]]
Publications
Our environmental, social and economic performance
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2004
ISBN 0 642 55046 8
Our workforce - detailed analysis of DEH workforce completed. Work begun on succession and job rotation/skills development strategies to address ageing workforce and turnover rate issues.
Healthy and safe working environment - investigate and implement more informative occupational health and safety reporting systems (by end 2005).On 11 December 2001, the Department became an Investors in People (IiP) organisation. IiP underpins DEH's commitment to providing staff with development opportunities suited to their individual needs.
Sarah Yip Graduate Programme 2003
During my graduate year I was fortunate in securing a six-week placement at Jabiru, working with Parks Australia and the Kakadu Board of Management.
I had a great time assessing walking tracks, counting crocodiles, tracking rats and just watching the sunsets. I also learnt a lot about Aboriginal culture from the park staff and traditional owners.
Working on location has left me with a great respect for everybody involved in the joint management of our national parks and a strong appreciation of DEH's role at Kakadu.
IiP principles and practices inform the development of measures such as DEH's Performance and Development Scheme, and time and budget allocations for staff development. DEH divisions also develop their own IiP activities including staff newsletters, seminars, communications and celebratory events.
Measures such as Executive seminars on topical items and issues, discussion at bi-monthly meetings between the Secretary and directors, and distribution of Executive Roundtable meeting outcomes on our intranet help ensure that the IiP standard is supported by the Executive and other staff.
Benefits for management and staff from IiP related measures include:
A November 2003 surveillance audit showed that DEH continues to meet the international standard for IiP accreditation. The Department was awarded the inaugural Australian Government Investors in People Gold Award on 12 November 2003.
LA1, LA2, LA11, LA16At 30 June 2004, DEH employed 1340 people, based on a headcount of staff. DEH staff are located in: Canberra; Darwin; Adelaide; Brisbane; Hobart; Perth; Bendigo; Kakadu National Park; Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park; Booderee National Park; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Christmas Island and Norfolk Island.
Of our 1340 staff:
DEH has a higher proportion of staff that are non-ongoing (14%) than does the APS as a whole (8.8% in 2003). However, non-ongoing employees are particularly important to DEH in national parks. They provide the flexibility to meet seasonal operational requirements of lease arrangements between traditional owners and the Australian Government. Seasonal employment also provides important employment and training opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
Figure 6 shows that DEH has a lower proportion of ongoing staff at the APS1 to APS4 levels, and a greater proportion at higher levels, when compared to the Australian Public Service as a whole. The profile is, however, generally consistent with other Australian Government agencies whose core roles are policy advice and development, and programme administration rather than 'shop-front' service delivery.
Figure 7 shows that the ratio of DEH's female to male ongoing staff is higher at the APS1 to APS6 classifications, and lower in the EL1 to SES Band 3 classifications (particularly at the EL1 level and beyond). This profile is generally comparable to that of the Australian Public Service as a whole.
DEH's peak decision making body, the Executive Roundtable, is comprised of 83% male and 17% female members.
Figure 8 shows that DEH, like the APS as a whole, has an ageing workforce. With some 39% of our workforce aged 45 and over, considerable numbers of our more skilled and experienced employees will retire or semi-retire over the next decade. To minimise the impact, work is now being undertaken on succession planning, job rotation for skills development, leadership and management development, recruitment practices, and investigation of measures such as more flexible working arrangements for mature age workers. This work will help to ensure the retention of corporate knowledge and a strong skills base.
Figure 5: Make-up of DEH staff at 30 June 2004(a)
Figure 6: DEH’s ongoing staff by classification compared to all APS staff(a)
Figure 7: DEH’s ongoing staff at 30/06/04 by classification by gender(a)
At 30 June 2004, DEH had 1340 staff, an increase of 30 on the figure at 30 June 2003 (based on headcount of staff). DEH's total staff turnover rate for 2003-04 was 24.6% (including ongoing and non-ongoing staff), a marginal increase on the 2002-03 rate of 24.15%. These turnover rates are higher than those of most other APS agencies. However, in 2002-03 DEH's turnover rate for ongoing staff only was 10.7%, compared to an average of 7.4% for all Australian Government agencies. A significant factor contributing to DEH's high turnover rate is the employment of seasonal workers in national parks - a practice essential to the management of the parks.
