If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail. Let's drill deeper...
Raising the profile of the urban water industry within your organisation
The best way to keep your staff is through acknowledgement and providing a good work culture and opportunities for career development.
Show your staff that you value their efforts by nominating them for awards.
qldwater sponsors the Young Operator of the Year and Operator of the Year (Civil / Allrounder) each year – more information here.
Other award opportunities include:
Promote respect in the workplace
The Queensland Government has launched the first in a series of campaigns designed to promote, support and drive change for apprentices and trainees, particularly female apprentices, as well as women and girls aspiring for great careers in male-dominated occupations like traditional trades.
Launched during Queensland Women’s Week (5-12 March 2023), the Let’s Protect Respect campaign promotes respect and support available to all apprentices, trainees and employers – so they know their rights and obligations, and where to turn for help if things go wrong at work.
Focused on both retention and attraction, the campaign series is part of the government’s three-year Train and Retain strategy, which aims to forge a stronger, inclusive training system that delivers for apprentices, trainees and employers, as well as our economy.
The strategy includes a range of actions in response to a 2022 review of support by the Queensland Training Ombudsman and is part of the Queensland Workforce Strategy – connecting good people to good jobs.
Learn more about the campaign and find promotional materials you can share here.
The Diverse Queensland Workforce program will deliver $8.5 million in funding, until 30 June 2025, to assist up to 2,500 migrants, refugees and international students into employment. This program was implemented as part of the Future Skills Fund and is being expanded as part of Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032.
See also the US Water Alliance’s Workforce Diversity Toolkit for some ideas to attract a more diverse workforce.
Are you ready for the mental health workplace code?
A new mental health workplace code “Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice” came into force on Saturday 1 April 2023.
It is designed to empower Queensland businesses with practical information and guidance to create mentally healthy workplaces across the state.
The code, which is the first legally enforceable code of its type in Australia, will directly address psychological health risks at work which can be anything from exposure to traumatic events to remote or isolated working.
The code includes advice on how to comply with existing health and safety obligations, after a national review found many employers were unsure of their duties to manage psychological health and safety risks at work.
It also provides practical examples of managing psychosocial hazards in the workplace, industry-specific case studies, and a range of helpful templates that businesses can tailor to suit their needs.
The Code of Practice can be accessed here.
Thanks to Mackay Regional Council and the NSW Water Directorate for sharing the following sample documents to help HR and managers understand and manage the effects of an under-resourced workforce:
qldwater have bite-sized resources available to upskill your staff including:
Help your staff keep track of their credentials
The Water Industry Operators Association (WIOA) manages the Operator Registration Framework and Acuario platform that can help your staff keep all their credentials in one place and help you find the gaps where further training may be required. qldwater is currently working with WIOA to develop a pilot program in the WBBUWA QWRAP region. They have also done an impressive body of work with Queensland Health and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Councils. More info here:
Ease older workers into retirement while tapping their brains and mentoring younger staff
How do you tap the knowledge of employees close to retirement? The 2021 and 22 skills forums featured presentations by Alan Carragher from the City of Gold Coast and Mike Oakey from Redland City Council to make the most of transition to retirement packages – watch their presentations here: