Common selection criteria information for job applicants
- Introduction
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- What are the benefits of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)?
- What is meant by EEO target groups?
- Valuing cultural diversity
- How do I put EEO principles into practice?
- Professional and ethical conduct
- Responsibility to the government
- Integrity, transparency, professionalism and public interest
- Client service
- Efficiency and effectiveness
- Respect for people
- Reporting corrupt conduct
- Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)
- What are my rights and responsibilities as an employee?
- What are the Australian Museum's responsibilities?
- How are OH&S issues identified and resolved?
Introduction
Applicants for positions in the Australian Museum are expected to demonstrate, at a level appropriate to the position, a sound understanding of the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), cultural diversity, professional and ethical conduct and occupational health and safety. If you are an external applicant, you are not expected to be familiar with specific in-house Australian Museum policies and procedures. However, if you are called for interview, you may be asked to talk about how you think the broad principles apply in the Australian Museum context as you understand it, or be expected to integrate your understanding of these policies in practice in your responses to other interview questions. The information outlined below is intended to provide you with an understanding of the key principles underpinning the above areas and to assist you in preparing your written application.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is about:
- making sure the workplace is free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment of any kind; and
- providing programs to assist members of 'EEO target groups' to overcome past or present disadvantage.
This means having workplace rules, policies, practices and behaviours that are fair and do not disadvantage people because they belong to a particular group. All staff are to be valued and respected and be provided with the opportunities to develop their full potential and pursue a career path of their choice. As an employee you can contribute to ensuring that EEO is applied by:
- working to the best of your ability and providing quality service to Australian Museum clients;
- recognising the skills and talents of other staff members;
- helping to prevent harassment and discrimination in your workplace;
- respecting differences among your colleagues and clients such as cultural and social diversity; and
- treating people fairly.
What are the benefits of EEO?
The benefits of EEO extend to employees, clients, managers and the organisation generally. In the workplace, the benefits to staff are:
- recruitment, selection and promotion practices which are open, competitive and based on merit;
- access to training and development;
- flexible working arrangements that meet the needs of staff and create a productive workplace;
- grievance handling procedures that deal with workplace complaints promptly, confidentially and fairly;
- communication processes that provide staff with access to information and allow their views to be heard;
- management decisions that are made without bias;
- no unlawful discrimination or harassment in the workplace; and
- respect for the social and cultural backgrounds of all staff and clients.
What is meant by the term 'EEO target groups'?
EEO target groups are people affected by past or continuing disadvantage or discrimination in employment. As a result they may be more likely to be unemployed or working in lower paid jobs. These groups are:
- women;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders;
- members of racial, ethnic and ethno-religious minority groups; and
- people with a disability.
The NSW Government supports a range of programs to assist these groups such as traineeships, work experience programs and management/career development programs.
Valuing Cultural Diversity
What do I need to know about cultural diversity and ethnic affairs? The NSW Government regards the cultural and linguistic diversity of the State's population as a valuable national resource that enhances all aspects of national life. In order to maximise this resource; the Government has adopted Principles of Cultural Diversity to guide all Government activity. These principles apply to all aspects of the State's social, cultural, political, legal and economic life of NSW on which public institutions (including the Australian Museum) impact. There are four key principles that guide ethnic affairs policies and programs:
- all individuals in NSW should have the greatest possible opportunity to contribute to, and participate in, all aspects of public life;
- all individuals and public institutions should respect and accommodate the culture, language and religion of others within an Australian legal and institutional framework where English is the primary language;
all individuals should have the greatest possible opportunity to make use of and participate in relevant activities and programs provided or administered by the government of New South Wales; and - all public institutions of NSW should recognise the linguistic and cultural assets in the population of NSW as a valuable resource and promote this resource to maximise the development of the State.
How do you put these principles into practice?
The Australian Museum is committed to supporting diversity and recognises that there is a need to:
- recognise the cultural and linguistic diversity of the NSW community;
- respect and accommodate these differences in its corporate activities;
- involve people from ethnic communities in its planning, programs and activities; and
- monitor, review and report our progress within ethnic communities across NSW.
