Table Of ContentBuilding our future
A c orporate
human resource
development
strategy for the
Alberta Public
Service \
To say that the public service ha:
langed is a d ramatic understatement.
Inth e la st five years in particular, employees responded to the
But to be successful in positioning the public service for the future,
managers across the Alberta public service will peed to play a c ritical
challenge of g overnment's overall drive to balance the budget,
streamline services, measure and report on performance and role in working with staff, assessing trends and issues, identifying
results achieved, and focus on the essential core businesses of areas where new skills are needed, and keeping people well informed.
government. And all employees of g overnment will need a strong commitment to
learning new skills and continuing to provide excellent services to our
Within Alberta and across Canada, there is a c lear recognition that
customers, the people of Alberta.
Alberta's public service not only responded to the challenge but led
We hope this booklet will provide not only a b ase of information
the way in changing how the work of g overnment is done. There’s a
renewed commitment to customer service, reducing unnecessary about issues and strategies in the public service, but also act as a
rules and red tape, consulting the public on major policy issues, catalyst for managers and employees to take action and begin
explaining issues in terms people can understand, and working addressing issues in their own corner of work in
together across departments to develop the best solutions. Alberta’s public service.
The last few years have not been easy ones for the public service. But
Alberta’s public service is well known as one of the
we managed, and we played a critical leadership role. Today, we face best in Canada and a t rue asset to our province. By
a new challenge ... to position the public service for a n ew and maintaining our commitment to serve Albertans in
dynamic role in a c hanging and growing Alberta.
every way we can, we'll continue that reputation for
This booklet highlights some of the key challenges facing the Alberta quality leadership and position Alberta's public
service for a n ew and dynamic future.
public service. It p rofiles the changing nature of work in the public
service and the kinds of skills we'll need to be successful in the future.
And it p rovides a b rief overview of the priority strategies the
Personnel Administration Office will be working on with deputy
ministers and human resource directors in the various departments
over the coming year to address the challenges we're facing today.
The issues and strategies outlined in this booklet have been
developed under the direction of deputy ministers. The commitment
to action starts at the top.
Who are we?
I We offer opportunities for challenging
work.
A p rofile of Alberta's
public service Over the next five years, almost 35 percent of Executive Manager H's,
over 38 percent of Executive Manager Is, a nd almost 27 percent of
Senior Managers are eligible for retirement. We have a s imilar
We're committed to pattern for non-management employees as well. As we lose people to
excellence and innovation. retirement and other options, there will be more opportunities for
current and new employees to take on exciting and interesting
Over the past four years, 42 teams across the public service received positions in the public service.
the Premier's Award of Excellence. The awards recognize superior
customer service and business practices. Savings from the initiatives
submitted for the Premier's Awards amount to over $150 million.
Customer service is a t op priority. What do we do?
The Core Measures Survey results over the past two years show that I
most Albertans are satisfied with the services they receive from
Alberta’s public service, but there is room for improvement. The changing nature of work in the
public service.
We're smaller.
In the past, many people working in the public service provided direct
There are fewer people working in Alberta’s public service. services to Albertans. They managed community programs,
planned and designed major highway projects, or delivered
In total, the size of Alberta's public service has dropped by services to individual Albertans ... to children, seniors, and
nearly 40 percent since 1992/93. By 1995, this made Alberta
families. Today, the role of many public service employees has
the second smallest provincial government per capita in
shifted to that of a f acilitator while most direct services are
Canada. We’re committed to continuing to be one of the most
provided through contracts with other agencies or
efficient public service organizations in the country.
individuals, or through the private sector.
We're experienced. Public service employees today provide four core
functions: managing public policy, managing the
In 1984, the average age of Alberta’s public service
was 36. By 1996, the average age had grown to 44. In delivery of services, providing stewardship of Alberta’s
resources, and positioning to promote people,
other words, we have a l ot of experience. A l ook at
prosperity and preservation. Deputy ministers and
the age profile shows the most significant drop is in
human resource directors have identified six key roles
people under 30. Only 15 percent of employees are
that describe the work of today's public service employee.
under 35. Most employees are in the 46 to 55 age range.
A p ublic policy coordinator To fulfill those roles, public service
employees need to continue developing
• developing and interpreting public policy
the following core competencies:
• establishing accountability frameworks
• setting and monitoring standards
Impact and influence ...
• managing broad issues Organizational
awareness ... pienrfsluuaednicnign,g convincing or
A r elationship builder
understanding business
• using outside contractors to provide products or services to clients
• ensuring that client needs are identified and met plan goals Service facilitation ...
• gaining consensus on issues Organizational ensuring contracted
commitment ... aligning services are delivered
• creating partnerships to achieve goals
• acting as a neutral third party behaviour with effectively to clients
A c ontract coordinator department values,
Leadership ... positively
principles and goals
• tendering and negotiating contracts influencing people and
• measuring performance Strategic thinking ... events
• assessing quality control taking a b road scale, long
• confirming delivery and authorizing payment term view, assessing Innovation ... taking
risks, adapting quickly to
A s ervice provider options and implications
change, leading the
• providing unique services, services the public expects to be managed Communication ...
publicly change process
clearly conveying and
• providing administrative and support services to employees receiving messages to Results orientation ...
