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Annual Report 2004–05 You are currently viewing: Annual
report Management of people
People strategies plan 2005–06The department has an annual people strategies plan that sets in place a framework for achieving corporate outcomes through departmental staff (shown in Figure 12). The current plan applies until June 2006 and details the proposed actions, responsibilities, timeframes and performance indicators for improvements across five people strategies. Figure 12 People Strategies Framework 2005–06
Investors in PeopleIn September 2004, the department once again achieved reaccreditation against the Investors in People standard, an international quality standard that sets a level of good practice for improving departmental performance through people. The standard provides a basis for continuous improvement of the department and its people. The key principles and indicators have recently been amended, and the standard is now as shown in Figure 13. NATA Certification Services International awarded the reaccreditation after an audit inspection that involved an assessment of relevant people policies and practices and in-depth individual interviews with a cross-section of our staff. The audit commended the department on the strategies we have developed and implemented. The audit also commented on the department’s commitment to raising the benchmark and improving the quality of outcomes through its people. The next annual reaccreditation assessment will take place in October 2005. Figure 13 Investors in People Standard 2005
Commonwealth Disability StrategyAll the department’s employment policies continued to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. During 2004–05, in keeping with the principles of the Act, we developed a mature age workers’ strategy and reviewed our recruitment and selection guidelines. The department’s certified agreements and all Australian Workplace Agreements in place during 2004–05 contained clauses to allow staff with disabilities to lodge a complaint or grievance about any matter affecting their employment. These processes were the same for all staff members. During the year, there were no complaints or grievances about employment practices from staff with disabilities. We made recruitment information available to potential job applicants in electronic and non-electronic formats that are accessible to people with disabilities, as defined in the Act. We received no requests for accessible formats during the year. No staff were recruited who required the department to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the workplace or work practices to accommodate additional needs caused by a disability. All the department’s training and development activities catered to the needs of staff with disabilities. We did not offer any training and development program on disability issues during the year. People strategy 1: people forecastingWorkforce planningIn June 2005, the department undertook its annual forecast of the future availability of existing staff. The forecast uses various internal and external demographic indicators to assess availability. We also analysed staff age profiles and separations over the past three years to look at the likelihood of staff taking the early retirement option. The Executive has considered the data and believes that no additional action to meet future staffing requirements is required at this stage. Organisational reviewsOrganisation reviews are conducted regularly, to ensure workload is matched with the number of staff required to undertake the work in all areas, and that the classification levels or work value requirements of individual jobs are appropriate. The review of the messengerial service was finalised during the year. The only changes recommended and implemented were to mail collection and delivery during non-sitting periods. As discussed in the performance report for Output Group 1.5, a major review of the printing operation was completed during the year. Since the departure of staff members (some temporarily and some permanently) from the People Strategies and Finance offices, both offices have reviewed their operations and have been performing their responsibilities with fewer staff.
People strategy 2: finding and retaining the right peopleRecruitment of staffThe department advertised to fill 42 ongoing vacancies during 2004–05 (31 in 2003–04), 17 of which were filled by internal applicants. Of the 25 successful external applicants, 20 were women (in 2003–04, two of the 21 successful external applicants were women). Although we did not use full assessment centre processes in staff selection during the year, we made general use of written exercises to complement personal interviews and referee assessments. Comprehensive, revised recruitment and selection guidelines were distributed to staff during the year. Retention of staffSES managers continued to conduct exit interviews with staff leaving the department. Feedback from departing staff demonstrated that most left to pursue different work or promotion. Most feedback from interviews continued to be very positive, particularly about people practices. Some negative comments were received about the use of non-ongoing staff for long periods of employment. Appendix 10 summarises the reasons given by departing staff in 2004–05. Retention of older workersDuring the year, the department established a working group of staff volunteers to examine the efforts we have made to retain mature age staff in employment. Demographic trends suggest that retaining older staff will be a crucial factor in the future. The working group assessed that the department had an effective range of options in place, particularly through the certified agreement, that matches the practices of a range of other leading employers in this field. The group prepared a paper, Employment retention strategies for older workers, to better inform staff of the options available. The paper covered variable employment scenarios and options for superannuation, leave and hours of duty. Graduate placement programThe department continued its graduate placement program during the year. The program involves three-month placements of people from the graduate recruitment programs of other Australian Government agencies. The key objectives of the program were outlined in the 2003–04 annual report. The program continued to be very successful in generating interest from individual graduates and a range of agencies. We placed six graduates on three-month placements from February to June 2005. An evaluation report to the Executive on last year’s placements concluded that all had been very successful and that the objectives of the program had been achieved. The evaluation process included a survey of participants and a workshop involving participants and their supervisors. Non-ongoing employment registerThis temporary employment register, which was established in 2004, from time to time provided the department—mainly the Committee Office—with staff at the Parliamentary Service Level 6 and Executive Band 1 level. The flexibility provided by the register was especially useful during the fluctuations in workload that occurred in the election year.
People strategy 3: enhancing skills and potentialTraining and developmentTable 4 sets out the department’s training and development expenditure as a percentage of salaries expenditure and person-days spent on training in 2003–04 and 2004–05. The average number of training days for staff decreased from 5.1 days to 4.4 days off-the-job training per person per year. Table 5 shows the attendance of staff at training courses in 2003–04 and 2004–05, while Figure 14 provides a visual summary of training days attended per staff member, by classification, in 2004–05.
