Resources
Measures of Workplace Culture1
| Measure | How is it measured | What it indicates |
| Age Staffing Breakdown | Age / Headcount x 100 | The age mix of employees |
| Average Annual Salary per FTE | Total annual salary / FTE | The average salary of a full time employee |
| Career Path Ratio (Promotion Rate) | Promotions / Transfers | The ratio of promotions to transfers |
| Compensation Satisfaction Index | Survey | Satisfaction with wage package |
| Development Program Saturation Rate | Participants / Eligible for development x 100 | Rate of participation in development activities |
| Employee Commitment Index | Survey | Commitment to the organisation |
| Employee Engagement Index | Survey | Engagement in work |
| Employee Retention Index | Survey | Intention to leave the organisation |
| Employee Satisfaction with Leadership | Survey | Satisfaction with the organisation’s leadership |
| Employment Brand Strength | Survey | Organisation’s attractiveness to current and potential employees |
| Employment Level Staffing Breakdown | Employment level / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees in various job classifications or salary bands |
| External Hire Rate | External hires / Average headcount x 100 | The proportion of new employees joining the organisation |
| Flexible Work Hours Rate | Flexible workers / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees working flexible hours |
| Gender Staffing Breakdown | Gender / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of male and female employees |
| Internal Movement Rate | Internal movements / Average Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees who were promoted, transferred or demoted |
| Involuntary Termination Rate | Involuntary terminations / Average Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees who were fired or laid off work |
| Manager Quality Index | Survey | Satisfaction with direct manager |
| New Hire Failure Factor | Short tenure separations / External hires x 100 | The proportion of new recruits who left the organisation after a short time |
| New Hire Performance Satisfaction (Progression) | Survey | Managers’ satisfaction with the (performance of new recruits |
| Organisation Tenure Staffing Breakdown | Tenure / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees who have worked in the organisation for various periods of time |
| Rehire Rate | Rehires / Hires x 100 | The proportion of former employees rejoining the organisation |
| Retention Rate | Headcount + External Hires – Terminations / Headcount + External Hires x 100 | The proportion of employees remaining with the organisation |
| Separation Rate | Separations / Average headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees leaving the organisation either voluntarily or involuntarily |
| Separation Reason Breakdown | Separation reason / Separations x 100 | The proportion of employees leaving the organisation for various reasons |
| Staffing Rate – 50+ Years Old | 50+ age / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees who are 50 or older |
| Staffing Rate – Managerial | Manager / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees who are managers |
| Staffing Rate – Part Time | Part time / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of part-time employees |
| Staffing Rate – Temporary | FTE temporary / FTE x 100 | The proportion of temporary employees |
| Staffing rate < 1 Year | <1 year tenure / Headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees with less than one year’s service |
| Unscheduled Absence 2 Days | Unscheduled absence days / Average FTE employee | The number of days of unavoidable leave taken by the average employee |
| Unscheduled Absence Rate | Unscheduled absence days / Workdays x 100 | The proportion of days lost through unavoidable absence |
| Voluntary Separation Rate | Voluntary separations / Average headcount x 100 | The proportion of employees who resigned or retired |
Summary of VPSC Resources
| Resource | What is it? | How can it help |
| A Dictionary of People Metrics | A dictionary of items HR practitioners can measure to monitor organisational culture, succession planning, leadership development, recruitment and talent management. | Enables HR managers to identify and respond to workforce trends. |
| Attracting and Retaining an Ageing Workforce | A guide to thinking about the role workforce culture, job design, recruitment, learning and development reward and recognition, and health and wellbeing play in the attraction and retention of mature staff. | Creates a workplace in which people of all ages feel welcome. |
| Attracting and Retaining Staff: A Guide for the Public Sector in Rural and Regional Victoria | A guide to attracting and retaining professional staff in regional Victoria through strategies such as skilled migration, relocation support and other incentives. | Creates a workplace that is attractive to professional staff in regional Victoria. |
| Best Practice Recruitment and Selection Toolkit | A set of resources comprising information sheets, a research report, a training program and templates to implement best practice in recruitment and selection | Results in well designed jobs and career development plans. |
| Capability Framework: Card Set; Victoria Public Employment; VPS | A card set and accompanying guides that describe the personal qualities, knowledge and skills typically needed to perform public sector roles. | Results in well designed jobs and career development plans. |
| Careers with the Victorian Government | A website that advertises job opportunities in the Victorian public sector | Matches jobs to potential employees. |
| Code of Conduct: Victorian Public Sector Employees; Victorian Public Sector Employees of Special Bodies | A guide to demonstrating the public sector values of responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leadership and a commitment to human rights. | Guides staff behaviour in interactions with government, the community and each other. |
