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Human Resources Director received thousands of submissions from readers showcasing the HR teams in Australia that have agile, bold and forward-thinking people strategies.
Readers were invited to submit nominations focused on areas such as:
talent management
diversity and inclusion
health and wellness
HR technology
HRD Australia objectively assessed each entry for detailed information, true innovation and proven success — along with benchmarking against the other entries — to determine the winners.
The dynamic HR team consistently demonstrates a commitment to innovative, progressive strategies and daring initiatives.
Redland City Council’s People, Culture, and Organisational Performance (PCOP) team is the driving force behind a wide range of innovative HR initiatives that have positively impacted their employees across:
business partnering
business transformation
health and safety
development and learning
payroll
talent attraction
In mid-2023, PCOP conducted an Employee Engagement Pulse Survey to better understand the sentiments of the workforce and identify areas for improvement.
The feedback reinforced employees’ pride in their work and support to the community, but highlighted their desire for greater flexibility and the need for enhanced leadership capabilities.
PCOP embarked on a transformative journey, introducing exciting initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive, flexible and supportive work environments.
Following the survey, the Council launched RedFlex, a new contemporary approach to flexibility.
While it involves a mix of indoor and outdoor workers, the new initiative gives employees more autonomy by not being wedded to a nine-to-five office environment.
“It’s about improving the overall balance between work and personal life, whether it’s a hobby, a sport or looking after children,” says people experience specialist, Sarah Raftery. “Some people work flexibly because they have a disability. It’s a work in progress, but so far, we’ve gotten amazing results.”
This flexibility not only benefits the employee, but the employer as well. Council group manager, Shane Hackett, believes it helps the authority retain staff while addressing a skills deficit.
“One of our employees just had her first child and was going to take 12 months maternity leave, but because of RedFlex, she decided to come back after six months and do a four-day week,” says Hackett. “So, she will come back engaged in the workforce, earning money for herself, her baby and her family, while I get a worker back.”
She further says, “It’s keeping people here longer too, instead of retiring as soon as they hit the retirement age of 65. They might work on a few more years because they can do a transition to retirement.”
This flexibility also means that employees can use their annual leave more strategically.
“We had someone who had already planned a holiday, and we weren’t able to backfill the position, so they offered to work while they were on holiday. RedFlex allowed them to work internationally. It’s for the employee, but it benefits the business too,” adds Raftery.
They are also planning to trial a four-day week, which could be a major positive step for flexible work in the organisation.
In February 2024, Redland City Council became the first local government in Queensland to implement the internationally recognised Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme to support people living with non-visible disabilities.
With collaboration between external and internal stakeholders, the program was introduced to create positive, inclusive and meaningful connections between the Council and the community it serves.
The scheme aims to encourage:
acceptance
greater inclusivity
understanding of people living with hidden disabilities such as dementia, autism spectrum disorder, brain injuries and chronic illnesses
Visual tools such as pins, lanyards and armbands are used to create awareness, with two types of merchandise available for those wishing to:
voluntarily disclose a hidden disability (green)
show they are trained to support the program (white)
The decision to partner with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme was made by CEO Andrew Chesterman, who met someone wearing a lanyard at the King’s Honours Awards and ever since has been passionate about the program.
“We’re rolling it out across our whole council to our staff through training, and once you’ve done the training, you get merchandise,” says Hackett.
“We’ve put stickers on our front entrances, and our front-of-house staff are all trained so that if someone comes in with a hidden disability, it’s as simple as saying, ‘Can I help you?’ Do you need some extra support?’ And the response from our customers has just been unbelievable,” she explains.
For the Council, it’s about raising awareness and making people more comfortable talking about their hidden disabilities or if they are caring for a loved one. Employees are also much more open to talking about their challenges since the launch of the initiative.
“An employee who I didn’t really know so well stopped me one day to tell me that her three teenage children all had either ADHD or autism, and they require a lot of care. This was her life for over 15 years, but she had never spoken about it in the workplace,” he says.
“For her to have the trust and safety to share that, just shows the impact of what the Sunflower Scheme has done.”
A total of 275 employees – 23% of Redland City Council’s workforce – have been trained in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme.
“It is a staged approach. We’re starting with those frontline areas, but now progressively rolling it out to all our other staff and facilities across the whole organisation. Our goal is by June 2025, the whole organisation will be trained,” he says.
The Council is at the forefront when it comes to hiring and onboarding new employees. It applies an eclectic mix of new technologies and traditional hiring practices.
“We were one of the first councils to really engage in a proper employee value proposition. It’s been four years since we implemented that, but now we’re looking at doing a new one, which is exciting,” Raftery reveals.
“The RedFlex program is also attractive in the recruitment process and it’s about making sure that it is included in the interview process.”
The Council’s onboarding program means that new employees fit in seamlessly with the company, which involves:
online forms
in-person induction days
“One of the most powerful things is the face-to-face induction day. All employees attend the program in their first three months. They get to connect with other new starters and senior managers,” says Hackett.
“We give presentations and connect with them to show that just because I’ve got ‘manager’ in my title doesn’t mean I’m not a human, and it makes them feel much more connected to the company.”
Making the workplace welcoming for all employees is paramount for the best HR teams in the country, as they believe that people from all races, nationalities and ethnicities should have equal opportunities in the hiring process and during their employment.
The Council advances its DE&I program by:
developing an external Reconciliation Action Plan with First Nations people
delivering a diversity inclusion training program available to all employees
opening an LGBTIQA+ employee resource group
The Council’s DE&I strategy comes from the top down.
“We have a huge focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Our CEO is an absolute champion for DE&I. He has lived experience with a family member, and he’s just so passionate about it,” comments Hackett.
The Innovative HR Teams 2024 report recognises firms that are breaking boundaries to move the HR industry forward in what has been a tumultuous year, whether by taking a progressive approach to recruitment, introducing a new technology or rolling out a groundbreaking reward and recognition strategy.
The report offers HR teams a unique benchmarking opportunity to see how their initiatives compare to those of the profession at large.
Readers were invited to submit entries showcasing HR teams that have agile, bold and forward-thinking people strategies. Nominations focused on areas such as talent management, diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, and HR technology. Initiatives introduced and results achieved in 2023 were highlighted.
HRD Australia objectively assessed each entry for detailed information, true innovation and proven success — along with benchmarking against the other entries — to determine the winners.
