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Creating a supportive and focused workplace is central to the department's ability to maintain high performance
Key capability requirements in DPMC are fairly constant. They are based on our ability to attract and retain high-performing staff, maintain agency credibility, build and sustain strong networks and effective working relationships, ensure robust infrastructure, and deliver strong information-management. DPMC seeks to create a workplace where staff are treated – and treat each other – fairly and with respect, where staff are well managed, and where unhelpful barriers to work and personal development are removed as much as possible.
One-third of our staff have been with us for more than five years – and half of this one-third have been with us for more than ten years. This is almost the same as two years ago, indicating that DPMC continues to retain a proportion of staff with good organisational knowledge.
Planned turnover (defined as retirement and secondment) and unplanned turnover remained at about 20 per cent, slightly higher than the national average turnover rate of 17 per cent reported by Statistics NZ. Such turnover is indicative of a competitive labour market. Those 47 per cent of employees who left DPMC have remained in the public sector, a reflection on DPMC's practice of secondment and its reputation for growing exceptional talent and leadership.
The largest age group are those aged between 40 and 49; they make up slightly more than a third of staff. Two years ago, the largest group was 50 to 59 year olds (and they made up 34 per cent). Thirty-one per cent of DPMC's staff are 50 years or older, in contrast with 45 per cent two years ago. This indicates that as older people leave the department they are largely replaced by those in their midcareers.
Integrating equality and diversity is a key ingredient for organisational success. In April 2008 DPMC released its Equality and Diversity Policy, which was based on the policy published by the State Services Commissioner under Section 6 of the State Sector Act 1988 (SSA). DPMC's policy restates its commitment to lead and support all staff in valuing equality and diversity. It also restates the expectation that the Chief Executive and senior management will show leadership in modelling and valuing equal employment opportunities across all organisational strategies, processes, systems, and plans – and in ensuring that these are integrated into all aspects of the business, from strategic to operational.
Under the Equality and Diversity Policy sit key equal employment opportunity documents. These include DPMC's:
Creating a healthy and safe work environment is an ongoing departmental priority. In April 2008, DPMC was independently audited for primary-level status in the ACC Workplace Safety Management Practices Programme. The programme recognises and rewards employers who develop and maintain safer work practices and systems. DPMC once again achieved the audit standard and in particular was delighted that its commitment to employee participation in health and safety practices was recognised with a tertiary-level pass.
Absence due to sick leave continues to remain low. Average sick-leave usage is four days per annum; average accrued sick leave is 40 days.
The department has a counselling programme (the Employee Assistance Programme) available to employees; in the last year, five accessed it. As a percentage of staff, this number is low but within the norm (four per cent benchmarked against a three to six per cent "typical" referral rate). Eighty per cent of the referrals were personal rather than work related. Forty per cent of the referrals were by managers, which demonstrates good awareness of and support for the programme.
DPMC also provides a comprehensive occupational health service to all staff. This includes:
In 2008 the department commissioned Winsborough Limited, a specialist organisational psychology company, to undertake an assessment of staff perceptions of organisational climate. This is the third climate survey undertaken by DPMC. It provides invaluable insight into the way staff think about working at the department, and their areas of concern and satisfaction.
The response rate to the survey was good (83 per cent), enabling us to accept the results as a good reflection of staff views. The department was again rated by staff as achieving "good practice" to "outstanding" results (as explained below):
| Element | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Clarity | Outstanding | Staff have a very clear sense of the department's values and standards. They understand what their role comprises and how they contribute to the department's goals. They know where DPMC is going. |
| Drive | Good Practice | DPMC has the building blocks of a performance culture. Rewards extend beyond financial. Innovation is seen as important. |
| Alignment | Good Practice | Our structures are creating organisational flexibility, underpinned by good communication. There is cooperation across the department. |
| Confidence | Good Practice | Our staff believe the department can succeed and their unit is effective. Morale is positive. |
Engagement levels are very high. The department's organisational average on this measure is 5.3 out of 6, which rates as outstanding or, in the upper quartile of the Gallup equivalent, as reflecting a workforce that is largely committed and engaged. Of staff who responded to the survey, 77 per cent indicated that they are satisfied in their work and in working for DPMC. The top three motivations for our staff are: the meaningful nature of the department's work (rated by 61 per cent); challenge in the individual's work (49 per cent); recognition and feedback (41 per cent).
Scores dipped slightly in "Drive": the management team is concerned about lower scores on the "Challenge and Opportunity", "Rewards", and "Workload" scales and is planning ways to improve DPMC's performance in these areas. This is a challenge common to small organisations that have flat structures and limited scope for upwards or sideways movement.
One of DPMC's priorities has been action to expand its capability for improving whole-of-government performance, which is part of its commitment to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth of the Development Goals for the State Services. The department has been working more closely with the other central agencies (Treasury and State Services Commission) to improve the exchange of information and to prioritise areas of targeted performance improvements within the state sector.
It is important that the central agencies work together to ensure New Zealand has a high-performing, trusted and accessible state sector, delivering the right things in the right way at the right prices (this is DPMC's fifth contributing outcome, and is shared with the other central agencies). During 2007/08 consultants were asked to develop detailed options for improving central agency coordination. Their report identified 14 drivers critical to the success of this – and these drivers will be developed as a framework for achieving shared goals and greater central-agency collaboration.
DPMC has undertaken to update its strategic risk profile. Group managers, key personnel, and members of DPMC's Audit and Risk Committee attended a workshop in March 2008 to:
The next step is for a working group (one representative from each unit within DPMC) to identify any issues or gaps in the risk profile and report back to the Senior Management Group.
The department has successfully implemented the GSN (Government Shared Network) and Government House is now fully integrated into the network.
An upgrade of the email system has improved its integration with the department's electronic data-records-management system. This has moved DPMC towards greater compliance with the Public Records Act.
Work identified in the 2006/07 security audits has now been completed. As the network continues to change, the department remains very aware of potential security issues and works closely with the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to ensure that configuration changes meet security standards.
This year we have established a stable information environment – although, as in most networked environments, a growing portion of time is spent on ensuring a high level of protection against increasingly frequent viruses, spam, and cyber attacks.