• demonstrating tangible results
meet the needs of all
knowing what results are
An information broker
important, focusing
Client focus ... resources to achieve them
• ensuring the effective flow of information
understanding and
• collecting, synthesizing and analyzing information about issues and trends
meeting or exceeding Self-management ...
• ' i dentifying emerging and potential issues
• using technology client needs managing and continually
• gathering stakeholder input improving personal
Relationship building ...
A c hange agent developing and performance
• visioning, initiating and encouraging positive change maintaining win/win Resource management ...
effectively managing
• acting as an ambassador for the public service and its goals relationships and
partnerships internal and external
resources
Teamwork ... working
cooperatively and
productively with others
to achieve results
3
What opportunities
does the public service
With employee turnover, new opportunities are once again opening
offer? up within the public service. In the next year, specific actions will be
taken to raise the profile of opportunities within the public service, to
position the Alberta public service as an employer of choice, and to
The opportunity to
begin targeted marketing and recruitment strategies designed to
make a d ifference for attract the best and brightest talent for work in the public service.
Alberta
After five years of rapid change in the public service, it's not
surprising that we're now faced with a n umber of critical challenges.
Ask public service employees why they joined the public service and
What are the
the number one reason is the opportunity to be involved in
interesting work that makes a d ifference for the people of Alberta.
key challenges?
Across the public service, people are working to develop policy
recommendations, new ideas and innovative solutions, assess the
impact of new trends, track issues of p ublic concern, shape national
and international agreements, or find better ways of managing the Ip uP bols ii ct i so en ri vn igc e A lfboer r taa ' s
province’s resources. This is difficult and challenging work.
strong future
That sense of "making a d ifference" is reflected in the vision for
Alberta's public service.
At the Growth Summit in the fall of 1997, representatives of the
The Alberta public service is respected for its attitudes,
government sector identified a n umber of issues affecting the public
knowledge and skills, its effective management of public
service. Their report highlighted the need to improve the image of
policy, and its dedication to achieving quality, affordable
the public service, provide fair and competitive salaries, provide
services for Albertans.
greater flexibility and improve management processes, attract young
people to the public service, and support ongoing training and skills
development.
"We Ve made great leaps towards making it a f latter organization and more working in teams. I t hink people feel a l ot
more empowered in terms of their individual responsibilities. "
from employee focus groups
"You're allowed to take a l ot of risks." from employee focus groups
Those same themes are reflected in key issues raised as priorities for action "One of the clear objectives of the
through focus groups and discussions with employees of the public service.
government sector at the Growth
Summit should be to gain clear
The issue ... Roughly a t hird of managers are eligible to retire in
recognition that good quality public
the next five years. That represents a c onsiderable loss of leadership
services are an essential part of any
talent and expertise.
The challenge ... To create a p ool of p otential leaders ready to successful society. Albertans have a
step in to fill the gap. stake in making sure the public
service attracts and retains the best
The issue ... In a c ompetitive marketplace, the public service runs
people and that the services they
the risk of losing talented people to the private sector or to other
provide contribute directly to the
organizations in the public sector.
The challenge ... To retain the capable people we need in the
quality of life in Alberta. "
public service to keep Alberta strong. Government sector submission to
the Growth Summit
The issue ... Over the past five years, we haven’t been able to
attract young talent to the public service. Surveys of Alberta
university and college students show that a t hird of new graduates
know little about the Alberta public service and half think that the "Alberta's public service is anxious
public service is constantly downsizing. to get on with the job of helping to
The challenge ... To position the Alberta public service as an build a strong and positive future
"employer of choice" and attract new talent to the public service. for our province. But a number of
issues in the public service itself
The issue ... The nature of work is changing throughout the
need to be addressed or they will
workplace, and the public service is no exception. The result is a g ap
between rapidly changing needs and the skills of current employees. A become barriers to achieving the
survey of p ublic service employees showed the most important needs
success everyone here wants to see
are communication, leadership, teamwork and strategic thinking.
The challenge ... To make sure we have the skills we need by
for our province. "
Ken Rostad, Chair of the
supporting continuous learning and skills development as well as
alternative staffing strategies. Government Sector, Alberta Growth
Summit
The issue ... In a r ecent survey, employees identified time
commitments and work volumes as barriers to learning.
The challenge ... To make learning a p riority across the public
service.
5
What new strategies
are in place for 1998?
establishing core competencies, and taking the first steps on a
corporate learning strategy. Deputy ministers, human resource
Taking action to directors, and managers in the public service were involved in
shaping these initiatives.
strengthen Alberta's
The human resource priorities for 1998-99 have been set by deputy
public service
ministers and are collectively referred to as the Corporate Human
Resource Development Strategy. The specific strategies are described
below and will be guided by a d eputy minister team.
