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

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Chapter 4 - Career Development in Best Practice Organizations (Continued)

Hewlett-Packard Canada

Hewlett-Packard Company designs, manufactures and services products and systems for measurement, computation and communications. Its basic business purpose is to create information products that accelerate the advancement of knowledge and improve the effectiveness of people and organizations. The company's products and services are used in industry, business, engineering, science, medicine and education in more than 120 countries. Hewlett-Packard Canada has been in operation for 36 years. It has 1,700 employees, and has 22 sites across Canada.

The HP Way

To understand career management and career development at Hewlett-Packard, one must have a good understanding of the culture of the organization. The founders' philosophy has made indelible marks on the company and the values they espouse are at the foundation of every action, policy and practice in the organization. "Strategies and practices may change, but the values remain." Candidates for hire, for example, are screened and evaluated on whether they have values similar to the HP Way as well as on their technical skills and qualifications.

So what is the HP Way? It consists of three components: Values, Objectives and Practices.

At Hewlett-Packard, employees are valued and respected. The motto has always been "...that men and women want to do a good job, a creative job, and when provided with a proper environment they will do so." It strives to be "the best company to work for", and employees seem to agree. Employees work long hours because they have objectives to achieve. People volunteer for many projects beyond their normal load because they want to stretch, to learn, to contribute, to grow. There are recreation sites around the world, scholarships for employees' children, breakfasts (with unlimited variety), and coffee and tea are free to every employee every day throughout the year. As was noted during the interview:

"We have the range of normal benefits, but the company does a whole bunch of other little things to make the environment extra."

The career message is "employee owned, manager supported". Careers are the employees' own responsibility, and managers are there to support them. It would be paternalistic and contrary to the culture to have someone telling employees that "you need to do this or that...It's like 'father knows best'...It has a ring to it that would not be good in HP..." While no one says "we ought to give you this additional experience", individuals do in fact take on "an incredible amount of things." Individuals know that if they are not continuing to develop, they are not going to be viable candidates for even their own jobs because the jobs are changing so quickly.

Within HP, there are no levels⁽²⁹⁾ and no titles. There is no vice president, assistant vice president, or senior vice president. Even the CEO and president of HP Canada is just a "country manager" within HP. Inside HP, you are either a manager or an individual contributor, and people move in and out of those roles easily. In such a climate, the concept of career takes on a whole different meaning. People worry more about "doing a decent job, doing something fun and interesting, and really making a contribution."

Values	Objectives	Practices
Trust and respect for individuals High level of achievement and contribution Conduct a business with uncompromising integrity Achieve outcomes and objectives through teamwork Courage, flexibility and innovation	Profit Customers Fields of interest Growth Our people Management Citizenship	Management by wandering around Management by objectives Open door policy Total quality control

Hoshin

Career development flows out of the business plan and out of "Hoshin", the breakthrough strategy. Both business objectives and Hoshin are established at the top, and flow down to each business unit or team. There are two primary areas in the Hoshin, one relating to customers, the other to HP's people. The Hoshin for people is that HP wants to be "the best place to work", and strives to obtain this goal through a focus on development, diversity and work life balance.

With the broad parameters from the top, business plans are developed in the business units, and implementation plans are developed for them, and for the breakthrough strategies in the Hoshin. It puts simultaneous emphasis on "getting the work done" and "achieving new breakthroughs" in regards to customers and people. Through Hoshins, the "wheels are put into motion" and there is "a lot of rallying around the areas of emphasis" (e.g. to achieve new things in making HP the best place to work). There is recognition that they are "part and parcel of everybody's lives and you have to do something about it." Everybody is accountable and responsible for development, for diversity, and for work life balance; there is no "waiting for corporate to roll out something", "for experts somewhere to tell us what to do". "You can't cop out and say we need that group or the corporate group or the local support group to go away and figure it out and then tell us the answer and we'll implement it." Everyone has a stake, not just the experts. It focuses employees, moving everyone in the same direction, but with built-in flexibility as to what's practical within their framework or operation.

Every quarter, a report is made on whether business results have been achieved, and documents progress in terms of the breakthrough strategies. A form is used, which includes the "situation statement", the overall breakthrough(s) one is trying to achieve, the implementation plans, and the performance measures. The reporting is based on a system of "red light, green light, yellow light." The "red lights" (and sometimes the "yellow lights"), "the things that are off the rails in terms of the implementation plan", are examined and actions are taken on them.

Career Development

Every year, employees are evaluated on their performance. This evaluation is based on the performance and development objectives they have set. Having been identified within Hoshin, the importance of development in HP is well grounded. The performance evaluation process further reinforces and integrates it. For the performance evaluation an employee must have a completed performance plan and a development plan. The performance plan is focussed on the job, and performance objectives are developed with a view toward aligning work and results that will contribute to the organization's and the manager's objectives. (See Figure 4.3) Measures are identified and time frames are established.

The employee then compares his/her capabilities and aspirations with the performance plan to create development objectives. In the development plan, the employee will also include measures, and identify different kinds of learning activities that will help him/her acquire the knowledge and skills needed to attain the development objectives (see Figure 4.4). The following information is included in the development plan:

The resources and support that will be needed are identified as well as the time frames.

Performance evaluations by the manager are done with feedback from both internal and external clients. Discussions also centre around development and the support that is forthcoming from the supervisor. Beyond the manager-employee performance evaluation/discussion, the individual is ranked against a larger peer group, using a relative ranking system. HP has a lot of good people and many would be expected to rank highly with respect to performance. At HP, however, the bar keeps moving up and the scores become a new norm. For example, using a scale of one-five, if many employees get a ranking of four one year, then next year that standard of performance becomes a three and expectations are raised.

This process supports career development:

Since there is no "quota entitlement", and pay is contingent on performance,

The system gives impetus and incentive for one to actively pursue as many development opportunities as possible.

Organizational Support For Career Development

The organization supports career development endeavours. On average, people get about forty hours of formalized training each year (the organization is trying to raise that to eighty hours) but development at HP is also enhanced through assignments, projects and other on-the-job learning opportunities. Great emphasis is placed on technical and product training. The company does, however, support any training that is considered critical to business success such as project management, and the "softer skills". A variety of internal and external education and training options are available to employees, as is self-paced computerized learning. The organization has an education centre responsible for an array of course offerings, and a learning centre which is a resource centre for books, audios and videos.