Note: All figures exclude staff of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker and staff undertaking secondments and internal and external placements.
PS=Parliamentary Service, PSS=Parliamentary Security Service,
SES=Senior Executive Service
Figure 14 Average formal training days attended, by classification, 2004–05
Knowledge managementIn 2004–05, the Knowledge Management Steering Committee, chaired by the Serjeant-at-Arms and comprising staff from all areas of the department, continued its work on departmental knowledge management and our records management project. Records management project activities included consultation with many areas of the department on a new file classification structure for file titling. A new version of the records management software was implemented, allowing the file titling structure to link to a records disposal authority. The steering committee considered components of the department’s records disposal authority that are also referred to in the general administrative disposal authority issued by the National Archives of Australia. The revised records management arrangements are being implemented initially for hard-copy records. During the next financial year, we will explore the management of electronic records using the new arrangements. The committee has begun a program of knowledge audits to improve the sharing and use of information across the department. The first audit examined how we deal with telephone queries from the public. The data for the project was obtained from workshops involving most of our staff who deal directly with such calls, and from discussions with Parliament House switchboard staff who are the first point of contact for many external callers. The review made a number of recommendations, including better information for the switchboard staff so that they can direct callers to the right areas in the department. These recommendations have been implemented. The committee will undertake two more audits—on corporate decision making and on advising members—in the new financial year. Executive coaching programThe department’s executive coaching program continued through the year. The program involves an external provider working with individual managers to achieve mutual goals set at the beginning of the program. Individual programs typically run for three months and involve six to ten meetings between the provider and the manager. One senior manager entered a program during the year (three in the previous year). StudybankSeventeen staff (a decrease on the 21 staff who participated in 2003–04) participated in the department’s Studybank program during the year. Collectively, they received financial assistance of $16,229 ($14,072 in 2003–04), along with some study leave on full pay. Security awareness training onlineFollowing a recommendation by the ANAO that we improve the security awareness of staff, an online training program has been provided by the Protective Security Coordination Centre since 2003–04. All staff have completed the training, which all new staff are required to do as part of their induction program.
People strategy 4: recognising and rewarding performancePerformance assessment processesUniversal work performance assessment and feedback against measurable standards contributes to:
All eligible staff participated in the annual work performance assessment cycle completed on 31 October 2004. The cycle encompasses setting individual work objectives, conducting performance assessments, preparing individual development plans and providing feedback to supervisors. Table 6 shows the spread of ratings by classification level or group for 2003 and 2004.
Note: The reduction in the number of staff assessed was a result of reduced staffing at the end of the Fortieth Parliament. Performance payUnder arrangements outlined in their Australian Workplace Agreements, the three SES Band 1 staff members shared $13,500 (average $4,500 each) in performance bonuses during the year.
People strategy 5: providing a quality working environmentCertified agreementThe Department of the House of Representatives Certified Agreement 2004–05, certified in January 2004, covers all staff in the department except SES staff and those who are covered by a comprehensive Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA). The agreement aims to better enable the department and staff to work together to maximise the delivery of support and services and to achieve the objectives and outcomes set out in our planning documents. The agreement sets out a detailed range of objectives, salaries and conditions of employment. The second 4 per cent pay rise, outlined in the agreement, was paid with effect from 1 January 2005. The salaries available under the agreement at 30 June 2005 are set out in Table 7.
Australian Workplace AgreementsAll SES staff continued to be covered by comprehensive AWAs, negotiated individually with each member of staff. The aims and conditions of service set out in the AWAs are consistent with those in the certified agreement. Twelve staff members below SES level were also covered by AWAs. Salaries expenditureIn 2004–05, salaries and allowances totalled $12.6 million ($13.7 million in 2003–04). New people management systemIn December 2004, the department decided to replace the PeopleSoft system with a system known as Chris 21. The decision was based on the assessed greater efficiency, cost effectiveness, and user friendliness of Chris 21. Implementation of the new system began in February 2005. The first live pay for members and staff was processed in July 2005. Workplace diversityThe department has continued the implementation of a workplace diversity program, in accordance with section 18 of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999. During the year, a comprehensive Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy was written and distributed to all staff. We also prepared comprehensive Guidelines for Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Prevention and distributed them to all staff. Following a successful pilot program with senior staff, training in bullying and harassment prevention was provided for all staff, either as a general member of staff or in a supervisory context. The harassment contact officer (HRO) network was reviewed during the year with nine new HROs appointed and trained. Occupational health and safetyThe department’s occupational health and safety (OH&S) policy and agreement with relevant staff representatives was originally formulated in 1991 under the terms of section 74 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991 (the OH&S Act). The agreement was reviewed in 1996 and again in 2001. The department’s policy places OH&S responsibilities on all managers and staff. Those responsibilities continued to be met during 2004–05. During the year, no dangerous occurrences required notification under section 68 of the OH&S Act. No investigations were carried out and no directions or notices were received by the department in relation to sections 30, 45, 46 or 47 of the OH&S Act. Table 8 summarises compensation claims received from staff for each of our past three Comcare reporting periods.
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