Bulletin to members at the Downing Centre and John Madison Tower – Listening – 3 July 2015 (PDF version)

Background

The Government Sector Employment (GSE) Act (Section 67) requires all NSW public sector departments and agencies to implement performance management systems.

Your union, the PSA, sees the value in agencies basing performance management systems on the prerequisites of the PSC’s Capability Framework which would provide members with a common foundation to negotiate performance agreements and engage in performance reviews.

However, as not all agencies have introduced new role descriptions based on the Capability Framework, there is potential for unfair and inequitable performance management systems to be created within and across agencies.

The PSA is consulting with members through ‘listenings’ so that members can identify their concerns and have input into addressing them.

Members’ listening meeting

The PSA, conducted a “listening” with members at the Downing Centre on Wednesday, 24 June 2015. Members from the District Court, Local Courts, Public Guardian and Judges’ Associates attended.

Thank you to all the participants who considered the following questions:

• How can we ensure learning and development is undertaken in a fair and effective way?
• What does a fair and reasonable performance management system look like?
• To successfully resolve unsatisfactory performance, an employee must have…….(finish this sentence).

Outcomes

In summary, members determined that a fair and equitable performance management system must:

be consistent for all employees, with equal access to learning and development;

be tailored to role specifics and relevant to the role – employees should not have to undertake training for the sake of achieving a “training target”;

be tailored to the needs of individuals, including making provision for employees with English as a second language and disabilities (both physical and psychological);

provide opportunities for role progression/advancement;

involve effective orientation and skill development in every role/placement;

recognise the increased complexity of modern roles – such as continual upgrading and changing technology;

acknowledge achievement with tangible recognition;

have objective assessment standards;

set fair benchmarks;

have learning and development which satisfies industry standards;

have internal courses conducted by facilitators who know and understand the role for which the training is provided;

have expectations which are clearly understood by management and the employee;

manage unsatisfactory performance as it occurs with ongoing constructive feedback, well-defined work objectives, appropriate support and training where necessary and clear definitions of unsatisfactory and satisfactory work performance;

have an independent person involved in managing any identified unsatisfactory performance with the clear-cut identification of problems and resolution;

provide regular and constructive feedback and acknowledge strengths as well as weaknesses.

The information collected will be used in the development of the PSA’s position paper on the Performance Management Framework. The PSA’s position paper will be provided to all members when it is completed.