Our People
Our goal is to foster an encouraging and rewarding working environment and to enhance organisational capability and capacity.
Our performance in achieving Our People goals is measured by monitoring the extent to which strategic human resource management plans and policies facilitate the achievement of our corporate objectives and through the number and nature of professional development opportunities given to staff as identified in staff professional development plans. We will also monitor our performance through the nature of comments from staff surveys.
Overview
Like most other departments and agencies within the Australian Public Service, FSANZ is changing. While the total number of employees has been relatively static over the last two years, the composition of our workforce is evolving in line with demographic changes across the public sector.
We recognise that we need to develop strategies to address the demand for new skills and work patterns in an ageing workforce and tailor our work practices, conditions of employment and training and professional development programs to meet those challenges.
FSANZ is specifically resourced to provide scientific expertise across the broad range of food sciences. Most of our staff are scientifically and technically qualified. Our contribution to food regulation relies on our considerable technical expertise. It is our comparative advantage.
We recognise that FSANZ’s relatively small staff size and its broad range of statutory functions means that we are unlikely to be able to maintain in-house expertise in all fields of science; and nor should we try. Given the food industry’s capacity for innovation in the area of food components, food processing and food packaging, there is likely to be movement over time in the specific types of expertise required to undertake scientific risk assessment.
In developing our workforce planning strategy we are looking at ways in which the issues raised in the Strategic Review can be addressed.
Attraction, development and retention of a skilled workforce
Development of skills and systems to complement organisational capacity
Attraction, development and retention of an appropriately skilled workforce
Staff numbers and profile
In 2003 the Australian Government’s Management Advisory Committee (MAC) reported on organisational renewal and the challenge of building organisational capability within the Australian Public Service (APS). The report referred to the substantial change in size and composition that the APS has undergone. It noted that wider demographic trends, notably the ageing of the population and labour force, will impinge significantly on the APS as both an employer and a service provider.
FSANZ comprises some 132 employees (112 ongoing and 20 non-ongoing); 125 work in Canberra and 6 in Wellington as at 30 June 2004. One member of staff is outposted to Tasmania.
Table 1: Distribution of APS employees by level and gender, 30 June 2004
Classification | Female | Male | Total | |||
| F/T | P/T | F/T | P/T | F/T | P/T |
PEO |
|
| 1 |
| 1 | 0 |
SEB2 | 1 |
|
|
| 1 | 0 |
SEB1 | 2 |
| 3 |
| 5 | 0 |
Exec 2 | 13 | 1 | 15 |
| 28 |
|
Exec 1 | 16 | 10 | 13 |
| 29 | 10 |
APS6 | 15 | 2 | 6 |
| 21 | 2 |
APS5 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
| 11 | 2 |
APS4 | 7 | 2 |
|
| 7 | 2 |
APS3 | 4 | 4 |
| 1 | 4 | 5 |
APS2 | 1 | 2 |
|
| 1 | 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total | 65 | 23 | 43 | 1 | 108 | 24 |
Authority total:132
Notes: Included in the above figures are 10 employees on long-term leave or undertaking non-ongoing movement to another agency and 21 non-ongoing employees.
Staffing numbers have remained remarkably stable over the last five years, as shown in Table 2 below:
The APS workforce is ageing. The Management Advisory Committee report on Organisational Renewal noted that in 2003 the APS workforce is, on average, some four years older than a decade ago. The median age was 41 years ( 43 for males and 39 for females). The median age for both our male and female staff is between 40 and 44.
Table 3: Employee profile by age and gender, 30 June 2004
Age | Female | Male | Total |
Under 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
20-24 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
25-29 | 9 | 3 | 12 |
30-34 | 17 | 5 | 22 |
35-39 | 16 | 5 | 21 |
40-44 | 12 | 11 | 23 |
45-49 | 19 | 3 | 22 |
50-54 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
55-59 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
60 + | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Total | 88 | 44 | 132 |
Ongoing | Non-ongoing | ||
Female | Male | Female | Male |
74 | 38 | 14 | 6 |
Academic qualifications
As a professional, science-based agency, FSANZ comprises a highly qualified workforce. About 83% of our staff hold academic qualifications in a range of science and non-science disciplines. Our scientific competencies include staff with qualifications in agriculture, biology, chemistry, environmental health, food technology, genetics, medical science, microbiology, molecular biology, nutrition, physiology, toxicology and virology.
Non-science disciplines are well represented with staff with qualifications in accountancy, business, communication, economics, law, public policy, social sciences, and finance.
