Part 2: Management and accountability
Enabling our people
FaCS and its agency, the Child Support Agency (CSA), recognise that their people are their key resource. FaCS supports its people in achieving FaCS outcomes with initiatives that address capability, diversity and health.
Certified and workplace agreements
FaCS—certified agreement
The third and final pay increase under the FaCS Certified Agreement 2002–05 was paid on 1 April 2004 after the parties to the agreement noted that sufficient progress had been made against performance improvement milestones regarding the completion of individual performance agreements, the implementation of an organisational performance measurement framework and the development of revised work level standards for FaCS job classifications.
The current agreement nominally expires in May 2005. The agreement provides that the department will commence consultation with FaCS employees and their representatives, including the unions, about a subsequent agreement by November 2004.
Child Support Agency—agency agreement
The Child Support Agency (General Employees) Agreement has a nominal expiry date of 15 December 2004. Negotiations are currently being held on the subsequent agreement, which is expected to be completed prior to the expiration of the current agreement.
Advancement
CSA's Advancement model continued to improve organisational capability. The introduction of a robust performance management tool has resulted in improved feedback to staff, effective performance management processes and improved staff satisfaction. The performance management framework is being reviewed to confirm effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
CSA has recently identified five key priorities to address to maintain continuous improvement of the Advancement process. Over the coming year the focus will be on implementing strategies that further streamline the Advancement process and improve the management tools used to complement advancement and performance management within CSA. The streamlined process will align with CSA business needs and APS merit principles and will operate within the CSA Advancement framework in conjunction with the principles agreed to in the agency agreement.
SES remuneration
All FaCS senior executive service (SES) staff have Australian workplace agreements (AWAs) in place.
FaCS' executive remuneration policy provides for an annual review of SES salaries taking account of the Australian Public Service SES Remuneration Survey published each year.
FaCS executive remuneration and performance pay are set out in Volume two, Part four, 'Financial statements'.
Australian workplace agreements
FaCS (including CSA) offers AWAs to all SES staff and key non-SES staff. These agreements provide flexible or specially tailored remuneration and conditions. AWAs also are used to recruit or retain specialist staff and/or to recognise particular expertise, additional work responsibility and complexity, or especially valuable individual contributions to FaCS outcomes.
See Volume two, Part three, 'Appendix 1' for more information on AWAs.
Capability development
FaCS—capability development
Strategic capability development framework
FaCS is seeking to take a more strategic approach to developing capability, including establishing a greater match between individual requirements and FaCS' capability needs.
FaCS has developed a capability development framework that identifies and addresses both organisational and individual capability needs, including leadership and priority skills. The aim of the framework is to ensure that the development needs of staff at all levels are addressed, with a particular emphasis on strategic organisational capabilities.
By defining capability requirements it is anticipated that development activities in future will reflect a greater focus on the strategic needs of the organisation.
Development programs
FaCS continues to support training for staff and managers, with a focus on identified workforce capability and skills gaps. Learning activities in 2003–04 covered the following themes:
- senior executive development—using strategic planning processes and individual coaching
- leadership development—including residential workshops and peer coaching
- financial management
- contract management
- partnering and relationship management
- policy development and writing
- project management.
As part of its approach to identifying and strengthening leadership potential, FaCS also participated in the following external development programs:
- Australian and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG): Executive Fellows Program and Executive Master in Public Administration
- Australian Public Service Commission (APSC): Career Development Assessment Centres (CDACs).
Child Support Agency—capability development
Leadership
CSA recognises the importance of having strong, skilled leaders in the organisation. As a follow-on from the success of the CSA leadership conference held in May 2003, a CSA business focus has been on increasing leadership capability at the operational, stream and strategic levels. Key initiatives included:
- conducting stream leadership forums to assist in the ongoing development of the strategic operational management capacity of CSA's leadership network
- recruiting 18 graduates to join nine current staff in participating in a graduate leadership program, including undertaking a CSA-tailored Graduate Certificate in Public Administration through the University of Canberra.
Business coaching
The CSA national business coaching model was implemented in May 2003, as part of the improvement process for the coaching model that was originally developed in 1999. The four key messages of business coaching are to:
- improve organisational capability by ensuring coaches are trained, and accountable for developing staff skills
- align coaching with business priorities
- establish a sustainable infrastructure to support coaching
- provide tools to support coaches and a commitment to continuous improvement of products and resources.
A recent audit indicates that 74 per cent of staff that participated in the audit are satisfied with the level of coaching they receive and that staff are happy with the change from reactive coaching to pro-active coaching.
Corporate health
CSA's corporate health survey is designed to measure organisational values and associated culture, aspects of communication and perception of quality of service by staff.
The most recent corporate health index was established in December 2003. Issues rated comparatively highly are those relating to strategic direction, role clarity, focus on customers, immediate supervisor, teamwork, job security, job satisfaction, and job and personal growth. Issues relating to procedural justice, cross-stream cooperation, change management and resources necessary to do the job are focus areas for improvement.
Rewards and recognition
The CSA rewards and recognition program provides a way for CSA to acknowledge the valuable contributions of its people to business objectives and values. Every three months one individual or team in each CSA site is recognised for their input to the business. A national award is given annually to the top nomination(s) from the site winners.
