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Last updated: 22 June 2006

Sharpening the focus: Managing performance in the APS

Conclusion

Performance management practices are an essential component of effective management in the APS. The challenges in implementing effective approaches are recognised across the APS, ranging from cultural and system issues through to the practical implementation and application of performance management practices.

While the majority of APS agencies have performance management systems in place, a lack of acceptance by staff, or a failure to provide managers with the necessary capabilities to manage performance effectively, can affect the viability of even the most well designed systems.

There are three levels at which performance management could be reviewed by agencies in order to overcome issues with their systems and ensure they achieve the desired outcomes, are supported by employees, and are effective in managing various aspects of performance.

In particular review and refinement could consider:

Endnotes

1 Management Advisory Committee, Performance Management in the Australian Public Service, revised edition, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2003, http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications01/ performancemanagement.htm, (MAC, 2003a)

2 Australian National Audit Office, Report no. 6/200405 Performance management in the Australian Public Service, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2004, http://www.anao.gov.au/WebSite.nsf/Publications/F170E301F2AD240ECA256EE60075107B/$file/Audit%20Report%206.pdf, (ANAO, 2004)

3 Australian Public Service Commission, Performance management, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2002 (Commission, 2002). This publication provides advice in relation to formal requirements and processes and is found at http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications02/performancemanagement.htm

4 Public Service Commissioner´s Directions, 1999, Section 2.12, http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/26/0/2004072601.htm

5 Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Supporting guidance: Policy parameters for agreement making in the Australian Public Service, 2004, http://www.workplace.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/16742899-B560-402B-A58B-B65B93DECD45/0/SupportingGuidelinesPPAMAPSJune2004.pdf (DEWR, 2004)

6 Public Service Commissioner´s Directions, 1999, Section 2.12, http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/26/0/2004072601.htm, p. 16

7 DEWR, 2004, p.17

8 DEWR, 2004, p.24

9 MAC, 2003a, p.29

10 ANAO, 2004, p. 14

11 Australian Public Service Commission, State of the service report 2004-2005, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2005, (Commission, 2005), p. 159

12 Commission, 2005, p. 167

13 Australian Public Service Commission, State of the service report 2003-2004, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2004, (Commission, 2004)

14 Corporate Leadership Council, Building the high performance workforce – A quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of performance management strategies, Corporate Executive Board, Washington, 2002, p vi (CLC, 2002)

15 Corporate Leadership Council, Driving employee performance and retention through engagement, Corporate Executive Board, Washington, 2004

16 A Foster, G Parston & J Smith, Making a difference: Motivating people to improve performance, Public Services Productivity Panel, United Kingdom, 2002, p. 8 (Foster et al, 2002)

17 Foster et al, 2002, p. 9

18 Management Advisory Committee, Organisational renewal, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2003, p.7 (MAC, 2003b)

19 MAC, 2003b, p. 43; p. 53

20 MAC, 2003a, p.19

22 Institute of Public Administration Australia (in conjunction with People and Strategy), Performance management – A guide to good practice, 2001, People & Strategy, Canberra, p.16, (IPAA, 2001)

23 Public Service Commissioner´s Directions, 1999, Section 2.12(1)(e)(iii)

24 ANAO, 2004, p17

25 Commission, 2005, p. 145

26 MAC, 2003a, p. 28

27 CLC, 2002, p. vi

28 Foster et al, 2002, p. 5

29 Public Service Commissioner´s Directions, 1999, Section 2.12, http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/26/0/2004072601.htm

30 Commission, 2002a, p. 4

31 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Performance-related pay policies for government employees: Main trends in OECD member countries, OECD, Paris, 2004, p.40

32 Commission, 2005, p. 166-167

33 Commission, 2002a, p. 13

34 Commission, 2002a, p. 13

35 Commission, 2002a, p. 13-14

References

Australian National Audit Office, 2004, Report no. 6/2004-05 Performance management in the Australian Public Service, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra

Australian Public Service Commission, 2002, Performance management, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra

Corporate Leadership Council, 2002, Building the high performance workforce – A quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of performance management strategies, Corporate Executive Board, Washington

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, 2004, Supporting guidance: Policy parameters for agreement making in the Australian Public Service, http://www. workplace.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/16742899-B560-402BA58B-B65B93DECD45/0/SupportingGuidelinesPPAMAPSJune2004.pdf

Foster, A., Parston, G., & Smith J., 2002, Making a difference: Motivating people to improve performance, Public Services Productivity Panel, United Kingdom

Institute of Public Administration Australia (in conjunction with People and Strategy), 2001, Performance management—A guide to good practice, People & Strategy, Canberra

Management Advisory Committee, 2003, Performance management in the Australian Public Service: A strategic framework, revised edition, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2004, Performance-related pay policies for government employees: Main trends in OECD member countries, OECD, Paris see http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,2340,en_2649_37405_35553801_1_1_1_37405,00.html#ExecutiveSummary

Public Service Act 1999, No. 147, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra

Public Service and Merit Protection Commission & Comcare, 2000, Counselling for better work performance, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra

Public Service Commissioner´s Directions, 1999 (as amended), Section 2.12, http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/26/0/2004072601.htm

Shergold, P., ‘The changing nature of work’, Presentation to the Australian Public Service Commission People Management Forum, 21 June 2005

Appendix A

Legislative Framework

Public Service Commissioner´s Direction 2 . 1 2

2 . 1 2 The APS focuses on achieving results and managing performance (Act S 10(1)(k))

  1. In upholding and promoting the APS Value mentioned in paragraph 10 (1) (k) of the Act, an Agency Head must, in addition to having regard to any statutory accountability and reporting responsibilities, put in place measures in the Agency directed at ensuring that:
    1. the Agency has at all times the organisational capacity, flexibility and responsiveness necessary to achieve the outcomes expected by the Government or any other authority to which the Agency is accountable; and
    2. the Agency has at all times a culture of achievement, planning time and priorities to deliver on intended results; and
    3. the Agency´s reporting arrangements provide an account of the effectiveness of the Agency´s outputs during the reporting period; and
    4. the Agency is able to demonstrate that it has directed its resource priorities toward the achievement of the outcomes expected by the Government or any other authority to which the Agency is accountable; and
    5. the Agency establishes a fair and open performance management system that:
      1. covers all APS employees; and
      2. guides salary movement and is linked to Agency organisational and business goals and the maintenance of the APS Values; and
      3. provides each APS employee with a clear statement of performance expectations and an opportunity to comment on those expectations; and
    6. the Agency conducts its performance management system in accordance with the objectives mentioned in paragraph (e).
  2. 2. In upholding the APS Value mentioned in paragraph 10 (1) (k) of the Act, an APS employee must, taking into account the employee´s duties and responsibilities in an Agency:
    1. help to ensure that:
      1. the Agency has at all times the organisational capacity, flexibility and responsiveness necessary to achieve the outcomes expected by the Government; and
      2. the Agency has at all times a culture of achievement, planning time and priorities to deliver on intended results; and
      3. The Agency´s reporting arrangements provide an account of the effectiveness of the Agency´s outputs during the reporting period; and (iv) the Agency is able to demonstrate that it has directed its resource priorities toward the achievement of the outcomes expected by the Government; and
    2. facilitate a fair and open performance management system in the Agency that:
      1. covers all APS employees; and
      2. guides salary movement and is linked to Agency organisational and business goals and the maintenance of the APS Values; and
      3. provides each APS employee with a clear statement of performance expectations and an opportunity to comment on those expectations; and
    3. participate in the Agency´s performance management system in accordance with the objectives mentioned in paragraph (b).