Broader Horizons: Agile Global Diverse - Attorney · Web viewBroader Horizons: Agile Global...

Broader Horizons: Agile Global Diverse

Attorney-General’s Department Strategic Workforce Plan 2017-2020

Contents

Message from the Secretary............................................................................................................3

Broader Horizons model..................................................................................................................4

About this document.......................................................................................................................6

Guidance for users.......................................................................................................................6

Embedding Broader Horizons......................................................................................................7

Our influences.................................................................................................................................8

Our priorities................................................................................................................................8

Changing external environment................................................................................................10

Where we are heading..................................................................................................................13

Our people.................................................................................................................................13

Agile Global Diverse...................................................................................................................14

Performance expectations we meet..........................................................................................14

Skills we have and maintain.......................................................................................................15

Experience and knowledge we have and expand......................................................................15

New approaches we develop and pursue..................................................................................15

Role of the Workforce Planning Committee..................................................................................16

Achieving our future workforce.....................................................................................................17

Message from the SecretaryThe department operates in a diverse and complex environment to address challenging and diverse issues. Our highly skilled and engaged workforce is central to achieving our future objectives.

We continue to need specialists and practitioners in government law, national security, civil and criminal justice, and emergency management and an experienced body of policy, program and administrative employees.

Our current people strategies and programs, including our performance expectations, diversity strategy, recruitment and recognition programs, aim to attract, develop and retain a workforce that addresses our current priorities.

Our future success is dependent on a workforce that is also agile, outward looking, engaging more effectively with risk and responding flexibly to our changing environment.

Broader Horizons: Agile Global Diverse, AGD’s Workforce Plan 2017-2020 responds to the challenges we are facing by articulating the workforce we need for the future. It outlines the attributes and skills we need and value. These include:

external ideas and perspectives

working cooperatively with other organisations on cross-sectoral problems

experience across different parts of the organisation

exploring new ideas and trialling new ways of delivery

This workforce plan for AGD is equally relevant to our executive, leaders and managers, and individual employees in the department. Other components of Broader Horizons include tools and guides for managers, teams and individuals.

I encourage everyone to consider these workforce challenges and response strategies, and play an active part in implementing local solutions to deliver our future workforce.

Chris Moraitis PSM

3

Broader Horizons: Agile Global Diverse AGD Strategic Workforce Plan 2017-20

Broader Horizons modelWe will achieve our future workforce through four areas of focus. Everyone has a part to play in building our future workforce and each circle outlines the accountabilities for individuals, managers, and the SES. The circles on the left represent our current workforce moving towards the future workforce as we build on our strong foundation with new skills and approaches.

We will develop Broader Horizons tools and guides that link with the department’s key people strategies, including diversity, learning and development, performance management, and reward and recognition. An action plan, tools and guides will help to embed Broader Horizons within the department.

4

About this documentBroader Horizons positions the department to deliver its objectives by focusing on the workforce capability needed today and into the future. In this way, Broader Horizons:

anticipates future workforce needs and capabilities based on the changing external environment and the objectives of the department

identifies the changes needed to transition from the current to the anticipated future workforce

identifies response strategies needed to shape and maintain the desired future workforce.

The responses shaping our future workforce to achieve Broader Horizons encompass:

performance expectations we meet

skills we have and maintain

experience and knowledge we apply and expand

new approaches we develop and pursue

A more formal approach to workforce planning will ensure:

workforce responses align with the department’s strategic priorities and business objectives

actions taken today by leaders and managers on workforce matters contribute to the workforce of the future

we have a practical vehicle for achieving other workforce and people priorities including:

o the Australian Public Service Commission management structures, job families frameworks

o diversity and inclusion, flexible working, learning and development

o responding to forward year budget impacts on staffing levels development.

Guidance for usersExecutives, managers and leaders, and individuals have a role to play in achieving our future workforce. Broader Horizons provides a practical point of reference for executives, managers and leaders when:

developing annual division, branch and team business plans

focusing performance agreements and discussions on our future workforce needs

supporting targeted learning and development opportunities in core and professional skills

5

assessing opportunities for movement across sections, branches and divisions

coaching their people for high team performance

guiding staff selection to achieve the appropriate focus on current and future workforce needs

identifying on-the-job development opportunities with their people

responding to priorities and new initiatives when forming or reshaping teams, and changing or creating roles.

Broader Horizons provides individuals with a practical point of reference when:

seeking clarity about performance expectations, and the core and professional skills needed for current and future roles

gaining insight into performance outcomes or capability gaps

identifying the opportunity for career development through mobility

responding to development needs including through on-the-job tasks, learning programs, different roles, and/or new work experiences.

