2. Innovative & Responsive: People Planning for the Future
2.1 Workforce Planning
Workforce planning describes a range of activities carried out by organisations in order to identify and provide for future needs. As discussed in Section B2 of the Commissioner’s Annual Report, significant work has been undertaken in 2015-16 to enhance the capability of the ACTPS workforce in order to advance realisation of strategic business outcomes. The development of a whole of government ACTPS Shared Capability Framework standardises how capabilities are defined, and introduces capability domains which will shape and inform recruitment, learning and development, succession and talent strategies and strategic priorities.
The 2016 Agency Survey asked directorates whether their directorate had a workforce plan in place. Six of the eight ACTPS directorates responded yes.
Of the six directorates that had a workforce plan in place, all identified that their workforce plan was informed by issues specific to their directorate. Health Directorate (HD) identified health workforce reform as a driver for their workforce plan and Community Services Directorate (CSD) acknowledged that their workforce plan was informed by the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The key workforce strategies identified by all six directorates were;
- building employee skills and capability;
- performance and development planning;
- developing and promoting leadership (including succession planning); and
- future workforce planning around operational and workforce needs.
These strategies were recognised as central in enabling the directorate to deliver outcomes and meet future workforce demands.
It is understood that successful workforce planning allows ACTPS directorates to ensure the growing and changing needs of the ACTPS workforce are met. As discussed in Section B2 of the Commissioner’s Annual Report, WCGD is in the process of developing an ADAPT Toolkit to support workforce planning activities across the ACTPS. The ADAPT Toolkit will assist directorates to align people planning activities with strategic business objectives and build future workforces around key service delivery.
Snapshot: Workforce Planning
Community Services Directorate
CSD’s workforce planning has continued to be informed by the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). In support of this transition, the ACT Government has a Memorandum of Understanding with unions, providing a framework of principles and procedures to complement existing redeployment and redundancy provisions in the Enterprise Agreement.
The directorate is preparing the workforce for substantial change and has identified job readiness training and professional career advice as two key areas to support employees in redeployment and redundancy. CSD has focused on creating a more agile workforce, identifying areas of critical workforce shortages and moving existing employees to these areas to respond to increased demand and ensure continuity of service. Not only has this staff movement filled any critical workforce gaps, it has also allowed staff to expand their skills and expertise.
2.2 Employment Growth
The 2015-16 reporting period saw a slight growth in employment in the ACTPS. The total number of employees (headcount) grew by 1.7 per cent (347 employees), and FTE employment grew by 1.8 per cent (330.6 FTE). This growth in employment was slightly less than the 1.9 per cent20 growth in the Australian labour force over the same period.
Table 3 shows the employment growth by directorate. Over the 2015-16 reporting period growth was seen in all directorates with the exception of the Gambling and Racing Commission, CSD and the ACT Teacher Quality Institute (with a reduction in headcount numbers of 32.4 per cent, 15.9 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively).
The reduction in CSD’s workforce can be expected given the upcoming implementation of the NDIS. It is anticipated that CSD will see a further reduction of their workforce over the 2016-17 financial year in line with the phased withdrawal of Therapy ACT and Disability ACT. Through their workforce planning, CSD have identified that existing employees have a desire to remain within the ACTPS. As discussed in Section 2.1 ‘Workforce Planning’, CSD has begun to redeploy staff to other areas within the directorate. It is likely that many more of CSD’s employees will be redeployed to other positions within the ACTPS over the 2016-17 financial year.
Table 3 – ACT Public Service Employment Growth by Directorate – 2015-2016
| Directorate | Headcount | FTE | ||||
| June 201521 | June 2016 | Change (%) | June 2015 | June 2016 | Change (%) | |
| Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development | 2,412 | 2,509 | 4.0% | 2,325.3 | 2,422.5 | 4.2% |
| ACT Insurance Authority | 14 | 16 | 14.3% | 13.0 | 15.6 | 20.0% |
| Gambling and Racing Commission | 34 | 23 | -32.4% | 31.4 | 20.8 | -33.8% |
| Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission | 4 | 6 | 50.0% | 4.0 | 6.0 | 50.0% |
| Land Development Agency | 91 | 99 | 8.8% | 87.7 | 96.8 | 10.4% |
| Long Service Leave Authority | 11 | 12 | 9.1% | 10.6 | 12.0 | 13.2% |
| Capital Metro Agency | 25 | 30 | 20.0% | 24.5 | 29.1 | 18.8% |
| Community Services | 1,244 | 1,046 | -15.9% | 1,144.8 | 971.6 | -15.1% |
| Education | 6,175 | 6,316 | 2.3% | 5,146.3 | 5,245.3 | 1.9% |
| ACT Teacher Quality Institute | 14 | 13 | -7.1% | 13.8 | 12.0 | -13.0% |
| Environment and Planning | 314 | 328 | 4.5% | 289.7 | 307.3 | 6.1% |
| Health | 7,064 | 7,195 | 1.9% | 6,195.4 | 6,324.2 | 2.1% |
| Justice and Community Safety | 1,649 | 1,731 | 5.0% | 1,571.9 | 1,665.1 | 5.9% |
| Territory and Municipal Services | 1,862 | 1,936 | 4.0% | 1,715.6 | 1,776.1 | 3.5% |
| ACTPS Total | 20,913 | 21,260 | 1.7% | 18,573.9 | 18,904.5 | 1.8% |
Over the 2015-16 reporting period, employment growth was seen in approximately three fifths of all ACTPS classification groups. The largest growth in employment was seen in Trainees and Apprentices at 85.7 per cent. This increase is to be expected given the commencement of the pilot ACTPS Indigenous Traineeship Program on 17 August 2015. The second ACTPS Indigenous Traineeship is expected to commence in February 2017 and as such it is likely that the number of Trainees and Apprentices will continue to grow over the 2016-17 reporting period.
