Human resource management continues to play a key role in enabling the National Archives to deliver its strategic and business objectives. Strategic and operational initiatives are implemented with oversight by the Human Resources Management Committee and through consultation with employees and representatives via the Workplace Relations Committee.

Initiatives in 2018–19 were undertaken in accordance with the Strategic Workforce Plan 2016–20. Work continued to reshape the capacity and capability of the workforce, including through a targeted voluntary redundancy program and restructuring of the Collection Management branch. Further assessment of the National Archives’ culture principles (The Archives Way) was undertaken to ensure that they are embedded across the agency. The Archives Way aims to move the organisation towards more innovative ways of working, improved leadership and management at all levels, and best practice in information management.

Following the development of the National Archives’ digital literacy framework in the previous year, a broader capability review was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the existing capability frameworks. This will assist the National Archives to focus on key capabilities to meet the agency transformation currently under way. The recommendations from the report will be reviewed and implemented in 2019–20.

The National Archives’ 2019 APS Employee Census results indicate a number of areas of workforce strength including high employment engagement, satisfaction with work–life balance and a general belief that employees are qualified, experienced and committed.

Workforce planning, staff turnover and retention

The National Archives continues to trend down in core workforce size in response to financial constraints and continuous review of the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. Overall staffing levels reduced during 2018–19. However, workforce productivity and output benefited from the continued employment of non-ongoing and casual staff to provide flexibility and agility during times of peak workload or the significant absence of core staff.

A disciplined approach to resource management has meant that reductions in staffing continue to be met through retirements and natural attrition. To ensure resourcing within future financial constraints, a voluntary redundancy program was offered during 2018–19. The separations mostly took effect in the final quarter of the year to enable the National Archives to meet its future workforce projections for 2019–20 and beyond.

National Archives workforce demographics at 30 June 2019 are provided in the following mandatory tables. In summary, the National Archives workforce:

• is predominantly female (57.9 per cent)
• uses flexibility to achieve its objectives, with both part-time (23.7 per cent) and temporary (17.6 per cent) workers
• is largely Canberra based (70.8 per cent), with a geographic footprint in every capital city
• has a classification profile that sits within the parameters of the optimal APS management structures.

The separation rate for ongoing employees in 2018–19 was 15.6 per cent. This represents an increase from the 2017–18 rate of 6.8 per cent. This includes all separations, such as terminations, redundancies, resignations, retirements and movements to other Australian Government entities. The increase was mainly due to the voluntary redundancy program run during 2018–19, which accounted for almost half of the ongoing separations.

The 2018–19 Portfolio Budget Statements provided an estimated Average Staffing Level (ASL) of 355 at the beginning of the financial year. Owing to the timing of recruitment processes, the actual ASL in 2018–19 was 346.5.

Table 7 | All ongoing employees current report period (2018-19)

Table 8 | All non-ongoing employees current report period (2018-19)

Table 9 | All ongoing employees previous report period (2017-18)

Table 10 | All non-ongoing employees previous report period (2017-18)

Table 11 | Australian Public Service Act ongoing employees current report period (2018-19)

Table 12 | Australian Public Service Act non-ongoing employees current report period (2018-19)

Table 13 | Australian Public Service Act ongoing employees previous report period (2017-18)

Table 14 | Australian Public Service Act non-ongoing employees previous report period (2017-18)

Table 15 | Australian Public Service Act employees by full-time and part-time status current report period (2018-19)

Table 16 | Australian Public Service Act employees by full-time and part-time status previous report period (2017-18)

Table 17 | Australian Public Service Act employment type by location current report period (2018-19)

	Ongoing	Non-Ongoing	Total
NSW	43	12	55
Qld	6	1	7
SA	3	2	5
Tas	3	1	4
Vic	21	3	24
WA	6	2	8
ACT	213	43	256
NT	3	0	3
External Territories	0	0	0
Overseas	0	0	0
Total	298	64	362

Table 18 | Australian Public Service Act employment type by location previous report period (2017-18)

	Ongoing	Non-Ongoing	Total
NSW	45	13	58
Qld	8	0	8
SA	4	2	6
Tas	3	1	4
Vic	25	3	28
WA	9	11	20
ACT	231	45	276
NT	3	0	3
External Territories	0	0	0
Overseas	0	0	0
Total	328	75	403

Table 19 | Australian Public Service Act Indigenous employment current report period (2018-19)

Table 20 | Australian Public Service Act Indigenous employment previous report period (2017-18)

Instruments of employment

During 2018–19, the National Archives of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2017–20 was the main employment instrument. A total of 359 employees were covered by the agreement including two employees acting in Senior Executive Service (SES) roles. Three Executive Level (EL) employees and one Australian Public Service (APS) level employee had individual flexibility arrangements, covering remuneration, in place under clauses 10–15 of the agreement. Three SES employees were covered by determinations under subsection 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999.

