Corrections Workforce Strategy

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1 Corrections Workforce Strategy

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3 Table of Contents Executive Summary 4 Organisational Context 7 Justice Sector Forecast 9 Four Year Budget Forecast 9 Major Change Programmes 10 Organisational Strategy 12 Justice Sector Sustainability Programme 12 Creating Lasting Change 13 Succeeding with Mäori 13 Justice Sector Workforce Strategy 13 Workforce Context 14 Labour Market 14 Capacity 16 Capability 16 Culture 17 Employment Relations 18 The challenge of change 19 Measuring Success 20 Future Workforce Priorities 21 Next Steps 31 Appendix One Nature and Scope of Work 32 Appendix Two Workforce Demographics 34

4 Executive Summary Purpose of the Corrections Workforce Strategy The overall intent in developing the Corrections Workforce Strategy is to provide clear links to our business strategy, Creating Lasting Change. A key aspect of integrating the two strategies is developing an overall approach to the Workforce Strategy that supports the achievement of our longer term organisational goals. In doing so we have highlighted the specific workforce challenges and future focus for the workforce. The Workforce Strategy provides a picture of the current Corrections workforce within the context of the Justice sector and broader environment. It takes into account the range of change initiatives underway which influence our performance and impact upon our future. It identifies priority areas for future action to ensure that the Corrections workforce is well positioned to deliver the best outcomes for offenders, the community and government in a sustainable way using modern work practices and approaches. Context Corrections has a significant role in achieving the Government s objectives of reducing crime, safer communities and high public confidence in the Justice sector. Key features of our current operating environment include significant change programmes within the Justice sector, falling offender volumes, reducing baselines and increasing service demands together with the modernisation of services to meet public and government expectations. Our environment is also characterised by high risk and high public interest. 4 corrections workforce strategy

5 Within this challenging and complex landscape, sentence compliance for prison and community-based sentences are improving. Corrections has recently achieved the lowest rate of escapes and lowest percentage of positive random drug tests in prisons. We continue to focus rehabilitation efforts in areas that show worthwhile results such as Drug Treatment Units, Special Treatment Units, Corrections Inmate Employment and case management. Notwithstanding good results such as these in delivering against outcomes, Corrections is under increasing pressure to improve its performance in delivering its core business and prioritising initiatives to deliver maximum benefit for the community and government. In response to these pressures and drivers, Corrections has identified its four key priorities in its overall strategy Creating Lasting Change through to 2015 as public safety, reducing re-offending, better public value and leadership. Current Workforce Overview Corrections operates 19 prisons in New Zealand with over 8,500 sentenced and remand prisoners and manages more than 40,000 offenders serving sentences and orders in the community. The nature and scope of the services Corrections provides presents significant challenges for us as an employer. These include the diverse and wide range of skills and capabilities required within the workforce to succeed and the flexible mix of culture, operational models, structures and leadership styles that are required to co-exist. Cost Drivers Corrections costs are primarily driven by volumes of prisoners and community offenders. This also impacts on the numbers eligible to attend rehabilitation and reintegration programmes (including employment) that are either mandated through legislation/courts, or policy settings aimed at improving public safety and reducing re-offending. There are also significant capital costs/investments that Corrections incurs in the provision of these services. Given these cost pressures, we need to consider all opportunities to improve the performance of Corrections through developing new strategies and innovative approaches that will build the workforce we need now and in the future. Corrections has 7285 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff, with 6,603 frontline staff and 682 staff providing corporate services and operational support on a shared services basis. Our workforce is distributed nationally across 150 worksites, with the main concentrations of staff in Wellington and Auckland. 5

6 Workforce Priorities Two priorities have been identified as being the areas of focus that are fundamental to the development of a modern and sustainable Corrections workforce. Within each of these focus areas we set out the changes that we will need to attain in relation to the size, scope and structure of the workforce to achieve and improve Corrections outcomes. We also set out how these changes build upon our current initiatives. The priorities and areas of focus are: A professional and engaged workforce, focused on Corrections outcomes > > We will prioritise the capability of our frontline workforce to achieve better outcomes in public safety and reducing re-offending > > We will focus on leadership behaviours and skills that increase employee engagement > > We will improve staff safety > > We will strengthen integrity Next Steps This Workforce Strategy represents an initial consideration of the Corrections workforce, within the context of a changing Justice sector and the current political, economic and social environment. It outlines areas of progress to date in developing and managing the workforce and outlines priorities for the next four years, in line with the Corrections overall strategy (Creating Lasting Change) and the Justice sector four year budget forecast. Within the timeframe required to develop this Workforce Strategy it is not possible to detail all of the areas of potential change as there are decisions pending which could well impact on the future size, scope and structure of the workforce. A number of these changes will be indicated through the recommendations arising from the Expenditure Review, which are progressively being released in early It will be necessary therefore to update the Corrections Workforce Strategy to reflect new directions and impacts as this work is consolidated. This Workforce Strategy is linked to the Justice Sector Workforce Strategy 2012 and any changes to it will also need to be recognised within the Corrections Workforce Strategy. A modern and sustainable Corrections, contributing to an effective Justice sector > > We will plan and manage workforce capacity effectively to meet future offender volumes > > We will manage employee relations for a more modern and sustainable workforce > > We will manage change in a way that is professional, responsive, engages staff and recognises the impact that change can have on the workforce 6 corrections workforce strategy

