We are currently moving our web services and information to Canada.ca.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat website will remain available until this move is complete.

Gold standard

Part 2 - Quality assurance

Checklist

  • Executives are provided with advice on writing effective agreements such as:
    • helpful information on writing effective agreements (e.g. models or samples);
    • briefing sessions or workshops;
    • coaching services.
  • Executives have attended the Canada School of Public Service course on writing effective performance agreements, in-house briefing sessions and/or training and workshops or refresher courses.
  • An appropriate sample of performance agreements is reviewed for quality assurance purposes.
  • Based on completed performance assessments, ratings, evaluation discussions and performance pay are provided to executives within sixty days of the end of the fiscal year.
  • Performance agreements are completed within thirty days of the beginning of the fiscal year.
  • The following dimensions are reviewed and summarized:
    • alignment and integration (annual scorecard);
    • horizontal accountability (annual scorecard);
    • compliance with SMART (triennial scorecard);
    • Key Leadership Competencies, and values and ethics.
  • Key areas for improvement stemming from the analysis are identified.
  • A reasonable sample of executives at all levels is consulted annually on the PMP.
  • Findings of the executive consultation are reported to senior management.
  • Findings of the executive consultation are used to identify the level of awareness and learning needs and action is taken to improve administration and communications.
  • Narrative summaries and provisional ratings are reviewed to ensure they are free of bias.
  • Executives have access to, and are encouraged to access, training and coaching as well as support from organizational development, coaching, counselling and conflict resolution professionals.

Discussion

Quality assurance occurs throughout the performance cycle both at the beginning and at various critical points in the cycle.

Quality assurance ensures that performance agreements are aligned both vertically and horizontally, that they flow from the organizational priorities and also reflect the priorities of the Clerk of the Privy Council, and that within business units, the ADM-level commitments should cascade downwards. Making sure that performance agreements at the highest EX level meet all the quality assurance criteria is critical since these agreements serve as models for the rest of the organization. PAs should reflect HR, finance, program, policy and service responsibilities.

According to the Directive on the Performance Management Program for Executives, ongoing and key commitments and performance measures should be specific, simple and achievable.

Thought is given at the outset as to how Key Leadership Competencies can be assessed. For example, under headings such as Action Management, the competencies provide references for assessing how results were obtained.

An important part of quality assurance is ensuring that crucial activities in the PMP cycle occur on time. The mid-year review occurs in conjunction with the mid-year financial review. For example, performance assessments occur close to or just before the end of the fiscal year. In Gold Standard organizations, a regular schedule is established along with monitoring and controls to ensure that critical activities occur on time.

As a best practice, the organization's self-assessment against the Gold Standard is used to generate discussion. Through consultation, senior management will hear about myths and misperceptions, problems with administration, and support needed by executives, including communications, training and development, and the effectiveness of efforts to continually improve administration of the PMP.

Next

Back to main page

Date modified: