5. An Engaged Workforce: Getting the best from people at work

5.1 Performance And Capability Development

A vision for the ACTPS is to ensure every employee feels engaged and supported through a positive workplace environment, and that there is clarity in what is expected of employees. As a Service, it is important to recognise and promote good performance and provide support in areas where performance needs to improve. It is through increased employee engagement that improvements in performance are seen, along with increased productivity and improved delivery of services.

To achieve high levels of employee engagement, it is important that managers and employees have a clear understanding around roles, responsibilities and goals. The ACTPS Performance Framework establishes the process for managing employee performance, and supports managers to develop workplace culture and capability. The ACTPS Performance Framework assists employees and managers to have quality performance conversations. These discussions are an opportunity for employees to highlight their achievements, obtain and provide feedback, and seek assistance when required. Performance conversations can assist employees to identify exactly what skills, knowledge and behaviour they need to master in order to do their job and progress their career in the ACTPS.

The Capability Framework describes the skills, knowledge and behaviour that can be universally expected of ACT public servants at different organisational levels and in every workplace across the Service. Using the Capability Framework in conjunction with a personal Performance and Development Plan (PDP), employees can track their development goals against their current and desired organisational level.

The 2016 Agency Survey asked directorates to report on whether they monitored the utilisation of the ACTPS Performance Framework during the 2015-16 reporting period.

Table 25 – Utilisation of the ACTPS Performance Framework

Directorates were then asked to report on the percentage of their workforce that had a performance agreement in place at 30 June 2016. Two of the seven directorates reported that they were unable to determine the percentage, while the other five directorates reported percentages of 20 per cent, 40 per cent, 62 per cent, 64 per cent and 70 per cent of their workforce with a performance agreement in place at 30 June 2016. From these figures it is evident that further promotion of the ACTPS Performance Framework is required to increase the percentage of ACTPS employees with a PDP in place.

Providing employees with the opportunity to improve their skills and capability has been shown as one way to gain benefits in the performance and motivation of the workforce. Directorates were asked to report on the strategies employed during 2015-16 to enhance, develop or improve employee capability and performance, the results of which are in Table 26.

Table 26 – Strategies used during 2015-16 to enhance, develop or improve employee capability and performance

Of the directorates that reported using other strategies to enhance, develop or improve employee capability and performance; two reported using Higher Duties Arrangements (HDA) and temporary transfers, two reported using coaching and on the job training, and one reported using a skills register.

5.2 Underperformance

Having clear procedures for managing underperformance is essential in supporting workforce productivity and maintaining employee engagement. The Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman states that underperformance can be exhibited though:

• unsatisfactory work performance, that is, a failure to perform the duties of the position or to perform them to the standard required;
• non-compliance with workplace policies, rules or procedures;
• unacceptable behaviour in the workplace; and/or
• disruptive or negative behaviour that impacts on co-workers³¹.

Directorates were asked to identify whether they monitored the number of preliminary underperformance discussions held during the 2015-16 reporting period. Of the eight directorates, three reported that they did monitor preliminary underperformance discussions, with two of these directorates reporting that these conversations realised the required improvements and did not proceed to formal underperformance processes.

Table 27 – Preliminary Underperformance Discussions 2015-16

Directorates were asked to provide details of the number of formal underperformance processes that were commenced in the 2015-16 financial year under the procedures set out in the relevant ACTPS Enterprise Agreement.

Table 28 – Underperformance Processes 2015-16

A total of three directorates indicated that they did not commence any formal underperformance processes as set out in the relevant Enterprise Agreement during the 2015-16 reporting period.

Directorates were then asked to report on the outcomes of the underperformance processes that were finalised during 2015-16, the results of which are in shown in Table 29.

Table 29 – Outcomes from Underperformance Processes 2015-16

Positively, of the 28 underperformance processes finalised during the 2015-16 period the most common outcome (46 per cent of processes) was satisfactory performance achieved at the completion of the process.

^{31. Australian Government, Fair Work Ombudsman, Managing Underperformance July 2015}

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