City of Vancouver

2010 Human Resources Strategy Update

“Connecting our People” 2010-2012

• Human resources strategy for City of Vancouver

– A first for the City; started in 2009
• Goal: a healthy sustainable organization providing
exemplary service to the citizens of Vancouver
• Identifies 4 key elements for a healthy organization
– Leadership
– Performance
– Talent
– Culture
• Developed with input from across the organization:
– stakeholder interviews, cross-organization consultation, focus
groups and best-practices research
• Identifies opportunities and challenges and multiple
strategies for implementation
“Connecting our People”: key focus

• A future state for our organization which

incorporates:
– Key focus on our customers
– Innovative and strategic actions
– Best-practice
– Entrepreneurial and systems thinking
 Connecting Our People – The Foundation

modeling open and

achieving success through
the management,
alignment and
measurement of employee
and organizational
performance
strategic leadership that
instills confidence,
enthusiasm and
commitment to
organizational excellence.
Leadership

Performance Talent

Culture attracting, developing and

retaining a skilled and
creating an environment motivated workforce with
that drives organizational the knowledge and
effectiveness, alignment expertise we need
and collaboration and
values diversity, wellness
and innovation
 “Connecting our People” 2010
2 key priorities

• Improve relationships with civic unions

and associations:
– Labour-Management Review

• Measure engagement of employees:

– Employee Engagement Survey
Labour-Management
Review
Labour-Management Review: Process

• External Labour Relations (LR) consultant

engaged – extensive experience with municipal
government labour relations
• Broad scoped interview process across:
– City of Vancouver civic unions
– Management across City Departments, Parks Board,
Police and Vancouver Public Library
• Key focus:
– State of current labour-management relationships
– Barriers to improving relationships
–Opportunities for improving relationships
 Labour-Management Review:
High-level Messages
• COV has long history of LR conflict
• Current Council direction:
– clear message re: need for constructive engagement and improved
relationship with civic unions
• Senior management
– Processes and structures for improved engagement established
• Complex LR governance and bargaining structures
– Confusion re: who makes decisions; tensions related to desire for
departmental autonomy versus corporate LR interests
• Uncertainty re: City’s withdrawal from Metro Vancouver
– Key issues: responsibility for Vancouver Police
Department/Vancouver Police Union bargaining
– City’s job classification system; compensation analysis
• Strong commitment by Unions and Management re:
– Continuing efforts to improve interactions and relationships
Labour-Management Review:
Recommendations & Actions

1. Perceptions and expectations:

– More effective communications

• Timely information-sharing
• Consultation

– More training and support re: labour relations

– Greater involvement in decision-making

appropriate to role, function, and level
Labour-Management Review:
Recommendations & Actions

2. Labour-Management Relations:

– Consider joint LR training program:

• Shop stewards and first-level supervisors

– Build on success:
• Engineering/Parks/Community Services Group
CUPE 1004 workshop on problem-solving: June /
September, 2010
Labour-Management Review:
Recommendations & Actions

3. Labour-Management Committees:
– Undertake joint, formal review of all
labour-management committees with
focus:
• Is committee necessary?
• Terms of reference clear?
• Are enhanced ground rules needed for improved
function?

4. Labour-Management Communications:
– Develop shared communications protocol
 Labour-Management Review:
Recommendations & Actions

5. Governance and Bargaining Structures:

– Clarify level of responsibility for different LR

matters

– Develop formal transition plan for withdrawal from

Metro Vancouver
 Labour-Management Review:
Next steps
• Plans being developed for all recommendations

• Progress is being made:

– Regular meetings with Union leads and City Manager/General
Manager HR
– 2010 Games operational planning--constructive discussions and
agreement to enable effective delivery of games
– Budget 2010 and Vancouver Services Review--processes created to
optimize placement of impacted staff and minimize unnecessary
dislocation
– Work to enhance key metrics to support processes:
• e.g.: Employee Engagement survey
– Workshop on Problem Solving – CUPE 1004/Engineering/Parks/CSG
– Expedited dispute resolution processes (CUPE 1004 complete)
– Draft plan being developed for transition from Metro Vancouver
– Recruitment for new General Manager of HR will be underway by
mid December
Employee Engagement
Survey
 Employee Engagement Survey

