The latest State of the Service report highlights several significant changes that are likely to affect governance in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Future public sector governance challenges
According to Australian Public Service Commissioner John Lloyd, future workforce challenges include the following.
- Changes to individual jobs: Some jobs will go. Others will be modified and new roles will be created. Effective workforce planning will become more critical.
- Greater choice of when and where people work: ‘Flexible by default’ is already the position of many APS workplaces.
- Changed management hierarchies: Formal hierarchies that assume a linear career path through expertise to managerial positions will no longer apply. Remuneration systems will have to change to reward expert contributions that may not fit traditional salary structures. Managers will be less able to exercise influence through structured authority. Instead, subject knowledge and bringing together the varied skills of team members to achieve good outcomes will be valued.
- A change in worker demographics: There will be more older workers and a greater diversity in the workplace.