2012-2014-human resources bus plan

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Human Resources Business Plan 2012-2014

BUSINESS UNIT NAME Business Plan 2012-2014


Table of Contents 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 1

2.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................... 2

3.0 BUSINESS UNIT OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 3

3.1 Mission\Vision\Values ..................................................................................................................... 3

3.2 Organization Chart ........................................................................................................................... 4

3.3 History .............................................................................................................................................. 5

3.4 Accomplishments ............................................................................................................................. 5

3.5 Initiatives and Major Capital Projects in Progress ........................................................................... 7

4.0 ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Financial Summary ........................................................................................................................... 8

4.2 Core Business and Service Levels ..................................................................................................... 9

4.3 Performance Measures .................................................................................................................. 10

4.4 Key Customers and Stakeholders .................................................................................................. 12

4.5 Current Context ............................................................................................................................. 13

4.6 SPOT Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 14

5.0 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................... 16

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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This business plan outlines the environment, challenges, opportunities and priorities for the Human Resources team over the next 3 to 5 years. This plan will act as a route marker to indicate if we are on the right path or to allow us to explain why we have chosen a new path. It is important to realize that as a member of the Corporate Services family we are by definition here to serve the corporation. While we have clear thoughts on our own priorities and wishes we are cognizant of the fact that we must align with the priorities of our customers. With this in mind we have created some space in this plan to fine tune our action items so that we are supporting the needs of our customers. We believe that our efforts will be congruent with our customers’ needs if we focus on building organizational trust within and between all levels of our employees. This will build stronger and more respectful relationships, create opportunities to establish dialogue, increase levels of employee engagement and result in a more productive workforce. This approach will also create the foundation upon which we can build more meaningful performance tools, development plans and succession strategies. The results of these efforts will be programs and services that will align values and support decision making. Our goal is that all employees will have clarity in how their contribution supports the vision; Managers will have the tools that they require to be effective in supporting and developing their staff; together we will “foster a culture of public service that earns the trust, respect and confidence of our community.”

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2.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The following team members were instrumental in the development of this business plan: Brad Doak Human Resources Consultant

Cara Lembicz Junior Human Resources Consultant

Chris Lastiwka Compensation Consultant

Dean Oikawa Benefits Manager

Heather Reece Human Resources Consultant

Jason Elliott Human Resources Manager

Mary Kay Organizational Development Manager

Rhonda Friesen Human Resources Consultant

Graeme Woods Facilitator

Thanks to all of the team for their support during this busy time: Barbara Halden Leora Dyer

Carla Elfring Mari Penner

Carla Koyata Matt Malinowski

Chris Ingold Melanie Fox

Darcy Zimmerman Rob Scotland

Erin Pocai Rosi Gregory

Jan Hudson Trina MacDonald

Jodi Findlay Val Jackson

Karey Setoguchi

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3.0 BUSINESS UNIT OVERVIEW

The Human Resources team coordinates the flow of people into, through and out of our organization. All of our activities support this flow of human resources. Our activities are grouped into key functions including: attraction, orientation, compensation and benefits, development, retention, labour relations, disability and wellness. The alignment and effectiveness of these functions ensures that the City of Lethbridge has the right people in the right positions at the right time. This in turn allows the City to deliver services to residents in an effective and efficient manner. In order to facilitate the delivery of our services we have divided our team into three service areas.

The Time and Labour team is responsible for the collection, input, auditing and reporting of data which informs the payroll system. This team works with our customers on a daily basis to share information and answer questions regarding this information. Meeting customers’ needs through effective use of our systems is a key objective of the Time and Labour team.

The Employee Resource Centre (ERC) team looks after all the benefits and disability programs. This includes the flexible benefit plans, short and long term disability claims management, return to work program, wellness program, and pension plans. The ERC team is often the first point of contact for employees with questions due to the convenient office location near Public Operations and Transit.

The Corporate Human Resources team is located in City Hall and is responsible for employee attraction, onboarding, training and development, information management, labour relations, compensation, employee relations, manager support and general human resources advice.

3.1 Mission\Vision\Values

Mission:

We provide professional human resource services in order to attract, retain, support and develop our employees so that they can serve the public in a way that earns the trust, respect and confidence of our community.