Professional & Ethical Conduct
If you are successful in gaining appointment or are currently employed in the Public Service you are expected to behave in a way that promotes public confidence and trust. Each organisation, including the Australian Museum, has a Code of Conduct that provides staff with an ethical framework for their decisions, actions and behaviours.
Responsibility to the Government
You are expected to approach your work with impartiality, implementing the policies and decisions of the Government of the day, regardless of your personal beliefs and opinions, in a politically neutral manner. You also need to act in line with relevant legislative, industrial and administrative requirements
Integrity, Transparency, Professionalism and Public Interest
It is the actions and decisions of Australian Museum employees that give the community confidence in the Australian Museum's integrity. In the course of your work duties, you must always act in the Australian Museum's interest and not in your own personal interest, performing your duties professionally at all times. You must also avoid activities at work and in your private life that might bring the Australian Museum into disrepute.
Client Service
All clients, whether they are internal (eg. other Australian Museum employees) or external (eg. the public, other government bodies, community groups), have expectations about their right to a certain level of service. At the Australian Museum we foster this view of client rights through our Guarantee of Service. You are expected to seek to understand clients' expectations and needs. For example, it is important that you provide clear, accurate, current and complete information in a format that is easy for clients to understand.
Efficiency and Effectiveness
As a public sector employee it is your responsibility to make the best use of your time and of the resources made available to help you with your work. It is also your responsibility to make sure that you are not preventing colleagues from using their time and resources efficiently. To assist the Australian Museum to achieve both individual and team-based improvements in performance, you should ensure that you keep up-to-date with changes and developments in your area of expertise. You should also advise your supervisor of any areas or ways in which you believe improvements to efficiency or effectiveness could be made.
Respect for people
You are expected to treat members of the public and your colleagues fairly and consistently, in a non-discriminatory manner and with proper regard for their rights and obligations. This includes treating people in a responsible manner while at work, and while representing the Australian Museum outside of work. It also means being courteous, polite and sensitive to all people's rights and needs, and providing all services with courtesy and co-operation, avoiding behaviour and comments that might be construed as insult or defamation. This also means that you must not harass or discriminate against your co-workers or members of the public.
Reporting corrupt conduct, maladministration and serious waste of public resources
As an Australian Museum employee you are required to report suspected corrupt conduct, maladministration and serious and substantial waste of public resources. The Australian Museum is strongly committed to the aims and objectives of the Protected Disclosures Act and has established a Protected Disclosure Reporting System to encourage such disclosures.
Occupational Health and Safety
Occupational health and safety is concerned with the health and safety of the work environment. All public sector agencies, including the Australian Museum, have a range of occupational health and safety procedures and specific activities covering aspects such as:
- current occupational health and safety standards to be applied in the workplace;
- occupational health and safety training and education;
- safety rules;
- workplace inspections and evaluations;
- reporting and recording of accidents, incidents, injuries and illnesses; work based occupational rehabilitation.
- provision of safety equipment;
- provision of first aid facilities;
- disaster planning, including emergency procedures and drills;
- pre-appointment health checks and post appointment health monitoring;
- work design and workplace design to promote safe practices; and
- changes to work methods and practice, including those associated with technological change.
What are my responsibilities and rights as an employee?
As an employee it is your responsibility to take reasonable care of the health and safety of yourself and others in the workplace. You are also required to co-operate with the Australian Museum in its efforts to comply with occupational health and safety requirements.
What are the Australian Museum's responsibilities?
The Australian Museum has a duty of care to provide a safe system of work, including appropriate training, provision of information, instruction and supervision. The Australian Museum is required to:
- provide or maintain equipment and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health;
- make arrangements for ensuring the safe use, handling, storage and transport of equipment and substances;
- provide information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure your health and safety;
- maintain places of work in a safe condition, providing and maintaining safe entrances and exits; and
- make available adequate information about research and relevant tests of substances used in the workplace.
How are occupational health and safety issues identified and resolved?
The Australian Museum has an occupational health and safety program that outlines safety management systems and workplace injury management plans. An Occupational Health and Safety Committee has been established and consists of both employer and employee representatives. The Committee oversees the organisation's occupational health and safety program implementation and performance, providing a forum for the identification and resolution of health and safety problems and for the development and monitoring of safe systems and procedures.