Embedding the APS Values: Case studies and other supporting material

Please note: These documents are for reference purposes only and are no longer considered by the APS Commission to be current. They may contain good practice advice and/or advice on the transitional arrangements between the 1922 and 1999 Public Service Acts.

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Case study 12:
Department of Defence:
Quality assurance

Background

The Department of Defence is committed to a Results through People philosophy. The vision of the Defence Personnel Executive (DPE) is for a personnel system that unlocks the full potential of Defence people. In order to monitor and quantify the department's performance against goals such as these, Defence, through the Directorate of Strategic Personnel Planning and Research (DSPPR), has developed a range of personnel surveys and research tools.

As well as providing valuable information to develop internal processes, services and support to enable people to perform at their best, the surveys are used to identify emerging problems in the workplace, including adherence to the APS Values. Where concerns are identified through the data collected, follow-up action is taken as appropriate to address the issue. The surveys are a critical part of developing personnel policies, measuring their impact, and adjusting to the internal and external factors that impact on the working environment of Defence personnel.

Description

DSPPR is responsible for an ongoing survey program consisting of a number of survey instruments designed to measure Defence's performance against its personnel goals. The main survey in the ongoing program is the Defence attitude survey (DAS), which is administered annually to a 30% sample of Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Australian Public Service (APS) personnel. The purpose of the DAS is to collect important information about the feelings and opinions of Defence personnel towards leadership, working in Defence, conditions and communication.

The Your Say survey is a tool derived from the DAS to monitor more regularly the core themes from the DAS and also provides the opportunity to gather information on topical issues. The survey covers a 10% sample of ADF and Defence APS personnel twice yearly. Topical issues covered by this survey to date include a prioritisation of personnel initiatives, investigation of Defence as an employer of choice, and views on Defence's senior leadership.

Results from the DAS and the Your Say survey are broken down by Group and Branch to provide feedback to policy and decision makers at various levels of the Defence organisation. Continuous feedback is also provided to staff members department-wide via the publication of results in a multi-page brochure distributed as inserts in the Navy, Army and Air Force newspapers. Results from the most recent iteration of the DAS in November 2002 were distributed to an estimated 72,000 personnel using this communication strategy.

In a bid to monitor and quantify the personnel profile of Defence, a Defence census is conducted every four years. The most recent census was conducted on 18 March 2003. Information obtained will be used to quantify the takeup of services provided to Defence members and to identify gaps in service delivery and scope for improvement. Defence APS personnel were included in the Defence census for the first time in 2003.

Defence not only measures lead indicators of performance (e.g. the DAS and Your Say surveys) but also lag indicators through the ADF exit survey. This survey aims to identify separating members' reasons for leaving the ADF in order to identify important retention issues. The survey also acts as a check against how well Defence is meeting some of its personnel goals. An exit survey for Defence APS employees will be trialled in 2003.

DSPPR also conducts other personnel surveys on an ad-hoc basis, which helps measure the department's personnel goals. Examples include the ADF Reserves survey, the survey of unacceptable behaviour in Defence, and the entrant opinion survey.

Defence not only uses these surveys to monitor and measure the department's personnel goals, but also to identify areas of concern which need addressing. For example, data collected in the 2001 DAS indicated that a significant proportion of civilian employees do not consider that employment decisions in Defence are based on merit. Defence has taken firm action in responding with an independent evaluation of the application of merit in Defence to determine the extent and basis of the problem with a view to remedial action. The recommendations arising from the evaluation are being considered.

Other examples of how data collected by DSPPR has been used to identify and address personnel issues include: a review of remote locality leave travel entitlements, an investigation of options to roll over leave, and an investigation of accommodation and housing arrangements for ADF members. In adjusting to the changing internal and external environment the survey information has also been used to support a leadership walk-around program, where leaders used key trends from the DAS to address staff and respond to questions.

For more information please contact:

JUSTINE GRIEG
PHONE 02 6266 3242
justine.grieg@defence.gov.au

Embedding the APS Values: Case studies and other supporting material

Case study 12: Department of Defence: Quality assurance

Background

Description

For more information please contact:

Case study 12:
Department of Defence:
Quality assurance