Our people

Employee health, safety, wellbeing and human rights remained key priorities in 2020–21. Treasury’s Remote Workforce Strategy, implemented in response to COVID-19 in 2020, supported employees to work productively from home and informed the department’s return to office plan. With COVIDsafe work practices in place, Treasury employees continued to provide outstanding service for Queensland’s economic recovery.

In accordance with health advice, the department proactively managed its return to office response to COVID-19 and continued to review business practices, including workplace presence, to ensure effectiveness in the delivery of critical public service work. In 2020–21, Treasury supported flexible work arrangements where blended work arrangements, including remote working and in-office work, were able to be balanced with service delivery requirements.

Treasury’s workforce strategy 2020 to 2024 builds and sustains a diverse, capable, flexible and engaged workforce to deliver on key priorities for the Queensland Government.

Key areas of focus include:

• embedding wellbeing into culture and operations
• focusing on positive performance and capability development
• building a demographically diverse workforce reflective of Queensland communities
• continuing a strong focus on ethical conduct and accountability
• balancing the benefits of flexible work for our employees with organisational needs
• workforce planning – right staff, right skills and right place.

A Workforce Strategy Steering Committee, chaired by the Under Treasurer, guides implementation of the strategy.

Treasury has continued its strong commitment to building a diverse workforce that reflects Queensland communities. The department’s Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee is chaired by the Under Treasurer and supported by an employee network.

During 2020–21, Treasury established a Diversity and Inclusion Policy that required all employees to complete diversity and cultural capability training. Managers were also required to apply appropriate diversity measures across all recruitment and selection exercises.

Employment pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continued to be a key priority in 2020–21. Treasury expanded the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cadetship program to 10 places and applied diversity strategies in the 2021 Treasury graduate recruitment process to contribute to the department’s talent pipeline.

Treasury is in its fourth year as a White Ribbon Australia workplace. To meet this commitment, Treasury provides mandatory training for all employees on how to recognise and respond to signs of domestic and family violence, including how to support their colleagues and refer to help services. In 2020–21, 163 of our leaders have undertaken specialist face-to-face training on how to support employees impacted by domestic and family violence. A further 589 staff completed online Recognise, Respond Refer training in the same period.

A key objective in Treasury’s strategic plan is to improve the department’s leadership and management capability and skills. Treasury’s Managers’ Development Program continued throughout 2020–21, providing current and aspiring managers with practical and fundamental frontline management skills essential to delivering Treasury’s objectives. The program is supported by specialist sessions with in-house subject matter experts.

In 2020–21, Treasury developed a Positive Performance Management framework in line with the government’s Positive performance management (Directive 15/20).  As part of the new framework, Treasury will focus on regular and constructive conversations between managers and their teams throughout 2021–22, with the purpose of recognising individuals’ strengths, needs and contributions.

Treasury continued its longstanding commitment to employee safety and wellbeing by delivering services aligned to the government’s Be healthy, be safe, be well strategy.

All employees had access to specialist advice, counselling and support through the department’s Employee Assistance Program. Services provided included personal counselling, manager hotline services, resilience programs, physical health and wellbeing coaching, and monthly webinars.

Treasury and the Together Industrial, Union of Employees met quarterly in a consultative committee in 2020–21 to discuss industrial relations matters. The department continued to support and exemplify the principles of the Union Encouragement Policy. Treasury also continued to meet its commitments with regard to the management of employment and industrial matters, and reports to the Public Service Commission, Queensland Ombudsman and Crime and Corruption Commission, in line with its obligations and statutory requirements.

Treasury continued to value, actively support and promote an ethical workplace throughout 2020–21, with the Code of Conduct for the Queensland Public Service guiding how Treasury undertook its business as a public sector department.

The Code of Conduct is based on the principles outlined in the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994. During 2020–21, the department required all employees to complete Public Sector Ethics Refresher training. The Code of Conduct and public sector ethics training were also included in Treasury’s induction program for all new employees.

Treasury’s human rights community of practice continued to support the department in implementing Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019, which commits all government agencies to respect, protect and promote the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings. This commitment has included:

• all employees, including new starters, undertaking the Queensland Human Rights Commission’s ‘Introduction to Human Rights Act’ training
• providing ‘Human Rights in our Work’ training for decision-making and frontline employees, with 33 employees completing this online training in 2020–21.

There were 6 human rights complaints received by Treasury:

• one matter finalised – no human rights breached
• one matter out of scope
• 3 complaints being investigated
• one complaint withdrawn.

In 2020–21, Treasury was committed to the objectives of the government’s Savings and Debt Plan, maintaining a focus on core deliverables and sustaining frontline services. In particular, Treasury implemented stringent control mechanisms to ensure there was appropriate workforce management and oversight.

At the end of the year, Treasury’s workforce comprised a total of 1,204 people¹ including:

• 1141.61 full-time equivalent employees
• 156 part-time employees.

During 2020–21, one employee received a redundancy package at a cost of $190,418 and 5 employees received voluntary medical retirement packages at a cost of $227,145.

1 Includes Treasury employees providing services to Motor Accident Insurance Commission and Nominal Defendant Based on MOHRI FTE data for fortnight ending 18 June 2021.