No employees in the National Archives have the provision for performance pay.

Table 21 | Australian Public Service Act employment arrangements current report period (2018-19)

Table 22 | Australian Public Service Act employment salary ranges by classification level (minimum/maximum) current report period (2018-19)

Senior Executive Service remuneration

The National Archives determines SES remuneration with regard to the annual APS Remuneration Survey. Base salaries are negotiated between the Director-General and individual SES employees under subsection 24(1) determinations. Each SES employee develops an individual work plan with the Director-General and is assessed against a five-point scale rating system.

A range of non-salary benefits is available to SES employees, subject to the nature of work undertaken and approval arrangements. Benefits may include provision of laptop computers, tablets and mobile devices; airline lounge membership; and support for professional development. No bonuses are payable to SES employees.

Outside the SES, there were no other highly paid staff whose total remuneration exceeded the threshold amount for the reporting period.

Table 23 | Information about remuneration for key management personnel

Table 24 | Information about remuneration for senior executives

Learning and development

During 2018–19, the National Archives provided a comprehensive suite of professional development programs aimed at building both individual and organisational capability. The corporate professional development calendar provided all staff with the opportunity to participate in 35 individual courses or seminars, with 458 attendances. Corporate training requirements and requests were determined through individual work plan discussions, or identified within the Cultural Action Plan, expertise development or capability frameworks. State-based staff were encouraged to attend training sessions run by the Australian Public Service Commission, with 34 attendances.

At the executive level, a subset of programs focused on building leadership, management and transitional change capabilities. These programs provided credit towards postgraduate qualifications. Five programs were offered in 2018–19, with 14 attendances.

A focus during 2018–19 was a program to help staff acquire and maintain the right blend of digital skills for the future. This included developing a digital literacy framework, identifying core capabilities for staff undertaking digital archiving activities, and starting delivery of Phase 1 of a three-year training program in the fundamentals of digital archival management. In February, Nancy McGovern, an internationally renowned expert in digital preservation and curation, delivered a one-week digital preservation management workshop for 30 National Archives staff. Other external online and offsite courses were also approved as part of the Phase 1 training program. A Phase 2 multi-year digital training program, relevant to specific archiving functions, will be finalised in the first half of 2019–20.

E-learning packages continued to be popular with staff in 2018–19. The National Archives’ induction and six annual refresher courses are completed by all staff on the e-learning platform. Three hundred and eighteen staff members used the online learning platform Lynda.com either in lieu of, or together with, face-to-face training.

Internal Development Education Awareness Seminars support professional development by bringing in external speakers to present on issues relevant to the National Archives. The forums create a platform for discussion with industry leaders and offer staff an insight into developments of mutual professional interest. A total of 77 staff attended presentations on the role of the digital archivist in the information age, and protecting Australia’s national digital identity.

Fifteen employees were supported through financial assistance and/or study leave as part of the National Archives’ Studies Assistance Program in 2018–19. Studies assistance has built organisational capabilities and provided an incentive for staff to further their education.

The National Archives began a project to review its various capability frameworks to identify synergies and simplify use. The project will be completed in 2019–20.

Health and Wellbeing

The National Archives’ 2018–19 health and wellbeing calendar included several inhouse and external programs to engage staff in healthier work practices. The calendar incorporated charity drives and awareness, physical health activities, mental health seminars and training programs, influenza vaccinations and talks by inspirational speakers. Each state office received a subsidy to spend on healthier work practices.

Work Health and Safety

The National Archives continued to demonstrate a commitment to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all employees through workplace audits, support for injured and ill workers, and a range of training courses, activities and initiatives under its health and wellbeing program.

