How to assign work-function

Allocation of work-function should be based on the functions of the unit in which employees work

While each employee is to be given a work-function, the classification should not be done on a person by person basis.  Typically, individuals undertake tasks within a work unit to deliver the outputs required of that work unit.  It is the primary nature of the work of the unit that is sought.  Accordingly, all people working in a unit (including managers) are allocated the work-function  classification appropriate for the unit.

The nature of the tasks performed by individuals is reported through the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) data field.

Work units should be determined in the context of identifying a discrete function

A work unit may be a Team, Unit, Branch, discrete Office – whatever makes sense in the context of identifying a discrete function for the purpose of reporting.

For example:

1. A large legal branch may include a team that undertakes prosecutions of members of the public for breaches of legislation, a team that provides legal policy advice, a team that manages Freedom of Information, and a team that managers internal governance. In this case the work unit should be at the team level – the prosecution team being Operational service delivery, the legal policy team being Public administration, and the FOI team being Public accountability, and the internal governance team being Corporate support services.
2. A smaller legal branch may not be structured into discrete teams, but have all members operating across the required functions, collectively providing advice on legal policy, legislation, FOI and internal governance. The primary purpose of the branch may be to provide legal policy advice to the Minister and the secretary.  Reporting, accountability and internal governance work can be considered to be incidental.  Accordingly in this case the whole legal branch would be the work unit an classified as Public administration.
3. The Auditor General’s office has a division / branches that provide corporate functions (finance, people management, IT support etc) and divisions that conduct audits. All people in the divisions conducting audits would be classified as Public accountability, while all people in the corporate division would be classified as Corporate support services.

Allocation of work-function should be on the basis of the principal activity of the work unit

Classification should be on the basis of the principal reason for the existence of the work unit, where principal reason is defined as the tasks or functions that if no longer required would result in the unit being wound up.

Allocation of ‘work-function’ should be on a broad or overall assessment

Making fine distinctions in the activity of small teams that comprise branches and teams is not expected.  A small team would be allocated to a classification distinct from the broader branch only where the function is clearly separate and unambiguously belongs to a different classification e.g. an FOI unit working in a corporate services branch / division.

Distinctions over the nature of the work performed by people within functional areas will be achieved by combining work-function  information with ANZSCO occupation information.

Allocation of ‘work-function’ should be based on the following hierarchy

• only Operational service delivery if clearly dealing with services for people / agencies external to the department at the operational level, including project management of capital projects and performance of regulatory functions;
• only Service delivery management if activity is concerned with determining how service programs are delivered, i.e. program design, planning, evaluation and or direction. This includes policy work associated with how to give effect or operationalise decisions of government;
• only Public administration if services provided to support Ministers in their role as a member of Cabinet, as a member of Parliament, or in exercising their Ministerial responsibilities (including supporting Ministerial committees):

• • policy advice is Public administration if advice is to inform government / ministerial decision making;
  • regulatory functions performed on behalf of the Minister are excluded (these are Operational service delivery),
  • provision of IT, accounts administration, facilities, payroll and similar functions to Ministers’ offices are excluded (these are Corporate support functions).

• only public accountability if work involves accountability or reporting requirements that are specific to government, either legislation or regulations require government agencies to report in a specified way, or reporting and accountability obligations are unique to government.
• if not clearly Service delivery or Public administration and accountability then Corporate support services.