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Discussion Document
Migration to
End-State Pre-Qualification Processes (PQPs)
The purpose of this meeting is to brief
you on:
- The Migration to End-State PQPs Project
- The technical aspects of End-State PQPs
- Base Competencies Assessment and Implementation
strategy for Observe and Attest (O&A) Expansion
- Our plans to share this information with the
Regional Directors, Human Resources so the regions can assess how best to
consult with their regional union contacts.
1) The
Migration to End-State PQPs Project
·
Since
the inception of the Agency, a staffing approach based upon competencies has
been developed to address business needs by enabling the placement of the right
people, in the right jobs, at the right time and according to their skills and
abilities.
·
In
support of this, a Job Competency Profile (JCP) for each job has been developed
outlining which competencies are required to effectively carry it out. We have also made significant progress in
assessing employees’ base competencies through
·
Selection
processes;
·
O&A;
and
·
Voluntary
Assessment (either at the local, regional or national level)
·
Given
that, to date, many competency assessments have been done within selection
processes, we have not yet realized a reduction in the time to staff that will
be possible when the majority of individuals applying for jobs will have the
competencies required for the job assessed ahead of time.
·
At
the September 2008 Competency Based Human Resources Management (CBHRM) Advisory
Committee meeting, the Committee, put forth several recommendations regarding
staffing. Following an analysis of the
various End-State PQP pilots, the Committee decided that our current priority for staffing should focus
on reducing the time to staff.
As a result, the Committee made two key recommendations: (1) moving to
End-State PQPs as soon as possible and (2) expanding the number of new base
competencies (i.e., Analytical Thinking, Strategic Outlook and Alignment and Decisiveness)
that can be observed and attested.
·
There
have been concerns raised by managers, employees and bargaining agents about
the length of time it is taking to complete selection processes. We need to move forward to address these
concerns.
·
End-State
is not a change to the PQP. There are still three stages: pre-requisite, assessment and placement with
the requisite opportunity for recourse at each stage.
·
To
reduce time to staff, the focus of the Migration to End-State PQPs Project is
on:
1.
Moving
the assessment of base competencies outside of the selection process;
2.
Making
the base competencies as pre-requisites to a selection process;
3.
Ensuring
more effective planning in advance of initiating a selection process; and
finally,
4.
Ensuring
that the appropriate extent of assessment is conducted to facilitate effective
placement decisions.
All
the above are to be conducted in accordance with CRA Values and Staffing
Principles.
·
Given
that our readiness to move to End-State PQPs is at various stages across the
Agency, the Committee recommended and Agency Management Committee (AMC) has
approved that this be done in two phases:
Phase 1
Implementation: Beginning on April 1, 2009, those parts of
the organization (i.e., early adopters) that are advanced in their competency
assessment efforts (as a result of O&A and/or voluntary assessment) can
begin using End-State PQPs for internal selection processes, requiring
candidates interested in applying on a selection process, to already have the
base competencies and associated proficiency levels required for the job
upfront. In other words, the base
competencies and associated proficiency levels would be considered
pre-requisites.
In
support of this, we will be revising the Staffing Program and developing a new
supporting directive. We will share a
framework outlining the key elements of the changes with you for consultation
at the end of February.
In
order to allow for consultation and the necessary approvals, we estimate that
the revised Staffing Program and supporting directive will be finalized at the
end of June 2009. To accommodate those
areas who are able to initiate End-State PQPs between April and June, we will
institute an “early adopter” approval process.
This process will be developed in the next several weeks and will
outline the criteria which need to be met in order to proceed with an End-State
PQP.
Phase 2 Implementation: Beginning
April 1, 2010, End-State PQPs will be mandatory across the Agency for all
internal selection processes.
·
A Communication Strategy and Tools with key messages
for different groups will be developed in the next few weeks, starting with an
email from the
·
To support the End-State PQPs project:
o
Each Branch and Region will identify a CBHRM Champion
as well as a Project Manager to lead this initiative in their respective areas.
o
Branches and Regions will need to prepare a plan of
what needs to be done so they are prepared for End-State as of April 2010.
o
Plans will be monitored on a monthly basis.
o
A National Project Office has been established in the
Human Resources Branch (HRB) to work with the Branch/Region Projects Managers
and coordinate the different activities grouped under the End-State PQPs
project. Lise Lafortune has assumed
responsibility as the Director of the National Project Office.
