1. The Secretary's review 1999-2000
3. A summary of the Department's roles and the new reporting framework
4. Analysis of performance for Outcome 1
5. Analysis of performance for Outcome 2
6. Analysis of performance for Outcome 3
7. People management
8. Management and accountability
9. External scrutiny and legal matters affecting the Department
A2. Occupational health and safety
A4. Payments to advertising and market research organisations
A6. Performance against actual results against outcomes and outputs
Section 1. Workforce planning, staff turnover and retention
Section 2. Learning and development
Section 3. Occupational health and safety
Section 4. Workplace relations
This chapter looks at the management and development of our people to achieve departmental objectives and outcomes. The skills and commitment of our people are fundamental to our success in achieving these. The chapter discusses workforce planning, staff turnover and retention, staff learning and development, occupational health and safety, and workplace relations.
Section 1. Workforce planning, staff turnover and retention
The Department has a number of strategies in place to maintain and further develop a skilled, motivated and flexible workforce which continues to meet the demands of a rapidly changing environment. Our People Management Improvement Plan 2000 provides an integrated and focussed approach to people management. It aims to ensure we develop, renew, deploy and retain the people we need, performing well with the skills we need in the jobs we need. People management in the Department is based on values of leadership, diversity and fairness. These policies and practices are continually reviewed and implemented with a view to improving our effectiveness.
Priorities in the Plan are consistent with corporate requirements informed through a variety of sources - for example a Staff Survey is conducted annually to evaluate the effectiveness of people management systems and to identify areas of priority for people management at the corporate and local level.
Other people management strategies include our performance management system, the Manager one Removed programme, our rewards and recognition policy, and a wide range of learning options.
Performance agreements and career development agreements are used to translate corporate priorities, values and behaviours into individual performance. Career development agreements identify the skills individuals need to perform effectively in their current or future position.
The recently introduced Manager one Removed programme promotes discussion between the individual and their manager one removed about their future career options. For the individual, a manager one removed is the manager of that person’s manager. This is an important mechanism for succession planning in the Department.
The Department’s formal honours, awards and recognition programme forms part of the People Management Improvement Plan’s objective. This is to assist work groups and individuals to achieve their personal best through the recognition and celebration of high performance that contributes to the Department’s outcomes.
The Secretary presents excellence awards to individuals and teams in the following categories: outstanding result, above and beyond, top team and leadership. These awards reflect a corporate culture that encourages creativity, innovation and excellence. In addition, during NAIDOC week, the Secretary presents excellence awards to individuals and teams who demonstrate commitment and achievement for Indigenous Australian clients and staff. They are an important part of our overall objective to ensure that all of our people recognise and value the skills and work performed by and for Indigenous Australians.
Workforce planning
During 1999-2000, Audit Branch, the Information Technology Strategy and Services Group, Higher Education Division, NSW State Office and Finance Branch took part in a pilot study of a workforce planning model. The pilot identified ways in which the model could be enhanced and applied. The workforce planning model should be fully operational throughout the Department in 2001-2002 as a formal link between workforce planning and business planning which will enable the Department to better anticipate workforce needs.
Staff turnover and retention
At 30 June 2000 the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs had 1 476 staff. This compares to 1 420 at 30 June 1999. A total of 485 staff separated from the Department between 1 July 1999 and 30 June 2000. Of these, 219 were temporary contractors who ceased engagement during the year, 105 transferred to another agency and 161 left for a variety of reasons.
Table 33. Staff departures
|
Classification level |
Number of staff who left the Department |
|---|---|
|
DETYA Cadets |
3 |
|
DETYA Graduates |
2 |
|
DETYA Level 1 |
156 |
|
DETYA Level 2 |
153 |
|
DETYA Level 3 |
74 |
|
DETYA Legal |
9 |
|
Executive Level 1 |
60 |
|
Executive Level 2 |
20 |
|
SES |
2 |
|
Other |
6 |
|
Total |
485 |
Further statistics on staffing can be found in Appendix 1.
Section 2. Learning and development
The Department uses a wide range of learning options to help people develop skills consistent with our business outcomes. These include on-the-job training, assistance with formal study, the Senior Women in Management programme and the graduate programme.
Staff training
Staff training for 1999-2000 covered a variety of activities inside and outside the Department designed to enhance the development of all our people. Priorities were chosen through focus groups, the performance management system, and learning and development needs identified in individual career development agreements.
The focus was on corporate learning priorities and organisational capabilities identified by the Executive as fundamental to achieving the Department’s business objectives. The major priorities were policy development, risk management, project management and contract management.
Cultural awareness training was promoted and again well received across the Department. Our people found the course valuable, particularly those working within the diverse communities of the States and the Northern Territory.
Learning and development in 1999-2000 also focussed on the upgraded information technology and telecommunications system. IT training provided has helped staff use the system to its full potential.
Continuing support for programmes such as mentoring and coaching has been identified as important through our career development learning activities. These programmes provide people with the opportunity to develop their capabilities through an informal support network.
