B.8 Human Resources Management

During 2017-18, the directorate’s human resource priorities continued to be guided by the CMTEDD Corporate Framework, and specified outcomes within the CMTEDD Strategic People Plan 2015-17, centred around:

• Culture: develop and maintain a positive workplace culture that positions us as a collaborative workplace that optimises retention and engagement;
• Capability: identify, develop and maintain a workforce with the skills and capabilities required to meet organisational goals now and into the future; and
• Accountability: maximise relevant legislative and policy compliance and contributions to the One Government approach.

The directorate continued to work collaboratively across government at all levels, including participation in senior bodies accountable for workforce related issues in the ACTPS, including HR Collaboration Forum, HR Directors and the People Performance Council.

Culture

CMTEDD demonstrated its ongoing commitment to workplace inclusion through implementation of the CMTEDD Workforce Diversity Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy is framed around building cultural awareness and understanding, whilst supporting the attraction and retention of a diverse workforce. Specific initiatives are incorporated within the Strategy in relation to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples; People with Disability; People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds; Women; and those who identify as a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and/or Queer person.

Key initiatives to support culture across the directorate during the reporting period included:

• establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Pathway program. The program provides opportunities for individuals to undertake paid work experience and training to support entry and re-entry to the workforce.
• continuing to actively implement the CMTEDD Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2017-19, supported by the RAP Implementation Working Group who are actively engaged in progressing the organisation’s reconciliation journey;
• increasing support and provision of training to the CMTEDD Respect, Equity and Diversity (RED) Contact Officer Network, to support their ability to fulfil their role and advocate the RED principles across the directorate;
• successful reaccreditation as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace through the Australian Breastfeeding Association; and
• promotion of key significant dates, such as Harmony Day, International Day of People with Disability, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week, International Women’s Day and White Ribbon Day.

The directorate also utilised WoG activities to increase workforce diversity including:

• successful completion and promotion of two participants in the 2017 ACTPS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship program;
• successful completion and promotion of two participants in the 2017 ACTPS People with Disability Inclusion Traineeship Program; and
• the placement of 16 individuals through the Work Experience Support Program (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse). This is a significant increase from last year’s offered placements of nine.

Capability

CMTEDD continued to strengthen its workforce, build organisational capability, encourage retention and enhance organisational performance.

The directorate embeds a culture of high performance through the promotion of the ACTPS Performance Framework and recognition of values-aligned excellence through the CMTEDD Staff Awards.

CMTEDD recruited highly skilled and talented graduates through the ACTPS Graduate Program, with 18 graduates employed as at June 2018.

Employees were provided with access to a range of in-house learning and development opportunities in addition to utilisation of the ACTPS Training Calendar, attendance at conferences and various other specialist programs. A new CMTEDD intranet platform was launched in June 2018.  The new intranet features an interactive CMTEDD training calendar to increase visibility of in-house learning and development opportunities.

Learning and development activities offered in-house included, but were not limited to, the programs outlined below.

In-House Training

Respect, Equity and Diversity (General and Managers): These training programs are designed to increase awareness and understanding of the ACTPS RED Framework. Manager training specifically identifies managerial responsibilities predominantly in relation to bullying prevention.

Cultural Awareness: This program increases staff understanding and awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and assists in the development of effective communication and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Disability Awareness (General and Managers): These sessions develop an understanding of issues experienced by People with Disability, promotes knowledge of key disability legislation and increases confidence in how to relate appropriately to People with Disability.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) Awareness: This training provides an understanding of the LGBTIQ community and related issues of importance, including language and terminologies; practical case studies on how to consider LGBTIQ implications in policy work and offers resources and ideas on fostering LGBTIQ inclusivity in the workplace. This training was piloted in the directorate with a view that a WoG approach would be adopted for LGBTIQ training in the future.

Domestic and Family Violence Awareness: This training is designed to assist staff and managers to identify the signs of domestic and family violence, respond appropriately to disclosures of information, and receive tools for support and referral.

Leadership and Management Program: The Leadership and Management Program is designed to strengthen confidence and capability amongst Senior Officer Grade (SOG) A’s and B’s to lead a diverse workforce so that it is agile and responsive to government priorities within a dynamic, ever changing environment.  The Program also aims to build stronger collegiate and collaborative working relationships amongst SOGAs and SOGBs across the directorate.

Recruitment Capability Training: This training is designed to provide participants with the knowledge of current, directorate specific recruitment and selection processes. It covers best practice contemporary methods to attract applicants; define the skills, knowledge and behavioural capabilities required for roles; how to use evidence-based questions in application and assessment processes; provide feedback to applicants and ultimately select the most suitable talent for positions. The training also introduces the new ACTPS position description template and promotes the use of the CMTEDD Core Capability Framework to inform recruitment.

Work Health and Safety: A range of WHS training is provided to the directorate as outlined in  Section B.7.

Information Privacy: Training provided staff with a sound understanding of the Information Privacy Act 2014 and Territory Privacy Principles, and the specific legal obligations of ACT Public Sector agencies and contracted service providers when collecting and handling personal information.

