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Integrated planning guide


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The integrated planning environment chart has been created to illustrate the links between the drivers, processes and tools that contribute to the development and implementation of integrated planning within the Public Service.

Section 1: Legislative base and other drivers of integrated planning

Legislative base

The coming into force of the Accountability Act established a broad legislative context for Deputy Head accountabilities with regard to the performance of any assigned duties in relation to the administration of departments/agencies. Departmental administration includes the management of the organization’s human resources and part of that function involves integrated planning.

The legislative base for HR planning is the Financial Administration Act and the Public Service Employment Act contained in the Public Service Modernization Act . Other related Acts include the Employment Equity Act and Official Languages Act.

The Public Service Modernization Act (through the Financial Administration Act and the Public Service Employment Act), clearly establishes the Employer’s responsibility to identify the current and future needs of the Public Service; to determine the human resource requirements of the Public Service; and to provide for the allocation and effective utilization of human resources within the Public Service – all of which are key to the integrated planning process.

For additional information visit the Public Service Modernizations Act on the Agency website.

Other drivers

Guidance for Deputy Ministers, an important document issued by the Clerk of the Privy Council, is intended to clarify how Deputy Ministers fulfill their role in the Government of Canada. The document sets out the key elements of responsible government as a backdrop for understanding the individual and collective responsibility and accountability of Ministers. It further sets out the responsibilities of Deputy Ministers and their accountabilities, including the management of human and financial resources.

Guidance for Deputy Ministers signals that, “Effective departmental management requires careful integration of human resources management planning with the planning of departmental activities.”

For additional information visit this guidance for deputy ministers link.

The Clerk’s Corporate Priorities reinforced the concept of integrated human resources and business planning, with one of the priorities relating to the implementation of the Public Service Modernization Act, including the strengthening of human resources planning.

For additional information visit this clerk’s priorities link.

The Auditor General’s Findings related to Human Resources Planning (1999 to Today) are also a driver that strongly identifies planning as a central function to the healthy management of an organization. It speaks to the lack of human resources planning in the entirety of the Public Service and more specifically, of the lack of efficiencies and effectiveness incurred by the lack of integrated planning.

The Management Accountability Framework flows from Results for Canadians and the Comptrollership Modernization initiative. It establishes the framework of accountability for Deputy Heads - also establishing a close link to the responsibilities and accountabilities of Deputy Ministers as defined in Guidance for Deputy Ministers - to ensure that the conditions for good management are set in place in order to achieve Results for Canadians. It includes performance measures and indicators for ten identified outcomes. One of the outcomes is the People Component which relates to the management of people, and aims at measuring an organization’s human resources capacity including having a workforce that is renewable and affordable over time - again emphasizing the need for good integrated planning and effective management of resources.

For additional information on the Management Accountability Framework, visit the Treasury Board Secretariat Web site: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/maf-crg/index-eng.asp

The Staffing Management Accountability Framework comprises part of this accountability suite. It establishes the Deputy Minister’s accountabilities to the Public Service Commission with regard to staffing systems and delegated staffing authorities.

For additional information on the Staffing Management Accountability Framework, visit the Public Service Commission Web site: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/plcy-pltq/frame-cadre/acco-resp/smaf-crgd-eng.htm

Together, the legislation and drivers described above set the direction for Deputy Heads and senior managers to inculcate good management practices through integrated planning in order to meet their corporate objectives.

Section 2: integrated planning principles and process

Six principles of integrated planning

At the heart of integrated planning are the six guiding principles. These principles form the basis on which planning activities and processes are to be developed and implemented.

Integrated planning calendar

Based on the Six Principles of Integrated Planning, the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada has developed an integrated planning calendar. The Calendar illustrates a four-phase approach to aligning human resources and business lines to achieve integrated planning. It also provides approximate timeframes for each of the four phases.

Five-step approach to determining and building for current and future needs

A five-step approach to determining and building for current and future needs was also developed to guide organizations in their efforts to implement integrated planning. The Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist is a “how to” model, and provides some important questions for managers to consider as they develop their plans. More specifically, the five steps include:

  • Step 1 determining your business goals;
  • Step 2 analyzing your environment to see if you have the right mix and complement to meet your current and future needs;
  • Step 3 assessing the gaps in your workforce - what are you missing from a human resources perspective in order for you to achieve your goals;
  • Step 4 taking action and initiating strategies to close the gap and help obtain the required resources; and
  • Step 5 reviewing, monitoring and measuring whether efforts were successful.

Together, the six principles, the planning calendar, and the five-step approach outlined above form the basis from which planning activities, tool and instruments should be derived.

Section 3: integrated planning tools

Having set in place the main elements of the integrated planning process, departments and agencies can then use a variety of instruments or tools to help them fulfill their operational requirements. The last section of the Integrated Planning Environment Chart outlines a number of tools that have been developed by the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada to assist departments with procedures leading to the formulation of integrated plans.

These tools are evergreen and complement the original Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Tool Kit that was issued in November 2004. These tools are available for use by Deputy Ministers and Senior Managers, Managers and Human Resources professionals either as is, or for tailoring to specific departmental/agency needs.

Specifically, the tools include Integrated Planning – A Handbook for Deputy Ministers and Senior Managers, the Succession Planning and Management Tool, the Succession Planning and Management Tool for Senior Managers, and the Succession Planning and Management Tool for Managers. Also under development are Integrated Planning Templates (refer to Annex 1), which will provide departments and agencies with easy to follow instructions in applying the five-step approach in their organizations. The tools noted above are available on the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada Web site.

Integrated planning tools table

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