Table of Contents
Executive Summary ... 3
Corporate planning at Woollahra ... 4
Analysis of Workforce Requirements ... 6
The External Environment ... 6
The Internal Environment ... 7
The Woollahra Workforce ... 10
The Organisation Structure ... 10
Current Numbers ... 11
Employment Type and Hours ... 11
Gender ... 14
Age ... 15
Turnover ... 17
Skills ... 19
Workplace Equity and Diversity ... 21
Workplace Governance ... 22
Employee Support and Development ... 23
Setting Our Strategic Objectives ... 23
Objectives and Strategies ... 23
Implementing Program Delivery ... 26
Resources and Investment in Our Workforce ... 30
Total Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) by Goal ... 31
Monitoring and Evaluation ... 31
Workforce Planning – Related Legislation and Policy ... 32
Executive Summary
It’s the function of the Workforce Management Plan to formulate and structure people programs to achieve the higher strategic imperatives of our Community Strategic Plan. It’s about the right people, culture and skills. This plan describes how we intend to build and maintain our people, culture and skills at Woollahra over the next 4 year period. The Workforce Plan develops broad objectives and the more detailed actions and tasks designed to achieve full program delivery. It focuses first on the environmental factors which impose the circumstances in which we must operate. Our objectives reflect our long term aims and the strategies to achieve them are stated in this document with further detail available in the relevant Departmental Service Plans.
Our intention over the period covered by this plan is to achieve a situation where our resources, managed within a contemporary and progressive spirit, provide council with the skills, endeavour and commitment to provide the best possible outcomes for our community.
Our objectives, and the strategies which support them, have been developed to sustain a professional, committed and productive workforce.
The Plan sets four key themes which encapsulate the strategic people corporate requirements: staff engagement, best use of resources, skills and productivity and corporate branding.
Corporate planning at Woollahra
The Workforce Management Plan derives its basic directions from the Delivery Program (a 4 year outlook) and the Operational Plan (1 year outlook). These plans emanate from the Community Strategic Plan. The diagram below represents our approach in developing council plans in line with state government guidelines.
The Community Strategic Plan – Woollahra 2025 – our community, our place, our plan
The Delivery Program
The Operational Plan
The Workforce Management Plan
Departmental Service Plan
In developing the Workforce Management Plan, input comes from multiple sources as the plan is shaped. The Delivery Program and the Operational Plan provide corporate direction in terms of program delivery. Extensive and close consultation with departments provides ideas and information about specific people issues and priorities. In October each year departments undertake extensive workforce planning in consultation with Organisational Development and Human Resources department (OD & HR) to identify business priorities for people related resources, services and policies.
From this combination of sources the Workforce Management Plan seeks to reflect the corporate framework for providing the desired people, skills and culture.
Specific actions and tasks to support our strategies are contained in our Department Service Plans, for each department within Council.
Analysis of Workforce Requirements
The various issues and events which influence our workplace and which are identified here have been factored into either the strategies or addressed in the
‘business as usual’ frontline services of our departments (principally OD & HR and Risk Management).
The External Environment
Strategic human resource management recognises the economic, social and political factors that create the external context in which council operates. The following factors are relevant to this plan:
Labour Market
In our industry there continues to be strong competition for key professional appointments in accounting, engineering and town planning. We will need to differentiate ourselves from competitors with a genuine brand which offers benefits and a workplace culture that attracts and retains good staff.
Economic Climate
Recovery from the GFC remains tenuous (as at 2011) with continuing consequences for those employees with short to medium term retirement plans. Many of these people will make decisions to extend their work life with implications for our workplace succession planning and job design particularly where manual labour is a factor.
Workforce Demographics
A combination of social and economic factors has produced a situation where we will experience a range of people management issues. Older staff working in jobs where significant physical effort is required presents a challenge in terms of personal safety and well being. A smaller working population generally will restrict recruitment opportunities across many disciplines and skills. The retirement of staff over the next few years has implications for the retention of corporate knowledge.
Changing Workplace Culture
We accept that some of the more traditional work attitudes and expectations have changed in our society and we need to recognise and manage these changes.
