APS Workforce Planning

The Australian Public Service (APS) reform program consists of 28 projects based on the recommendations of Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for the Reform of Australian Government Administration (the Blueprint). One of the key reform projects related to Strengthening the Workforce is the development of an APS-wide Workforce Planning Framework.

Over 2011 the APSC has worked in partnership with 58 agencies to leverage better practice and re-position Workforce Planning as a business owned strategic planning tool that is integrated with agency business planning cycles.  The primary focus of this work has been the development of two foundational components of an APS-wide Workforce Planning Framework:

• a practical workforce planning guide, with supporting tools and templates; and
• a Job Family (occupational group) model to enable the APS to map and understand its workforce.

The APS Workforce Planning Guide (the guide) has been designed for Human Resources (HR) professionals and other APS staff responsible for working in partnership with agency division, branch and section heads to undertake workforce planning.

The guide presents a common approach to workforce planning and builds on existing information and good practice across the APS. The guide is made up of eight modules accompanied by supporting templates. In general, each major element of workforce planning has a corresponding module. However, the ‘Demand and supply analysis’ has been split into two modules due to the level of detail involved and some other elements have been combined into one module. The guide’s eight modules are listed below.

• Introduction and how to use the Australian Public Service Workforce planning Guide
• Workforce planning explained
• Initiation and planning for workforce planning
• Segmenting your workforce
• Demand analysis
• Supply analysis
• Gap analysis and strategy and initiative development
• Implementation and monitoring, evaluation, review and adjustment.

The APS Job Families Model establishes a system for clearly understanding occupational groupings or skill areas in the APS workforce. Standard groupings of this sort supports workforce planning as they are at the foundation for understanding workforce shortages, flows, development, and potential risks to business delivery.

The two key aims of the model are to provide:

• a data set that accommodates a large proportion of the job roles performed in the APS; and
• linkages with the Australian labour market.

The main reference point for the majority of the functions and roles defined within this model is the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). This is to enable the use of labour market information, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, to assess workforce risks. Those without direct linkages to ANZSCO are considered new or emerging job roles within the APS.

The next tranche of work for the model is to continue to collaborate with agencies as they begin implementing the model, to develop definitions for each job function and role to ensure consistency in language and approach to mapping positions across the APS.

Downloads

APS Job Family model.docx
APS Job Family model.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Introduction and how to use the guide.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Introduction and how to use the guide.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Workforce planning explained.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Workforce planning explained.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Initiation and planning for workforce planning.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Initiation and planning for workforce planning.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Segmenting your workforce.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Segmenting your workforce.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Demand analysis.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Demand analysis.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Supply analysis.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Supply analysis.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Gap analysis and strategy and initiative development.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Gap analysis and strategy and initiative development.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Implementation and monitoring, evaluation, review and adjustment.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Implementation and monitoring, evaluation, review and adjustment.pdf

APS Workforce planning guide - Templates.docx
APS Workforce planning guide - Templates.pdf