Employment arrangements

As at 30 June 2020, 59 employees were engaged on either an ongoing or non-ongoing basis. To support the effective performance of IPEA’s functions, the recruitment and development of a strong and capable workforce remained a high priority for IPEA.

Table 1 sets out key employment indicators for IPEA’s workforce. Further workforce statistics are set out in Appendix A.

Table 1. Key employment indicators

*The CEO is a statutory appointment and not included as an employee of IPEA.

Remuneration and employment conditions

IPEA’s non-SES employees were employed under the IPEA Enterprise Agreement 2018–2021. In addition to setting remuneration, this instrument provided employees with other employment conditions such as leave, flexible working arrangements, studies assistance and access to professional memberships.

IPEA’s SES employees were employed under individual determinations made in accordance with section 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999. Many of these conditions aligned with those set out in the IPEA Enterprise Agreement 2018–2021.

The CEO’s salary is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal (Remuneration and Allowances for Holders of Full-time Public Office) Determination 2019.

Table 2 shows the employment instruments covering IPEA employees in 2019–20. Further information, including salary ranges is set out in Appendix A.

Table 2. Employment instruments covering IPEA employees

*The CEO is a statutory appointment and not included as an employee of IPEA.

Non-salary benefits

IPEA provided employees with benefits of a non-salary nature, some of which were in addition to those in the IPEA Enterprise Agreement 2018–2021. These included:

• access to in-house, and external, learning and development opportunities
• access to online learning programs
• studies assistance in the form of leave and financial reimbursement
• access to coaching and mentoring opportunities
• contributions to professional memberships and subscriptions
• salary sacrificing arrangements for a range of benefits including superannuation and motor vehicles
• workstation assessments
• an Employee Assistance Program providing confidential counselling and other services for employees and their families
• COVID-Safe webinars to assist employees with mental health and working remotely
• access to an in-house gymnasium
• flexible working arrangements.

Performance management

All IPEA employees participated in IPEA’s performance management process, which is designed to:

• strengthen the performance culture in IPEA
• enable employees and managers to identify and achieve key deliverables and behaviours
• set expectations, provide regular feedback and develop skills, capabilities and knowledge
• support employees’ career development.

IPEA’s performance management process involves the development of an annual performance agreement between employees and their managers. The process includes regular feedback between the parties throughout the period and formal feedback twice a year, including a performance rating at the conclusion.

This process also focuses on employee development and is supported by a range of formal learning and development opportunities including:

• coaching and mentoring
• in-house and external courses and training
• an online learning management system, including specific training for APS employees
• external online learning opportunities
• study assistance.

As a small agency, IPEA recognises that some career and development opportunities may need to be explored in the wider community. IPEA’s workplace culture allows staff to forge long term, whole-of-APS relationships. We do this through collaborative approaches, secondments and working groups.

Environmental performance

In 2019–20, IPEA was located at One Canberra Avenue, Forrest, ACT, where all facilities and environmental management activities were provided and undertaken by the Department of Finance. Further information on environmental performance is available in the Department of Finance 2019–20 Annual Report.