7 Organisational Context Corrections operates within a dynamic environment to improve public safety by ensuring sentence compliance and reducing re-offending. This section focuses on the key factors which are characteristic of the environment, how they influence the wider Justice sector, change the service demands on Corrections and impact on our workforce. Corrections role in the wider Justice sector Corrections is part of the Government s Justice sector alongside other core agencies such as NZ Police and the Ministry of Justice. Collectively these organisations help to deliver a safe and just society. Within the Sector, Corrections has the responsibility for enforcing the sentences and orders of the criminal courts and parole board. Corrections also improves public safety by ensuring sentence compliance and works to reduce re-offending by providing offenders with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, education and job training. 7

8 The outcomes Corrections delivers to and how they are connected with the wider Justice sector, are illustrated in the following diagram: Justice Sector Outcomes A safe and just society SAFER COMMUNITIES CIVIL AND DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS ENJOYED Impact of crime reduced Offenders held to account Crime reduced Trusted justice system Accessible justice system International connectedness Durable settlement of Treaty claims Effective constitutional arrangements CORRECTIONS OUTCOMES Public safety is improved Measures > > The proportion of prisoners released on their lawfully required release date > > The percentage of offenders who have complied or for whom enforcement action has been taken Re-offending is reduced Measures > > Recidivism Index (reconviction, re-imprisonment and seriousness measure). IMPACTS Integrity of sentences and orders is maintained and offenders are held to account The Judiciary and Parole Board make informed decisions Risks of harm to others are minimised Offenders health and wellbeing is maintained Offenders have the skills and support to lead law-abiding lives OUTPUTS Prison-based custodial services Sentences and Orders in the community Policy advice and ministerial services Management of third party custodial services Rehabilitation and reintegration Information and administration services to the Judiciary and the NZPB 8 corrections workforce strategy

9 A more complete picture of the services provided by Corrections is attached as Appendix 1. The breadth of services delivered by Corrections has notable implications for our workforce including: > > The scale of the workforce. Corrections is the second largest public sector employer in NZ and competition for skilled staff remains an ongoing challenge for us; > > The depth and breadth of skills and capabilities required to deliver our services, including leadership within the sector; > > The diverse backgrounds, experiences and roles of our staff influences workplace culture(s) and employment relationships; > > Unique working environments include risks not encountered in most workplaces, notably the safety issues associated with dealing with offenders. Justice Sector Forecast The number of people currently entering the criminal justice system is reducing for the first time in 20 years. Sector forecasts also show continuing decline in the volumes entering the system as well as reductions in overall prisoner numbers. The recorded crime rate is the lowest it has been since 1982, prosecutions are down and the prisoner population is forecast to decline by 7% by 2019/2020. Changes such as sentencing behaviours (reducing the use of monetary sentences/ increase in imposition of community sentences) and the use of alternative resolutions e.g. Policing Excellence are predicted to continue to reduce the offender volumes into the justice pipeline. Although there has been a change in volume predictions, a forecast decline in the prisoner population does not immediately translate into reduced service demands on Corrections in all areas. There are changes in the composition / profile of the offender population, such as the overrepresentation of youth in the Justice sector, increases in female offending, and violent offenders as an increasing proportion of the prisoner population. These changes impact on the nature of the services Corrections needs to deliver to meet service demands. Taking into account the volume predictions, there will be a need to review workforce requirements in some areas where the volume of prisoners is falling, coinciding with the retiring of some of our aging facilities. In addition to this the potential for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to develop a new correctional facility at Wiri, would also impact on capacity requirements in the 2014/2015 period. Aligning with sector level strategies, this rebalancing of the workforce is part of the overall Justice sector and Corrections Workforce Strategies and capacity planning. Justice Sector Four Year Budget Forecast The Justice Sector has been requested to submit a four year sector budget forecast to Government to provide assurance that the Sector is clear about cost drivers and pressures and each agency is taking realistic measures to manage these over the next four years. It is also intended to highlight savings that could be redistributed within the sector, or the Government over this timeframe. The Justice Sector Workforce Strategy is closely linked to the four year budget forecast to ensure that workforce cost structures are sustainable over this period and beyond. The Corrections Workforce Strategy is developed against this backdrop as well as taking into account the cost drivers and pressures that relate specifically to Corrections. Corrections costs are primarily driven by the volumes of prisoners and community offenders. This also impacts on the numbers of those eligible to attend rehabilitation and reintegration programmes (including employment) that are either mandated through legislation and the Courts, or through policy settings aimed at improving public safety and reducing re-offending. There are also significant capital costs and investments that Corrections incurs in the provision of these services. The predicted drop in prisoner volumes and flattening off of community sentences has the potential to reduce future costs. However, offsetting these potential savings there continues to be transition costs associated with managing sector wide strategies to achieve this. 9

