- Management Accountability Framework
Official title: Departmental Response: - Management Accountability Framework (Round IX)
The Management Accountability Framework (MAF) is a set of ten statements summarizing the Treasury Board Secretariat's (TBS) and the Canada Public Service Agency expectations for modern public service management.
Public Service Values
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Values and Ethics (AoM 1) | Acceptable |
| Culture (AoM 1.1) | Acceptable |
| Leadership (AoM 1.2) | Acceptable |
| Governance (AoM 1.3) | Acceptable |
Summary of TBS Assessment
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) continues to demonstrate an organizational culture founded on values and ethics. It assesses its enterprise-wide values and ethics and at-risk areas, develops multi-year customized work plans, reviews its performance and conducts an ongoing dialogue between senior management and employees. HRSDC is encouraged to document results of its values and ethics activities and further encouraged to develop an action plan that will address areas of weakness identified in the PSES.
HRSDC Response
HRSDC will develop a strategy and an action plan to address the PSES findings and the way to move forward. The Department will continue with the implementation of the new HRSDC Code of Conduct, focusing on engaging all employees in dialogue on the new code.
Governance and Strategic Directions
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Managing for Results (AoM 2) | Acceptable |
| Governance and Planning (AoM 3) | Acceptable |
Summary of TBS Assessment
Managing for Results
This area was not assessed this year for this organization. The rating from the last year this area was assessed is carried over to the current year.
Governance and Planning
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
HRSDC Response
Managing for Results
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Citizen-Focused Service
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Citizen-focused Service (AoM 4) | Strong |
| Sound Service Management Practices (AoM 4.1) | Strong |
| Client Service Orientation (AoM 4.2) | Strong |
| Consideration of Public/Client Views/Needs (AoM 4.3) | Acceptable |
| Effectiveness of Internal Audit Function (AoM 5) | Acceptable |
| Sustainability (AoM 5.1) | Acceptable |
| Performance (AoM 5.2) | Strong |
Summary of TBS Assessment
Citizen-focused Service
HRSDC maintained its "strong" rating in this area. The organization has sound service management practices across the department and has maintained client services, particularly in the area of official languages. HRSDC is encouraged to ensure that all of the consultation activities that are available on its website are also made available on the Service Canada Consulting with Canadians website and that the results stemming from all of its consultation activities are made available online.
Effectiveness of Internal Audit Function
The internal audit regime continues to demonstrate its progressive value-added contribution to strengthening risk management, control and governance processes.
HRSDC Response
Citizen-focused Service
The Department continues its efforts to maintain the rating and improve LoE 4.3. It will streamline the process to improve tracking and reporting on consultation activities. A Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit has been introduced to assist employees with consultations. The Department has put processes in place to facilitate the publishing of consultation information and results on both the HRSDC website and Service Canada's Consulting with Canadians website.
Effectiveness of Internal Audit Function
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Results and Performance
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Quality and Use of Evaluation (AoM 6) | Strong |
| Quality of Evaluation Reports (AoM 6.1) | Strong |
| Governance and Support for the Evaluation Function (AoM 6.2) | Acceptable |
| Evaluation Coverage (AoM 6.3) | Acceptable |
| Use of Evaluation (AoM 6.4)) | Strong |
Summary of TBS Assessment
HRSDC has maintained its overall rating of "strong." The Department continues to demonstrate good performance in the quality of evaluation reports and use of evaluation to support decision-making and reporting, having attained a strong rating in both lines of evidence. The organization's five-year approved evaluation plan demonstrates progress towards achieving full evaluation coverage of direct program spending and several good practices in evaluation planning. With respect to the development and implementation of performance measurement strategies, TBS finds no significant issues in this area.
HRSDC Response
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Stewardship
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Effectiveness of Financial Management and Control (AoM 7) | Acceptable |
| Performance of the Planning Cycle (AoM 7.1) | Strong |
| Performance of its Operations Cycle (AoM 7.2) | Acceptable |
| Performance of its Reporting Cycle (AoM 7.3) | Strong |
| Performance Sustainability (AoM 7.4) | Acceptable |
| Effective Management of Security (AoM 8) | Acceptable |
| Governance and Planning (AoM 8.1) | Acceptable |
| Capacity and Processes (AoM 8.2) | Strong |
| Monitoring, Performance Measurement & Reporting (AoM 8.3) | (not assessed in this round) |
| Results (AoM 8.4) | (not assessed in this round) |
| Government-wide Leadership (AoM 8.5) | (unrated in this round) |
| Effective Procurement (AoM 11) | Acceptable |
| Effectiveness of Information Management (AoM 12) | Acceptable |
| IM Governance (AoM 12.1) | Acceptable |
| IM Strategic Planning and Implementation (AoM 12.2) | Acceptable |
| IM Practice (AoM 12.3) | Opportunity for Improvement |
| Access to Information Act (AoM 12.4) | Acceptable |
| Privacy Act (AoM 12.5) | Acceptable |
| ATIP Governance and Capacity (AoM 12.6) | Acceptable |
| Effectiveness of Information Technology Management (AoM 13) | Strong |
| Effectiveness of Asset Management (AoM 14) | Acceptable |
| Investment Planning and Management of Projects (AoM 15) | Acceptable |
Summary of TBS Assessment
Effectiveness of Financial Management and Control
HRSDC has made progress in all areas of this assessment, particularly in the area of financial human resource capacity which is now "acceptable". Financial forecasting, budget management, planning and reporting are rated as "strong."
