Australian Govlink Issue 2 2018 | Page 9

LOCAL GOVERNMENT As employees meet these new norms, it’s important that their reward aligns with the changes they face. This isn’t simply about money, but about offering a higher purpose to the nature of work done. Councils must consider their existing People and Workplace strategies and how these need to evolve to ensure that they are developing the right skills in the right areas. Equally important is addressing the performance management environment and exploring ways to measure and reward performance to keep people focused and engaged. People succeed better with clarity around their roles and accountability for tasks. The concept of ‘vision and values’ may sound like over-used corporate jargon, but it is well recognised that staff who feel connected to a common purpose are more empowered, understand the importance of their roles and consequently deliver more impact. This is especially pertinent for councils, being the closest level of government to the community. If staff are engaged in their roles and committed to the purpose of local government, customers and the community will benefit, with improved service delivery and positive outcomes. GOVLINK » ISSUE 2 2018 7