ARCHIVED - Career Development in the Federal Public Service - Building a World-Class Workforce

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Chapter 3 - Career Development in the Federal Public Service: The Survey Study (Continued)

Respondent Commitment and Retention

Employees who are highly committed to the organization work harder, are absent less often and are less likely to leave the organization. When an employee leaves, the organization incurs significant costs to recruit and train a successor. The new employee is often less productive initially and co-workers may be negatively affected as well. Thus earning employees' commitment and reducing turnover are important organizational goals.

In this sample, only 32% of employees were highly committed to the Public Service; 42% to their department (see Figure 3.12). These levels of commitment are significantly lower than those found in other studies. For instance, a 1998 mixed public and private sector sample in Saskatchewan found that 55% of respondents were highly committed to the organization while a national public and private sector sample found 66% were highly committed.⁽²⁶⁾ These data are consistent, however, with respondents' intention to turnover. Seventy-four percent of employees in the sample had thought about leaving the Public Service, and 21% had high scores on a measure of intent to turnover from the Public Service (27% from the department, see Figure 3.13). In the recent Saskatchewan study, intent to turnover was 12%.

Individuals who had been promoted in the last five years were more committed to the organization and less likely to leave (see Table 3.34). The differences were particularly strong with respect to their commitment to their department. It should be noted, however, that even this group, which had received important validation of their contributions to the organization through being promoted, are still significantly lower in commitment than groups studied in previous research.

Table 3.34
Commitment and Retention by Promotions

Percentage in each group that:	Those Promoted	Those Not Promoted
Has thought about leaving the Public Service	72%	77%
Is highly committed to the Public Service	36%	28%
Is likely to leave the Public Service in the next year	18%	23%
Is highly committed to their department	51%	35%
Is likely to leave their department in the next year	23%	30%

Gender differences in commitment and retention are summarized in Table 3.35. More women than men were highly committed to the Public Service. Fewer women had thought of leaving the Public Service and fewer women had high scores on intent to turnover from the Public Service. There were no significant gender differences, however, when commitment and retention were examined at the departmental level.

Table 3.35
Commitment and Retention by Genderb

Percentage in each group that:	Women	Men
Has thought about leaving the Public Service	70%	78%
Is highly committed to the Public Service	36%	28%
Is likely to leave the Public Service in the next year	18%	24%
Is highly committed to their department	44%	41%
Is likely to leave their department in the next year	26%	28%

Job type also had a significant impact on commitment and retention as illustrated in Table 3.36. Executives were more highly committed to both their department and the Public Service with levels of commitment approximating those found in other studies. This did not, however, translate into a lower propensity to leave the organization. Executives were as likely as others to have high scores on turnover and more executives reported having thought about leaving the Public Service (84%). This seeming paradox may be a function of the greater opportunities for mobility faced by many Public Service executives.

Table 3.36
Commitment and Retention by Job Typeb

Percentage in each group that:	Executive	Admin. and Foreign Services	Science and Prof.
Has thought about leaving the Public Service	84%	71%	78%
Is highly committed to the Public Service	50%	34%	23%
Is likely to leave the Public Service in the next year	20%	19%	24%
Is highly committed to their department	63%	42%	39%
Is likely to leave their department in the next year	27%	26%	27%

Respondents who had thought about leaving were asked to indicate where they would go if they left the Public Service. Figure 3.14 illustrates that the most popular options are the private sector (77%) or into business for themselves (42%). These are the two most popular options amongst all three job groups as well. Table 3.37 shows that the major reasons employees in the sample consider leaving include:

• to earn a higher salary;

• because they feel recognition is lacking;

• they are frustrated with the bureaucracy; and

• they want to engage in more interesting work.

Table 3.37
Reasons for Leaving the Public Serviceb

Percentage of respondents giving these reasons for leaving the Public Service:	All Respondents
To earn a higher salary	46%
To engage in more interesting and challenging work	34%
Because in the Public Service I sense a lack of recognition and respect for what I do	38%
Because my current work environment is not supportive of me as an individual	17%
For greater advancement opportunities outside the federal Public Service	28%
Lack of job security in the federal Public Service	9%
Frustration with bureaucracy and red tape	37%
Personal or family reasons	10%

These were the top four reasons given by all three job groups, although their ranking did differ between groups (see Table 3.38). In particular, executives were significantly less likely than the other groups to consider leaving because of a lack of recognition. It is also worthwhile to note that 21% of executives responded that reasons other than those listed would cause their departure. This is significantly higher than the occurrence of other reasons in the other job groups and suggests that further exploration of executives' reasons for leaving the Public Service is warranted. The only other group differences observed in reasons for leaving the Public Service were that employees who had not been promoted were more likely than others to report that an unsupportive work environment, greater opportunities for advancement elsewhere and a lack of job security might compel them to leave.

Table 3.38
Reasons for Leaving the Public Service by Job Typeb

Percentage of respondents giving these reasons for leaving the Public Service:	Executive	Admin. and Foreign Services	Science and Prof.
To earn a higher salary	61%	66%	55%
To engage in more interesting and challenging work	41%	47%	45%
Because in the Public Service I sense a lack of recognition and respect for what I do	29%	53%	53%
Because my current work environment is not supportive of me as an individual	17%	23%	25%
For greater advancement opportunities outside the federal Public Service	24%	39%	37%
Lack of job security in the federal Public Service	1%	14%	11%
Frustration with bureaucracy and red tape	42%	50%	51%
Personal or family reasons	11%	13%	14%

One final way in which the issue of commitment and retention was examined was by assessing respondents' psychological identification with the organization. Previous research indicates that individuals who identify more strongly with the organization are less likely to leave while individuals who have an external identification such as with their profession may be less committed to helping the organization achieve its goals.⁽²⁷⁾ Respondents were asked which group they identified most strongly with: the department, the Public Service, their profession or none of these groups. As illustrated in Figure 3.15, almost equal numbers of respondents identified with their department and their profession. Far fewer identified with the Public Service as a whole.

There were significant differences between groups in terms of group identification. Those who had been promoted were more likely to identify with their department while those who had not been promoted were more likely to identify with their profession. Men were more likely than women to identify with their profession. Figure 3.16, which portrays job type differences in group identity, shows that scientists and professionals are significantly more likely to identify with their profession. These different patterns of identification may contribute to different levels of organizational attachment and goal identification.

 

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Summary and Conclusions

The objectives of the survey were to examine what employees hope to achieve in their career, the steps they have taken to attain their goals, the career support provided to them by the organization, and the attitudes toward the organization that have resulted. Findings pertaining to each of these objectives are summarized first. Then results specific to each of the groups examined are reviewed. Finally, some general conclusions are offered.

