Contents | Video introduction |Overview | Report on performance | Management and accountability | Financial statements | Other mandatory information

Management of human resources

Certified Agreement

Our Certified Agreement 2004-07 expires on 29 January 2007. The new Collective Agreement will be negotiated in the second half of 2006. The next agreement will support the implementation of the DIMA Plan 2006-07, reflecting our strategic priorities, supporting the change process, and helping staff balance their work and personal lives.

National Staff Consultative Forum

A National Staff Consultative Forum (NSCF) was established under the Certified Agreement 2004-07. The NSCF is the national consultative body for matters involving our employees’ conditions of employment. It also provides an opportunity for senior management, employees, and their representatives to consult on the implications of legislative, funding, organisational, technological, and procedural changes for employees. The NSCF meets at least three times per year with additional meetings convened when necessary.

Workforce Planning and Composition Statistics

Workforce Composition

At 30 June 2006, we had 6345 employees (not including locally engaged staff overseas who are administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on our behalf), representing an increase of 10 per cent over 2004-05. Details of our staffing profile are at Appendices 5 and 6.

Of our ongoing workforce 91.2 per cent of staff are full-time and 8.8 per cent are part-time employees. The ongoing, full-time rate for employees has increased by 2 per cent from 2004-05 (based on full-time equivalent employees). Non-ongoing staff as at 30 June 2006 comprised 8 per cent of our workforce. This figure represents a decrease of 2 per cent in the number of non-ongoing employees employed by us in 2004-05.

Workforce planning

During the year we developed a Workforce Planning Strategy for 2006-08 with the aim of establishing an integrated and systemic strategy that would help us effectively manage our needs now and into the future. This aim will be achieved by:

• developing
• aligning planning cycles
• identifying workforce priorities and initiatives in line with the annual workforce planning report and human resource strategy
• enhancing existing governing and reporting frameworks
• redeveloping workforce planning systems and sub-systems to support the planning process.

Several new workforce planning initiatives are being implemented between 2006 and 2008 to help us effectively plan our workforce needs, including the implementation of diagnostic tools, and a new monitoring and reporting capability.

Employee separation

Our voluntary separations (for ongoing employees) increased to 7.0 per cent in 2005-06 from 6.53 per cent during 2004-05.

Of the 412 ongoing employees who voluntarily separated from us during the 2005-06 period, there were 33 EL2s, 89 EL1s, 88 APS6s, 78 APS5s and 124 APS4s. A large proportion of the voluntary separations were due to transfers/promotions to other government agencies (41 per cent) - an increase from 33 per cent in 2004-05.

Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs)

We have a number of Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) in place for both our SES and non-SES staff. We use our AWAs to attract and retain employees, especially those with specialist skills, or those performing their duties in remote locations, or with additional responsibilities.

Non-salary benefits are provided to staff under AWAs who have particular managerial responsibilities. The benefits may include private-plated government vehicles, mobile phones, access to a personal computer, or assistance with accommodation (for staff relocating for work purposes).

As shown in Table 78 all 85 of our SES officers are now on AWAs, 315 of our executive level officers (28 per cent), and 23 APS-level officers (1 per cent).

Table 77 – Number of staff on AWAs in 2005-06

Quarterly Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Report
	Active	Under Offer	Total
SES AWAs:	51	34	85
Non-SES AWAs
EL2 AWAs:	75	105	180
EL1 AWAs:	97	38	135
APS6 AWAs:	14	6	20
APS5 AWAs:	1	1	2
APS4 AWAs:	0	1	1
Total AWAs:	238	185	423

Note: Above numbers under column ‘Active’ are based on AWAs that have been lodged with the Office of Employment Advocate.

Table 78: DIMA staff on AWAs

DIMA Staff on AWAs
Classification	No. in DIMA	On an AWA	Percentage on AWA
SES	85	85	100 per cent
Non-SES
EL2	279	180	64.52 per cent
EL1	838	135	16.11 per cent
APS6	1108	20	1.81 per cent
APS5	1116	2	0.18 per cent
APS4	1157	1	0.09 per cent

Note: The numbers in the above table include people acting in other positions on 30 June 2006.

Senior Executive Service remuneration

All Senior Executive Service (SES) staff are remunerated through an AWA. The SES remuneration package includes base pay, the provision of a government motor vehicle (or cash in lieu), superannuation, and performance pay. The AWA also includes a range of leave provisions and other benefits. An important part of the AWA is that SES staff will uphold and promote our and the APS Values and Code of Conduct and foster a supportive organisational culture.

Employee Opinion Survey

In December 2005 we conducted an employee opinion survey to seek the views of all ongoing, non-ongoing, identified contractor staff, and Australian-based staff overseas. Supporting our strategic theme of well trained and supported staff, the survey enabled staff to express their opinions and provide input on their work environment.

Two major aims of the employee opinion survey were to:

• identify and report staff views on topics including leadership, line management, performance evaluation, training and development, communication, client focus, and image
• establish an internal baseline from which to compare future employee opinion surveys as well as employee opinion survey data from other Australian organisations.

The survey received a strong response from staff with 69 per cent completing the survey online. Overall, staff responded most positively to survey questions about goals and objectives, employee involvement and innovation, and employee engagement. Staff responded least positively to survey questions about image, leadership, and values and ethics. The survey results were communicated to managers and staff in March and April 2006 and the issues raised in the survey are being addressed through our business planning and other initiatives.