Embedding Broader HorizonsTo embed Broader Horizons within the department:

The Workforce Planning Committee will adopt a modified role.

HR Branch will develop and implement a communication plan to raise awareness of the roles of individuals, managers and SES.

HR Branch will realign key people strategies to ensure they support the future workforce outcomes.

HR Branch will develop tools and guides that link with the department’s key people strategies including diversity, learning and development, performance management, reward and recognition.

Individuals, managers and executives will need to actively embrace the workforce outcomes of Broader Horizons within their day to day activities.

HR Branch will engage with divisions and branches to help them define targeted actions and integrate them with their business planning.

To assist the above, HR Branch will develop an action plan that identifies key implementation activities, responsibilities and timing.

6

Our influencesOur prioritiesOur strategic priorities for 2016-201 are:

Support the Attorney-General as First Law Officer by providing high-quality legal services to the Commonwealth.

Protect Australia by delivering effective national security policies, legislation and programmes.

Maintain an efficient and effective Commonwealth justice system.

Pursue national responses to serious and organised crime and improve community safety

Enable a free society with balanced rights, freedoms and responsibilities.

Provide national leadership in emergency management.

These strategic priorities are informed2 by:

government national and international policy priorities in law, justice, security and emergencies

national and global social and political environments

our resources and capabilities

the needs and capabilities of our partners

the need to manage risk appropriately

While these priorities and their context remain familiar, other factors will have a profound impact on our ability to maintain and refresh a highly professional and skilled workforce. In particular, a workforce that can respond to an operating environment increasingly characterised by:

strong government appetite for legislative responses to complex matters

the need to provide high quality legal services and advice on complex legal matters

the need to establish and resource Royal Commissions, taskforces and inquiries

a focus on innovative responses to national security issues and related incidents

the need to respond to natural disasters that, based on trends and forecasts, will occur more frequently and with greater intensity

1 Attorney-General’s Department Corporate Plan, pp6, Australian Government, Canberra, 20162 ibid

7

the need to harness technology opportunities.

In addition, understanding what attracts people to and what keeps them in the public sector is important.

The Australian Public Service (APS) competes for skilled people. As such, it is important to understand what attracts people to working in the public sector and what factors cause people to leave. Since 2013, the Commission has managed entry and exit surveys to assist agencies to obtain information about engagement, retention and staff movements.

The most common reason for joining the APS during 2015–16 was the type of work available. Long-term career progression and development opportunities also featured highly in reasons for joining or remaining in the APS. Most employees taking up ongoing positions expected to stay with their new agencies for at least two years.

The exit surveys show that it is imperative to provide attractive and flexible work environments.3

This also reflects the department’s experience.

Consistent with this feedback, to achieve the desired workforce shift while also responding to the needs of current employees, we will implement a range of response strategies.

Broader Horizons positions us to foster a responsive and agile workforce that meets our current and emerging objectives.

3 State of the Service 2015-16, Australian Public Service Commission, Australian Government, Canberra, 2016

8


Changing external environmentGlobal megatrends4 – changes affecting governments, societies and economies over a long period – are affecting our operating environment. We need to understand how these megatrends will influence our work, and respond proactively by taking steps today to shape our future workforce.

Description Implications for AGD

Impa

ct o

f tec

hnol

ogy

Rapid technology change is enabling radical changes to business models and approaches. Exponential growth in technology including device, connectivity, data volumes, computing speed as well as rapid advances in automated systems and artificial intelligence, means that robotic devices can perform many tasks more quickly, safely and efficiently than humans.

This change is transforming supply chains, reshaping the workforce and redefining jobs.

Given our role in areas such as cyber security, national security and emergency management, our people capabilities must keep pace with this fast changing digital environment.

We also need to take advantage of opportunities to reshape jobs arising from automation of our work.

Platf

orm

Ec

onom

ics

The peer-to-peer economy is expanding, and freelancing is a large (and growing) employment model in other countries.

Companies may opt for staffing models that include a smaller number of core people, with many other roles provided by the freelancer or portfolio worker community.

Platform economics reflects an expectation for greater workplace autonomy and employment flexibility.

Our working environment needs to respond to this expectation.

4 Hajkowicz SA, Reeson A, Rudd L, Bratanova A, Hodgers L, Mason C, Boughen N, Tomorrow’s Digitally Enabled Workforce: Megatrends and scenarios for jobs and employment in Australia over the coming twenty years, CSIRO, Brisbane, 2016

9



Entr

epre

neur

ism

There is an increasing trend of individuals creating their own job. This may be because:

the ‘ideal’ job in a large organisation is no longer there digital technology enables lean innovation (the fast/fail

approach) to establishing new enterprises people are seeking greater flexibility than that offered by

traditional organisations

Our success in attracting and retaining people is dependent on our ability to implement responsive flexible working arrangements.