What Employees Hope to Achieve

The majority of respondents had given considerable thought to what they wanted from their career. What employees valued most was enjoyable work which provided a sense of accomplishment and the opportunity for growth and development. Respondents wanted to earn a salary that would provide a comfortable lifestyle but achieving a balance between work and non-work lives was more important than obtaining increasing financial rewards. Most respondents felt that their work was enjoyable but there were particularly large gaps between the importance and availability of a personal sense of accomplishment through work and a satisfactory salary.

The work opportunities which employees wanted most were new challenges, special projects, training and career advancement. Their interest in these career enhancing experiences far outpaced their interest in reducing their work involvement through leaves or a reduced work week.

What Employees Have Done to Attain Their Goals

A majority of employees had engaged in a number of behaviours that previous research has linked to career advancement. In particular, most employees felt that they had shown initiative, gone beyond what was required of them and exceeded expectations. But these behaviours did not differentiate between those who had earned a promotion and those who had not. The behaviours that did distinguish those who had been promoted had to do with focusing on important work, developing breadth, developing a style senior managers are comfortable with, and seeking career support from others. The importance the organization places on these behaviours is signalled implicitly through the promotion selection process but it would help all employees to better understand what the organization values if these implicit values were made explicit.

Most employees had undertaken training in the past year and many reported having had the help of a mentor but the incidence of other developmental opportunities was much lower. In particular, respondents had much less opportunity to experience a stretch assignment or special work despite their strong desire to do so.

Career Support Provided by the Organization

A minority of respondents reported experiencing high levels of career support from the organization. Supervisors provided more support than did respondents' departments. Although employees in the sample believed that responsibility for career development should be shared between employer and employee, few felt that, in practice, the employer assumed their share of the responsibility.

The career development initiatives available to most employees were job postings, information on future opportunities, tuition reimbursement, internal training, external training, and employee orientation programs. While awareness of most of these initiatives was high, usage varied considerably. The initiatives used most were job postings, internal training and external training.

Employee Attitudes Toward the Organization

Almost half of the respondents were satisfied with their career progress to date but only one third believe that they will be able to satisfy their career aspirations if they stay in the Public Service for the remainder of their careers. Forty-four percent were highly satisfied with their jobs, primarily with the schedule of hours, the job in general and the things done on the job. The greatest dissatisfaction was with pay and the ability to advance.

Assessments of the work environment were very negative. Only 12% of respondents felt that their department was doing a good job of managing the work environment overall. Stress, morale, workload, and loyalty were seen as particularly problematic. Identification with the Public Service as a whole was low although respondents were to identify with their department as well as with their profession. Commitment to the organization was lower and intent to turnover was higher in this population than in other populations examined in previous research.

Most theories of human needs posit that unmet needs are important drivers of behaviour. These linkages can be seen in the survey results. The large gaps between the desire for and availability of a sense of accomplishment and a satisfactory salary were echoed in two of the key reasons employees articulated for potentially leaving the Public Service: lack of recognition and to earn a higher salary. Other major reasons respondents would consider leaving included frustration with the bureaucracy and to engage in more challenging work.

Employees Who Had Been Promoted

Employees who had been promoted had considerably more opportunity to realize their career aspirations so the gaps between what they wanted and what was available to them were significantly smaller than they were for others. Respondents who had been promoted reported that their jobs provided greater scope for experiencing a personal sense of accomplishment, for growth and development, and a salary commensurate with a comfortable lifestyle. They valued these achievements and looked for continuing opportunities to fulfil these objectives.

Employees who had been promoted engaged in a different set of career strategies than those who had not been promoted. Like their non-promoted counterparts, they showed initiative and exceeded expectations but they also built breadth, focused on important work and solicited career support from others. They received more training, mentoring and developmental opportunities, particularly stretch assignments. It would appear from the data that these experiences helped them to achieve their goals.

Employees who had been promoted reported receiving more career support than others but still believed that their employer was not an equal partner in employee career development. They were more likely, however, to have access to career development initiatives, especially individual career counselling and formal career discussions with a superior. They also made greater use of several of the developmental initiatives.

Respondents who had been promoted were more satisfied with their career progress to date and more optimistic about their prospects for the future. They had higher levels of job satisfaction, particularly with respect to pay and their ability to advance.

Having been promoted led to more favourable evaluations of the work environment although those who thought their department was doing a good job of managing the work environment were still a small minority. Those who had been promoted were more likely to identify with their department, to be highly committed to the organization and to be less likely to think about leaving.

Employees Who Had Not Been Promoted

Employees who had not been promoted wanted to experience the same achievements as those who had been promoted but had more limited opportunities to do so. Thus they experienced a larger gap between their desire for various achievements and their ability to realize them. These gaps were particularly acute with respect to earning a comfortable salary and opportunities for learning and developing their skills. Nevertheless, they continued to want challenging assignments and special work.

A majority of these employees reported that they showed initiative and exceeded expectations but they were less likely to have gained breadth, worked on important projects or garnered career support from others. They had received less training and mentoring and fewer developmental opportunities. The data suggest that their careers may have suffered as a consequence.

Employees who had not been promoted had received less career support than other employees. And although they were aware of career development initiatives, they were less likely to have had access to them and typically reported lower usage of them. The one career development initiative that these employees used to a greater extent than did other groups was career planning workshops.

Respondents who had not been promoted were the group least satisfied with their career progress to date and least optimistic about their prospects for the future. They had the lowest levels of job satisfaction and were especially dissatisfied with their pay and their ability to advance.

Employees who had not been promoted were the most negative about the work environment. They were particularly harsh in their judgements about the quality of work and the job competition process. They were more likely to identify with their profession than with their department or the Public Service and they were significantly less committed to the organization. They were also more likely to think about leaving and to cite an unsupportive work environment, limited opportunities for advancement and a lack of job security as reasons for departing.

Women

Women placed a higher value on developing new skills, advancing their careers and achieving balance. They sought: 1) opportunities for more developmental opportunities such as a challenging assignment or special work; and 2) opportunities to reduce work commitment through a reduced work week or assignment to a less stressful environment. These two sets of priorities may reflect the competing values that women face regarding work and family or they may indicate the existence of two distinct groups of women with different goals. In either case, these results highlight the importance of ascertaining what individual employees aspire to rather than assuming that what a specific employee wants to achieve can be predicted on the basis of their membership in a particular group.

Women had engaged in a wider range of career strategies than men. They received more training, more mentoring and more stretch assignments. These experiences seemed to bear fruit as more women than men had been promoted.

Women reported receiving an average level of career support. For the most part their access to career development initiatives was equal to or lower than that of men yet they were significantly more likely to use these programs when they had access to them.

Women were more satisfied with their career progress and more positive about future prospects than men. Women also had higher levels of job satisfaction. This greater satisfaction may be the result of more women having experienced a promotion.