| Developing Conflict Resilient Workplaces | A guide to using non-adversarial approaches to resolve disputes more quickly and with less associated cost. | Enables staff to resolve conflict themselves. |
| Developing Leadership: Strengthening Leadership in the VPS | A research report considering challenges in public sector leadership, international trends, and action the VPS could take to ensure strong leadership. | Develops the leadership skills of staff. |
| Directors’ Code of Conduct and Guidance Notes | A code expressing the public sector values in terms that are most relevant to the special role and duties of board directors. | Guides board directors’ behaviour. |
| Ethics Framework (and Planner) | A guide and associated workbook for creating an ethical culture. They describe good practice and typical organisational strategies; ask some diagnostic questions and list further reading. | Establishes a cohesive set of policies, procedures and practices to reward ethical behaviour and guard against ethical risks. |
| Ethics Resource Kit including: Implementation Guide; Leading the Way; Tips for Sustaining an Ethical Workplace; Workshops | A comprehensive learning and development resource that employers can customise to their organisation to help make the values and employment principles meaningful for their staff. | Develops ethical decision making skills. |
| Feedback Matters: Effective Communication is Essential | A report analysing the effect that feedback has on employee attitudes to their organisation and relationships at work in the Victorian public sector. | Reinforces the importance of informal feedback |
| Good Practice Guide on Governance for Victorian Public Sector Entities | A guide explaining the environment in which public entities exist and the department, board, chief executive and stakeholders. | Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of board directors. |
| Great Managers, Great Results | A self assessment and planning tool for managers to help strengthen their management capacity. | Develops the skills of managers. |
| Making Flexible Work a Success | A guide promoting the adoption of flexible work arrangements. | Shows how mutually beneficial flexible work arrangements can provide better work outcomes. |
| Managing Poor Behaviour in the Workplace | A guide to investigating poor behaviour and disciplining the staff member concerned. | Enables managers to respond constructively to staff who behave poorly. |
| People Matter Survey: Main Findings Report and People Matter in Action | An annual report of how well employees believe the Victorian public sector values and employment principles are being applied in their organisation. In People Matter in Action, three organisations share their experience of using the survey to make improvements at work. | Identifies the values and principles that are being applied well and where change is needed. |
| Public Administration Act 2004 | Legislation providing a framework for good governance in the Victorian public sector. | Defines the public sector values and employment principles. |
| Standards and Guidelines: Equal Employment Opportunity; Fair and Reasonable Treatment; Merit in Employment; Reasonable Avenue of Redress | A set of binding standards on application of the public sector employment principles The guidelines build on the minimum requirements specified in the standards. | Results in fair employment policies, processes and practices. |
| Succession Risk Management Toolkit | A set of fact sheets, checklists and templates to aid discussion of succession risk and mitigation. | Considers whether current employees have the skills and aspirations to undertake critical roles. |
| Talking Performance | An e-learning resource and book on performance management that covers setting goals, providing feedback, having difficult conversations and responding to individual differences. | Enables managers to effectively coach staff to better performance. |
| The Values Report | Qualitative research on the benefits and challenges of embedding values | Tips for creating a values-based culture in a number of organisational settings. |
| Victorian Leadership Development Centre | A body established by the State Coordination and Management Council to foster a culture of leadership in the public sector. | Supports good practice in leadership development and talent succession management. |
| Victorian Public Sector Workforce Planning Resource Kit | A set of publications covering all facets of workforce planning in the Victorian public sector. | Enables employers to get the right number of people with the right skills in the right jobs at the right time. |
| Welcome to Management | A guide for new managers. | Gives new managers the confidence to manage staff. |
| Welcome to the Board | An introduction to public sector governance for board directors. It explains key roles and functions. | Clarifies the role and obligations of board directors. |
A Closer Look at the VPSC Resources
| Resource | V | C | Lp | Rt | Lg | Hr | W | P | Rk | D |
| A Dictionary of People Metrics | √ | |||||||||
| Attracting and Retaining an Ageing Workforce | √ | |||||||||
| Attracting and Retaining Staff: A Guide for the Public Sector in Rural and Regional Victoria | √ | |||||||||
| Best Practice Recruitment and Selection Toolkit | √ | |||||||||
| Careers with the Victorian Government | √ | |||||||||
| Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||||
| Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees of Special Bodies | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||||
| Developing Conflict Resilient Workplaces | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Developing Leaders | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Directors’ Code of Conduct and Guidance Notes | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||||
| Equal Employment Opportunity Standard and Guidelines | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Ethics Framework and Planner | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||
