DownloadManagement and accountability
- Corporate governance
- External scrutiny
- Management of human resources
- Workforce planning
- Attraction and retention
- Employment agreements
- Section 24(1) determinations
- Non-salary benefits
- Performance Management System
- Australia Day medallions
- Peer recognition
- Staff consultation
- Learning and development
- Workplace diversity
- Commonwealth Disability Strategy
- Occupational health and safety
Management of human resources
ASADA‘s people are at the heart of the organisation. We continue to attract passionate, highly skilled and experienced people.
We place great emphasis on the performance and capability of staff, as reflected in our 2008–11 Strategic Plan. Key business priorities for the year were to support and build dynamic, skilled and collaborative teams through the Workforce Plan 2010–14, with a supporting Succession Plan 2010–14 and Individual Career Plans for all ongoing and non-ongoing staff.
We are committed to continually reviewing the way business is conducted, to operate in a way that adopts better practice, and to provide an environment of shared leadership across the organisation. This is reinforced through ongoing specific staff development for Senior Management and the provision of leadership growth for prospective leaders within ASADA.
At 30 June 2011, ASADA employed 66 staff (63 ongoing and three non-ongoing) and had engaged 310 employees on a casual basis in the testing and education teams.
Tables 23 to 28 in Appendix F show our employee profile.
ASADA CEO, Aurora Andruska with ASADA DCOs on a testing mission
Workforce planning
During 2010–11, as part of a coordinated effort to improve organisational capability, we implemented a Capability Framework based on the APS Commission’s Integrated Leadership System. The Capability Framework will help us identify and describe the leadership capabilities that all employees need to effectively perform at their classification levels now and in the future. The Capability Framework also includes training provided by ASADA.
The ASADA Workforce Plan 2010–14 is aligned with the following Human Resources (HR) themes:
- building skills and capability
- managing and recognising performance
- promoting public service culture and values
- supporting career management.
The fundamental purpose of our workforce planning is to better deliver on required outcomes and programs in conjunction with other resources and assets in ways that are appropriate to legislative frameworks and public accountabilities.
The development of the ASADA Workforce Plan led to the establishment of an ASADA Succession Plan 2010–14. Succession planning will ensure the availability and sustainability of a supply of capable staff ready to assume key or critical roles, subject to a competitive selection process. The implementation of the Succession Plan 2010–14 will prepare our employees to undertake key roles when they become available, develop talent, improve employee capabilities and the overall performance, commitment and retention of staff, focusing on leadership continuity and improved knowledge sharing. It will also provide effective monitoring and tracking of employee proficiency levels and skill gaps.
Succession planning in turn led to the introduction of Individual Career Plans for ongoing and non-ongoing employees. These plans will help us create sustainable talent pools by focusing on strengths and capability development (both short- and long-term) and leadership competency development. Individual Career Plans shall be updated annually, creating an environment of merit-based employment opportunities, with employees in the right job at the right time.
Attraction and retention
As a result of implementing ASADA’s Workforce Plan 2010–14 and Succession Plan 2010–14, position profiles are regularly updated. This has resulted in ASADA successfully introducing selection documentation for all positions against the Integrated Leadership System. The HR team works closely with work groups to ensure that the Capability Framework is consistently interpreted and applied during the development of selection documentation. This brings our recruitment practices in line with broader APS practices.
Ongoing improvements in induction and orientation processes ensure new employees feel welcome and valued and help them become fully productive as quickly as possible. Our induction and orientation includes a personalised day-one induction by the HR team and individual meetings with managers in all work groups during the first two weeks to gain an understanding of expectations and general familiarisation with the organisation. Induction meetings are organised for the CEO to meet and greet new employees and share information about ASADA.
Staff turnover during 2010–11 was at a proportional rate of five per cent. This rate equates to three ongoing staff members. Separations were across the APS, Executive Level and Senior Executive classifications range, including retirement and staff seeking employment opportunities at other government agencies or in the private sector.