Yarrangi
Approximately ten percent of our people are Indigenous Australians. The Department has a recruitment and career development plan, Yarrangi, which reflects this high level of representation. It sets out initiatives and strategies aimed at attracting, developing and retaining Indigenous Australian people.
The Yarrangi Steering Committee, which consists of representatives from all State and Territory Offices as well as National Office, continues to evaluate the objectives and strategies of the Plan. The current Yarrangi Plan has been evaluated and the development of a new Plan is well underway.
Management training
The Department made a major investment in developing senior managers and assessing their potential for future leadership positions. The Public Sector and Merit Protection Commission Career Development Assessment Centre programme was used for this purpose. Early indications are that the programme helps to identify individuals’ strengths as well as their learning and development needs.
Goods and services tax awareness
Another important objective was to provide staff with an understanding of how the GST operates. More detailed training such as accounts payable-accounts receivable training was provided for staff where required. The training course explained the operation of GST in the Department’s environment, the impact it would have on our business processes and the likely impact on work areas across the Department.
Graduate recruitment programme
A key initiative for the Department is the graduate recruitment programme. Its aim is to enhance our pool of talent to meet future business outcomes. In 1999 the Department recruited 23 DETYA Graduates: 19 were based in Canberra and four in the state offices. Another 30 were recruited in the 2000 intake: 27 in Canberra and three in the state offices. As part of their continuing development, DETYA Graduates complete a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration through the University of Canberra. The certificate incorporates both formal and on the job learning.
Trainees
At 30 June 2000 the Department had four trainees: two in Training and Youth Division, and two in Corporate Services Division. During the traineeship, participants complete a formal qualification while also receiving on the job training in the workplace.
Section 3. Occupational health and safety
A safe working environment is an important factor in our people management strategy. Improvements in occupational health and safety have two major benefits. One is a reduction in human pain and suffering. The other benefit is financial, because insurance premiums drop to match the drop in claims. Our revised compensation premium rate was 0.61 per cent of wages and salaries for 1999-2000. This compares with the 1.03 per cent average compensation premium for Comcare-insured agencies and the 0.76 per cent compensation premium for the Department in 1998-1999.
Comcare Australia undertook a planned audit of the occupational health and safety management systems in place in the Department in the latter half of 1999. We rated very well against the audit criteria. Comcare Australia made eleven recommendations to improve the Department’s occupational health and safety systems management systems. Two areas in National Office, the Literacy and Special Programmes Branch and Corporate Services Division; and the Hobart, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide State Offices were audited. We were the first Commonwealth Department to be audited on an agency basis by Comcare Australia using the SafetyMap audit tool. Action in relation to the outcomes of the investigation has commenced. Where appropriate, they will be built in to the Department’s occupational health and safety plan 2000-2001.
The Department conducted an internal review of the impact on health and safety of working in remote localities. Issues addressed included emergency communications and first aid training.
Further details on occupational health and safety are in Appendix 2.
Section 4. Workplace relations
The focus of workplace relations during 1999-2000 was progress on the development of a proposed new certified agreement. The agreement is for people in the Department below the senior executive service, excluding those covered by an Australian Workplace Agreement. There was also progress on the continuing management of Australian Workplace Agreements, including the development of new senior executive service Australian Workplace Agreements to support the Department’s corporate plan and strategic directions.
In addition to direct consultation with people about issues that affect them such as relevant workplace agreements, there was formal consultation at the national level which included strategic human resource management and workplace relations issues. Consultation was channelled through the Strategic Consultation Committee established under the Department’s existing certified agreement, the 1998 DEETYA Certified Agreement.
New Certified Agreement
The Department’s existing certified agreement nominally expired at the end of September 1999 and has remained in place since then pending finalisation of a new agreement. Work commenced on a new agreement in the lead up to the expiry date of the current agreement and has been under way since then. Direct discussions and consultation with employees for a new agreement commenced formally in November 1999 and have progressed through formal discussions with staff representatives.
Australian Workplace Agreements
New Australian Workplace Agreements were offered to all senior executive service employees from mid-November and are now in place. The new comprehensive agreements provide for remuneration to be based on personal capabilities and performance.
In addition, the Department has continued to manage its Australian Workplace Agreement arrangements for Executive Level 2 staff. All new substantive DETYA Executive Level 2 employees are provided with an agreement offer based on a generic agreement at that level. The Executive Level 2 agreements provide for performance pay, retention bonuses (in some cases), and progression beyond the DETYA Executive Level 2 attainment point (in some cases). They generally operate until 30 September 2000.
Senior Executive Service salaries
These are set through annual review. The review considers the senior executive’s personal capabilities including skills, knowledge, experience and ability as well as performance during the preceding appraisal cycle.
Some senior executives may become eligible for performance pay as part of the performance assessment process. A labour market bonus may also be offered in exceptional circumstances. It considers the prospects and costs of replacing the person at a particular time.