Staff Engagement for Change David Bearfield, Director EPSO

1. Staff Engagement for Change David Bearfield, Director EPSO

2. Recruitment process out-dated (1950’s) • Significant staff turnover in next decade • - Length of process (candidates & Institutions) • ‘War for talent’ • Pressure on resources Key drivers for change?

3. Changing dynamics of a world in transition - economic, political, technological and demographic – against this backdrop we face stiff competition for top talent; Public sector organisations face highly challenging period in attracting and identifying the right talent to shape, drive and develop their work; Retirement of an entire generation of civil servants over next 10 years = real need to address succession planning; Traditional attraction package of the public sector beingquestioned by the politicallevel and also by new generation of job seekers; All these forces are making global public sector to rethink and redefine itself. Need for different mindset of people: question = how does the sector remodel and what exactly is the profile of those we need to take the it forward? Public sector - context 3

4. EPSO Development Programme was based on the following 3 pillars: • - Planning and Needs • - Testing and Professionalism • Attractiveness and Diversity The EPSO Development Programme: 2007-2010

5. Introduced strategic HR planning; • Annual competition cycles; • - Speed (5 to 9/10 months). Key achievements: Planning and Needs

6. Winter Recruitment Assessment Centre AD Registration + Self-assessment AST Registration + Self-assessment Assessment Centre CBT / professional linguistic skills test - CV sift Recruitment Recruitment CBT Autumn Spring Assessment ADL Registration + Self-assessment CBT Summer New competition cycle

7. EPSO annual cycles average duration

8. EPSO Performance on Meeting Laureate Targets 2008-2009 2010 2011

9. Key achievements: Testing and Professionalism • A shift from knowledge to competency-based testing • - Competency-based testing: Introduction of Assessment Centres; • Extensive job analysis undertaken; • - Introduction of self-assessment; • - Competency based preselection in 23 languages; • Creation of a competency passport as a comprehensive feedback mechanism to candidates.

10. Key achievements: Attractiveness and Diversity • Competing successfully in the war for talent; • Improve employer image of the EU; • Making the EU more relevant to today’s job seekers; • More efforts to achieve better diversity.

11. Employer Value Proposition is at the of all EU Careers communication Interesting and challenging work that makes a real difference for Europe The opportunity to work and travel abroad Encouraged to learn new skills and languages A lifetime of different jobs An attractive benefits package

12. Managing radical change internally

13. September 2007: staff were asked 3 questions: 1. What they liked at EPSO 2. What they didn’t like at EPSO 3. Things they would change if they were Director Stock take Creation of focus groups

14. Staff morale 2007/2008 2008

15. What working in EPSO felt like in 2007 and in 2008-2009

16. 9 Reflection groups were created between Oct ’07 and Jan ’08 An away day in January 2008 resulted in: Launch of the EDP and an internal action plan EPSO's new Mission EPSO's new Values A Management Board Seminar was held in January 2008 outside of Brussels whose sole aim was to get stakeholder engagement in the EDP;1st April 2008: reorganisation Creation of new functions Achievements of focus groups:

17. Start-up coordinators Account managers Quality control New HR/Finance function Customer Contact Service Achievements of focus groups:

18. Mission, vision, values A clear statement of our mission: why we are here vision: where we are going values: how we do what we do

19. Mission: To provide a professional staff selection service on behalf of the European Union Institutions; EPSO’s Mission

20. To implement the external and internal parts of the EPSO Development Programme between now and 2010. • 2. For EPSO to be recognised by our stakeholders, candidates and other comparable organisations as providing a high quality staff selection service and the best public sector recruitment body in Europe. • 3. To create a positive and forward-looking image of the EU Institutions as attractive employers • 4. To make EPSO a place of choice for staff who want to develop and further their career in HR and work in a stimulating, challenging and enjoyable environment. A Vision for EPSO

21. EPSO values Integrity We trust each other to act with honesty and to treat all stakeholders fairly and equitably, using open and transparent procedures Ambition EPSO strives to constantly improve and obtain positive results. We are innovative and dynamic, and committed to achieving our full potential Diversity EPSO mirrors diversity in its own team and takes the best from people with different backgrounds to achieve our common goal Respect EPSO acknowledges and welcomes the diversity of people and treats all equally, applying the rules and procedures in a tolerant environment Professionalism EPSO conducts selection procedures in a fair and efficient manner, using best practices and ensuring quality and customer satisfaction through its dedicated and highly qualified staff Quality service EPSO consistently provides the client with excellent standards of service in a timely manner