During 2018–19, the National Archives assessed its work health and safety practices, including carrying out a chemical audit to ensure safe storage and handling practices were in place. This assessment was undertaken by Comcare and resulted in a number of recommendations. The National Archives has developed a corrective action plan to address these recommendations; it will be implemented during 2019–20. A separate assessment was undertaken specifically for the new Western Australia repository. A corrective action plan was developed to address the recommendations which will continue to be implemented during 2019–20.

Throughout the year, the National Archives continued to focus on preventing workplace injuries and illness through early intervention and proactive injury management and rehabilitation to support a safe and durable return to work for employees. Through its health and safety practices, the National Archives has embraced a safe working environment aimed at reducing the risk of workplace injuries and illness and having a positive impact on the general health and wellbeing of employees. There were no accepted compensation claims for workplace injuries or illnesses during 2018–19. This resulted in a reduction in the National Archives’ Comcare premium for 2019–20.

The Employee Assistance Program contract was reviewed and new contract arrangements will be in place from 1 July 2019. This service gives employees and their immediate family access to professional counselling if they are experiencing personal or work-related problems. A service providing managers with help to address and resolve workplace issues is also available.

Internal support for the health and wellbeing of staff has been maintained through a network of first-aid officers, mental health first-aid officers, and health and safety representatives.

Table 25 | Work health and safety performance (2016-19)

Inclusion and diversity

Diversity of thought, background, experience and contribution is valued at the National Archives. Our goal is to reflect the diverse community we serve, and to embrace our employees’ diverse skills, perspectives and experiences to improve service delivery to the community.

The objectives of the National Archives’ Workplace Diversity Program 2017–20 are to:

• raise awareness of workplace diversity in the National Archives
• attract, recruit and retain employees from diverse backgrounds
• provide a workplace that is free from discrimination, promotes health and wellbeing at work, and recognises and values diversity
• embed workplace diversity principles into management and work team practices
• ensure the National Archives’ collection, which is reflective of Australia’s cultural diversity, is accessible to all
• comply with government and legislative requirements.

The program sets an Indigenous employment target of 3 per cent. At 30 June 2019, 1.7 per cent of National Archives employees identified as Indigenous. The National Archives is continuing to look for innovative ways to increase overall Indigenous workforce participation.

National Archives employees are continuing to build cultural capability through mandatory training and extended online learning using the Core Indigenous Awareness training developed by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. During 2018–19, core cultural learning completion rates rose by 183 per cent (11 staff).

At 30 June 2019, female employees represented 57.9 per cent of the National Archives’ workforce. In some agencies, women make up the majority of the workforce only in certain functions or classifications; at the National Archives, however, the number of female staff remains high across all classifications. Women are well represented at senior levels. At 30 June 2019, 80 per cent of the National Archives’ SES classification was female.

The 2018 APS Employee Census shows that an increasing number of employees believe that the National Archives is committed to creating a diverse workforce, with a positive shift of 3 per cent. Training programs on managing mental health risks at work; diversity and discrimination; building disability confidence; and the multicultural learning program developed by SBS are available to employees online. Disability awareness sessions were provided to Australian Capital Territory staff at Parkes and Mitchell.

In November 2018, the National Archives became a member of Diversity Council Australia (DCA) – the independent, not-for-profit peak body leading diversity and inclusion in the workplace. DCA membership provides the National Archives with access to unique research, events, comprehensive resources and unrivalled expertise across the diversity and inclusion spectrum.

Changes to disability reporting in annual reports

Since 1994, non-corporate Commonwealth entities have reported on their performance as policy advisers, purchasers, employers, regulators and providers under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy. In 2007–08, reporting on the employer role was transferred to the Australian Public Service Commission’s State of the Service reports and the APS Statistical Bulletin. These reports are available at apsc.gov.au. From 2010–11, entities were no longer required to report on these functions.

The Commonwealth Disability Strategy has been overtaken by the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020, which sets out a 10-year national policy framework to improve the lives of people with disability, promote participation and create a more inclusive society. A high-level, two-yearly report will track progress against each of the six outcome areas of the strategy and present a picture of how people with disability are faring. The first of these progress reports was published in 2014, and can be found at dss.gov.au

Reconciliation

‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plan and the Let’s Yarn workshop

The National Archives is progressing work on its first Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in consultation with Reconciliation Australia. The RAP will cover the period from December 2019 to December 2021.