Consistent with its philosophy of empowering its employees, HP has a Web site that is extensive in providing information and tools. With the click of a key, employees can access a host of career development tools, including:

• Forms for the performance plan and the development plan, and guidance to complete them with the aid of the Guide to Performance and Development Planning, or the Employee Appraiser.

• Career Steps: an employee-driven, Intranet-based career development tool allowing employees to build their own profiles based on skills, strengths, and areas for development. Once the employee has completed the profile, it can be matched with actual HP job descriptions.

• The Learning Resource Network that works with universities to build partnerships, and qualify their programs. It is linked directly to the university websites to provide up-to-date information on faculty, availability and registration. It also helps users find resources to develop specific skills and competencies.

• Job Postings: A web-based application available to all HP employees, the pages on this website are translated into several languages to allow HP employees to navigate in the language of their choice. Direct access to positions located in a specific country can be accessed through an electronic map. A search tool helps internal applicants to look for job vacancies based upon several criteria such as HP location, function, job level, keywords, etc. Internal applicants can apply directly through the "Apply to" feature on the Web. The information is refreshed on a daily basis.

• Job Subscribe: This service allows Worldwide HP employees who are looking for a new job to enter criteria on the "Subscribe to Job Opportunities" WEB form. Once a week, a process is run to match subscriptions with job postings in Canada and Latin America. When matches are found, an e-mail is generated that will notify the employee of the jobs that match their selected criteria.

• The Leadership Development Resources Guide provide HP managers and individual contributors with resources (books, videos, programs and workshops), activities to help develop leadership ability and tips for on-the-job development. It is organized according to six broad categories of leadership competencies (five for individual contributors). It can be used as a reference guide or an assessment tool.

Career counselling is available through human resources (and to a lesser extent the Learning Centre), or the Career Action Centre in California, a pay-for-consulting service that helps people identify interests, skills and values and provides one-on-one counselling (via telephone for non-locals).

For a price, the company offers the Career Self-Reliance Tool Kit to employees to evaluate, make, and achieve career-related decisions. This self-paced kit helps employees to assess themselves. Included in this assessment is an examination of their life and career goals, their career self-reliance, and their knowledge and attitudes. This kit also helps employees identify gaps as they relate to their current situation and future goals. Employees are then assisted in developing a career plan and in determining the steps needed to implement it.

HP organizes a Leadership Development Week four times a year in various locations in the U.S. (In Canada, it's offered every two years.) Although aimed primarily at new managers world-wide, it also offers specific leadership training such as executive leadership and "management in process training." Workshops and presentations are offered in many areas including Career Self Reliance, and Performance and Development Planning.

HP has four corporate education departments responsible for core management development for HP's first and middle level managers, as well as leadership development for senior management.

New and experienced managers are offered a variety of courses ranging from coaching and managing performance to diversity and behavioural interviewing.

The Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD) program is part of a key strategic effort to accelerate development of leadership skills of high performing, high potential employees first level managers and individual contributors. Businesses nominate and select participants who are ready to accept the increased demands of higher-level positions. The current program offers a 360 degree leadership assessment, development planning, mentoring, practical work experience and periodic events. There are 200 annual participant slots, and selection goals ensure cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. The 1998 program will include approximately 180 people from the Americas, 20 from Asia Pacific and 12-20 from Europe.

As the Hoshin in diversity and development reflects, HP recognizes that in order to sustain its competitive advantage in the marketplace it needs to:

• enhance its ability to identify, track and develop high potential employees talent with a stated diversity objective, and

• have a systematic approach to the development of executive and management talent.

The Accelerated Leadership Development Program (ADP) is designed for high performing, high potential employees middle managers worldwide. Participants are nominated and sponsored by the senior management of their businesses and are believed to be HP's future senior leaders. Criteria for selection include experience in two different functions, geographies or sectors of the business, and a minimum of five-seven years in management positions. The current program offers a diverse range of experiences that include 360 degree leadership assessment, development planning, career assessment, peer/alumni networking, coaching and mentoring. Selection goals for the 48 annual worldwide participant slots ensure cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. In addition, half of the slots are reserved for women. There are plans to develop an ADP program for First Level Managers and General Managers in 1999.

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IBM Canada

IBM is the world's largest IT company, hardware company, and services company, with 280,000 employees world-wide. There are two major segments in the business: sales and distribution, and global services. IBM Global Services, with a presence in 164 countries, has more than 116,000 employees, 9,000 of whom are professionals. These employees provide a variety of product support services, professional services and network services. IBM Canada has 15,383 employees, with 88 facilities across the country. IBM Canada has three subsidiary organizations. In the IBM world, there are roughly 26,000 people managers (i.e. managers who have people reporting to them). There are 3,000 executives world-wide. In Canada, there are 2,100 managers.

Skills Management, Skills Development and Career Vitality

IBM, like all organizations in the IT business, faces an environment that changes at "warp-speed". With new businesses, new markets, and changing customer demands for products and services, the challenge for IBM is to ensure that its employees have the skills to enable the company to compete globally, and to develop skills to stay ahead of the game.

While IBM is focused on managing and developing the skills of its employees for competitive advantage, it is also committed to enabling individuals to link their career goals with IBM's business strategies, directions and needs. The three processes (skills management, skills development, and career vitality) are very much interrelated and integrated.

Skills Management Process

The skills management process at IBM is a world-wide process. It is integrated with the business process. Schematically, the process consists of four major components:

• Plan
• Assess & Acquire
• Develop
• Deploy

Plan

The organization decides as a business the markets it wants to play in, the customer requirements, and the products and services it wants to offer.

Assess & Acquire

Through customer research, analysis is made of what customers require in terms of skills and capabilities. An assessment is made of the skills available within IBM. This assessment is done using a world-wide tool with skills definitions by job roles. A gaps analysis, performed with the help of a template, is conducted to identify "what do we need to do to acquire the skills and what do we need to do to develop the skills?"

Develop

"IBM has always viewed employee development as vital to its own success, as well as that of its people." While some skills will be acquired from outside, emphasis is placed on extensive use of developmental strategies and tools to fill the skills gaps. Skills development is seen as fundamental to maintaining and capturing business opportunities, but also for the career growth and satisfaction of the employees.

Deploy

Once skills have been built, they can then be deployed to where they are needed. Resource managers access the available skills and deploy them to projects as demand arises. This is "opportunities management". The biggest challenge for IBM is to be able to use the vast amount of data (in the form of resumes) strategically.