At the 2004 Rewards and Recognition—General Manager's Awards, winners were presented with their awards by the Hon Christopher Pyne, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services. The awards were made for Innovation, Excellence in Change Leadership, Client Service, Commitment to Purpose and Service to the Community.
National Consultative Forum
The National Consultative Forum is a formal channel for consultation within CSA. The forum has been in place for several years and continues to provide valuable input into a wide range of initiatives, including current negotiations for a new agency agreement. The forum consists of management representatives and representatives elected by staff.
Diversity
FaCS—workplace diversity
FaCS has continued its commitment to workplace diversity this financial year by undertaking initiatives directed at mature-age and Indigenous employees as well as establishing a diversity council to monitor our effectiveness and promote activity in providing a safe, equitable, accessible and inclusive work environment.
In December 2003 the inaugural FaCS Diversity Council was convened. The council, which meets quarterly, is chaired by the Secretary; its members represent a range of FaCS employees and diversity networks. The council has begun identifying issues and priorities to be addressed in the next Diversity Plan by conducting a FaCS-wide diversity survey.
Our Mature Workers Strategy was launched in March 2004. It contains activities to support a greater number of career and life style choices for those beginning to consider retirement, including strategies for transferring knowledge, mentoring and encouraging employment beyond an age at which people may otherwise have chosen to retire.
FaCS addressed Commitment 7 of our Statement of Commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People by developing and launching our Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Strategy in July 2003. Activity to implement this strategy is ongoing.
Staff with disabilities
In early 2003, FaCS proposed a whole-of-government project to explore how information and communication technology (ICT) investment and usage can be better used to support flexible work practices across the APS. Subsequently, two new better practice checklists: the first on assistive technology for employees of the Australian Government, and another on the ICT to support for telework (work conducted outside the controlled office environment) were developed.
FaCS' Disability Stakeholder Group (DSG) met in May 2004 to assist People Branch to plan for recruitment and retention of staff with disabilities. The strategy that was developed will be incorporated into the new FaCS Diversity Plan and will include a Reasonable Adjustment Policy.
Child Support Agency—workplace diversity
The CSA Workplace Diversity Plan was developed in 2002–03. The plan consists of overarching principles and strategies that guide relevant events, activities and day-to-day operations. The 'diversity wheel' provides a ready-reference tool for staff to reinforce their awareness of their diversity responsibilities.
The diversity plan will be re-evaluated in 2004 with a view to developing a new plan for 2004–05.
Occupational health and safety
FaCS—occupational health and safety
FaCS has an occupational health and safety (OHS) policy, agreement and infrastructure that ensure cooperative consultation with FaCS employees about health and safety matters. FaCS' National Office develops national work environment policies, coordinates the delivery of nationally consistent work environment policies and delivers work environment services to National Office staff. In each state or territory office, the human resources or business services manager is responsible for delivery of work environment services and national policies, local policy development and local compensation management.
FaCS incident reports
There were nine OHS incidents and these resulted in incapacity of 30 or more days.
Child Support Agency—occupational health and safety
CSA has developed an OHS operational plan for the next two years. The plan is designed to underpin a safe and healthy CSA workplace in which managers and employees recognise and acknowledge their respective roles and responsibilities for occupational health and safety. Occupational health and safety is recognised as an integral component of management systems and daily work practices, and CSA performance and outcomes of occupational health and safety achieve a standard of best practice.
Key result areas of the operational plan are based on the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) strategy 2002–12:
- prevention of injury and disease in the workplace
- effective management of injured employees
- improved OHS performance leading to reduced premium costs.
The OHS operational plan will be the basis for reporting to the CSA National Occupational Health and Safety Committee, which acts as the primary advisory body for OHS and meets quarterly.
CSA incident reports
During 2003–04 CSA reported four notifiable occurrences.
This is an increase of one from the previous year. There were no provisional improvement notices or improvement notices received, a decrease of one in each category from last year.
Internal communication
FaCS—internal communication
Staff can draw on a range of internal communication media and mechanisms for information on current FaCS activities, policies and programs and changes to organisational processes, systems and procedures affecting business. Internal communication vehicles include a weekly all-staff electronic newsletter and quarterly hard-copy magazine, targeted topic-specific newsletters and fact sheets, an intranet, and seminars and presentations.
Major issues communicated to staff this year included:
- the launch of the first FaCS triple bottom line report in October 2003 and associated changes to business operations throughout 2004
- the new Stronger Families and Communities Strategy
- the restructure of the department
- the transfer of functions to FaCS from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS)
- the launch of the FaCS Mature Workers Strategy.
Child Support Agency—internal communication
CSA has a strong internal communication program, which has achieved awards for excellence on a number of occasions. Key internal communication vehicles include:
- regional newsletters
- a monthly national newsletter (available in both hard copy and electronic format)
- communication representatives in each CSA site
- C3—the CSA intranet site
- 'The Guide'—an online legal resource to help staff make decisions on child support cases that is also available for parents on the CSA web site
- the Community Services Directory—to help staff refer parents to appropriate community services in their local area.
Major issues communicated to staff included the agency agreement, Budget measures, inquiry recommendations, government processes and outcomes of the CSA national leadership conference.