Despite their greater career and job satisfaction, women were equally negative about the work environment. The only work environment issue they were more positive about was quality of work. Their levels of identification with the Public Service and their department were comparable to those of other groups. Their scores on commitment and intent to turnover with respect to the department were comparable to other groups. They were, however, more committed to the Public Service and were less likely to think about leaving the Public Service. Consistent with this difference, those women who had considered leaving were more likely than the men to be interested in a move to another level of government.

Men

Men placed a higher value on influencing the direction of the organization than did women although this was not as important to them as gaining a sense of accomplishment and earning a satisfactory salary. They felt that their work provided fewer opportunities to experience a personal sense of accomplishment and to develop new skills. They experienced greater gaps between their goals and their opportunities. Men were as desirous as women of career advancement but they were less likely to report that they would take advantage of the opportunity to gain line experience, undertake new challenges, or accept a parallel assignment.

On average, men made less use of the 20 career strategies. The only strategy that was related to promotion that men utilized more than women was working on high visibility projects. Men received less training, less mentoring and fewer stretch assignments. The only developmental opportunity which they experienced to a greater extent was the opportunity to develop contacts outside their department.

Men reported receiving an average level of career support. They had greater access to three of the 12 career development initiatives but were significantly less likely to use most of them.

Men were less happy with their career progress and more negative about their future prospects. Men's overall job satisfaction was also lower with the key differences being related to workload, pay and the ability to advance.

Although they were more dissatisfied with their career and work, men gave similar assessments of the work environment. Men were more likely than women to identify with their profession. And although their commitment to the department was average, they were less likely to be committed to the Public Service and more likely to consider leaving.

Executives

Executives shared other employees' frustrations in regards to achieving a personal sense of accomplishment. They also placed a high value on being able to influence the direction of the organization and although they had considerably more scope to achieve this influence, there was still a large gap between their desire for influence and its realization. Executives continued to look for opportunities for advancement but also for opportunities to help younger employees develop professionally.

Many in this group had significant family responsibilities (they were more likely to have children and eldercare responsibilities than other groups) but they placed less importance on a balance between their work and non-work lives than did other groups. Nevertheless there was a 30% gap between the percentage desiring balance and those who felt that it was available in their work.

Executives were heavy users of all of the career strategies except being a specialist. They received less training than other groups but their positions afforded them greater access to all of the other developmental opportunities, particularly line experience and opportunities to interact with senior managers. They had also received more mentoring.

Executives reported receiving more career support than other groups but those who reported high levels of support were still in a minority. Executives were also more likely than others to say that the responsibility for career development should be shared but that in fact it was not. Thus while their personal experiences were more positive, they recognized that current support of employee career development is less than ideal.

Executives were more likely to be aware of and have access to career development initiatives but were less likely to use them. The only exceptions to this pattern were assessments of career potential and formal career discussions with a superior which executives tended to use to a greater extent.

A majority of executives were satisfied with the progress they had made toward their career goals and believed that they can meet their career aspirations within the Public Service. They were more satisfied with their job in general, things done on the job, pay, job security, and the ability to advance than other groups. Where they experienced considerable dissatisfaction was with the current workload, number of hours worked and their schedule. This is consistent with the fact that they reported working significantly more overtime than other groups (an average of 13.3 hours per week).

Executives gave the most positive assessment of the work environment although less than one quarter felt their department was doing a good job of managing the environment overall. They identified much more strongly with both their department and the Public Service as a whole than other employees. They were significantly more committed to their department and the Public Service than other groups. However, more executives reported thinking about leaving the Public Service and their scores on intent to turnover were equal to those of other groups. Since this group is relatively satisfied with their work and the recognition that accompanies it, their willingness to consider leaving may be a function of the considerable opportunities for them in the labour market.

Administrative and Foreign Service Personnel

The gaps between what employees wanted to achieve and what they believed was possible were greatest for administrative and foreign service personnel. Salary issues and feelings of personal accomplishment were particularly problematic areas for this group. Staff in these occupations were keenly interested in developmental opportunities such as special assignments and training.

Administrative and foreign service personnel had access to more training than the other groups but received an average amount of exposure to the other developmental opportunities. Their use of most of the career strategies was also average. There were, however, two strategies that were significantly less common in this group: working on high visibility projects and making a unique contribution.

Career support for administrative and foreign service personnel was low, as it was for other groups. They reported greater access to tuition reimbursement programs but less access to formal career discussions with a superior. They were more likely than other groups to use job postings and career planning workshops but less likely to use assessments of career potential and career discussions with superiors when they were available.

Administrative and foreign service staff were moderately satisfied with their career progress to date but only one third expected to meet their career goals within the Public Service. Their overall job satisfaction was average but they were significantly less satisfied with pay than employees in other job groups.

Assessments of the work environment by respondents in administrative and foreign service jobs were as negative as those provided by other groups with two exceptions: they were more negative than other groups regarding recruitment practices and the management of workforce diversity. They identified more strongly with the department than with a profession or with the Public Service as whole. Their scores on commitment and intent to turnover were average although fewer of these employees said they had thought about leaving the Public Service.

Scientists and Professionals

Scientists and professionals were less interested than other employees in career advancement and financial rewards. They also felt that career advancement was less available to them. This view is consistent with the fact that they had the lowest rate of promotion of the three job groups examined. The opportunities they sought were special work and training rather than advancement. A significant minority (29%) expressed interest in taking a sabbatical.

Scientists and professionals engaged in fewer career strategies. They were significantly less likely to: develop a style that senior managers were comfortable with, pursue opportunities to gain line experience, move between departments, show that they aspire to increased responsibility, go beyond what is required by the job, indicate a willingness to relocate, or demonstrate confidence. They experienced fewer developmental opportunities. They received the least training, the least mentoring and the fewest stretch assignments.

Like other employees, scientists and professionals reported receiving relatively little career support. They had the same access as others to most career initiatives with the exception of tuition reimbursement. They reported average levels of usage of career initiatives with the exception that they were less likely to use information on future career opportunities.

Despite having received fewer promotions than other groups, scientists and professionals expressed average levels of satisfaction with their career progress and expectations of meeting future career goals. And they expressed levels of job satisfaction comparable to other groups.

Scientists and professional employees in the sample gave comparably negative assessments of the work environment overall and they were more negative on workload issues. Unlike other job groups, they identified more strongly with their profession than with their department or the Public Service. Their commitment to the Public Service was low although their turnover scores were not significantly different from average.