Employment agreements
During the reporting period, the ASADA Collective Agreement 2009–12 applied to all staff below Senior Executive level employed under the Public Service Act 1999.
The salary bands reflect APS-wide broad-banding groups and include salary ranges representing APS classification ranges. The salary bands available under the ASADA Collective Agreement 2009–12 are shown in table 27. ASADA does not offer performance pay to any employees.
Productivity initiatives in the Collective Agreement focused on continuing family-friendly employment practices and individual flexibility, ongoing review of performance management arrangements, and improving corporate and individual training opportunities to ensure a highly relevant and skilled workforce.
Section 24(1) determinations
In 2010–11, the terms and conditions of employment of Senior Executive Service employees were set by determination under Section 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999.
In addition, at 30 June 2011 Section 24(1) determinations covered four employees where the remuneration available under the collective agreement differed from the remuneration available following the cessation of an Australian Workplace Agreement in previous years, or a determination granted by ASADA or another agency.
Table 28 includes the total employees covered by Section 24(1) determinations.
Non-salary benefits
Non-salary benefits provided to staff in 2010–11 included:
- free influenza vaccinations
- an employee assistance program
- a health and fitness allowance
- study assistance.
Performance Management System
A Performance and Career Enrichment Scheme continues to provide a clear link between employee effort and achievement of goals, thereby allowing our employees to see the relationship between what they do and the contribution they make to the achievement of ASADA’s goals.
The scheme is aligned with the Integrated Leadership System for all classification levels to ensure clear responsibilities and objectives are included in individual performance and development plans. All employees continue to include a key performance requirement covering the APS Values and Code of Conduct.
Australia Day medallions
In 2010–11, ASADA awarded three Australia Day medallions for the first time. They were presented to Anne Doring, Fiona Rankin and Helen Thorne for their invaluable contributions to ASADA.
Peer recognition
The ASADA Collective Agreement 2009–12 provides for a peer reward system to acknowledge and reward the outstanding performance of individuals and teams. The system gives staff the opportunity to recognise outstanding performance in demonstrating ASADA core values.
During the reporting year, six peer rewards were presented. The rewards acknowledged:
- successful coordination of the organisation’s payroll system during a challenging period
- outstanding coverage of the sport operation services during periods where ASADA staff were unavailable
- outstanding ability to overcome staff shortages, language barriers and last-minute requests from the client to successfully complete testing at an international event
- exceptional individual effort and dedication in meeting testing targets.
Australia Day medallion recipients Fiona Rankin and Helen Thorne
Right: anne Doring receives Australia Day Medallion
Staff consultation
The workplace agreement provides consultative arrangements to enable engagement with staff through formal and informal consultation through the Workplace Consultative Committee. This committee is the forum for broad consultation on matters affecting employees.
The ASADA Employee Survey was sent to all ongoing and non-ongoing employees (but not to casual staff) in January 2011. The survey provided important data on employee attitudes to, and understanding of, a range of issues about working in the APS and ASADA, including work-life balance, leadership, job satisfaction, and recruitment and retention. The data from the survey has been vital in assisting the Senior Management Group identify and evaluate important leadership and management issues for ASADA. This information has been assessed against the APS Commission’s survey of APS employees, allowing for some ‘reality checking’ of agency information.
The survey showed that among staff:
- 93 per cent indicated that ASADA was a good place to work
- 100 per cent agreed that they would put in the extra effort to get a job done
- 94 per cent agreed that the workplace culture supports people to achieve a good work-life balance.
Learning and development
Our corporate training program is driven largely by individual development needs identified through ASADA’s strategic and business priorities and the Performance and Career Enrichment Scheme.
We continue to strengthen our leadership capability through participation in the APS Commission’s Career Development Assessment Centre. One senior manager attended the program during 2010–11. Two staff members commenced the Public Service Management graduate certificate program adding formal qualifications to members of the leadership team. On appointment all Executive Level 1 and 2 staff undertake a relevant leadership course.