Vision:

To promote a fully engaged workforce who serve our community with excellence.

Values:

The HR Team supports the values espoused by our Leadership Team.

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3.2 Organization Chart

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3.3 History

As a department, Human Resources (HR) has come a long way since 1891. In our current form we have only been together since 1990 when Payroll moved to Finance and “Personnel” was renamed to “Human Resources”. In 1996 the Employee Resource Centre (ERC) was formed and the Time and Labour team joined Human Resources in 2006. In reviewing our history since the 1990’s we noted some themes emerging. In the early days of HR there was an emphasis on transactional work; collecting and accurately recording information related to a growing workforce. In the late 1990’s and into 2000 there was an effort to grow our programs and services offered to employees. It was also during this time that emphasis was placed on the importance of relationships with staff. Around 2005 efforts were focused on a growing staff compliment and the adjustments required supporting this significant change to our workforce. Customer focus was highlighted as the learning that occurred during this time. In 2010 we were working hard to align and integrate our programs and services to offer a coordinated solution in an efficient manner to our staff. This is a theme we see continuing in the near term.

3.4 Accomplishments

We have survived a number of key staff changes on our team in the last three years. Each section of our department has experienced someone leaving or joining and despite the challenges we are proud to say that we have continued to deliver excellent service to our customers. The following is a brief description of some of the successes we’re most proud of! Disability Rates at Pre‐1999 Levels – Due to the ongoing efforts of our ERC staff to educate and gain the participation of our customers in return to work programs, our short and long term disability rates are at levels not seen since 1998. Our Disability Partnership model continues to be the envy of our municipal colleagues. Time and Labour – This Team has been extremely successful in delivering service with an emphasis on efficiency. Efforts of the team have allowed for a number of system improvements including the highly popular automatic uploading of time. This has created capacity among the team to offer their services to other areas of the organization. Maximizing use of our systems creates capacity which results in more efficiency.

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New Employee Orientation Program – We are proud to list our new employee orientation program as an accomplishment this reporting period. Effectively bringing new staff on board does not end with the interview or job offer; all new staff participate in a half day session at City Hall where they get to network with other new and existing staff, including the City Manager. They also receive valuable information regarding key city functions and walk away with a gift. This program has been so well received that our not so new employees want to attend. Vascular Risk Assessment Program – This is the third year that we have offered this excellent program to our staff. It is a free, fun and informative way to raise awareness regarding your heart health and the risks of diabetes. 216 employees have been screened, many more than once, since January 2009. It has been such a success that we expect a waiting list for the upcoming assessments. This program also reinforces the importance of community partnerships. We would not be able to offer this program if not for the support of the University of Lethbridge nursing faculty, Alberta Health Services and Pfizer. New Manager’s Scavenger Hunt – This program offers a fun and interactive way to get new managers out of their offices, meeting key people in the organization, establishing contacts they can call on for assistance and discovering how we work in support of each other to achieve corporate goals. Crucial Conversations – In an effort to achieve our goal of building trust and improving relationships throughout the organization, we have looked for ways to improve the communication skills of our employees. Crucial Conversations is a program focused on doing just that and so far 150 of our employees have participated in the training. The program is delivered by in‐house trainers and given its success we have no plans to slow down until everyone is comfortable having crucial conversations! Leadership Skills Program – We trained 200 staff in our Leadership Skills for Supervisors sessions where participants learned a common language to use in many aspects of self awareness, coaching and supervising staff. Western Cities Conference 2010 – This past fall the City of Lethbridge HR team hosted 150 delegates from all over Western Canada and the Yukon for four days here in Lethbridge. We attracted world renowned business thinkers and authors who presented their materials to delegates and a large number of City staff. Our first time hosting this municipal HR conference was a huge success!

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Online Recruitment System – Leveraging our ownership of PeopleSoft, we developed and are ready to implement a new PeopleSoft module which will enable candidates to apply for employment online. This system will help streamline the recruitment process for all involved and allow candidates a new way of interacting with the City of Lethbridge. Collective Bargaining – At the beginning of each business planning cycle we are either ramping up for, or winding down from negotiations with the various Unions representing our employees. At present we have nine different collective agreements and although some of the bargaining sessions have been challenging, in general we benefit from strong working relationships with our Union representatives; it has been many years since we have had labour unrest. Online flexible credit allocations – In 2010 we ran a pilot project to introduce employees to an online opportunity to make their annual flexible credit allocations for their health spending accounts. All reports were positive and we expect to fully implement this in 2011.