There are many different layers of activities within each of the above components. Running parallel and integrated with this process are the skills and career development processes.

From the employee's perspective, there is a three-step process with three pertinent questions:

• What does the business need?
• What skills do I have personally to compare with what the business needs?
• What are my gaps, and how can I fill those gaps? Once these analyses have been made and actions taken, then "the individual is deployable."

Two key roles have been identified across the business to help in the planning and assessment of skills from both an organization's and employee's perspective: the skills planner and the skills leader. Skills Planners are fairly senior practitioners with technical experience who can evaluate business opportunities. They work with the different units to evaluate the unique skills that will be required based on the market to be penetrated, and the products and services to be offered. The Skills Planners will then communicate that into the process and make sure that employees know the critical skills that will be in demand and should thus be developed. In other words, "a Skill Planner is a person who is planning strategically for skills for the future." It is his or her job to assess the tradeoff between skills to be developed and skills that can be "bought". A Skills Leader, on the other hand, helps managers and employees to choose professional templates that are "right for them" (i.e. will enable them to do an effective assessment, and to develop the appropriate developmental activities).

 

Skills Development Process

The model used at IBM for skills development, an integral part of the skills management process, is depicted in Figure 4.5.

There are responsibilities for both manager and employees within the Skills Management Process. The manager is responsible for the identification of skills required by customers and market segments, and the assignment of job roles and responsibilities to the employee. The job skills required by customers and markets help define the job roles and the relevant templates for skills assessment.

There are 2,000 skills templates, all of which have been developed collaboratively. Each template pertains to one job role. Since the roles are built around groups of professions with very well defined career paths, employees not only can assess their present skill requirements, but can also assess what skill requirements are needed for positions further up a particular career path.

Early every year, each employee establishes personal business commitments (PBC) or objectives as to what he/she will deliver to IBM. Filtering down from the top, each person builds his "commitments" around the business plan, and identifies objectives in the three main commitment areas for IBM: commitment to WIN, commitment to EXECUTE, and commitment to contribute to the TEAM. In other words, the employee makes commitments around the major things that they handle on the job, the specific details or tasks that are to be done, and activities that contribute to various team efforts. Individual skills development objectives are incorporated into these "commitments", and tied to business unit plans. These plans and commitments form the baseline against which performance will be evaluated.

Employees then review the skills list for their profession's template and update their skills assessment using the SKILLS tool that is online. When the process first started in 1996, each employee invested between four - six hours on his/her initial assessment. Over 90% of employees have since completed their initial skills assessment. The SKILLS tool documents current skills and experiences and identifies gaps. Part of this process includes an updating of each employee's resume-- an important process as customers (internal or external) will often ask to see the resumes of those who are providing services.

The online SKILLS tool that every employee is required to fill out and update is the Individual Skills Plan (ISP). "The ISP is used to identify and develop customer-valued skills critical to the success of the business and the employees." It summarizes skill development requirements in two key areas:

1. Skills needed for IBM's success as defined by customer and business plans (i.e. current skills needed).

2. Skills needed for the attainment of the employee's goals and aspirations.

The set of "current skills needs" are developed in conjunction with the manager or team, and must be reviewed at least yearly for changes. Priorities are also often identified by the organization to focus attention on building certain important critical skills. For example, during 1998 there is a focus on building skills on internal office productivity tools. Job role templates are then designed to help employees determine the skills and the required skill proficiencies. After assessment, current skills are documented and prioritized. It is expected that all employees maintain a current skills assessment on IBM's online skills tool. The documentation which is generated by this process allows IBM to maintain knowledge of the skills it holds in its workforce.

The second section - skill development needed for the attainment of the employee's goals and aspirations - is optional to allow for differing individual needs for career development discussions at various stages of their careers. It can be initiated by the employee or manager. It is particularly valuable for employees who want to prepare for a job change, or focus on their career goals.

Once an individual has identified where there is a gap between his or her current skills and his or her planned proficiency levels, he/she must document or update the Individual Development Plan (IDP). The plan will include "gap closure activities". These activities can include a variety of measures such as formal education, readings, project assignments, "internship" on projects, attendance at conferences, mentoring etc.. They also outline the necessary resources (time and funding) to be invested in developing the skills. After the plan is agreed upon by both the manager and employee, the employee can proceed to execute it. In general, three to five skills are identified for development for each IDP cycle. Employees are encouraged not to over-commit themselves and to keep the development focussed. As part of the PBC exercise, employees are evaluated on their attainment of their IDP goals.

Through the year, the employee is expected to:

• engage in various "checkpoints",
• obtain input from the assessments of his/her PBCs (from peers, from customers, from the manager),
• document skill gap closure, and
• update his/her personal skills profile.

360 degree feedback is obtained toward year-end, and the employee documents the feedback results against PBCs. Both manager and employee provide input into the overall PBC ratings. When the overall PBC rating is determined at the beginning of the following year the manager uses the data to help determine variable pay as well as determine compensation increases. Employees are compensated for their contribution against PBCs, their skills and other factors. The cycle then resumes.

It should be noted that skills development is also tied to a certification process at IBM. As employees develop skills and apply them, they can prepare to be certified by a board of peers. For employees already in more senior ranks, mandatory certification by a certain point in time is required. The process ensures that world-wide standards are maintained. "You don't want different flavours of skills and talents when you're trying to deploy a world-wide project." Certification also "opens doors" to promotional opportunities when they occur, offers "a little recognition" and is a "gateway" to the senior ranks.

IBM also tries to identify "high potential employees" early in their careers through a "roll-up" rating and ranking process that occurs twice a year. Once identified, a very well documented individual development plan is developed. This plan provides a detailed plan of career steps designed to give the high potential employees person the necessary breadth of experience. The process is, nevertheless, "driven by the employee and supported by the manager." At this time, "High Technical Potentials", and "High Women Potentials" are also being identified.

Career Vitality Process

Integrated in the Skills Management Process is a career management process entitled the Career Vitality Process (see Figure 4.6).

"Career Vitality is achievable when individuals take ownership and control of their work life by continuously assessing and understanding their skills, traits, attributes, motivational patterns; constantly explore and create business opportunities while benchmarking their talents inside and outside the company; set personal career goals with business strategy; and build SMART⁽³⁰⁾ plans and commit to executing them."

