Executive Summary
The Treasury Board Secretariat is charged with the responsibility of
assisting the Government of Canada to manage its resources in a manner
consistent with the government's goals and priorities. The organization is
undergoing organizational renewal brought on by the infusion of new recruits, a
changing and modernized comptrollership model, and a revised strategy and
vision. These changes include a new approach to the provision of services to
client organizations, and a revamped focus on human resources management that
strives to promote a workplace that provides for the development of its
employees.
Given the Treasury Board Secretariat's responsibility to the employer of the
Public Service, and given its commitment to provide direction and leadership
with respect to personnel management, the organization wishes to implement the
best practices available for the achievement of Employment Equity goals.
This employment systems review that is required by the Employment Equity Act
and Regulations will contribute to improving the quality of personnel management
within the Treasury Board Secretariat by highlighting perceptions, policies, and
practices whose alteration will provide for a more equitable workplace.
The ultimate goal of this exercise is to allow the Secretariat to develop
strategies to remove barriers to the hiring, retention, and career development
of members of visible minority groups, people with disabilities, women, and
Aboriginal peoples. The review of available statistics identifies if and where
these designated groups are underrepresented throughout the occupational
categories. Employment policies, practices and systems were analyzed through
review of human resources documentation and data received in focus groups and
interviews. These reveal some of the formal and informal barriers to the
participation of designated groups found within the systems that are responsible
for recruiting, retaining, and developing employees and managers alike.
Highlights of Quantitative Findings
The representation rate for women in TBS is higher than the workforce
availability. Women are well represented at all levels including the EX levels,
and get more than their share of most staffing actions. Only in the PE group are
women somewhat compressed in the lower levels. With respect to training, women
are well represented in all types of activities, except conferences and
retreats.
The representation rate for members of visible minority groups is much lower
than workforce availability. Members of visible minority groups are promoted at
a higher rate than their representation within TBS, but receive less than their
share of acting assignments of more than 3 months. They are recruited at levels
below their workforce availability, and are represented only at the first level
of the Executive Category.
Aboriginal peoples are represented within TBS at a rate lower than their
external availability. While Aboriginal peoples participate in staffing actions,
promotions and recruitment at rates above their representation within the
Secretariat, they are assigned out of the department at five times their
representation rates. Aboriginal peoples receive training at rates equal to
their representation, and do not seem to be compressed at lower levels.
The representation rate for persons with disabilities within the Secretariat
is above workforce availability. They have a higher rate of promotions and
staffing assignments than their representation within TBS, but receive a lower
share of management training than their representation would warrant.
Highlights of Qualitative Findings
These qualitative findings were discovered through consultation with
employees and managers in a number of focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and
through review of human resources documentation.
The qualitative review of the employment systems of the Treasury Board
Secretariat reveals that, while many of its policies and practices support the
achievement of employment equity goals, there are systemic and attitudinal
barriers in place that could have an adverse impact on attracting, hiring, and
retaining members of the designated groups within the organization.
Examples of systemic barriers within the Secretariat include unequal access
to developmental/ acting assignments, selection processes that do not focus on
particular accommodation needs, and the lack of designated group representation
on selection committees or recruitment drives. Other examples that can impede
the retention and development of designated group members include the policy
that performance appraisals be initiated by employees and not be documented, the
expectation of extensive overtime work, a lack of awareness and knowledge about
designated group members, and the absence of role models.
General Recommendations
The following provide some examples of key corrective measures recommended.
The ESR Report highlights recommendations for each employment system (for
itemized recommendations consult Section 10, Summary of Recommendations).
Corrective measures are recommended to remove the systemic barriers in
various components of the employment systems. For example:
- outreach recruitment techniques that actively target designated group
members;
- early documentation of job expectations, and the required completion of
performance appraisals; and
- physical demands analysis.
Corrective measures are recommended to address attitudinal barriers to the
full participation of designated group members such as:
- workshops and training sessions that familiarize and sensitize
participants to the abilities, availability, and cultural differences of
members of the designated groups; and
- management accountability for human resources management generally, and
for their responsibilities under the Employment Equity Act.
Next Steps
Once approved by relevant stakeholders, the Employment Systems Review Report
will be made available to all staff. An action plan will be developed to set
some priorities and timetables for the implementation of recommendations: this
action plan will become an integral part of the Employment Equity Planning Cycle
for the Treasury Board Secretariat and a building block toward making Employment
Equity a reality.
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