3.5 Initiatives and Major Capital Projects in Progress

The Human Resources team is not directly involved in major capital projects at this time; we are however, indirectly involved. We support the staffing planning and workforce transition strategies with projects such as the ENMAX Centre, Public Operations renovations and Stafford Centre move. These projects require that staff needs are considered and training and support offered where appropriate.

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4.0 ANALYSIS

4.1 Financial Summary

2007 2008 2009 2011 2008-2011

Actual Budget Budget Budget Change

69,944 90,400 80,606 82,963 (7,437)

3,775 1,000 1,000 1,000 0

73,719 91,400 81,606 83,963 (7,437)

320,405 281,800 360,700 316,900 35,100

(605,918) (490,200) (525,000) (573,300) (83,100)

58,237 51,000 109,900 44,900 (6,100)

154,297 140,500 150,700 164,700 24,200

(46,031) 0 (75,100) (38,100) (38,100)

(23,337) 0 (65,000) 0 0

1,369,619 1,446,600 1,729,245 1,917,522 470,922

1,227,272 1,429,700 1,685,445 1,832,622 402,922

1,153,553 1,338,300 1,603,839 1,748,659 410,359

Corporate Services

Human ResourcesBudget Summary

2010

BudgetRevenues

Other Revenues 81,759

Sales of Goods & Services 1,000

82,759

Expenses

General Services 316,400

Interdepartmental Transfers (548,400)

Materials & Supplies 44,900

Other Personnel 157,700

Reserve Transfers (36,300)

Transfers to Capital 0

Wages & Benefits 1,826,031

1,760,331

Total Human Resources 1,677,572

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4.2 Core Business and Service Levels

Human Resources – Core Business & Service Levels

Core Services ‐ Disability Management

Description of Service: Service Levels:

Claims adjudication To adjudicate claims in a timely manner

Return to work To mitigate claims costs while ensuring safe return to work

Employee education/awareness To provide information to avoid claims or reduce amount of time off on claim

Core Services – Labour Relations


Union/Management relations To respond to issues in a timely manner

Negotiations To conclude agreements which respect each parties’ needs

Investigations/dispute resolution To provide a consistent approach and predictable outcomes

Core Services – Recruitment and Staffing


Staffing Planning To ensure the right position is posted to fill the need

Attraction To post the positions at the right times in the right locations

Selection/Onboarding To select the best candidates and position them for success

Core Services – Information Systems


Employee personal data To capture information accurately in a timely manner

Employee pay data To capture information accurately in a timely manner

Support systems To capture and report information that is useful to an engaging employee experience

Core Services ‐ Total Compensation


Benefits To offer benefits program which meet the majority of employees’ needs the majority of the time.

Compensation To provide an equitable and transparent system that compensates staff fairly.

Recognition To provide a program that has a high perceived value to our employees.

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Human Resources – Core Business & Service Levels

Core Services – Employee Development


Core Competencies To develop all employees’ core competencies to an appropriate level in a timely manner.

Technical Competencies To make available training opportunities to support employees’ technical training requirements.

Leadership Competencies To develop employees’ so they may position themselves for internal promotion.

4.3 Performance Measures

Capturing and analyzing data to inform decision making is a priority for our team during this business cycle. The following are some common performance measures used today.

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0

1

2

3

4

5

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1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

% of Payroll

Disabilty Premium Rates

Employee 25% Employer 75% Total

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4.4 Key Customers and Stakeholders

Human Resources – Key Customers/Stakeholders

Key Customers/Stakeholders Summary of Perceived Needs or Expectations

City Council Processes and practices which are fair and legal

Accountable staff

Fair compensation systems

Leaders Trend analysis

Advice on organizational issues

Subject matter experts (Labour, benefits, systems)

Applicants Access and information

Clear hiring processes

Employees Pay and benefits

Training and development opportunities

Clear expectations/direction

Coaching

Managers Employee support, advice, coaching

Subject matter experts (compensation, labour etc.)