General Conclusions

There are strong group differences in what respondents want and have experienced from their careers. Those who have been promoted, women and executives were generally more satisfied. Those who have not been promoted, men and those employed in administrative and foreign service, and scientific and professional jobs were less content. There are, however, two caveats about these group generalizations which should be kept in mind. First, although the data clearly support these differences on an aggregate group level, this does not mean that any particular employee shares the preferences of the group(s) of which he or she is a member. Each employee's goals and experiences are unique and must be understood as such in order to provide effective career support. The second caveat is that while it is tempting to focus efforts to improve the situation on the groups who are most unhappy, it is important that the other groups not be neglected. For example, although employees who have been promoted are relatively satisfied, there is still significant room for improvement and the organization would not want to risk losing valuable employees in whom they have invested considerable developmental resources. Thus the concerns of all employees need to be considered.

In aggregate, the results of the survey portray a group of employees who enjoy their work, are keen to learn new skills and are prepared to take on new challenges. They believe they have done good work and gone beyond what was required of them. They are, however, frustrated with a perceived lack of recognition for the work that they do. The prevalent salary dissatisfaction may also be a reflection, in part, of concerns about recognition. These frustrations have contributed to low levels of commitment and a high propensity to consider other employment.

Respondents have given considerable thought to their career goals but report little understanding or support of these goals from their supervisors. The organization is seen as providing even less support. Respondents believe that responsibility for employee career development should be shared between the employee and the employer but they feel that they have been left to manage alone. They want opportunities for growth and challenge but few have experienced them. Those who have experienced significant developmental opportunities are much more satisfied and committed to the organization. Developing the capacity to understand and address employees' career development needs would seem to offer substantial benefits to the organization.

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Chapter 4 - Career Development in Best Practice Organizations

Introduction

One of the ways progressive employers have sought to make improvements in their people management is through benchmarking their practices against the progress of other firms. Benchmarking embodies the idea that it is possible to examine the best practices of other organizations and then implement changes based on these observations. Fitz-Enz⁽²⁸⁾, the guru of benchmarking, formally defines benchmarking as a "continuous systematic process for evaluating business practice and organizations that are recognized as examples of best-in-class through organizational comparison". He views it as an iterative, investigative process that seeks out high performers in order to learn how they have achieved exceptional results. Initially associated with manufacturing processes, benchmarking has expanded rapidly and is now applied as a tool for collecting data to improve essentially any organizational process including administration, service delivery etc.

This chapter of the report profiles seven Canadian organizations on the leading edge of career development. The purpose of studying best practice companies is to learn from them. In this study, it is hoped that the lessons learned from the best-in-class career management and career development companies will help the public sector reflect on their own practices in the area. It should also allow Public Service policy makers to identify, define and refine a set of career development processes and practices that will contribute to organizational success and employee growth.

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Methodology

Fourteen organizations were identified and in-depth interviews were held with individual(s) responsible for career management and career development programs in each organization. The employers featured in this phase of the study were selected on the basis of their outstanding reputations in the Canadian career management arena. The organizations were chosen on the basis of having been profiled or identified as "best-in-class", progressive organizations (e.g. one of Financial Post's 100 best companies to work for in Canada, a government department with a reputation of innovative programs in the area).

The interviews were conducted by one researcher to ensure consistency across interviews. Information was obtained through in-depth personal interviews, written policy summaries, guidelines and other material provided by our contact people. Although a structured script consisting of 26 questions was prepared for each interview, the perspectives of these organizations proved so diverse that it was decided that more insights could be obtained if the researcher did not limit the respondents to particular topics but instead encouraged them to explore what they deemed to be critical. On average, each individual interview lasted at least three hours. Many of the organizations were very generous with their time. For some organizations, several individuals responsible for different aspects of the career development system were interviewed, each spending on average two to three hours with the researcher. Not only were the participants cooperative, they were also candid, informative and comprehensive, and provided extensive documentation for reference purposes.

Of the fourteen organizations, eight were private sector companies: Alcan Aluminium, Bank of Montreal, Bell Canada, Hewlett-Packard Canada, IBM Canada, Pratt & Whitney, Royal Bank, and Xerox Canada; one was a crown corporation: Business Development Bank of Canada; and five were public sector organizations: Health Canada, National Research Council, Statistics Canada, Treasury Board of Canada, and the Ontario Public Service.

Due to page limits to this report, only seven of these organizations (Alcan, Bank of Montreal, Health Canada, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Royal Bank, and Statistics Canada)will be profiled in this chapter of the report. The other organizations will be profiled in upcoming reports. The following discussion will attempt to provide for each organization: (1) a brief organizational profile, (2) "critical success factors" and performance drivers that may have helped make career development initiatives work for these organizations and their employees, and (3) characteristics of the career development system that make each of these best-practice organizations unique. The chapter ends with a summary of the lessons to be learned from these organizations and a concluding discussion of critical success factors.

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Alcan Aluminium Limited

Alcan Aluminium Limited, a Canadian corporation, is the parent company of an international group involved in all aspects of the aluminum industry. Through subsidiaries and related companies around the world, the activities of the Alcan Group include bauxite mining, alumina refining, power generation, aluminum smelting, manufacturing and recycling as well as research and technology. Approximately 33,000 people are directly employed by the Company, with thousands more employed in its related companies. With operations and sales offices in more than 30 countries, the Alcan Group is one of the most international aluminum companies as well as the largest producer of flat-rolled aluminum products. The word ALCAN and the Alcan symbol are registered trademarks in more than 100 countries and are synonymous with aluminum the world over (Annual Report, 1997).

Succession Management and Leadership Development at Alcan

Having recognized that the quality of people is critical to the long-term viability and success of Alcan, the company has implemented a Succession Management and Leadership Development Process (SM&LD) throughout the company to ensure that Alcan has high quality, strong leadership over time. Viewed as a business priority, managers at all levels of the organization have been asked by top management to take ownership of the process and champion its application in their respective environments.

A reduction in the pool of professional talent and the number of development opportunities due to divestment and cost reduction programs, significant turnover of senior managers in the coming years, and anticipated industry changes are among the "business drivers" that point to the need to have a consistent, structured approach to:

• develop competent leaders; and
• ensure timely replacement of key people to meet future business objectives and strategies.

The career development process at ALCAN is intended to:

• identify, develop and promote high potential employees into leadership positions,
• ensure leadership continuity;
• retain key company talent;
• maximize and diversify the pool of candidates;
• help employees grow personally and advance professionally; and
• strengthen organizational capability to respond quickly to changing requirements.

It is focused on both the long and the short term needs of the organization and is aimed at implementing business strategy.

The Process

The SM&LD process is a ten-step sequence:

1. Leadership development and succession management are both driven by a competency-based assessment process.

2. Employee performance is assessed at least annually against set objectives, generic skills and competency profiles by immediate supervisors with the employee's contribution. This is considered the key element in the process and the foundation that will provide input into the other components of the system.

