Flexible work is a core part of the way the APS does business.
The APS is committed to creating flexible workplaces that embrace diversity and meet the expectations of the Australian community and our workforce.
The Secretaries Board has endorsed a principles based approach to flexible work developed by the Secretaries’ Future of Work Sub-Committee.
Secretaries recognise that flexibility strengthens the APS’ ability to deliver strong outcomes, improves our workforce’s resilience, helps employees balance their work and personal priorities and helps position the APS as an employer of choice.
Principles of Flexible Work in the APS
The principles of flexible work seek to embed flexibility in the way we work and provide a framework for considering flexibility at the individual, team and organisation level.
The Principles outline that in the APS:
- Flexibility applies to all roles, with different types of flexibility being suitable for different roles;
- Flexibility needs to be mutually beneficial;
- Organisational and team needs frame conversations about individual flexibility arrangements;
- Flexible work arrangements value meaningful and regular face-to-face contact; and
- Flexibility is embedded, modelled and refined.
The full version of the Principles can be found here.
The approach was developed under the guidance of Secretary Natalie James, Secretary David Fredericks and APS Commissioner Peter Woolcott. It was based on extensive consultation with APS agencies and informed by research into best practice approaches offered by other Australian and international employers in both the public and private sectors.
Intersection with the APS bargaining
Workplace flexibility is an important issue in the current APS service-wide bargaining process. The Principles will be a consideration in negotiation of a common flexibility term for inclusion in all APS enterprise agreements. Further information on APS-wide bargaining is available here.
Implementation guidance and support
The APSC is currently working with the Chief Operating Officers (COO) Committee to develop guidance materials, resources and training to support the adoption of the APS-wide approach to flexible work and ensure flexibility is central to the way the APS operates. Resources will be shared as they become available.
Contacts
- For general enquiries related to the APS Flexible Work Principles, please contact the APS Future of Work Taskforce at: FoWTaskforce@apsc.gov.au
- For APS Bargaining related queries please contact the Workplace Relations Bargaining Taskforce at: WRreform@apsc.gov.au