Video: New Direction in Staffing - Transcript

Screen 1: New Direction in Staffing – Overview

A merit-based system that is effective, efficient and fair

Audio 1:

Welcome. Let us take a walk through the New Direction in Staffing, a renewed staffing framework for the federal public service.

Screen 2: What is the new direction in staffing?

  • Renewed appointment and oversight frameworks
  • Effective April 1, 2016
  • Designed to simplify staffing

Audio 2:

  • The Public Service Commission is implementing renewed staffing policy and oversight frameworks for implementation across the public service.
  • A new Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument and a new Appointment Policy come into effect on April 1st, 2016.
  • The renewed frameworks simplify staffing, while ensuring that it remains merit-based and non-partisan.
  • The frameworks provide organizations with greater scope to customize approaches to staffing for their particular needs, all within the spirit of the Public Service Employment Act.

Screen 3: Why change the appointment framework?

  • 2005 Public Service Employment Act – flexible, merit-based staffing system
  • After 10 years, the time was right to review the framework supporting the PSEA
  • Oversight results indicated that the staffing system is more mature
  • Engagement with stakeholders showed that the current approach did not meet evolving needs of diverse organizations

Audio 3:

  • The intent of the 2005 Public Service Employment Act was to provide for a flexible, merit-based staffing system.
  • After ten years, the time had come to review the appointment framework supporting the Act to see if it reflected the current needs of the public service.
  • The Public Service Commission’s oversight results and audits confirmed that the public service staffing system is now mature and ready for change.
  • Consultations with stakeholders indicated the need for a modernized approach to staffing. The one-size-fits-all approach did not meet their evolving needs.

Screen 4: New Staffing Framework

Not Changing:

  • Public Service Employment Act
  • Public Service Employment Regulations
  • Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Order and other Orders and Regulations of the PSC

Changing:

  • Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument (ADAI)
  • Appointment Policy
  • Oversight Framework

Audio 4:

  • So, how has the appointment framework changed?
  • First, let us be clear about what has NOT changed.
  • There have been no changes to the legislation, Regulations or the Orders of the Commission.
  • Changes have been made to the Public Service Commission’s Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument, the Appointment Policy and the oversight framework.
  • Let us take a look at the key changes.

Screen 5: Key changes: Appointment delegation and accountability Instrument (ADAI)

  • More concise: Outlines the terms and conditions of delegation
  • Greater Customization - Gives deputy heads more discretion in customizing their organizational staffing systems
  • Organizational Staffing System - DHs must establish the requirements for:
    • Area of selection - internal processes
    • Use of advertised and non-advertised processes
    • Articulation of selection decisions

Audio 5:

  • The new delegation instrument is shorter and simpler. It briefly outlines the terms and conditions of delegation.
  • Deputy heads have more discretion to customize their staffing framework, based on their needs.
  • Deputy heads need to establish the requirements for:
    • Area of selection for internal appointment processes;
    • The use of advertised and non-advertised appointment processes; and
    • How sub-delegated persons must articulate their selection decisions.

Screen 6: Key changes: Appointment delegation and accountability Instrument (ADAI)

  • Clarifies and centralizes all PSC monitoring and reporting requirements
  • Includes investigation-related responsibilities
  • New Attestation Form for sub-delegated persons

Audio 6:

  • All monitoring and reporting requirements, as well as expectations for investigations are now found in the delegation instrument.
  • And finally, sub-delegated persons are now required to sign an Attestation Form to reinforce fundamental accountabilitiespertaining to their sub-delegated appointment authorities.

Screen 7: Key changes: appointment Policy

  • Reduced requirements from 12 policies to 1 by:
    • Removing requirements found elsewhere
    • Only retaining requirements where:
      • There is a risk to the integrity of the system without the requirement
      • Uniformity is required to support efficient or effective application
  • Provides greater room for managerial judgement and discretion
    • For example, assessment methods for EXs

Audio 7:

  • The Policy has been reduced from twelve policies into one, with fewer requirements. This was accomplished in two ways:
  • First, by removing requirements that were already found in legislation or Regulations.
  • Secondly, by only retaining requirements where there was a risk to the integrity of the system if the requirement was removed or where uniformity was required to support efficient or effective application.
  • For example, the requirement to advertise on the jobs-emplois.gc.ca website ensures that all federal job openings are found in one location.
  • Fewer policy requirements provide deputy heads with more discretion in how they make appointments. For example, they can now determine the assessment methods for executive appointments.

Screen 8: Key changes: oversight model

  • Deputy heads responsible for ongoing monitoring of their staffing systems, based on their organization’s unique context
  • Organizational assessment of adherence to requirements, based on organization’s own risks, at a minimum every five years
  • Reduced reporting requirements
    • Departmental Staffing Accountability Report no longer required
  • PSC focus on system-wide monitoring
    • Renewed Survey of Staffing
    • Government-wide staffing audits

Audio 8:

  • In the revised new Oversight Model, organizations assume a more direct role in shaping and monitoring their staffing systems.
  • The Public Service Commission will no longer prescribe how monitoring is to be conducted.
  • Instead, organizations will be required to do ongoing self-monitoring and provide the Commission an assessment of adherence to requirements, at least every five years.
  • Reporting requirements have been reduced. The Departmental Staffing Accountability Report is no longer required.
  • The Public Service Commission will focus on system-wide monitoring through a renewed Survey of Staffing and through government-wide staffing audits, alternating every two years.

Screen 9: Implications of these changes

  • Culture change required to ensure successful implementation of the new framework
  • Shift in some responsibilities
  • Change involves:
    • Leveraging the ability to customize their staffing systems, based on unique context and needs
    • Giving space to hiring managers to apply their judgement in staffing processes
    • Re-positioning HR towards more strategic advice and support to achieve intended outcomes

Audio 9:

  • These changes require significant culture change in organizations.
  • There will be a shift in some of the responsibilities of deputy heads, hiring managers and human resources professionals.
  • Deputy heads will have increased scope for customizing their resourcing strategies, based on their unique contexts and needs.
  • There will be increased opportunity for managerial discretion and judgement in staffing processes. Sub-delegated managers will be accountable for their decisions.
  • Human resources advisors can focus less on rules and more on outcomes, strategic support and trends in their organization and the public service.

Screen 10: We’re here to support you!

Support from the PSC:

  • Information to help in key staffing areas
  • PSC Staffing Support Advisor
  • Web-based information and tools
  • Organizational dashboards
  • Partnered with CSPS to update curriculum
  • Learning events in partnership with CSPS

Audio 10:

  • The Public Service Commission is here to support organizations in implementing the revised frameworks.
  • Organizations will be provided with additional staffing information to assist them in key areas and will have a dedicated staffing support advisor.
  • Information will be available on the Public Service Commission’s website and on GCPedia. This includes a Toolkit to assist organizations with training.
  • Organizations will be provided dashboards with hiring and staffing data to assist them with their planning and monitoring.
  • And finally, the Public Service Commissionpartnered with the Canada School of Public Service to update their curriculum and to provide targeted learning events to deputy heads, sub-delegated managers and HR professionals.

Screen 11: New Direction in Staffing

Audio 11:

  • To obtain more information on the New Direction in Staffing, you can consult the PSC website or GCPedia.
  • We look forward to your collaboration in implementing this new approach to staffing in your organization.

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