• 2010 Employee Survey is a first for the City of

Vancouver

• Employee Surveys are best practice

• Use of Hay tool allows City of Vancouver to benchmark

against other similar organizations

• Provides a baseline for measuring and reporting

progress

• Provides specific direction and focus for prioritizing

“Connecting Our People” initiatives
 Employee Engagement Survey: Context

• Significant change in organization – from

decentralized to more centralized
– Budget challenges: require cross-organizational approach and
prioritization of work
– Council agenda: requires prioritization of resources and
activities across organization
– Challenging external environment requires improved
coherence: 2010 Games; Federal Infrastructure program; Metro
Vancouver plans; Translink plans; Provincial programs and
legislative change
– Vancouver Services Review and 2010 Games experience – set
direction for transformation of processes, streamlining and
consolidation of functions
– Corporate Management Team ownership of prioritization of
strategies for effectively delivering council’s agenda and work
of the city staff
Current City Employee Profile

Corporate Management Team

11

Senior Leaders
240

Managers /
Exempt Supervisors
250

All Regular Full Time and

Part-Time / Auxiliary Staff
9,500
Recent Recognition of City as Top Employer

• BC’s Top Employers 2011 (finalist)

• Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2010

• BC’s Top 55 Employers 2010

• Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2009

• 2009 Progressive Employer of Canada for

“mom-friendly” work culture
 Employee
Employeeengagement*
engagement*results
results
Hay Group Insight

100 *Average of:

Q.1 Overall rating of employer as
90
Mean Percent Favourable Across 7

an organization to work for;

80 68 70 Q.7 Pride in working for
Employer;
Normative Questions

Q.8 Would recommend as a place

70
54 to work;
60 Q.15 Employer motivates me to
contribute more than what is
50 required;
Q.39 Motivated to go beyond
40 formal job responsibilities;
Q.66. Overall satisfaction with
30 Employer;
Q.67 Likely to continue working
20 for Employer.

10

0
Total COV & VPL Public Sector Norm Hay NA Norm
 Employee
Employeeenablement*
enablement*results
engagement* results
results
Hay Group Insight

100
90
Mean Percent Favourable Across 4

*Average of:
80
63 68 Q.29 Jobs that make good use
60
Normative Questions

of skills and abilities;

70
Q.30 Jobs that provide
60 opportunities for challenging
and interesting work;
50 Q.40 Conditions within jobs
that promote employee
40 productivity;
Q.49 No significant barriers at
30 work so employees can do
their job well.
20

10

0
Total COV & VPL Public Sector Norm Hay NA Norm
 Our City-wide, Overall Average Ratings
Profiled factors
byEmployee
Workplaceengagement*
enablement*
Factor results
results
Tend to Agree / Tend to Disagree /
Hay Group Insight Strongly Agree
Hard to Decide
Strongly Disagree
 Total City Results Compared to Norms
Profiled factors
ofEmployee engagement*
enablement* results
Other Organizations results
Hay Group Insight

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT EMPLOYEE ENABLEMENT

Employee Confidence in Respect & Pay & Authority & Stress & Work, Structure
Enablement Leadership Recognition Benefits Empowerment Workload Training & Process
Employee Clear & Promising Quality & Development Performance
Engagement Direction Customer Service Opportunities Management Resources Health & Safety Collaboration

30

20

10
Percent Deviation

-10

-20

-30

Total City of Vancouver Public Sector Norm

 Top 10 Questions with Most Favourable
Profiled factors
Employee engagement*
enablement* results
results
Responses from City Employees
Hay Group Insight

% Favourable

Employees understand the results expected of them in their job (Performance 86%
Management)
Supervisor accommodates employees when they have a personal matter to attend 82%
to (Respect and Recognition)
Supervisor lets them do their job their own way (Authority and Empowerment) 77%

People in their work groups are committed to quality service (Quality and 75%
Customer Focus)
Supervisor treats them with respect (Respect and Recognition) 75%

Able to accomplish what is required most days (Stress and Workload) 74%

Employer expects high performance (Performance Management) 73%

Good cooperation and teamwork within their workgroup (Collaboration) 72%

Believe there is good safety in their work area (Health and Safety) 71%
 Our Workplace Factors that Received
Profiled
Highest factors
Employee engagement*
enablement*
Overall City-wideresults
results
Average Ratings
Hay Group Insight

