Telstra performance principles: quarterly consultation
The CWU met with Telstra on Thursday 3 March to discuss the company’s performance assessment and management procedures.
Under the Telstra Enterprise Agreement, Telstra is obliged to consult with the CWU and other Telstra unions on a quarterly basis about performance principles, performance pay arrangements and other relevant issues as they apply at an organisational, as opposed to individual, level.
At the 3rd March meeting, Telstra indicated that it was not planning any major changes to the current system such as the use of My Future to set agreed goals and the 5 point rating system against which performance is measured.
It is, however, planning to develop new procedures in the performance support area. Telstra says the aim here is to develop tools and processes to allow local managers to play a more direct role in performance management. More information on what these changes may actually involve should be available in the coming weeks.
From the union side, the CWU and others raised a number of problems with the current system:
- Differences between business units in the way the current 5 point rating system is used and understood, particularly as it relates to the old ratings (Meets Expectations etc);
- Uncertainties among members about how My Future works, including how the personal goals an employee might identify relate to company goals;
- Goals being set by management that aren’t achievable within ordinary working hours and which effectively require the performance of unpaid overtime;
- Employees being expected to achieve goals in circumstances where elements of the job are beyond their control (e.g. network degradation);
- Use of performance measures for conduct/disciplinary purposes.
Telstra says it is willing to address such problems if the unions can point to areas where they are occurring.
The CWU relies on members to provide it with specific examples of unfair and unrealistic performance measures and of improper forms of performance management. Contact your state branch if you can help.
