Human Capital Retention Building USACE to Last One Person – One Day At a Time

Human Capital RetentionBuilding USACE to Last One Person – One Day At a Time Presenters Suzanne Murdock – Supervision Khalid Maali – Recognition Hank Maser – Workload Reduction

Report OutDebrief Table 1 Strategic Gap: (Issue) Strategy: (Solution) Possible Obstacles: Required Resources: Metric:

Strategic GapsSupervisory 1.Improve Selection Process of Supervisors 2. Provide HR/leadership Training for Supervisors 3. Measure Supervisor’s Performance

Strategy 1—Supervisor Selection Process Supervisor Selection Restructure selection panel to include peers of the applicant For internal merit selection, conduct a 360 review by colleagues of person applying to the position Create clear selection criteria for leadership/supervisory skills Expand occupations that can fill supervisory roles Obstacles Require Change to Corps Rules Overcome Culture resistant to change Reaching consensus on selection criteria

Strategy 1—Supervisor Selection Process Required Resources Senior Leader Support Time to develop criteria for selection Metric Survey employees of Supervisor concerning the selection

Strategy 2—Provide Leadership/HR Training Provide Leadership/HR Training for Supervisors Require 24 hours of leadership/HR training annually for Supervisors (in addition to the 40 hour initial training) Center for Creative Leadership Training—individually tailored feedback based on profile and feedback of subordinates and supervisors Create a national supervisor development program Obstacles Cost and Time of the training Finding or developing suitable training Push back from Supervisors who don’t want the training.

Strategy 2—Leadership/HR Training Required Resources Funding for the above training Senior Leader and Headquarters Support Metric Tie training requirement to NSPS and IDP

Strategy 3—Measure Supervisor Performance Measure Supervisors Performance in terms of employee satisfaction and retention Conduct subordinate employee reviews of the supervisor annually and report results to one level above the supervisor. Higher level supervisor provides feedback to the supervisor. Measure supervisor’s effect on retention in terms of exit interview results. Provide feedback from these interviews to the supervisor and one level above the supervisor Tie these strategies to supevisory objective in NSPS Obstacles Time to perform the supervisory functions that will be measured Confidentiality of Surveys Push back from Supervisors

Strategy 3—Measure Supervisor Performance Required Resources Corps wide exit interviews Data Collector Senior Leader Support Metric Higher employee satisfaction in surveys, and better retention rate

Strategic Gaps Recognition Issue: Level of recognition is much less than level of achievement

Strategy (Solution 1) Increase number of awards - increase NSPS pay pool funding - monetary/non-monetary

Obstacles (Solution 1) Recognition 1. Time 2. Funding

Required Resources (Solution 1) Time Funding/NSPS Pay Pool Fund Tool Kit (weekly announcements, employee/supervisor of the month, publicizing to public, grassroots/peer recognition system, certificates) Review panel w/ Division Contact

Metrics (Solution 1) Human Capital Survey Chart change in attrition rate Track award distribution Corps-wide with division “roll-ups”

Strategy (Solution 2) Create a culture of recognition implement a requirement for each employee to self nominate annually 360 Review across USACE Incentive Awards (as in Private Sector

Obstacles (Solution 2) Recognition 1. Changing personal philosophies on awards 2. Resistance to change 3. Funding

Required Resources (Solution 2) Time Awards Budget Peer Review Panel (w/ Division Contact) Finance/Budget Data Self Nomination System (1/yr)

Metrics (Solution 2) Chart number of nominations and awards given, by division Employee culture survey

Strategic Gaps Heavy/Challenging Work

Strategy Workload 1. Hire admin staff to support production and supervisory staff 2. Expand use of and range of developmental assignments to spread workload 3. Develop 1 on 1 mentor/shadow program to provide challenging work assignments

Possible Obstacles • Limits on admin ability to access automated systems for supervisors/production staff • Departmental Overhead Rates/Funding • Resistance to additional mentoring assignment workload • Need qualified, enthusiastic mentors • Buy-in/Support by management (District and Region)

Required Resources • Funding-Adequate project $ incl S&A • Training for mentors • Output from Reg Acq Strategy Board • Commo/Ops Plan-Sensing and command info • Exit interviews-Baseline/Database/ Standard Process • Engaged CoPs

Metrics & Measures Used • Employee satisfaction-surveys, sensing sessions • Turnover of best/brightest reduced-turnover analysis • Turnover correlates with succession plan • Results of exit interviews

Human Capital Retention Building USACE to Last One Person – One Day At a Time