| Ethics Resource Kit | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||
| Fair and Reasonable Treatment Standard and Guidelines | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||
| Feedback Matters: Effective Communication is Essential | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Good Practice Guide on Governance for Victorian Public Sector Entities | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Great Managers, Great Results | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Making Flexible Work a Success | √ | |||||||||
| Managing Poor Behaviour in the Workplace | √ | |||||||||
| Merit in Employment Standard and Guidelines | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||||
| People Matter in Action | √ | |||||||||
| People Matter Survey Main Findings Report | √ | |||||||||
| Public Administration Act 2004 | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||||
| Reasonable Avenue of Redress Standard and Guidelines | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Succession Risk Management Toolkit | √ | √ | √ | |||||||
| Talking Performance | √ | √ | ||||||||
| The Values Report | √ | |||||||||
| The Victorian Public Employment Capability Framework | √ | √ | √ | |||||||
| The VPS Employment Capability Framework | √ | √ | √ | |||||||
| Victorian Leadership Development Centre | √ | |||||||||
| Victorian Public Sector Workforce Planning Resource Kit | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||||
| VPS Employment Capability Framework Card Set | √ | √ | √ | |||||||
| Welcome to Management | √ | √ | ||||||||
| Welcome to the Board | √ | |||||||||
| V = Values; Lp = Leadership; C = Communications; Rt = Recruitment; Lg = Learning; HR = Hr policies; W = Workflow; Pv = Peformance; R = Risks; D = Dispute | ||||||||||
Further Reading
A
Agle, B and Caldwell, C 1999, ‘Understanding Research on Values in Business: A Level of
Analysis Framework’, Business and Society, Vol 38, No 3, 326-387
Australian Public Service Commission 1996, Recruitment and Selection – The Essentials No. 2, Australian Public Service Commission, ACT, viewed 26 November 2010.
Australian Public Service Commission 2001, Case Studies from Selected Australian Public Service Agencies, Australian Public Service Commission, ACT, viewed 26 November 2010.
Australian Public Service Commission 2001, Performance Management in the APS: A Strategic Framework, Australian Public Service Commission, ACT, viewed 26 November 2010.
Australian Public Service Commission 2003, Embedding the APS Values, Australian Public Service Commission, ACT, viewed 26 November 2010, <>
Australian Public Service Commission, Senior Executive Leadership Capability (SELC) Framework, Australian Public Service Commission, ACT, viewed 26 November 2010.
B
Barrett, D 2002, ‘Change Communication: Using Strategic Employee Communication to
Facilitate Major Change’, Corporate Communications, 7 (4), pp. 219-231
Bellamy, M 2007, Workflow Management Tools, EzineArticles.com, USA, viewed 26 November 2010.
C
Change Management Learning Center, Communication Checklist – Best Practices in Managing Change, Prosci, USA, viewed 26 November.
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2010, Performance Management: An Overview, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK, viewed
26 November 2010, <http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/perfmangmt/general/perfman.htm?IsSrchRes=1>
Coan, G 2008, Garrett Coan – EzineArticles.com Expert Author, EzineArticles, USA, viewed
26 November 2010, <http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Garrett_Coan>
Collins, J and Porras, J 1991, ‘Organisational Vision and Visionary Organisations’ California
Management Review, 30-52
Comcare 2005, The Principles of Effective OHS Risk Management, Comcare, ACT, viewed
26 November 2010, <http://www.comcare.gov.au/forms and publications/publications/safety_and_prevention/?a=41363>
D
Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts 2010, Motivate, Manage and Reward Performance, Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts, Tasmania, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.development.tas.gov.au/betterwork places/motivate,_manage_and_reward_performance>
Department of Education and Children’s Services 2004, HpO Gizmos: Purpose, Vision, Values
Pyramid, Department of Education and Children’s Services, SA, viewed 26 November 2010,
<http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/VisionPurposeValuesPyra-1.pdf>
Department of Justice, Disputeinfo, Department of Justice, Victoria, viewed 26 November 2010,
<http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/CA256D3400249126/HomePage?ReadForm&1=Home
~&2=~&3=~>
Department of Justice 2007, Disputes, Department of Justice, Victoria, viewed
26 November 2010, <http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/justlib/DOJ+Internet
/Home/The+Justice+System/Disputes/>
Department of Treasury and Finance 2007, Victorian Government Risk Management
Framework, Victoria
Dutton, J and Ragins, BR 2007, Exploring Positive Relationships at Work: Building a Theoretical and Research Foundation, Mahwah, NJ; London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Dweck, Carol 2006, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Ballantine Books, USA
E
Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, Developing a Workplace Program and Reporting, Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, Australia, viewed
26 November 2010, <http://www.eowa.gov.au/Reporting_And_Compliance_Landing
Page.asp>
G
Goliath 2005, Ensuring Clear Communication, Goliath, USA, viewed 26 November 2010,
<http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-5203227_ITM>
Grimshaw, J, Baron, G, Mike, B and Edwards, N 2006, ‘How to Combat a Culture of
Excuses and Promote Accountability’, Strategy and Leadership, 34 (5), pp. 11-18
H
Hartel, C 2007, Diversity Climate of Openness Audit Tool, Charmine Hartel, Victoria, viewed
