Defence Housing Australia

At an operational level, the Managing Director and senior executives are accountable for our workforce. They are committed to maintaining a skilled and productive workforce, and a safe workplace that helps to deliver high quality and professional outcomes.

Workforce summary

Table 4.4 provides a comparative overview of our workforce in 2015–16 and 2016–17. Refer to Part 6 (Appendix A) in this report for our workforce statistics.

Table 4.4: Workforce summary, 2015–16 and 2016–17

Indicator

2015–16

2016–17

Headcount

Total number of staff employed 1

599

658

Wages expense ratio

5.9%

6.1%

Diversity (as a percentage of the workforce) 2

Men

36.3%

33.6%

Women

63.7%

66.4%

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

1.5%

1.4%

Staff with a disability

0.7%

0.9%

Retention

Staff retention and turnover rate 3

13.1%

13.8%

Engagement

Staff engagement 4

n/a

85.0%

NOTES
  1. Figures include ongoing and non-ongoing staff at their substantive classification as at 30 June 2016 or 30 June 2017. Inoperative staff (those on long term leave), staff engaged through an employment agency and Board members are excluded.
  2. Diversity figures are as identified by staff. They exclude the Managing Director and Board members.
  3. Staff retention and turnover rate is calculated by dividing the inverting aggregated staff initiated separation rate by average head count for the previous four quarters.
  4. As measured by our Engagement Employee Index score in the 2017 APS Census. There is no comparative figure for 2015–16 as the Index was a new section in the 2017 Census.

DHA staff members

We employed 59 more operative staff in 2016–17 compared with 2015–16. The majority of the increase (35 positions) was in our contact centres and regional offices. Each year we temporarily increase the number of staff employed to manage the surge in workload associated with Defence’s peak relocation period. In 2016–17, we recruited earlier for the 2017–18 period to enable sufficient time to train new staff. There was also a moderate increase in positions at head office and a small reduction in positions at our Sydney central business district office.

There were small variances in gender diversity, staff who identified as being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent and staff who identified as having a disability in 2016–17 compared with 2015–16, but nothing of statistical significance.

Both our wages expense ratio and staff retention and turnover rate in 2016–17 were in keeping with 2015–16 results. This confirms we are managing our payroll expenses effectively and retaining staff at appropriate levels.

In 2016–17, 91 per cent of our staff participated in the Australian Public Service (APS) Census. This was a significant increase compared with our participation rate in the 2016 APS Census (80 per cent) and was the third highest participation rate of medium sized agencies in 2017.

We achieved a staff engagement score of 85 per cent which demonstrates that our staff were satisfied, committed, motivated and enabled to improve business results. There is no comparable data as the index was a new section in the 2017 Census. There was a positive variance in our engagement score compared with the APS overall score (+11 percentage points), smaller operational agencies (+5 percentage points) and medium sized agencies (+5 percentage points).

Employment conditions

Our employment arrangements as a GBE are unique. We are the only GBE that employs our staff under the Public Service Act 1999 (Public Service Act).

Through the DHA Enterprise Agreement 2015 (EA), our staff enjoy an attractive suite of employment conditions, including leave entitlements, flexible working arrangements, learning and development opportunities and employee wellbeing and assistance programs.

Remuneration

Our remuneration strategy supports the strategic purposes of the organisation and enables performance based reward and recognition of capable employees while being aligned to market practice and being in the interests of our shareholders. Remuneration is determined based on level and role. In summary:

  • The EA sets out conditions of service for staff employed from DHA3 to EL2 level, including salary rates for new employees.
  • The remuneration of senior executive service (SES) staff is set by the Managing Director in accordance with section 24(1) of the Public Service Act. 26
  • The remuneration of the Managing Director is set by the DHA Board in accordance within the parameters of the Remuneration Tribunal’s determination for Principal Executive Office holders (refer to section 50 of the DHA Act). 27
  • The remuneration of Board members is decided upon by the Remuneration Tribunal’s determination for holders of part time public office (refer to section 17 of the DHA Act).

