Home > Building APS capability

The capability of the APS to deliver policy and program outcomes is central to the effectiveness of government and the well being of Australian society. The APS Values provide a framework in which the policy and program work of the APS is undertaken. This chapter concentrates on related aspects of capability, particularly the skills, expertise and performance of our human resources, and their contribution to organisational capability: the ability of the APS to deliver business outcomes now and into the future.

The chapter begins by building on the statistical snapshot of the APS presented in Chapter 2 with an overview of the key capability trends in the APS in recent times, and the key workforce challenges that APS agencies report having faced during 2003—04. It then goes on to look at the way agencies are responding to these challenges, concentrating on the extent to which agencies are planning to ensure they have the skills and capabilities they need into the future.

A key issue in building capability within the APS is the effectiveness of agencies’ performance management systems in facilitating and motivating individual capability improvement. This chapter draws on data from a recent ANAO audit report of performance management in the APS, as well as employee and agency survey data, to assess the effectiveness of performance management and related pay systems in the key areas of alignment, credibility and integration. It then looks at the related issues of learning and development within the APS, and the building of high quality leadership capabilities, a central component of the APS Values.

While much of the focus on building capability has been at the agency level, increasing attention is being given to whole of government capabilities such as the capacity to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries and to focus on the broader needs of government. The importance of whole of government capabilities was given renewed focus in 2003—04 by the release of the MAC report Connecting Government: Whole of Government Responses to Australia's Priority Challenges.¹ The chapter concludes by looking at whole of government capability issues for the APS.

1 MAC, Report 4, Connecting Government: Whole of Government Responses to Australia’s Priority Challenges, 2004, <http://www.apsc.gov.au/mac/connectinggovernment.htm>