BPI Migration Human Resource Strategy – Examples

Below is an example of a Migration Human Resource Strategy for the Business Process Improvement effort at a Public Health Organisation (PHO). The Human Resource Plan that follows the step-by-step strategy for adapting human resources to the changes in the business areas selected for redesign.

Table of Contents

Human Resources Plan             1

1. Communications Strategy      1

2. Placement Strategy                2

3. Counselling                             3

4. Training                                   4

5. Rewards and Incentives         4

6. Change Management             4

HUMAN RESOURCES PLAN

The Public Health Organisation (PHO) has undertaken a broad study of the administrative processes that support the mission of PHO, and plans to improve services through significant redesign of these business processes. This study utilizes a methodology called Business Process Improvement (BPI) to design and implement new business processes that will achieve these goals and enable PHO to better support its scientific endeavours. A key concern associated with this Business Process Improvement activity is the potential impact on the PHO employee community. Ultimately, those employees will determine the success or failure of BPI. This Human Resources Plan was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Statement of Work (SOW) for this effort, and documents our recommendations for addressing the human resources needs of the BPI efforts at PHO.

Introduction

The purpose of this human resources plan is to outline a strategy, in conjunction with the PHO Office of Human Resources, that assesses the full range of human resource needs given the business areas selected. Our objective is to assist the National Organisations of Health and Administrative Business Process Improvement Project (ARP) staff to formulate, communicate, and implement plans and programs that will foster general acceptance of BPI while simultaneously capitalizing on its inherent advantages.

1. Communications Strategy

PHO should develop a communications theme for administrative systems employees that is in harmony with the objectives and goals of Business Process Improvement. These goals involve doing “more with less”, or “less with less”. Over the next few years there will be a gradual reduction in resources. This is true throughout the private sector, as well as within government organizations. Within the administrative systems units at PHO it is anticipated that these reductions will be achieved primarily through non-replacement of attrition instead of standard Reductions In Force. However, as this streamlining proceeds, it will be critical that employees receive the benefit of those modern tools and methodologies that will allow them to continue providing high quality service while avoiding undue stress and “burnout”. The communications theme should clearly state that Business Process Improvement has been selected as a means of addressing the results of streamlining, a response to the needs of this decreased workforce.

The initial communications of this campaign will provide an overview of the mission, objectives, and goals with which PHO administrative systems have been challenged. It should also lay out a schedule for upcoming topics to be discussed and/or published. This will help to solidify management's commitment to the plan's progression. Key topics presented will also provide opportunities to reiterate PHO priorities and enduring values throughout this major transition effort.

Methods of communication will be those referenced in the draft Publicity Plan. The campaign should be announced in the most widely distributed publication and media. Ideally, this initial article would provide a schedule of upcoming topics, forums, Town Meetings, etc.,

Example topics:

• Long term incremental reductions in resources - what, why, and where?   
• What are the options available to achieve the above? Detailed analyses of all options that have been considered should be provided.
• Overview of BPI and its current status with respect to administrative systems. The process view of     BPI (middle layer of BPI Master Plan) should be addressed in a detailed manner - to include approximate schedules for anticipated functional areas.   
• Detailed discussion of Simplification Vs Automation processes.
• What does BPI mean for me?     Concentrate on the anticipated benefits of BPI....the potential for more challenging work, increased productivity,     opportunity to "tie into" broader goals of PHO. Discussions should also include potential outcomes and impact on current employees and changes in the way that we do our work. Why is this needed? Stress that increased efficiency is required (working with fewer resources is inevitable). Commitment to Quality products/service/support will be maintained with reduced resources. Career opportunities inherent in BPI (along with new ways of doing work comes new roles and responsibilities).
• PHO commitment to its employees and to the "family friendly workplace" has not changed. These represent core values. Diversity, No RIF’s for satisfactorily performing employees, Counselling, training, and internal transfers.