Taken together these two processes align individual capabilities and career goals with organizational opportunities. The integration of these two processes enables IBM employees to:

• better understand themselves and the skills they HAVE

• explore opportunities to gain knowledge about the marketplace and the skills that are required (i.e., NEED)

• make informed decisions on career goals, objectives and the specific skills and behaviours they need to develop and enhance to close the GAP

• build feasible PLANs, continuously revise and prioritize, commit and effectively execute.

The five-step Career Vitality Process provides IBM professionals with a step-by-step approach to help them become career resilient. The steps provide structure and guidance in self-assessment, creating and exploring options, setting goals and objectives, decision making, developing action plans and executing the plans.

The Career Vitality Process benefits employees, managers and the organization. For the individual, career vitality means enhanced lifelong career management skills, career ownership, employability and the opportunity for continuous learning. For the manager, it is a structured approach to career management, with the resources to support it (such as career counselling, skills development), employee ownership of career, and increased commitment to organization success. For IBM, it means attraction and retention of qualified, highly skilled and versatile professionals, increased productivity and alignment of careers to business direction. It also means a career resilient workforce and a competitive edge and a strategic advantage that is difficult to replicate.

To give support to the process, the Canadian IGS Career Vitality Centre was officially opened in January 1997 to provide career vitality services, tools and resources to new hires, all levels of professionals, general managers and both regular and supplemental employees. This centre brings together under one umbrella almost all of the vital services and information that employees need in terms of assistance in career management. Although located in Markham, Ontario, many of the resources are available to IBM professionals across Canada. "The day we opened our doors, we were flooded."

The Career Vitality Centre supplements the existing processes and tools already in place to facilitate the Career Vitality sub-processes (e.g., the SKILLS tool--ISP, IDP; 360 degree feedback; the PBC) by providing a variety of additional self-assessment tools (e.g. career counselling; workshops and self-studies on personal skills development, "bio writing"; interviewing; "benchmarking info sessions and career chats" business strategy sessions) as well as a career library of books, audio and video resources. The Career Vitality Centre also developed an "Insiders Network" to assist professionals in finding other professionals willing to share with them specific career development information and experience and maintains a history of jobs posted in JOBNEWS (the online job posting tool). JOBNEWS enables individuals to determine the types of jobs and skills that have been in high demand in the past. The Career Vitality Centre also provides on-going, current information on IBM Professional Profiles against which employees can compare their own personal profile. It is closely linked to the Education and Training Centre, as well as the Leadership Training and Management Development programs.

Training, Management Development and Executive Development

IBM supports its philosophy and processes by investing in its employees. It is estimated that IBM Canada spends about $22 million on employee development: $12 million of that amount is spent on "training" alone.

The Education and Training Centre in Markham, Ontario, is responsible for "education" (mostly technical training) for employees and for customers. In addition, distance learning, external education and training, and a host of other learning opportunities are available to employees.

The IBM Management Development (MD) group is tasked with identifying and providing learning activities for all IBM leaders below the executive ranks. They are also responsible as the Centre of Excellence for Leadership Development for teaching this group requisite leadership and management behaviours.

Consistent with IBM's strategy to build skills throughout the organization (as reflected in the three Processes discussed earlier), MD is responsible for identifying a clear, concise set of common skills for all IBM managers, and for identifying competencies and related behaviours for first-line and middle managers.

For experienced managers and executives, a set of eleven competencies have been identified and "baked" into succession planning. Managers are assessed against these competencies. An assessment tool (Strengthening Leadership at IBM: An Assessment Handbook for Executives) is available to managers and executives to help them identify their own as well as their direct reports' strengths and areas needing improvement. The competencies are defined, the IBM "seven-circle leadership model" is explained, and a list of developmental activities are suggested to help the manager begin the process of crafting his/her own development plan. A two-day course, named "New Blue" has been developed to give feedback to experienced managers on these competencies as well as their Managerial Styles and Organizational Climate. This course was piloted with 300 of the most senior executives.

Development for managers comes in many forms. The philosophy in management development at IBM is that:

• there will be consistency in the approach to leadership across professional/ management/ executive levels;
• the same approach will apply globally; and
• there is an emphasis on e-learning (electronic learning via intranet).

There are also basic core management development programs for first-line, middle and experienced managers. These include many remote learning modules through online e-learning, graduating to interactive, collaborative learning modules via newly developed technological tools. "Learning labs" or face-to-face workshops comprise the other major category of offerings. External courses (such as university courses, MBA) are also considered developmental options.

Most important of all developmental experiences, however, are "leader-orchestrated, on-the-job learning opportunities with deliberate coaching and feedback," and "organizationally provided learning experiences specifically designed to meet developmental needs of IBM managers." For the executive cadre, there is the Global Executive Program, run out of the IBM Learning Centre in Armonk, New York.

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Royal Bank of Canada

Royal Bank is Canada's largest financial institution as measured by market capitalization, revenues and net income. It serves nearly ten million individual and business customers around the world. In Canada, it has leading market shares in residential mortgages, personal loans and deposits, and business loans. It is the largest money manager and the third largest provider of mutual funds (first among bank-owned funds). Royal Bank owns the largest and most profitable investment dealer (RBC Dominion Securities) and the second largest discount broker (Royal Bank Action Direct), and is a significant provider of creditor life and disability, individual life and travel insurance. Internationally, corporate and investment banking, trade finance, correspondent banking, treasury and securities custody services are provided to business customers. The Bank has a retail network in the Caribbean and substantial global private banking operations. Its international network includes 105 offices in 36 countries. Divided into geographic, business and functional units, the Bank has 58,000 employees. (Annual Report, 1997)

RBFG Leadership Development Model

The Royal Bank Financial Group has a clearly delineated model for leadership development. This model (see Figure 4.7) can be viewed as a model for career development as it applies to almost all levels of the organization.

The model recognizes that there are both individual needs and organizational needs with respect to development. The basis for determining organizational needs is the strategic plan, which leads to the examination of the strategic questions: Where do we need to go? Where do we want to go? What leadership needs will that entail? Leadership needs are examined both in numbers and in competencies.

RBFG goes through an extensive and exhaustive Succession Management Review process every year. In dialogue with the various units, and with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the organization, the corporate HR group (the group responsible for succession management and leadership development) examines the talent pool. This talent pool consists of existing executives and people who can be drawn into the executive ranks (i.e. those two levels below executive). Any gaps between needs and talents that are identified are then assessed to determine whether the gaps can be addressed through experience or recruitment from elsewhere.

