Talent Management An Experience From The Public Sector

1. Talent Management An Experience From The Public Sector Kenda MacFadyen A/Senior Consultant, HR Planning and Talent Management And Talent Management Advisor June 26, 2007

2. Our Strategy

3. To address our needs, an HR Planning and Talent Management unit was created in 2003… • created tools, processes and programs • created a role dedicated to implementation • piloted process and tools in own department • currently using in other departments …with its primary goal to provide a structured, corporate approach to succession management for all departments across government.

4. Our challenges… • policy and process restrictions around secondments (BU), hiring, FTEs, etc. • perceptions around career opportunities and career paths (by both employees and managers) • changing the notion of development (i.e., development = training) • alignment of performance management and talent management (critical in determining “readiness” for implementation) • perceptions regarding “traditional” succession management …are met through a flexible approach, adapting tools and processes as required to meet individual departments’ needs.

5. Our Philosophy

6. Our processes and tools are based on our philosophy: • there are different types of talent and potential • an aging workforce and more competition for key talent means talent across the organization needs to be considered • critical positions are found at various levels in the organization—not just at the top • career development planning is important for all employees and is a key component of the performance management process • development activities can take many different forms As we take active steps to build high performance and high involvement work environments in which decision-making is decentralized and leadership is diffused throughout an empowered and diverse workforce, it is critical that we extend beyond the focus on management and leadership roles.

7. For us, talent management is more than “filling names in boxes”… It is not… It is… integrated with all HR programs, especially with performance management, and it is an approach that is transparent and understood by all employees a program or a project and it is not HR’s responsibility …it is a long-term HR strategy based on the human resource and business plan requirements.

8. Talent Management Defined:A deliberate and systematic effort to encourage individual advancement and ensure leadership continuity in key positions, including management, professional and technical specialist roles. Stage 1 – Prepare Stage 2 – Talent Identify Stage 3 – Manage Talent

9. Our Successes

10. Implementations • Pilot with small department—60 people • Phase 2 with Nova Scotia Environment and Labour, Department of Community Services • Non-unionized and unionized employees • First Professional Group – HR Community • Mixed demographics Key Activities Plan the process Gain support Comm-unicate Educate ID critical positions Review the talent Develop action plans Follow up

11. Critical Success Factors HR capacity Strong project management planning Commitment from senior leaders Flexibility in approach Tools and training for career development planning Communication and change management Integration with performance management and other key human resource systems

12. Our Future

13. Integration -- We have a lot of programs, processes, and tools already developed or under development… Diversity Recruitment/Selection Succession Management Affirmative Action Recruitment Strategies Talent Pool Assessments Leadership Competencies Executive Recruitment Management Training (process) Career Development Plan Workshops for Managers & Employees SM Guide (process and tools) Talent Review (process and tools) Identifying Critical Roles (process and tools) HR Strategies for Professional Groups Change Management Organizational Design Change Management Toolkit Corporate Orientation Structure Processes Job Design Knowledge Management Leadership Employee Knowledge Recovery Knowledge Transfer HR Processes & Practices Leadership and Employee Development Leadership Development Programs 360 Competency Assessment and Coaching Corporate Calendar Manager’s Guide for Developing People Guide for Mentoring Performance Management Guide Training Leadership Competencies …all of which help us to manage our talent.

14. Best practice in talent management goes beyond identifying and developing talent… …it creates an organizational structure and environment that ensures the best utilization and deployment of talent. Source: Corporate Leadership Council

15. A best practice approach to talent management is to integrate diverse talent management activities such as leadership development, recruiting, organizational strategy, Diversity, performance management, etc. Senior leaders model commitment to development Cultural fit emphasized in the hiring and orientation processes Frequent redefinition of executive roles and responsibilities Development through significant business turnaround opportunities and working on cross-functional teams with high amounts of decision-making authority Tools that gather critical information to improve discussions about talent development, performance, and organizational impact Performance systems and measures are in place to hold managers accountable for talent management

16. In addition to integrated talent management— conducting talent reviews and managing the organization’s talent-- a best practice is to include an organizational capability review where the leadership team assesses the capability of the organization to support business priorities and utilize their talent with the best ROI. Targeted questions help focus attention on key organizational design and talent utilization Rating scores are used as a basis for discussion and action planning Questions relate to the structure, the internal processes, and job design, to ensure that they align with the business priorities There is also a focus on developing a talent mindset with the managers—managers are expected to think broadly about the overall talent environment As a result of the capability review, managers are expected to present plans for improving their organizations’ capabilities

17. Thank You ! Kenda MacFadyen A/Sr. Consultant, HR Planning and Talent Management 424-2706 macfadk@gov.ns.ca