3. Feedback is provided to the employee regarding his/her potential for advancement and career prospects.

4. The employee communicates his/her career interests, aspirations, mobility, etc. At least once a year, the supervisor will have a formal discussion with the employee and listen to what the employee has to say regarding career development.

5. A specific development plan is then defined in accordance with previous career discussions.

6. Information on performance management review, highlighting high potential employees, is shared in the "skills group exercise" starting at the business unit/plant level up to the corporate level.

   This phase is where Alcan's process begins to be fairly unique. In line with its "bottom-up and top-down" principle underlying succession management, a "people review process" is facilitated through a skills group structure (see Figure 4.1). At every level, managers will get together (with a sponsor from senior management) and share with their peers information on their subordinates' performance. Through this process, high potential employees are brought to the attention of every level, up to the CEO. The skills groups typically meet once a year for this purpose, although sometimes they meet more often. It is the intention of the organization to identify high potential employees as early as possible (at entry level), and to have as wide a pool of candidates as possible to develop and promote into leadership positions. (The last two out of three chief executive officers of the company were identified in their late 20s or very early 30s and were promoted to very senior level jobs in their early 40s.)

   

7. Decisions regarding action plans related to succession management and leadership development are taken within the skills group process. Managers may submit a development plan for an individual, and the skills group will discuss and make decisions on specific actions, be it transfer by a certain date, an expatriate assignment, enrollment in the high profile Corporate Management Development Program, or other development activity deemed appropriate by the skills group. (At very senior levels, the skills group members are international.)

8. An automated process tracks employees with detailed profiles, a record of achievements and competencies, and development plans. The data are accessible to Alcan units around the world. Consistent with the global nature of the company, the view of a high potential's career is based world-wide, and succession planning is often global in nature, with someone in North America potentially succeeding someone in Europe, for example. The whole SM&LD process and specific elements are detailed in the company intranet for world-wide accessibility.

9. An on-going people review process, at least quarterly, is in place in all operating units/companies at senior management level. A "people advisory committee" will spend one day every quarter, following up and implementing decisions that have been made.

10. As part of the annual five year business plan review, a people plan is presented and reviewed with the CEO. This is required of every business sector and every operating unit. The people plan is a comprehensive document which includes skills mapping, identification of critical skills in different areas, skills availability, and international skills exchange. It provides a report on, among other things, employee profiles, recruitment actions, training and development activities, gaps in staffing or expertise, development plans and succession plans. The CEO, with input from Alcan businesses around the world, and assistance of the VP HR, will consolidate the information from these reports into a presentation to the Personnel Committee of the Board of Directors. He will also present to the Board succession plans for all the jobs reporting to him. (Figure 4.2)

Since Alcan is a very decentralized company which is also "decentralized culturally" with divisions operating historically with autonomy, Alcan has provided all its managers around the world with guidelines to follow in relation to the SM&LD process. This is to ensure all business sectors will use similar/linked processes while taking into account their organizational and cultural context. Employees are fully informed of the SM&LD process and the related responsibilities of all stakeholders in the process. The roles and responsibilities of line managers, HR, the employees and even that of the CEO in the SM&LD process have been clearly delineated. While the employee has to take primary responsibility for his/her own career planning and development, the process is owned and driven by line management in that they are accountable for the successful implementation and follow-up of SM&LD activities within their area/sector. To support and underscore the idea that the SM&LD process is a priority, managers are evaluated and rewarded for their efforts to develop talent. Performance bonus is contingent on assisting with career planning, and a basic criterion used in promotion decisions is: Did the manager develop his/her people well?

There is strong support for developmental activities at Alcan. A host of training and developmental opportunities and programs is available that addresses different employee populations. There are internal, external, international, and a variety of corporate programs aimed at young potential employees as well as their "solid citizens". There is also a successful mentoring program.

Measurements are taken to monitor the success of the SM&LD process. Among them are:

• percentage of senior positions filled from within (75% to 85% should be the target)

• percentage of high potential employees who have specific development plans

• how many of those identified as high potential employees for senior positions have left the company in a given year and how many have been promoted

• the "hit-rate" (2/3 of positions should be filled by people on the back up list)

"What will make the difference if this company will make it or not is not the machines; we can buy the machines. All our competitors have the same machines. Leadership will make the difference."

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Bank of Montreal

Bank of Montreal is a highly diversified financial services institution offering a full range of services in all three NAFTA countries. With Harris Bank, its wholly-owned subsidiary in the United States, Nesbitt Burns, and in alliance with Grupo Financiero Bancomer, its partner in Mexico, it has developed a continental banking platform that provides personal and commercial banking, institutional banking, corporate banking and investment banking in each market. In all, it has 45 lines of business, and 1850 sites globally. It has approximately 40,000 employees in its Canadian, U.S. and international operations, not including all subsidiaries or Mexico.

Executive Development and Career Management

The Bank of Montreal has been identifying its top talent for many years. Within the last year they have introduced an initiative entitled "top talent management." This framework was put in place to:

• identify high potential employees (the top 5%-10% performers), and

• more actively and proactively manage this population in terms of development and career progression.

The Bank recognizes these individuals are "corporate resources", and feels that more concerted effort is needed to "lead them across the enterprise". The Bank also understands that top talent management also means "a lot of attention" to ensure that these individuals are happy and understand that they are valued.

"What we don't want is the top talent getting in, doing everything for themselves, and leaving....We need to reward them, to provide them with the opportunities...."

The Bank is also working very hard at moving away from the propensity to stick to senior management levels and is attempting to "dig deeper into the organization and identify our top talent early in their careers so we can accelerate their progression and development."

Identification of high potential employees is typically done by immediate managers with confirmation occurring at least on a skip-level and frequently on a panel-skip-level basis. Top talent emanating from a division would typically be the senior management ranks. The divisional executive team would review the nominations to the top talent pool.

The Bank of Montreal firmly believes that there is a co-responsibility for development, placement, and utilization of its key resources. Employees are responsible for their careers, but the organization must provide the tools and the necessary support. For the executive group, however, they are "much more hands-on managed....around career moves." The executive group is assessed on an annual basis with respect to the succession planning process, performance, and development. Executives are specifically assessed on eight broad categories of managerial leadership competencies in addition to the targets or goals established for the year. Through interviews, career aspirations are discussed as well as possible placement opportunities and options. Developmental needs are addressed by assessing the best course of action to take. Options include formal courses, the executive development program, project assignments, a lateral move, a task force assignment or other developmental experiences.