Team building, relationships

Return to work information

Performance and attendance management

Interpretation of agreements, policies

Suppliers; Trainers; Consultants Information, reporting, clear processes, business

Boards (Disability, Police, Library, Museum)

Negotiations, employee support, guidance, advice

Citizens Fair and efficient hiring

Productive employees

Value for tax dollars

Regulatory Bodies Reporting and information

Unions Fairness, trust, sharing of information, ability to represent their members

Other municipalities/employers/networks Information, sharing, support, advice

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4.5 Current Context

TRENDS: Increase in multiple careers with multiple employers

Decrease in continuity of staffing

Increase in retirements (boomers leaving = loss of knowledge)

Increase in conflict among employees

Increase in sick claims as baby boomers age

Increased complexity of sick claims

Increase use of technology leads to increased training needs

Increased number of employees with different needs (four generations)

Increase in staff new to the City of Lethbridge

Increased sensitivity to economic trends

Increased speed at which the economy can fluctuate

Increased responsiveness and partnerships with customers

Increased complexity

Increased self reliance of Managers

Decrease in availability of trades/skilled workers

Increased use of assessment tools

Increased demand for higher wages

Increased demand for flexibility (schedules, location, retirement)

Increased financial sensitivity

CUSTOMER NEEDS: Up to date advice and information

Trusting relationship with HR staff

Hands on personal service

UNCERTAINTIES: Adoption of new tools and processes (i.e. self service)

Availability of labour to replace retirees

OTHER FACTORS:

(Technology,

Facilities, etc.)

Legislation – Employment Standards, Labour, Human Rights

Collective agreements, organizational policies and procedures

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4.6 SPOT Analysis

STRENGTHS: The HR Team – knowledgeable, experienced, professional, diverse points of view, dedicated, adaptable, self directed, skilled, development support, customer focused

Customer Service Model – accessible, understandable, focused, diverse work, deep understanding of customers, confidence of managers

Strong Programs – Flex benefits, training and development, service recognition, disability management, time collection/entry

Good Employer

Relationships are important and valued

PROBLEMS: Lack of perception of work culture

Lack of employee to employee trust, respect, accountability andcommunication

Lack of documented procedures – knowledge management within HR

Limited succession planning

Limited organizational history on HR Team

Silos within HR – functions can easily get disconnected from overall function

Need to improve measurement of HR performance

Employee development programs are one size fits all

Get very busy doing transactional work

Managing demographics – values are different, aging workforce, retirements, productivity

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OPPORTUNITIES: Use portal to educate and enhance communication with customers

Develop new recruitment and reputation management strategy

Leadership development (Leader vs. technical expert)

Develop metrics for HR service levels and performance

Develop internal marketing strategy

Set clear priorities

Create a knowledge management system

Engage employees differently

Develop alternative learning methods (mentorship, wikis, active learning)

THREATS: Budget pressures

Changing demographics

Unclear priorities ‐ Many of our work priorities are customer driven

Disconnect in attitudes and understanding of organizational values, culture and behaviors

Recruitment challenges in particular areas

Lack of aligned/integrated performance management system

HR not always used as subject matter experts – “HR is just common sense”

Change in union executive – relationship building

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5.0 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & OPPORTUNITIES

HUMAN RESOURCES – 5 Bold Steps

Bold Step Primary/Secondary Objectives

1. Workforce Engagement Determine what programs and services to keep, stop, start

Align our efforts with customer needs

Create focus for our employees and the HR team

Ensure that we are supporting our workforce

Build trust and mutual respect to increase engagement

2. Employee Portal Development/ Implementation

Enhance communication with employees

Increase self service

Inform, interact, engage

Clear, understandable, accessible and timely information

Single source of information

3. Capture & Establish Baseline Data

Utilize objective data to support decisions and recommendations

Justify service levels and increase confidence in decision making

Evaluate strategies and identify trends and opportunities more quickly

Create a benchmark for future comparability

Continuous improvement

4. Performance Management [linked with customer priorities]

5. Employee Development [linked with customer priorities]

Notes: #4 and #5will be a secondary step after effort and momentum is created in #1.

2012-2014-human resources bus plan

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