State Records Listening Bulletin
State Records Listening Bulletin August 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 Public Service Commission’s Capability Framework. These 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 State Records Kingswood site on Thursday, 23rd July 2015.
Thank you to all those who participated and provided feedback to 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 at State Records determined that a fair and equitable performance management system must:
- be consistent for all employees, with equal access to learning and development
- be developed with transparent consultation throughout the process
- allow staff to have right of reply
- provide access to the same training and development programs to provide opportunities for role progression/advancement
- set fair benchmarks
- have clear definitions of unsatisfactory and satisfactory work performance
- ensure that unsatisfactory performance be substantiated and managed as it occurs with ongoing constructive feedback, well-defined work objectives, appropriate support, and training where necessary
- involve regular feedback which is constructive and acknowledges strengths as well as weaknesses
- allow poor evaluations to be reviewed.
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.
For more information about the Capability Framework and the Performance Development Framework, please see the PSA’s website or access the Public Service Commission’s website.