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Background

Workplace environment

Attraction and recruitment

Retention

Attachments

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Building an Indigenous Employment Strategy kit

FOCUS AREA 1: WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
Actions	Examples of Actions	Target Date	Responsibility	Why are we doing it?	How will we know we’ve done it?
1. Planning your Strategy	Develop an IES business case Develop an IES project plan (include stakeholder assessment, timelines for implementation) Draw links between IES and agency: Reconciliation Action Plan Workplace Diversity Plan Departmental business/corporate objectives Government objectives Plan to refresh IES annually	Before roll out of IES	Project Officer	To develop an IES relevant to the business needs of the agency	Agency-specific IES established Stakeholders consulted and endorse IES IES has senior management support Appropriate links to other corporate documents established
2. Agency champion	Identify an Agency Champion to fulfil role	Position to be filled by launch of agency IES	Agency Head	To ensure high level commitment within the agency to IES	Role of Agency Champion filled
	Promote Indigenous employment internally: Ensure adequate resources allocated to IES Monitor progress through regular briefings/meetings with HR Raise issues at high level departmental meetings Liaise with representatives from Indigenous staff networks (internal/IAPSEN)	Ongoing	Agency Champion		Increased number of Indigenous employees in different areas and at all levels Increased satisfaction of staff relating to workplace environment in annual staff surveys
	Promote Indigenous employment externally. Available to speak about the IES at: NAIDOC week events Indigenous employee awards community events external meetings	Ongoing	Agency Champion
3. Indigenous Employment Coordinator	Identify an Indigenous Employment Coordinator to fulfil role	Position to be filled by launch of agency IES	Agency Head Agency Champion	To ensure successful implementation of IES initiatives	Role of Indigenous Employment Coordinator filled
	Coordinate the day to day implementation of the initiatives Support the Agency Champion Support Indigenous employees Network with other Indigenous Employment Coordinators	Ongoing	Indigenous Employment Coordinator		Number of successful IES initiatives (target 100%) Number of meetings/briefings with Agency Champion Number of interdepartmental meetings
	Identify need for and design and drive new initiatives Evaluate IES	As needed	Indigenous Employment Coordinator		Staff survey shows strong knowledge of the IES and agreement that it is relevant to the agency’s needs
4. Supporting Indigenous employees	Supervisors briefed on agency support for flexible work practices, e.g. leave to attend funerals/community events, staff requests to attend IAPSEN activities supported subject to operational requirements.	On engagement of staff; then annually	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator/ Line Managers	To ensure Indigenous staff receive adequate support	Reduction in survey data reporting difficulty in balancing work and community commitments
4. Supporting Indigenous employees	Arrange for Employee Assistance Programme to provide Indigenous counsellors at the request of staff members	Ongoing		To ensure Indigenous staff receive adequate support	Reduction in survey data reporting levels of stress Reduction in survey rates from the agency for Indigenous employees
5. Respecting culture	Develop and adopt protocol for: Welcome to Country Acknowledging traditional owners	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Events coordinators/ Chairs of meetings	Increased profile of Indigenous culture in agency	Protocol included in relevant meetings and gatherings
	Recognise cultural days of significance: Raise flags on days of significance Celebrate NAIDOC Week and provide opportunities for employees to participate in department and community events	July (NAIDOC Week) Local festivals (e.g. 1 July, Coming of the Light festival for Torres Strait Islanders)	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator/ Agency Champion		Number of employees (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) who participate in agency and community events
	Plaques on buildings recognise local Indigenous people	Day/Month/Year for plaques to be attached to all buildings Ongoing attached to new buildings	Agency Champion/ Building Manager		Department buildings have plaques of recognition (target 100%)
	Make sure procedures are in place so that if photographs of deceased Indigenous people are displayed permission is gained from their family	Ongoing	Publications		Photos of deceased Indigenous people have permission from the family (target 100%)

