1.         Establish need for change

1.1     Trends in external and internal environment are reviewed and monitored and the need for change is identified

1.2     The needs and expectations of the community and staff are assessed in consultation with the community and staff

1.3     Operations are continuously monitored and evaluated and improvement opportunities are identified and implemented

2.         Plan change

2.1     Options for change are identified and assessed in terms of their impact on organisational performance

2.2     A change plan is developed in consultation with employees and/or their representatives

2.3     Change plan is endorsed by chief executive officer and/or Council and disseminated to stakeholders

3.         Facilitate the implementation of change

3.1     Time schedules for implementing change are determined and amended as necessary

3.2     Employee training and development requirements resulting from change are identified and included in change strategies

3.3     Existing systems and processes are modified, or new systems and processes introduced to implement required change

3.4     Staff are informed of progress of change

3.5     Staff needs are identified and appropriate support arranged

4.         Evaluate change programs

4.1     Changes are monitored in accordance with the plan and specific goals

4.2     Stakeholders are consulted and feedback sought on effects of change

4.3     Actual outcomes of change are compared against expected outcomes

4.4     Modifications to change process are made as appropriate

Application of this competency will vary according to the Council's size, location, organisational structure, resources, state/territory statutory requirements, business/strategic plans, and policies and practices

External requirements

Legislative change, economic change, political environment, demographic changes, community issues, technological change, natural and other disasters

Internal requirements

Budgetary restrictions, changing work structures, management change, improvements for increased productivity, enterprise bargaining

Impact of change

Working relationships, public relations, productivity/effectiveness measures, working environment, quality of services/products, industrial relations, individual skills/knowledge and career paths, morale, professional or technical procedures and protocols

Industrial implications

Conditions of service including working conditions, associated legislation and industrial agreements, e.g. awards, enterprise bargaining processes, occupational health and safety, equal employment opportunity and industrial democracy union/management/employee consultative process

Consultation

Feedback, consensus, majority vote, participative committees, meetings, submissions

Type of change

Restructuring or re-engineering, total quality management, job redesign, redundancy and recruitment, outplacement support, staff retention and development

Training and development

In-house, external, accredited, on-the-job, formal/informal

• Need for change established
• Consultation with, and acceptance by, key stakeholders
• Comprehensive change plan development
• Evaluation of changes undertaken

• Prerequisite units: nil
• Co-requisite units: nil

• Equal employment opportunity and occupational health and safety legislation
• Project management and time management skills
• Industrial awards and agreements
• Council policy and procedures
• Understanding implications of human resource strategic plan and Council's corporate directions
• Evaluation methods

• Change management skills
• Qualitative and quantitative research skills
• Report writing
• Negotiation and consultation skills across a range of stakeholders
• Facilitation skills

Access to workplace or simulated case study which encompasses the following resources:- copies of relevant legislation, industrial awards and agreements, council policies, texts and resources on change management, TQM, Best Practice; access to unions and employees (or simulated role play)

Evidence will need to be gathered over time across a range of variables depending on Council work-flow and planning cycle as long as the critical aspects of evidence can be demonstrated

May be undertaken on-the-job or in a simulated environment