Defence

Wordsmith

Ric Smith, Secretary

Defence people—our greatest asset

You will all know how vital a positive work environment with effective leadership and quality people is to any organisation. If you think about the best job you have ever had, the chances are it was in a workplace with these elements.

In this article I want to outline the plans and measures we have in place for our people—to attract, recruit, retain and develop them—because Defence individuals, both military and civilian, are the most important factors in the success of our department. It is in our interest to ensure that we attract good people, that we provide them with a positive and responsive workplace and that we offer them compelling reasons to remain in Defence.

The Government has clearly outlined its expectations of Defence to be able to perform in an active operational climate. Our ability to successfully meet government’s expectations rests heavily on the abilities of our people. It is very important that we build and maintain a sustainable workforce to undertake the tasks that government requires of us.

So, what is involved in attracting, recruiting, retaining and developing people? The most important aspect is actively promoting workforce principles such as:

• offering a good employment package
• encouraging a positive organisational culture and values
• providing significant opportunities professional development
• promoting effective leadership.

The way I see it, these areas are intrinsically linked. We need a positive work environment that develops and nurtures its people so that they will want to stay in Defence. In turn, this positive environment will enhance our ability to attract new people.

Our employment packages are not about just ‘getting people in’ but also about making them want to stay. We aim to manage their expectations of working life in Defence as well as to provide good conditions, dynamic workplaces and significant prospects for development.

In my last Wordsmith column, I spoke about recent organisational changes we have made this year to improve our workplace culture. A good working culture ensures that a workplace is enjoyable, that our working patterns are productive, and that a creative exchange of ideas is encouraged.

I have also recently discussed the importance of skilling and training for our people. These issues are important to me as they are core to demonstrating our commitment to developing people. I believe that providing real opportunities for training and upskilling are an integral part of people’s sense of fulfilment in the workplace.

Effective leadership is the other essential ingredient in this mix. We have some excellent programs in place for all levels—from ‘Capstone’ for the SES and Star ranks, to communication training for graduates and mentoring across the organisation to foster high-quality leadership within Defence. The Chief of the Defence Force and I continue to be strong supporters of the Results through People (RtP) courses. If you haven’t yet been on a RtP course I urge you to consider signing up for one. They are well worth the investment of your time. I recognise that leadership skills are not just the domain of the very senior in the department. We can all show leadership, no matter where we work in the organisation.

You can be involved in shaping how our workplaces function by keeping abreast of policy changes, the Australian Defence Headquarters reorganisation and through following the work of entities such as the Defence People Committee (DPC), which advocates for Defence people and provides advice to me and the rest of the Defence Committee on strategic personnel issues. The outcomes of DPC meetings are posted on the Defence Intranet under the Personnel Executive page. The Defence Collective Agreement (DeCA)—also available online—is another great source of information, outlining your rights and responsibilities in relation to training, development, consultation and feedback in the workplace.

In addition we have departmental frameworks in such documents as the Defence values, codes of conduct and policy plans to help us manage our workforce. The Defence People Plan (DPP) is a major instrument to help us in this area. The DPP 2006–16 follows the development and approval of the Defence Workforce Plan (DWP) and outlines, among other things, the key objectives in recruitment and retention that we constantly seek to improve. For 2007–17, the Defence Strategic Workforce Alliance will replace the DWP/DPP.

Defence has a responsibility to provide you with a work environment that is both positive and enjoyable in career terms. But we all hold individual responsibilities as well, for instance, the responsibility to uphold Defence, Australian Public Service and military service values. The quality of a workplace, strength of leadership and processes of consultation are most effective when everyone gets involved in the dialogue. Remember to be an active player in this process, and we can continue our efforts to be an organisation that both attracts the best people and seeks to do the best for them.

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