Div

ersi

ty

The need to address increasingly complex and cross-jurisdictional challenges will continue. Emphasis on innovative responses will increase. Organisations will foster innovation by increasing workforce diversity to inject different perspectives into problem solving and to achieve market competiveness.

We need to achieve the workforce outcomes of our diversity agenda. We also need to change how we work by engaging with others who have diverse perspectives and increase their involvement in our work.

Chan

ging

Dem

ogra

phic

s

Australia’s population is ageing and life expectancies are growing. Retirement ages will continue to increase because of several factors including financial market impacts, and improved health outcomes that allow people to continue productive work. However, nearly one in five Australians is expected to be over 65 years old in 2035, compared with one-sixth of the population today5.

Younger people entering the workforce are connected, technologically advanced, creative and entrepreneurial. They have new perspectives on desirable work environments, ethical issues and communication styles.

These changing demographics will generate increasingly diverse needs within our workforce. Our leaders and managers need to be adept at responding to these diverse needs.

5 2015 Intergenerational Report, Australia in 2055, The Treasury, Australian Government, Canberra, 2015

10



Auto

mati

onIncreasing automation of systems is raising the complexity of tasks and requiring higher skill levels for entry-level positions. Income growth in Asia is associated with increased educational and skills levels, as well as growing competition for Australia’s labour force.

Many low-skilled jobs will move offshore or be automated.

This may result in raising the skills and education bar for entry into professions and occupations. Our challenge is to ensure we manage any tendency to ‘over qualify’ roles.

Gro

wth

in

Serv

ices

Sec

tor Employment growth in services sectors, particularly education and

healthcare, is driving job creation. This is expected to continue as Australia moves to a knowledge economy.

Service sector jobs requiring social interaction skills and emotional intelligence will become increasingly important.

This growth in services may increase the workforce competition we face if we are unable to provide the level of social interaction people in our workplace are seeking.

11


Where we are headingOur peopleToday, we are recognised for our high quality and professional people. We are a highly capable workforce that continues to respond to shifting priorities, structural changes and a challenging environment.

To continue to meet current needs and respond to the future, our people need to:

value external ideas and perspectives

work cooperatively with other organisations on cross sectoral problems

have experience in different parts of the organisation

be comfortable operating within multidisciplinary networks, partnerships and clusters

have diverse backgrounds and experiences

be willing to explore new ideas and trial new ways of delivery

make decisions and exercise good judgement.

In achieving this shift, we need to understand our current workforce. Our ‘typical’ female employee is 28, and an APS6, working in a legal or policy role and has been with the department 1-3 years. Our ‘typical’ male employee is 30, an APS6, working in a policy role and has been with the department for 1-3 years.

The required shift in our workforce is the extent to which the current and future workforces differ.

To achieve the desired workforce we need to:

participate in agile team arrangements such as scrums and task groups

broaden the experience of individuals at level

facilitate professional development and career planning for individuals

continue to provide an attractive and flexible working environment

foster leadership, responsibility and empowerment at all levels.

12


Agile Global DiverseTo achieve our Agile Global Diverse workforce, we need people with a combination of the following capabilities:

Agile

Values breadth of knowledge

Leverages business and commercial acumen

Captures and transfers knowledge

Adopts different ways of working

GlobalSustains a global view and is outwards looking

Leverages technology to do business differently

Diverse

Fosters a respectful and positive workforce culture

Values innovation

Embraces diversity

The department’s response to achieving our future workforce has four areas of focus:

performance expectations we meet

skills we have and maintain

experience and knowledge we apply and expand

new approaches we develop and pursue.

Performance expectations we meetThe AGD Performance Expectations are a key component of Broader Horizons. The AGD Performance Expectations outline the capability needs of our people and guide consistent performance at each classification level:

creates solutions

demonstrates agility

communicates effectively

leads with commitment

collaborates with purpose

accountable for quality outcomes

13


We will continue to value and foster the AGD Performance Expectations.

Skills we have and maintainTo achieve the Broader Horizons outcomes, we will continue to value people who demonstrate all the following skills:

leads at all levels

manages people, resources and tasks

solves problems

nurtures productive working relationships

engages with stakeholders

mitigates risks

utilises technology effectively

operates efficiently

Experience and knowledge we have and expandWe will recognise and nurture experience and knowledge in:

accounting and finance

administration

commerce and economics

ICT literacy

international partnerships

law and legal expertise

people management

policy

program management.

