Latrobe City Council’s Learning and Development Framework is designed to offer staff individually tailored personal and professional development opportunities. The framework was specifically designed to build the capacity of the organisation, foster and develop a high performance and achievement culture, and recognise the potential of employees.
Located at the gateway to Gippsland in southeast Victoria, Latrobe is a regional council, with a population of 71,000 people.
With almost 850 employees, organisational excellence is one of Council’s five strategic objectives and is central to Council’s ability to deliver its contribution to ‘Latrobe 2021 – The Vision for Latrobe Valley’.
Council’s General Manager Organisational Excellence, Seona Conway, said the framework was introduced in response to a thorough organisational health scan undertaken in 2002.
“The scan highlighted the potential for improvement in areas including communication, leadership, learning and development, reward and recognition, and performance management,” she said. “As such, leadership programs including a Frontline Leadership Program, Building Potential Program and Accelerated Development Program were developed inhouse and tailored specifically to organisational and employee needs.”
Seona Conway said that to date, over 200 staff have completed at least one of these programs.
All of the programs include discussions with participants to obtain their feedback before, during and after the program. This feedback is used to continually review, enhance and improve future programs.
“Program participants are also included in a leaders network, ensuring that they are advised of further learning opportunities and considered for leadership development opportunities, such as secondments, project work and/or acting appointments in leadership positions,” Seona Conway said.
The Frontline Leadership Program is designed to develop leadership skills for existing frontline and emerging coordinators and team leaders. The program is conducted over two days, with participants gaining a better understanding of the application of leadership skills and styles to effectively manage relationships with individuals and teams. Program topics include organisational direction, the role of a supervisor, effective leadership, conflict resolution and negotiation, effective communication and the transition from team member to supervisor.
Participants identify a workplace project that will resolve an issue or add value to the organisation and then present their project to the Executive Team. Many of the projects have identified innovative process improvements within work areas.
The Building Potential Program is an intensive leadership development program that is individually tailored to the personal and/or professional needs of the participant. The program draws on a range of development activities including coaching, mentoring, group workshops and targeted training sessions. Participants also have the opportunity to hear the CEO’s views on life and work in an informal environment, and are invited on a bus tour of the City to increase their awareness of Council’s services, issues and priorities. The tour also provides the opportunity to meet other employees that they may not have contact with on a regular basis.
Seona Conway said the learning and development framework forms a critical part of the broader organisational development context and is now part of the culture of Latrobe City.
“The framework strengthened leadership capability and the organisation’s knowledge base, developed relationships and management competencies and encouraged innovation and creativity,” she said. “As a result, Latrobe’s recruitment and retention strategies have gained a competitive edge.”
For further information contact Seona Conway on (03) 5128 5506.