Each remuneration package consists of a base salary (or fees in the case of Board members) and employer superannuation contributions. We pay allowances (e.g. travel and motor vehicle) in accordance with the EA (staff) or Remuneration Tribunal determinations (Managing Director and Board members). Staff and the Managing Director also accrue leave and may be entitled to a potential performance bonus. Staff, the Managing Director and Board members are not entitled to long term incentives or post employment benefits other than superannuation.

Refer to Part 6 (Appendix A) of this report for more information about salary rates and executive remuneration. We published remuneration reports for 2015–16 and 2016–17 on our website in accordance with APS and GBE guidance. These reports provide more detailed information about our remuneration strategy and salary rates.

26Senior executive roles are benchmarked with comparable roles in the market. External benchmarks are determined by researching disclosed data from relevant Australian listed companies, the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC), industry data and other GBEs. This information is supplemented by survey data, including APSC remuneration reports (DHA participated in the annual APS remuneration survey which informs these reports).

27The Remuneration Tribunal is an independent statutory body established under the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 that oversees the remuneration of key Commonwealth offices.

Case study: Flexibility key to work life balance

DHA Employee

‘The ability to work for head office without physically relocating is an amazing opportunity and gives me the chance to use my Master of Marketing qualification. Otherwise, I may have been forced to choose between relocating interstate or sacrificing my career opportunities in the longer term’.

We are committed to the Australian Public Service Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy 2016–19 , whereby agencies must ensure male and female employees at all levels have access to flexible working arrangements where business operations can accommodate them.

Flexible working arrangements may include part time hours, job sharing, home based work, changed starting and finishing times or working more hours over fewer days. In 2016–17, 91 staff had formally approved flexible working arrangements in place. 28

Reasons for flexibility included parenting or carer responsibilities, pursuing formal study, undertaking volunteer work or working in one of our regional offices or at home.

Mr Dragos Nastasie (pictured) began working with DHA in our Adelaide Contact Centre in July 2014. When a position opened up in Canberra’s head office as a Defence Communication Officer, he thought it would be a great opportunity to use his Master of Marketing qualification.

Dragos starts work at 7.30am and finishes early to match the hours of his manager in Canberra. For Dragos, it maximises contact hours with his manager and also provides him with a better work life balance.

28In accordance with the EA, ongoing staff who have at least six months of continuous service with DHA during the relevant appraisal cycle and are still employed on 30 June that year may be eligible for a performance payment. Pro rata payments are made where a staff member was employed on a part-time basis, on paid or unpaid leave of more than 12 weeks, or commenced at DHA during the appraisal cycle. Non-ongoing employees and agency staff are not entitled to performance pay.

Performance framework and payments

All staff employed for three months or more are required to prepare a performance development agreement (PDA). As shown in Figure 4.1, PDAs aim to cascade business objectives from the Corporate Plan, to business unit plans, through to individual targets and behaviours.

Performance is reviewed mid-year and at the end of the financial year to assess whether individual targets were exceeded, met or not met. This assessment informs performance bonus payments. 29Refer to Part 6 (Appendix A) of this report for more information about performance payments.

29This figure includes 71 staff who had entered into part time work agreements, 17 staff who had entered into formal home based work agreements and three staff with formally approved flexible start and finish times. This figure excludes flex time which may be accessed by all DHA2–6 level staff provided they meet the terms and conditions set out in the EA and DHA’s internal policies.

Developing our workforce and people

We are committed to developing the skills and knowledge staff need to undertake their current role and build capability to meet future challenges.

Formal learning and development

Staff can access a range of formal learning to develop their leadership skills, personal effectiveness or functional capability. In addition, staff must complete mandatory training on matters of legislative and policy compliance. In 2016–17, all staff were required to complete new modules on mental health and protective security and refresher modules on governance and compliance.

Programs are delivered via e-learning, face-to-face or a blend of both. They are presented by external providers and internal specialists, ensuring we have the right balance of expertise and corporate knowledge to provide staff the personal development they need to be successful in their role. In 2016–17, staff completed 6,673 learning events via e-learning and 883 learning events via face-to-face workshops. We also paid for 187 staff to complete external short courses.

