A bronze in the most recent Australian Business Excellence Awards is strong evidence that things are moving ahead at the Baulkham Hills Shire Council in Sydney’s Northwest.
One key improvement to help organisational development has been a new bonus system for permanent staff. Organisation Development Manager, Ann Metham, said employees are Council’s most important asset and it was important to show it. She said Baulkham Hills Shire Council demonstrated this through a number of formal and informal reward and recognition programs.
“The Shire has improved the performance planning and review process and made it more meaningful by attaching an annual bonus allocation to it,” she said.
As part of the final review in July each year the process is supported with a two tier bonus system which rewards the top ten performers with $1,000 net per person, and the next 11 top performers with $700 net per person. People who have received the bonus have come from all levels and from right across the organisation, Ann Metham said as a result, employee morale is now enhanced, as shown through the results of the organisation’s cultural vitality survey conducted every 18 months since 1998.
In 2004 the survey results, analysed by an independent organisation, confirmed that employees felt that both teams and the organisation were strong and dynamic.
“Most employees’ perceptions of the Shire are positive and have increased since 1999,” Ann Metham said. “The outcome of contented employees is high levels of customer service and Council’s customer surveys indicate a high satisfaction rate.”
For further information contact Ann Metham on (02) 9843 0113.
