Integrated planning handbook for deputy ministers and senior managers

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The current context for integrating human resources (HR) and business planning

Introduction

Integrated HR and business planning is the foundation for assessing and understanding the current and future needs of departments, agencies and the Public Service (PS) as a whole.

Integrated planning is central to the successful implementation of the Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA) and to the promotion of healthy organizations that retain competent, committed and engaged employees across the PS.

Integrated planning is an important building block in continuously improving and building the human capacity of the PS to deliver services to Canadians (Results for Canadians). Integrated, rigorous planning can mitigate risks associated with aging workforces, tight labour markets, technological change, and so on.

Integrated planning can help identify optimal strategies and activities for such important HR management components as recruitment, retention, learning, development, employee engagement, promotion, succession, employment equity (EE) and official languages (OL).

Some departments and agencies are recognized as having taken innovative approaches to planning. Overall, however, there is widespread recognition at all levels of government that over the last ten years, the HR planning capacity across the PS of Canada has diminished. The time is right to rigorously rebuild capacity in HR planning. The need for sound HR planning, integrated with business planning, has never been more important.

Why integrate HR and business?

• It aligns an organization’s workforce with the government’s priorities, and the organization’s mission, strategic plan and budgetary resources;
• It is central to the successful implementation of modern HR management as referenced in the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA);
• It supports HR strategies (e.g. training, career development, organization design and classification) that are tailored to meet the current and future needs of the organization;
• It supports the achievement of business excellence by promoting initiatives to attract and retain an engaged, sustainable, competent and diverse workforce;
• It leads to a supportive workplace and continuous learning culture through planning efforts associated with both employee and organizational learning;
• It informs the development of business cases to justify resources identified through current and future HR needs analysis;
• It assists managers in realigning their workforce (e.g. reduction, expansion, change in business lines);
• It ultimately helps managers meet their responsibilities and accountabilities;
• It helps develop and ensure sustained, strong leadership across the PS; and
• It facilitates performance improvement and reporting through the development of performance measures, which is an important aspect of any planning-related endeavour.

Defining HR Planning

HR planning is defined as follows:

Integrated HR and Business Planning Principles

Some key principles of integrated HR and business planning are as follows:

Planning takes place at all levels: Reflecting business needs and strong people management practices, rigorous, integrated HR and business planning takes place in all organizations and at all levels across the PS.

Planning is information driven: Planning processes and decisions are based on factual and timely information on current and future needs (demographic data, environmental scans, employee feedback, labour market information, etc.).

Planning identifies risks and challenges: Planning processes identify challenges and key risks in delivering on priorities, and outlines options to mitigate critical issues.

Planning is transparent, values-based and well communicated: Plans are communicated to employees and stakeholders.

Regular reporting on integrated planning takes place: Planning efforts and results are reported on annually by all organizations.

Planning efforts are monitored, measured and evaluated: Processes are established in all organizations to monitor performance and progress in achieving HR objectives outlined in the integrated plan.

Key Drivers to Improving the Integration of HR and Business Planning

Some of the key drivers that speak to the importance of improving our HR planning capacity are as follows:

1) The requirements of the Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA)

The legislative base for HR planning is the amended Financial Administration Act (FAA) and the new Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) contained in the PSMA. Other related Acts include the Employment Equity Act and Official Languages Act. The PSMA highlights expectations for deputy heads and the employer.

Deputy heads may

• establish qualifications for their positions, including essential and asset qualifications and operational needs (including official language proficiency); and
• determine the learning, training, development, staffing and recruitment requirements of persons employed in the PS.

The employer’s responsibility involves:

• identifying the current and future needs of the PS;
• determining the HR requirements of the PS and providing for the allocation and effective utilization of HR in the PS; and
• preparing annual reports to Parliament on the administration of the HR management provisions of the amended FAA, on the employer’s responsibilities under the new PSEA and on the state of EE in the PS.

For additional information on the PSMA, visit the Agency Web site.

2) Guidance for Deputy Ministers (DMs)

The Guidance for Deputy Ministers document, sent to all DMs, clarifies how DMs fulfill their role in the Government of Canada. It speaks to:

• securing the right people, work environment and focus on capacity building to assure their department’s success and a confident future for the PS;
• ensuring that information on the workforce is gathered and used to make departmental decisions, and that departmental reporting is balanced, defensible and easy to understand;
• ensuring effective integration of HR planning with the planning of departmental activities. DMs must ensure that key recruitment elements and strategies are included in their HR plans, and that the plans are communicated widely; and
• ensuring their department has the necessary staff and that an appropriate balance of skills is maintained to deliver programs and services to the public.

For additional information: Guidance for Deputy Ministers

3) The TBS Management Accountability Framework (MAF)

The MAF, distributed to all DMs, has important implications for HR planning. The MAF outlines the expectation that each department and agency “… has the people, work environment and focus on building capacity and leadership to assure its success and a confident future for the Public Service of Canada.”

HR Outcomes in the People Component of the MAF are as follows:

For additional information on the MAF, visit the TBS Web site: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/maf-crg/index-eng.asp

4) The Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF)

The SMAF serves as a guide to departments and agencies when they report to the Public Service Commission (PSC) on the management of their staffing systems and the use of their delegated staffing authorities. In turn, the SMAF will serve as a critical context piece when the President of the PSC reports to parliament on the health of the PS staffing system.

For additional information on the SMAF, visit the PSC web site

5) The Clerk of the Privy Council’s Corporate Priorities

The priorities sent to all DMs and heads of agencies outlines important HR management goals:

• demonstrating support and leadership in the successful implementation of the PSMA;
• improving departmental capacity for the integration of HR management with departmental business planning; and
• upgrading HR management skills of managers.

For more information please consult the Privy Council Office website

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