10 Significant work is being carried out within Corrections and across the sector in managing costs, producing efficiencies and returning savings. These are set out in more detail in the four year budget forecast and are not reproduced in this document. Suffice to say that the major areas of cost pressure over the next four years will be in: > > the out years in relation to any wage settlements reached through current bargaining, even with the potential for some staffing reductions; and > > absorbing the costs of superannuation; and > > the potential for increased costs from 2014/2015 if the decision is made to go ahead with a new correctional facility at Wiri. Major Change Programmes within Corrections There have been major change programmes implemented in Corrections and significant gains have been realised to date in relation to the creation of a sustainable workforce. These include the Prisons Capacity Development programme, the establishment of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services and the outsourcing of facilities management and some of the IT functions. These achievements have been important in signalling the ongoing change that is required to meet our outcomes with improved efficiency and effectiveness for the longer term. The following section summarises the major work programmes currently underway that to continue this transformation of the workforce and the way we do business. Expenditure Review The Expenditure Review arose as part the Government s drive for efficiency savings from 1 July 2012, to drive down the costs of core government administration while maintaining the quality and quantity of public services. Specifically, Corrections needs to be in a position to assure stakeholders that taxpayer funds are being used to successfully deliver the outcomes of maintaining and improving public safety and reducing re-offending. The overall aim of the Expenditure Review is to deliver improved performance over time to absorb wage costs and volume increases and in addition to deliver a dividend as a percentage of baseline spending. The Expenditure Review brings together several workstreams reviewing a range of activities, programmes, structures and ways of delivering services. Following the completion of these assessments recommendations will be made as to how services, programmes and structure should be modernised and/or redesigned to become more efficient and effective. The broad scope of the Expenditure Review encompasses significant areas of expenditure and investment for Corrections including: > > Prisons Configuration, including capital investment decisions in the prison estate > > A review of Corrections Inmate Employment to consider investment and divestment priorities to increase opportunities for prisoner employment as part of achieving reductions in re-offending > > Organisational re-alignment of Head Office and Regional structures to support a one Corrections team and ensure that Corrections is optimally structured to deliver modern and efficient services 10 corrections workforce strategy

11 > > Review of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes and contracts with external providers > > Modernisation of Community Probation Services > > Modernisation of Prison Services > > Completion of Value for Money Review savings through an examination of corporate functions including spending on contractors and consultants, administration support and travel > > Policy work on possible setting changes* > > Shared services options* * These last two reviews are being carried out in conjunction with the other Justice sector agencies The efficiency and effectiveness outcomes of the various workstreams will significantly impact the areas of this Workforce Strategy. However, the timeframe for the completion of the Expenditure Review extends beyond the completion date for the Workforce Strategy. The Corrections Workforce Strategy will therefore need to be refreshed once key decisions that are pending (for example, the Cabinet decision on a possible PPP at Wiri) are announced. Change and Modernisation Programmes Currently Corrections responds to service demands through a mixed model of delivery including public, private, the potential partnership (PPP), and outsourcing of specific functions. This mix seeks to optimise efficiency and minimise the financial cost of service delivery. It also requires Corrections to be responsive and adaptive as it develops further partnerships and manages more diverse relationships. The change and modernisation programmes that are underway in Community Probation Services (CPS) and Prison Services (PS) are the key vehicles by which Corrections will improve its outcomes through its workforce and create further operating efficiencies. The fundamental tenet of the modernisation programmes is our approach to doing business. For example, within Prisons we are looking for opportunities for innovation within an environment which has a clear compliance focus. In tandem with this modernisation programme in Prison Services we are looking at the positioning the role of the Corrections Officer to ensure that all interactions with prisoners have a positive impact on rehabilitation outcomes. The multi year change programme in CPS ( ) shifts the fundamental approach to working with offenders in the community by managing an offender s dynamic risk throughout a sentence or order, instead of basing the approach primarily on the type of sentence or order that the offender is serving. The Integrated Practice Framework (IPF) is the key supporting structure to facilitate staff to make this change. The IPF is made up of mandatory standards, supported decision frameworks and a knowledge bank. While the implementation of this programme is near completion there are key aspects of the operating models, systems and facilities in CPS that being reviewed and new approached being trialled with a view to modernising services within CPS. Modernising through technology While technology is vital to the success of Corrections, it is more an enabler than a driver of the changes needed. Our work with offenders, partner agencies, employers and the community will continue to be a people intensive business. It is our approach to doing business through these interactions and relationships that we will improve our outcomes in public safety and reducing re-offending. The potential for technological advances to impact our approach to doing business is nevertheless considerable and we need to engage with staff about this so that they can be an integral part of shaping our future. 11