Our Quarterly Financial Report which was rated as "acceptable" will continue to evolve in line with government wide direction.
Effective Management of Security
HRSDC has built on its maturing program and has advanced the development of the Departmental Security Plan (DSP). Capacity and processes were rated as "strong," with the Department continuing to build on its capacity for delivering Security programming.
Effective Procurement
This area was not assessed this year for this organization. The rating from the last year this area was assessed is carried over to the current year.
Effectiveness of Information Management
In last year's assessment, HRSDC was encouraged to continue to implement and monitor progress on its Information Management (IM) Strategy through regular reporting. The Department made progress and as a result has increased its rating from "opportunity for improvement" to "acceptable." Ongoing progress in record-keeping practices is encouraged. TBS recognizes the efforts that HRSDC has made since its previous MAF assessment to ensure that all program activity is accounted for and all information appearing on the Program Activity Architecture (PAA) is addressed in Info Source. TBS advises that all Personal Information Banks (PIBs) and Classes of Records (CORs) be appropriately cross-referenced.
Effectiveness of Information Technology Management
This area was not assessed this year for this organization. The rating from the last year this area was assessed is carried over to the current year.
Effectiveness of Asset Management
This area was not assessed this year for this organization. The rating from the last year this area was assessed is carried over to the current year.
Investment Planning and Management of Projects
This area was not assessed this year for this organization. The rating from the last year this area was assessed is carried over to the current year.
HRSDC Response
Effectiveness of Financial Management and Control
The Department continues its efforts to improve in all areas.
Effective Management of Security
The Department will commence implementation of the DSP in . It will continue to share security knowledge, experience, and practices that could be of benefit to other organizations through engagement in interdepartmental security/emergency management committees.
Effective Procurement
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Effectiveness of Information Management
HRSDC is preparing a Recordkeeping Directive Action Plan which will address the opportunities identified as part of the MAF assessment of the Department's IM practice. HRSDC is reviewing various Classes of Records (CORs) and is also reviewing registered PIBs to ensure compliance with TBS requirements. The Department has undertaken a review of recommendations made by TBS regarding the HRSDC Chapter in Info Source () and will continue to liaise with TBS on all matters with respect to all CORs and PIBs. The Access to Information and Privacy Division will continue to work closely with program areas to provide additional revisions to Info Source to better facilitate access to the Department's information holdings.
Effectiveness of Information Technology Management
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Effectiveness of Asset Management
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Investment Planning and Management of Projects
The Department continues its efforts in this area.
Risk Management
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Integrated Risk Management (AoM 9) | Acceptable |
| Governance and Leadership (AoM 9.1) | Strong |
| Implementation (AoM 9.2) | Acceptable |
| Results and Continuous Improvement (AoM 9.3) | Acceptable |
Summary of TBS Assessment
Senior management has taken a proactive leadership role in promoting integrated risk management (IRM). The organization's IRM practices add value as a key component in decision-making, planning, allocation and management. Activities to support the sharing of good IRM practices and lessons learned have been initiated. The Department should continue to incorporate IRM throughout its operational and functional activities to help ensure risk information within the Corporate Risk Profile is timely and relevant and mitigation activities are monitored and tracked. In future years it should: maintain momentum and senior management support for the implementation of its IRM strategy; continue to update, promote and expand IRM learning opportunities for staff; and continue assessing progress against its IRM action plans and updating senior management and staff on results and adjustments.
HRSDC Response
The Department will continue to move forward with its IRM improvements.
People
| Area of Management (AoM) | TBS Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Excellence in People Management (AoM 10) | Acceptable |
| Employee Engagement (AoM 10.1) | Acceptable |
| Leadership (AoM 10.2) | Opportunity for Improvement |
| Employment Equity (AoM 10.3) | Acceptable |
| Employee Learning (AoM 10.4) | Acceptable |
| Performance and Talent Management (AoM 10.5) | Opportunity for Improvement |
| Workload and Workforce Planning (AoM 10.6) | Opportunity for Improvement |
| Staffing (AoM 10.7) | Acceptable |
| Official Languages (AoM 10.8) | Acceptable |
| Organizational Context (AoM 10.9) | Opportunity for Improvement |
Summary of TBS Assessment
HRSDC showed particular strength with respect to Employment Engagement, especially for employee retention. The Department also shows overall positive Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) and administrative data results for Diversity and Employment Equity (EE), particularly EE representation, and Official Languages. The administrative measures for Employee Learning are also positive. One area for improvement is Workload and Workforce Planning Effectiveness. Given that HRSDC anticipates a significant change in its workforce demographics, it has identified knowledge transfer as a key departmental priority. In order to better retain the expertise and knowledge of retiring employees, a mentoring program is being implemented in various branches. The Department is encouraged to provide an account of results demonstrating the effectiveness of the mentoring program.
HRSDC Response
PSES results will be validated and the issues identified will form part of a 3-year Integrated People Management Strategy. More accurate recording of participation in the performance management process will be addressed through a number of initiatives tied to mid-year review of learning plans and performance appraisals. Succession planning is an important part of workforce planning effectiveness. HRSDC will designate key positions in order to improve its ability to plan for workforce changes.