Presented and managed by applied information services company SAI Global, awards recognise the achievements of competitive and progressive organisations that are innovative, sustainable and successful.

A team of four volunteers selected from appropriate industries evaluated the City in accordance with the application guidelines for the awards. Feedback from the team included that the City’s intent to create a positive culture which made the organisation ‘a great place to work’ was apparent in both the physical and people environment.

Chief Executive Officer Dr Shayne Silcox said while there were many challenges facing local government in the current economic climate, the City had continued to focus on the attraction, retention and development of staff – recognising they were at the heart of the City achieving its objectives. “This award is not only a reflection on the continuous improvement journey the City has undertaken but is most importantly a credit to our staff and their ability to address these challenges,” he said.

“We really do view people as our greatest asset and are proactive in people strategies across the whole organisation. This has resulted in strategies that have enabled the organisation to maximise efficiency and effectiveness in our service delivery. I wish to formally acknowledge all staff members who have worked towards this,” he said.

Executive Manager Organisational Development Kylie Johnson said this was an excellent achievement and wonderful recognition for everyone in the organisation. “It follows on from previous recognition by the Australian Human Resource Institute as State winners and national finalists for the Excellence in People Management Award in 2006 and 2007. These recognitions have all occurred after an independent audit process that involved discussions with the Management Team, the Organisational Development Team and a group of employees from all areas of the organisation,” she said.

“This recognition acknowledges the great work done in the organisation on various programs and initiatives, and also employees, who have a commitment to making the City of Melville a great place to work. They deserve to be acknowledged for supporting the organisational objectives of: Employee Satisfaction and Wellbeing; Employee Performance, Recognition and Reward; Involvement and Communication; Workforce Planning and Employee Development; Leadership Skills and Behaviours that Enhance the Public Image,” she said.