Sharpening the focus: Managing performance in the APS

Introduction

Systematic approaches to performance management have been in place for some time within the Australian Public Service (APS). Indeed the Public Service Act 1999 (PS Act) explicitly refers to managing performance in the APS and provides the means for dealing with unsatisfactory performance (referred to as underperformance in this guide).

Performance management is an essential component of a constructive workplace environment. It is aimed at serving a number of purposes, including:

improving individual and organisational performance
supporting skill development and career planning
aligning individual work with whole of government initiatives
providing measures of organisational and individual accountability
planning and monitoring individual performance within the achievement of organisational and business goals
recognising and rewarding good performance, improving average performance and managing underperformance
from a workforce planning perspective, identifying and developing required capabilities for a capable, adaptive and effective workforce.

This guide has been prepared to assist agencies to reflect upon, review and refine their performance management approaches and systems. The guide:

highlights the policy and legal context supporting the development and implementation of performance management systems in the APS
provides an overview of the key principles of performance management
provides some detailed guidance on areas which are known to present challenges in implementing performance management, in particular, system design, achieving credibility and managing underperformance.

Public Service Act 1999, APS Values s.10(1) (k)

The APS focuses on achieving results and managing performance.

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Sharpening the focus: Managing performance in the APS

Introduction