ASDA Annual Report 2004-05 (Adobe PDF | 173 pages | 4.4 MB)People
ASDA’s people management practices are aimed at increasing the performance and capability of its workforce. Professional and personal development of staff remained integral to the achievement of ASDA’s business objectives.
Professional and personal development of staff remained integral to the achievement of ASDA’s business objectives.
ASDA’s employment terms and conditions and the workplace environment assisted in attracting, training and retaining expert and committed staff.
ASDA’s central office is located in Canberra with permanent staff also based in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide. ASDA has casual employees based throughout Australia.
ASDA's central office in Canberra.
Developing staff potential
Performance management
ASDA relies on a range of initiatives to enhance the performance of both the organisation and individuals. ASDA’s Growth Factor program ensures that each staff member has an individual performance agreement that links directly to the Agency’s Operational and Strategic Plans. These agreements specify agreed outcomes for each individual and highlight learning and development activities that will be undertaken during the year.
The Growth Factor process is supported by a number of other performance initiatives.
Agency bonus
In 2004–05, overall Agency performance was measured against the Operational Plan, with a result of 75.3 percent. An Agency-wide bonus will be paid in early 2005-06 to eligible staff to reflect their contribution to ASDA’s performance.
Individual bonus
Agency employees are also eligible for individual bonuses, in accordance with the Certified Agreement. Such bonuses are paid based on an assessment of individual performance against deliverables in performance agreements. In 2004–05, 36 staff received a bonus as a result of performances assessed as meeting expectations well, or exceeding expectations.
Performance agreements for both General Managers were agreed with the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive’s performance agreement was negotiated with the Chairperson. Assessments for all executives required 360-degree feedback and data from internal and external sources. Individual bonuses were paid to both General Managers and the Chief Executive during 2004–05.
Peer recognition
A peer recognition award system rounded out ASDA’s commitment to acknowledging and rewarding outstanding performance of individuals and teams. This system gives staff the opportunity to recognise excellent performance that also demonstrates the Agency’s core values. Agency staff showed a high level of commitment to this scheme, with 11 individuals and three teams receiving peer recognition.
“Peer recognition carries a lot of meaning. Ultimately it heightens personal job satisfaction”
ASDA Staff member 2005
Revenue per employee — KPI
ASDA’s revenue per employee was $192,504 which was well in excess of the target of $156,800.
Learning and development
ASDA’s learning and development activities focused on fostering the capability of all staff, in line with ASDA’s business requirements. Highlights included:
- The conduct of a three-day whole of Agency conference to focus on a range of strategic initiatives
- The conduct of a two-day workshop for all of ASDA’s DCOs
- The provision of a studies assistance program, accessed by 14 percent of staff to undertake tertiary study
- Funding for staff to undertake external training, relevant to their work and individual learning priorities, accessed by 57 percent of staff
- A review of ASDA’s e-learning courses to meet changing needs of staff and the Agency.
Ensuring all staff have adequate time in their annual work plan to undertake individual learning and development remains a challenge for ASDA.
Ensuring all staff have adequate time in their annual work plan to undertake individual learning and development remains a challenge for ASDA, one that will be carefully considered in the development of performance agreements for 2005–06.
ASDA staff at the Agency Conference. Discussions at the conference were based on the themes; Reflect — Review — Renew — Respond.
Attracting and retaining staff
Staff satisfaction
ASDA conducts an annual staff satisfaction survey with all of its permanent employees. The survey conducted in 2004–05 revealed a satisfaction rating of 67 percent. This result was lower than the target of 75 percent, but was consistent with surveys conducted in previous years.
| Year | 1998 | 1999 | 2001 | 2002 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction rating | 70% | 67% | 67% | 68% | 70% | 69% | 67% |
A number of the issues identified in the survey were related to the office environment. This issue is being addressed with the Canberra and Sydney offices re-locating in July 2005.
Other issues identified in the survey are being addressed in consultation with the Workplace Relations Committee, staff and management.
ASDA has utilised the same staff survey tool since 1998. A key challenge is to identify a new tool that will provide meaningful data on people related issues to inform planning and decision making. This will be actioned in 2005–06.
Workplace Relations Committee
The Workplace Relations Committee monitors the implementation of ASDA’s Certified Agreement. The Committee met monthly and considered a wide range of issues on behalf of staff.
Significant issues considered by the Committee included:
- Processes for managing performance
- Human resources policies and procedures
- Development of a new Certified Agreement.
Staff recruitment and retention
2004–05 represented a period of expansion for ASDA. Due to increased Government funding and expanded quality and quantity of outputs, new positions were created in the Legal and Policy team, on the Athlete Whereabouts project, in education and communications and in the drug testing teams.
At 30 June 2005, ASDA employed 59.53 full time equivalent staff, including 11 full time equivalent casual drug-testing staff.
| Female | Male |
|---|---|
| 58% | 42% |
The Agency continued its record of low staff turnover, retaining 97 percent of its staff, against a target of 80 percent.
The departure of ASDA’s CEO, Mr. John Mendoza, in December led to the appointment of staff to acting positions until the arrival of a new CEO. This presented a number of staff with significant development opportunities.
The Agency’s management team held quarterly workforce planning meetings to address short to medium term resourcing needs and succession planning.
The Minister for the Arts and Sport announced the appointment of ASDA’s new CEO on 28 June 2005. Mr. Richard Ings will take up the CEO position in the first quarter of 2005–06. Mr. Ings will become the CEO of ASADA once it is established.
The Agency continued its record of low staff turnover, retaining 97 percent of its staff, against a target of 80 percent.
Advertising
ASDA used limited paid advertising spending $4,184 for recruitment and tendering purposes.
Employment conditions
All non-executive ASDA full-time and part-time staff were employed under a Certified Agreement, due to expire in 2005. A project team was established to develop a new Agreement which will be formally considered by staff in 2005–06.
ASDA’s CEO is employed under terms and conditions set by the Remuneration Tribunal and the two General Managers were employed under Australian Workplace Agreements.
Approximately 350 casual staff members, who undertake sample collection activities, were employed through common law terms and conditions, which are varied in accordance with national case decisions and consequent changes to the ASDA Award.
ASDA’s remuneration strategy provides a flexible and motivating approach to salary, bonus payments and benefits. Agency-wide and individual bonuses were paid, as was an Agency-wide salary increase of 3.75 percent. This increase was consistent with wage rises recorded across the public sector and ensures that ASDA maintains competitive remuneration practices.
ASDA undertook a range of activities aimed at enhancing its status as an employer of choice.
ASDA undertook a range of activities aimed at enhancing its status as an employer of choice. These included providing staff with professional development opportunities through acting arrangements, membership of project teams and secondment to other organisations, including one overseas placement. Other HR initiatives included timely facilitation of base salary reviews, processes to maintain market parity of salaries and the provision of flexible salary packaging arrangements.
Managing work-family-community commitments
ASDA promoted a balanced lifestyle for all staff. The Agency, through its Certified Agreement, provided flexible work arrangements that enabled staff to better balance their workplace, family, sporting and community responsibilities. During 2004–05, a number of staff took advantage of flexible working hours, secondment opportunities, leave without pay and community service leave for their own personal, professional or sporting development. Feedback from a large number of staff has indicated that the flexible work arrangements at ASDA are a strong factor in their satisfaction with the workplace.
ASDA encouraged its staff to contribute to the broader community, with leave provided for undertaking approved community service activities under the Certified Agreement.
“I think the Agency’s attitude towards staff being involved in community services is very positive. For me, it is important to be involved in giving blood and to be supported by allowing this to occur during work time was a real bonus”
ASDA staff member, 2005