Victoria’s Public Sector Commission has earned a bouquet for providing good workforce guidance, but got a brickbat for failing to make sure it’s translating into good practice.

The commission also failed to demonstrate its guidance is always informed by research and  consultation, the state’s auditor general says in a new report.

The report, Building a Capable and High-performing Public Service Workforce, was tabled by the Victorian Auditor General’s Office on Wednesday.

In it, auditor Andrew Greaves says with 10 government departments employing around 41,000 VPS staff at a cost of more than $5.7 billion, it’s important to make sure the investment is worth it.

The audit focussed on the Victorian Public Sector Commission and two government departments – the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and the Department of Transport and Planning – to assess the policies, guidance and practices that were in place to build a capable and high-performing workforce. 

It found all three had policies based on guidance from the commission reflecting public sector values and principles that contribute to a capable and high-performing workforce.

Review process lacking

However, it also found the Commission doesn’t have a proper review process to ensure its guidance translates into better practice, and that the guidance isn’t always informed by research and consultation.

“The Commission’s guidance materials reflect the key themes that contribute to workforce capability and performance that we identified in our review of academic research,” Mr Greaves says.

“They also consistently reflect the public sector values and public sector employment principles.

“However, the Commission does not have an overarching policy or procedure that outlines its process for developing guidance.

“While the Commission has evidence of some research and engagement, it could not show that it systematically undertook research and consulted stakeholders when it develops its guidance materials.”

More emphasis on recruitment than retention

The audit also found the Commission doesn’t systematically or regularly review its guidance materials to make sure they reflect better-practice approaches.

And while there’s guidance for all stages of the employee lifecycle, substantially more resources are devoted to recruitment and development than onboarding and retention.

Mr Greaves made a number of recommendations including that the VPSC establish a review process to ensure its guidance reflects better practice.

Commissioner Brigid Monangle said the VPSC accepts the recommendation and has developed an action plan.