The individual needs aspect of the leadership development model entails, first of all, the Performance Review which should be conducted on a quarterly basis. During the Performance Review, discussions are held on the individual's current performance and potential, and any gaps that there may be in achieving that potential are examined. A final formal review is conducted at the end of the year in the context of these discussions.

There is also a process called the Leadership Review, which is distinct from the Performance Review. It is a 360 degree feedback process undertaken with individuals who are currently executives or are being considered for executive positions. Feedback from about ten to 15 people (managers, peers, direct reports, customers, and others) are gathered, and performance is assessed against a set of six Leadership Criteria. Gap analysis against the Leadership Criteria allows RBFG to determine whether the individual has certain developmental gaps that need to be worked on. The exercise is "developmental" and not "evaluative", with the intention to identify gaps and help to close the gaps. It is psychometric in nature, with an interview after the assessment.

The third element, which focuses on the perspective of individuals, is the Succession Management Review. From the Succession Management Review comes an "individual potential rating". Potential is assessed and gaps relative to the Leadership Criteria are identified. When individual needs and organizational needs are put together, "it gives a good sense of what the developmental priorities may be in the organization."

Currently, the bank has identified three developmental priorities, relative to the strategic plan:

• Global Mindset, defined as intellectual curiosity, broad-mindedness, a capacity to draw from many sources (i.e. "not thinking within the nine dots ....quite creative in their thinking");

• Collaboration, in terms of working across an organization. This priority reflects the fact that RBFG, which for many years was a hierarchical, command and control type of organization, is evolving into one that is more cross-functional and cross-cultural; and

• Innovation to develop an organization that is creative, innovative, and quicker to market.

There are three means of addressing developmental priorities within the model. The first and foremost means of executive development/leadership development in the organization is experience. As opposed to an external program or an internal program, the organization concentrates on providing people with a variety of experiential assignments (usually two-three years in duration) during their career:

The aim of the assignments is to develop in the executives and non-executives a much broader feel for the organization, so that they are allied or aligned with the organization as opposed to a particular business unit. Career moves are discussed in terms of what they do, not only for the organization, but also for the individual.

The other two means of addressing developmental priorities are internal and external programs. It should be noted, however, that:

Internal programs

The internal programs are project managed by an internal staff. External consultants or experts are often asked to develop a program that is customized for Royal Bank's needs. The internal staff typically act as project managers who work with external consultants to make sure the course is delivered against the objectives and within the budget that the Bank has established.

Internal programs are customized against specific priorities, and generally aimed to imbue individuals with the Royal Bank values, "to turn them into leaders around the Royal Bank value system, and the Royal Bank culture." A second aim of internal programs is "simple networking". People are drawn from across the organization; it helps them develop networks; it helps them to "work cross-collaboratively in the organization". The third objective of these internal programs would be to have specific programs targeted to the three developmental priorities that have been identified (i.e. curiosity, innovation, collaboration). For example, a program has recently been developed with Henry Mintzberg of McGill University called From Analysis to Action which is particularly geared toward:

• collaboration/innovation,
• how to move faster to market, and
• being more entrepreneurial.

The course was run for the first time in November 1998 with a cross-section of 25 executives and the level just below, and is expected to be offered for at least the next two years at which time it will be assessed⁽³¹⁾.

There are three other internal programs offered at the senior level:

Introduction to General Management

is aimed at people who are not yet executives. It provides them with their first true exposure to a "general management type of education". Over the course of ten days, a series of seven or eight top notch consultants from around the world are brought in "to talk about corporate finance, strategic planning, market planning....and a variety of things that are directly related to general management skills and trying to get people to think much more broadly, in terms of what it's like to run a business, as opposed to running a particular portfolio or ...a single job." John Cleghorn, the CEO of the Bank will spend time with the group. Over the nine evenings, at least five to six senior executives will also spend an evening each with the group over dinner and in an hour long Q & A period discussing issues and questions. Their presence demonstrates their commitment to the individuals.

The course is run twice a year for approximately 50 people per program. For many within the organization, the course is a "true signal to them that they are being considered for greater things in the organization. It's looked at very positively and is a tremendous experience". The course has been in existence for at least 12 years.

On Being a Royal Bank Financial Group Executive

is an orientation program for people who have been appointed Royal Bank executives (vice-president level) or who have been hired in as Royal Bank executives. This program is eighteen months old and is typically given to executives about six months after their appointment (or hire) when they have had a little experience in the executive role. This course "is about telling people to speak for the organization rather than speaking about the organization." Over the course of three days, the focus is on "making them leaders of the organization as opposed to people who are playing within the organization". It emphasizes the collaborative aspect, and allows for networking. John Cleghorn, the CEO, comes in and spends a half-day with the group and talks extensively about leadership in the organization. The Executive Vice President of Human Resources also spends a half-day. Two programs are run per year with typically 25 persons a program.

The Leadership Development System

is an action-learning course for 30 people. Projects dealing with key issues at the Bank are identified, cross-functional teams are designated. Over the course of six months, each action learning team works on a project while fulfilling their own roles. "It's a very onerous and ambitious project to be on one of these LDS teams but it is one of the best experiences people find in terms of coming together as an organization, with other people, and in finding a sense of their own capabilities."

Other internal programs such as task forces and project work are more informal. These projects and programs provide exposure and experience in the organization.

External Programs

In the Succession Management Reviews there are extensive discussions on what the needs of an individual are (i.e. International exposure? Exposure to a business? Exposure to technology?) The aim of these discussions is to consider different avenues to enhance the breadth and exposure of an individual.

The International Master's Program in Management

Is a consortium provided by McGill University, Lancaster University in England, the University of Bangalor in India, a university in Japan, and INSEAD in France. It is an 18-month program that involves three weeks on-site at each of the universities. An intense learning experience, it provides tremendous cross-cultural opportunities. Three to four people, with at least ten years experience, will be chosen to attend. It provides the opportunity to work within the Royal Bank team, but also enables the participants to benefit from other companies' experiences. To date, 13 people, fully funded, have gone through the program. Although expensive, the Bank is committed to this program because of the response of the participants--"they are more reflective, more confident, more worldly....they think more strategically."

A variety of other external programs that individuals feel best suit their needs are also considered such as MBA programs, Executive MBA programs, Dalhousie University's ICB/MBA (Institute of Canadian Bankers) program, and distance education (e.g. Athabasca University's MBA program). Based on a discussion with the manager, and an assessment of the return on the investment, a decision will be made as to the extent of the funding provided for such development. At the very least, time will be made available to individuals who wish to invest in their own career.

