Operating context and key risks - Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat 2018–19 Departmental Plan
Operating context
The federal government operates in a global environment that is dominated by economic fluctuations, rapid technological innovation, cyber-dependency, evolving demographics, climate change, and geopolitical and security instability. These global trends are persisting and driving change at an accelerated pace.
To remain relevant and to respond to citizens’ expectations, the government needs to rethink the way it operates. It needs to be responsive to the diverse needs of Canadians and deliver services that are digitally enabled, secure and easy to use. It needs to have a high-performing workforce that is open to continuous improvement and innovation based on experimentation and evidence. It needs to have lean, flexible and networked organizational structures and decision-making processes. It also needs to take action to transition to climate-resilient operations for a sustainable future.
As the administrative arm of the Treasury Board, the Secretariat is well-positioned to provide leadership across government. It is driving this change by undertaking a greater number of complex, high-priority commitments that must be delivered within short timeframes, creating workload pressures and increased expectations for quality and timely advice.
Key risks
5 of the highest risks to the Secretariat’s overall ability to realize its plans and achieve results are:
- delivery of results
- capacity for delivery of Secretariat-led government-wide projects
- information technology capacity
- employee wellness
- Phoenix impacts
Delivery of results
The government has set high expectations for the public service for high-quality advice and timely delivery of results for Canadians. The Secretariat has been mandated to deliver many complex, high-priority initiatives within short timeframes.
The Secretariat has developed action plans and monitoring mechanisms and has successfully delivered key short-term results. There is still a risk, however, that priority initiatives will not achieve the desired results or will not be implemented at the expected pace.
The Secretariat must further prioritize resources to focus on the areas that have the greatest impact on the lives of Canadians. It must also use surge capacity to support the delivery of high-priority initiatives and must monitor priorities and intervene early, if required.
Capacity for delivery of Secretariat-led government-wide projects
The Secretariat is playing an increasingly prominent role in government-wide initiatives and is leading many of them. Leading such initiatives is a challenge, particularly in an organization as large and complex as the federal government.
In rising to this challenge, the Secretariat has so far focused on strengthening governance and on attracting, developing and retaining additional skills and talent. It has made some progress, but targeted action is still needed as part of an overall approach that places more emphasis on results and benefits and on phased development and implementation. The Secretariat will support better oversight of government-wide initiatives and strengthen the capacity for managing them.
Information technology capacity
Many priority initiatives depend on information technology, and there is a risk that the Secretariat’s current information technology infrastructure may not evolve fast enough to support the organization’s objectives.
The Secretariat will focus on improving information technology capacity by working with Shared Services Canada to source new technology platforms, by upgrading its email and other key systems, and by developing continuity plans for business-critical systems.
Employee wellness
The Secretariat continues to face workload pressures because of the number and complexity of priority initiatives. There is a risk that sustaining an increased level and pace of work could affect the well-being of employees and the wellness of the organization over time.
The Secretariat will implement a Wellness Action Plan that will include communication products, training and tools to support employee well-being.
Phoenix impacts
There is a risk that issues with the Phoenix pay system will continue to impact the Secretariat’s ability to exercise its role as government-wide employer. This could adversely affect labour relations with bargaining agents, and employee morale and stress levels.
The Secretariat will lead efforts to begin developing the next generation of the federal government’s pay system, working with experts, federal public sector unions and technology providers.
It will also develop measures to minimize the impact of the Phoenix pay system on employees and will conduct a risk assessment across the Secretariat on the impact of the Phoenix pay system on the Secretariat’s work. Further details on these measures may be found in the table below.
| Risks | Risk response strategy | Link to the department’s Core Responsibilities | Link to mandate letter commitments and any government-wide or departmental priorities (as applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|
Delivery of results Because of the number and complexity of priority initiatives, the Secretariat may not have the necessary capacity to deliver results in the expected timeframes |
To manage this risk, the Secretariat will:
|
Spending Oversight Administrative Leadership Employer |
This risk affects all of the Secretariat’s commitments and priorities. |
Capacity for delivery of Secretariat-led government-wide projects Insufficient capacity to deliver government-wide projects may result in an inability to fully achieve project objectives |
To manage this risk, the Secretariat will:
|
Administrative Leadership |
Open and transparent government Better service for Canadians |
Information technology capacity Without enhancements to the Secretariat’s information technology infrastructure, the Secretariat may not be able to deliver on some key priorities |
To manage this risk, the Secretariat will:
|
All Core Responsibilities |
This risk affects all of the Secretariat’s commitments and priorities |
Employee well-being The Secretariat may not have be able to sustain the level and pace of work without affecting the well-being of employees and the wellness of the organization |
To manage this risk, the Secretariat will:
|
All Core Responsibilities |
This risk affects all of the Secretariat’s commitments and priorities |
Phoenix impacts Issues with the Phoenix pay system may continue to impact the Secretariat’s ability to exercise its role as government-wide employer. This could adversely affect labour relations with bargaining agents, and employee morale and stress levels. |
To manage this risk, the Secretariat will:
|
Employer |
Pay stabilization |
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