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Willing to put in extra miles
By Nicole Turner
Volume 50, No. 16, September 06, 2007 |
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DEDICATED: Your contribution provided a snapshot of attitudes and opinions among Navy personnel.
One finding is that over three quarters of the Navy are willing to put in extra effort beyond what is expected to help the Navy be successful.
Photo: ABPH Craig Owen |
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In October/November last year, 1666 Navy personnel participated in the annual 2006 Defence Attitude Survey (DAS) and in doing so, provided a snapshot of the attitudes and opinions of Naval personnel and contributed to an understanding of Defence’s organisational climate.
The information collected in the DAS is used in the development and evaluation of new and existing policies in areas such as conditions of service, job satisfaction, family mobility, career management and retention. Ultimately, this contributes to the impetus of new personnel initiatives, such as Sea Change, with the overall aim of improving life in the Navy.
The 2006 DAS results indicate that over three quarters of Navy personnel (75.8%) are willing to put in effort beyond that normally expected in order to help the Navy be successful. In addition, 48.4% of Navy personnel agreed that their promotion prospects are good (with a further 26.1% uncertain) and indicated a high level of agreement (65%) that their career development has generally been good.
Furthermore, 70.2% of Navy personnel reported that they are proud to tell others that they are a member of the Navy.
Confidence in immediate supervisors remains strong, with 74.5% of Navy personnel indicating that they have confidence in their immediate supervisor and 77.9% agreeing that they trust their immediate supervisor to behave with fairness and integrity. The positive results continued in the areas of OHS, equity & diversity and the environment, with Navy personnel agreeing that their commanders/managers promote a safe working environment (82.9%), that their immediate supervisor actively provides and supports a fair and inclusive work environment (79.8%) and that Defence has a responsibility to look after the natural environment (91.6%).
There are however, areas in which improvements can be made. Work/life balance was a strong theme, with 41.4% of personnel agreeing that their workplace encouraged them to maintain a healthy balance between their work, home and family, there is clearly room for improvement. 57.7% of Navy personnel indicated that the amount of time their job takes up makes it difficult for them to fulfil their family and/or personal responsibilities.
Recognition and reward was also significant, with 22.4% of Navy personnel indicating that they are satisfied with their current salary. Since the survey was completed in 2006 significant progress has been achieved with respect to salary and allowances through the remuneration structure reforms, the introduction of a number of allowances and the provision of a more flexible salary structure.
In addition, 40.4% of Navy personnel believed that they were adequately recognised and rewarded for their work by verbal recognition. The Chief of Navy, VADM Russ Shalders, AO, CSC, RAN said: “I expect leaders in the Navy to use this information as a tool to help develop initiatives through all processes available to reward good work”.
The Sea Change program continues to progress programs which aim to improve work/life balance, making Navy a more attractive career, and retaining current members of the Navy family.
A Navy Officer Development Program is also underway, which focuses on formal mentoring and coaching, and is proving a very effective developmental tool. This will be extended to all sailor categories. A comprehensive Navy Training Strategy has been introduced to further improve the availability and accessibility of training and education opportunities for Navy people. Accreditation of Navy training to nationally recognised qualifications also continues at pace, as does the gradual introduction of flexible learning across the Fleet.
Navy has also been increasingly proactive in its engagement with external authorities responsible for conditions of service and employment. The Government-approved retention and recruitment reform package of nearly $3.2 billion aims to boost the number of personnel serving in the ADF over the next 10 years. This package was the first step in a major overhaul of ADF retention and recruitment and has major benefits to Navy personnel.
In 2006, 38.1% of Navy participants indicated that they were actively looking at leaving the Navy. This result should be interpreted in the context of industry research which indicates that, of the best organisations, about 32% of staff may have an intention to leave.
The 2007 Defence Attitude Survey will be conducted later this year and personnel are strongly encouraged to participate.
In conclusion, VADM Russ Shalders, stated: “I am fully aware that the duties performed by the highly dedicated men and women of the Royal Australian Navy towards the maintenance of Australia’s security interests require you to assume roles and conditions that do not exist in other workplaces. This includes periods of separation from family and friends, where it is difficult to maintain a consistent balance between work and personal life. Please be very clear on one point: Navy will continue to fight hard to have the unique nature of Naval Service recognised within the pay, personnel entitlements and employment conditions arenas. Further, through initiatives such as Sea Change, I will continue to identify methods to minimise the impact that the uniqueness of Naval life have on your ability to meet personal responsibilities. Your input is highly valued and is necessary to ensure the continued improvement and enhancement of Navy conditions of service.”
The Summary of the 2006 Defence Attitude Survey of Results is located at: www.defence.gov.au or on the DRN Personnel Executive website under Publications.
SELECTED KEY STATISTICS FOR NAVY MILITARY PERSONNEL |
| SURVEY ITEM |
AGREEMENT |
My promotion prospects are good.
My workplace has a system in place to ensure that lessons learnt from safety reporting are integrated into our safety procedures.
I have confidence in my immediate supervisor.
I trust my immediate supervisor to behave with fairness and integrity.
My career development has generally been good.
I am proud to tell others that I am a member of the Navy.
I am willing to put in effort beyond that normally expected in order to help the Navy be successful.
My immediate supervisor routinely demonstrates security awareness & practices what I consider to be appropriate security behaviours.
I know how/where to obtain safety information relevant to my workplace.
My commanders/managers promote a safe working environment.
My immediate supervisor actively provides and supports a fair and inclusive work environment.
Defence has a responsibility to look after the natural environment.
Overall, how satisfied are you with the military way of life?
I am satisfied with my current salary.
Communication between Senior Defence Leaders and Defence personnel is good.
Civilian employment seems to be more attractive financially than does Navy employment.
I am adequately recognised and rewarded for my work by verbal recognition.
My workplace encourages a healthy balance between my work, home and family.
The amount of time my job takes up makes it difficult to fulfil my family and/or personal responsibilities.
I am actively looking at leaving the Navy. |
48.4%
68.9%
74.5%
77.9%
64.8%
70.2%
75.8%
71.7%
77.2%
82.9%
79.8%
91.6%
47.1%
22.4%
29.9%
59.9%
40.4%
41.4%
57.7%
38.1% |
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