The ABS is committed to effective workplace relations that value communication, cooperation and effective consultation with employees and their chosen representatives, including union representatives, about matters that affect their workplace.

The ABS consultative framework comprises the following elements:

• line managers and ABS leaders
• consultative forums
• the National Forum
• employee representatives.

The National Forum generally meets twice a year to communicate and consult on significant national issues affecting the ABS workplace. The National Forum met in September 2017 and April 2018 to discuss flexible working, ABS transformation, and future priorities. The ABS put significant effort into increasing local level (i.e. within sections, Branches) consultation conversations during this financial year. The ABS HR team meets regularly with the CPSU to ensure ongoing consultation, engagement and positive relationships.

Employment arrangements

The ABS has a number of industrial instruments in place to cover the employment arrangements for various ABS workforces. The instruments that apply to employees engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 are:

• the Australian Bureau of Statistics Enterprise Agreement 2016 which covers all ABS employees employed under the Public Service Act 1999, except Senior Executive Service employees
• individual Determinations under section 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999 which cover Senior Executive Service employees.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewers Enterprise Agreement 2017 is the employment instrument that applies to those engaged under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 in accordance with the Census and Statistics Regulation 2016 and covers field-based ABS Interviewers.

Details of the number of employees covered by an Enterprise Agreement, Individual Flexibility Arrangement, or a Determination under s. 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999 as at 30 June 2018 are as follows:

• ABS employees covered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Enterprise Agreement 2016: 2665 (all APS & EL staff)
• ABS employees covered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewers Enterprise Agreement 2017: 546
• Individual Flexibility Arrangements made under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Enterprise Agreement 2016: 11
• SES employees covered by s. 24(1) Determination (all SES who were employed during the 2017–18 financial year): 50.

ABS salary arrangements

The ABS Enterprise Agreement 2016 outlines the salary arrangements for non-SES ABS employees employed under the Public Service Act 1999 for the period of 3 June 2016 to 2 June 2019. A general salary increase of 1% was effective from 3 June 2018. Table 6.11 shows the salary ranges for ABS employees.

Table 6.11: Salary ranges by classification as at 30 June 2018

Performance management in the ABS

The ABS is committed to being a high performing public agency, promoting a people oriented culture through focus on leadership, communication, innovation and engagement.

Where there are concerns about employee performance, ABS managers work with their employees by implementing an informal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). ABS initiated five PIPs for ongoing office-based staff during 2017–18. Where an employee’s performance has not improved through a PIP, a formal underperformance process commences. Three employees were the subject of formal processes to manage underperformance. This resulted in a range of outcomes including employees having their classification reduced, an employee resigning prior to the end of the process and termination of employment. In addition, the contracts of three non ongoing employees were terminated due to underperformance.

During 2017–18, the ABS completed six investigations into suspected breaches of the APS Code of Conduct by ABS employees. None involved privacy breaches. One employee resigned from APS employment following a preliminary sanction decision of termination of employment and other employees received a sanction other than termination of employment.

Recognition

The ABS takes pride in recognising staff contributions to its successes. The ABS Excellence Awards recognise staff going above and beyond their normal work, acknowledging excellence in people management, client management, cultural change and leadership, innovation and dealing with exceptional circumstances. The awards are run quarterly and are an opportunity for all staff to be a part of the process, nominating colleagues for awards, or as award recipients.

In addition to the Excellence Awards there are also more immediate forms of recognition. These include development opportunities for staff, which may take the form of shadowing senior managers for short periods of time, working on high priority work to gain cross organisational experience or acknowledging employees and their contributions at regular meetings. Both the Excellence Awards and manager recognition are non-salary benefit related recognition.

The two other award opportunities in the ABS are the Australian Statistician’s Awards and the Long Service Awards. These are also non-salary benefits awards. The Australian Statistician’s Awards are held in conjunction with Australia Day Awards each year. The event celebrates Australia Day Achievement Medallion recipients on behalf of the National Australia Day Council, as well as those staff who have made exceptional contributions to the ABS in the past year. The Australian Statistician’s Awards provide an opportunity to recognise and reward ABS employees who have demonstrated outstanding contributions and leadership in people, statistics, innovation or service provision. All ABS staff are eligible for this award. Australia Day Achievement Medallions provide an opportunity to recognise and reward ABS employees who have demonstrated outstanding contributions in either representing Australia, or a state or territory, in a sporting, cultural, community, charitable, arts or similar endeavour, or any member of staff who has made a professional contribution in the external environment as an ABS officer. All ABS staff are eligible for this award.

In 2018, 11 staff members received Australian Statistician’s Awards, recognising their leadership, engagement and innovation. For the first time the Awards included a team category and four teams were recognised for outstanding innovative work and going above and beyond normal expectations. Four staff were awarded Australia Day Achievement Medallions in recognition of representation at the state and national level for blackball pool, masters hockey and swimming, and fundraising for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation by competing in fitness and work-out challenges.

Long Service Awards are also celebrated each year to coincide with the United Nations Public Service Day which is 23 June. Acknowledging the contribution and commitment of staff to both the APS and the ABS over the years, this year there were 18 recipients of the 30-year Long Service Awards, and 37 recipients of the 20-year Long Service Awards.Australia Day Awards recipients with the Australian Statistician – February 2018