For the past few years, deputy ministers, human resource directors
and the Personnel Administration Office have worked together on a
Corporate learning strategy
Corporate Human Resource Plan designed to address key issues in
Alberta’s public service. The Plan has four objectives: The Corporate Learning Strategy, introduced in 1996, is based on the
premise that every employee needs to keep learning both to maintain
Alignment to ensure that the goals and behaviours of
their own skills and to make an ongoing contribution to their work
individual employees are aligned with department and
with government. For employees, there is a responsibility to maintain
government goals their employability in a w orld where job security cannot be
Commitment to introduce processes that build employee guaranteed. And for government, it is essential that employees
continually change and expand their skills to meet the changing
commitment to government goals and values
needs in the workplace. The Corporate Learning Strategy suggests
Competence to make sure the organization has the ways departments can promote and support employee learning and
knowledge, skills and abilities to accomplish current and future assess the outcomes. The Learning Account, learning plans, focus on
business plan goals competencies, and developmental assignments are a f ew ways of
promoting continuous learning for employees.
Versati Ii ty to introduce processes for rapidly adapting
and transforming the organization to meet changing needs. Other actions to be taken in 1998-99 include:
Over the past year, work has been focused on helping departments implement learning strategies and track their
own success
renewing the collective agreement for
bargaining unit employees, developing introducing practical approaches departments can use for
a n ew management rewards strategy, succession planning, as a s upport to identifying and responding to
learning, leadership development and recruitment needs
introducing the achievement bonus
program, developing the First Choice
flexible benefits program for non-
union employees, introducing the
Employee Support and Recovery Assistance
program in p artnership with A.U.P.E.,
6
Recruitment strategy
Leadership development strategy
Taking a b road look at leadership development, the focus will be on The Corporate Learning Strategy and Leadership Development
preparing senior professionals and managers at all levels for new Strategy focus on developing our own employees. With an aging
leadership roles. Work has already been done with these employees to workforce and pending retirements, we also need a clear emphasis
identify what they see as learning gaps and needs. In 1998-99, work on attracting new graduates and experienced workers to the
will focus on:
public service.
introducing an assessment service for managers, giving them For 1998-99, work will focus on:
competency feedback from a v ariety of sources and providing the
feedback they need to plan their own personal development attracting new graduates to the Alberta public service by
strategies establishing a v isibility with students, providing work experience
and internship opportunities, and using targeted recruitment
strategies
re-designing the Senior and Executive Managers’ Development
program to reflect the need for new skills and competencies
identified by and for managers taking action to promote the Alberta public service as an attractive
employer
providing supports for leadership development using a combination
of classroom training and experience-based approaches identifying recruitment hot spots - p ositions that will become hard
to fill - and looking for proactive ways of addressing them
identifying and removing barriers to movement within the public
service and between the Alberta public service and other looking for new ways to tap into recruitment markets to attract
organizations people within and outside Alberta
"Alberta's public service plays a critical leadership role in the province. To fulfill that role, we need managers who
are able to work on cross-government teams to address issues ... people who are committed to learning and
training, able to move quickly to places in other government departments where their expertise may be needed,
and able to develop needed solutions. " Jack Davis, Deputy Minister of Executive Council
7
What can you
do to prepare for a
changing future for The public service is aging and we're looking at a l arge number
of retirements in the very near future.
As a manager, what is the age profile of y our
Alberta's public
service? employees? Are you facing a p ending shortage of
skills? What are you doing to plan ahead, recruit new
talent and make sure people who are leaving pass on
their skills to other workers?
Changes in Alberta and around the world point to an
Positioning Alberta's public service for a strong role in Alberta’s
future can’t be done without the hard work and commitment of increasing challenge to keep pace with advances in technology.
people working across the public service. New issues are emerging with a g rowing Alberta economy.
Expectations from Albertans and from specific stakeholders
Here are some examples of things you can do to help position
change with a c hanging environment.
Alberta's public service for the future.
What impact will they have on your work or your
priorities? As a manager, what are you doing to
Currently, considerable flexibility is p ossible in the workplace -
anticipate issues and be prepared? As an employee,
flextime, job sharing, staggered work hours are a f ew examples
what are you doing to monitor and stay on top of those
- and yet employees consistently say there’s not enough
flexibility in how they do their work. changing trends?
As a m anager what are you doing to provide flexibility for
your employees and ensure that both your customers' and
your employees' needs are being met? As an employee are
there ways you can suggest to give more flexibility without
compromising client service or program delivery?
Core competencies have been identified for the public service
as a w hole and we know the changing requirements and
expectations of the workplace will create ongoing skills gaps.
As a manager have you talked with your employees
about gaps in their skills or training needs they see?
What will your department or work unit do to promote
continuous learning? As an employee how does your
own skill set measure up to changing needs?
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