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Performance review : Better practice and evaluation : Indigenous employment : Promote better practice
Output 3.3: Statistical/Information services

Promote better practice

In 2006–07 the promotion of better practice took on a number of new initiatives in relation to people management, organisational capability, and an emerging focus on the attraction, recruitment and retention of employees.

Consultation with APS agencies remained a key component of the development and distribution of advice. There was also increased consultation with external stakeholders, particularly in relation to a number of the recruitment initiatives undertaken in 2006–07.

Table 18: Performance information: output 3.2—promote better practice

Target	Result
Quantity
Number of better practice forums developed and offered:
a) workforce planning summits—estimate 2	Not achieved. Only one summit was held in response to demand
b) HR capability programme—estimate 4	Not achieved. 3 HRCDP Programmes were completed and 2 commenced.
c) Comnet meetings—estimate 5	Mostly achieved. COMNET was ceased following a review of its effectiveness and purpose. It was replaced by the Corporate Management Forum, which meets a minimum of twice a year. Two Forums were held in 2006-07.
d) development, networks and special events – estimate 64	Exceeded. 94 activities were run in 2006­07 comprising development workshops, networks and special events.
Quality
85% of responding participants, when surveyed, give a rating of 4.5 or above on a 6‑point scale for: achieving objectives programme content quality of presenters or relevant useful high quality	Exceeded. 95 per cent of respondents rated the development workshops, networks and special events as 4.5 and above.
Estimated price: $1.730 million	Actual: $1.982 million

Workforce planning

In March 2007 the Commission held the workforce planning summit on the employment of people with disability. From rhetoric to reality explored practical strategies and solutions to support the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities in the APS. The summit included case studies, presentations and exhibition stands from a number of APS agencies, as well as peak bodies and service providers. The summit was attended by over 30 people, representing 20 APS agencies.

Also in March 2007 the Commission worked in partnership with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to facilitate shared approaches to workforce planning. DIAC led the Together in the public service (TIPS) initiative which brought together over 30 APS agencies interested in sharing practical approaches to workforce planning, recruitment, retention and succession planning activities.

Attracting, recruiting and retaining skilled employees

As reported in outputs 1.2—employment services and 2.2—programme delivery, the Commission undertook a range of new activities in 2006–07 aimed at:

• increasing the profile of the APS in the labour market
• encouraging people to apply for jobs and build a career in the APS
• attracting particular skill sets or groups to pursue APS careers
• improving APS management of the recruitment process, in order to remain competitive in the labour market
• retaining staff in the APS to build future workforce capability.

Recruitment simplification project

In its 2005 report Managing and sustaining the APS workforce, MAC emphasised that APS agencies need to develop a range of strategic responses in order to attract and retain skilled staff into the future. Current APS recruitment processes are potential barriers to attracting and selecting high quality candidates. MAC decided that:

A working group of agencies—guided by advice from the Australian Public Service Commission on legislative requirements and better practice—will be formed to develop guidelines for streamlined recruitment processes.

In response to the MAC decision, the Commission worked collaboratively with agencies to develop guidance on process mapping, streamlining and the simplification of recruitment exercises within the APS. The advice consists of a booklet and set of recruitment mapping cards that provide a means of systematically reviewing agency recruitment processes. The new resources Better, faster: streamlining recruitment in the APS was launched on 9 August 2007 with other tools aimed at attracting, recruiting and retaining staff and is available online at: http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications07/betterfaster.htm

Cracking the code

Cracking the code: how to apply for jobs in the Australian Public Service has been developed in response to another MAC decision that a short guide be developed to assist job applicants overcome perceived barriers to the APS selection processes, employment and classification arrangements.

The guide assists in meeting an additional MAC decision that:

The APS will become more active in marketing the range of employment and learning opportunities available within an APS career.

The Cracking the Code publication has been developed as a series of fact sheets providing advice on: careers in the APS; how to apply for jobs; addressing selection criteria; and what to expect in APS interviews. The publication dispels a number of common myths about jobs in the APS and also provides advice on supporting the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with disabilities. This publication was part of a suite of products launched in August 2007.

Tertiary to work careers fair

In March 2007 the Commission participated in the Canberra Tertiary to work careers fair. The goal of the fair was to provide students and recent graduates with access to a diverse range of employment, professional experience and opportunities to enhance their future career prospects. Tertiary to work provided the opportunity to raise the profile of the public service as a leading employer of students and graduates.

The Commission focused broadly on careers in the APS, providing information and advice on:

• the wide range of employment opportunities in APS agencies
• the flexibilities and opportunities available within the APS
• advice for students on how to apply for APS vacancies, with the aim of making the task less daunting
• APS departments which may be of interest to students based on their qualifications and interests.

The Commission also presented a session at the fair on applying for jobs in the APS.