12 Organisational Strategy This Workforce Strategy is a supporting document for the broader four year Corrections Strategy, Creating Lasting Change. As Corrections plays a key role in the Justice sector, this section also recognises the Justice Sector Sustainability Programme, as being fundamental in underpinning the broader Justice Sector Workforce Strategy and the Corrections Workforce Strategy. Justice Sector Sustainability Programme In June 2011, Cabinet established the Justice Sector Sustainability Programme (JSSP) to develop a modern, effective and sustainable justice system by A Ministerial Group was set up at the same time to oversee the Programme and its work (CAB Min (11) 22/7). In general terms the JSSP aims to set a new direction for the criminal justice system to 2020, accompanied by a clear set of performance objectives and performance targets. The JJSP will articulate what the justice system will look like in the future so that it continues to deliver a safe and just society and to maintain public confidence at a sustainable cost. It will also describe how justice agencies will work together and with other social, enforcement and regulatory agencies to prioritise services to support the Justice sector in achieving its targets. Work has been completed on the first two phases of the programme, being the development of a consolidated picture of the Justice sector and confirmation of the future direction; and options for the future Justice sector. The final phase of the JSSP is an implementation plan on the preferred options, due for delivery in July Corrections has a key role in ensuring that it works with the other agencies in driving this agenda forward. The implementation plans arising from this programme of work will also have implications for the Corrections workforce. This is in terms of both the capabilities required for working together within the sector, as well as the capacity management issues as Corrections responds to reducing offender volumes, and changing offender profiles. A key feature of the JSSP and the Justice Sector Workforce Strategy is the clear need for better integration and connectedness between the Justice Sector agencies at all levels. Aligned with this Corrections is exploring opportunities for improved collaboration and partnerships within the Justice sector and across the wider public sector. The major disruption to property and services caused by the Christchurch earthquakes initiated improved collaboration across the Justice sector and set the scene for greater opportunities for working together across the country. 12 corrections workforce strategy

13 Creating Lasting Change Currently, the key features of Corrections operating environment include significant changes within the Justice sector, reducing baselines and increasing service demands together with the modernisation of services to meet public and government expectations. In responding to these drivers Corrections has identified its four key priorities in its overall strategy Creating Lasting Change through to 2015 as: > > public safety Keeping communities safe by ensuring offenders complete the sentences and orders handed down by our justice system and are held to account if they don t. This will always be our bottom line. > > reducing re-offending Cutting the rates of re-offending leaves fewer victims and adds significantly to the social well-being of our communities as offenders become more productive members of our society. This is our ultimate goal. > > better public value We face a challenging economic environment so our commitment is to achieve more with every taxpayer s dollar, freeing up resources where we can, while improving our service responses. > > leadership using our unique insights into offending behaviour, we must lead across the public service and within the community sector, a programme of change that achieves our goals and those of the communities we serve. There are key themes within Creating Lasting Change which have clear implications for the workforce, such as the need to focus our efforts on leadership, change, professionalism and capability. The development of the Corrections Workforce Strategy is intended to provide clear links to Creating Lasting Change, whilst highlighting the specific workforce challenges and future focus for the workforce. Succeeding with MÄori Corrections continues to place a significant focus on succeeding with Mäori to achieve improvements in reducing re-offending of Mäori offenders as Mäori offenders make up a disproportionately high percentage of the prison population. Corrections has implemented initiatives such as Whare Oranga Ake in Spring Hill and Hawke s Bay Prisons to deliver better outcomes with Mäori offenders. In terms of the workforce this goal has significant implications for capability of our staff in working with offenders and community stakeholders and providers. Our current workforce has a higher than average (within the public sector) representation of Mäori staff and leaders (21%) and we are focusing on how to maintain and improve that. Justice Sector Workforce Strategy The Justice Sector Workforce Strategy (JSWS) is the result of collaboration between the three key Justice sector agencies, the NZ Police(Police) Corrections and the Ministry of Justice. It identifies five key strategies and looks at the opportunities for the agencies to work together to improve outcomes across the sector over a four year timeframe in the following areas: > > Workforce rebalancing and mobility > > Capability development > > Employment Relations > > Sector strategic HR capability > > Consolidation or sharing of HR operations The Corrections Workforce Strategy is aligned to the overall JSWS, and clearly identifies the increasing need for sector collaboration from a workforce perspective. However, it does not seek to reproduce the JSWS, but rather sits alongside it and will need to be updated to reflect changes in direction at a sector level as appropriate. 13

