Following the successful implementation and conversion of employees to the
new Foreign Service (FS) classification standard, project team members from
PSHRMAC, DFAIT and CIC have identified a number of lessons learned that should
facilitate future classification modernization projects.
Currency/Accuracy Issue:
- Work descriptions should be current and accurate.
- Occupational group allocations and classification levels should be
appropriate.
- Data on the HR information system should be current and accurate.
- A currency and accuracy check followed by a clean-up exercise should be
undertaken as early as possible in a classification modernization project.
Ideally, this would be performed before a new standard is designed.
- If not addressed early on, currency and accuracy issues can become major
problems at various steps/milestones of a modernization project. (i.e.
internal and external relativity analysis, providing evaluation data for
costing, APN, OPN, conversion activities and grievances)
Multi-disciplinary team approach:
- All HR disciplines and line manager representatives have to be aware and
involved, either as project team members or as contacts to be regularly
updated on project activities and progress.
- A classification modernization project has significant impacts on all HR
functions and project activities have to be undertaken and co-ordinated with
all disciplines.
- A balanced mix of HR and line manager involvement and input is required.
The lead role in departments will be taken by HR or line management
depending on the project phase and activity to be undertaken, but both have
to be involved throughout the entire project.
Line Management Involvement:
- It is imperative that line managers take ownership of the modernization
initiative; HR may lead certain phases of the project but classification
modernization for a group is a management initiative and should be seen as
such.
- All affected line managers have to be well informed and should take the
lead in informing/communicating with employees.
Communications:
- Employees’ prime concern will always be on how the modernization project
will affect them personally (classification level and pay). This type of
information will not be known early on. Proposed classification levels will
only be communicated at APN once department and central agencies are
satisfied with evaluation results and collective bargaining data is
available, and pay impacts are determined after collective bargaining has
concluded.
- It is important to inform employees on the modernization project
milestones and schedules so that they will understand when the impacts of
modernization on their personal situation will be known.
- A variety of tools should be used to communicate this information, i.e.
information sessions, broadcast messages/communiqués, modernization
intranet website with key messages, milestones schedule and Qs & As, and
a modernization mailbox for individual employee questions.
- Once collective bargaining has concluded, it is imperative that
departments be provided with pay notes as soon as possible to enable them to
post conversion scenarios on their modernization websites, which should
reduce the number of individual enquiries that the pay offices will receive.
- There needs to be close cooperation and nearly constant communications
between PSHRMAC and departmental modernization project staff throughout the
process. There needs to be a forum where departments can provide feedback
and information on emerging issues and discuss with PSHRMAC and other
departments methods to address these issues in a coordinated fashion.
- There needs to be a good flow of information to and from the employer
negotiation team and the departmental project teams; potential thorny
issues, such as treatment of acting and secondments at conversion, could be
settled at the negotiations’ table.
Capacity:
- Departmental HR and line management capacity will be an issue throughout
the modernization project.
- Departments should not underestimate the additional workload associated
with a classification modernization project and should plan for its impact;
often, it cannot be addressed with the hiring of temporary staff just prior
to undertaking a labour intensive activity.
- Significant effort will be required for training HR employees and line
managers on the new standard, revising/rewriting work descriptions,
evaluating all affected jobs with the new standard, preparing and delivering
communication and change management programs to employees, preparing and
delivering APNs and OPNs to employees and finally, converting all affected
employees to new classification and pay levels.
Union Involvement:
- PSHRMAC should provide clear direction on the role and involvement of
bargaining agents.
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