Fostering a high-performance culture

Create a workplace of highly engaged people living our values

KPI results2020-21
Result
2021-22
Result
2022-23
Target1
2022-23
Result
Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) *
Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate is defined as occurrences per million hours worked, resulting in an injury that requires medical treatment from a legally qualified medical practitioner, or a person to be absent for any complete day or shift, after the day upon which the injury occurred, or both. Measure transitioned from Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate8.5<7.010.4
People Engagement
People Engagement score reflects employee satisfaction with the statement "I am happy working at Airservices". 60%268>6965

*Rolling 12 month result

  1. Source: Airservices 2022-23 Corporate Plan, page 21
  2. Launch of new Continuous Feedback platform (Glint) in October 2020

 

Analysis

Our total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) was above target for 2022-23. Most injuries related to body stressing resulting from operational training of our aviation rescue fire fighters. Our injury reduction program for our aviation rescue fire fighters is targeting a reduction in injuries and risk factors that contribute to injuries and will continue into 2023-24. During the year, progress was made on activities underpinning the development of an ARFFS Physical Safety Standard and making adjustments to Physical Aptitude Tests under our ARFFS Health and Wellbeing Program. These activities, undertaken with our program partner Macquarie University, are contributing to the establishment of a scientifically validated and defensible test and standard that will ensure operational aviation firefighting staff are capable of performing the inherent physical requirements of their role. The new standard and test that will be developed is intended to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries sustained by our aviation fire fighters.

We established a National Health and Safety Committee for ARFF in June 2023, which will provide a forum for reviews and consultations on safety-related issues to ensure nationwide consistency and best practice. In addition, we continued the implementation of strategic and tactical work health and safety management plans, addressing injury management and early intervention initiatives and a psychosocial risk reduction plan. We are working towards improving our WHS performance by enhancing leadership capability, developing a critical control framework and improving our systems effectiveness.

Our People Engagement result was below target. While the overall result did not meet the target, we have seen an improvement in some areas, including employee well-being, safety being a top priority for staff across the organisation, and our employees understanding how they contribute to the success of Airservices. We have commenced the implementation of an Engagement and Participation Plan to improve people engagement through tangible, practical leader-led actions and more visible communications. These initiatives include Leader workshops, development of a Leader pack with key messaging, Organisational Effectiveness Workshops (OEW) and the Propel Leadership Program. The OEW, for our senior leaders of leaders, has a dual focus on ‘what’ we need to achieve (outcomes), and ‘how’ we need to achieve (behaviours). In parallel, the Propel Leadership Program, for leaders of our front-line service delivery staff, is tailored to equip front-line leaders with specific capabilities to lead through change. Overall, these initiatives are designed to build alignment around organisational priorities, including our culture change, and to enable all our leaders to work as ‘one Airservices’ across our broader business, while uplifting the capability of our leaders with a focus on supporting leaders to develop and implement action plans to address problem areas and improve people engagement.

During 2022-23, we welcomed back Elizabeth Broderick & Co to facilitate a progress review of the progress on our culture journey and the commitments we have made 2 years after their initial findings. We anticipate the results of this progress review will be available in early 2023-24.

People and culture

A thriving purpose- and values-led organisation, aligning people designs and other capabilities to need.

Key initiatives

Culture Reform Program

We will be a leading place to work in Australia, through our 4 key initiatives: promoting a safe and inclusive place to work, embedding a culture of trust, care and accountability, cultivating courageous and authentic leadership, and strategically optimising our workforce and talent.

Achievements

We are striving towards transforming our culture to become a leading place to work in Australia. While this has been challenging, it will remain a specific focus for us. We continued to invest in creating a safe and engaging workplace, recognising our TRIFR and People Engagement KPIs remain a challenge.

We have focused on building a safe and inclusive place to work. We initiated a Workplace Health & Safety Improvement program to step change our safety performance, commencing in the first half of 2023-24. We also continued to invest in activities through our employee networks, elevating the focus on the value of diversity and inclusion in our organisation.

We continue to support the mental health and well-being of our people through implementing a Peer Assistance Network (PAN).

We have made a significant investment in building leadership capability to enable our frontline leaders to lead change by delivering the first phase of our Propel program.

Accountability and transparency for our progress is key to our cultural journey. The Elizabeth Broderick & Co review was conducted in June 2023. We anticipate the report will be available early in 2023-24.

Infrastructure and facilities

Safe, inclusive, engaging, and sustainable workplaces, enabling delivery of our valued services.

Key initiatives

Inclusive facilities

Modernised facilities that improve the inclusiveness and safety for our people.

Achievements

We have improved the inclusiveness of 20 of our key sites across Australia this financial year. We added female and gender-neutral facilities for our people, facilities for parents to meet their physical needs in private spaces, as well as personal reflection rooms.

However, progress has been challenging as we balance the need to improve the inclusiveness of our facilities while responding to feedback from our people on the condition of facilities and priority modernisation plans.

A further 3 sites are being built with inclusiveness by design in our purpose-built Air Traffic Services Centres (ATSC) in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth during calendar year 2023. We have progressed design at an additional 4 sites at Karratha, Adelaide, Rockhampton and Mackay and expect to commence construction over the course of financial year 2023-24.

We delivered a Workplace Experience Strategy as well as flexible office environments to support hybrid work and inclusivity.

Case Study

Propel

The evolution of our culture continues to gain momentum, with new initiatives driving greater inclusivity, respect and diversity in our workplaces. At the forefront of initiatives to transform our culture, empower our people and prepare our leaders for the future has been the launch of the highly successful Propel Leadership Program.

Propel is designed specifically by our people for our people. It is not only a commitment to the ongoing learning and development of our leaders, but also a valuable resource that our people can leverage to further build on their existing knowledge. The program is tailored to leaders who lead large cohorts of our daily front-line service delivery people, providing them with the critical skills they need to authentically lead their teams through the complexity of change. Since the roll out of the program, we have seen 100 of our service delivery leaders complete the program. A further 300 front-line operational leaders are currently participating in the program with expected completion in November 2023.

The tailored development of the program, in combination with utilisation of unique learning environments that foster connection and psychological safety, has visibly lifted cross-functional collaboration and enhanced leadership capabilities. Our organisation is well positioned for a future of cultural and operational success.

Feedback on the program has been overwhelmingly positive:

“This program is the best leadership program I’ve ever attended.”

“Learning how to identify when I’m at my best and worst is helping me lead more effectively.”

“Meeting my colleagues and networking across service delivery has been a highlight of this program. I believe we’re all in it together.”

We are transforming our culture by investing in our leaders.