Generally available data suggests that the specific changes include consideration of work/life balance and career planning and a trend away from corporate loyalty as the fundamental basis for retention.
Services to the Community
The 2009 Community Survey showed that, overall, 65% of respondents were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with Council’s performance. The survey, which covered 40 services and facilities provided by Council reinforces the validity of the strategic directions adopted by Council in its Delivery Program and Operational Plan.
The Internal Environment
Within our own corporate environment there will be issues over which we will have a greater degree of control provided we accurately recognise and address them in a strategic and practical fashion.
Aging Workforce
For reasons canvassed elsewhere in this document we are already experiencing a trend in retention of staff particularly in operational positions with significant manual labour involved. Safety and well being issues need to be accommodated through job design or other strategies.
Our Corporate Culture
In 2010/11 we embarked on some initiatives designed to achieve a particular impact across council. These have developed as follows:
Best Practice Council
This concept was developed with two supporting operational programs based on our corporate values. The Best Service and Best People programs have now been in place for around 12 months. The former constitutes our approach to continuous improvement. The Latter is our response to the demand for better integration of policy and process in the employment cycle (workforce planning/recruitment/career management/on-boarding/training &
development/separation)
Values
Introduced in 2009 the values are now showing signs of real traction. Our policy documents are linked to them and they drive the nature of our training and development design and delivery.
Management of Business
We have moved to a more formal corporate accountability regime characterised by detailed departmental planning and reporting provisions supported by business software (Interplan).
We continue to drive our business processes on the principle of professional quality service, one of our corporate values Staff Climate Survey
The survey attracted a very strong participation rate and reported significant positive results in key areas such as staff engagement
The survey gave a clear indication of where there were opportunities for improvement, including:
- performance and recognition - providing incentives and rewards - keeping skilled employees - valuing employees
- co-operating across work areas - career opportunities
Strong and structured follow-up of the survey issues is occurring at departmental and corporate levels
Staffing Stability
The influence of a combination of issues has led to a level of volatility in staffing levels for a few work centres. Strategies need to be developed to improve productivity and reduce recurring recruitment costs for these specific work centres.
New IT Strategy
Council will be looking to introduce new corporate IT strategy in the short to medium term. Staff may require new and/or enhanced skills to accommodate new systems and there will be significant change management implications as the systems are prepared and rolled out for general use.
The Journey to Work
Most of our staff are unable or choose not to live in the council area. Many travel a considerable distance and there are associated public transport and parking issues to contend with. Council needs to constantly review its response to these issues and their impact on staff attraction and engagement.
The Woollahra Workforce
The Organisation Structure
Acting Manager Customer Service
Jolanta Sprada Manager
Communications Justine Henderson Manager Communications Justine Henderson
Acting Manager Customer Service Jolanta Sprada
Employment Status at Woollahra Council
Tem ps (Full Tim e and Part Tim e), 16, 4%
Perm anent Full Tim e, 335, 78%
Perm anent Part Tim e, 43, 10%
Casual , 36, 8%
Current Numbers
The analysis of Woollahra Council’s current workforce is based on data from the 2011 Financial Year (1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011), during which Woollahra Council employed 430 people (371.02 Full Time Equivalents). These included full-time, part-time, casual and temporary employees.
Employment Type and Hours
The majority of Woollahra Council’s workforce (378 people or 88%) were employed on a permanent basis, either full or part time. The remaining 12% of the workforce were employed on a temporary or casual basis.
Permanent full time staff represented 78% of Council’s workforce, while the remaining 22% was made up of 54 permanent part-time and temporary staff, and 36 casuals. 13% (57) of Council’s workforce was employed on a part-time basis. The greatest proportion of Council’s part time workforce were female. Similarly, a casual employee at Council is three times more likely to be female.
Divisionally, Community Services employs the greatest number of casual staff, both in the Library and in roles associated with annual events such as the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize. Planning and Development employ the next largest casual contingent, mostly within Parking Enforcement. The number of casuals employed over all has reduced from 54 in FY2009 to 36 in FY2011.
Employment Status by Division
19 14
1 2
24 8
8
31 181
67 3 5
48
3 9 2 1
1
3
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Community Services (77) Technical Services (193) Planning & Development (91) General Manager's Office (4) Communications (6) Corporate Services (59)
Casual Permanent Part Time Permanent Full Time Temporary (Full Time or Part Time)
Male (255)
Female (175) 238
9 8
102
45 28
0 50 100 150 200 250
Employment Status by Gender
Full Time Part Time Casual
The majority of workers who worked less than a standard 35 or 38 hour week were female. Women accounted for 81% of those who work less than the standard 35 or 38 hour week. 41% (73) of the female workforce were part- time or casual, compared with 6% of the male workforce (17 people).
Males who worked a standard 35 or 38 hour week (238) accounted for 59%
of the total workforce.
74 21
38 2
4 36
3 172
53 2
2 23
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Community Services (77) Technical Services (193) Planning & Development (91) General Manager's Office (4) Communications (6) Corporate Services (59)
Female Male
Gender
Total Workforce by Gender
Male, 255, 59%
Female, 175, 41%
Council employed slightly more males than females overall. This balance of the sexes has been maintained over the last two financial years. While the representation of the sexes seems quite even on an organisational level, some divisions tended to have a gender differential largely dictated by the nature of the professional mix. For example, the proportion of females employed in Community Services was 96% (74), while the Technical Services workforce was 89%
(172) male.
Gender of Workforce by Division
Age
The average age of Woollahra Council’s workforce was 47 years, slightly higher than in FY09, when it was 44 years. The age of permanent Council employees ranges from 21 to 71 years. Around half of Council’s workforce are Baby Boomers, born between 1945 and 1965. The next largest group are ‘Generation X’, born between 1966 and 1980, accounting for 40% of the total. Generation Y, aged 29 and under, made up 10% (45) of the workforce, and the ‘Silent’
Generation, born prior to 1945, made up the final 1% (6).
Workforce by Generation
59
155
229
10 45
160
219
6 0
50 100 150 200 250
Generation Y Generation X Baby Boomers Silent
Employees
FY2009 FY2011
Workforce Demographics
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
15 - 19 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 39 40 - 44 45 - 49 50 - 54 55 - 59 60 - 64 65 - 69 70 - 74 75 - 79
Age Bracket
E m p lo yees
FY2009
FY2011
Turnover
In the last full financial year 34 permanent employees left Council. The average length of their employment was 4.67 years. This figure represents a decrease in total staff turnover over the last three financial years, with average length of service for leavers remaining steady; it was 4.75 years in FY2010.
65
73
52
35 34
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011
N u m b er of s e par a ti ons
Separations by Financial Year (Permanent Staff)
Turnover by Division - FY2011
55 56
75
184 13
3 5
10
1 0
6
4
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
General Manager (0% )
Communications (20% )
Community Services (18% )
Corporate Services (7% )
Planning &
Development (17% )
Technical Services (3% )
Number of separations
Separations (Permanent Staff) Total Permanent Staff
Of each of the divisions, Community Services, Communications and Technical Services had the highest turnover rate, at around 20%. Although this figure is quite high compared to the Council-wide turnover rate of 9%, 12% is the indicative industry standard for turnover.
Skills
Council’s workforce remained evenly balanced in terms of skills, with Technical/Trade and Professional staff making up equal numbers with Clerical and Operational staff. Our workforce planning process operates to inform us whether this is the right mix or requires adjustment.
Positions which have been classified as ‘Technical/Trade’ require incumbents to undertake vocational training to Certificate III or IV level or an apprenticeship in order to carry out the role.
‘Professional’ roles require university education in order to carry out the role, while clerical and operational staff require on-the-job experience and/or basic qualifications, such as MR licence or Certificate I in Local Government Operations. This year we have included the Trainee category, which includes three employees, in Engineering Services, Planning & Development and Records.
Professional 28%
Operational 29%
Clerical 20%
Trainee 1%
Technical/Trade 22%
Workforce by Position Type
Position Type by Division
27
35 2 11
11
3 19
104
6 24
23 2 41
23
23 18 54
1 2
1
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Communications Community Services Corporate Services General Manager's Office Planning & Development Technical Services
Clerical Operational Professional Technical/Trade Trainee
Divisionally, Technical Services employed the most Operational workers, with 45% (89) of the workforce falling into this category. Community Services consisted of the most ‘skilled’ workers – with almost three quarters of positions requiring tertiary qualifications. Almost 40% (39) of positions within
Planning and Development were in the Professional category.
