B.2 Performance Analysis
Respect, Equity and Diversity Framework
The RED Framework continues to support the Sector in maturing into a values based organisation that acts to address unacceptable workplace behaviour at a local level, enabling employees to address issues directly and taking practical steps to manage conflicts. Over the next year WCGD will continue to update the RED Framework resources to reinforce and support a positive workplace culture across the ACTPS, embedding this culture into everyday practice as the ACTPS grows and evolves over the next five years.
ACT Employment Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and ACT Employment Framework for People with Disability
In the 2016-17 reporting period, to place a renewed focus on the employment of People with Disability and of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, the respective employment strategies were removed from the RED Framework and developed into accessible stand-alone employment frameworks to be released in 2017.
The employment frameworks clearly outline the defining statements, pathways, and goals for diversity employment in the ACTPS. By illustrating the commitment and path forward, the ACTPS is striving to demonstrate accountability, moving forward with a renewed whole of government approach to embed long-term sustainable change.
The employment frameworks focus on seven key areas of action underpinned by practical strategies, programs, and policies to be implemented across the ACTPS.
These key areas are:
- inclusive workplaces;
- recruitment;
- retention;
- capacity building;
- leadership;
- collaboration; and
- recognition and celebration.
Employment Strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
During the 2016-17 reporting period, the ACTPS continued to build on existing programs and initiatives implemented to improve employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples within the ACTPS. Progress continued to be made towards reaching the target of 407 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees by 30 June 2019. At June 2017, workforce data shows that employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples has increased to 1.6 per cent (350 Employees).
To assist in creating multiple pathways to employment, the ACTPS introduced the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship on 17 August 2015. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship is a one year program providing trainees with the opportunity to gain valuable skills and knowledge and develop networks across the ACTPS. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship also affords trainees with professional development through the completion of formal qualifications. In August 2016, ten trainees graduated from the program and were offered permanent positions within the ACTPS. Due to the success of the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship, a second cohort of eight commenced the program between February and April 2017.
The Whole of Service Employment Inclusion Team has focused on expanding whole of government inclusion employment initiatives, developing diversity employment resources, and providing direct support to directorates to assist the ACTPS in increasing disability employment across the workforce during the 2016-17 period. In addition, as in past years, the Whole of Service Employment Inclusion Team has focused on providing pastoral care to support those participating in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship and other programs to increase retention of employees.
Since 2016, the ACTPS Graduate Program has placed a particular focus on advertising to, and engaging with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to enhance the visibility of available opportunities.
Career development and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees was identified as an important component of the employment framework moving forward. The 2016-17 period has seen the implementation of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Career Progression and Retention Program, focusing on practical skills and peer support. Due to the success of this program it is currently being further developed for ongoing deployment across the ACTPS.
An informal ACTPS Inclusion Practitioners Network was established in the 2016-17 reporting period to help support employees across directorates, create a knowledge base, attend group training, and share best practice while networking with their peers. This network is currently coordinated through the Whole of Service Employment Inclusion Team.
Employment Strategy for People with Disability
The ACTPS is committed to reaching its target of at least 655 employees with Disability by 30 June 2019. Alongside the stand-alone People with Disability employment framework, the ACTPS has undertaken several active recruitment programs to recruit People with Disability to the ACTPS. Most recently the ACTPS produced an easy to follow practical resource for directorates outlining the various pathways available when employing People with Disability. Potential avenues for inclusive employment include existing whole of government programs, targeted advertising, the use of identified positions, and direct recruitment through a Disability Employment Service provider.
Various employment initiatives were implemented to support directorates to increase the participation of People with Disability within the ACTPS in 2016-17, and there are currently plans to develop several more initiatives in the 2017-18 period. At June 2017, workforce data shows that employment of People with Disability in the ACTPS has increased to 2.4 per cent (521 employees).
The ACTPS Graduate Program continues to be one of the primary avenues for attracting People with Disability to the ACTPS. Particular focus is placed on ensuring each candidate is provided with the necessary reasonable adjustments to support them in the selection process and throughout their three rotations. To help increase the number of inclusion graduates in the 2018 ACTPS Graduate Program, 13 inclusion positions have been identified to support the placement of both People with Disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
The ACTPS envisages commencing ASBAs for People with Disability in the 2017-18 period and is currently liaising with directorates to identify potential work placement opportunities.
An ACTPS Disability Employee Network is in development to support ACTPS employees with a disability, and will take its lead from the successful Murrunga Murrunga Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee network. In addition, an informal ACTPS Inclusion Practitioners Network has been implemented and acts as an avenue for all employees involved in the inclusion space to network, share learning on ACTPS-wide inclusion initiatives, and promote upcoming opportunities.