New approaches we develop and pursueWe will also develop, attract and retain those who display the following approaches to their work:

fosters industry and community engagement and knowledge

mobilises data and makes evidence-based decisions

14


deploys innovative visual communication strategies

keeps the end-user in mind

embraces possibility.

15


Role of the Workforce Planning CommitteeThe Workforce Planning Committee (WPC) will adopt a strategic and forward-looking role by overseeing implementation of our workforce plan and facilitating our progress to the future state workforce.

In particular, the WPC will:

focus on identifying and developing internal talent

foster a positive and agile workforce culture including by being the focal point for flexible working policies

forecast workplace pressures on capability and capacity, and provide guidance on required people capabilities and resourcing priorities

act as custodians of the principles that underpin recruitment decisions for SES across the department

shape investment in our workforce including through workplace conditions, work design, and our leadership capability and capacity

oversee the implementation of our workforce plan

evaluate our people and workforce outcomes and strategies.

WPC will continue to have a hybrid role determining both department-wide operational and strategic decisions. The WPC will take a whole-of-department approach to workforce affordability and average salary level (ASL), providing leaders a framework within which to operate.

The WPC will have shared accountability for decisions that affect the structure and resourcing of the department including management profiles, span of control, and appropriate roles/functions/classifications. In this way, the department can move towards a model whereby the WPC considers recruitment decisions on an exception basis rather than by rule, and makes decisions from a consistent, transparent, and well-understood foundation.

The WPC will also consider the role of the mobility register in better facilitating and recognising those with a breadth of experience, as well as enhancing the diversity of perspectives in our teams.

16


Achieving our future workforceThe workforce capability needed to meet Broader Horizons is articulated below, along with the strategies, accountabilities and responsibilities that foster the workforce capability we need. We will implement these strategies to supplement our focus on performance expectations, skills, experience and knowledge, and new approaches.

Individuals

Managers &

LeadersSES Agile Global Diverse

Agile Values breadth and depth

of knowledge

We value employees with breadth of experience and knowledge

Encourage reciprocal secondments with agencies consistent with Broader Horizons outcomes

Experience & knowledge

Engage more with the private sector to identify skill sets not easily found in public sector

New approaches

Identify and foster talent at all levels Experience & knowledge

We recognise career development can be horizontal

Facilitate transfers within the department and portfolio to enhance both breadth and depth of experience and knowledge


Provide opportunities for short term placements for example into innovation scrums

Skills

Ensure responsiveness to government priorities through a broader understanding of the department and partner roles


Value and recognise those who are ‘masters at level’


17


Individuals

Managers &


Agile

Values breadth and depth of knowledge

We facilitate people moves to support Royal Commissions, taskforces, reciprocal interagency secondments based on knowledge of skills and capabilities

Know the skills and capabilities of our people Skills

Ensure a transparent approach to selecting people for priority opportunities

Performance Expectations

Leverages business and commercial acumen

We value business and commercial experience

Foster development in business and commerce


Seek out expertise in business and commerce Experience & knowledge

Foster industry and community engagement and knowledge


Captures and transfers knowledge We use knowledge

effectively

Apply multi-disciplinary knowledge to achieve organisational outcomes


Understand our knowledge sources, both internal and external


We learn from our experience

Utilise knowledge and experience to implement continuous improvement measures


Make decisions based on thorough evaluation Experience & knowledge

Knowledge is shared effectively

Work effectively within and outside AGD to share knowledge including across the APS, industry and community sectors


Understand where to seek out subject matter expertise


Share knowledge to add value to consultations


18


Individuals

Managers &


Facilitate moves and transfers by effective sharing of information and knowledge


Glo

bal


We embrace change and recognise the need for agility

Respond to dynamic government priorities Performance Expectations

Encourage willingness to undertake different tasks


Recognise managers who encourage their people to work on priority tasks

Skills

We effectively respond to and manage the unexpected

Encourage innovative responses Performance Expectations

Support people and manager wellbeing Performance Expectations

We optimise people in an unpredictable environment

Recognise teams and people who achieve outcomes in changing circumstances


Prioritise workloads of individuals and teams Skills

We work differently

Foster surge/scrum/project based work environments

Skills

Allocate teams and people to ‘outcomes to manage’ and move away from traditional ‘task completion’

Skills

We are mindful of the pace of work

Ensure job design allocates workload and responsibilities fairly to achieve optimal results