Studies assistance

We encourage ongoing staff to undertake relevant formal study in approved fields relevant to our business operations. Where approved, staff are supported through financial assistance, paid study leave and/or paid exam leave. In 2016–17, 37 employees undertook supported studies. Of these, 21 received funding to the value of $71,950 and 26 accessed study leave.

Table 4.5 provides a comparative overview of staff learning and development statistics in 2015–16 and 2016–17.

Table 4.5: Learning and development, 2015–16 and 2016–17

Indicator

2015–16

2016–17

Percentage of salaries spent on training staff

1.6%

1.4%

Internal learning events completed by staff

3,863

7,556

Staff undertaking supported studies 1

25

37

NOTE
  1. Formal study includes study, research, training or other educational activities conducted in Australia by a higher education provider or registered training organisation.

Workforce planning

To assist in building a diverse and fit for purpose workforce to achieve strategic objectives, workforce planning was a key focus in 2016–17. All business groups completed workforce planning workshops to identify critical capability gaps and inform the development of tailored people strategies to assist in mitigating future workforce risk. Workforce planning will continue to evolve over the next few years to support business needs and provide greater opportunities to attract, develop and retain skilled, engaged and committed employees.

Universal competency framework

To complement our workforce planning strategy, in 2016–17 we used a universal competency framework to identify essential behavioural competencies for effective performance of more than 200 roles throughout the organisation. We will use this information to enhance recruitment, succession planning and talent management, and better inform development needs within the organisation.

DHA Staff

Case study: Welcome aboard

Ms Amanda Jeffries, welcoming new Property Manager, Mr Alex Vo Darwin Regional Support Officer, Ms Amanda Jeffries, welcoming new Property Manager, Mr Alex Vo, to the Darwin regional office.

We recognise that starting a new job can be stressful and that first impressions count. In May 2017, we launched a new induction and onboarding program for staff, including a Welcome Crew network of staff across the country who help new starters settle in on their first day.

The program includes a suite of online and face-to-face activities and resources to ensure all new staff have a consistent experience on their first day, regardless of their role or location. It provides new starters with the most important information they need, while also ensuring that they have the opportunity to meet other staff, network and become part of the DHA community.

A key component of the new onboarding program is a series of short videos that help give new starters context and background to DHA’s organisational structure and operations. A new ‘passport’ approach in our Learning Management System also assists new starters with completing mandatory compliance and safety e-learning modules.

The program is available to all new ongoing, non-ongoing and temporary agency staff, and is in addition to formal and informal development from their team for on-the-job training and team specific tasks.

Maintaining a safe workplace

We are committed to maintaining the highest possible standard of health and safety for everyone who enters our workplace, whether it is in an office, a construction site or one of the properties in our portfolio. This is reflected in our three year Health, Safety, environment and Quality (HSEQ) strategy, policies, Prevention First management system and quality management framework.

Since implementing the Prevention First system in 2014, we have focused on promoting incident reporting to develop a ‘just’ safety culture (one where incident reporting is encouraged) and enhancing the wellbeing of individuals and teams through our Psychosocial Wellbeing Program. In 2016–17, we focused on the prevention and management of injuries and illness, including:

  • launching a mandatory staff mental health program
  • implementing mandatory workstation assessments for new staff members
  • installing defibrillators in all office locations across Australia
  • making first aid training available to all staff.

Table 4.6 provides a comparative overview of our work, health and safety (WHS) performance in 2015–16 and 2016–17. It shows that we achieved a record low total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) of 5.86, far exceeding the benchmark and stretch target of <11 we set ourselves in our Corporate Plan. Our performance also shows a steadying incline in the number of incidents reported and a decrease in the number of incidents deemed to be WHS-related.

Refer to Part 6 (Appendix B) of this report for more information on WHS.

