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| Taking aim at
retention By Barry Rollings Volume 50, No.2, February 22, 2007 |
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In announcing the package, the acting CDF, LTGEN Ken Gillespie said the package aimed to boost the number of full-time personnel serving in the Australian Defence Force. The Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal would conduct a review of the current allowance to better recognise the demands associated with serving at sea, LTGEN Gillespie said. “This represents the first phase of a new ADF Retention and Recruitment Strategy to meet the challenge of sustaining and growing Defence’s military workforce,” he said. “In maintaining the ADF as an employer of choice, retention bonuses and allowances will be used as a short-term measure until other major career and remuneration reforms are in place.” The Chief of Navy and the Chief of Army will offer selective and short-term retention bonuses until other reforms are in place. New retention bonuses will be targeted at individuals and positions where the loss of skills, or not filling a high-priority position will have a detrimental impact on operational or supporting capabilities. Through the Navy and Army Military Instructor Allowance, the Chief of Navy and Chief of Army will provide an allowance of $5000 a year to encourage personnel to undertake a posting as a training instructor and to recognise the additional demands associated with such postings. The Navy Recruit Training Instructor Allowance authorises the Chief of Navy to provide a $10,000 allowance paid upon completion of each year of instructional posting to compensate for the additional demands placed on personnel in these positions and to recognise their influence on the future RAN workforce for the duration of their posting. “Defence is also introducing a new strategic framework for the career management of ADF personnel,” LTGEN Gillespie said. “The framework will be underpinned by two key principles - support to individual members to be their own career manager by providing flexibility and choice, and secondly to give the Service Chiefs greater responsibility and flexibility to effectively manage their workforce. “Defence Force Recruiting will be reformed to enable a greater number of applicants to be processed faster by reducing the length of the recruitment process from an average 30 weeks to six weeks for General Entry, two weeks for Reservists and under three months for Officers. “This will be delivered through an increased number of testing days, more streamlined administration services, a reduction in documentation required by candidates, better candidate case management and a one-day recruitment model for Army Reservists. Initiatives to increase the number of people who want to join the ADF will be developed in 2007.” |