People are sought, selected and supported to succeed in the workplace.

• Recruitment is thoughtful – requirements and negotiables are well-considered and a position description with key knowledge and capabilities is developed. These serve as helpful references in selecting the most appropriate recruitment channels (eg via universities, non-vet forums and veterinary sector recruitment agencies and advertisers), differentiating and personalising roles, and during onboarding, performance review and development planning.
• To ensure expectations match reality, employers are transparent and honest about the organisation and the role when hiring new team members, including any potentially difficult aspects. Candidates are equally honest in identifying any concerns or challenges.
• Employers engage in open and honest discussion with all team members about finding, selecting and supporting the right people in the right ways to succeed.
• Selection processes are fair and afford equal opportunities to shortlisted candidates. For example, the time, questions and opportunities offered to applicants during their selection process are equitable, and equal diversity of perspective is sought regarding each person.
• Employers provide written contracts to all employees to ensure everyone is aware of agreed expectations, pay and other benefits, entitlements, responsibilities and obligations.
• Anyone new to the organisation receives appropriate support to carry out their role and are actively engaged in two way feedback opportunities in the first few months of employment.

Everyone knows how they’re doing at their work, and what they need and want to do next.

• Referring to their position description, everyone understands what they are responsible and accountable for within their role and has agreed with their manager how performance in those areas will be measured.
• Performance measurements are specific, relevant, and balanced across all areas of capability required for the job including technical skills and knowledge (such as surgical, medical, financial, IT etc) and non- technical capabilities (such as communication, teamwork, peer coaching/mentoring, leadership).
• Measurements reflect where performance is valuable to achieving organisational goals over short, medium and long Quality, quantity and consistency of work are considered through quantitative and qualitative measurement.
• Performance review and planning gives due consideration to the capability, motivation and opportunities given to each team For example, performance measures and goals must align with sufficient opportunities to develop and perform, and with the available resources including time, people, equipment, information and training. If stronger performance is desired, leaders seek to understand what, if any, additional resources may be required.
• All team members are guided to consider and communicate their capabilities, interests, work needs and constraints to their manager and employer at least annually as part of their performance review and planning.
• Role description and performance indicators are regularly reviewed; for example, upon a new person assuming the role; as part of performance appraisals; at the request of either employer or employee; and in response to an exit interview.

People are supported in their motivation, capability and opportunity to deliver on work expectations, but continued underperformance is not accommodated.

• Managers are pro-active in managing poor behaviour or underperformance of team members, initially through specifically identifying it and seeking to understand the reasons for it.
• Managers and employers then work together with the employee to provide motivation, capability and opportunities for improvement; for example through clear instruction, goals, support and/or training but if needed, team members are removed, or reassigned to roles which better fit the person.
• Employees are encouraged to use their regular review meetings to raise any concerns and request support.

When people leave, leaders and managers learn more about the workplace while minimising disruption to it.

• Employers have, or seek advice to develop, a good understanding of legal requirements and processes for ending employment in a range of circumstances so that this is managed legally, ethically and fairly.
• Managers review potential gaps in managing workloads and specific tasks, and seek to minimise disruption through succession planning. For example this may require early recruitment and onboarding, internal promotion, education and training, process or service changes, and customer and team communications.
• Exit interviews routinely occur when a team member leaves. This may be facilitated by an human resources person external to the team to encourage honest and complete feedback and suggestions. Constructive feedback is passed onto relevant leaders and managers and improvements considered and/or actioned.

Everyone understands how to respectfully raise and constructively respond to concerns and conflicts.

• There are clear and transparent complaints processes for dealing with complaints from the public and for dealing with internal concerns. This process is supportive, accessible, fair and constructive, and is well documented for all involved. All team members are educated about this procedure so that they are aware of what to do when anyone has a concern.
• Leaders and all team members seek to more fully understand a situation where conflict exists, actively listen to others, explain their own perspective clearly, and focus on solutions.
• Employees highlight any concerns with HR processes to their managers, discuss suggestions for solutions and seek advice from the AVA HR Advisory service, FairWork and/or their relevant state and federal small business support resources if needed.

Leaders and managers are encouraged to develop skills in designing and managing engaging, fulfilling and sustainable jobs.

• Leaders and managers undertake continuing education or access expert advice and resources in integrated Human Resource management.
• Time and money are invested in improving and reviewing human resource management processes, including seeking advice from subject matter experts such as HR professionals and/or organisational psychologists to improve recruitment, management, and exit processes where necessary.