3.6 Pay Benefits and Flexibility
Driver: 3.6
Dimension: Culture
Supporting aspiration: Pay is equitable and competitive; flexibility is real and workable; benefits are valued.
Why it matters
The employment deal shapes attraction, retention and perceptions of fairness. Pay, benefits and flexibility need to be understood, fair and workable in operational context.
What great looks like
Pay structures are transparent and governed well, benefits are understood and valued, flexibility is applied consistently with service needs and work-life balance is actively considered.
Employee Survey alignment
| Item | Survey question |
|---|---|
| Q1 | My pay is fair compared with colleagues doing similar work |
| Q2 | My pay is competitive with similar jobs outside Council |
| Q3 | The non-cash benefits I have on offer are of value to me |
| Q4 | I have access to flexibility that suits my role |
| Q5 | I am able to achieve a healthy work-life balance |
How to interpret a weak result
A weak result for this driver should prompt a practical diagnosis, not an immediate solution. Ask:
- Is the issue whole-of-council, concentrated in particular work areas or linked to specific employee groups?
- Which question-level result is driving the pattern?
- Do comments or leader perspectives explain the issue?
- Is this mainly a system/process issue, a leadership issue, a resourcing issue or a communication issue?
- What would employees reasonably expect Council to do next?
Possible actions and interventions
- Review salary system fairness and progression rules
- Communicate how pay and progression decisions are made
- Refresh benefits communication
- Review flexibility by role type and service requirement
Evidence to review alongside the survey
- Employee Survey question-level results and comments
- Relevant people metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, vacancy, overtime, grievances, safety or EAP themes
- Leadership and SME perspectives
- Relevant workforce, service, budget or risk data