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2014-2015 Annual Report - Appendix 1

Table of Contents

Staffing Management Accountability Framework

Assessment objectives, scope and methodology

The Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF) assessment has a number of mutually reinforcing objectives. These are as follows:

  • Helping organizations to improve human resources (HR) processes and outcomes by measuring progress against the objectives in the SMAF and providing detailed feedback and guidance throughout the year;
  • In combination with other Public Service Commission (PSC) oversight activities (e.g. audits and investigations), providing Parliament with an annual global assessment of the health of the public service staffing system; and
  • Contributing to assessments conducted by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (the Management Accountability Framework, or MAF).

In 2014-2015, the PSC performed 59 assessments of the staffing performance of 74 organizations.Footnote 21 The PSC’s assessment of the performance of the public service staffing system is based on the results from 53 small, medium and large organizations.Footnote 22 Assessment results for organizations with less than 100 employees are not presented, as these organizations account for 0.5% of the public service population covered by Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instruments (ADAIs) and 0.5% of the staffing activity.

The PSC relies on two distinct sources of information to complete these assessments. Deputy heads submit a self-assessment in the format of a Departmental Staffing Assessment Report (DSAR) in which they report on their organization’s performance and provide supporting documentation as evidence of progress that has been made in addressing specific areas identified by the PSC. In addition, the PSC generates and analyzes the information at its disposal, such as data on time to register and time to assess persons with a priority entitlement referred to vacant positions, and incorporates the results of PSC audits and investigations into its assessment of performance.

Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF)
Strategic outcome A non-partisan public service and a merit-based staffing system that reflects PSEA values and expectations and supports business needs
Desired outcome Deputy heads and organizations have a staffing management framework in place that ensures the effective sub-delegation of staffing authority, active monitoring of staffing decisions and potential staffing risks and that action is taken to continuously improve staffing management and performance
Elements Staffing governance and infrastructure Planning for staffing Monitoring Ongoing improvement Political activities
Indicators

1. Sub-delegation of staffing authority

  • A sub-delegation instrument that documents terms and conditions exists and is accessible to all employees
  • Practices are in place to ensure that all sub-delegated managers are identified to human resources (HR) staff

2. Support to sub-delegated managers

  • Sub-delegated managers have current knowledge and access to the information, tools and a human resources advisor in order to exercise sub-delegated authority
  • Staffing advisors have access to continuous learning and development

3. Staffing plans and strategies

  • The organization has established staffing plans and related strategies that are measurable, approved and communicated to employees
  • Staffing plans and related strategies are reviewed and renewed by the deputy head on an annual basis

4. Staffing decisions

  • The organization actively monitors staffing decisions to ensure they comply with the sub-delegation instrument, statutory requirements and PSC and organizational policies and reports the results to senior management

5. Key staffing risks

  • The organization monitors potential staffing risks it has identified and reports the results to senior management
  • The organization monitors the following appointment processes and reports the results to senior management:
    • acting appointments over 12 months;
    • appointments of casual workers to term or indeterminate status through non-advertised processes; and,
    • appointments to the EX Group through non-advertised processes.
  • The organization monitors annually the accuracy and completeness of staffing files and reports the results to senior management

6. Achievement of staffing plans and related strategies

  • The organization actively monitors and analyzes the results of its staffing plans and related strategies and any variance is reported to senior management

7. Priority entitlements

  • The organization monitors the respect of priority entitlements

8. Official languages qualifications in staffing

  • The organization monitors the use of the Public Service Official Language Exclusion Approval Order (PSOLEAO) and Regulations, and the use of the Second Language Evaluation (SLE) confirmation period as necessary

9. Investigations into staffing

  • The organization monitors the conduct of in-house investigations and the implementation of corrective actions further to in-house and PSC investigations

10. Results of survey data

  • The organization analyzes the results of staffing-related survey data

11. Ongoing improvement

  • The organization improves its staffing management and performance by acting on the results of its internal monitoring, audits and investigations, and PSC audits, investigations and other feedback, and reports results to the deputy head

12. Raising employee awareness of legal rights and responsibilities regarding political activities

  • Employees are aware of their legal rights and responsibilities as public servants regarding political activities

Footnotes

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