Human Resource Policy Development

Employment frameworks are often not updated to keep pace with changes to the business or industrial relations environments in which they operate. Changes to legislation over time are not always identified, addressed and reflected appropriately in employment arrangements for both new and existing employees.

HBA Consulting has extensive experience in the review and development of human resource management policies for both the public and private sectors. Typically, these reviews are conducted around three key trigger points:

• new legislative requirements (e.g. Commonwealth 'public Interest Disclosure Act' commencement)
• machinery of government' changes where 2 or agencies merge and policies need to be reviewed and aligned to the new single entity; and
• post negotiation of a new Enterprise Agreement, when adjustments need to be made to the human resource policies to align them with any new Agreement content.

When undertaking these types of assignments, our general approach is to:

• complete a 'current state' analysis of the human resource management suite of policies
• identify and confirm an assessment of the policies that require attention and the areas where revisions are required
• discuss and confirm the prioritisation of policies that require revision; and
• provide an estimate of the time and cost required to undertake the identified revisions.

HR Policy Development

Employment frameworks are often not updated to keep pace with changes to the business or industrial relations environments in which they operate. Changes to legislation over time are not always identified, addressed and reflected appropriately in employment arrangements for both new and existing employees.

HBA Consulting has extensive experience in the review and development of HR policies for both the public and private sectors. Typically, these reviews are conducted around three key trigger points:

• new legislative requirements (e.g. Commonwealth 'public Interest Disclosure Act' commencement)
• machinery of government' changes where 2 or agencies merge and policies need to be reviewed and aligned to the new single entity; and
• post negotiation of a new Enterprise Agreement, when adjustments need to be made to the human resource policies to align them with any new Agreement content.

When undertaking these types of assignments, our general approach is to:

• complete a 'current state' analysis of the human resource management suite of policies
• identify and confirm an assessment of the policies that require attention and the areas where revisions are required
• discuss and confirm the prioritisation of policies that require revision; and
• provide an estimate of the time and cost required to undertake the identified revisions.

HR Policy Review

HBA Consulting has extensive experience in the review and development of HR policies for both the public and private sectors. Typically, these reviews are conducted around three key trigger points:

• new legislative requirements (e.g. Commonwealth 'Public Interest Disclosure Act' commencement)
• 'machinery of government' changes where 2 or agencies merge and policies need to be reviewed and aligned to the new single entity; and
• post negotiation of a Enterprise Agreement, when adjustments need to be made to the human resource policies to align them with any new Agreement content.

Structural Reviews

HBA Consulting have undertaken a number of organisational reviews designed to provide options for the future structures and functions for an organisation as it reshapes itself to meet new or changed functions or changed budgetary parameters.

Our overall methodology for these types of reviews is to follow a 'form follows function' or 'structure follows strategy' approach. This methodology focuses on clarifying the new functional or strategic outcomes sought by the organisation being reviewed, and then to work through a process involving consultation and analysis, to determine the best structural option(s) available to support the delivery of the outcomes sought.

The following table provides a simple overview of our typical approach to these types of assignments.

Presentation of final report

HBA Consulting has undertaken a number of classification review processes for a range of public sector organisation across the past seventeen years. These processes have involved:

• The completion of an independent expert assessment of an individual role using the current organisation's work level standards;
• Bulk assessments of roles against work level standards to assist in the integration of staff and roles flowing from machinery of government changes to organisations
• The review and redevelopment of the work level standards that underpin classification processes.

From our perspective, there are some key factors in classification review processes. At the individual role level, they include matters like:

• functions of the work area;
• role and activities of the job ;
• complexity of the work, including requirements for interpretation; analysis and problem solving;
• authority and accountability, including relevant delegations and authorisations;
• level of advice required to be provided;
• client relationship responsibilities, including the degree of internal/external negotiation required;
• knowledge, skills and qualifications required;
• supervisory responsibilities; and
• level of supervision received.

When undertaking a classification review, it is important to bear in mind a number of underpinning 'Classification Principles'. These are:

• The classification level of positions will be determined against existing work level standards. Job analysis and job comparison may also be undertaken to provide a wholesome approach to the evaluation process.
• Open and transparent processes will be undertaken to ensure fairness and equity (and consistency in classification levels across the organisation) in decision-making.
• Work value is integral to classification. Changes in work themselves may not lead to a change in classification - changes in work value may arise from changes in the nature of the work, skill and responsibility required or the conditions under which that work is performed.
• In addressing a proposal for reclassification, there will be a requirement to demonstrate that a significant net addition to work value has occurred from the last adjustment for work value for that classification
• When undertaking a classification assessment, care should be taken to evaluate the job of work required to be performed, not the skills/capability/individual contribution of the existing or prospective employee.