Audience
Department wide
Purpose
This policy outlines the Department of Education's (the department's) approach to managing employee performance and development planning.
Policy statement
The department is committed to promoting a constructive and supportive workplace culture where employees and supervisors have regular and meaningful performance exchanges (informal and formal) about standards of conduct, performance expectations and opportunities for developing further capability.
The department recognises that employees will be successful when they have an opportunity to discuss priorities and workload in an environment where opportunities to achieve goals are supported. Employees are encouraged to take ownership of their performance and career aspirations, understand how their work aligns to departmental objectives and act on opportunities for professional growth.
Principles
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Principle
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What this means for the department
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Accountability
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- All employees and their supervisors commit to participating in performance reviews and development planning conversations.
- Employees are encouraged to undertake professional development which aligns with their role requirements and builds professional capability for future likely roles.
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Constructive communication
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- Meaningful performance exchanges are a shared responsibility between an employee and their supervisor.
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Fairness
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- All employees and their supervisors commit to fairness and confidentiality when managing performance related processes.
- Proper consideration is given to the human rights of an employee when making decisions regarding performance, under the obligations of decision makers included in the Human Rights Act 2019.
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Positive performance management
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- Our leaders and managers promote best practice human resource management, through the application of positive performance management principles.
- The department recognises employees who demonstrate outstanding performance, model public service values and/or reach significant career milestones in their employment.
- The department provides supportive performance and capability improvement strategies to improve and meet agreed performance standards.
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Requirements
Positive performance management
The department will promote a constructive and supportive workplace culture by implementing the positive performance management principles set out in section 25A of the
Public Service Act 2008 (Qld) and the Positive Performance Management Directive (15/20).
These principles demonstrate best practice human resource management and must be applied before taking disciplinary action for performance. Under this approach, the department will:
- pro-actively manage the personal and professional development of employees with a view to continuously building expertise
- ensure regular and constructive communication between public service managers and employees in relation to work performance and personal conduct (s.26 of the PS Act)
- recognise the strengths, requirements and circumstances of individual employees and value their contributions
- identify at the earliest possible stage performance that does not meet expectations
- provide opportunities and support to employees for improving performance
- recognise performance that meets or exceeds expectations
- continuously improve performance through constructive feedback and access to development
- integrate the above matters into management practices and policies.
All employees and their supervisors commit to participating in annual performance reviews and development planning conversations. These conversations will provide:
- clarity and focus on the expectations of the employee and how their role contributes to the department’s strategic direction
- constructive, timely and regular feedback exchanges between employees and supervisors on performance against agreed objectives/standards. This may include acknowledgement of high quality performance or performance improvement conversations where performance is not meeting agreed objectives/standards
- opportunities for reflection on capability goals, goal setting and identification of appropriate professional development opportunities.
Work performance and personal conduct
All departmental employees must meet the requirements for work performance and personal conduct set out in section 26 of the PS Act and the Code of Conduct.
Specifically, departmental employees will:
All employees
- be responsible for their own individual performance
- engage in discussions with their supervisor to plan the most effective way to achieve agreed objectives, review performance, identify work and career goals and develop plans to meet these needs
- identify and manage their professional capability development, in conjunction with their supervisor/manager
- clarify tasks, set priorities and organise self to meet expectations
- discuss with their supervisor any potential delays or issues which may impact on meeting performance expectations
- regularly participate in meaningful, timely and honest two-way feedback and adjust their approach to improve performance.
Additional requirements for managers, principals and supervisors
Managers, principals and supervisors will set expectations by:
- conveying the department’s vision, strategy and objectives for their area in a meaningful way and describe how their work, and the work of their team, contributes to the department’s objectives as all employees work for the government delivering the government’s priorities, to the community.
- ensuring all employees are made aware of their responsibilities relevant to their role under any position description, legislation, policies and procedures and clearly communicate if responsibilities and expectations vary.
- ensuring employees hold the requisite qualification and/or competencies to perform their role safely and effectively and for working with employees to develop capability and improve performance.
Managers, principals and supervisors will develop their own management skills by:
- regularly participating in meaningful, timely and honest two-way feedback and modify their approach to enhance leadership performance effectiveness.
- ensuring reasonable consideration of circumstances when assigning tasks to employees (such as: sufficient resources, skill and capability needed to perform work, inclusion, diversity, creativity and collaboration as well as non-work related issues such as: domestic violence, family caring responsibilities, or a medical condition).
- recognising outstanding performance, conduct and significant career milestones as appropriate to the situation.
Managers, principals and supervisors will manage development opportunities by:
- regularly reviewing the performance and development needs of employees and assist in the development of plans to meet these needs, whilst also ensuring that development opportunities balance the learning needs of employees with the explicit improvement agenda of the school or work unit
- providing appropriate support and resources to enable professional development opportunities for employees
- supporting employees in the application of new skills and support career progression and advancement opportunities where possible.
Managers, principals and supervisors will manage performance by:
- promptly communicating and documenting any gaps between actual and expected work performance and allowing reasonable time for an employee to self-correct.
- applying positive performance management principles before taking any formal or disciplinary action for work performance.
Definitions
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Term
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Definition
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Employee
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References to employee in this policy include permanent employees, temporary (through direct engagement) and casual employees.
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Outstanding performance
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Employee performance which exceeds expectations in achieving a significant goal or result that contributes to organisational priorities in a measurable way.
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Career milestones
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Includes significant anniversaries, events or advancements throughout the employee lifecycle.
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Positive Performance Management
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Positive Performance Management is a supportive framework that allows employees and managers to work together to develop and recognise performance achievements and opportunities.
This includes eight positive performance management principles set out in section 25A of the Public Service Act 2008 (PS Act) and the Positive Performance Management Directive (15/20).
These principles demonstrate best practice human resource management and are required to be applied before taking disciplinary action for performance.
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Performance agreement
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A documented record of what was discussed and agreed during the formal and informal performance exchange.
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Recognition
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Appreciation or acclaim for an achievement, service, or ability.
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Professional development
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Professional development activities intended to help employees improve their professional knowledge, competence, skill, capability and effectiveness. This may include, but is not limited to mandatory training, on the job training, mentoring, coaching, relief in higher duties, project work or off the job training.
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Legislation
Delegations/Authorisations
Other resources
Superseded versions
Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.
1.0 Employee performance professional development and recognition policy