·
As we go through these planning and implementation
phases, our goal is to consult with union on an ongoing basis.
2) The End-State PQP
·
Definition: A PQP by which candidates
must already have and demonstrate as a minimum the base competencies required
for the job when expressing interest in and applying for a particular position.
General:
·
End-State PQPs apply only to internal selection processes.
o
For internal selection processes opened to CRA employees only, the
candidates will need to have the base competencies of the job being staffed as
pre-requisites to the selection process.
o
For internal selection processes opened to CRA and Other
Government departments(OGDs) and Agencies, the candidates from CRA will need to
have the base competencies of the job being staffed as pre-requisites; whereas,
the competencies of candidates from OGDs and Agencies will need to be assessed
as part of the assessment stage. Note,
this is a temporary measure until a permanent solution is found.
·
End-State PQPs do not apply to external selection processes. For these types of selection processes,
Authorized Persons will continue to staff positions in accordance with the
Directive on the Selection Process (Annex E of the Staffing Program) and the
Directive on External Recruitment (Annex I of the Staffing Program).
·
Depending on the situation and business requirements, Authorized
Persons may open the area of selection for End-State PQPs to former CRA term
employees who are eligible for rehire (as was the case in the Winnipeg Tax
Centre pilot).
Steps
of the End-State PQP with a few key points:
·
Advance
Notice of Job Opportunity (particularly for early adopters)
o To ensure openness, fairness and
transparency, Authorized Persons intending on initiating an End-State PQP must
provide potential candidates with advanced notice so that they can prepare,
advising them of the competencies and associated proficiency levels that will
be required as
pre-requisites.
- Notice of Job
- Pre-requisite Stage
- With
End-State PQPs, the assessment of base competencies of the job
being staffed will no longer take place during the assessment stage of
the selection process but will be considered as pre-requisites and
identified as such on the Notice of Job Opportunity.
- Verification of Job Performance
will continue.
- Assessment Stage
- There have been criticisms that
our current approach results in both over-assessment and in
under-assessment. Over-assessment
leads to an insufficient number of qualified candidates to meet the
businesses needs. Alternatively, a
minimal amount of assessment leads to the creation of extensive pools of
candidates which make placement decisions more difficult.
- When determining the
competencies and/or qualifications to be assessed during the assessment stage,
Authorized Persons will need to more effectively identify which
competencies and/or qualifications for the position are essential and
which are discretionary as they relate to the specific position being
staffed. This will provide an opportunity for assessments
to be flexible, efficient and targeted at finding the right person for
the job to meet the needs of the organization.
- Essential competencies and/or
qualifications will represent the core assessment considered to be
required with the option of continuing to assess the discretionary
competencies and/or qualifications in order to make effective placement
decisions in the Placement Stage.
- For transparency purposes, the
Notice of Job Opportunity must clearly indicate which competencies and/or
qualifications are identified as essential or discretionary.
- Placement Stage
- The Committee recommended that
pools be created with a duration that may extend from zero days to two
years. The decision will be made by authorized persons based on a
business rationale which will need to be re-examined for any extensions.
3)
Base Competencies Assessment and Implementation Strategy for O&A Expansion
·
Access
to Voluntary Assessment
o We will prepare a business case to
seek incremental funding to increase our competency consultant capacity and
support Regions and smaller Branches with their activities.
o Authorized Persons must provide
potential candidates with ongoing opportunities to obtain the required
competencies through the voluntary assessment process and O&A. This will allow employees to develop their
competencies in order to be considered for future openings.
·
To support the assessment of base competencies outside
of processes, we are adding three new base competencies that will be observed
and attested (O&A) by managers:
o
Analytical Thinking
o
Strategic Outlook and Alignment
o
Decisiveness
·
To support the expansion of O&A
o
Implementation Strategy will be finalized shortly.
o
Tools and training for facilitator/coaches and managers
will be available beginning in April 2009.
o
The quality assurance process will be strengthened.
o
Branches and Regions will need to factor manager
training and the O&A option for competency assessment into their plans for
readiness to migrate to End-State.
Other elements:
As
we move forward with End-State PQPs, we will also be reviewing and revising
other elements in support of reducing time to staff. For example, we have been asked to analyze
what information managers need to establish effective staffing plans as well as
what information selection board members need to efficiently manage
processes. Another element is how to
incorporate competency assessments as part of external selection
processes. We will continue to work with
you as we incorporate additional elements into the project.