14 Workforce Context The three largest agencies within the sector; Police, Ministry of Justice and Corrections currently employ approximately 23,000 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs). Of this number, Corrections employs 7285 FTES being 6,603 frontline staff and 682 support staff. The key characteristics of the Corrections workforce include: > > 7285 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff > > an average age of 46 years > > average length of service = 7.5 years > > male = 57% and female = 43% > > turnover = 9% > > union membership = 68% > > part time employees = 8% > > ethnicity NZ European 53%, Mäori 21%, Pacific Peoples 8%, Other 38%, unknown 2% > > distributed across 150 worksites > > lower than average pay compared to the public sector median A more detailed description of the Corrections workforce is attached as Appendix 2. (Note the data used in this document is dated 30 June 2011 to align with the data used in the Justice Sector Workforce Strategy) Labour Market As a large employer Corrections is impacted by changes in economic conditions and the labour market. Over recent years, the labour market has witnessed skilled workers leaving New Zealand in higher numbers for better pay and opportunities elsewhere. In some parts of Corrections we have benefited from semi-skilled and skilled workers coming onto the market from 2007, filling roles such as Corrections Officers and instructor positions. More recently there has been increasing unemployment nationally. Even with a potentially larger pool of applicants competition remains tight for the skills Corrections needs. Although Corrections has seen an increase in the number of applicants for roles, this has not necessarily translated into having applicants with the right skills and behaviours we are looking for. 14 corrections workforce strategy

15 The demand for skilled workers will continue to increase over the next four years and competition for qualified and experienced staff will remain tight, even though overall levels of unemployment are likely to rise. In order for Corrections to be competitive in the labour market we need to improve our reputation as an employer and sell the very real benefits of working in a complex, challenging and rewarding environment. This will also require improved results from the Workplace Survey (engagement survey) with a more engaged workforce recommending Corrections as a great place to work. The following examples of recruitment and retention issues illustrate the competition we face for skilled, qualified and experienced workers, and signal the labour market complexities that we face. > > An ongoing recruitment issue for Corrections are key roles we need to continuously recruit for where there are international skill shortages, such as psychologists. We have been managing this with initiatives such as such as the Supervision to Registration programme to increase the number of clinical psychologists within Corrections. However, the length of time taken to move staff through this programme has not keep pace with demand and we are looking at other ways we can maintain this core function. > > Nursing is another area in which we continuously face a supply issue with a shortage of experienced nurses. A potential opportunity to address this issue arises as District Health Boards reduce the numbers of graduate positions. This could translate to an increase in the supply of trained graduates. However, Corrections has not traditionally competed for graduate nurses as it has sought mature and experienced nurses who can operate independently within a complex prison environment. > > Corrections continues to experience recruitment and retention issues in particular locations. Since the opening of the Northern Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) at Ngawha in 2005 there have been ongoing recruitment and retention difficulties. This is due to NRCF being a remote location away from main centres with insufficient numbers of suitable applicants available within the local population despite increasing unemployment. The introduction of double bunking which requires increased staff numbers has compounded the existing recruitment and retention issues. > > Similarly the introduction of double bunking at the Springhill Corrections Facility (SHCF) in the Waikato has compounded recruitment and retention issues. Since opening in 2007 SHCF has experienced difficulty in filling vacancies despite being accessible to the larger South Auckland and Hamilton populations. This appears to be due to the competitive labour market in these areas with a range of work opportunities in the greater Auckland area (especially in the private sector) for those who are prepared to travel to work. Even with increasing unemployment in these areas, we face a continual shortage of suitable applicants. These examples also present us with opportunities to improve our market position. We are continuing to look at new ways to attract and retain the staff we need, such as accessing different pools of candidates and undertaking an assessment of relevant terms and conditions. Another aspect of the impact of the labour market is that NZ has an aging population and aging workforce. Corrections currently reflects this trend with our workforce having an average age of 46 years. This has implications for our current and future service delivery models as well as our ability to build collective capability and develop staff and leaders internally. We also need to consider how this workforce trend impacts on developing working patterns and practises that are more focused on offender needs, in recruiting for staff who are able to adopt flexible work practices. Due to the current labour market conditions, cost pressures on Corrections and the recent transition to a mixed private and public model of delivery we have been constrained in our ability to successfully recruit and retain skilled staff in key areas of leadership, commercial management and contract management / partnerships. For a time the use of consultants and contractors was increased to meet vital skill gaps which added to the cost pressures on Corrections. However, efforts have recently been made to reduce this dependence on consultants and build capability within the organisation. 15

