Government selects Department of Canadian Heritage for the first exploratory phase of the Next Generation Human Resources and Pay project

News release

OTTAWA, October 14, 2020 – All workers deserve to be paid accurately and on time. That is why the Government is working on creating a long-term, sustainable, and efficient human resources and pay solution that meets the diverse needs of federal employees across Canada.

Today, the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government, announced the selection of the Department of Canadian Heritage for the first exploratory phase of the Next Generation HR and Pay project. The Government will work with the selected vendor (SAP) and the Department of Canadian Heritage to develop a business case, privacy impact assessment, change management and other planning considerations to learn how a future HR and pay solution can integrate information from multiple compensation-related HR systems.

This phase will take place in a test environment and will not affect employee’s current pay. Employees will continue to be paid through the Phoenix pay system while testing is completed. The planning phase begins in October 2020 and future phases will be informed by the results of the planning phase.

Public servants, as well as bargaining agents, have been involved throughout the process and the government is committed to continuing to work with them in the next stages of the project. Long-term work to stabilize the Phoenix Pay System will continue with Public Services and Procurement Canada. 

Quotes

“Canada’s hard-working employees should be paid accurately and on time. Today’s announcement marks  an important milestone in delivering an HR and Pay system that meets the complex needs of the Government and is accessible to employees at any time, from any device. We are taking a new approach to build the Next Generation Pay and HR system while applying lessons learned from past experiences and taking the time to get it right. I am committed to an open and transparent process as we move forward with this important initiative.”

– The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government

“This Government is committed to openness and innovation as we design and implement a new HR and pay system for the federal public service. We will continue to place public servants' needs at the centre of the NextGen initiative and involve them at all stages of development to ensure they are paid accurately and on time. They deserve nothing less.”

– Greg Fergus, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and to the Minister of Digital Government

"As the Government continues to move towards finding a future pay and HR solution, we remain focussed on continuing our progress toward eliminating the backlog of outstanding pay issues, stabilizing the current pay system and ensuring that employees are supported throughout the process.”

– The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"Our members will be pleased to hear that the NextGen project is moving forward. PIPSC members are more than ready to help contribute to this important project."

- Debi Daviau, President, Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)  

Quick facts

  • NextGen is an iterative project, where each stage will inform the next. Its goal is to develop a modern, integrated HR and Pay solution that meets the Government of Canada’s needs now and in the future.

  • The Government used an innovative procurement process to select three qualified vendors for the Next Generation solution: Ceridian, SAP, and Workday.

  • Employees and managers, who are the primary users, HR practitioners and compensation advisors, who will be at the centre of any new systems, and bargaining agents will be involved at all stages of development and implementation.

  • Work completed to date on the NextGen solution has been informed by advice based on lessons learned from Phoenix and other large-scale enterprise transformation initiatives. Decisions on the way forward will be driven by user insights obtained during this project and will inform future change management and training plans.

  • The NextGen team has embedded expertise to rely on that will lead and evolve the project including recognized industry vendors, the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO), and Shared Services Canada.

  • In April 2020, Shared Services Canada (SSC) welcomed the NextGen team into the department. SSC is well positioned to deliver on this important project as the department is responsible for providing modern, secure and reliable IT services that enable digital programs and services for public servants and Canadians. 

Associated links

Contacts

Sarah McMaster
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Digital Government
Sarah.McMaster@tbs-sct.gc.ca

Media Relations
Shared Services Canada
SSC.media.SPC@canada.ca
1-855-215-3656

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