Workplace Equity and Diversity
Council is committed to ensuring our workplace is free of discrimination and harassment. Council is dedicated to providing a positive working environment and encouraging good working relationships between all employees. Council has a separate EEO Plan which forms part of the overall approach in building and sustaining the Workforce Management Plan. Its objectives aim to achieve:
A diverse and skilled workforce
A workplace culture displaying fair workplace practices and behaviours
Improved employment access and participation by EEO groups
Strategies supporting these objectives are described in the section dealing with Program Delivery under the theme ‘Build a Corporate Brand’. The Best People initiative will support these objectives.
Workplace Governance
Acting as a group, Manex provides the strategic leadership for the administration of council. It is responsible for the implementation of the decisions of the elected council. Its primary focus is on ensuring clear direction about strategic corporate aims and priorities and in influencing the corporate culture. In performing this role it makes key decisions on the deployment of resources to facilitate the best possible service outcomes for council.
In line with their strategic leadership responsibility for ensuring program delivery, Manex will focus on the following aspects of workplace governance:
Committing to excellence in both customer and community service through its Best Practice Program incorporating Best Service and Best People
Building a positive workforce environment & culture through initiatives in Best People which address key issues of career management, performance and learning.
Contributing to council's strategic management and direction
Effectively managing resources including finances and people with the introduction of continuous improvement through Best Service.
Building and maintaining positive working relationships
Supporting personal professional standards and development
Promoting a Culture of Good Governance and Business Assurance
Ensuring council’s long term financial stability
Across the 4 years of this plan, Manex will seek to strengthen workplace governance through the further development of the following:
Full implementation of the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework
Further development of the Interplan business reporting system
Implementation of a Continuous Improvement Program based on the Woollahra adaptation of business excellence
Employee Support and Development
Setting Our Strategic Objectives
Our workforce planning agenda is primarily determined by the demands of our service commitments to the community. These are defined in the Delivery Program and Operational Plan. The capacity of the organisation in terms of its people, culture and skills is the fundamental consideration underpinning the effectiveness of its service delivery.
Objectives and Strategies
Noting the environment we operate in, we will focus on the following long term strategies to achieve our corporate objectives over a 4 year period. Each year the Operational Plan will provide the detailed activities undertaken to help deliver the outcomes required by these strategies. Departmental Service Plans will be the primary document for this level of activity and will demonstrate the alignment with the business of council.
We see the following objectives as the enduring strengths most desirable in our workforce. These objectives will focus on the key areas which are as follows:
Objective 1: Staff Engagement
Achieve high levels of staff engagement with strong staff involvement and support for corporate aspirations Strategies:
- Develop corporate programs in consultation with staff - Implement new contemporary business practices
Build high levels of staff engagement demonstrated by strong staff involvement, understanding of and commitment to corporate aims; acceptance of personal responsibility for safety in the workplace and personal accountability for performance. It will do this through the development of programs in consultation with staff, close co-operation between the Risk Management and OD &HR areas and the implementation of contemporary business practices. Generational change issues such as work/life balance will be addressed.
Objective 2: Skills and Productivity
Achieve a fully integrated workforce management framework incorporating workforce planning, recruitment, career management, and training & development.
Strategies:
- Expand skills base and develop structured career paths - Provide expanded and corporately managed T&D programs
Improve productivity and increase job satisfaction through an expansion of its skills base and the development of structured career paths for staff supported by corporately managed T&D programs. Strengthen the existing framework for managing individual performance and implement comprehensive workforce planning, including an approach to succession in key positions.
Objective 3: Best Use of Resources
Achieve a highly disciplined structure for the most effective management of people resources Strategies:
- Reduce costs in recruiting and enforce more rigor and innovation in organisation structure - Reduce staffing volatility to below industry standard
- Strengthen workplace governance
Reduce costs in the areas of recruiting and workers compensation and be rigorous, innovative and resourceful in the way we structure the organisation.
