Staff Voice produces outcomes

Mosman Council’s Executive Team – Director Environment and Planning Craig Covich, General Manager Dominic Johnson, Director Community Development Di Lawrence, Manager HR Melissa Karlsson and Director Corporate Services Ben Wicks with the Voice Project award.

Mosman Council, New South Wales, has been expanding its suite of professional corporate development and recognition programs following an award last year recognising its excellent management practices and highly engaged workforce.

Since being named winner of the Voice Project’s Best Workplace Award for 2019, which acknowledged positive staff feedback survey results in which it exceeded on average more than 100 industry benchmarks by at least 10 percent, Mosman has continued to enhance its staff development offerings and recognition program.

Among the new additions are a number of new internal targeted development opportunities which will be facilitated by an external trainer.

Employees at all levels have been invited to apply to participate in the Leadership Development Series, which targets specific skill development in the areas of personal empowerment, goal setting, emotional intelligence and communicating with confidence in four half-day sessions.

Meanwhile a biennial Leadership Mentoring program for staff developing leadership skills will focus on professional development in high-level communication abilities, expanding management and leadership potential, career planning and project skills.

Council has also offered a successful Mentoring and Development program over the past two years through which up to 12 mentors work with an equal number of mentees to develop their professional and personal skills.

Staff recognition has also been a focus, with all staff for the first time last year receiving a letter outlining the results of their performance review, and as a result of exceptional performance, some receiving a monetary reward, building on Council’s established service excellence awards which have been a feature of the annual staff calendar since 2018.

Mosman Council has also been working with staff to break down the silos that exist between work areas. Through staff consultation workshops, a comprehensive range of actions have been developed to help staff get to know each other better, to understand roles, overcome geography, promote collaboration projects and ensure staff are notified and consulted about change.