Table 4: No. of employees by highest qualification
PhD | Masters | Other Post Graduate | Bachelor Degree | Other | Total |
20 (15%) | 16 (12%) | 2 (2%) | 57 (43%) | 14 (11%) | 109 (83%) |
A significant proportion of FSANZ staff (29%) hold post-graduate qualifications.
Some 73% of all staff have a Bachelor degree or higher qualification, while 75% of staff with Bachelor degrees or higher are held in science; 11% are held in social sciences and public policy; 5% in law and 9% in other disciplines.
Graduate recruitment
The APS has identified the recruitment of graduates (through graduate programs and lateral engagements above base grade levels) as an increasingly important element in agencies’ renewal and capability strategies.
When circumstances have permitted, FSANZ has participated in the graduate placement program and recruited graduates under the G(APS) scheme. Graduate placements are an important feeder group for FSANZ, providing us with access to skilled staff. Due to financial constraints / budget priorities FSANZ was not in a position during the year to take on a graduate placement.
Workforce planning
Our contribution to food regulation is underpinned by our considerable scientific and technical expertise. We recognise the importance of FSANZ maintaining its highly regarded technical and scientific skills and recognised that the recruitment, retention and training of highly competent and outward looking scientific staff will be critical to future operations. We are developing internal systems that allow us to monitor existing and future needs for scientific competencies and adjust our skills base, as necessary, over time.
We also recognise the need to engage in more strategic systematic workforce planning if we are to effectively meet the challenges of the changing environment in which we have to operate. In particular we need to identify our current and future capability requirements and implement an integrated human resource management strategy to ensure the required capabilities are met. It is particularly important that our workforce planning aligns the organisational skills base with our priorities and strategic objectives.
Future capability requirements have been identified by FSANZ. As a result, a strategy was developed and adopted to expand the Wellington office by transferring responsibility for the labelling and information standards function to this office over a period of years. Also considered necessary in the longer term for the Wellington office were staff skilled in communication and law. Other functions which will be considered over time may involve some standard-setting expertise and monitoring, evaluation and surveillance.
Table 5: Employee commencements and cessations 2003 --04
| Male | Female | Total |
Commencements | 4 | 20 | 24 |
Cessations | 4 | 27 | 31 |
Table 6: Representation of EEO Groups by classification
Staff with EEO Data
Salary Classification | Aboriginaland Torres strait Islander People | People of non-English speaking background(1) | People of non- English speaking background (2) | People with a disability | Men | Women | Total Employees |
APS Level 1-6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 26 | 34 |
Exec Level 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 25 |
Exec Level 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
SES | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Totals | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 53 | 80 |
(1) includes people born overseas whose first language was not English and who came to Australia after the age of five years.
(2) includes people born overseas who came to Australia before the age of five years and whose first language was not English, or people born in Australia with one or both parents born overseas and whose first language was not English.
Figures do not include data on employees on loan from other agencies.
Of total employees, 54 .8 % have EEO records.
Mature Aged Workers
About 40% of FSANZ staff are in the category of mature-aged workers (45 and over). Consistent with its ageing profile, the APS is increasingly reliant on mature-aged workers. Mature-aged workers have extensive experience, both within and external to the APS. The extent to which the retention of mature-aged workers is of significance to FSANZ will be addressed in the HR Strategy being developed.
Development of skills and systems to complement organisational capacity
Performance management
We evaluate staff performance and development twice-yearly (mid-year and end-of-year) through the FSANZ performance management model – the Performance Enhancement Scheme (PES). All staff in the Authority use the PES. Its importance is recognised in the Certified Agreement and specific policies govern its operation. The scheme was reviewed early in the year and some modifications made to ensure consistency of the rating system, ease of drafting to make it more relevant and embrace the APS and FSANZ values and Code of Conduct.
A number of senior staff have negotiated individual Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA) and are eligible for bonus payments depending on performance levels.
Details of the performance measurement tools and the significance of performance in our integrated planning framework are reported in more detail in the section on Our Accountability.
Learning and development
Learning and development opportunities are an integral component of our Performance Enhancement Scheme. This process assists staff and managers to identify and deliver key training and development needs for all staff. In light of the findings of the Strategic Review, and changing workforce needs identified by the Australian Public Service, we may need to review our approach to learning and development to ensure a greater focus on key requirements.
As reported last year, all staff (apart from new appointees) had completed the Leadership Development Program (LDP). The course aimed to enhance our leadership skills and provide staff with a range of new tools to foster more effective teamwork and cross-agency learning. A review of the program was conducted during the year and the findings will be incorporated into our Workforce Planning Strategy currently under development.
A number of staff are also approved as students under the provisions of our Studybank policy.