Table 4.6: WHS performance, 2015–16 and 2016–17

Indicator

2015–16

2016–17

Total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) 1

10.27

5.86

Total incidents reported

426

528

WHS incidents

177

168

Staff

86

85

Contractors

68

51

Tenants and others

23

32

NOTE
  1. TRIFR is the number of recordable injuries per million work hours.

Industry recognition

For all our efforts in affecting WHS outcomes, in 2016–17 we:

  • jointly won a Comcare National Work, Health and Safety Award for our First Response program that comprehensively manages risks associated with field work
  • received a high commendation at the 24th National Safety Council of Australia Awards of Excellence for our Prevention First management system
  • received provisional Australian Medical Association (AMA) accreditation against the AMA’s mental health best practice guide for our approach to managing psychosocial wellbeing in the workplace, setting a new business benchmark (94 per cent)
  • were recertified against Australian and international standards for our Prevention First and quality management systems, with the licensor auditors noting our programs as being ‘truly remarkable’.

Case study: WeWorkWell@Work

WeWorkWell@Work Staff

In 2016–17, we launched our WeWorkWell@Work mental health program. Staff completed six mandatory e-learning modules and had the opportunity to complete a seventh module on resilience and self-care.

The program has helped facilitate greater awareness of mental health issues in the workplace, de-stigmatise mental health issues through different perspectives and frames of reference, and increase staff capability to identify early warning signs of mental illness in a colleague or themselves.

All leaders and managers also completed a mental health masterclass, empowering them to have genuine conversations with staff about their wellbeing and better recognise the early signs of decline in their staff.

Our great work in managing and promoting mental health saw us achieve 94 per cent against the Australian Medical Association’s mental health best practice guide—a new benchmark against their accredited businesses.

Contributing to our community

We collaborate to build strong communities for our people, customers and stakeholders through corporate giving, individual giving and volunteerism.

Our corporate social responsibility statement outlines our commitment to deliver, in a socially and environmentally responsible way, our annual Corporate Plan.

Corporate sponsorship and giving

We have a modest sponsorship budget to support Defence community events and initiatives that align with our strategic objectives, values and priorities. In 2016–17 we contributed approximately $235,500 and goods in kind to various Defence community groups and not or profit organisations. Notable contributions included:

  • $92,600 to upgrade 27 Defence Community Organisation (DCO) community centres so that they could increase their capacity to serve ADF members and their families
  • $104,600 in support of Defence-related programs, including:
    • The Prince’s Trust Australia Lead Your Own Business Program which supports ADF members transitioning out of military service to start a small business or consultancy
    • The Road Home which raises awareness and funding for research into health and wellbeing conditions affecting military veterans and emergency services personnel and their families
  • $38,300 in support of Defence-related events, including DCO welcome days where ADF members and their families come together to get to know each other and learn more about the services and support networks in their local area.

Individual giving

In July 2016, we launched DHA CommUNITY, a program of corporate initiatives designed to help staff support each other and the communities we live in. Key initiatives included a:

  • Workplace Giving Program (WGP) whereby philanthropic staff have the opportunity to voluntarily donate to charities through a once off or fortnightly donation directly from their pay
  • Shared Benefits scheme whereby staff can donate an amount of their accrued personal leave to a registry for the benefit of other employees who require an extended leave of absence, most often due to personal or family illness.

In 2016–17, our staff made donations to Beyond Blue, Cancer Council Australia, Fred Hollows Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, RSPCA, The Salvation Army, SIDS and Kids, Soldier On and the Starlight Children’s Foundation through the WGP and donated over 990 hours of personal leave to the Shared Benefits scheme.

Throughout the year, our staff also coordinated and participated in various fundraising activities for local and national charities, including the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea, Jeans for Genes Day and the Big Heart project.

Volunteering

Staff are encouraged to undertake volunteer work in the local community and, subject to operational requirements, may enter into a flexible work agreement or take paid or unpaid leave to do so.

Managers are also encouraged to consider incorporating a volunteering aspect into team development activities. For example, in June 2017, staff from our Sydney regional office constructed flat pack furniture for St Vincent de Paul NSW to donate to families in need.