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Last updated: 25 August 2003
Embedding the APS Values: Case studies and other supporting material
Please note: These documents are for reference purposes only and are no longer considered by the APS Commission to be current. They may contain good practice advice and/or advice on the transitional arrangements between the 1922 and 1999 Public Service Acts.
Useful references
Case study 11:
Australian Bureau of Statistics:
Raising awareness of review mechanisms
Background
In its first certified agreement (1998-2000) the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) established internal procedures for resolving workplace issues. They were developed as an avenue to resolve grievances and to complement the formal review mechanisms provided for under the Public Service Act and Regulations.
The philosophy underlying the development of the internal review process reflects the ABS's belief that workplace issues dealt with as quickly, informally and as close to the workplace as possible, have the best chance of being satisfactorily resolved. This is consistent with the general policy on review contained in the Public Service Regulations.
To this end, aggrieved ABS employees are encouraged to follow the internal Resolving Workplace Issues processes, but their right of review through the formal mechanisms provided under the (now) Public Service Act 1999 is available to them at any time.
The procedures provide a framework to help employees decide how best to deal with a concern or complaint they may have in relation to their employment.
Description
The ABS Corporate Plan puts high value on behaviour and processes that encourage, among other things, fair and thorough decision making, explaining the reasons behind decisions, fostering communication and providing support to staff in times of transition or difficulty. The provision of information to, and support of, employees in the event that they have an issue that needs to be resolved reflect this philosophy.
The aim of the Resolving Workplace Issues procedures is to produce outcomes that are fair, equitable, and accord with sound people management practices, while at the same time having regard to the ABS's efficiency and the maintenance of good employer/employee relations.
The ABS's awareness-raising strategies for review mechanisms in the ABS have the following objectives:
- achieving a common understanding of the process and what is involved
- utilising the IT environment to enable staff to obtain information about relevant processes from their desktops when they need it
- encouraging managers to provide reasons for decisions which affect employees
- encouraging open and honest communication between staff and management.
These objectives are achieved in a number of ways, including:
- the development of the Resolving Workplace Issues procedures which, while being strongly principles-based, clearly set out the process for dealing with issues affecting employees in the workplace
- the availability of the procedures on the ABS intranet, which enables staff to access required information as and when they need it from their desktops
- employees being introduced to the concept through induction and manager development programs
- independent and impartial advice and guidance provided to the parties to a dispute by staff of the People Management Advisory Unit, a group dedicated to dealing with people issues in the ABS
- work practices which prompt managers to supply reasons for decisions affecting individual employees
- specific information provided to employees at appropriate times about available review mechanisms open to them-for example, written advice to an employee about the outcome of an investigation into a possible breach of the Code of Conduct will include specific mention of avenues of review for which they are eligible.
For more information please contact:
JENNY O'CONNOR
PHONE 02 6252 7270
jenny.oconnor@abs.gov.au
