We know the public service is under resourced and underfunded.
The need for pay parity and other ways to address the recruitment and retention crisis in many areas is crucial as services struggle under the weight of vacancies that are hard to fill – it’s something CPSU Members have secured some action on in many of the latest Agreements for members.
What’s been dubbed the ‘great resignation’ means many workers are leaving their current employment for new and different work. This too adds to workloads, with many workers feeling that expectation of needing to do their job and someone else’s.
This all means one thing – heavy workloads.
Did you know that Tasmanian State Service Award [link] allows a way for employees to address workload concerns under Part V – Workplace Flexibility?
Find it here (Page 99): https://www.tic.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/671504/T14934-No-3-of-2022-Tasmanian-State-Service-Award-S085.pdf or read in the section below (we’ve emphasised the most important parts).
In a nutshell – tasks shouldn’t those that can be performed in the hours you are employed and if work overload is a regular thing, changes like extra resources, technology should be implemented. If you raise these with your manager – they should quickly respond to these concerns, and if they agree there is a workload problem, there should be a plan to address this. If your manager doesn’t agree they should outline the reasons why not.
It might also be helpful to talk to your colleagues to see if they are experiencing any similar workload issues as well – maybe it is something that could be addressed together.
If you need help and the avenues to address workload that stem from the Award aren’t working, then contact CPSUDirect on cpsudirect@tas.cpsu.com.au.
On a wider level the CPSU is campaigning on vacancies and to address recruitment and retention crises where they exist.
Tasmanian State Service Award: PART V – WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY, pg. 99
WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT
(a) The employer is to ensure that supervisors and managers are aware that the tasks allocated to employees must not exceed what can reasonably be performed in the hours for which they are employed.
(b) The employer is to ensure that supervisors and managers implement procedures to monitor the hours worked of the employees they supervise and where employees regularly work hours in excess of the hours for which they are employed to perform their jobs, changes (technology, responsibility, and extra resources) will be implemented.
(c) An employee who believes they have been allocated duties that exceed those that can be reasonably performed in the time allocated for them to be undertaken should formally advise their manager. Where practicable to do so the employee should suggest how their allocated tasks can be prioritised.
(d) A manager who has been advised in accordance with sub-clause (c) should respond promptly to the employee’s concerns. Where the manager acknowledges the workload is excessive the response should include a plan to reduce the workload to a manageable level. If the manager does not accept that the workload is excessive the response should outline such reasons.
(e) To minimise workload issues the employer is to make every effort to ensure vacancies are filled within three months. If it appears likely this period will be exceeded supervisors and/or managers will consult affected employees, giving the reasons why the vacancy will not be filled and advising how the workloads will be managed having regard to (a) and (b) above.
(f) In most circumstances temporary vacancies will be filled as they arise. Where a vacancy is not to be filled supervisors and managers will consult affected employees, giving the reasons why the vacancy will not be filled and advising how the workload will be managed having regard to (a) and (b) above.