Skills

Seek to avoid and manage fatigue and burnout

Skills

Encourage teams to celebrate success Performance Expectations

Foster active learning from lessons of the past New approaches

19


Individuals

Managers &


We engage creatively with our diverse stakeholders

Deploy innovative marketing and visual communication strategies

New approaches

Communicate with the end-user in mind New approaches

Glo

bal


Royal Commissions and taskforces are an ongoing part of how we do our work

Establish them effectively and efficiently Performance Expectations

Manage them well Performance Expectations

Ensure opportunities are shared New approaches

Disband them in a planned and deliberate manner

Skills

Actively communicate with people at transition points in the team lifecycle e.g. on commencement, during the engagement, during wind down, and on re-joining line areas

Skills

Sustains a global view and is outward looking

We are global thinkers

Maintain current and relevant public policy knowledge

New approaches

Develop people to have diverse experiences within current roles

New approaches

Recruit for diverse experience New approaches

We apply strategic and critical thinking in a global context

Develop people in understanding the global context

New approaches

Develop our people to assist us in where we are moving

New approaches

20


Individuals

Managers &


Encourage engagement with industry and community

New approaches

Foster whole of government knowledge and experience


Our people have the Broader Horizons skills

Reward people who are outward focused Performance Expectations

Encourage and support opportunities to extend our thinking


Div

erse

Sustains a global view and is outward looking

Our people have the Broader Horizons skills

Place equal emphasis on what is achieved and how it is achieved


Encourage our people to develop skills to improve our understanding of global markets, competition and customers

New approaches

Leverages technology to do business differently

We have strong data analytics and predictive analysis expertise

Define future workforce sourcing options to meet data analytics and analysis needs

New approaches

Make evidence-based decisions using research and data

New approaches

We enhance our productivity and efficiency by automating routine tasks and roles

Identify and pursue workforce automation opportunities

Skills

Link technology improvements to workforce productivity outcomes

Skills

Identify technology opportunities that drive decentralised decision making and different business models

Skills

Fosters a respectful and collaborative culture

Our people have a varied and positive experience in the department

Ensure people who leave have a good story to tell


Welcome back people who have expanded their experience


21


Individuals

Managers &


Foster understanding of our value through outward communication and marketing

Skills

Establish a department alumni Experience & knowledge

We meet the workforce needs of people and managers

Set clear workforce and people capability priorities for our teams and our people

Skills

Develop our people for career opportunities New approaches

Support managers in resourcing our teams Skills

Div

erse

Fosters a respectful and collaborative culture

We learn from people moves

Understand why people leave Performance Expectations

Foster a respectful culture and provide opportunities that reinforce our employee value proposition

New approaches

Embed a culture of staying longer Performance Expectations

Adopt a greater range of short and longer term engagement options including ongoing, non-ongoing, contract and service providers

Skills

Values innovation We recognise the link between a diverse workforce and innovative outcomes

Value people with diverse backgrounds and experiences


Inject diverse perspectives into our work Performance Expectations

We are comfortable working without defined parameters

Embrace ‘trial and error’ New approaches

Reward local innovation Experience & knowledge

22


Individuals

Managers &


Trial and learn from using different team arrangements

New approaches

We value personal attributes and cultural fit as much as technical skill

Value emotional intelligence and foster flexible attitudes


Encourage autonomy Performance Expectations

Develop our leaders to have both broad understanding as well as deep knowledge


We create ‘social communities’ that empower members to be innovative

Establish communities of expertise New approaches

Encourage multidisciplinary teams Experience & knowledge

Div

erse

Values innovationWe access skills both internally and externally

Foster partnerships with external organisations

New approaches

Foster targeted secondments into the department


Embraces diversity

We understand our people are seeking continuous development and career opportunities

Provide responsive feedback on performance and potential

Skills

Develop our people through the work they are undertaking

Skills

We encourage flexible working

Actively support flexible working arrangements including role sharing, part time, different locations

Skills

Provide greater choice in where and how our work is performed

Skills

Respond to new ways of working Skills

23


Individuals

Managers &


We provide career and development opportunities

Value those who have horizontal careers Experience & knowledge

Improve understanding of peoples’ performance in the context of their level and team

Skills

Provide helpful career guidance Skills

We offer diverse experiences

Facilitate opportunities to diversify New approaches

Encourage and recognise multidisciplinary teams

Skills

We encourage ‘experience junkies’

Value diverse experience at level Skills

Create opportunity for our people to be exposed to different experiences Skills

24

Broader Horizons: Agile Global Diverse - Attorney · Web viewBroader Horizons: Agile Global...

Documents

Transcript of Broader Horizons: Agile Global Diverse - Attorney · Web viewBroader Horizons: Agile Global...