The total budget for internal and external leadership development programs is $5.2 million, some of which is recovered from the business units. This budget typically breaks down as follows: 60% of the amount would be spent on the development and delivery of internal programs; 40% would be on a variety of external programs. The average investment in development per person per annum, given that there are 300 executives and 300 MPEs at the below executive level, is $9,000, a "fairly significant commitment".

The Most Promising Employee (MPE) Process

The feeder group to the executive level (which has 300 individuals) is approximately 1,100 in number. About 300 of these will be targeted as being potential executives. A process called the Most Promising Employee Process exists within the individual units to assess the caliber of their own people. MPEs can be targeted at an early age and at an early stage of their career, and confirmed throughout their career or later in their career. In other words, "it can happen at any point in a career, and it needs to be confirmed every year. You can fall off the list as well as be added." It is only at the most senior levels (i.e. two levels below executive) that the MPE status is confirmed. As they approach the executive level, "corporate would really confirm whether the assessment is correct. We may do a leadership review, for example. We may have further discussions, but there's confirmation given at that point in time as to whether an individual truly does have executive potential." At lower levels, the business unit has that responsibility of identifying promising employees.

Prior to this year, MPEs were not made aware that they had been identified as such. The Bank has decided to make it a more open process. The six Leadership Criteria (which are behavioural qualities to become a leader in the organization), along with the competencies that are tied to being proficient in the different criteria, have now been made known to lower levels, and will be more broadly applied.

The MPE review takes place every year. It is a three- or four-month process of "information bubbling up from the field and then confirmation at the top level, after the fact." It is a well-defined process in terms of the discussions that take place (i.e. succession within a business unit, the potential and ratings of the individuals within the unit). There is information that is provided on each MPE within the organization to Corporate Human Resources which allows them to manage things from an organizational perspective. Each MPE has a career plan which forms part of a documented electronic file system which can be reviewed on a regular basis to see "to what degree the MPEs are moving into jobs based on the schedule that had been set as part of the review process." "It is quite a formal process involving a considerable amount of dialogue and considerable amount of debate around individuals as opposed to being a systems driven or formula driven process." In addition, Corporate HR keeps a close watch on the size, gender, age, education and other dimensions of the feeder group to ensure that "we are building sufficient depth in the organization that will, over time, rise in the pyramid such that we will have management succession."

Career Development and the PPRD

Career development is given emphasis throughout the Bank through the Performance Planning, Review & Development (PPRD) Process. It is a new process and many areas within the RBFG have introduced it. With PPRD, quarterly meetings are held with all employees to plan specific objectives against the group's objectives and performance drivers, and to review performance against these specific objectives. The PPRD goes beyond measurement of where an individual stands relative to predetermined goals, and measurement for pay purposes5. It also includes a coaching and development component which will assist employees in achieving their goals by identifying skill/competency/knowledge gaps, which when addressed, will enhance their overall performance and contribution.

The process in developing a development plan within PPRD is as follows:

• The employee completes a "Competency Model/Assessment Questionnaire" (CMQ/CAQ) for his/her position (an annual exercise), and transfers his/her competency ratings to the Competencies Assessment Summary in the PPRD. He/she then identifies development opportunities.

• In consultation with the manager, the employee outlines specific performance enhancing and competency development activities to be undertaken during the year on the Competencies Development Planner. The employee is asked to refer to Learning Maps which are tied to competencies and can be found online. These Learning Maps provide a series of steps and suggestions related to development which range from videos to books, to finding a mentor, to external education courses, to assignments and projects.

• Each of the planned actions will have a target completion date. The Development Planner is reviewed during the quarterly meetings with the manager.

• Based on the individual's and unit's progress during the previous quarter, the individual and the manager may decide that activities or the development plan should be revised.

• Although there are no ratings for the Planner, the degree to which an employee progresses in the development activities will directly impact on his/her success in achieving his/her individual performance objectives.

Coaching (on performance, development and career) is an integral part of the PPRD process. The Royal Bank has developed a 6-step coaching model called the Royal Coaching Journey which provides managers with a road map to any coaching session, regardless of its nature. In development and career coaching the manager will identify areas where the employee has been successful and where there may be an opportunity for further growth. Using the data that the employee has gathered using available assessment processes (i.e. data on his/her own competencies, strengths and potential) the manager will:

• review with the employee areas requiring development for the current role (competency),

• discuss areas requiring development for future roles (career), and

• discuss improvement/development strategies and programs as well as career strategies.

An action plan will be agreed upon and the development progress will be discussed quarterly.

September has been designated as Personal Growth Month for employees. Previously, employees were encouraged to have a personal or career development discussion with the manager. This discussion was to be completed separately from the performance review discussion. With the new PPRD process it is formalized that in September a manager and an employee will "discuss development progress including a thorough competency assessment, complete development plan for each individual, and have a career discussion". Performance reviews are performed over the other three quarters, with an annual review at the end of the fiscal year. The importance of career development is firmly entrenched in the process, with the individual taking full responsibility for his/her own development plan and actions, but with active involvement and coaching from the manager.

Organizational Support for Career Development

A strong believer in investing in its people, the Royal Bank has continuously developed tools, processes and resources to enable its employees to grow and to develop. The Royal Coaching Journey is a good case in point. The kit was rolled out in three phases over a year and a half. It is now accessible to everyone in the workplace. It comes with a diskette, video vignettes, a CD ROM, a leader's guide, and a self-study manual. The kit provides a learning tool for managers to develop critical skills that are essential to any manager's role, and also supports the message that coaching in performance and career development is a major part of the manager's job. The kit's design emphasizes the equal role of both the coach and the coached. Both parties are provided with training and development and supporting material.

Other examples of organizational support of career development include:

• Career Navigator: Employee Guide, a workbook outlining a complete career and personal planning process. This guide is a career and personal development management tool which guides employees through self-assessments and a reality check. This guide then helps employees put together a development plan and a career plan. It is customized to RBFG.

• Career Navigator: Leaders Guide complements the Employee Guide. It incorporates the 6-step coaching model and includes specific career coaching situations.

• Competency Model/Assessment Questionnaire (CMQ/CAQ) assesses competencies for individuals related to a specific role. It helps identify competency strengths and developmental opportunities.

• Career Experience is an internet web site offering information and workshops for career direction choices.

• Enhancing Your Professionalism is an online catalogue of learning and personal development programs and workshops in RBFG. It provides course descriptions and registration information.

