Chapter 6: The Values and workplace relations
Conclusions
The employee survey results on the merit perceptions of APS employees are reasonably positive. They are an improvement on results from 2000–01 and are broadly in line with other interstate and international surveys of public sectors. However, the variability between agencies is of some concern, particularly in agencies where fewer than half of all employees agreed that merit is consistently applied (two out of the 21 large agencies fell into this category). In this regard, it is worth noting the results of Victorian public sector research into perceptions of merit. The research found that employee confidence is largely dependent on their level of knowledge and understanding of relevant merit and selection processes and that organisations may underestimate the need to ensure that employee knowledge of merit and selection processes is improved and maintained.20
In relation to overlapping salary bands, the analysis in this chapter of the overlaps within an agency’s classification structure moderates to a large extent concerns about the possible undermining of the merit principle within agencies and the APS Commissioner’s quality assurance role for SES selection and promotion. While overlapping salary bands for EL 2s and SES classifications appear to be increasing at the APS-wide level, overlaps within individual agencies are confined to a relatively small number of agencies and affect only a very small number of employees with particular skills or in particular jobs. Nevertheless, the growing overlaps between agencies do raise some issues for APS management.
The flexibilities available to agencies manifested in overlapping salary ranges and differential outcomes for employees on CAs and AWAs reinforce the desirability of clear remuneration policies. Clear criteria which link remuneration to skills, performance and employment conditions are important both from an accountability perspective, as well as for building employee confidence in, and support for, more flexible and individually based approaches to remuneration. Such policies also assist managers in making remuneration related decisions.
The high levels of job satisfaction reported by APS employees and their high levels of satisfaction with access to flexible work practices to assist in achieving work–life balance is unambiguously good news. Again, however, for a few agencies the results were less positive. This unevenness of results suggests there is still room for improvement in this area, including through more use of flexible working arrangements.
In relation to employees’ satisfaction with the overall say in decisions that impact on their work, it is of concern that less than half of all employees report being satisfied, with nearly a quarter being dissatisfied. Agencies could consider more actively encouraging regular staff meetings, particularly at the section/unit/team level.
20 The Office of Public Employment (2000) ‘Applying Merit 2000’ Victorian Public Sector