DPM Hosts APSC First Assistant Commissioner Talbot

The Department of Personnel Management had the pleasure of hosting the First Assistant Commissioner, Ms. Joanne Talbot from the Australian Public Service Commission who joined DPM officers during a staff meeting on the 19th of this month.

Ms. Talbot and the APSC team shared insights on Workplace Reforms, Diversity and Inclusion in the Australian Public Service.

DPM Secretary Ms. Taies Sansan during the staff meeting has expressed gratitude in having Commissioner Talbot visit the department to provide strategies and advise on workplace reforms in the public service as the      department embarks on its own reforms journey.

DPM and APSC also acknowledged their long standing working relationship and the continued assistance between the Australian Public Service Commission and the DPM.

DPM Secretary briefed the guests with the Eleven (11) core functions of the Department, and informed them of the reform activities that are taking place, especially on the DPM &  Public Service Commission Merger, the National Medical and Life Insurance Cover for Public Servants, Public Service Institutional Housing, Human Resource Development Strategic Plan 2020-2050, Version  Upgrade (Payroll Upgrade) and NID.

Commissioner Talbot who was pleased to be visiting the Department and Papua New Guinea for the first time, said the Australian Public Service Commission also share similar core functions with DPM as they also have been on their own reforms journey for four to five years, in the Australian Public Service.

“For APSC Reforms, is   business as usual and it is kind of the way we work as we focus on the concept of Stewardship and leaving things better than how they were found. It’s about how we deliver our advice to the government and how we  deliver for our community” said Ms. Talbot.

During the question and answer session Secretary Sansan asked the Commissioner on how change      management can be addressed in the workplace as reforms is a challenging task to undertake, and in response to Secretary Sansan ‘s question the Commissioner said engagement was the key to addressing and dealing with emotions during the process of reforms.

Engagement with those who the changes are going to impact, is really important especially by reaching out and talking to people in the service on what they think about reforms in the public service, said Ms. Talbot.

“Thinking about key messages that you want to communicate and having sessions amongst yourself to keep reminding yourself on how and why we are doing this, to see if there are results,” she said.

Ms. Talbot’s visit is timely as the Department through a National Executive Council decision is preparing for the merger between the Public Service Commission and the Department of Personnel Management.