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Annual Report 2018-19 TASMANIAN STATE SERVICE

October 2019

2 Tasmanian State Service 2

State Service Management Office

Department of Premier and Cabinet

GPO Box 123

HOBART TAS 7001

Phone: 03 6232 7040

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo

ISSN (Print): 2202-8587

ISSN: (Online, PDF): 2202-8595

October 2019

© Crown in Right of the State of Tasmania 2019

19/105536

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo

Annual Report 2018-19 3

LETTER OF TRANSMISSION

Will Hodgman MP

Premier

Minister administering the State Service Act 2000

In accordance with the requirements of Section 19 of the State Service Act 2000, I enclose for sending to

Parliament the Tasmanian State Service Annual Report 2018-19.

Jenny Gale

Head of the State Service

7 October 2019


FOREWORD In preparing this Report, it has been a great opportunity to reflect on the

past 12 months to truly recognise the hard work and progress that we

make, which often gets lost amongst the busyness of each day.

Agreement negotiations have been a focus over the past 12 months. I am

pleased to say, that the negotiations for 21 Agreements across the State

Service resulted in all Agreements having been registered at the time of

tabling this Report. Negotiations on the next round of Agreements are

well underway.

Diversity and inclusion continues to be a major priority for the

Tasmanian State Service and I am very pleased that our commitment to

reach 40% of the senior leadership in the State Service being women by

2020, has been surpassed ahead of schedule, with 43.33% of SES positions

held by women as at 30 June 2019.

Achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce is more than just numbers. That’s why I, along with my fellow

heads of Departments, committed in March 2019 to continue to work towards a more gender diverse and

inclusive workplace.

Initiatives supporting young Tasmanians to work in the State Service not only provided further diversity,

they also provided career pathways. The School to Work Youth Employment Program has seen

14 students in regional areas working towards gaining nationally recognised qualifications through a mixture

of study and paid work experience. We also welcomed another 41 university graduates into our Graduate

Development program (TasGRAD), bringing the total number of graduates to be inducted into the

program to 99 since it commenced in 2017.

Our Aboriginal Employment Strategy was launched in June 2019, confirming our commitment to a number

of initiatives to support Aboriginal employees in the State Service. The Strategy is supported by a 12 month

Action Plan that sets out how we will increase the proportion of Aboriginal people we employ from

3% to 3.5%.

This year employees and officers again had the opportunity to share their perceptions of what it’s like to

work in the State Service through the Employee Survey, and it has provided us with a valuable opportunity

to better understand our workforce. The Survey highlighted the commitment of our employees to serving

and making a positive difference to the Tasmanian community.

This commitment to the community cannot be undervalued, and I thank all employees across the State

Service for their ongoing hard work and loyalty.

To continue to serve the Tasmanian community it is important to invest in our people, to have the right

skills and capabilities. A number of whole-of-service programs have been developed over recent years to

support our workforce and it was pleasing to see the Manager Essentials Program recognised in the annual

Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Awards.

Jenny Gale



The focus for the next 12 months is on improvement and reform, with the first major review of the

Tasmanian State Service in almost 20 years being a priority. The State Service needs an operating

environment that supports a contemporary and effective public service and to enable it to better meet the

needs of the community. The review presents an opportunity to identify structural, legislative and

administrative improvements that will transform current structures, practices and, most importantly,

services to the Tasmanian people.

Negotiating and implementing wage-related Agreements, along with the continuing work to support

agencies to deliver outcomes in the areas of reducing bullying and harassment, further embedding diversity

and inclusion, building a culture of learning, and supporting work health and safety will also continue to be

priorities for the coming year.

The role of the Head of the State Service is broad covering everything from recruitment to learning and

development, work health and safety, diversity and inclusion, workforce planning and negotiating the

employment conditions that make the Tasmanian State Service an attractive place to work now, and in the

future.

I am supported in these tasks by the highly capable and committed people in the State Service Management

Office (SSMO). I particularly acknowledge the work of Frank Ogle, the previous Director, SSMO, who

retired in January 2019 after 30 years in the State Service. A passionate and dedicated State Servant, Frank

played a pivotal role in whole-of-government reforms, and was a strong, positive voice and leader in our

changes in diversity, inclusion and development.

Jenny Gale



Contents EMBRACING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 8

Aboriginal Employment Strategy 8

Gender Diversity 9

School to Work - Youth Employment Program 10

Graduate Recruitment 10

Active Ageing in the State Service 10

Agency Activities 11

2019-20 Priorities 12

SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE 14 White Ribbon Workplaces and Family Violence 14

Occupational Violence and Aggression 15

Ritualize Health Promotion App 15

Supporting Whole-of-Service Work Health and Safety 15

Historical Use and Exposure to Herbicides 16



DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND BUSINESS INNOVATION 18 Empower Integration Automation Program (EIAP) 18

Joint Agency Reporting Service (JARS) 18

HRWiki 19

eRecruitment 19

Interjurisdictional Workforce Data Analytics 20



A CULTURE OF LEARNING 21 Leadership Development 21

Manager Development 22

ANZSOG Events 22

TSS Graduate Development Program - TasGRAD 23

Tasmanian Training Consortium (TTC) Activities 23

HR Big Day Out 24

Study Assistance 24



SUSTAINABILITY, AGILITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN EMPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS 26

Workplace Relations, Awards and Agreements 26

Workforce Planning 27

State Service Vacancy Management 27

Activities Resulting from External Examinations 27




WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT 30 Investigations 30

Grievances 31

Employment Determinations 32

Managing Performance 33

2018 TSS EMPLOYEE SURVEY 34 Demographics 34

Key Indices 35

Snapshot of Results 35

WORKFORCE PROFILE 36 Paid FTE by Agency as at 30 June 2018 and 2019 36

Paid HC by Agency and Employment Category 37

Paid HC by Age Group and Gender 38

Gender Diversity 38

Employment by Region 39

Commencements and Separations 39

Officers 40

Data Notes 41


Embracing Diversity and

Inclusion

Within the Tasmanian State Service (TSS) it is important to attract,

celebrate and retain talented people from all sectors to achieve a diverse

and inclusive workforce.

Aboriginal Employment

Strategy In June 2019, the Tasmanian State Service Aboriginal Employment

Strategy1 (the Strategy) was released, setting out the ways we will

increase the proportion of Aboriginal people working in the TSS

from 3% to 3.5%. The Strategy’s implementation is supported by a

12 month Action Plan.

The State Service Management Office (SSMO) is progressing

activities in three main initiatives:

attracting more Aboriginal people to State Service jobs;

developing and progressing the careers of existing Aboriginal employees; and

supporting culturally respectful and inclusive workplaces.

Eight vacancies were filled using the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Register in 2018-19.

1 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/aboriginal_employment_strategy

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/aboriginal_employment_strategy


Aboriginal Employees’ Network Gathering

Supporting the TSS’s commitment to Aboriginal employees, the third Tasmanian State Service Aboriginal

Employee’s Network Gathering was held at Karadi on 15 November 2018.

The 35 employees who attended the 2018 Gathering participated in discussions on employment

opportunities and career pathways for Aboriginal people within the TSS. These discussions helped inform

the development of the Strategy.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 3% of respondents indicated that they

identified as being an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.