A survey of staff who left voluntarily during the 18 months to 30 June 2003 identified two main reasons for their departure: 'better career prospects elsewhere' and 'lack of work satisfaction and challenge'.
An exit survey of ongoing staff will be implemented before December 2004 to gather additional information that will be used to help develop of new measures and/or refine existing measures for addressing the factors that drive staff turnover. A new job rotation and skills development pilot programme for APS6s with demonstrated management potential will be introduced in 2004-05.
Figure 8 : DEH's ongoing staff by age cohort compared to all APS staff (a)
LA9, LA16DEH's training and development strategies are designed to benefit both DEH and individual staff by developing their potential and providing the skills needed to take on new roles throughout their careers. DEH's Performance and Development Scheme and its Graduate Recruitment and Development Programme (Graduate Programme) are integral to achieving these objectives. Regular information sessions on human resources issues - including specific sessions for Directors - help ensure that learning and development strategies are implemented effectively.
The PDS facilitates access to job-related learning, provides clarity about job performance expectations and encourages regular feedback on performance. The scheme also provides the framework for managers (with their staff) to identify development needs and prepare individual learning plans. Under DEH's Certified Agreement, salary progression and pay increases are linked to participation in the PDS.
In a recent Australian National Audit Office audit of APS Performance Management Systems, DEH's PDS rated highly in relation to 'staff participation' and 'review of performance against formal agreements'.
This programme is highly sought after, with a large number of applications received each year. During 2004, DEH put 12 graduates, (including two who were already employed by DEH), through the programme. These 12 graduates were qualified in a wide range of fields.
Graduates have three job rotations during the one-year programme. This provides them with experience in a range of DEH activities, formal training, and diverse skills acquired through on-the-job development.
By June 2005, DEH will analyse Graduate Programme outcomes to determine how programme participants progress in their careers, and the proportion of graduates retained after one, two or more years. This information will provide benchmarks for future outcome comparisons.
DEH encourages staff to undertake studies that are relevant to its responsibilities and goals and, where appropriate, provides study leave and financial assistance. Under a new initiative, in 2004-05 it will offer a bursary to eligible employees undertaking approved tertiary studies.
Staff training is supported by a commitment to spend an average of $1000 per year (inclusive of travel and other associated non-salary costs) on learning and development activities for each employee, and provide an average of five days training per person per year.
At present, DEH's information systems do not capture reliable data on training expenditure.
DEH understands that staff must be able to balance the demands of work and home life if they are to perform well in the workplace and successfully achieve longer-term career goals. To achieve an appropriate balance, staff must have access to suitable leave entitlements and flexible working arrangements. They must also know that they can exercise an effective influence over workplace conditions, and contribute to, organisational change.
DEH involves staff in decision making about the structure and objectives of the organisation through such initiatives as staff surveys, workforce consultation about restructures, and staff input into processes of business and strategic planning. A number of formal mechanisms are also in place to ensure staff are informed of, and can contribute to, organisational change. These include the DEH Consultative Committee and the establishment of sub-committees to address specific change issues.
Through its Certified Agreement and individual Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) DEH provides a variety of leave entitlements and alternative working arrangements, such as flexible working hours, part-time employment, and home-based work. These provide staff with flexible options for balancing their work and personal lives.
DEH also provides family rooms for its staff at the John Gorton Building in Canberra and is currently investigating accreditation with the Australian Breastfeeding Association to become a breastfeeding friendly workplace.
