systems International was born. Since its inception, we have received three patents, sold to 30 sites across 8 companies, covering around 10,000 workers. Our clients include companies such as BHP Billiton, Xstrata and RioTinto. Without investment, in less than 5 years, we have achieved triple figure growth and profitability. We continue to operate with a lean corporate structure and support our customers through our network of 60+ Services Partners.
In addition to developing the JobFit System software and building our company, I have been completing my PhD investigating the validity of pre-employment functional testing which is one of the uses of the JobFit System software. This research has resulted in publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at domestic and international conferences, and has raised the profile and credibility of both myself and my business.
Outline future business development/growth plans to keep you in the million $ business category:
Several factors will ensure the continued demand of our products and services:
- Aging workforce
- Skilled labour shortages
- Resources boom
- Transitional retirement patterns
- Society becoming more litigious
- Triple bottom line reporting
- Insurance premiums rising
- Changes in occupational health and safety legislation
- Demand for evidence-based practice
- Community’s expectations for the fair treatment of workers
Due to the size of the Australian market we are likely to expand across horizontal markets as opportunities arise in our region, however, our offshore strategy will be the reverse. We will make a targeted vertical approach penetrating deeper within our current multi-national customers in the resources sector.
There is an opportunity to achieve significant rapid market penetration with the JobFit System by linking our niche product with third party software developers and services companies, particularly those specialising in HR, risk management, rehabilitation and OH&S applications and some enterprise applications. White labelling our application is another partnering option.
Our product development plans include redevelopment from a client-server to a web-based application with online subscription, training and data purchasing models.