Recognised for our organisational excellence
The 2024 APS Employee Census
The APS Employee Census is an annual survey conducted by the Australian Public Service Commission to collect confidential attitude and opinion information from APS employees on issues in the workplace. It is an opportunity for APS employees to share their experiences of working in their organisation and provide detailed feedback on various aspects of their work environment, including job satisfaction, engagement, communication and overall organisational culture. It is a benchmark tool for measuring employee satisfaction across the APS and organisational performance within APS agencies directly from the staff.
With 90% of our staff participating in the 2024 census survey, the results provide us with a clear view of how our staff feel about working at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). They demonstrate that we are an inclusive, flexible and productive workplace where people are treated with respect and courtesy, and diverse and unique attributes are recognised and valued.
Our results indicate that we are an employer of choice among the APS. The AIHW recorded positive responses at a higher level than the broader APS for 93% of comparable questions, and 95% of staff indicated they would recommend the AIHW as a good place to work. This is the third year in a row the agency has maintained this excellent result, which is 23 percentage points higher than the overall APS response. We also achieved top 10 rankings in staff engagement, communication and wellbeing scales out of 104 APS agencies.
Other outstanding responses include:
- My agency supports and actively promotes an inclusive workplace culture: 94% agreed.
- I am confident that if I requested a flexible work arrangement, my request would be given reasonable consideration: 94% agreed.
- I am satisfied with my non-monetary employment conditions (e.g. leave, flexible work arrangements, other benefits): 92% agreed.
Our workforce’s commitment and high performance is also showcased, with results for almost every performance-related question scoring at least 5 percentage points higher than other specialist and medium-sized agencies and the wider APS. Responses indicate our staff feel they have the appropriate skills, capabilities, and knowledge to perform, and are happy to go the ‘extra mile’ at work when required. Learning and development opportunities were highlighted as a strength for the agency through free-text comments, in particular our strong emphasis on the provision of training to stay current with the latest industry trends and competencies.
Employee feedback suggested that enhancing the technology within the institute would drive improved performance and outcomes. We are listening to this feedback and have prioritised the development of an ICT modernisation roadmap and an investment plan. This work program will assist in achieving the outcomes set in the AIHW Technology Strategy and the AIHW Strategic Directions.
Overall, our APS census results clearly demonstrate our organisational excellence and commitment to maintaining a productive workplace. Our focus on fostering a flexible workplace, growing our capability and supporting a high-performing workforce is evident and we aim to maintain or improve these results going forward.