16 Capacity The Corrections workforce has experienced rapid growth over the past five years to cope with: > > high offender volumes > > the planning, building and staffing of new facilities > > changes in policy settings which have required the administration of new legislation > > different approaches to public safety the reducing re-offending. FTE ,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2, As illustrated above, the period of increases in staffing has been partially offset in the 2010/2011 period by a reduction in the number of staff with 327 redundancies related to the contract management of Mt Eden Prison and the outsourcing of facilities services and some IT functions. Over the next four years we expect to see a further reduction in overall staff numbers based on the predicted drop in offender volumes. This rebalancing of the workforce will occur in conjunction with the retiring of some of the aging facilities. It will also be based upon population trends and expected overall changes in patterns of crime and offender composition and profiles. These capacity issues are a key challenge for Corrections to manage going forward to ensure its resources are appropriately located to meet the demand for its services. Corrections needs to be able to deliver on new policies effectively and efficiently without a resultant negative impact on the quality of its service delivery. As such accurately planning and progressively managing changes in capacity will be needed to achieve efficiency in our service delivery. Capability The policy drivers which translate into reducing offender volumes not only create a challenge in regards to managing future surplus capacity in some locations but also in relation to some roles. Managing future capacity requirements drives a corresponding management focus on capability requirements as the reduction of offender volumes will impact on caseloads potentially freeing up time for some roles to undertake other activities. As such there will be an ongoing need for the review and redesign of some roles within Corrections. Within this setting, skills development across our workforce is a crucial element of Corrections ability to be sustainable and effective. Traditionally the skill level of staff has been characterised by a narrow range of skills and a practice of working in silos. This creates barriers to coordinating work and initiatives across Corrections groups and services. Recent programmes of work have identified operating models and practice frameworks that will contribute to increasing capability at the frontline. This includes an emphasis on the skills and behaviours that develop the use of professional judgement in every day practice and acknowledge the very real benefits of working together. Corrections has over time focused on increasing the number of staff with tertiary qualifications, for example, in CPS and the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services. In addition, we have adopted some recruitment practices that have assisted in identifying critical skills and behaviours that will contribute overall to a more capable and effective workforce. 16 corrections workforce strategy