FOCUS AREA 2: ATTRACTION AND RECRUITMENT
Actions	Examples of Actions	Target Date	Responsibility	Why are we doing it?	How will we know we’ve done it?
6. Advertising recruitment opportunities	Tap into centralised recruitment programmes run by the Australian Public Service Commission for trainees, cadets and graduates.	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator	To increase the number of Indigenous of job applicants	Graduates, cadets and trainees sourced through APS-wide programmes
	All job advertisements written in easy-to-read, inclusive language: Include a clear duty statement Avoid jargon/acronyms Include the tag line ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply’				Increase in number of applicants for positions, including from Indigenous Australians. Advertisements include the lines ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply’ (target 100%)
	Advertise positions through: Indigenous media Indigenous support units at educational institutions Indigenous networks				Percentage of advertisements placed in Indigenous media (target 100%)
7. Selection practices	Tap into centralised recruitment rounds run by the Australian Public Service Commission for trainees, cadets and graduates.	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator	To make selection practices more effective for the agency and attractive to applicants	Graduates, cadets and trainees sourced through APS-wide programmes
	Selection documentation to include advice on addressing selection criteria				Percentage of documentation that includes advice on addressing selection criteria (target 100%)
	Streamline recruitment practise to maximise likelihood of strong candidates accepting offers of employment				Percentage of recruitment that takes less than six weeks (target 60%) less than seven weeks (target 70%) less than eight weeks (target 80%)
	Allow Indigenous interviewees on request to be accompanied to interviews by a support person				Percentage of Indigenous people informed that they may bring a support person to interview (target 100%)
	Selection panels for identified positions include at least one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander representative or someone with experience in Indigenous issues				Percentage of selection panels for identified positions that have at least one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander representative (target 100%)
8. Special measures	Recruit X number of trainees Recruit X number of cadets Recruit X number of graduates	Day/Month/Year (as an annual intake)	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator	To increase number of Indigenous staff in agency, particularly those with qualifications	Target number of trainees engaged
8. Special measures	Create X number of Indigenous-specific positions	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator		Target number of Indigenous-specific positions engaged
9. Identified criteria	Positions that involve knowledge of or communication with Indigenous communities be identified	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator	To improve the capability of agency to work with and for Indigenous communities	Positions that involve knowledge of or communication with Indigenous communities identified (target 100%)

FOCUS AREA 3: RETENTION
Actions	Examples of Actions	Target Date	Responsibility	Why are we doing it?	How will we know we’ve done it?
10. Induction	Induction covers Introduction to colleagues Agency-specific information—roles, structure, functions of whole agency, as well as particular work of unit/line area APS context—Values and Code of Conduct, structure, agencies, Canberra and regional, legislative framework Working in the APS—general conditions, expectations in relation to duties, Performance Assessments, reviews, promotions Performance Agreements—use to outline what is expected in the job Establish a formal buddy/coaching programme. Buddy to help with administration, who’s who and what’s what	From engagement of new employee	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator/ Line Manager	To improve awareness among Indigenous employees of how the organisation works, including awareness of employee responsibility	Induction delivered to new employees (target 100%) Number of buddy/coach relationships created Participant feedback
11. Providing career and development opportunities	Performance agreements have links to learning and development plan	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator/ Line Manager	To improve career progression prospects for Indigenous employees	Performance agreements have links to personal development plan (target 100%)
	Provide funding for staff to undertake learning and development/qualification courses and support attendance		Agency Head		Number of staff who undertake and successfully complete courses
	Facilitate secondments and transfers across agencies		HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator		Number of staff that undertake secondments/transfers
	Develop and support internal exchange programme		HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator		Number of staff that undertake programme
12. Mentoring	Establish a formal mentoring programme	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator		Number of mentor relationships created Participant feedback
13. Staff networks	Establish and/or support agency network	Ongoing	HR Manager/ Indigenous Employment Coordinator/ Network representatives	Indigenous employees develop a long term career plan within the APS	Indigenous staff invited to participate in agency network (target 100%) ·Supervisors of Indigenous staff reminded of the importance of releasing staff for network meetings
13. Staff networks	Release and encourage staff to attend IAPSEN meetings	Ongoing	Line Manager	To encourage Indigenous staff to support each other	Staff encouraged to attend IAPSEN meetings