Organisational arrangements
A review of our organisational arrangements, with a view to improving the organisation’s capacity to deliver, was a key objective during the year. As reported elsewhere (refer page 76) a new organisational structure has been implemented to ensure a better alignment with, and responsiveness to, the new food regulatory environment.
Encouragement of a rewarding work environment
Agreement making
The APS environment has, in recent years, provided a more flexible employment framework in which agencies can structure their workforce strategies. Certified Agreements and Australian Workplace Agreements made under the Workplace Relations Act 1996 enable workforce strategies to be tailored to develop capabilities and to address particular attraction and retention issues.
The Certified Agreement
FSANZ’s 2003-2004 Certified Agreement came into force in August 2002 and had a nominal expiry date of 30 June 2004. The Agreement covers all staff other than Senior Executive Service and some senior management staff.
The current s170 LJ Agreement provided for pay increases of 3.9% in the first year and 4.65% in the second year and provided a range of employment flexibilities around leave, part-time work, and home-based work and other family friendly policies.
Negotiations over a new three-year Certified Agreement commenced during the first quarter of 2004 with the establishment of a CA negotiating committee comprising staff, management and union representatives. In line with the wishes of staff, the unions were involved in all negotiations on the Agreement.
Australian Workplace Agreements
Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) have been offered to all senior staff at the EL2 level (or equivalent) and above. Currently 26 staff (20% of total) operate under AWAs.
Staff surveys
During the year, FSANZ underwent a major restructure and received feedback through a number of sources that revealed some issues of concern to staff and managers that could be impacting on the performance of the organisation.
Information collected in 2003 by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) as part of an analysis of FSANZ’s performance enhancement scheme (PES) raised a number of issues and identified some differences benchmarked against APS ratings.
A staff survey, conducted in late 2003 in the context of the development of the agency’s Certified Agreement, attracted a range of anecdotal comments on a number of internal issues.
In response, we contracted an external consultant in May 2004 to survey a cross section of staff, senior managers, executive members and stakeholders to develop a range of targeted strategies and interventions to address issues raised in the surveys. The consultant’s report outlined staff perceptions and contained a series of recommendations designed to improve organisational effectiveness and commitment to our objectives.
The report was finalised and released to all staff for comment in mid July and will be actioned as a matter of priority. Outcomes will be reported in FSANZ’s 2004-2005 Annual Report.
Staff Consultative Committee
FSANZ has had a Staff Consultative Committee in place since August 2002 with representatives from each Section and including union representation. It is chaired by our Chief Executive Officer. The committee deals with issues of concern to staff.
During the year the Staff Consultative Committee was primarily involved with the external Strategic Review of the agency, although it also provided a mechanism for discussion on a range of issues through the year.
Occupational Health & Safety
FSANZ has an active OH&S Committee that meets quarterly. It is chaired by the Manager, Corporate and includes staff representatives, the unions and an appointed OH&S representative. All committee members have been appropriately trained.
Our strategy is not to await meetings of the OH&S Committee before dealing with a potential issue but rather be proactive and solve the identified risk at the time of its notification. The main areas targeted through the year have been lighting, emergency drills (conducted biannually), air conditioning and issues to do with loose electrical cords. Replacement of faulty appliances has been a priority together with the testing of microwaves for leakage.
Only one Comcare claim was lodged in 2003-2004.
Commonwealth Disability Strategy
As a regulatory agency we are very aware of our interaction with individuals and groups. We are committed to protecting, in collaboration with others, the health and safety of people in Australia and New Zealand through the maintenance of a safe food supply.
To ensure equity, we have established a consultative framework to communicate effectively with any individual or stakeholder group that wishes to provide input for their particular situation or view. We have specifically established a Maori Reference Group and are now in the process of doing the same for indigenous Australians. Accessibility and open consultation is a major issue for consideration by FSANZ when it performs any of its functions.
In providing access to the public and to stakeholder groups we endeavour to include people with disabilities. As an example, redevelopment of the FSANZ website has ensured compliance with HREOC and W3C accessibility standards.
Assistance measures for staff
In keeping with our objective of providing a rewarding working environment we provide a number of assistance measures to staff. These are as diverse as support for eyesight testing and OH&S workplace assessments to problem resolution procedures and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Flexible working patterns
As a ‘family friendly’ organisation, we have endeavoured to be responsive to employee needs and circumstances through the provision of flexible working arrangements. Staff may make part-time work arrangements, extend maternity leave on half pay and access the 48/52 provisions that allows for additional unpaid leave while averaging salary payments over the year.
We have a high proportion of part-time staff and the importance of work/life balance is recognised through our support for flexible working arrangements
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