DEH's occupational health and safety (OH&S) policy and agreement and their associated programmes underpin our commitment to maintaining a safe working environment and helping to ensure the health of our staff. An OH&S Committee, designated work groups who represent and safeguard staff's health and safety interests, and a network of health and safety representatives are primarily responsible for the effective implementation of OH&S policies and programmes. Our aim is best practice in occupational health and safety management.
Departmental wide OH&S activities and programmes include: workplace assessments (on request); the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides a free counselling service; and a range of stress reduction programmes.
Our Rehabilitation Unit assists staff who have been affected by injury or illness, whether or not work-related, to make a safe, early and effective return to work. The unit works closely with the employee, their manager/s, rehabilitation providers, Government medical officers and Comcare Australia.
In 2003-04, a number of DEH divisions initiated various voluntary health and fitness programmes. For example, some divisions have invited staff to participate in the voluntary 'Health Futures' programme which provides free health checks and promotes the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise, and some initiated the Heart Foundation's 10 000 Steps programme.
We are required to maintain records of OH&S incidents, including near misses, and report these to the Australian Government's workers compensation insurer, Comcare Australia.
Compensation claims
In 2003-04, the Department had 35 compensation claims, a slight increase on 2002-03 when 31 claims were received. Sprains and strains accounted for 49% of those claims and back injuries for a further 20%.
There were no work related fatalities in 2003-04 or 2002-03.
Absenteeism
In 2003-04, for every 100 working days 2.44% of available working hours were lost through staff being on sick leave (with or without a doctor's certificate). On average, each employee took 6.4 days of sick leave. This excludes staff employed in Parks Australia, and does not include absences due to compensation claims.
Participation in OH&S activities 2003-04
The Department's Workplace Diversity Policy and Workforce Diversity Strategy are the central mechanisms for ensuring a diverse workforce and preventing discriminatory practices. They are based on, and designed to, instil in staff the following principles:
The strategy is supported by specific initiatives, including the Disability Action Plan, the Workplace Contact Officers Network and the Indigenous Career Development and Recruitment Strategy.
The Disability Action Plan, to be fully implemented by December 2004, is designed to raise staff awareness of disability issues, ensure that information is accessible (for example, in Braille), and provide all staff with appropriate physical access to departmental offices and other work locations. Under the strategy the needs of staff with disabilities and external stakeholders must be considered during the development of policies and/or operational procedures.
The Department has a network of Workplace Contact Officers comprising 18 staff across the department. Their role is to provide other staff and managers with information and support in relation to issues such as harassment, whistleblowing, grievance procedures, workplace diversity, APS values and the APS Code of Conduct. Their role does not encompass the instigation of investigations.
This strategy, through its related initiatives, provides Indigenous Australians with equitable employment and career development opportunities across all operational areas of DEH.
The strategy encompasses, among other initiatives: cross-cultural awareness programmes for all staff; workplace diversity awareness workshops; resource exchange and information programmes for Indigenous staff and communities; a traditional skills workplace recognition programme, and mentors for new Indigenous employees. Appropriate training is also provided for Indigenous interviewees and selection panels.
The traditional rights, roles and obligations of Indigenous employees are recognised through measures such as ceremonial leave entitlements for all Indigenous employees. Those located at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park may be granted five days additional paid personal leave to attend traditional ceremonies relating to Tjukurpa.
A Working Group reports regularly to the Department of the Environment and Heritage Network on Indigenous Issues, which is a high level committee. It is proposed that in 2004-05 this group be replaced by an Indigenous Committee that will report directly to the Executive Roundtable, which comprises all Division Heads.
At present, DEH does not capture reliable diversity data such as the number of Indigenous Australians employed. A significant issue is that disclosure of personal characteristics by staff is voluntary. However, during 2004-05, DEH will investigate methodologies for collecting improved data.
DEH provides staff with access to paid leave for many activities that benefit the community. These activities include donating blood, fire fighting, participating in other emergency or disaster relief situations, and defence force training. Some DEH staff participated in each of these activities in 2003-04.
At present DEH does not collect information on staff participation in these community activities.