2. Key remuneration concepts

The key remuneration components reported in this section are Base Salary, Total Remuneration Package (Base Salary plus benefits), and Total Reward (Total Remuneration Package plus bonuses). To gain a complete understanding of APS remuneration, all elements of the key remuneration components need to be considered. The Total Reward (TR) provides the most complete overall remuneration information as it includes Base Salary and Total Remuneration Package (TRP) as component parts.

2.1 Base Salary

The term Base Salary describes the full-time annualised salary paid to an employee. It includes salary sacrifice amounts and pre-tax employee superannuation contributions made through salary sacrifice arrangements. It excludes bonuses and other benefits.

In 2016, the overall median Base Salary increase was 0.3%. The median Base Salary increase at the non-SES classifications was 0.3% and the median Base Salary increase at the SES classifications was 2.3%.

Table 2.1 provides the 2015 and 2016 median Base Salaries. The greatest increase in median Base Salary was at the SES 3 classification with a 4.8% increase. The lowest median movement from 2015 to 2016 was a decrease of 0.4% at the APS 1 classification.

A result of low employee mobility over the last few years is that a large proportion of APS employees are remaining at the same classification in the same agency. When employees remain at the same classification for long periods, they are likely to have advanced through the salary scale and reached the top for their classification. The median length at level for ongoing APS employees in 2016 was 6.4 years; this figure has steadily increased since 2008, when the median length at level was 3.2 years.

It is standard practice for newly engaged and promoted employees to commence on salaries at or near the bottom of their salary pay range. The increase in engagements in 2016 compared with 2015 is likely to have influenced the average salary at the APS 3 to APS 6 classifications.

At the SES classifications, mobility is likely to have influenced the median movement. This includes both new engagements and movements to a new agency.

Figure 2.1: Median Base Salary by classification, 2015 and 2016

Figure 2.1 is a column graph of the data found in Table 2.1. It shows two columns for each classification, one column representing the median Base Salary in 2015, and one adjacent column representing the median Base Salary for 2016. The 2016 column is eit

 

Figure 2.2: Base Salary range by classification: Graduate to EL 1

Figure 2.2 graphs the Base Salary range information for Graduate to Executive Level 1 employees and compares the salary range in 2015 to that in 2016. The classifications are on the X-axis. The Y-axis ranges from zero to one hundred and thirty thousand do

Note: Refer to Section 7: Remuneration Findings by Classification for the minimum and maximum values for each classification.
Note: Refer to Appendix A.2 for notes on interpreting box plots.

Figure 2.3: Base Salary range by classification: EL and SES

Figure 2.3 graphs the Base Salary range information for Executive Level 1 to S.E.S. Band 3 employees, and compares the salary range in 2015 to that in 2016. Classifications are shown on the X-axis. The Y-axis ranges from zero to four hundred and fifty tho

Note: Refer to Section 7: Remuneration Findings by Classification for the minimum and maximum values for each classification.
Note: Refer to Appendix A.2 for notes on interpreting box plots.

2.2 Total Remuneration Package

Total Remuneration Package (TRP) includes Base Salary plus:

  • agency superannuation contribution;
  • motor vehicle cost/Executive Vehicle Scheme or cash in lieu of motor vehicle;
  • motor vehicle parking; and
  • any other benefits and supplementary payments.

In essence, TRP covers Base Salary plus benefits. It excludes bonuses and shift and overtime payments. These payments are included in Total Reward (TR).

The overall movement in median TRP across all classifications from 2015 to 2016 was an increase of 0.6%. The non-SES classifications median TRP increased by 0.6%, and the SES classifications median TRP increased by 1.5%.

The Graduate classification saw the greatest increase in median TRP with a 5.1% increase from 2015. The key contributor to this is the increase in median Base Salary of 3.9%. The second greatest increase in median TRP was 3.9%, at the SES 3 classification.

The lowest median TRP change was at the APS 4 classification, with a 0.2% decrease from 2015 to 2016.

As demonstrated in Table 3.1, Base Salary makes up around 85% of the TR received by employees at the non-SES classifications. The key benefit received by non-SES employees in these classifications is the employer superannuation contribution which is primarily calculated on Base Salary. Normally the main contributor to TRP movement is Base Salary movement.

Figure 2.4: Median Total Remuneration Package by classification, 2015 and 2016

Figure 2.4 is a column graph of the data found in Table 2.2. It shows two columns for each classification, one column representing the median Total Remuneration Package in 2015, and one adjacent column representing the median Total Remuneration Package fo

Figure 2.5: Total Remuneration Package range by classification: Graduate to EL 1

Figure 2.5 graphs the Total Remuneration Package range information for Graduate to Executive Level 1 employees and compares the range in 2015 to that in 2016. The classifications are on the X-axis. The Y-axis ranges from zero to one hundred and fifty thou

Note: Refer to Section 7: Remuneration Findings by Classification for the minimum and maximum values for each classification.
Note: Refer to Appendix A.2 for notes on interpreting box plots.

Figure 2.6: Total Remuneration Package range by classification: EL and SES

Figure 2.6 graphs the Total Remuneration Package range information for Executive Level 1 to S.E.S. Band 3 employees, and compares the salary range in 2015 to that in 2016. Classifications are shown on the X-axis. The Y-axis ranges from zero to five hundre

Note: Refer to Section 7: Remuneration Findings by Classification for the minimum and maximum values for each classification.
Note: Refer to Appendix A.2 for notes on interpreting box plots.

2.3 Total Reward

Total Reward (TR) is the sum of the Total Remuneration Package (TRP) plus bonuses. Bonuses include:

  • individual performance bonus;
  • retention bonus; and
  • whole-of-agency or group bonuses.

Median performance bonuses in 2016 ranged from $725 at the APS 1-4 classifications to $30,518 at the SES 3 classification.

The overall movement in median TR across all classifications from 2015 to 2016 was an increase of 0.6%. The non-SES classifications median TR increased by 0.6%, and the SES classifications median TR increased by 1.3%.

The Graduate classification saw the greatest increase in median TR with an increase of 5.1% from 2015. The SES 3 classification recorded the second highest increase in median TR with an increase of 3.8%.

The APS 1 and APS 3 classifications showed the greatest decrease of median TR, with a decrease of 0.1%.

Figure 2.7: Median Total Reward by classification, 2015 and 2016

Figure 2.7 is a column graph of the data in Table 2.3. It shows two columns for each classification, one column representing the median Total Reward in 2015, and one adjacent column representing the median Total Reward for 2016. The 2016 column is either

Figure 2.8: Total Reward range by classification: Graduate to EL 1

Figure 2.8 graphs the Total Reward range information for Graduate to Executive Level 1 employees and compares the range in 2015 to that in 2016. The classifications are on the X-axis. The Y-axis ranges from zero to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

Note: Refer to Section 7: Remuneration Findings by Classification for the minimum and maximum values for each classification.
Note: Refer to Appendix A.2 for notes on interpreting box plots.

Figure 2.9: Total Reward range by classification: EL and SES

Figure 2.9 graphs the Total Reward range information for Executive Level 1 to S.E.S. Band 3 employees, and compares the range in 2015 to that in 2016. Classifications are shown on the X-axis. The Y-axis ranges from zero to five hundred thousand dollars. T

Note: Refer to Section 7: Remuneration Findings by Classification for the minimum and maximum values for each classification.
Note: Refer to Appendix A.2 for notes on interpreting box plots.

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