Based on the success of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship, two inclusion traineeship programs are currently underway to provide People with Disability additional employment pathways into the ACTPS. A register of potential candidates has also been produced during the recruitment process for engagement by work areas as suitable positions become available. The 2016-17 Inclusion Traineeship has engaged ten trainees and will run for a period of 12 months. Upon successful completion of the Inclusion Traineeship, participants will be offered ongoing positions with the ACTPS and gain a relevant qualification from the Canberra Institute of Technology to support their future development. Trainees enter the program at Administrative Services Officer (ASO) 1 or equivalent level and advance to ASO 2 or equivalent on completion.
An ACTPS Inclusion ICT Traineeship (ICT Inclusion Traineeship) commenced in July 2016 with two trainees taking up positions within CMTEDD Shared Services. The ICT Inclusion Traineeship is a three year program specifically for individuals that identify with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Trainees are undertaking a Certificate IV and Diploma in ICT, and will be offered ongoing ICT positions within the ACTPS upon successful completion of the program. These trainees enter at ASO 4 level and over the three years advance to ASO 6 upon completion.
Appropriate resources and disability confidence training is being rolled out for managers and general employees to address the perceived challenges of employing People with Disability in the ACTPS and is being championed by executives and Human Resources (HR) areas.
Workforce Capability
The ACTPS has continued to build the capability required to be an agile, responsive and innovative public service that is able to deliver the Government’s priorities and provide effective services to the ACT community during the 2016-17 period. To support this, there has been a key focus on developing and implementing workforce strategies and providing practical tools through the ACTPS Employment Portal that enable directorates to improve their workplace culture and capability.
The ability of ACTPS leaders to create productive working environments that engage employees and foster collaboration, innovation, communication and responsiveness is central to developing the ACTPS workforce as a whole. Regular executive development events have been held during 2016-17 to support skill development, collaboration, understanding of change management and the promotion of positive workplace cultures. During 2016-17 there were three All Executive Speaker Series events held discussing leadership, responsiveness and collaboration, and a Digital Leadership Executive Forum held on 20 March 2017. In addition, regular whole of government communications have been used to illustrate the connections between the Government’s priorities and the ACTPS capabilities, highlighting the role of the ACTPS in implementing the associated policies and priorities.
Released in late 2015, the ACTPS Shared Capability Framework (the Capability Framework) describes the key skills, knowledge and behaviours that can be universally expected of every ACT public servant at different organisational levels in every workplace across the ACTPS. Developed in consultation with directorates, the streamlined framework provides guidance when developing strategies to address future workforce needs.
To assist with workforce planning across the ACTPS, WCGD has developed the ADAPT (Align, Design, Analyse, Program and Transform) Strategic Workforce Planning Toolkit (ADAPT Toolkit) which has been piloted with a diverse number of work areas during 2016-17. The ADAPT model aligns service innovation, business improvement opportunities and strategic priorities with ‘people planning’ to drive business transformation. The ADAPT Toolkit will assist directorates to align people planning activities with strategic business objectives and build workforces around key service delivery into the future, supporting work areas to deliver effective outcomes while responding dynamically to increasingly changing working environments.
The ADAPT Toolkit is scheduled for full release across the ACTPS in the second half of 2017.
The ACTPS Employment Portal , launched in February 2016, continues to be developed as a centralised resource for ACTPS employees, managers, executives and HR practitioners to access whole of government employment conditions, rights and obligations.
The ACTPS Employment Portal houses all of the whole of government policies, guidance material, toolkits and HR tools and provides clarity and consistency about the obligations and entitlements under the ACTPS Employment Framework. It is available to all stakeholders and can be accessed at http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/employment-framework/_nocache.
Work Safety, Rehabilitation and Workers’ Compensation
In 2016-17, for the fourth consecutive year, the Sector experienced a decline in the number of compensable workplace injuries.
Work has commenced to implement further improvements arising from broad reviews undertaken of both safety and work rehabilitation policies and structures that are designed to support the health, safety and rehabilitation of our workforce.
The ACT Government continued to consult widely on its proposal to design a new workers’ compensation scheme for its workforce and exit the Comcare scheme. After considering the feedback received during consultation, the decision was made that the ACTPS will remain within the Comcare scheme.