Gender Diversity In August 2016, the goal was set to achieve gender equity in our leadership with a target of at least 40% of

the Senior Executive Service (SES) to be women by 2020. This target was achieved well ahead of that

timeframe, and women now make up 43.33%2 of the SES as at June 2019.

Heads of Departments committed to a new action plan for the period March 2019 to June 2020 that will

continue the momentum toward the goal of 50/50 gender equity, by supporting cultural changes, and

continuing to recognise opportunities and celebrate successes.

Support also continued for programs that provide opportunities for women in the TSS to develop their

leadership skills. In 2018-19, women in leadership roles were given the opportunity to attend two training

sessions: Confidence to Lead communication training and Being Bold: how women can improve their power and

influence at work.

Women in the Tasmanian State Service

In March 2019, Women in the Tasmanian State Service3 was published

celebrating and promoting the rich and diverse career opportunities

available to women across the State Service through the stories of

16 current TSS employees at all levels and all career stages.

Women in the Tasmanian State Service aims to inspire and influence a variety

of women, including their aspirations, career choices and attitudes about

non-traditional careers.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 68% of respondents were female, and 30% male.4

2 Based on paid headcount. 3 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/workforce_diversity_and_inclusion/genderdiversity/women_in_the_tasmanian_state_service 4 The remaining 3% of employees chose not to disclose their gender (% are rounded).

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/workforce_diversity_and_inclusion/genderdiversity/women_in_the_tasmanian_state_service


School to Work - Youth Employment Program The 2018 pilot of the School to Work Youth Employment Program,5 offered in partnership with The

Beacon Foundation, saw 14 students commence in paid traineeships in the TSS as part of their year 11 and

12 studies.

By the end of 2018-19, two of the 14 students had completed the Program and been offered employment

in TSS agencies, while the remaining 12 continue to work and study towards nationally recognised

qualifications that include:

Certificate III in Business;

Certificate II in Animal Studies;

Certificate III in Education Support; and

Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management.

The Program is aimed at increasing employment opportunities for young people in regional areas. Students

in the current Program are participating in Huonville, Cressy, Deloraine, Burnie, Launceston, St Helens,

Edith Creek, Port Arthur, Yolla and Queenstown.

A second round of traineeships will be offered next year.

Graduate Recruitment The TSS continues to provide opportunities for recent university graduates to work with us and participate

in the TSS Graduate Development program, TasGRAD, undertaking formal and on-the-job learning and

development as well as rotations to gain experience working across the TSS.

Changes to the recruitment process this year represented a major change in the way the TSS approaches

graduate recruitment. A multi-stage selection process was used that included an online verbal reasoning

assessment and online video interviews. This process also provided an opportunity for agencies to

experience contemporary online recruitment methods.

This year the process attracted 401 applications, which resulted in 36 graduates being appointed to

vacancies across the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Communities

Tasmania, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management,

Department of Justice, and the Tasmanian Audit Office.

Active Ageing in the State Service In October 2018, the final report detailing the outcomes of the Active Ageing in the State Service Project

was delivered. The Report showed that participants in the Project, who were aged 50 years and over,

valued the opportunity to offer their views about their employment and the work they do, and that ‘being

heard’ was an important factor in their ongoing engagement. The Project also showed that the older TSS

workforce are passionate about the work they do, and value being able to use their knowledge and skills.

5 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/workforce_diversity_and_inclusion/youth

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/workforce_diversity_and_inclusion/youth


The Project also allowed these employees, who represented a broad range of occupational groups and

classification levels, to highlight areas where they felt the TSS could improve when it came to supporting

employees aged 50 years and over, including:

providing additional support for workplace health and wellbeing;

considering the impact of work tasks, functions and conditions (e.g. rostering) on older employees;

supporting access to different types of flexible working arrangements; and

providing better information to support decisions around financial matters, retirement and

post-retirement work options.

A Project Summary is available on the SSMO website6.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 66% of respondents indicated age was not a barrier in their agency.

73% of respondents agreed that their agency fostered an inclusive environment.

AGENCY ACTIVITIES

Agencies continued to work to improve inclusion and diversity, remove barriers to employment, and

increase employment opportunities within the TSS for all members of the community. They did this

through support for whole-of-service initiatives such as flexible working arrangements, women in

leadership, and working to achieve or maintain their White Ribbon Workplace accreditation. In addition,

agencies reported their own activities which included:

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER

targeting recruitment into identified Aboriginal positions;

working with the local Aboriginal community on employment initiatives;

involvement in NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week activities;

including an Acknowledgement of Country at all formal meetings;

supporting cultural leave applications; and

providing access to a dedicated Aboriginal support line through the Employee Assistance Program.

LGBTIQ

providing LGBTIQ support networks, information sheets and intranet resources;

establishing a dedicated LGBTIQ diversity and inclusion working group;

delivering inclusive leadership workshops (LGBTIQ focussed) for all people leaders; and

providing access to a dedicated LGBTIQ support line through the Employee Assistance Program.

YOUTH

offering Vocational Education and Training and high school work placements, and supporting

university and professional internship placements; and

targeting youth recruitment, including cadetships, and traineeships and involvement in the School

to Work Youth Employment Program.

6 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/workforce_diversity_and_inclusion/diversity_in_employment/active_ageing_in_the_tasmanian_state_service

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/workforce_diversity_and_inclusion/diversity_in_employment/active_ageing_in_the_tasmanian_state_service


DISABILITY

identifying graduate roles for people with disabilities;

supporting employees in the workplace with reasonable adjustments to workspaces;

improving the accessibility of agency websites;

participating in AccessAbility Day; and

working with disability service providers to remove barriers to employment and to provide work

experience opportunities.

GENERAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ACTIVITIES

increasing awareness of diversity and delivering unconscious bias training to managers,

supervisors and recruiters through the Human Library workshops;

providing cultural competence training for employees and cultural awareness elearning modules;

reviewing recruitment strategies to identify contemporary ways to promote gender diversity;

promoting and supporting participation in International Women’s Day, Harmony Day and other

days/weeks of significance;

creating respectful workplace practices and statements of appropriate behaviours to address

unconscious bias; and

establishing a range of diversity, equity and inclusion policies and strategies, committees and

working groups.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 5% of respondents said they were born in a non-English-speaking

country and 8% said they were born in an overseas country where English was the primary language.

2019-20 Priorities

Priority Actions

Diversity and Inclusion Framework

and Strategy

Review the current Framework with the aim of focussing on

inclusive workplaces.

TSS Aboriginal Employment Strategy Develop and implement a TSS Aboriginal cultural respect

training program.

Develop and deliver workshops for Aboriginal people that

provide information and assistance on how to apply for jobs

in the TSS.

Develop and pilot an Aboriginal employee mentoring

program.

Review the current arrangements for the Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander Employment Register, including

consultation with stakeholders, with a view to aligning the

Register with the aims of the Aboriginal Employment

Strategy.

Gender Diversity Maintain the momentum for change.

Examine and monitor the gender profile across the

workforce.

Support managers.

Change the culture.

Create opportunities and celebrate success.