As part of the RAP development process, the National Archives’ RAP working group hosted a half-day Let’s Yarn workshop in Canberra in June 2019. More than 20 National Archives staff from teams and locations across Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, came together to share and discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-related programs of work and initiatives. The workshop resulted in greater clarity and a shared understanding of the National Archives’ vision for reconciliation and how we can all work together to achieve success.

NAIDOC

In July 2018, the National Archives fielded their first team in the APS NAIDOC Touch Football Carnival held annually in Canberra. Over 400 public servants from across 30 agencies came together to raise awareness and celebrate the history, cultures, achievements and ongoing contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Indigenous Literacy Day

To celebrate and acknowledge Indigenous Literacy Day 2018, the National Archives hosted Great Book Swap morning tea events across various offices. Staff raised $550, with proceeds going to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to help purchase new books for very remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Ngunawal/Ngunnawal cultural interpretation tour

In June 2019, National Archives staff were privileged to be taken on a Ngunawal/Ngunnawal cultural interpretation tour of Black Mountain in Canberra. The tour, led by Ngunawal descendant Tyronne Bell, helped staff gain a greater awareness and understanding of the rich history and cultural practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As did many other Aboriginal people, the Ngunawal/Ngunnawal passed down traditional knowledge from generation to generation through word of mouth and Dreaming stories. The two-hour walking tour was a chance for staff to get out in nature while discussing Aboriginal cultural sites and pathways, bush tucker and other plants, and the freshwater gullies that drain the mountain’s slopes to Sullivans Creek.

Meetings and presentations

The Northern Territory Aboriginal Advisory Group met twice during the year, once each in Alice Springs and Darwin. At the Darwin meeting, the group provided comments and endorsed a new version of the Bringing Them Home (BTH) index brochure. Updates considered new groups of Indigenous researchers, including younger people new to family and community research.

Phyllis Williams, the National Archives’ Regional Manager North, has been appointed Co-chair of the Indigenous Matters Expert Group (IMEG) of the International Council on Archives (ICA). The IMEG was established by the ICA Programme Commission at its meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in November 2018 and has representatives from across the world. The IMEG is convening an Indigenous Summit to be held in Adelaide on 25 October 2019 as part of the international Designing the Archive conference jointly hosted by the ICA, Australian Society of Archivists, Archive and Records Association of New Zealand, and the Pacific Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives.

In July 2018, staff from the Northern Territory Office and the Northern Territory Archives Service (NTAS) delivered a joint family history research information session. The presentation covered the BTH index and provided information about NTAS’ collection, and how to access records and carry out family history research.

An information session for students undertaking Certificate IV in Stolen Generation Family Research and Case Management was held in March 2019, and an Introduction to Archives was provided by the National Archives’ Northern Territory Office and the NTAS to Elders of the Garden Point Stolen Generations group.

The National Archives’ Victoria Office hosted a group of nine Link-Up and Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) workers for a general information session about the collections of the National Archives and Public Record Office Victoria (PROV), incorporating training in the BTH Index. The Koorie Records Unit also hosted a hands-on research session for staff from VACCA’s Kinship Finding program and ran training for staff from the Koorie Heritage Trust’s Koorie Family History Service.

A collaborative project with the Taungurung Land and Waters Council has begun to provide the council with digitised copies of records relating to the Victorian Aboriginal Protectorate held in PROV and the National Archives. These will be used for a significant research and mapping project to bring to light important historical information about Taungurung history and connection to country. It will also increase understanding of the relationship between these records and the Aboriginal communities that came into contact with the protectorate system.

Multicultural access and equity

The National Archives continues to develop and deliver programs that contribute to a shared understanding and appreciation of Australia’s diverse heritage. It also strives to make programs and services accessible to all Australians regardless of their cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

A plan of initiatives to increase multicultural access and equity over the 2017–19 period focused on exhibitions, projects featuring shared documentary history with partner countries, and the provision of greater web-based access for linguistically diverse clients. Achievements over the past year included:

• continuing a national touring exhibition program incorporating Facing Two Fronts: the fight for respect, A Place to Call Home? Migrant hostel memories and A Ticket to Paradise?
• updating the Destination: Australia website highlighting Dutch–Australian shared cultural heritage
• providing access to free interpreter services in the newly developed feedback mechanism
• compiling an internal register of staff language skills to support client interaction.