17 For example, we are initiating a programme targeting graduate recruitment and development. This programme will introduce a whole of organisation approach, rather than the service based approach we have traditionally taken. The graduate programme is being designed to help us identify a pool of high potential, qualified staff and recruit those who can contribute to the wider organisation. The development aspect of the programme will target those graduates who can be promoted or fast-tracked through Corrections to become our future leaders. We will focus on developing these individuals so that they have strong cross-department knowledge. The graduate programme, and its participants, will be recognised as an asset to Corrections and also the wider public sector. The opportunities this programme will provide to graduates will also assist in enhancing our recruitment brand amongst graduates and universities. In assessing development needs across the organisation, Corrections has identified key skill gaps in change leadership, contract management and partnerships, performance and financial reporting, and project management. As an initial focus in addressing these skill gaps, we are continuing to invest in improved capability and professionalism. This is particularly in relation to management and leadership development to ensure that we are constantly striving to improve our standards and improve our performance. One off funding for capability development was made available between 2009 and 2011 to support the increased training and development requirements for the major change programme in CPS, the Prison s Capacity Project and the establishment of RRS. These programmes of work are now either completed or nearing completion. In delivering cost savings, funding for capability development is currently below 2009/2010 levels and accommodates any growth over this period. The capability costs for the Department are not anticipated to increase over the next four years. The main cost driver of our learning and development function is the delivery of training and development rather than the design of the programmes and frameworks. There is potential for further savings in this area by moving away from a reliance on classroom delivery and looking at other effective delivery methods. Because of the nature of our business being people intensive there will always be elements of our learning framework that will require face to face delivery. However, we are moving more towards a mixed delivery system including virtual classrooms, greater use of e-learning and locally delivered Practice Development Sessions which will rely in part on resolving some technology issues. Culture Improving staff engagement, workplace morale and individual motivation is an ongoing focus for Corrections. This focus is important as staff engagement impacts on productivity and Corrections ability to successfully respond and adapt to change in its environment. Our focus on the importance of the culture of our organisation has to date been delivered as part of our major change programmes. Under these change programmes staff have been regularly surveyed and feedback has identified the key common themes that staff look for in a positive workplace culture. Staff have told us that they want to be part of a cooperative, integrated, forward looking organisation with everyone galvanised around a common purpose. Staff have also said they want to be part of an organisation that is passionate about what it does and fosters excellence through doing the right thing at the right time. Embodying this feedback, in 2011 Corrections refreshed the way in which we think about our culture, through the publication of Our Way. Our Way the way we do things around here comes from our people working as One Team having shared behaviours, beliefs, values and a common vision. We all have a part to play wherever we work in our organisation. What we do every day brings out the best in Corrections and helps us achieve our priorities of public safety, reducing re-offending, better public value and leadership. 17

18 The key themes of Our Way are: > > we are accountable > > we make a difference > > we achieve more by working together > > we take new approaches to get better outcomes Engagement Corrections received the results of its first Workplace Survey (engagement survey) at the end of 2011, with a very high response rate of over 78%. On the positive side there are three aspects of the survey results which stand out: > > Close to 80% of staff indicated their intention to stay with the organisation for the next 12 months. > > There was a high correlation between the individual and organisational objectives, and staff believe that Corrections has a clear vision of where it is going and how it is going to get there. > > Over 78% of staff agreed that Corrections has high performance standards, including that upholding values such as integrity and accountability are crucial to Corrections success. The flip side of these survey results is that engagement levels are lower than the public sector benchmark, with just over half the respondents saying that they would recommend Corrections as a great place to work. Another key area of concern is the issue that staff generally think that communication and co-operation is lacking and there are concerns around respect and integrity practiced in the organisation. The results of this engagement survey tend to reflect the norms within the Justice sector, although they are generally below the public sector norms. To improve staff engagement, Corrections is already focusing on positive culture changes by implementing new approaches to the way staff work together and promoting accountability to the frontline. This moves the management of the business from a top down approach to management at the frontline. Focusing on professional judgement and decision making at the frontline impacts how risk is managed within Corrections. This aims to maximise the valuable skills, knowledge and experience of frontline staff to appropriately assess and manage risk. The implementation of appropriate support and other mechanisms will also enable managers and staff to feel responsible for their decisions and actions. The requirements for greater collaboration and improved productivity drive Corrections current investment in leadership. This investment is targeted to overcome less effective management styles, which are recognised as contributing to the current lack of engagement. Employment Relations The current employment relations framework is fragmented and traditional reflecting an environment of multi unions and services. It is a complex and complicated situation as there are a number of players in the relationship framework with employment conditions and relationships based on union, service and/or role. There are 13 Collective Employment Agreements including two covering frontline managers. This is administratively difficult both time and cost wise and works against the issues that we are trying to address such as enhanced collaboration across service lines. Future changes in Corrections are likely to create a more unsettled environment as staff come to terms with what the change means for them. In particular, changes relating to contract management of prisons, PPP and the future employment arrangements that Corrections may wish to enter into. 18 corrections workforce strategy