Youth Employment Make a second round of traineeships available, to

commence in 2020 under the School to Work Youth

Employment Program.

In July 2019, advertise to recruit the next intake of

graduates into the Graduate Development program

(TasGRAD).

Offer two Aboriginal identified roles in both the TasGRAD

and School to Work Youth Employment Programs.

Active Ageing Develop and pilot a financial literacy program to support

employees in making sound financial decisions relating to

their work options.

Monitor the value and effectiveness of the pilot program.

People with Disability Review the current arrangements for the People with

Disability fixed-term Employment Register.

Consult with Disability Employment Service Providers and

TSS agencies on current processes used to attract applicants

and fill vacancies.

Identify the Register’s future requirements, including

advertising and promotion, support for stakeholders, and

links to other disability employment pathways such as

identified positions within TasGRAD.

Carers Release a handbook for managers and employees outlining

the support available for employees with caring

responsibilities.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 6% of respondents indicated

that they had a disability and a further 11% of respondents

said that they cared for someone with a disability.


Safety in the Workplace

Embracing workplaces that are healthy and safe and that promote

employee wellbeing.

White Ribbon Workplaces and Family Violence White Ribbon Workplaces promote respectful relationships, gender equality within the workplace, and

demonstrate a culture of zero tolerance of violence against women. As at June 2019, six out of nine

Departments7 have been accredited as White Ribbon Workplaces, with the remaining three working

towards accreditation.

In 2018-19, support and assistance continued to be available to employees experiencing family violence in

line with the provisions of Employment Direction 28: Family Violence – Workplace Arrangements and

Requirements (ED28). Section seven of ED28 requires that training is provided to give employees

undertaking key roles a sound understanding of their responsibilities, and includes training in workplace

policies, employee leave entitlements, workplace safety planning processes and employee support referral

options.

Across the TSS 940 key staff8 received training in the support of employees who are experiencing family

violence (an increase from 822 in 2017-18).

In 2018-19, a total of 70 applications for leave were made and approved under ED28,

averaging 25.50 hours per application (approx. 3.5 days).9

7 This refers only to Departments as listed in Part 1, Schedule 1 of the Act, (and excludes the Tasmanian Audit Office). 8 Key staff are as defined in Section 7 of ED28. 9 An increase from 42 applications averaging 14.54 hours the previous year.


Occupational Violence and Aggression The whole-of-service campaign to address occupational violence and aggression in the TSS continued in

2018-19, with the TSS working with unions to trial strategies aimed at reducing the risk from aggressive

and violent clients.

In support of the behavioural change campaign launched in 2017, training has been developed to support

employees with front line roles. To date more than 500 TSS employees across the State have been

equipped with the skills to de-escalate challenging client behaviours while staying safe, using communication,

conflict management, and learning to identify the signs of aggression.

Ritualize Health Promotion App

The Ritualize Health Promotion App aims to educate and motivate users to adopt healthy habits through

the use of monthly themed quests. The App provides users with access to information to support healthy

lifestyle choices, including a blog, guided exercise videos and recipes.

In 2018-19, funding for the program was continued and TSS employees were able to participate in a series

of six, themed quests each lasting one month with different challenges each week. The quests this year

included challenges to help employees ‘Move Better’ (active minutes, steps and movement), ‘Fast’ (abstain

from alcohol and sugary drinks), and ‘Detox’ (eat more fruit and vegetables, have a junk food free day).

Registrations in the program have been maintained throughout the year, and access to the App will be

available to employees again in 2019-20.

4,036 employees received training in 2018-19 to protect them from the risks to their health and safety in

the workplace, as required by Employment Direction 27: Work Health and Safety.

Supporting Whole-of-Service Work Health and

Safety During 2018-19, a number of forums were held to progress various work health and safety (WHS)

priorities. These included:

State Service Work Health and Safety Wellbeing Forum;

State Service Workers Compensation and Injury Management Forum;

The Mental Health Collaborative;

ISO 45001:2018 Development Forum; and

Interagency Health and Wellbeing Group.

This year, the TSS also joined the Tasmanian Businesses Mental Health Symposium, a newly formed group

of southern Tasmanian private sector organisations, councils and public sector representatives. The group’s

objective is to investigate ways in which the private and public sectors can collaborate to improve mental

health issues in the workplace, with a view of having a voice on State and Federal mental health issues.


A review of the WHS module included in the Empower Payroll and People Management System was

completed in 2018-19. The review found that the current module did not suit the needs of the TSS. A new

working group of WHS professionals from across all major agencies has been formed to review other

online WHS management system options.

Historical Use and Exposure to Herbicides This year the TSS responded to concerns around historical exposure to Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

(TCDD, also known as Dioxin), a contaminant used in herbicide 2,4,5-T. Concerns were raised by

employees of the Hydro Electric Commission (HEC), and the Tasmanian Government over exposure to

high levels of TCDD during their employment in the 1970s and 1980s.

The TSS worked with WorkSafe Tasmania and, through its website and Helpline, provided information,

support and guidance to concerned current and former employees. The TSS made individual contact with

past employees who have contacted the Helpline about exposure to TCDD.

AGENCY ACTIVITIES

During the year TSS agencies continued to support the health and safety of employees in the workplace.

Activities and initiatives in response to priorities such as Occupational Violence and Aggression, family

violence and White Ribbon Accreditation were reported, as well as key agency priorities that included:

Mental Health First Aid training;

defensive and safer driving training;

the implementation or review of WHS management systems;

responding to WHS audit recommendations;

improving work health and safety reporting; and

proactive measures to support employee wellbeing, including ergonomic assessments, free flu

vaccinations and sit-stand desks.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 67% of respondents agreed

that there were policies in their workplace designed

to support employees affected by family violence.


2019-20 Priorities

Priority Actions

Bullying and Harassment In support of the Government’s priority to stop and

prevent bullying in Tasmania, develop a TSS Bullying and

Harassment Strategy.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Undertake the Tender to establish a panel of contractors

to provide an EAP and additional support services to the

TSS.

Support services being sought include a short-term

intervention program to enhance the wellbeing of TSS

employees and their families through face-to-face-

counselling, as well as critical incident debriefing and

support, mediation and conflict resolution, and the

creation of peer support programs.

ISO 45001 Support agencies in their implementation of ISO

45001:2018 – Occupational Health and Safety

Management Systems - Requirements with Guidance for

Use.

Herbicide Audit Facilitate a statewide audit of the use, handling and

storage of existing herbicides across TSS agencies.

Online WHS Management System

Review

Undertake a review and analysis of current WHS

management systems on the market, with the objective

of identifying a whole-of-service solution to improve

WHS and injury management reporting.

In March 2019, the TSS provided a submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

to help inform the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces.

The submission outlined current initiatives at a whole-of-service level, and by agencies that promote

positive and respectful behaviour, and policies in place to support employees who experience sexual

harassment in the workplace.


Digital Transformation and

Business Innovation

Developing corporate systems using technology that provides up-to-date

data and streamlined processes that enable stakeholder communication.

Empower Integration Automation Program (EIAP) EIAP continued to be rolled-out through 2018-19. The EIAP delivers a more contemporary system which

will reduce the number of manual processes and overheads associated with current payroll and people

management system processes.

