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PSMAC Subcommittee on People Resourcing


II. Approach

The following outlines the approach followed by the Subcommittee in managing this initiative.

Objectives

  • Identify the most important gaps of the current people resourcing system; and
  • Provide recommendations to deputy heads and the Centre to address these critical gaps.

Guiding Principles

  • All recommendations put forward should be based on evidence;
  • Where possible, the recommended actions and activities should offer prompt, high- impact solutions to common challenges or concerns;
  • Where possible, work should build on and link to what has already been done or is ongoing;
  • Other initiatives underway that may contribute to addressing certain recommendations should be recognized;
  • The focus should be on:
    • What we can do better within the existing legislated system;
    • The elements that seemed to represent the most significant gaps; and
    • Areas we can build upon that would benefit from additional deputy head support; and
  • Deputy heads will play a key role in addressing and resolving the gaps identified in this report at both the public service–wide and departmental levels.

Scope

Recognizing that an optimal people resourcing system requires a range of complex and interrelated management functions and activities, it was determined that this analysis would focus on a limited number of gaps and recommend actions for both short- and longer-term strategies.

The scope was therefore focused on:

  • Identification of the most significant, timely and relevant gaps, given the fiscal environment, that would benefit the most from the attention of senior management;
  • Identification of areas that would contribute to advancing the direction set out in the HR strategic review; and
  • Recommendations that offer practical means to close the gaps.

Methodology

The Subcommittee was tasked with developing and recommending options to address the concerns of stakeholders involved in decision-making processes related to people resourcing. Previous work, projects, reports and initiatives conducted on the same issues were consulted and used as building blocks for this report, including the following:

  • "Diagnostic of the State of HRM Capacity Challenges Facing Line Managers" (2008);
  • "HR Capacity Building for Line Managers: Addressing Current and Future Needs" (2008);
  • Footage and interviews from the 8th Annual National Managers' Community Development Forum (2008);
  • National Managers' Community focus group sessions: "Dialogue with Senior Leaders—A Follow-Up on E-Polling Results";
  • The HR Capacity Building Strategy (2005);
  • PE Community: Potential Recruitment Model 2005–06 to 2010–11;
  • Demographic of the PE Occupational Group (2010); and
  • Lessons learned from the Deputy Minister University Champion Program.

To obtain different perspectives on the current people resourcing system, consultations were initiated with various representatives of the managers and HR communities to identify existing gaps and propose options for improvement. In addition, quantitative analysis of all available dataSee footnote[2] for each aspect of the people resourcing continuum was undertaken to identify areas of concern or interest.

The following representatives were consulted through brainstorming sessions and focus group discussions to determine the perspective of managers and HR professionals:

  • Representatives from the Subcommittee members' departments;
  • HR representatives from various departments (from the regions and the National Capital Region (NCR));
  • Representatives from the National Managers' Community (NMC) (from the regions and the NCR);
  • Chairs of the Human Resources Planning Interdepartmental Network (HRPIN);
  • Chairs of the National Staffing Council (NSC); and
  • Chair of the Organization and Classification Council (OCC).

Brainstorming and focus group session participants were asked to discuss the following:

  • Features of an optimal people resourcing system;
  • Their respective departments' most important gaps in dealing with the current system; and
  • Strategies and actions that would support the public service in achieving an optimal people resourcing system.

The perspectives of candidates and employees have been based on individual consultations and feedback from the following:

  • New employees who had recently gone through the hiring process;
  • Individuals who have recently applied to positions advertised to the public; and
  • Graduating students/participants at public service career fairs (2008–09).

See Appendix B for a detailed description of the methodology used.



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