• Authority and empowerment in our work

• Manageable stress and workload
• Good attention to health & safety
• Respect and recognition from our peers and
immediate supervisors
 Employees like their jobs and their
Profiled
impact factors
Employee
on engagement*
enablement*
the communityresults
results
Hay Group Insight

ch a nd Maintai
n good
m u . custom
v er y n i ty er serv
j o b m mu ice and
my e c o service
jo y th I would like to continue s
e n i n
I
o r king working for the City for
w
several years

and willing to help

Our group is supportive
other ou t, I thin k we're pretty good.
each m y manager
gr ou p a n d
My work s u pp ortive
e w it h a
provide m n g ing work
a n d c ha ll e
My team dynamics are excellent and environment
people in my work groups are creative
and always seeking innovative solutions
 Top 10 Questions with Least Favourable
Profiled factors
Employee engagement*
enablement* results
results
Responses from City Employees
Hay Group Insight % Unfavourable
% Unfavourable

Have you had an annual formal performance review in the past year (Performance 71%
Management)
All in all, my Employer is effectively managed and well run (Confidence in 47%
Leadership)
(Rate your Employer on) Being open and honest in communication with 44%
employees (Confidence in Leadership)
My employer motivates me to contribute more than what is required (Employee 43%
Engagement)
(Rate your Employer on) Being effectively organized and structured (Work, 41%
Structure, and Process)
The trust and confidence you have in your Employer’s Corporate Management 38%
Team (Confidence in Leadership)
My Employer’s Corporate Management Team will act on issues identified by this 36%
survey (Respect and Recognition)
Encouraging cooperation and sharing of ideas and resources across the 36%
organization (Collaboration)
(Rate your Employer on) Being innovative in how work is done (Work, Structure, 34%
and Process)
Your opportunity for reaching your personal career objectives at your Employer 32%
(Development Opportunities)
 Four Key
Profiled Areas
factors
Employee for Action/Improvement
engagement*
enablement* results
results
Hay Group Insight

Clear and Promising Direction

• Understanding of strategic goals and personal link to strategy and
goals

Confidence in Leadership
• Ratings of trust, confidence and openness of leadership
• Demonstrating care and concern for employees

Development Opportunities
• Perceptions of training and development opportunities

Work, Structure and Process

• Being effectively organized & structured and encouraging innovation
 Senior Leadership need to continue to
Profiled factors
Employee engagement*
enablement*
communicate and build aresults
results
base of trust
Hay Group Insight

The new official direction is good - but command

Provide more and control management tactics undermine my
rom the
communication f motivation to go above and beyond my job
M T a s t o th e f uture plans
C description
of the city
There are high expectations of what is to
be accomplished without enough resources

ar tm ents need to be supportive of

Dep a t a nd dignity
d w or k to w ards w it h r es pe c
one another an Treat everyone
common goal. o f a r ea / w or k you're doing
regardless

Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Delegate responsibility and This should apply to management and
staff of all levels in the City.
authority in equal measure.
Summary

• Good participation
• Majority of employees engaged and enabled
• Actions should focus on the four key areas for potential
improvement
• Change takes time
• Consistent results across Business Units
Initial Areas for Action
and Next Steps
Immediate Next Steps

Cascade results throughout City:

– Meet senior management teams(250 managers) to discuss

results

– Update to Council

– Message to all staff with results

– Team meetings at all levels to discuss results face-to-face

– Provide employees with tools to understand results and how to

get involved

– Initiate action planning in January 2011

 Immediate Top-Priority Actions

• Corporate Management Team as Steering Committee

• HR GM as leader/owner of initiative Our top

action area
s reflect
many of th
• Action planning across the organization on 4 priority priorities id e
areas: entified
in our
1. Confidence in leadership HR Strateg
2. Development opportunities Connectin y,
g Our Peo
3. Clear and promising direction and give u ple,
4. Work structure and processes s
clear direc
tion
on prioritie
s fo
• Connecting Our People Priorities: implementa r
– Leadership Strategy tion
– Performance Management framework

• Corporate Business Plan: Rollout and

communication to all staff

• Pulse Check – Fall 2011

Thank you!