Chapter 4–Management and accountability
Human resources management
The agency values and recognises the importance of its talented and dedicated staff. In 2010–11, the agency increased its focus on learning and development to support staff in increasing their capability and developing workforce skills.
Key results during the year included:
- implementing the first agency-wide leadership training program
- negotiating and implementing the agency’s second enterprise agreement
- transitioning payroll functions to shared services with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and implementing electronic time sheets
- developing work level standards.
Staffing
At 30 June 2011, the agency employed 96 staff, including the Director and two Deputy Directors. Of these, 67 were female and 29 male, 71 were ongoing, 14 non-ongoing and 11 casual. The full-time equivalent number of employees for the year was 77.26 (excluding casuals).
During the year, eight new employees were engaged on an ongoing basis and 14 ongoing employees left the agency. The turnover for the year was 20.9 per cent. This included nine transfers, four resignations and one retirement.
Detailed staffing information is provided in Appendix E.
Terms and conditions
During 2010–11 the terms and conditions for all non–Senior Executive Service staff were governed by the agency’s Enterprise Agreement 2009–11.
A new enterprise agreement, for 2011–14, was negotiated during the year. The new agreement commences on 1 July 2011 and will expire on 30 June 2014. It complies with the Fair Work Act 2009, the Public Service Act, the National Employment Standards and the Australian Public Service Bargaining Framework.
Remuneration for the Director is determined by the minister, with advice from the Remuneration Tribunal, under the Public Service Act.
In 2010–11, remuneration for the agency’s two Senior Executive Service officers was determined in line with the guidelines of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The remuneration of each officer was negotiated between the individual officer and the Director. The conditions were prescribed in individual s. 24 determinations.
No performance pay provisions were in place for agency employees.
Details of salary ranges for all staff are in Appendix E.
Learning and development
The agency’s learning and development program was closely aligned with corporate and core business programs and individual performance agreements. The total expenditure on learning and development as a proportion of employee expenses increased from 1.78 per cent in 2009–10 to 2.01 per cent in 2010–11.
The agency appreciates that induction of new Commonwealth employees is the first step in building a two-way relationship between them and the organisation. In 2010–11 the online induction program was enhanced by increasing the face-to-face component to include a tour of the museum, a presentation titled ‘The Agency as a Museum’, and records management and security awareness training.
The key area of development in 2010–11 was a leadership program tailored to the particular needs of the agency. Executive level staff attended the three day Executive Leadership program and staff at APS levels 3–6 attended the Self as Leader two-day program. Of the staff who participated in the program, 91 per cent said they were satisfied with the program and its content.
A number of mandatory training modules were delivered in 2010–11: 98 per cent of staff attended Heritage Awareness, 93 per cent attended Occupational Health and Safety, 97 per cent attended APS Values and Code of Conduct, and 78 per cent attended Security Awareness (introduced in March 2011). Records Management training was delivered at both branch and all-staff meetings, as well as on a one-to-one basis where requested.
All new staff attended finance training and all other staff were offered refresher training.
Four employees undertook studies through the Study Support Scheme in 2010–11. Other staff attended a range of external skills and professional development courses in areas such as contract management, project management, procurement, customer service, time management, conservation techniques, and cultural awareness.
Staff also attended a range of seminars and conferences that contributed to their professional development and helped to build relationships between collecting institutions.