19 We have however made some gains in our relationships with the unions through more formalised structures and more regular engagement with the unions over a broad range of issues. This will assist us in moving forward and addressing more difficult issues in the future. Management of historic wage pressures The rapid growth of the workforce from 2005 to 2010, both in prisons and community probation coincided with a period of low unemployment. Corrections experienced difficulties with recruiting the high volumes of people with the right skills and behaviours over this time. Turnover was also higher than it is today and tended to occur within the first two years of employment. This increased both the cost of recruitment and retention and the associated challenges (for example, skill development and operational experience). Corrections has generally had lower average pay rates than the public sector median. There have been wage increases over this five year period to meet demand, in particular resulting from changes to roles and meeting expectations of increased skill levels. This wage growth has impacted on expectations of staff and unions reinforcing the notion of Corrections as a growth industry. Coinciding with a period of increased competition for staff more generally in the labour market, this has supported a view that the government would continue to fund wage growth for this vital part of the public sector. Ongoing wage funding and growth assumptions are based on Corrections ability to manage the current bargaining approach. There are some risks as to whether this could in the future impact on Corrections ability to recruit and retain staff. Maintaining our competitiveness in the labour market will be an ongoing challenge along with the drive for modernisation of employment terms and conditions. The challenge of change Change is an integral part of ensuring Corrections delivers on its outcomes in the most effective and efficient way. As such there has been both structural and operational change in the organisation for a number of years, with overall staff numbers reducing in the 2010/2011 period. These changes include the introduction of double bunking, the implementation of the IPF, the Value for Money review, structural changes in 2006/2007 and 2009/2010. In addition, there has been the contract management of Mt Eden Prison, outsourcing of services and development of a possible PPP. To date the raft of change that has been implemented across Corrections has led to a perception by some that there has already been enough change and no further changes are needed. However, both internal and external business drivers are setting the scene for the implementation of future changes within Corrections. This tension adversely impacts staff engagement and the culture of Corrections. Although Corrections strives to engage its workforce to positively embrace ongoing change, a clear challenge going forward is communicating the scale of the change that may occur over the next few years. However, it is unclear whether the drivers of change such as the public value notion is well understood or recognised as necessary by our workforce and external stakeholders. In addition, we need to communicate that the change we are seeking is transformational and not simply at the margins. As part of our two way communication, we need to continue to engage with staff about future issues and ensure that the workforce is supported and understands the impact of reducing offender numbers and introducing new ways of working, in particular within the context of a more competitive environment. Finally we need to consider how we better integrate the practice of continual improvement that is internally driven, into our business as usual operations. 19

20 Measuring Success Corrections currently has a range of measures in place that assess its performance across a variety of business functions, for example, operational, financial, facilities, technology and people. We provide HR metrics on a monthly basis to the senior management teams and quarterly to the Executive Team and the HR Governance Committee. Some of the workforce measures are indicated in the demographics section of this Workforce Strategy, for example, turnover, age and tenure. However, there are some areas where measures have traditionally been less tangible, such as indicators about leadership performance across the organisation. While such metrics will be a challenge for any organisation, Corrections has taken recent steps to improve evaluation in these areas such as the introduction of the JRA Engagement Survey at the end of This survey is also used across the Justice sector and will be a useful tool extending beyond the specific issues for Corrections. We have also been progressively introducing new approaches to Talent Management and Succession planning, which also include measures to assist in the evaluation of management bench strength. This work will also be important across the sector to ensure that we are achieving our baseline savings at the same time as improving effectiveness. In addition, we are harnessing technology where possible to measure performance in other areas such as the introduction of a rostering system which will bring a more robust approach to workforce capacity management, including managing leave and absences and other areas of potential future savings. We have implemented a Learning Management System and e-recruitment system in the last two years which also provide important information for Corrections. Over time these systems will produce key qualitative measures as well as cost and volume measures. We have had a progressive focus on developing key operational performance measure and indicators. These will need to be more closely linked to our workforce measures in the future to help inform us about critical levers to optimise performance. We need to ensure that we are tracking information that demonstrates we are achieving our strategic workforce goals or alternatively that we need to review and update the strategy. We will need to investigate more closely how we can better use our workforce information to assess the success of future change in the organisation. We also need to consider how to properly assure ourselves about the benefits associated with the modernisation programmes and changes to work practices as well as the structural changes that will be involved in transforming our workforce. 20 corrections workforce strategy

21 Future Workforce Priorities Corrections has an ambitious change programme ahead of it over the next four years to transform our services, achieve the required savings and manage our workforce in an effective and sustainable way. Against this backdrop we have identified and described two priorities for the future workforce being: > > A professional and engaged workforce, focused on Corrections outcomes; and > > A modern and sustainable Corrections, contributing to an effective Justice sector A professional and engaged workforce, focused on Corrections outcomes Our desired future is a workforce focused on the most effective and efficient way to deliver on our outcomes of public safety and reducing re-offending. Our services will be designed to more effectively meet offender needs integrated with the wider Justice sector. Working in a collaborative way, all staff will understand how their roles and actions contribute positively to achieving our outcomes. On a day to day basis staff will have the confidence to use professional judgement, they will be comfortable with innovation and be well supported by the tools and guidelines provided. Staff will be more engaged by managers who communicate well and will support them to achieve the best outcomes with clearly defined bottom lines, expectations and performance frameworks. Staff will be recognised and valued for high performance, achievements and their contributions to delivering Corrections outcomes. 21