Current Challenges

 Current Challenges

The community services sector as you can appreciate is being challenged like never before to take a good hard look at the way it views and approaches the concept and practices of workforce development. Long gone are the days of workforce development being a highly regarded function within the corporate world. Employers of both non-government and government organisations across the community sector realise that the ability to assess, plan, attract, retain and provide employee mobility will be the difference between not just an effective service but one of survival. 

Attracting

Selecting staff

• Workforce Management, Victoria State Government

Recruitment Processes

• Productivity Placement Programs
• Recruitment Good Practice Guide, SA Commissioner for Public Employment 2008
• Realistic Job Preview Videos

Retaining 

• Leadership Style

• Australian Community Leadership Centre

Job Quality

• Job Quality Indicators (Canadian Policy Research Network)

Staff Turnover

• Cornerstones 4 kids (Canadian Human Services Workforce Site)
• Social Welfare Worker Retention(North Carolina 2007)
• Factors Influencing Retention of Child Welfare Staff: A Systematic Review of Research (Executive Summary)

Balancing 

Equity and diversity

• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Queensland, 2005-2010
• Diversity Gateway (Canadian Policy Research Network)

Recognition and reward

• Rewards: The Issue of Pay 2005

Health and wellness/Work Life Balance

• Managing Care and Work, New South Wales, Oct 2005, ABS
• Managing Work Life Balance International
• Work/Life Initiatives: The Way Ahead Executive Summary Report 2006
• Workplace Flexibility, Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, WA Government
• Employee Flexibility and Dependent Care, Federal Government
• Flexible Work Arrangements, Education Queensland

  Evolving 

Knowledge Transfer

• Knowledge Harvesting 

Flexible work arrangements

• Telework for Employees and Businesses: Maximising the Economic and Social Benefits of Flexible Working Practices, ATAC, 2005