The City of Busselton held its first ever all-staff conference earlier this year and with more than 230 employees across five directorates participating, this was a major logistical feat.
City of Busselton CEO Mike Archer believes the effort was worthwhile as it resulted in officers from different business units gaining a greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of fellow employees and a clear vision of the City’s strategic objectives.
“One of my key objectives has been to unify the organisation in a way that improves efficiency”, he said.
“This has involved breaking down working silos, rewarding achievement, delegating responsibilities and opening up communication channels.”
The 2012 staff conference was an important milestone for the young city which is one of Western Australia’s fastest growing local government areas.
Staff participated in a range of professional development workshops and information sharing sessions.
One of the more novel inclusions on the conference schedule was a mass drumming session facilitated by Lee Cummings from Upbeat Inspirations.
“This session was great fun but it also got everyone drumming to the same beat which is symbolic of what we want to achieve as an organisation,” said Mr Archer.
“The all-staff conference signified a new sense of professionalism and shared responsibility.
“I feel very proud of all staff; they have faced enormous change over the past two years and, on every occasion, have risen to
the challenge.
“This conference provided the perfect forum to assess how far we’ve come and reaffirm where we are heading, I’m sure it will become a regular event.” he concluded.