After a successful period of testing the Department of Justice became the first agency to migrate to the

new shared database in April 2019.

The Department of State Growth also progressed its migration process and, as at the end of June 2019,

was preparing to migrate in the first pay period of the new financial year 2019-20. The migration of the

remaining small and medium agencies is expected to be completed by July 2020.

Joint Agency Reporting Service (JARS) In addition to migrating to the new shared database, the Department of Justice also completed a successful

pilot of JARS. This contemporary dashboard-based reporting service will also be progressively rolled-out to

all agencies by July 2020. Through JARS, agencies will be able to meet current and future demands for

employee data including organisational performance, longitudinal analysis, workforce management, and

leave and absence management.


HRWiki To support the implementation of both EIAP and JARS, there was an identified need to develop a human

resources (HR) knowledge base that provided access to standard procedures for the use of the Empower

Payroll and People Management System, and that supported skill development in other key HR knowledge

areas.

In December 2018, development commenced on the HRWiki, an internal, online central point of reference

for users within HR. In addition to providing up-to-date information on industrial relations, WHS,

data literacy and data management, the HRWiki allows improved consultation with the TSS HR community

on the development of whole-of-service policies and programs, and supports TSS HR professionals to

network, collaborate, and knowledge share within the community.

The HRWiki uses proven technology, and will be available to all HR practitioners and managers within the

TSS. It is password protected and only accessible to authorised users of the Tasmanian Government

network (Networking Tasmania). Access to the HRWiki is being rolled-out to agencies progressively in line

with EIAP and JARS.

eRecruitment On 17 July 2018, SSMO reconnected the Tasmanian Government Jobs website to the PageUp

eRecruitment System (following the security incident experienced by PageUp in June 2018). The decision to

reconnect to PageUp followed the completion of an independent security review and vulnerability testing,

as well as a review of PageUp’s security arrangements.

While the data breach and resulting investigation caused some disruption to recruitment within the TSS,

the implementation of an interim advertising and recruitment system and processes while the PageUp

system was unavailable reduced the impact of this disruption.

There were no subsequent security incidents in 2018-19.

Improvements and increased functionality to eRecruitment were explored throughout the year, with a

particular focus on on-boarding and performance management modules. Enhancements were also made to

the jobs website in 2018-19 to support targeted recruitment campaigns for cadets, teachers, and graduates.

In 2018-19 the jobs website attracted an average of 308,446 unique page views10 per month.

There were around 2,530 unique page views per month of the fixed-term employment registers.

10 Unique page views is the number of times a page is viewed aggregated for each users, e.g. if a user visits a page five times, it is counted as one

unique page view.


Interjurisdictional Workforce Data Analytics The TSS, as a member of the Interjurisdictional Workforce Data Analytics Committee, contributed publicly

available, aggregated workforce and Employee Survey data to the development of the National Public

Sector Workforce Dashboard.

The Dashboard is a collaborative tool built by governments across Australia and made available within a

secure online environment to members of the Committee to help inform policy-making, research and

reporting, and allows for the comparison of workforce and employment data between jurisdictions.

The dashboard and the Committee provides the opportunity for members to contribute to

interjurisdictional research projects, share knowledge and collaborate on issues affecting the public sector,

and the management of workforce data.

AGENCY ACTIVITIES

In addition to supporting EIAP migration activities, agencies reported an increased focus on developing

capabilities to support digital transformation and business innovation. In 2018-19, activities included:

improving the collection of data to support workforce planning;

supporting innovation and building digital capabilities;

managing large recruitment campaigns through PageUp; and

creating a ‘digital mail room’.

2019-20 Priorities

Priority Actions

EIAP Complete the migration of small and medium agencies to

the single, shared database.

JARS Continue to roll-out access to the dashboard reporting

platform in line with the implementation of the EIAP.

HRWiki Provide agencies access to the HRWiki in line with the

roll-out of EIAP and JARS.

Promote the use of the HRWiki to agencies and support

ongoing development of content and the community

within the system.

Data literacy Support the ongoing development of data literacy within

HR and the broader JARS user group through the

development of data literacy guides focussing on the

basics of working with data and reporting.

eRecruitment Determine and progress whole-of-service eRecruitment

solutions.


A Culture of Learning

Building and supporting a learning culture to develop the breadth and

depth of capabilities needed for now, and in the future. Developing high

performing, professional and ethical leaders and managers.

Leadership Development

Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) Senior

Executive Service (SES) Leadership Development Program

In 2018, 29 SES officers from across 10 agencies formed the second cohort to complete the

SES Leadership Development Program.

The Program is the keystone program for developing SES in the TSS. It provides participants with a range of

themes that seek to build on the strategic and analytical capacity of public sector leaders and managers.

Sessions include topics on strategy, leadership and future of work, complex problem analysis and decision

making, behavioural insights, and methods of collaboration and co-production.

Nominations for a third cohort group were called for in early 2019, with participants due to commence in

August 2019. This will bring total participation in the Program to 96 senior leaders across the TSS since it

commenced in 2017.

A total of 34 people were appointed to the SES in 2018-19 (nine males and 25 females).


State Service Strategic Management Program (S3MP)

In August 2018, 21 TSS employees joined participants from Tasmania Police to commence the third S3MP.

The S3MP is a joint program delivered by SSMO and Tasmania Police in partnership with the University of

Tasmania (UTAS), with participants who successfully complete the S3MP being awarded a Professional

Honours (Public Sector Leadership and Management).

Manager Development

Manager Essentials Program

The Manager Essentials Program is a contemporary program over 12 months that develops the

fundamental and essential capabilities of TSS managers. The Program is aimed at current managers or

equivalent roles that have responsibility for the full range of management functions (people, budgets, and

resources), and consists of four active learning modules that provide managers with skills and tools to equip

them to better manage.

The Program uses a blend of active learning modules, self-directed learning and an on-the-job learning guide

that contains further activities to apply learnings back in the workplace. The Program is bookended by an

Emotional Intelligence diagnostic.

The 2018-19, period saw an additional seven Manager Essentials Programs scheduled across the State, with

135 participants registered. The Program will continue to be offered in 2019-20.

In December 2018, the Manager Development Program Working Group won the 2018 IPAA Public

Sector Excellence Award for “Best Practice in Public Sector – People and Diversity Development”

for its development of the Manager Essentials Program.

Public Sector Management Program (PSMP)

On 14 March 2019, 13 participants from across three levels of government in Tasmania were awarded a

Graduate Certificate in Business (Public Sector Management) from the Queensland University of

Technology on completion of the 15-month PSMP. The PSMP is aimed at mid-level and emerging managers

in Local, State, and Commonwealth Government sectors across Australia, with content delivered through

intensive workshops and self-directed learning.

ANZSOG Events The continuing partnership between SSMO and ANZSOG also provided the opportunity for managers,

leaders and other employees across the TSS to attend the following ANZSOG Applied Learning Seminars

in 2018-19 to increase their capabilities:

Regulatory Policy and the Changing Role of Government – Dr Chris Walker (University of NSW);

Using Behavioural Change as a Policy Tool – Dr Sarah Kneebone (BehaviourWorks Australia); and

Designing Policy as an Investment – Professor Michael Mintrom (Monash University).


