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PGPA Act – 6 Strategic Government Challenges
As per the PGPA Act, agencies plan in order to achieve their objectives and report on their KPIs. To achieve positive outcomes Governments and Agencies need to work together to align their plans. Below are some of the key areas in which agencies should focus to ensure they are meeting the requirements of the PGPA Act.
1. Linking Staff and Agency Outcomes
All agencies must have systems in place that allow them to achieve their objectives and KPI targets as required by the PGPA Act. There is no doubt that to achieve the best possible result the outcomes of an agency and its staff (i.e. people and teams) should align in a way where goal setting takes place and expectations are clear.
An agency’s overall output equates to the “sum” of all combined efforts. As such, every staff member plays a crucial role in the delivery of plans and helping achieve agency objectives.
It is crucial that managers engage, develop and support their staff as well as include them in planning. Managers should work with staff to define the skills and support they require to succeed in their roles. It’s all about working with staff to define areas of strength and weakness and using this data to pave the way for staff to learn and develop. It is also crucial that managers create a setting that will allow staff to perform at high levels and bridge the gap between their own capability and what the agency expects.
Above all managers should provide regular feedback to staff. This includes positive feedback where a staff member has achieved above the level expected. As well as useful advice with respect to areas in which they could improve.
skefto provides a simple way to break down top level plans into lower level plans with links between objectives, actions, and KPIs at each level. Further, users follow a step by step approach for reviews which allows for the praise of positive results and on the flip side provides a focus on issues that require attention.
2. Aligning Plans
The PGPA Act requires that Whole of Government (WoG) financial reporting takes place. Therefore best results are usually seen when a WoG approach to planning is also maintained. WoG plans should be clearly understood across all agencies and used to inform lower levels of planning. There is no doubt political, social, and economic forces have resulted in more a complex and volatile environment. Therefore it has become more important now than ever before for agencies to align. Above all agencies should be clear on the strategies that will allow them to deliver on public commitments.
Effective WoG planning supports effective agency planning allowing for top to bottom alignment. It also allows agencies to form more accurate funding models that link output budgets with objectives.
skefto provides a simple way to align Government strategies with agency plans creating a clear line of sight. Further, it also supports cross agency alignment whereby each agency is able to inform the plans of others.
3. Measure & Monitor
As required by the PGPA Act Agencies set out to identify the actions required to meet their objectives as well as a set of KPIs to track output. Resources required to support each objective being achieved must also be set out and considered when allocating funds. Defining KPIs and tracking results also allows trends to form over time and comparisons are drawn across agencies.
skefto supports the alignment of objectives with KPIs and the recording of data for each period. Reviews allow for the assessment of results and provide a basis to pivot where results are not meeting expected levels or where an opportunity to improve has been identified.
skefto Helps Agencies with Planning and Performance Reporting
4. Planning and Reporting
Planning and performance reporting is mandatory for most agencies under the PGPA Act. Further, agencies maintain performance and planning frameworks that align with their financial models and resource plans.
skefto allows agencies to report as required by the PGPA Act. It also allows agencies to bridge the gap between the design of a strategy, budget, financial, and resource plans.
5. Digitally Transforming
The digital age has forced agencies to think about how they deliver services to the public. Most agencies today have adopted a “Digital by Default” mindset. This approach has placed the public at the centre of an agency operating model and has resulted in agencies further investing in their ability to respond to change.
Data sharing between agencies, staff, and the public has become crucial. Agencies have focused on taking a broad view to close the gap between their own plans and the need of the public. Agencies are working towards providing efficient services and using common systems, which are resulting in better quality data. Further, the public is benefiting from gaining access to useful services and shared data for both their personal and business needs.
Data sharing has also given rise to better decisions, where people are using data to invest, purchase, develop policy and deliver products and services better and faster than ever before. This will continue to grow as data becomes more real time.
At an agency level, this has resulted in a number of benefits including:
- Increased efficiency for complex processes and routine tasks
- Improved compliance with policy and laws
- More timely reporting
- Improved transparency
- Staff becoming more accoutable
- Staff having the skills and supports required to perform in the role
skefto allows agencies to take a holistic approach towards digital transformation by providing a system that supports structured planning, is engaging and secured as per Local Standards and Laws.
6. Clearly Defined Roles
Effective strategy delivery requires that agencies define clear roles. At the highest level, Government holds agencies to account for their overall output and plays a crucial role in the allocation of funds. Next Ministers work together to ensure their portfolio priorities and outputs help achieve objectives as well as defining measures for performance reporting.
Finally, Secretaries and executives work together to implement initiatives that support objectives being achieved. They also partake in activities such as portfolio planning, delivering outputs to agreed standards, and preparing mandatory reports required under the PGPA Act.
skefto allows for the definition of roles central to strategy and for the allocation of such roles across objectives, actions, and KPIs. Key officers are assigned as members across plans, providing a transparent view, inviting broad input, and promoting a consultative approach to planning.
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Some useful resources
Some useful resources to better understand the PGPA Act
An Act about the governance, performance and accountability of, and the use and management of public resources by, the Commonwealth, Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies, and for related purposes