26 November 2010.
Hartel, C 2006, Workgroup Emotional Climate Scale, Charmine Hartel, Victoria, viewed
26 November 2010.
Hartel, C 2007, SHRM (Strategic Human Resource Management Application Tool), Charmine Hartel, Victoria, viewed 26 November 2010.
Health and Safety Executive, Work-Related Stress – Together We Can Tackle It, Health and
Safety Executive, UK, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm>
Health and Safety Executive 2008, Work-Related Stress, Health and Safety Executive, UK, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/furtheradvice/wrs.htm>
Heath D and Heath C 2010, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Knopf
Doubleday Publishing Group
HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector, Keeping the Right People, HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector, Canada, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/keeping- people-performance-management.cfm>
Human Resources 2007, Reducing Stress at Work, Reed Business Information, NSW, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/B7/
0C04BAB7.asp?Type=60&Category=1685>
Human Resources 2007, Resolving Disputes on the Job, Reed Business Information, NSW, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/ B4/0C04F3B4.asp?Type=60&Category=1223>
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Guidelines for Writing and Publishing Recruitment Advertisements, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Australia, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.hreoc.gov.au/sex_discrimination/ workplace/advertising.html>
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 2004, Best Practice Guidelines for Recruitment and Selection, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Australia, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.humanrights.gov.au/info_for_employers/best_ practice/recruitment.html>
J
Jacobs R 1997, Real Time Strategic Change: How to Involve a Whole Organization in Fast and Far-Reaching Change, San Francisco, CA, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc
K
Korac-Kakabadse, A and Korac-Kakabadse, N 2005, ‘Best Practice in the Australian Public Service (APS): An Examination of Discretionary Leadership’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 12 (7), pp. 1-60
S
Sarros, J, Gray J and Densten I, 2002, Key Findings: Australian Business Leadership Survey, Australian Institute of Management, Australia, viewed 26 November 2010,
<http://www.aim.com.au/research/AIM_abls_keyfindings.pdf>
Victorian Public Sector Commission 2010, A Dictionary of People Metrics, Victorian Public Sector Commission Victoria
Victorian Public Sector Commission 2010, Feedback Matters, Victorian Public Sector Commission Victoria
Victorian Public Sector Commission 2010, People Matter Survey 2010: Main Findings Report, Victorian Public Sector Commission Victoria
Stiller, l, Casey, A, Rozen, P, West, D, and Weissman, M 2007, Hands on Guide: Risk
Management, Sydney: CCH Australia
T
The Times 100, Talent Management – Managing People, The Times 100, UK, viewed
26 November 2010.
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat 1999, Best Practices in Risk Management:
Private and Public Sectors Internationally, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Canada, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/dcgpubs/RiskManagement/rm-pps_e.asp>
Turning Point Collaborative Leadership 2005, Six Self-Assessment Questionnaires, Turning Point Collaborative Leadership, USA, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.collaborative leadership.org/pages/tools.html>
U
University and College Union, Dealing with Individual Stress Cases, University and College Union, UK, viewed 26 November 2010, <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/docs/0/0/stresstool_indivcase.doc>
University of Bristol, PWE Action Plan, University of Bristol, UK, viewed 26 November 2010,
<http://www.bris.ac.uk/pwe/PWE_action_plan.html>
V
Victorian Public Service Agreement 2006 (2009 Extended and Varied Version), Victoria
Victorian Trades Hall Council, What is Work-Related Stress?, Victorian Trades Hall Council’s
(VTHC) Occupational Health and Safety Unit, Victoria, viewed 26 November 2010,
<http://www.ohsrep.org.au/hazards/stress/what-is-work-related-stress/index.cfm>
Victorian Managed Insurance Authority 2008, Guide for Developing and Implementing
Your Risk Management Framework, Victoria
W
Winter, Graham 2009, The Man Who Cured the Performance Review, Jossey-Bass A Wiley
Imprint, Queensland
Workforce Victoria 2010, Victorian Public Sector Industrial Relations Policy Manual, Victoria
Footnotes
- Adapted from Victorian Public Sector Commission, A Dictionary of People Metrics, Victoria, 2010
- Unavoidable absence includes sick leave, carers leave, compassionate leave, parental leave, jury duty etc