TSS Graduate Development Program - TasGRAD TasGRAD11 provides foundation skills and knowledge to new graduates through a two-year development

program. Participants in TasGRAD develop skills in a number of areas including writing for decision-

makers, financial management and Design Thinking, as part of formal learning and development. This

training is then put into practice as graduates contribute to key Government projects, and the development

and delivery of policies, programs and services through six-monthly rotational placements within their

agency or between agencies.

In February 2019, 41 new graduates entered TasGRAD,

36 from the annual TSS graduate recruitment process and five

who joined the TSS through other recruitment processes. This

brought the total number of graduates to have joined the

program since it commenced in 2017 to 99.

In 2018-19 the TSS hosted a total of seven interns as part of

its ongoing partnership with the University of Tasmania.

Interns worked on projects in the Departments of Justice,

Health, Premier and Cabinet, Communities Tasmania, and

Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.

Tasmanian Training Consortium (TTC)

Activities In 2018-19, the TTC delivered 116 calendar courses across the State to a total of 1,980 participants. This

included 28 courses as part of the new dedicated program in the North and North West (attended by

222 participants).

The TTC continues to offer core courses that deliver valuable skills and knowledge on the inner workings

of the public sector. Feedback from TTC members resulted in the following courses being added to the

calendar in 2018-19:

Mental Health and Wellbeing for Managers;

APMG Change Management Foundation; and

Bridges Out Of Poverty.

The 2019 TTC Client Survey attracted lower participation than previous years, however the overall level of

satisfaction with the TTC has improved. This year, 94% of clients rated the overall quality and effectiveness

of TTC courses and events as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ (compared to 80% in 2017-18).

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey 81% of respondents said they had discussed

their learning and development needs with their manager/supervisor.

11 https://www.jobs.tas.gov.au/graduate_development_program

https://www.jobs.tas.gov.au/graduate_development_program


TTC Rebranding

In 2018-19, the TTC introduced a fresh look to all of its branding to complement its shift in

strategic priorities, and repositioning to become the premier professional development

provider for the public sector in Tasmania.

To complete the rebranding, the TTC website was also completely refreshed, to reflect the

focus on providing more contemporary professional development options and the range of

courses available. The website will be officially launched on 1 July 2019.

“The TTC has a solid offering of various courses to cover the many different facets of the public service.”

– Dave Tilley, Senior Policy and Projects Officer (quote from TTC Client Survey)

Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) – Tasmanian division

TTC continues to provide secretariat and event management services to support IPAA in the delivery of

the IPAA Public Service Excellence Awards, and a calendar of events aimed at developing the skills and

knowledge of TSS and public sector employees. In 2018-19, TTC supported the delivery of six IPAA

events.

HR Big Day Out In November 2018, the TSS held its first HR Big Day Out, providing the opportunity for HR professionals

at all levels and all career stages to gather and examine key topics impacting HR/People and Culture now,

and in the future, including:

HR as a profession;

Diversity; and

The Future of Work.

The HR Big Day Out was also a chance for participants to learn from each other, and an opportunity to

celebrate the role HR plays in the delivery of public services.

Study Assistance Support for employees to undertake further study is available through formal Study Assistance

arrangements provided under the State Service Regulations 2011. In 2018-19, a total of 708 employees

across 14 agencies accessed some form of Study Assistance (an increase from 425 in 2017-18).

The number of men accessing Study Assistance increased to 140, and the number of women increased to

568 (from 87 and 338 respectively in 2017-18). There continued to be a range of course discipline areas

studied in 2018-19, including:

biosecurity;

marketing;

natural cultural heritage;

information management;

human rights;

accounting/finance;

education/teaching;

social work;

project management; and

science.


AGENCY ACTIVITIES

Agencies used a mix of whole-of-service and agency strategies and initiatives to develop the capabilities of

their managers and leaders in 2018-19. This included accessing development programs such as the Manager

Essentials Program, PSMP, S3MP, and seminars and workshops offered through ANZSOG.

Agencies noted the main areas where management and leadership capability development was focussed in

2018-19, with the top three areas (based on the highest number of agencies reporting) being:

1. people management (managers and leaders);

2. ethics and integrity (managers and leaders); and

3. creating a positive work environment (managers)/change management (leaders).

Agencies identified a variety of approaches they used to develop and retain talented employees in 2018-19,

as well as initiatives to attract new skills into the TSS. Activities included:

establishing the Teacher Under Supervision Program to attract industry experts to TasTAFE;

supporting internal mobility through expressions of interest and acting arrangements;

supporting secondment opportunities;

targeted cadet recruitment and development programs;

providing access to in-house online learning systems, and access to learning libraries such as

Lynda.com; and

maintaining relationships with professional bodies.

In 2018-19, the TSS supported 17 employees to develop their skills and knowledge through secondment

to UTAS, unions and the not-for-profit sector. Three arrangements also brought new skills into the TSS

from the NSW Government, Tasmania Police and Aurora Energy.

2019-20 Priorities

Priority Actions

People Development Framework Develop a People Development Framework for the TSS.

Develop a Workforce Strategy/Plan.

Leadership Development Work with ANZSOG to evaluate the effectiveness of

the ANZSOG Leadership Development Program.

Manager Development Launch the Manager Toolkit resource for those who

have completed the Manager Essentials Program.

Work with Tasmania Police and UTAS to deliver the

fourth S3MP.

TTC Engage with members about their ongoing and evolving

professional development priorities.

Develop a sustainable funding model in the medium and

longer term.

Continue to focus on offering events in the North and

North West.


Sustainability, Agility and

Flexibility in Employment

Arrangements

Developing sustainable and flexible industrial instruments, policies and

structures that recognise and reward achievement and capability.

Workplace Relations, Awards and Agreements

SSMO supports agencies and provides advice on workplace relations matters to ensure a collaborative and

cooperative approach to workplace relations matters including awards, industrial disputes, terminations and

other matters affecting employees.

During the year, 18 interim-salary related Agreements were negotiated to be registered in the Tasmanian

Industrial Commission in early 2019-20. The Agreements cover major employment groups, including the

Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement, which applies to the majority of TSS employees; Nurses and

Midwives; Teachers; Allied Health Professionals; Ambulance Tasmania employees; Tasmania Fire Service

employees; Correctional Officers and TasTAFE employees.

Salary increases provided a 12 month back paid increase of 2.1% (back paid to 12 months after the last

increase). In addition, a one off payment of either 0.15% for employees paid a base salary of up to $80,000

or $120 for employees on a base salary of $80,000 or more. A further 0.25% increase was included from

the date of registration of the new Agreement.


Workforce Planning The TSS continued to emphasise the importance and value of workforce planning in 2018-19 and

investigated ways to support agencies in their strategic workforce planning activities. This included the

review of the Workforce Planning Handbook, to be included as part of a set of online resources, and a trial

of Microsoft Teams to allow ongoing communication and collaboration by the Workforce Planning

Community. Phase one of the trial was successful, with the system allowing the trial group to collaborate

on documents and set up working groups to share information on projects.