Develop specific actions to address identified workforce issues.
Reduce the level of staffing volatility to well below the industry standard. It will do this by strengthening existing contemporary workplace pay and conditions and by developing further innovative and responsive measures which address staff concerns and preferences
Implement more robust and contemporary corporate management systems, planning and decision-making processes Objective 4: Corporate Brand
Achieve a distinctive and highly regarded corporate reputation for the organisation.
Strategies:
- Implement agreed corporate values into policies and programs - Continue to refine our public image and presentation
- Achieve objectives of EEO Plan
Continue to refine Establish and entrench a genuine and distinctive corporate brand characterised by contemporary work practices and consistent application of corporate values. Use our website and communication channels to the community to present our preferred image.
The detail of strategies and activities undertaken to achieve these objectives will appear primarily in our Departmental Service Plans. These will be reviewed and updated each year.
Implementing Program Delivery
The following table summarises our plan to deliver programs supporting the achievement of objectives.
Objective Strategy Action Action
Department Year Staff engagement Develop corporate programs in
consultation with staff
Undertake second staff climate survey in 2012.
Develop effective organisational response.
OD&HR 2012
Build business partnerships internally and promote improved communication
All Depts 2009 – 2015
Build on program of site/workplace visits by HR and management
OD&HR 2010 – 2015
Promote and follow-up program response to staff
survey results All Depts 2010 - 2015
Implement new contemporary
business practices Continue with implementation of Best Service
model for corporate continuous improvement. OD&HR Design 2009-10 Implement Phase1 – 2010 Implement Phase 2 – 2011 Phase 3 - 2012
Deliver frontline HR support services to specified standards
OD&HR 2010 – 2015
Design and implement benchmarking projects OD&HR, all depts
2011-12
Objective Strategy Action Action
Department Year Skills and
Productivity
Expand skills base and develop structured career paths
Implement corporate programs (PDR and CDP) for staff performance and career management.
OD&HR Design 2010
Implement 2011
Provide expanded and corporately managed T&D programs
Implement corporate model for management of T&D. Refine and improve HRIS support and functionality
OD&HR Design 2010
Implement 2010-11 Manage
2011/12
Establish close working relationship with Risk Management
Comply with all council risk management strategies All Depts 2010 – 2015
Incorporate risk management in corporate planning
processes and templates Governance 2010-11
Develop or strengthen specific action to address
ageing workforce issues OD&HR
Risk & Safety Services
Design 2010 Implement 2011
Better use of Resources
Reduce costs in recruiting and enforce more rigor and innovation in organisation structure
Continued implementation and management of Best People Program
OD&HR Design 2010
Implementation 2011 Manage 2012
Utilise in-house capacity for all recruitment OD&HR 2010 – 2015
Objective Strategy Action Action
Department Year Reduce staffing volatility to below
industry standard
Review and improve HR policies impacting on identified retention issues
OD&HR Commence 2010
Ongoing
Continue management of workforce planning in consultation with departments
OD&HR All Depts
2010 - 2015
Develop staff succession solutions/options for age demographic
All Depts 2010 - 2015
Continue to improve and upgrade induction program. Incorporate written material into CD and USB
OD&HR 2010 - 2015
Strengthen workplace governance Continued management of Integrated Planning and Reporting
All Depts 2011 - 2015
Further development of Interplan Governance 2010 - 2015
Continue with implementation of continuous improvement (Best Service Program)
OD&HR Definition 2010 Capacity building 2011 Consolidate 2012 Embedding 2013 Build a Corporate
Brand Implement agreed corporate
values into policies and programs Audit all corporate documents for inclusion of
values All Depts 2010- 2015
Objective Strategy Action Action
Department Year Audit corporate policies and process to ensure
consistency with values
All Depts Commence 2010 Report to Manex 2011 Promote values in HR newsletter OD&HR 2010 – 2015
Continue to refine our public
image and presentation Use our website and communication channels to
the community to present our preferred image All Depts 2010 - 2015
Achieve objectives of EEO Plan Prepare, implement and maintain policies,
procedures and practices that are consistent with EEO principles, legislation and guidelines. (Actions specified in EEO Plan)
Provide EEO induction and refresher training and guidance for staff. (Actions specified in EEO Plan)
Maintain a workplace culture consistent with EEO principles. (Actions specified in EEO Plan)
OD & HR
OD & HR
OD & HR
On-going
On-going in Corporate Training Program
On-going
Resources and Investment in Our Workforce
The table below illustrates the current scale of direct investment in the workforce and projected investment across the four year period of the Workforce Management Plan.