Freedom of Information: With the commencement of the Freedom of Information Act 2016 on 1 January 2018, the Information Access Team has undertaken presentations to various directorate business units on the requirements of the Act. In addition, presentations have been made to the CMTEDD Information Officer Network on the responsibilities of Information Officers.

Records Management Training: This training aims to deliver an understanding of the requirement and obligation we have to create, capture and maintain records as required by the Territory Records Act 2002.

Fraud and Ethics Awareness: This training is available to all staff and aims to raise the awareness of Ethics, Fraud and Corruption. The course provides an understanding of acceptable behaviour standards within CMTEDD, the relevant legislative framework and consequences of non‑compliance, and the process for reporting and what to do if staff suspect fraud has occurred.

Other internally facilitated in-house learning and development

Executive Assistants Network: The Executive Assistants Network provides a forum for corporate information to be circulated, facilitates professional development opportunities, as well as provides a platform to share ideas and improved ways of working across the directorate.

Staff Induction: The induction program provides new employees with an overview of the functions of CMTEDD, an understanding of expectations in the workplace, conditions of service, inclusion, workplace health and safety and staff consultative arrangements.

Risk Management Training: The directorate assists with ensuring that there is a consistent, appropriate application of the risk framework and risk plan, and assisted in increasing the risk management maturity across CMTEDD. Training offered to staff includes: Introduction to Risk Management; and Managing Risks in Projects. Specific area, project or program risk workshops were also conducted with a number of areas.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Awareness: This session provides staff with an understanding of Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery principles and provides an outline for how Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery is managed within CMTEDD.

Managing Risk in Projects: This course aims to provide staff with an understanding of how to manage risk in projects including the development and implementation of time critical risk treatment action plans.

Security Awareness: Security implies a safe and secure environment in which people may work, but also applies to our physical assets and systems. The directorate has a range of guidelines, policies, practices and procedures that provide a protective security environment that is fundamental to sound management. This training touches on both physical and personal security.

Information Security – Dissemination Limiting Markers Training: This training provides officers with an understanding of our information security requirements and how and why we apply classifications and dissemination limiting markers to official information.

General Archiving Training: This training provides skills and practical tips on how to prepare records for archiving/storage as well as providing an introduction to the framework for sentencing and disposal of official records.

Effective Records Titling Training: This training gives staff an understanding on how to appropriately classify and title which will improve their overall capacity to find, use and manage official records.

Performance Series: This training consists of three modules to support the ACTPS Performance Framework. These modules include: Talking about Performance and Development, and Managing Underperformance and Coaching.

Shared Services Essentials (SSE) Program: The SSE program launched in June 2018 and enhances capabilities of junior staff through developing transferable skills, including self-awareness and resilience; customer and relationship management; process improvement and the ability to influence change; and task prioritisation and time management skills. Team Leaders/Supervisors train their staff in the above core capabilities thereby further developing Team Leaders/Supervisors’ facilitation and communication skills.

Whole of Government Training

The ACTPS Training Calendar was promoted to staff through regular WoG emails. Approximately 400 CMTEDD staff attended training provided through the ACTPS Training Calendar and the ACTPS Panel of Training Providers with an estimated cost of $147,498.

Studies Assistance

CMTEDD continued its support for staff through the Studies Assistance Program. In 2017-18 CMTEDD invested approximately $66,079 towards studies assistance for 69 staff.

Other whole of Government learning and development

During the year, CMTEDD continued its commitment to WoG learning and development activities, including participation in the Executive Professional Development Presentation series.

Workplace Relations

Conditions of employment for CMTEDD employees are provided by four stream based enterprise agreements which include administrative and related classifications, infrastructure, technical and other professionals and legal professionals. These agreements continued operation throughout the 2017-2018 reporting period. The directorate provided support and guidance to CMTEDD employees to ensure compliance with the enterprise agreement.

As per the terms of the enterprise agreement, the CMTEDD Consultative Committee, consisting of employee, management and union representation met quarterly throughout the reporting period.

CMTEDD continued to utilise Attraction and Retention Incentives (ARIns) under the terms of the enterprise agreement to attract and maintain a skilled and diverse workforce. The table below shows CMTEDD staff received additional remuneration paid under ARIns or AWAs operating in the Directorate. A total of 5 ARIns were terminated during the reporting year. This figure includes staff that resigned or were transferred or promoted to other positions.

Staffing Profile

The staff numbers below represent CMTEDD employees who received a payment in the last payday of 2017-18. The figures exclude board members and people on leave without pay.

FTE and Headcount by Division/Branch

FTE and Headcount by Gender

Headcount by Classification Group and Gender

Headcount by Employment Category and Gender

Headcount by Diversity Group

Headcount by Age Group and Gender

Average Length of Service by Gender

Recruitment and Separation Rates by Classification Group

Note: Recruitment and separation are defined as commencing or departing the ACTPS respectively for permanent employees, and Executive Officers with long-term contracts. Internal transfers between or within directorates are not included.

Further information can be obtained from

Robert Wright
Executive Director
Corporate
+61 2 6207 0569
Robert.Wright@act.gov.au