Recruitment of accountants

The Commission is leading an initiative directly targeting the recruitment of accountants and finance professionals into the APS. A national marketing and rolling recruitment campaign will be run in the second half of 2007.

In 2006–07 the Commission spent significant time in scoping the project and liaising with interested APS agencies. Through this initiative the APS will offer a diverse range of finance and accounting jobs from junior finance staff (APS4) to senior management levels (Executive Level 2).

Improving people management

Better people management series

Following the June 2006 launch of the better practice guides on workforce planning, performance management and workplace absence, the Commission undertook a regional rollout of the guides via a series of workshops focussed on identifying key themes and strategies from each of the five publications. These publications were:

• Sharpening the focus—managing performance in the APS
• Fostering an attendance culture—a guide for APS agencies (booklet and quick reference guide)
• Building business capability through workforce planning
• Turned up and tuned in—a manager’s guide to maximising staff attendance.

Delivered predominantly in the first and second quarters of 2006–07, workshops were held in all capital cities and attended by over 350 people. In addition, a number of workshops were delivered to human resource areas and line mangers at the request of individual APS agencies.

Copies of the five publications were distributed to all APS agencies and approximately 22,500 additional copies were requested.

Employee life cycle

Significant research highlights the pivotal role line managers play in attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining talented people. The State of the Service Report 2005–06 identified management skills and positioning the APS as an employer of choice as critical challenges facing the APS, particularly in light of Australia's ageing workforce and labour market shortages. In response, the Commission is currently developing an online tool for line managers that identifies the core set of people management behaviours that make a difference to employee performance, commitment and growth. The tool will also link to other Commission and wider APS information sources and guides making it easier for line managers to access relevant and useful people management resources and support. A training workshop has been developed to complement the publication with rollout of the tool and workshops beginning in early 2007–08.

Networks and forums

Networks and forums continue to form part of our strategy for promoting better practice and improving people management practices throughout the APS. Each forum is targeted at different management levels across the APS and is designed to facilitate information sharing and encourage discussion and debate around people management approaches.

SES HR Roundtable and HR Directors Forum

The SES HR Roundtable and HR Directors Forum continue to provide a valuable opportunity for APS agencies to discuss current topics affecting the APS as a whole. Topics discussed at the HR Directors Forum throughout 2006–07 included: the employment of people with disability; superannuation; bullying and harassment; absence management; and improving recruitment. The SES HR Roundtable focused on issues such as business continuity, succession management, innovative HR practice and regional areas and exploring opportunities to work more closely with universities.

Corporate Managers Network (COMNET)/Corporate Management Forum

In the second half of 2005–06 the Commission undertook a review of COMNET following concerns that the forum was not operating effectively in providing opportunities to explore and discuss issues impacting on or likely to impact on APS agencies.

As a result of the Commission’s evaluation, COMNET was replaced by the Corporate Management Forum (the Forum) in October 2006. The forum is focused towards a target audience of heads of corporate and consists of less frequent, higher level meetings, with an emphasis on discussing key topics affecting APS agencies. The forum meets twice a year, with meetings in 2006–07 focusing on the employment of people with disabilities and on the attraction and recruitment of employees to the APS.

Regional networks

Networks are important in keeping APS and other government employees connected and regional offices have an important role in facilitating networks. Throughout the year, APS and state government employees participated in human resource and better practice networks.

In Victoria, two people management network meetings were conducted related to the theme of Health at Work. In New South Wales one of the most successful events run by its people management network was a meeting in May 2007 to preview the Commission’s new Induction e-learning programme (see output 2.2—programme delivery).

In Western Australia, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship continued its sponsorship of the Human Resource Network. A number of events were organised including a lunch time seminar in May 2007 on Parliamentary considerations of the Budget presented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon David Hawker MP and the Clerk of the House, Mr Ian Harris.

HR capability development programme

The Commission has continued to support building and developing HR practitioners with the HR Capability Development Programme (HRCDP). This year three programmes were completed and two additional programmes commenced. The programme is continuously updated to ensure that the most relevant issues and ideas are incorporated.

Getting Connected

Getting connected is a series of 90 minute seminars presented by senior public servants with extensive whole-of-government experience, followed by a facilitated group discussion to help apply the lessons learnt to participants’ current responsibilities. Two sessions were held in 2006–07 on the topics of:

• Doing whole-of-government and keeping your head: survival tips from connected government in Indigenous affairs
• Getting connected – lessons from whole-of-government: working across government-being practical about it.

A total of 48 attendees representing 29 APS agencies participated in the 2006–07 seminars.

Connected Government website

In 2006–07 the Commission continued to support the Connected Government website which complements a range of activities within individual agencies and central agencies co-ordinating whole-of-government activities.

