Staff Engagement at the NLA is the involvement of staff in making decisions (through structures and processes) which involve the sharing of authority and responsibility in the workplace.

Why have Staff Engagement?

  • less industrial disputes resulting from better communication between management and staff
  • improved decision making processes resulting in higher quality decisions
  • increased creativity, enthusiasm and commitment to Corporate objectives
  • lowered stress and increased wellbeing
  • better use of time and resources
  • improved productivity including service delivery
  • increased job satisfaction resulting in reduced absenteeism
  • improved personal fulfilment and self esteem.

Forms of Staff Engagement: participative and representative

Examples of participative activities are

  1. regular meetings with
    • an agenda collected from staff
    • a rotating chairperson
    • discussion about section work allocation, maintenance and administration.
  2. group discussion before decisions are made
  3. active promotion of an involved team environment
  4. participative redesign of jobs or work systems.

Examples of representative activities are

  1. formation of committees and consultative forums consisting of staff and/or union representatives
  2. formation of working groups of staff and/or union representatives to analyse and make recommendations about specific issues. These can be 'occasional' Agency bargaining groups or 'standing' such as the WH&S Committee.
  3. setting up channels for continuous communication between management, unions and staff.

Consultative Committee

In relation to point 3, the Library’s peak representative body is the Consultative Committee. This Committee meets at least quarterly to discuss a wide range of issues, including financial and human resource planning, workplace diversity, work organisation and structures and general employee issues.

Workplace issues are discussed in a spirit of cooperation and trust to ensure that employees not only receive information on workplace issues that affect them, but also have an opportunity to contribute their views on those issues. At a minimum, the Library is to consult with the Consultative Committee on any proposed major change to policies, procedures and guidelines which affect the working lives of employees.

Membership of the Committee comprises 5 management representatives, 5 union representatives and 1 staff elected representative for each Division of the Library.