22. 2009: Creation of the EDP Project Management Group, to: Monitor & give guidance Identify problems Keep an eye on priorities Report on progress Submit key questions to EPSO Management for decision-making Follow-up of discussions on legal points

23. Director and the EPSO Senior Management Team Task Force Project Management Group = PMG Subgroups Associates EPSO Legal Service Assessment Centre Notice of Competition AC Premises IT Issues & Develop CBT Start-Up Selection Boards Reimbursements Training & Staff issues Communication (EXT) Quality Control/Monitoring PID Group Directorate meetings Risk Assessment Inter Inst Working Grps Inter Inst Working Grps Communications (Int) EDP Project Management Structure

24. And in 2010 But we needed to be like this… Often felt like this!

25. In 2007 staff were asked what they liked, disliked and what they would like to change in EPSO; In 2008 they were asked for their opinion on EPSO and You, the EDP and Communication; In 2010 they were asked: - to express how they felt about working at EPSO and to rate the changes taking place; - their opinion on the EDP; - about communication within EPSO; - about training cycles organised. EPSO staff satisfaction surveys

26. 2008 Candidate Satisfaction SurveyCharacteristics of questionnaire • Maximum of 16 questions + 1 free text box • Dynamic questionnaire depending on the stage of competition reached by the candidate • Scale: 5 = very satisfied • 1 = very dissatisfied • Each stage evaluated on 3 aspects: • Fairness of treatment • Quality of exams • Relevance of questions

27. Candidate Satisfaction SurveyOverall satisfaction by question

28. (Over 4) Fairness of treatment Quality of communication (Between 3 and 4) Quality of content Relevance of exams Impression of EPSO (information / organisation) (Under 3) Employer image based on cdt experience Speed of procedure Summary

29. Conclusions • The EDP has fully delivered; • EPSO selection offers value for money and high quality; • EU procedures (assessment, recruitment) are still slow; • Despite very significant progress made, the changing economic political context means that EPSO and the Institutions face some key challenges.

30. The EDP was delivered, BUT times are changing so what are our current priorities?

31. Outlook Key challenges: • Institutions face significant staff turnover and loss of talent/experience; • Eversharperwar for talent; • Existingselection model remainscomparatively slow and resource-intensive; • Managingvery high candidate numberssince switch to EU27 selectionin 2010, exacerbated by economiccrisis

32. In September 2012 50% of EU employers say they cannot find talent to fill all profiles! By 2020 estimated that: 16 million more skilled jobs on the market; 12 million lower skilled jobs on the market. War for talent?

33. Vision • To redefineour vision to reflectwhatwenow know iscomingourway: • Financial cuts • HR cuts • Retirements • Staff regulations

34. Each EPSO business service will have to face reality and look to make services better and more effective in light of reductions in financial and human resources. Business Process Reengineering

35. 3. What are we doing to meet our challenges?

36. Identification of key steps in the new competitions; Key to efficiency and effectiveness gains, e.g. dealing with complaints/marking/recruitment Establishment of a Selection Management Office, following international project management standards; Development of Selection Manual with Checklists (reference booklet); Architected Selections that enhance fine-tuning of selection steps and supporting processes/dependencies; Internal organisation based on business services. Business Process Reengineering

37. Internal initiatives - 1 • Breakfasts with the Director; • Internal newspaper; • Meetings with all staff on a regular basis; • Team building exercises; • Staff satisfaction surveys.

38. "to be the best at selecting the best" EPSO's role is to serve the EU Institutions by providing high quality, efficient, and effective selection procedures that enable them to recruit the right person, for the right job at the right time; New EPSO Mission Statement

39. To become and remain the best international public sector selection and recruitment team in the world by continually improving everything we do; To be a great place to work that is challenging, enriching, rewarding and fun; To play a leading role in helping the European Civil Service be modern, efficient and effective; New EPSO Vision

40. Aspirations for the future