An evaluation of the website was conducted during October–November 2006 to assess the relevance, effectiveness and value of the material as well as the level and patterns of usage. The evaluation methodology included an assessment of the site through visitor numbers, online survey responses, selected APS staff survey and focus groups.

Overall the evaluation demonstrated that the website meets it original aim to promote and facilitate whole-of-government initiatives and responses by providing consolidated online access to relevant information and tools, however its value as a more general communication tool for the promotion of whole-of-government will be considered further over the coming months.

Workplace diversity

People with disability

During 2006–07 the Commission placed an increasing emphasis on initiatives that foster the employment of people with disability.

In August 2006 MAC launched its report Employment of people with disability in the APS.The report acknowledged the consistent decline in the employment of people reporting disability as a proportion of APS employees over the past decade and examined the factors impacting on the recruitment and retention of people with disability in the APS. The report is discussed in output 3.4—research and evaluation.

The Commission is providing assistance to APS agencies to identify and put in place strategies to improve the recruitment, development and retention of people with disability in the APS. In particular, during 2005–06 the Commission conducted an evaluation of agencies' approaches to identifying best practice. The evaluation also involved wide consultation with managers, staff with disability and community-based disability support services.

The results of the evaluation led to the development of a good practice toolkit for APS agencies. This toolkit, Ability at work: tapping the talent of people with disability was launched by the Commission in June, 2006.

The toolkit has been circulated widely within the APS and is available in full on the Commission’s website at: http://www.apsc.gov.au/abilityatwork/

The Commission has also negotiated with the National Disability Recruitment Coordinator to provide a direct link from their website to our newly developed jobs site: http://www.APSjobs.gov.au. We have also updated the definition of disability on the APS Employment Database and issued advice to agencies on the employment of people with intellectual disability.

The Commission ran seminars and workshops dealing specifically with issues concerning the employment of people with disability including:

• an interactive half day seminar on disability which included a presentation by Professor Ron McCallum AO
• workshops on Supporting staff with mental health issues were also conducted for APS managers, team leaders, HR practitioners and staff, providing practical advice, assistance and support for those working with people who are living with mental illness. The success of the workshops has led to expanded delivery in 2007–08.

Over the next 12 months we will focus on enhancing Ability at work and further promoting it to agencies. The Commission will continue to embed disability into our internal and external products including policy advice and programmes.

International day of people with disability

The Commission hosted a successful event to celebrate International Day of People with disAbility. The celebration was attended by representatives of APS agencies, members of the community with disability and their carers and agencies supporting people with disability. It highlighted the experiences of people with disability, in different jobs, in the APS and providing agencies with information on services available to support them when employing people with disability.

Lifting and raising of the marriage bar

The eighteenth of November 2006 marked the 40th anniversary of the legislative amendment to remove what was commonly known as ’the marriage bar’—opening up career opportunities for married women in the APS.

Prior to November 1966 married women were not allowed to be permanent public servants. Whilst they could be employed on a temporary basis, married women could not be promoted to supervisory positions and women who married while they were permanent public servants were required to resign.

To celebrate the anniversary and the advances women in the APS have made since then, the Commissioner and the Executive Director of the Office for Women hosted Lifting and raising the bar, a function that provided an opportunity for a diverse range of women to talk publicly about their perspectives and stories of life in the APS including the stories of women personally affected by the marriage bar. Speakers also discussed how the role of women has progressed in society and compared current experiences with the arrangements that had frustrated the proper participation of women in the APS workforce.

The event provided an opportunity to celebrate the fact that women now represent more than 50 per cent of the APS workforce and that numbers in the SES are also increasing. A commemorative booklet, Lifting and raising the bar was published for the event. This booklet provided snapshots of some of the historical events and changes that affected women in the APS.

In Western Australia an informal event was held for Regional Directors with guest speakers providing an insight into the practical and humorous experience of the marriage bar on APS employment conditions at that period of time.

International Women’s Day

This year the Commissioner co-hosted an event with the Office for Women to mark International Women’s Day. The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Affairs, the Hon Julie Burns launched the Office for Women’s publication Women in Australia 2007. Other speakers provided information and advice on how women could look after their physical and financial health.

The Commission also organised a number of International Women’s Day events in capital cities including:

• an address of 281 people in Western Australia by ABC radio presenters Ms Shannon Lush and Ms Jennifer Fleming, authors of Spotless and Speed cleaning
• a lunch time event with Ms Kate Fitzpatrick , Australian theatre and television actress, in the Brisbane office with 230 people in attendance
• a lunchtime celebration and seminar by Professor Judith Whitworth AC, Director of the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Telstra ACT Business Woman of the Year in 2002 and ACT Australian of the Year in 2004, sharing her story of achieving success and the key health challenges facing women in the future to over 200 guests in Sydney.