ADF Strategic HRM

 

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is an established military organisation which responsible for the defence country of Australia. It’s basically consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army , Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)  and few number of joint of tri-service unit. Currently ADF has total strength over 80,000 full-time personnel and active reservist and is also supported by the Department of Defence and few other civilian agencies.  The ADF initial priorities are based on the 2016 Defence White paper , which denoted the three main area of focus  that are defend Australian from direct attack or coercion,  contribute to security of  South East Asia include South Pacific and provide stability across Indo-Pacific region that supports its interest (‘Australian Defence Force’ 2017).

Strategies

According to Podger et al (2017) HRM has play an important roles in order to overcome the complex labour market. According to Thomas (2007) ADF’s ability to attract and retain a high quality workforce and to sustain organisational capability is essential to its competitive advantage strategy.  In order to respond to the 2016 White Paper plans for the future workforce, ADF develop a 10 year Strategic Workforce Plan in 2016. This strategic Workforce plan set out the skills the ADF need and detail how they will attract, retain and develop its people. This work plan will provide workforce priorities, practical initiatives and resource for attracting, growing and retaining the people defence needs (DoD 2016 p. 160). 

ADF introduced new business model which focuses on its core business. Substantially it features a strong strategic centre that provides clear directions, contestable of decision- making as well as enhanced control of resource and monitoring of organizational performance. (DoD 2016 p. 168). The Government strengthen its accountability and top–level decision making in ADF by creating a credible and astute strategic centre. The Strategic centre is senior management structure in ADF that sets priorities, manages resources and responsible for steering the whole organisation to implement the Government’s defence policies. The strategic centre includes the Secretary of the Department of Defence, Chief of the Defence Force and the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Associate Secretary, the Deputy Secretary Strategic Policy and Intelligent and the Chief Finance Officer (DoD 2016 pp.168-169)

Challenges

One of the most important and challenging tasks ADF will have in the coming future is to maintain the capability of ADF and Australian Public Service (APS) workforce to achieve the Strategic Defence Objectives that rule out  in the 2016 Defence White Paper ( DoD 2016 p. 71-75).  Thomas (2007) stated that workforce ‘demand’, defined as requirement by ADF for specific competencies and the distributions of its components, people and competencies across the capabilities required b.  This integrate workforce capability has a diverse range of skills, including in combat and combat support, capabilities development and sustainment, technical, strategy and policy (DoD 2016 p. 146).

Workforce capabilities also has  a supply side, concerned with the availability of the people to meet stated and emerging ADF objectives and HR system that can support  or hinder  ADF to achieves its goals.  The immediate challenges are basically to perform effective recruitment and the retention of the serving personnel.  Schindle  & Ong  (as cited in Thomas 2007)  stated that for recruitment ADF need to widen their demographic target based beyond the traditional Australian born by accessing a more diverse labour supply in term of age, gender and ethnic background.