• Mentorlink is RBFG's mentoring process. It is a competency-based, self-development process enabling employees to reach beyond their current environment to pursue personal and career growth. It includes a start-up kit, overview, guidelines and checklists of the mentoring process. Through technology, a reservoir of individuals who are prepared to be mentors is created and linked with individuals interested in being mentored. This link includes a matching process for the developments needed by the mentees and the areas that mentors have to offer. It is intended to be cross-functional and not hierarchical or business based.

• Personal Learning Network has PC based, multimedia learning activities that employees can tailor to a learning map.

• Training Catalogue is an online catalogue of training materials and courses.

• Connections Job Line is "a call-in career management tool". It assists in identifying available job opportunities and provides advice on resume writing and preparing for interviews. Jobs are posted in Job Line which is accessible 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, anywhere around the world. Job Line is updated daily. There is commitment from all managers to post positions, even if a preferred candidate is identified. Individuals can key on the phone system and get a copy of the job mandate which outlines the key responsibilities, qualifications and key competencies that are required. Despite having the capabilities of putting Job Line online, the Bank has purposely maintained this as a phone-based tool with paper-based applications. This was done in order to maintain accessibility as "everyone has a phone; not everyone has a computer." It should also be noted that: "Not only is Job Line about finding and making jobs accessible, ... it's about providing employees with information about the activities that are going on in the organization."

The above is just a sampling of the many tools and resources that Royal Bank has available for its employees in managing their careers. Many of the learning tools are under the umbrella of the Royal Learning Network. This network signifies that "learning can happen anywhere, anytime across the Royal Bank". There is, nonetheless, a "centre of expertise", a physical location which centrally manages the development and delivery of learning interventions of various types. The centre offers a wide range of courses, among them highly popular career development workshops and workshops on Successfully Marketing Yourself Within the Royal Bank.

The Royal Bank is a strong supporter of continuous education. In 1997, the Bank invested a total of $113.8 million in training (including trainee salaries and benefits), which translates to nearly $2,000 per employee. In 1998, the projected investment is $132 million, with an average of $2,245 per employee. While close to 70% of the training is job specific, over 20% of the investment is toward career enrichment of its employees. In the Systems and Technology Unit, which has only 2,300 employees, $4.3 million will be spent in 1998 on non-technical training, $3.8 million of which will be spent on career enrichment. Technical training and self-study will come to $1.1 million.

Royal Bank also believes in career programs for entry level positions. In the Systems and Technology Unit, for example, there are various programs to ensure that not only are good candidates available for IT positions, but also that they are helped in terms of a career within the Bank. Besides summer internship programs (four months) and co-op programs, the Unit also has a Technology Internship Program where new grads are brought on board. About half are not computer-science graduates (intentionally). The program is designed to run about four months in duration. The Programmer Trainees (about 100 a year) go through extensive training (mostly self- paced learning). When they are ready, a matching process takes place between the trainee, manager and project, and the trainee moves into a position where they will usually stay from six to 12 months. After that, they generally start moving into other position streams and areas. Since they were not hired for their technical skills, but for their potential and people skills (key desirable competencies) "they can start making career choices as they progress because they have a technology background as part of their introduction to the division and now they can pick up business knowledge; they become very marketable, in terms of moving into other businesses."

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Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada is one of the world's largest and most highly respected statistical organizations. With an annual budget of $262 million, it has approximately 5,400 Public Service employees (4,715 indeterminate/permanent, 608 determinate/term employees). Half of these are economists, mathematicians, technical officers and administrators, while the remaining 50% provide clerical, secretarial, data processing support and survey implementation. More than 90% are located in Ottawa, the rest in the agency's eight regional offices. Statistics Canada also employs about 1,600 'interviewers' in the regional offices to collect business, labour force and cost of living data.

As a scientific research agency, Statistics Canada publishes a wide range of statistical analyses and contributes substantially to the development of statistical methodologies at the national and international levels. It operates as the hub of the nation's statistical systems, and conducts special surveys funded by other federal departments and agencies, provincial or private sector clients.

Human Resources Development at Statistics Canada

Recognizing that the Agency has an aging workforce, especially in its middle and senior managerial levels, and challenged by the pressures of budget volatility in the face of varying demand for products and rapid technological change, Statistics Canada has developed a comprehensive human resources strategy to ensure it hires, trains, develops, and maintains a cadre of employees with:

• the skills to meet current work requirements;
• the potential and versatility to adapt to changing work requirements; and
• the capacity to succeed in a long-term career involving several job changes, continuous learning and adaptability.

At Statistics Canada, human resources development is accepted as a primary responsibility of line managers. Human resources specialists are available to provide support and advice; however, line managers are held accountable for the success of the major human resources programs. It is through this responsibility sharing that the Agency enacts the "cross-cutting principle of management ownership" of the human resources management function.

This "ownership" is operationalized through a hierarchy of networked management committees (senior managers), sub-committees (mid-management) and working groups. These committees facilitate and engender line management buy-in, and ensure extensive involvement in major human resources issues. Ideas flow down, but also come from the bottom. The various HR committees report (at least quarterly) to and are held accountable by the Human Resources Development Committee (HRDC) which is chaired by the Chief Statistician. The HRDC provides direction on the acquisition, training, deployment, career development and retention of employees at Statistics Canada. In all, there are approximately 400 positions for middle and senior managers on over 50 Human Resources Committees. Over half of the top 300 managers are involved in, and have a specific role and responsibility in, human resources management. With the exception of the full-time trainers, all this committee work is in addition to the regular responsibilities of the managers. All senior managers are members of at least one of these committees and membership is rotated on a regular basis. A successful assignment as Chair of one of these committees is recognized as an important achievement in the record of a senior manager.

Figure 4.8 presents a model which is at the heart of Statistics Canada's human resources strategy. This strategy is conceptualized as including four interdependent elements which tie into one another. Figure 4.9 presents "the architecture of Statistics Canada's human resources development framework", displayed as a pyramid of integrated activities and concrete mechanisms to support the HR strategy.

Professional Recruitment and Development - Selection of the Best

Statistics Canada has invested heavily (in the last seven years) in recruiting the best quality new staff with the potential, the will and the skills to adapt to change throughout their careers. A corporate Professional Recruitment and Development Committee forecasts future needs, and engages in hiring the best and the brightest university graduates. Newly hired graduates are given broad exposure to the Agency. For the first two years, they rotate among several positions on assignments in various parts of the organization, are aided by mentors and take prescribed training before they "graduate" to a regular position. In the seven years since the Professional Recruitment Program has been in operation, it has produced a new cadre of highly skilled and motivated professionals. Some of the early recruits have already reached middle management level.

