We’ll ensure our people systems, policies and processes reflect the modern ways we’re working.
We’ll have a future-focused workforce with the right skills and attributes that we need.
We’ll respond positively to ongoing change. Flexibility and resilience underpin the way we work as we adapt and maintain our influence as a department.
We’ll be curious by embracing learning, accepting failure, and building feedback into our daily work life.
We’ll embed the new Australian Public Service (APS) Value of ‘stewardship’ by building our capability and institutional knowledge. By understanding the long-term impacts of what we do we will support the public interest now and into the future.
Focus areas
Workforce planning
We’ll ensure our systems, policies and processes reflect optimal job design. A future focused workforce ensures we have the skills we need and that we can strategically plan for recruitment, capability, and succession.
Harnessing change
Our culture will foster organisational agility, resilience, and adaptability. We will support our people with meaningful consultation and embrace good change management principles. Better access to and use of technology will help us give our departmental clients and the community better user-centred and responsive programs and services.
Improved HR systems
We’ll develop suitable people systems that support people policies and practices, increasing productivity and efficiency. Analysis of data from these systems will give insights to help shape the way we work. This will result in better workforce planning, employee experience, retention rate and talent acquisition.
Management training
We’ll uplift manager capability to support modern ways of working, including embracing AI where appropriate.
Outcomes and actions
We have attractive conditions that support our workforce.
- Undertake department specific enterprise bargaining – develop and implement a new enterprise agreement.
- Implement new and enhanced conditions within the department’s new enterprise agreement for 2024-2027, including:
- working and studying flexibly
- supporting primary and secondary carers of children including access to vacation care subsidy
- improved entry level program arrangements for our graduates
- increased allowances including for workplace responsibilities
- supporting First Nations employees.
- Undertake a review of the individual flexibility agreement process to ensure it remains fit for purposes.
Everyone can contribute to the future of the department and the APS.
- Continue participating in the annual APS Employee Census.
- Implement APS reform people initiatives, examples include:
- stewardship values
- Strategic Commissioning Framework
- updated optimal management structures.
The structure of our workforce meets the needs of our department.
- Undertake operational and strategic workforce planning, including encouraging a dispersed workforce where appropriate, to access capability and people to deliver departmental outcomes.
Our workforce has the tools it needs to achieve people outcomes.
- Continue investing in human resources technology systems.
- Replace the work health and safety system.