Other staff training focused on core behaviours, skills and knowledge required by people across ASADA, and included the following:
- 2010 international education conference
- Accounting concepts and principles
- APS Values and Code of Conduct
- Audit training
- Better Annual Report workshop
- Building new leaderships
- Certificate IV in government security
- Certificate IV in project management
- Corruption Prevention Network annual forum
- Dealing with diverse stakeholders
- Demystifying ISO 9001
- Digital Learning – Making it Work in the Real World
- EL network membership
- EL2 transition program
- Essential writing for APS 1–4
- Executive coaching course level 1
- Executive leadership dimensions
- Executive learning group
- Fringe benefits tax essentials
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Harassment officer refresher workshop
- ASADA intelligence training course
- Interview skills
- Legislation and APS decision-making
- Managing your time
- Media training
- New pathways for pro-cycling conference
- Occupational health and safety (OHS) essentials
- OHS refresher
- Policy writing
- Preparing Senate estimate briefs
- Recordkeeping responsibilities
- Records and information management in government
- The New Supervisor.
Workplace diversity
In 2010–11, we developed the Diversity Plan 2011–14 to demonstrate our commitment to diversity. We recognise values and support the different skills and talents of all our employees, making use of these differences to provide challenging and rewarding work in a team-based environment. We value fairness, equity and diversity, and provide support and education to prevent and eliminate harassment and bullying. ASADA also finalised its Reconciliation Action Plan 2011–15.
We provide flexible working conditions to our employees. Findings from the staff survey in January 2011 confirmed that flexibility is one of the most important workplace attributes impacting on job satisfaction in ASADA. The survey revealed that 93 per cent of respondents are satisfied with their access to those flexible working arrangements.
Commonwealth Disability Strategy
In line with the Commonwealth Disability Strategy, we continue to promote diversity by supporting employees who have disabilities, providing adaptive technology, convenient parking spaces and flexible work arrangements. A Disability Plan 2011–15 is in development.
Changes to disability reporting in annual reports
Since 1994, Commonwealth departments and agencies have reported on their performance as policy adviser, purchaser, employer, regulator and provider under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy. In 2007– 08, reporting on the employer role was transferred to the Australian Public Service Commission’s State of the Service Report and the APS Statistical Bulletin. These reports are available at www.apsc.gov.au. From 2010–11, departments and agencies are no longer required to report on these functions.
The Commonwealth Disability Strategy has been overtaken by a new National Disability Strategy which sets out a ten-year national policy framework for improving life for Australians with disability, their families and carers. A high-level report to track progress for people with disability at a national level will be produced by the Standing Council on Community, Housing and Disability Services to the Council of Australian Governments and will be available at www.fahcsia.gov.au. The Social Inclusion Measurement and Reporting Strategy agreed by the Government in December 2009 will also include some reporting on disability matters in its regular How Australia is Faring report and, if appropriate, in strategic change indicators in agency annual reports. More detail on social inclusion matters can be found at www.socialinclusion.gov.au.
Occupational health and safety
In 2010–11 we maintained our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of all our employees through our policies, procedures and a well-established framework for Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) management. This framework includes:
- the OHS Committee, which met four times during the year
- selection and training of current and replacement designated health and safety representatives, wardens and first aid officers
- training for all staff on OHS essentials
- incident reporting and investigation
- targeted safety improvements.
Free influenza vaccinations were offered to all staff, including casual employees, to raise awareness of health and wellbeing.
A program for workplace assessments was carried out during the reporting period. All offices, covering Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane staff, have been reviewed and appropriate recommendations made for updating workstations. This program also included reviews of home-based offices for ongoing Doping Control Officers (DCOs) and other staff employed under a working-from-home arrangement.
During 2010–11 there were no OHS incidents involving staff.