Table 4 – ACT Public Service Employment Growth by Classification – 2015-2016
| Classification Group | Headcount | ||
| June 2015 | June 2016 | Change (%) | |
| Administrative Officers | 5,013 | 5,170 | 3.1% |
| Ambulance Officers | 212 | 213 | 0.5% |
| Bus Operators | 672 | 692 | 3.0% |
| Correctional Officers | 192 | 199 | 3.6% |
| Dentists/Dental Officers | 22 | 16 | -27.3% |
| Disability Officers | 216 | 81 | -62.5% |
| Executive Officers | 212 | 229 | 8.0% |
| Fire and Rescue Officers | 337 | 342 | 1.5% |
| General Service Officers and Equivalent | 1,166 | 1,194 | 2.4% |
| Health Assistants | 81 | 102 | 25.9% |
| Health Professional Officers | 1,451 | 1,413 | -2.6% |
| Information Technology Officers | 167 | 164 | -1.8% |
| Judicial Officers | 15 | 15 | 0% |
| Legal Officers | 101 | 106 | 5.0% |
| Legal Support | 23 | 19 | -17.4% |
| Linen Production & Maintenance | 49 | 62 | 26.5% |
| Medical Officers | 876 | 904 | 3.2% |
| Nursing and Midwifery | 2,884 | 2,973 | 3.1% |
| Professional Officers | 166 | 231 | 39.2% |
| Prosecutors | 38 | 37 | -2.6% |
| Rangers | 38 | 47 | 23.7% |
| School Leaders | 771 | 762 | -1.2% |
| Senior Officers | 2,273 | 2,362 | 3.9% |
| Statutory Office Holders | 11 | 11 | 0% |
| Teachers | 3,515 | 3,516 | 0% |
| Technical Officers | 322 | 280 | -13.0% |
| Trainees and Apprentices | 42 | 78 | 85.7% |
| Transport Officers | 48 | 42 | -12.5% |
| Total | 20,913 | 21,260 | 1.7% |
During 2015-16, the ACTPS had a total of 2,927 appointments, promotions and transfers. Of all appointments, 14.9 per cent were from external applicants, 32.6 per cent were from a temporary contract and 20.4 per cent were from a promotion.
As shown in Table 5, the ACTPS continues to experience a decline in the percentage of external appointments (from 20.0 per cent at June 2012 to 14.9 per cent at June 2016). The percentage of permanent transfers and promotions has remained fairly consistent over the past five year period, and the percentages of appointments from temporary contracts and promotions from Higher Duties Arrangements (HDA) have increased marginally. The decrease in the percentage of external appointments and increase in the percentage of promotions from HDA is likely due to the ACTPS’s increased focus on workforce planning, talent identification and management, and building employee capability, as discussed in Section B2 of the Commissioner’s Annual Report.
Table 5 – Appointments and Promotions June 2012 – June 201622
| Financial Year | Total Appointment/Promotion/ Transfers | Appointment From External | Appointment from Temp Contract | Promotion from HDA | Permanent Transfer/Promotion |
| 2011-12 | 3,457 | 20.0% | 28.2% | 21.6% | 30.1% |
| 2012-13 | 3,157 | 18.2% | 31.5% | 20.7% | 29.6% |
| 2013-14 | 2,829 | 15.5% | 34.5% | 18.7% | 31.4% |
| 2014-15 | 2,738 | 15.1% | 33.4% | 19.8% | 31.8% |
| 2015-16 | 2,927 | 14.9% | 32.6% | 21.1% | 31.4% |
| Total | 15,108 | 16.9% | 31.9% | 20.4% | 30.8% |
20. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Australia 6202.0
21. June 2015 data excludes the ACT Electoral Commission and hence may differ from data reported in previous editions of the State of the Service report.
22. Figures reported are for ACTPS directorates only and hence may differ from time series figures reported in previous editions of the State of the Service report.
