Policy: Staff consultation and organisational change

Purpose

To establish the framework for staff consultation and the management of change at The Australian National University.

Overview

This policy has been developed to provide staff with an understanding and guidance on the University framework for staff consultation and the management of change.

Scope

This policy applies to all staff across the University.

Policy statement

Principles

The University values the contribution that staff make to the research, education and community engagement activities of the University and provides opportunities for staff participation in decision-making through staff consultation.
The University is committed to meeting the strategic challenges of the future through effective staff consultation; and will strive to ensure a timely and consultative approach when managing workplace change.

Individual staff consultation

Managers and supervisors will consult directly with staff on day-to-day matters which affect a staff member's employment.
Staff are encouraged to raise any concerns they may have about their employment directly with their supervisor.
Where a staff member feels that they are unable to adequately raise their concerns or respond to matters raised by their supervisor, the staff member may request assistance from a union or staff representative in accordance with the staff representation procedure. The staff representative may provide the staff member with advice and accompany them to meetings.

Work area consultation

Where there are matters which relate to a work area, the work area may seek assistance from a union or staff representative/s in addressing the particular matter.
Subject to clause 6 (above), the role of the union or staff representative will be to provide advice to the staff member and, if appropriate, to accompany them to meetings. At the request of staff, there may be occasions where the manager of a work area consults directly with union or staff representative/s as part of an overall consultative process.

Organisational Change

The management of workplace change will be conducted in accordance with the ANU Procedure: Managing change .
The managing change consultation process will include all staff members who may be directly affected as well as the relevant union(s).
The University will make available support, such as counselling and career development, to staff affected by the change process.
The University will only offer a redundancy when a staff member’s position is genuinely in excess of requirements, as outlined in clause 57 of the ANU Enterprise Agreement (Redundancy).
The University will ensure involuntary redundancies are used as a last resort.

Information	Printable version (PDF)
Title	Staff Consultation and Organisational Change
Document Type	Policy
Document Number	ANUP_006404
Version
Purpose	To outline the policy framework for the management of change at ANU.
Audience	Staff, Staff-Professional, Staff-Academic, Staff-Academic-Research
Category	Administrative
Topic/ SubTopic	Staff

Effective Date	29 May 2024
Next Review Date	4 Dec 2026

Responsible Officer:	Chief People Officer
Approved By:	Vice-Chancellor
Contact Area	People and Culture Division
Authority:	The Australian National University Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026 Higher Education Support Act 2003 Australian National University Act 1991 Fair Work Act 2009
Delegations	0
Information generated and received by ANU staff in the course of conducting business on behalf of ANU is a record and should be captured by an authorised recordkeeping system. To learn more about University records and recordkeeping practice at ANU, see ANU recordkeeping and Policy: Records and archives management.

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