Executive Resources, as the name implies, is the group within the Bank of Montreal which is responsible for the recruitment, promotion and placement of the executive group. This group is involved in performance discussions, and in the identification of developmental action plans. It is responsible for undertaking the succession planning process on behalf of the chairman of the Bank and president of the board, in consultation with the senior executives who will ultimately confirm or not confirm the performance ratings and the succession. This assessment then goes to the president and chairman of the Bank for a final decision.

Bank of Montreal's Career Development Tools

A host of tools are available at the Bank of Montreal to assist employees' understanding of the opportunities available, the developmental requirements, and the support available to meet these requirements.

The tools that have been created for specific job families are referred to as Personal Development Assessment and Planning Guides, a four-in-one tool. They exist for each of the 16 job families (70 different roles) within Personal & Commercial Financial Services (PCFS). Some of these tools are in paper form, while others are moving into electronic form. In each guide are all the jobs in the family, (i.e. a career progression model). Fully articulated are the key activities, performance, skill and knowledge requirements for the jobs, with an assessment scale on the requirements. An individual can see the minimum performance requirements as he/she moves through the tiers, and the behavioural competencies required. An individual can assess him/herself against these requirements, and thereby gain a better understanding of what is expected and how to achieve it. The personal development maps provide a graphic guide to all the performance expectations for a role, helping the individual identify strengths and developmental needs. Combined with the progression model, the maps help the individual to go through the following type of assessment:

"If I'm at this level, and my career aspiration is to end up at that level, I know what the performance requirements are, what the developmental requirements are..."

After going through the above process, the individual can then complete a personal development plan which provides a detailed guide to the high-priority development actions to be undertaken. While this is a self-assessment exercise, the employee's manager/ leader acts as a coach during the assessment and development process. The leader is expected to understand the individual's performance expectations, engage in ongoing, meaningful conversations with the candidate, provide learning opportunities and recognize and reward the individual's efforts. A Leader's Summary Assessment Workbook is available to help leaders perform their role in this regard.

The Bank launched a campaign of "cascading communication", or information roll-out, one and a half years ago to ensure that employees were aware of what tools were available within the Bank to support career development and what the Bank expected from the employee with respect to career development requirements. Workshops of one to two days duration, over a four-month period, were organized across the country to introduce the materials. A group of facilitators across the country were trained to deliver them. The Workforce Development Unit in corporate HR worked in conjunction with the facilitators to ensure that everyone was hearing the same, consistent message.

Not only does Bank of Montreal provide career development assessment tools, they also provide a wide variety of supports to employees with respect to career development. Examples of such supports include classroom learning, action learning, assignments, projects, conferences, workshops, and mentoring. The Bank has also invested heavily in training to give its employees the opportunities they seek for continuous learning, skills enhancement and career advancement. In 1997, the Bank spent more than $65 million to offer employees an average of 6.6 training days per person through the course of the year. More than 70% of this training occurred outside the traditional classroom setting.

The Bank's Institute for Learning (IFL) in Toronto offers more than 70 individual courses in four major areas: leadership and change; marketing, sales & services; lending, corporate finance and capital markets; and technology. While the IFL serves as the learning centre for Bank employees around the world, employee training activities are conducted in every part of the Bank's operations. Through its distributed learning programs, recently augmented by its interactive learning services, the Bank also offers a comprehensive range of internal and external learning and performance support materials to employees wherever and whenever they are needed.

Other approaches are also employed to meet the Bank's learning needs. In 1997, for example, two programs in support of building the core competencies of the Operations Group were designed in alliance with external partners. Alliances are also formed with universities, such as Boston University and the University of Waterloo, to provide programs which focus on building skills critical to project management and the rapid learning of new technology applications (Annual Report, 1997). At last count, the Bank had approximately 7,000 employees registered with the Institute of Canadian Bankers (ICB) in a variety of courses.

The Bank also has a "Possibility Centre", the equivalent of a career management centre or career resource centre. Staffed with four consultants and a manager, it is essentially an information dissemination centre. Through a 1-800 number, it provides information ranging from career choices, resume writing, networking, interviewing, IFL courses and programs, to information on "the direction in which the Bank is heading". It will find specific information requested by individuals or refer them to people and resources. It is also a source for books, audios and videos related to career issues.

At the present time the "end-state"of the career development process is accreditation (i.e. assessment -- development -- accreditation). Accreditation represents the minimum standard of performance an employee is required to meet. It is also the process by which the Bank confirms that an employee has learned and is consistently demonstrating the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are fundamental to his/her role. When an individual feels he or she has:

• filled the gaps identified through the assessment phase;
• attended all required courses;
• mastered all the required computer managed tests; and
• had an opportunity to apply the learned skills, knowledge and behaviours;

he/she prepares and undergoes the final behaviour-focused accreditation interview with a skip-level accreditor. Following the successful interview, the accreditor then recommends salary and/or grade action. This will signify a milestone in the career of the individual who is now poised to move on to another cycle of assessment -- development -- accreditation.

Two years ago it was decided that this cycle of assessment -- development --accreditation should be consistent across job families. In other words, all employees would use the same methodology and approach with respect to career development: only the content would vary. This consistency would allow the Bank to measure, using the accreditation levels, "who is where in the process."

Another "tool" in the career management process is the job posting system. Bank of Montreal has a well developed career information network distributed through the computer system. All jobs are posted, even ones that are filled, "so everyone can see what's going on in the Bank". Jobs that have "prime candidate identified" are also posted, signifying that there will be competition for the job for any interested qualified candidates. The Bank believes that people need information about jobs (i.e. need to know what the roles and responsibilities, learning requirements and qualifications are for the various jobs as well as knowing what opportunities are available). Coupled with the assessment tools, the job posting system gives the Bank's employees food for thought on career development actions to take or career avenues to pursue.

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Health Canada

Health Canada is a department of the federal Public Service whose mission is to help the people of Canada maintain and improve their health. Its mandate is to provide excellent service in the area of health. Its goals are:

• foster active health system partnerships with provinces, territories and others;

• develop a more effective health intelligence network;

• improve knowledge management and dissemination and evidence-based decision making;

• give increased priority to initiatives that redress the most significant health inequalities in Canada;

• develop a renewed relationship with First Nations; and

• provide leadership on health promotion, disease prevention and health strategies.

Health Canada has seven Branches (Health Promotion and Programs; Health Protection; Medical Services; Policy and Consultation; Corporate Services; Home Care Developments; Information, Analysis and Connectivity) and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. It is represented in four regions throughout Canada: Atlantic, Quebec, Central and West. Health Canada has a grand total of 6,676 employees across its numerous (over 800) sites across Canada. Approximately 54% are in the National Capital Region.

The Learning Culture at Health Canada

Health Canada considers that learning and development activities which are aimed at enhancing knowledge and skills are a priority and an essential business investment that contribute to the attainment of departmental objectives and employee career goals.

"Out of the upheaval of restructuring and reengineering of recent years has emerged the recognition that organizations need to concentrate more on maximizing employee potential to achieve corporate results. Even in a weak economy, investing in employee development is critical to enhancing productivity, because superior performance requires superior learning." (New Orientations for Learning at Health Canada, 1996).

In the early 90's, significant elements were put in place to support the emergence of a learning organization and to inculcate a learning culture at Health Canada. In 1993, Health Canada defined its framework and vision for continuous learning in a Strategic Learning Policy. To reinforce its commitment to learning and self-development, it introduced the concept of "learning days" which formally recognizes the need for employee development and encourages managers to more openly support learning and self-development. In the latest 1998 Strategic Learning and Development Policy, Health Canada has targeted an average of five working days per employee annually for all general learning and development activities. Activities included under this rubric range from on-the-job training to computer-assisted learning, classroom training, conferences, workshops, seminars and developmental assignments. These five days are in addition to travel time, attendance at mandatory management training programs, and language training. The average number of training days for Health Canada and other federal departments is approximately 3.5 days annually.

Health Canada also recognizes that management and employees have a shared responsibility in identifying, planning and following up on learning and development activities, and clearly delineates them for employees, supervisors and managers. Employees are responsible for their own learning and development. Employees are expected to:

• assess their own career and learning needs and discuss them with their supervisor;

• identify and propose activities to achieve their learning and development goals;

• strive to continuously upgrade their skills and knowledge and seek out learning and development opportunities and expertise to attain their goals; and

• apply learnings on the job and share them with co-workers.

It is the responsibility of supervisors and managers to support employee learning and development. Besides regularly discussing and identifying the learning and development needs of their employees, they are to:

• establish annual Learning and Development plans for them;

• link the plans to the Performance Discussion and Operational Planning processes;

• commit funds for learning and development and protect approved training budgets;

• create learning and development opportunities within their organization; and

• allow time for employees to participate in learning activities and to apply their learnings upon their return to work.

Since the inception of the Strategic Learning Initiatives in 1993, major department courses were developed and introduced nationally at Health Canada. The Learning for Leadership program has been the flagship of the continuous learning culture at Health Canada. It is a mandatory program to develop leadership skills throughout the Department. For non-supervisory staff, the Learning for Tomorrow program has been the main instrument of developmental initiatives. The Management of Change programs, offered to all employees, are designed to help managers and employees deal with the evolving requirements and demands of the new Public Service workplace. In 1997, eight learning areas (i.e. strategic thinking, business management, new technologies, quality service delivery, portable skills, leading change, modern leadership and effective work team) were identified in a New Orientations for Learning initiative and programs offered.

A major achievement for Health Canada has been the establishment of eight regional learning centres across the country to promote the self-development of employees. This national network of learning centres is probably unique in the federal Public Service. An array of services is offered to clients: technology training facilities, loan-out of training equipment, information and advisory services and contemporary collections of self-learning items. Each centre is also able to offer specific services based on the needs of the region. In the last year, more than 8,000 of these resources (books, audios, videos and coursewares) were used by Health Canada employees to develop new skills and competencies.

The total cost for Health Canada of the various services and programs related to continuous learning has been approximately $3 million annually (excluding technical training and training purchased outside of the Department by individual managers and employees), "a reasonable and cost efficient investment". The Department spends approximately 3.1% of its salary budget on learning and development.

Career Management and Development

Health Canada plays an active role in assisting its employees in managing their careers. Its Career Centre, working in partnership with the Learning Centres, is a focal point for career management services. After three years in operation, it has been recognized as a leader in the area of career management in the Public Service. It offers a range of group and individual services as well as programs designed to help employees make informed choices. It provides confidential career counselling to help clarify skills, interests and values, and to assist employees in formulating action plans and job search strategies. Professional career counsellors travel extensively to provide service across the country to all the regions, including remote locations. In 1997-98, 1,500 counselling sessions were conducted with approximately 700 employees across Canada. It also offers a variety of workshops, including career planning, resume writing, and preparing for interviews. More than 1,350 participants attended career related workshops in the last year. All employees also have access to a variety of books, videos, interactive software, workbooks, and assessment tools.

Career Development Programs

Health Canada has a range of formal development programs. Some of them are Public Service wide programs, while several are designed and implemented within the Department.

Management Trainee Program (MTP)

The Management Trainee Program is a Public Service Commission program, intended to create a pool of candidates likely to enter middle management positions. The four-year program recruits master-level university graduates as well as candidates from the Public Service who have Bachelors and/or Masters. Health Canada normally has approximately 13-14 trainees in the program.

Career Assignment Program (CAP)

The Career Assignment Program is a Public Service Commission program of up to four years. It is an integrated management development program encompassing selection, education and assignments. CAP provides a representative group of employees, identified as having executive potential, with the opportunity to broaden their experience, prove their managerial ability and develop a strong corporate vision. It is open to candidates with employment at the middle management level with managerial aspirations who usually have five or more years employment at the middle management level. Currently, there are 15 participants from Health Canada in the program.

Interchange Canada (IC)

Another Public Service Commission developmental program open to Health Canada employees is Interchange Canada (IC). It promotes and facilitates the exchange of employees between the Public Service and organizations in other sectors located in Canada, such as the private sector, various levels of government, Crown corporations, unions, academic institutions and non-profit organizations. It is open to public servants in all groups and levels, who have been appointed on an indeterminate (permanent) basis and who have obtained a commitment from their departments to sponsor them on an assignment.

Health Canada also participates in Public Service programs for senior executives such as the Accelerated EX Development Program.

In addition to the above, Health Canada has several of its own development programs:

Pas de deux

Pas de deux offers employees a chance to expand their horizons and learn about other areas of Health Canada. It has two components: Shadowing and Exchange, both aimed at helping employees acquire new knowledge, experience and skills.

In the Shadow experience, the employee follows the "host" through his/her daily routine, attends meetings and helps out where needed. It is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, learn new skills and to make new contacts. Shadowing is for a period of one to five days. The Exchange involves two employees temporarily switching functions, allowing them to explore new career opportunities and to broaden their knowledge of the Department. Exchanges are for a period of between one week to three months.

Mentoring

Employees who wish to explore career options in a more serious manner are able to obtain the assistance of a seasoned manager who will provide advice on career strategies, training and learning experiences in support of career goals, share career experiences, and uncover career opportunities in the organization. Employees will be asked to identify clearly their expectations from a mentoring relationship so that an appropriate mentor can be identified. Once the initial contact has been established, the employees are then responsible for managing the ongoing relationship. A training program is offered to mentors and potential mentors to learn how to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities.

Long Term Educational Leave

Health Canada supports Long Term Educational Leave as an important element in providing the specialized knowledge and skills required to meet strategic priorities of the Department. An approved absence from normal duties consists of a period of 65 days or more, to a maximum of three years, or expenditures in excess of $25,000 including the employee's salary and has the purpose of allowing the employee to attend full time courses at a university, technical college or institute of learning. It is not intended for general education upgrading.

In support of La Relève, the federal government's initiative and call to action and commitment to human resources management, Health Canada is implementing three new programs to assist employees in their development. Successful completion of the programs do not automatically ensure a promotion, but will greatly enhance the likelihood of the participants being ready to compete for higher level positions.

La Relève Management Development Program (LRMDP)

Is an expansion across Canada of the Health Protection Branch's Management Development Program established three years ago. The aim of the program is to develop a diversified, highly trained and competent management cadre for Health Canada. In addition to the objective of management development, the program also aims to contribute to achieving an equitable representation of designated groups and both official language groups. One-quarter of program seats will be set aside and allocated to employees in a visible minority group. Participation of other designated group members is also closely monitored.

The program encompasses nomination, selection, learning and assignments. It is designed to provide opportunities in 1998-99 for a maximum of eight employees in the Scientific and Professional category, at the EX minus two level in the national capital region (NCR) and at the EX minus two and three levels in the Regions. A period of three years is given to develop the necessary management experience and competencies to reach management or EX positions.

The Learning Phase consists of required "structured learning". The participants must complete a learning plan for the duration of the program. The learning plan should include the competencies that participants intend to be working to improve, the types of assignments, and other formal and informal learning activities. Participants must attend Health Canada's Learning for Leadership Program, and develop a mentoring relationship.

The purpose of the Assignment Phase is to give participants managerial experience within the branches/agency and regions of Health Canada. These assignments help enhance managerial skills and competencies. Assignments with other organizations, within and outside the Public Service, are also considered. Through a variety of meaningful, well-matched work assignments, participants apply, test and expand on their knowledge, abilities and managerial skills.

La Relève Development Program for Intermediate Level Staff

The new program's aim is to develop individuals in intermediate level positions who have demonstrated potential for advancement by providing them with the opportunity to develop new competencies, broaden their experience, develop a strong corporate vision and start acquiring supervisory skills through a series of challenging work assignments and instructional training.

It is a two-year maximum program, intended to develop competencies such as: innovation, leadership, accountability, problem solving, client focus, ethics, flexibility, team work and communication. Employees in intermediate level positions can apply. The Learning Phase includes the mandatory course Learning for Leadership. An individual can include in his/her individual development plan other learning programs dealing with problem solving, strategic thinking, people management, etc. All participants have a mentor, identified through Health Canada's mentoring program, and have access to career management services.

The Assignment Phase includes up to two one-year assignments or up to four six-month assignments, in various branches of the Department.

La Relève Development Program for Junior Staff

The purpose of this new program is to enhance the abilities of employees in junior level positions who have demonstrated the potential for advancement. The one-year program is designed to provide participants with opportunities to acquire additional marketable skills through learning activities and assignments, and develop competencies that have been identified in the New Orientations to Learning (e.g. team work, communication, client focus and technical skills).

Employees in the Administrative Support category or an entry level officer position can apply to the program. The Learning Phase of the program consists of both formal and informal learning opportunities. Participants must take the Learning for Tomorrow program which introduces participants to the Department's culture, values, and key valued competencies. This program was also designed to enhance skills and knowledge in strategic partnerships, communication, analysis, and individual self-reliance. Other learning programs based on an individual development plan could include: writing skills, courses in finance and contract administration, career management workshops, informatics courses, etc. All participants have a mentor and access to career management services.

The Assignment Phase can include a one-year work assignment or two six-month assignments in various branches of the Department where participants can apply, test and expand on their knowledge, skills and competencies. In consideration of regional participants, assignments within and outside the Public Service are considered.

In 1998-99, the two development programs for intermediate and junior staff will be piloted in the Health Promotion and Programs Branch.

Other Initiatives

Through the commitment and support of its senior management, Health Canada has played a key role in building partnerships with other federal departments and other levels of government interested in working together in the areas of learning and development. These partnerships now total more than fifty across Canada. The collaboration has enabled the partnering organizations to offer "enhanced services to employees at a lesser cost", and facilitated the development of shared programs and systems (such as a regional course registration system and the delivery of technology training at the regional level), and exchange of information and resources.

"In a learning organization, the development of skills and knowledge must take on many forms so that learning can truly become pervasive and part of the organization culture."

Health Canada has introduced numerous learning methodologies to ensure that learning goes beyond the classroom and is a day-to-day occurrence (e.g. lunch-time sessions on a wide range of subjects, assignments, one-on-one coaching/counselling, self-learning, video presentations, open-concept learning, computer-based training, official and international language training). Organized career discussion sessions with senior management can be quite informative. To launch the sessions, the Deputy Minister was invited to discuss her career with employees, "the kind of jobs she'd had, the obstacles, how difficult or easy it was for her to find this work". This approach worked very well and currently three or four sessions are held a year where senior managers in the NCR can talk to employees about their careers. This benefits managers as well as employees as they become more involved in career and developmental activities. Linkages with senior managers are maintained and they see the benefits of the learning and development initiatives.

To ensure accessibility, especially to employees in remote locations, paper and electronic versions of calendars of courses as well as the catalogue of self-learning materials are available. Computer-based versions of key corporate courses such as Learning for Tomorrow have also been developed. They have also tried innovative approaches such as establishing, on a pilot basis, a live camera link with the Learning Centre of a partner organization to better serve clients at both locations.

It should be noted that regions have their own successful initiatives. One of the major accomplishments of the Quebec region, for example, is the launch of a new career management initiative, "Défi Carrière: je prends La Relève". It is aimed at providing employees with feedback on their potential, promoting employee learning and development, increasing employees' occupational mobility and helping employees take charge of their career. In the fall of 1997, the Ontario region launched its virtual Learning Centre which allows Health Canada employees from across the province to electronically identify their learning needs and to access various learning and career development services and resources.

As can be seen, Health Canada is positioning itself in the Public Service as a leader in the areas of learning and development. The many programs and services it offers have:

"contributed to make Health Canada an employer of choice in the Public Service and a forerunner with respect to the La Relève initiative."

One of the main reasons for its success in the learning and development area is senior management's vision and support.

"...The Department has always been very supportive of employee development, in terms of not only saying it is important, but also allocating money....We have been very fortunate in terms of resources, in terms of support from senior management..."

Workshops are funded,

"so people don't have to pay....if they were not funded, then managers will have to pay for employees to attend these courses, and then attendance wouldn't be as high as it is now...it's just time off for the employees..."

A continuous learning vision cannot be sustained if it is not supported.

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