Notes:
(1) These figures relate only to direct costs associated with investment in staff specific activity
Salaries: The growth in expenditure reflects anticipated movements in average salaries over the period. No increase in numbers of staff is anticipated.
Training & Development: The current level of investment (1.37% of salaries) reflects a decrease from the 2010/11 budget. The figure does not include indirect costs estimated (in 2008/09) to be $200K. The reduction in budget partly reflects our growing capacity to deliver in-house training at no direct cost and the efficiencies gained from central co-ordination.
Recruiting: From a high of $0.284m in 2008/09, lower targets have been set for the next four years reflecting greater reliance on in-house services, lower staff turnover and more efficient internal controls on advertising.
Change Management/Business Improvement: From a relatively modest start in 2009/10, costs increased to around $0.040m in 2010/11 but are expected to decrease in real terms as we continue to strengthen our in-house capacity to deliver change programs.
Resource 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15
Salaries $25.533m $26.322m $27.135m $27.974m
Training & Development (1) $0.350m $0.360m $0.371m $0.382m
Recruiting $0.138m $0.142m $0.146m $0.150m
Change Management/Business Improvement (1) $0.030m $0.031m $0.032m $0.033m
Totals $26.051m $26.855m $27.684m $28.539m
Total Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) by Goal
The table below provides an indication of the FTEs dedicated to each Goal within the five Themes of the Operation Plan. The allocation of FTEs to Goals and Themes will be refined over the next twelve months in readiness for our next Delivery Program and Operational Plan.
Community well-being ($6.8m)
Places and spaces ($37.2m)
A healthy environment ($9.6m)
Local Prosperity
($2.3m)
Community leadership and participation
($25.8m)
Council ($81.7m)
A connected and harmonious community
A supported
community A creative and vibrant community
Sustainable built
form A liveable
place Moving
around Protecting our
environment Sustainable use of
resources Community focused economic
development
Working
together A well managed
Council
Total
(FTEs) 5.75 19.90 29.39 56.83 106.75 18.64 12.63 37.67 14.01 5.00 82.19 388.76
Monitoring and Evaluation
The implementation of this plan will be regularly monitored and reviewed. Each year the plan will be reviewed in the light of changing events and to reflect council priorities.
Management of our performance in terms of this plan will be regularly and more frequently assessed through monthly and quarterly reviews of Departmental Service Plans using Interplan reports.
In terms of the higher level objectives of this plan, any change must be approved by the Management Executive (Manex).
Workforce Planning – Related Legislation and Policy
The Integrated Planning & Reporting Framework requires Councils to develop a long term resourcing strategy to achieve the objectives established by the Community Strategic Plan. This must include provision for long term financial planning, workforce management planning and asset management planning.
Related legislation and policy for the relevant areas covered in this plan are as follows:
1. Integrated Planning and Reporting
Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidelines
Integrated Planning and Reporting Manual
Integrated Planning & Reporting FAQs 2. Equity and Diversity
Local Government Act 1993 (Chapter 11, Part 4 – Equal Employment Opportunity)
Community Relations Commission and Principles of Multiculturalism Act 2000
Implementing the Principles of Multiculturalism Locally – A Planning Framework for Councils
National Framework for Women in Local Government - Information Kit for Councils
Engaging with Local Aboriginal Communities: A Resource Kit for Local Government in NSW
Social Justice Framework 2008-2012 3. Workplace Governance
Protected Disclosures Act 1994
Protected Disclosures Guidelines
Local Government Act 1993 (s440 – Codes of Conduct)
Guidelines for the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977
Anti-Discrimination Board (Workplace Guidelines)
Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000
Workcover NSW (Law and Policy)
Complaints Management in Councils Practice Note No. 9
Local Government (State) Award and Local Government (Electricians)