Ongoing one-on-one support and advice was also provided to a number of agencies on the development of

their strategic workforce planning activities, including providing advice on future workforce needs and how

to address identified workforce issues, and supporting improvement in workforce planning capabilities.

Across the TSS, there were 502 formal workplace flexibility agreements in place during 2018-19.

733 employees participated in the Purchased Leave Scheme, and 251 participated in the

State Service Accumulated Leave Scheme.

State Service Vacancy Management The revised Managing Positions in the Tasmanian State Service framework continued to support agencies to

manage their employment needs according to current priorities. A total of 46 Targeted and Negotiated

Voluntary Redundancies were progressed, and 26 people left the TSS after accepting a Workforce Renewal

Incentive Payment.

Activities Resulting from External Examinations In 2018-19, the Auditor-General tabled one new performance report in Parliament, Report of the Auditor-

General No. 7 2018-19 Performance Management in the Tasmanian State Service: A focus on quality

conversations.

The Report found that overall the participating agencies all demonstrated a commitment to improving the

quality of performance and development conversations. It also recommended the application of a tool to

assist agencies in further improving the quality of conversations in performance management. From the

Report, a self-assessment checklist has been developed to identify key areas to focus on to continue to

improve performance management.

There were no reports by the Integrity Commission tabled in 2018-19 which directly related to State

Service employment.


The following table outlines the current status of activities in response to recent external examination

reports.

Report Status

Report of the Auditor-General No. 7

2018-19 - Performance Management in

the Tasmanian State Service: A focus on

quality conversations.

The application of an assessment tool will be considered

and implemented in consultation with all agencies, with

consideration given to the considerable investment in

training, systems, policies and processes already in place.

Report of the Auditor-General No. 3 of

2017-18 - Appointment of Tasmanian

State Service Senior Executive Officers,

General Stream Bands 9 and 10 and

Professional Stream Band 6 Positions.

There has been significant work undertaken across the

TSS to support effective senior recruitment and

appointment. Following on from the recommendations,

detailed Guidelines on SES Recruitment and Conflicts of

Interest in Recruitment have been finalised and

implemented.


2016-17 - Workforce Planning in the

Tasmanian State Service.

SSMO has set up a whole of service Community of

Practice; developed a guide for workforce planning and is

continuing to explore ways to improve workforce

planning initiatives within and across agencies.

A whole-of-service approach to entry-level recruitment

is being adopted through TasGRAD and the School to

Work Youth Employment Program.

Development opportunities for HR practitioners

including the inaugural HR Big Day Out held in

November 2018.


2015-16 - Absenteeism in the State

Service.

There are strategies in place to reduce absenteeism

including a range of work health and wellbeing initiatives

such as the EAP, flu vaccination programs and

mindfulness.

JARS dashboard reports will provide enhanced

absenteeism data and reporting to managers.

New guidelines for performance management will

consider attendance and leave management.

AGENCY ACTIVITIES

As in previous years, agency workforce planning activities in 2018-19 varied from isolated activities to those

that were part of a formal strategic workforce plan. Plans and activities were reported at all levels, and

included initiatives aimed at specific occupational groups, business units, divisions and at the agency level.

Agency strategic workforce planning priorities covered a wide-range of issues, however commonly

recurring issues that plans aimed to address included the implementation of new policies, and:

identifying and developing workforce, management and leadership capabilities;

behaviours, values and culture;

shaping the workforce to meet the needs of the community;

recruitment and effective working arrangements; and

improving workplace diversity and inclusion.

Agencies also reported the development of their own workforce planning resources, as well as the

recruitment of dedicated business analysts to support workforce planning activities and help improve the

data literacy of their managers.


In addition to this, agencies identified workforce planning strategies and activities to address identified

issues that included:

creating a workforce strategy project team;

building workplace culture;

activities to support capability development and performance management;

involving staff in the development of strategies;

implementing strategies to increase gender diversity; and

activities to support workplace diversity.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey, 36% of respondents said they currently used some kind of flexible

working arrangement, including part-time or flexible hours, working away from the office, or job-sharing.

2019-20 Priorities

Priority Actions

Negotiating Awards and Agreements Registering of 2018 Agreements.

Negotiating and implementing 21 salary-related

Agreements.

Review of the State Service Support the review of the State Service, to identify

structural, legislative and administrative improvements

that will transform current structures, practices and

services.

Workforce Planning Support the development of capabilities within agencies

through continued consultation on strategic workforce

planning activities.

Provide resources through the HRWiki and SSMO

website to support workforce planning in the TSS,

including overviews and analysis of future workforce

issues and trends.

Publish the Workforce Planning Handbook, which

provides a guide to agencies on how to apply the

workforce planning model developed by the Workforce

Planning Community in 2017-18.

In 2018-19 a total of 854 employees took paid maternity leave,

143 took paid parental leave and two took paid adoption leave.

A further 674 employees took unpaid maternity or parental leave.


Workforce Management

Manage TSS employment on behalf of the Premier as the Employer,

through high-quality policy, programs and governance arrangements.

Investigations

Code of Conduct

In 2018-19 there were 76 investigations into alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct (Section 9 of the

Act), which were investigated in line with the provisions of Employment Direction No. 5: Procedures for the

Investigation and Determination of whether an employee has breached the Code of Conduct. In 2017-18 there

were 77 investigations reported resulting in 46 identified breaches.

Of the 40 that were finalised during the period, 31 breaches were identified and sanctions were imposed

that ranged from counselling and reassignment of duties to termination of employment. The remaining

cases were either resolved with no breach found, finalised through other means, or were carried forward

into the 2019-20 period.

Inability

Five agencies reported investigations into alleged inability of an employee to perform their duties, in line

with Employment Direction No. 6: Procedures for the Investigation and Determination of whether an employee is

able to efficiently and effectively perform their duties.

A total of 14 cases were under investigation in 2018-19, with six finalised during the period. Of these, three

found the employee unable to perform their duties, while the remaining cases were found to have no

inability, withdrawn or finalised through other means. Eight matters were carried forward into the 2019-20

period.


Terminations

Section 44(3) of the State Service Act 2000 provides a number of grounds on which an employee’s

employment may be terminated. In 2018-19, a total of four terminations were reported across four

agencies, which is a decrease from the seven reported in 2017-18.

Reason for termination Permanent Fixed-term Total

Termination of a probationary employee - - -

Abandonment of employment 2 - 2

Breach of the Code of Conduct 1 - 1

Inability 1 - 1

Termination following Employment Direction No. 26 process - - -

TOTAL 4 - 4

Grievances

Internal grievances

Employees are able to raise grievances or matters with their agency under the agency’s grievance

management process. In 2018-19, a total of 154 formal grievances were reported across 12 agencies, which

is an increase from 145 grievances across 10 agencies in 2017-18.

The nature of the grievances lodged included management decisions, misconduct, employee conflict,

harassment, discrimination, and work performance. Where these grievances were resolved, actions taken

included mediation, counselling, training and reallocation of duties. The following table shows the outcome

of all formal grievances reported in 2018-19, compared to 2017-18.

