LHHR 15-01: 2014-2015 Assessment of organizational staffing performance

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2015-01-15

Note: The following message was sent to deputy heads on January 12, 2015.

I am writing to inform you of the Public Service Commission's (PSC) approach for assessing organizational staffing performance, under the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), for fiscal year 2014-2015.

The New Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF) was introduced last year and identifies 12 possible risk areas to staffing that the PSC identified from a system-wide perspective. This year, organizations are asked to report to the PSC by March 31, 2015, on three of these risk areas:

• Monitoring of Priority Entitlements;
• Monitoring of Official Languages Qualifications in Staffing; and
• Ongoing Improvement(s).

While you are asked to report on only these three indicators for 2014-2015, as a delegated deputy head, you are responsible for putting in place a staffing management framework in your organization that reflects all the indicators in the SMAF.

The results of the SMAF assessment in the past few years showed that organizational staffing systems and practices have continued to mature since the coming into force of the 2005 PSEA. There is, however, more work to be done, particularly as it relates to monitoring of staffing and the administration of priority entitlements. As a result, over the next few years, the PSC will be focusing on providing guidance and support to assist organizations in enhancing their own staffing monitoring activities in order to detect and correct any issues in their staffing systems.

Also, the 2013-2014 SMAF assessment demonstrated a recurring issue in a number of organizations relating to the manner in which persons with a priority entitlement are considered. Organizations are expected to consider persons with a priority entitlement prior to initiating any appointment process and to have in place an effective approach to ensure this is done. The PSC encourages you to ensure that your organization is effectively implementing and monitoring this policy requirement.

The 2014-2015 SMAF guidelines and reporting template for the Monitoring of Priority Entitlements and Ongoing Improvement and the template for reporting cases related to Official Language Qualifications in Staffing are attached to this message. In addition, the PSC will shortly be providing your organization with statistical information to assist in monitoring organizational staffing activities and identifying and addressing risks, as needed.

I would like to encourage your organization to contact your PSC analyst who can provide advice and guidance on your organizational staffing framework, more detailed feedback on your staffing performance and share good practices adopted by other organizations.

The Commissioners and I appreciate your continued commitment to helping us protect the integrity of the appointment system and safeguard the merit principle and non-partisan nature of the public service.

Anne-Marie Robinson
President

Attachments:

• Reporting Guidelines
• Reporting Template