2016-17 saw continued work to support the health, safety and rehabilitation of all workers across the ACTPS, including:
- promoting healthy eating through the whole of government Healthy food and drink choices policy and establishment of a list of catering providers whose menus have been assessed by Nutrition Australia as being compliant with the policy;
- continued facilitation of the ACTPS Work Health and Safety Working Group which provides leadership and advice to continuously improve workplace safety culture across the ACTPS;
- continued roll out of the Healthy Weight Initiative with awareness raising and information programs;
- providing funded early intervention physiotherapy services for employees who become injured in the course of their work;
- maintaining arrangements where part of the ACTPS case management team are co-located with Comcare;
- commencement of a broad review of whole of government work-based rehabilitation policy; and
- expanding the availability of reporting for directorates and agencies through the RiskMan electronic incident reporting system. This provides directorate-based work health and safety officers with up to date information about incidents and near misses that are reported across their organisations, allowing them to identify and analyse trends and use the data to inform work health and safety improvement initiatives.
In 2017-18 the Government will remain focused on delivering initiatives that improve services and outcomes for injured workers and reflect a ‘One Service’ approach to supporting injured workers. This will include:
- development of a new whole of government Safety Strategy;
- revitalising the Healthy Weight Initiative with a move to an overall preventative health strategy;
- finalising a suite of work-based rehabilitation policies; and
- rolling out initiatives under a new return to work and retraining initiative.
Workforce Profile
The ACTPS Workforce Profile (Workforce Profile) has been published in previous years by the Commissioner and provides a comprehensive picture of the ACTPS. The Workforce Profile captures aggregate workforce statistics and identifies trends that impact the ACTPS. These statistics allow the ACTPS to gain an understanding of the effectiveness of current policies and programs and to plan for the future state of the ACTPS when compared with previous years.
Agency Survey
The ACTPS Agency Survey (Agency Survey) was reviewed during the 2015-16 reporting period.
Consultation was undertaken with the Human Resources Directors’ Group, and questions in the Agency Survey revised to better capture information on strategies and initiatives employed by directorates and public sector bodies. Importantly, the 2016 Agency Survey was restructured to reflect the main strategic objectives for ACTPS people planning: an agile, innovative, responsive and engaged workforce.
These changes were well received by directorates and have assisted in aligning workforce data clearly with strategic objectives and as such have been continued in the 2016-17 period.
The Agency Survey fulfils the reporting requirements under Section P of the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Notice 2017 (the Directions). The Agency Survey is conducted annually allowing for longitudinal tracking and the identification of trends across the Sector. The 2017 Agency Survey provides the Head of Service with information in relation to broad HR management trends and covers areas such as: the operation of ACTPS Values and Signature Behaviours, ethics and culture, workplace equity and diversity, workforce planning, attraction and retention, and HR management within the Sector.
Complaints
During the 2016-17 reporting period, the Commissioner received 17 general complaints from employees across the ACT Public Sector. As at 30 June 2017, one matter was still current all other matters have been resolved, settled or required no further action.
During the 2016-17 reporting period, complaints were received from the various directorate/public sector bodies as follows:
Directorate/Public Sector Body | Complaints |
|---|---|
Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate | 5 |
Community Services Directorate | 1 |
Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate | 2 |
Health Directorate | 6 |
Justice and Community Safety Directorate | 1 |
Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate/Territory and Municipal Services Directorate | 2 |
Public Interest Disclosures
The Commissioner has a number of functions under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 (the PID Act) including monitoring Public Interest Disclosures (PIDs), reviewing investigations, ensuring appropriate outcomes and coordinating related education and training programs.
During the 2016-17 reporting period, all directorates and public sector bodies complied with the provisions of the PID Act.
In total, the Commissioner was notified of 17 PIDs, an increase on the previous two years, however of those notified, eight were not found to be disclosable conduct (as defined by the PID Act) and closed, with seven being referred for investigation. As of 30 June 2017 two matters were still under consideration.
A breakdown of the relevant directorates/public sector bodies the PIDs relate to is as follows:
Directorate/Public Sector Body | PIDs |
|---|---|
Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate | 2 |
Community Services Directorate | 1 |
Director of Public Prosecutions | 1 |
Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate | 2 |
Health Directorate | 4 |
Justice and Community Safety Directorate | 5 |
Legislative Assembly | 1 |
Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate | 1 |
Throughout the 2016-17 reporting period, directorates and public sector bodies continued to notify the Commissioner in line with the PID Act, that requires that the Commissioner be informed about PIDs with regard to receipt, referral, progress of any investigation and eventual outcome, including a decision not to investigate.
Under the auspices of the Commissioner’s office, a whole of government PID database continues to be maintained by the Senior Investigator, attached to the PSU, for the purpose of centrally recording PID numbers and providing effective oversight and investigation of PIDs.