Outcome of formal grievance 2018-19 2017-18

Satisfactorily resolved by agreement 34 22

Withdrawn 7 4

Upheld 23 54

Dismissed 26 25

Carried forward 64 40

TOTAL 154 145

The average number of formal grievances managed internally each year for the five years from

2014 to 2019 was 119.

External grievances

In 2018-19, a total of 32 grievances were taken to external organisations that included the Integrity

Commission (16), Tasmanian Industrial Commission (10), and Equal Opportunity Tasmania (four).12 Matters

referred included management decisions, discrimination, process matters and bullying/harassment. The

average number of grievances managed externally each year for the five years from 2014 to 2019 was 46.

12 The remaining matters were referred to unspecified Ombudsmen.


Employment Determinations

Determinations by SSMO

In 2018-19, a number of matters were referred to SSMO for determination using the powers of the

Employer under the Act, in line with relevant Employment Directions (EDs),13 and Practices, Procedures

and Standards (PPSs).14 The following table shows the requests made during this period and their status as

at 30 June 2019.

Request type Carried

over

New

requests

Rejected/

withdrawn

Approved Carried

forward

Agency-specific recruitment programs (PPS2) 1 4 - 5 -

Pre-employment checks (ED7) - 3 - 3 -

Essential Requirements (ED1) - 41 - 40 1

Extension of fixed-term employment beyond

36 months (ED1)

- 29 - 29 -

Fixed-term and casual employment registers

(PPS1)15

- 37 - 37 -

Appointment without advertising (ED1) - - - - -

Promotion without advertising (ED1) - 57 1 56 -

Secondments into the TSS (ED1) - 3 - 3 -

Secondments out of the TSS (ED1) - 17 - 17 -

TOTAL 1 191 1 190 1

In 2018-19, approval was provided on 12 applications under ED1 to add the essential requirement

that duties must be filled by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

Determinations by Heads of Agencies

Fixed-term employees who meet the provisions of Clause 13 of ED1, may apply to their Head of Agency to

have duties they are performing advertised for filling on a permanent basis, in accordance with the ED.

The power of the Employer to change the employment status of a fixed-term employee to permanent

under Section 37 (4) of the Act is delegated to Heads of Agencies, and exercised in accordance with the

provisions of ED1. In addition, this power extends to the Head of Agency of the Department of Education

to change the employment status of eligible fixed-term teachers who meet the requirements of Employment

Direction No.9: Change of Employment Status of Fixed-term Teachers to Permanent (ED9).

The following table sets out the number of determinations approved by Heads of Agencies in 2018-19.

Request type Approved

Application by a fixed-term employee to have their duties advertised for filling on a

permanent basis (Clause 13 of ED1).

-

Change of employment status from fixed-term to permanent where special and

compelling circumstances exist (Clause 14 of ED1).

21

Change of employment status for eligible fixed-term teachers (ED9). 312

13 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/employment_directions 14 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/employment_policy/practices,_procedures_and_standards 15 Currently approved fixed-term and casual employment registers can be viewed on the www.jobs.tas.gov.au website.

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/employment_directions

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/employment_policy/practices,_procedures_and_standards

http://www.jobs.tas.gov.au/


Managing Performance Performance management systems provide a framework for regular, constructive discussions that create a

link between the performance and development of employees and officers and the agency’s business

requirements. In 2018-19, agencies reported 13,305 employees participated in a performance management

process (an increase from 12,589 in 2017-18).

Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) provide additional support to employees in meeting performance

measures, by providing a structured plan that can include additional training, supervisions, role clarification,

or a skills review. In 2018-19, there were 36 PIPs in place (an increase from 18 in 2017-18) and 20 were

completed in the period.

In the 2018 TSS Employee Survey, 89% of respondents said they had a conversation

about their performance with their manager/supervisor. 73% of these people said it

helped them identify their work priorities and training and development needs.


2018 TSS Employee Survey In September 2018, SSMO coordinated the TSS Employee Survey (the Survey) across all agencies. The

Survey gave employees and officers the opportunity to contribute their views on accountability, values and

principles, and work health and safety. In 2018, the Survey included additional questions about workplace

flexibility, development, diversity, and wellbeing, as these areas were identified as whole-of-service

workforce management priorities.

The following is an overview of the 2018 Survey results at a whole-of-service level. The full results can be

viewed online on the SSMO website.16

In 2018, 8,675 people completed the TSS Employee Survey (a response rate of 29.92%) – this is the

highest number of responses since SSMO commenced administration of the Survey in 2011.17

DEMOGRAPHICS

The demographic profile of respondents to the Survey resembled the demographic profile of the TSS in

gender18 and employment category as at June 2018,19 however the split of employees by their employment

condition showed a greater response rate from employees working on a full-time basis, as shown in the

following charts.

16 http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/Employee_Surveys/2018_state_service_employee_survey_-_whole-of-service_results 17 Prior to 2011, the TSS Employee Survey was administered by the Office of the State Service Commissioner. 18 June 2018 TSS includes <1% of employees who identify as ‘other’. No employees identified as other in the Survey, as a result this gender category has been excluded from this chart. 19 Current for comparison purposes as at the time of the Survey, which took place between 18 September and 8 October 2018.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

TSS Employees (June 2018)

Survey Respondents Female

Male

Prefer not to say

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%


Survey Respondents Permanent

Fixed-term

Officers

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%


Survey RespondentsFull-time

Part-time

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/Employee_Surveys/2018_state_service_employee_survey_-_whole-of-service_results


KEY INDICES

An important overall index from the Survey is the level of engagement employees feel. This is calculated

through the analysis of percentage agreement scores20 against the following five questions.

Question % agreement

I would recommend my agency as a good place to work. 63

I am proud to tell others I work for my agency. 69

I feel a strong personal attachment to my agency. 60

My agency motivates me to help achieve its objectives. 54

My agency inspires me to do the best in my job. 56

For the first time in 2018, additional high-level indices were included that grouped together related

questions in the areas of job satisfaction, diversity and wellbeing. The results for these indices are shown in

the following table, along with the overall engagement index.

Index Level of favourable

response (0-100)

Overall Job Satisfaction 67

Workplace Diversity 72

Wellbeing 64

Engagement 66

SNAPSHOT OF RESULTS

20 The remaining % may include ‘neither agree nor disagree’, or ‘don’t know’, responses and therefore should not be read as meaning the remaining respondents ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’.

agreed people in their

workgroup treated each

other with respect.

agreed bullying was not

tolerated in their

agency.

agreed their manager

encouraged behaviours

that were consistent

with agency values.

agreed they received

help and support

from other people in

their workgroup.

75% 60% 79% 82%

agreed their agency

provided a safe working

environment.

agreed their workgroup

encouraged & supported

employees to have a

good work/life balance.

agreed work health and

safety was discussed at

regular workgroup

meetings.

agreed they were able

to effectively manage

their workload.

77% 59% 55% 65%


Workforce Profile In early 2019, SSMO completed a review and validation of employment type coding within agency payroll

systems. This process resulted in amendments to the coding of some employees and officers to correctly

reflect their appointment type.