Training

Statistics Canada places the highest priority on and invests heavily in training, regardless of volatile swings in the departmental budget levels. Over 3% (approximately $9 million) of the overall budget is invested in training, with an average of six days of training annually per employee. The Agency has an overall training framework and has developed major flagship courses (on topics such as survey management, data analysis and marketing) designed to address the major technical, professional and managerial needs of the organization. Ninety percent of the courses are delivered in house by STC resources at the Statistics Canada Training Institute. The thirty full time trainers are Agency professionals on temporary assignments to the Institute. In addition, 200 "guest lecturers" donate their time to performing training functions in addition to their regular jobs.

A Training and Development Committee, composed of a dozen divisional directors and chaired by one of the Agency's most senior executives, provides overall management and direction and continually reviews, discusses and monitors the definition of training needs and policy. Through this committee, training content, scope and overall thrust is entirely in the hands of the supervisors of its beneficiaries.

Employees discuss their training needs for their current job and for their career planning during their annual performance review and also during biennial skip-level interviews. Most divisions have training coordinators who develop and maintain divisional training plans that incorporate individual training plans.

The Agency is particularly cognizant of the challenges facing its junior support and non-technical staff. Support and technical programs are in place to increase the technical and quantitative skills of this large group of employees most at risk of becoming technologically redundant, and to ensure that multi-skilling and versatility will make them more readily redeployable. Formal training, interspersed with work assignments and active mentoring provide opportunites to employees to gain knowledge and skills in technical, communication and project skills.

Career Broadening - Mobility Through Assignments

Employees at Statistics Canada are strongly encouraged to accept rotation to different work areas in order to consolidate their newly acquired skills and broaden their experience. The Agency operates a number of mechanisms such as the Corporate Assignments program (CAD), the rotation of new professionals and the rotation of senior managers to ensure the existence of a large cadre of mobile employees, who are willing and able to move to new, demanding work assignments. These career broadening programs ensure that the Agency retains the ability to adapt quickly to change. A key element which supports the rotational programs is that employees are guaranteed the security of returning to their home positions.

Initiated in 1983, CAD is designed to support training and career development. It brokers assignments, providing fast service with minimum red-tape to fill human resources requirements on a temporary basis, meet peak workloads or start urgent new projects. It provides employees with opportunities to acquire new work experience, practise second-language skills, explore different areas in the Agency, gain experience that may lead to transfers or promotion, or get a second start because of downsizing or restructuring. While on CAD there is no acting pay. CAD provides career counselling, resume writing and helps in interview preparation, and special assistance for employees with disabilities and aboriginal employees. All indeterminate employees are eligible to apply for CAD, with their director's approval. After four years in the same position, employees need no formal approval to participate and be considered for a developmental assignment. The CAD program generally has about 500 (over 10% of) indeterminate employees on assignments at any given time. Since its inception, over 4,000 assignments, ranging in duration from six months to two years, have been arranged for 2,500 employees from various groups and levels. Statistics over the past ten years have indicated that CADs have a higher rate of subsequent career success compared to non-CADs.

Generic Competitions

At Statistics Canada, generic competitions are now the norm for the three most senior levels--Director and Director General, Assistant Director and Section Chiefs. Other groups and levels are starting to use generic competitions. With Agency-wide generic competitions, high potential employees candidates from a variety of areas are given consideration in the selection process. Senior managers are encouraged to acquire a broader appreciation of corporate issues affecting the Agency and to develop a corporate identity. Generic promotions provide additional career development benefits. For instance, they:

• require employees to have a broader understanding of the Agency rather than just knowledge of their own work area, and

• encourage middle and senior managers to develop versatility through career-broadening assignments

Staffing through generic jobs is facilitated by the Agency's move to increased use of generic job descriptions.

Middle Management Program

Middle managers gain experience and develop managerial skills through participation in a Task Force designed to initiate a group of managers into tackling Agency issues and preparing an analysis and recommendations for presentation to the executive. Managers develop sensitivity to the various interests of many disparate groups in the organization. They also gain from the inter-group collaboration.

Biennial Skip-Level Discussion on Career Development

Statistics Canada has added an additional step in its Performance Feedback and Review process by inviting employees to participate in a skip-level interview with their supervisor's supervisor every two years. These interviews focus upon the employee's career aspirations and suggestions from the skip-level supervisor on the most appropriate means of attaining them through on-the-job training, courses, seminars, conferences, assignments and other means. The meetings provide employees with a corporate perspective of occupational growth. One of the main themes of these interviews is to encourage versatility in employees through developmental opportunities.

Research Sabbatical

The Internal Research Sabbatical Program (which is offered to mid-level employees with requisite expertise and professional training) provides the opportunity to be temporarily exempted from duties to pursue concentrated full-time research on a topic of their own choosing for up to a year. Sabbaticals contribute to employee development in that they enhance research and analytical skills and facilitate mobility into areas where such skills are in demand.

Core Developmental Initiatives

Figure 4.10 outlines the core developmental initiatives provided by Statistics Canada to all its employees. These initiatives occur within the framework shown in Figure 4.8 which includes training, career broadening and a positive work environment. It is believed that placing training within this strategic HR context enables these initiatives to flourish. Beyond this core set of developmental activities, more specific initiatives have been developed to meet the needs of specific groups of employee such as support and entry level employees, technical employees, junior and intermediate employees, and middle and senior managers.

Positive Work Environment

Statistics Canada believes that a positive work environment is an essential element in its HR strategy. Among the most important ingredients fostering trust and commitment is its unique No Lay-Off Policy, maintained since 1979 despite times of budget restraints. The policy is a vital prerequisite for the success of its mobility and career broadening mechanisms since it ensures job security and thereby facilitates risk-taking, mobility, and versatility. On the other hand, the policy has succeeded because of the Agency's strong investment in the training and rotation of its employees. It also depends on the unique redeployment procedures that are in place should reassignment be necessary. The policy and programs reinforce and support each other.

Other practices are also in place to foster a positive work environment-- employee opinion surveys, flexible work options, employment equity initiatives, a comprehensive awards program, a variety of communication tools, and extensive supportive services including career counseling, an employee resource centre and employee assistance programs.

 

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