2. Placement Strategy

The placement strategy will encompass a broad range of BPI - driven human resources activities. The strategy will define a criteria-based selection technique for staffing the improved administrative system. BPI teams participating in this effort will be best equipped to provide an inventory of baseline skills required of employees who will work in the new system. This strategy will also include measures to be taken to place those employees whose skills are not required in the improved system.

Selection Process Recommendation:

• Skills required after Process Improvement, but prior to Automation: BPI teams will     generate a matrix of skills required for the new system. If the     decision is to go no further than the Process Improvement phase, employees working the current system should be individually considered and evaluated by management against this skill profile. Management will conduct individual interviews with each member of     the current system after the above skills evaluations have been completed.
• Skills required after Process Improvement and Automation: Those employees remaining     after the process improvement phase will repeat the selection step above. The matrix developed above will be expanded to include     automation-driven requirements. Again, management would evaluate current employees against the expanded skill profiles, and conduct individual interviews.

3. Counselling

All employees negatively affected by the selection process will receive Counselling. We recommend the establishment of a Career Counselling Centre (CCC) for employees whose skills are potentially "surplus". Ideally, this Centre would draw its resources from all ICD’s HR organizations. Displaced employees would be assigned to staffing specialists, who would conduct individual interviews to assess the employee's skill level. A Counselling "hotline" could be included as part of the Centre's service. The above activity would advance cooperation and teamwork among the ICD's. Staffing specialists would have simple, effective assessment tools available for use within the Centre.

Current resources available include the Career Information Library, a PC-based, interactive system that provides developmental and reading material via the government-wide Occupation Career Information System (OCIS). Under review for further definition is an expansion of this system that would include comprehensive employee Counselling information related to retirement, placement, and career development. This electronic Counselling Centre could become the focal point for dissemination of job opening announcements within PHO, as well as other government agencies in the local area. Recommend that among the material available there should be relevant data on the people dimension of change that impacts Business Process Improvement.

• All position vacancies     (including Temp/Contractor requests) would "flow" through the CCC prior to "public" announcement or contractor contact.
• The CCC would also serve as an internal resource pool for temporary assignments across ICD's. These assignments would be those which employees could fill without specialised training.    

4. Training

Training will be an integral component of the human resources strategy. We recommend two basic approaches to training.

• Training to attain minimum qualifications for working with the improved administrative system

• these training needs will be identified as part of the activities in the Selection section. The     PHO Training Centre, and other internal resources, will be identified for specific roles in providing training for new system needs. In some cases the training might be supplied by vendors.

• Retraining to assume positions outside of the improved administrative system - these training needs will be identified at the CCC as part of the skills assessment process. The training recommended might range from academic education to On-the-Job-Training (OJT). Emphasis should be placed on aggressive training to fill current openings.

5. Rewards and Incentives

The BPI effort will only be successful if it receives full and enthusiastic commitment from the functional area teams. Each employee’s participation in BPI will be recognized by means of widely publicized Achievement Awards - specifically associated with Business Process Improvement. Outstanding or significant contributions to the project should also warrant cash awards to the extent available. All BPI participants should receive team award certificates for contributing to the process. We recommend the creation of a special logo/symbol for easy identification of BPI related activities.

6. Change Management

The essence of change management in this setting will be unimpeded two-way communication. It is crucial that employees understand the rationale, indeed the imperative, for improving the way that they do their work. Federal initiatives and decreasing budgets strongly imply that work must be done more efficiently. The goal is to invite employees to participate heavily in managing the inevitable changes.

This partnership in the change process should cultivate identification with PHO goals and objectives with respect to BPI of the administrative systems. It is important that PHO not attempt to achieve those goals and objectives without employees’ help - we are in this together. It is equally important to let employees know that the PHO approach to Business Process Improvement represents a minimally disruptive and more evolutionary vehicle for accomplishing required changes. We recommend the establishment of a permanent participative team structure staffed on a rotating basis by administrative systems employees; the team will consider problems, new ideas, and suggestions for improvement.