These amendments have resulted in adjustments to the historical paid headcount (HC), and paid full-time

equivalent (FTE) data reported in the Tasmanian State Service Annual Report 2017-18. The data provided for

the 2017-18 period in the following Workforce Profile is the corrected data for this period.21

PAID FTE BY AGENCY AS AT 30 JUNE 2018 AND 2019

Agency 2018 2019

Var.

2018-19

Department of Communities Tasmania22 - 758.99 758.99

Department of Education 8,171.16 8,399.37 228.21

Department of Health22 - 9,651.77 9,651.77

Department of Health and Human Services22 1,682.30 - -1,682.30

Department of Justice 1,221.01 1,295.70 74.69

Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management 872.54 904.48 31.94

Department of Premier and Cabinet22 482.89 405.48 -77.41

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 1,192.85 1,254.44 61.59

Department of State Growth 713.78 750.53 36.75

Department of Treasury and Finance 301.30 320.65 19.35

Tasmanian Audit Office 37.26 45.60 8.34

Brand Tasmania23 - 3.00 3.00

Integrity Commission of Tasmania 12.30 13.50 1.20

Macquarie Point Development Corporation 8.30 7.40 -0.90

Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority 102.30 102.63 0.33

Tasmanian Health Service22 8,274.91 - -8,274.91

TasTAFE 712.22 682.67 -29.55

The Public Trustee 53.19 50.09 -3.10

Tourism Tasmania 59.82 61.60 1.78

Total 23,898.13 24,707.90 809.77

As at 30 June 2019, the TSS had a total paid FTE of 24,707.90 employees.

This is an increase of 809.77 paid FTE from 23,898.13 as at 30 June 2018.

21 The unamended data can be viewed in the TSS Annual Report 2017-18 available from the SSMO website. 22 The Department of Communities Tasmania, and the Department of Health were established from 1 July 2018, following the amalgamation of parts of the Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmanian Health Service, and some areas of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. 23 Brand Tasmania was established on 31 March 2019.

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/publications/annual_reports


The total number of employees under age 30 increased

to 3,862 paid HC in 2018-19 (from 3,540 in 2017-18).

PAID HC BY AGENCY AND EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY

Agency

Fixed-

term Perm. Officer Total

Department of Communities Tasmania 98 733 14 845

Department of Education 2,681 8,705 22 11,408

Department of Health 2,351 10,171 29 12,551

Department of Justice 149 1,220 29 1,398

Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management 71 880 9 960

Department of Premier and Cabinet 48 414 17 479

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 234 1,149 18 1,401

Department of State Growth 86 768 23 877

Department of Treasury and Finance 37 294 16 347

Tasmanian Audit Office 17 30 2 49

Brand Tasmania - 2 1 3

Integrity Commission of Tasmania 4 10 1 15

Macquarie Point Development Corporation 1 6 2 9

Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority 38 134 2 174

TasTAFE 100 693 6 799

The Public Trustee 6 47 1 54

Tourism Tasmania 12 56 2 70

Total 5,933 25,319 194 31,439

As at 30 June 2019, the TSS had a total paid PHC of 31,439 employees.

This is an increase of 1,119 paid HC from 30,320 as at 30 June 2018.

down

from

13.72 in

2018.

The average

length

of service for

permanent

employees is

13.44 years…


PAID HC BY AGE GROUP AND GENDER

GENDER DIVERSITY

Female % of TSS Male % of TSS

Permanent 18,102 57.58 7,208 22.93

Fixed-term 4,205 13.38 1,728 5.50

Officers 80 0.25 114 0.36

Total 22,387 71.21 9,050 28.79

-

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

19 and under 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 and over

Male Female

FEMALE

71.21%

MALE

28.79%

OTHER*

<0.01%

*To protect the privacy of the low number of employees who identify as a gender other than male or female, data relating to these employees

has been included only in totals for Paid HC and Paid FTE, and has not been extracted to identify their agency, age group, employment status or

category.

The total

percentage of

people working

part-time has

increased to

52.28%.

Female

44.06%

Male

8.22%


CHANGE IN

PAID HEADCOUNT

BY REGION (2018-19)

Region Interstate - -

North 268

North West 156

South 603

South East 80

West Coast 12

Total 1,119

EMPLOYMENT BY REGION

Fixed-term % Permanent % Officer % Total %

Interstate - - - -

North 4.46 19.94 0.05 24.45

North West 3.14 14.16 0.01 17.31

South 9.71 41.93 0.55 52.19

South East 1.39 4.02 0.01 5.42

West Coast 0.17 0.45 - 0.63

Percentage of TSS 18.87 80.51 0.62 100.00

COMMENCEMENTS AND SEPARATIONS

Of the 1,388 permanent employees who left the TSS in 2018-19, 1,291 (93.01%) resigned24 or retired. The

following chart shows the percentage of permanent separations and commencements in each age group

during the reporting period.

24 Does not include employees who accepted a Workforce Renewal Incentive Program payment or Voluntary Redundancy package.

27.09%

6.56%

63.13%

35.23%

9.78%

58.21%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Commencements

Separations

Under age 30 Aged 30 to 54 Aged 55 and over


OFFICERS

An Officer is anyone appointed under Part 6 of the State Service Act 2000 (the Act), and includes Heads of

Agencies, Prescribed Office Holders, Senior Executive Service (SES) and Equivalent Specialists. Overall, the

total paid HC of Officers in the TSS decreased over the 2018-19 period to 194 (from 198 in 2017-18).

Male Female Total

Heads of Agencies 11 5 16

Senior Executive Service 85 65 150

Equivalent Specialists 17 9 26

Prescribed Office Holders 1 1 2

Total 114 80 194

68.75%

31.25%

Heads of Agencies

56.67%

43.33%

Senior Executive Service

Female Male

-

10

20

30

40

50

30 to

39

40 to

49

50 to

59

60 to

69

70 and

over

Age group

Female Male

HEADS OF AGENCIES AND

SES BY GENDER

SES BY GENDER AND AGE


DATA NOTES

Data included in this Workforce Profile reflects information collected through the Workforce Information

Reporting System (WiRS). WiRS is a standardised employee reporting system, validated against a set of

business rules and translation tables to ensure consistent reporting at a whole-of-service level. WiRS data

only includes those people employed under the State Service Act 2000 (the Act), and within the agencies

listed in Schedule 1 of that Act.

DEFINITIONS Paid Headcount (HC) is the number of employees and officers (excluding casuals) engaged and paid as at

the reporting date, including employees on paid leave. It excludes employees who were not paid as at the

reporting date, such as people on Leave Without Pay or on secondment out of the TSS.

Paid Full-time Equivalent (FTE) is the full-time equivalent value of employees and officers (excluding casuals)

who are engaged and paid as at the reporting date (e.g. one person working two part-time roles of 0.5 FTE

each equals 1.00 FTE).

Officer/Part 6 is anyone appointed under Part 6 of the Act and includes Heads of Agencies, Prescribed

Office Holders, SES and Equivalent Specialists.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on any of the information contained in the Profile, contact SSMO via email at

[email protected].

This Report and previous Tasmanian State Service Annual Reports can also be viewed on the SSMO

website at www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/publications.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/publications


State Service Management Office

Email: [email protected]

www.dpac.tas.gov.au

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