2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Public Service Employee Relations Commission

Strategic Context

Ministry Overview

Introduction

The Budget Transparency and Accountability Act requires that Ministries, and other specified government organizations, produce a three-year service plan that includes a statement of goals, strategic objectives and performance measures. In addition, Treasury Board requires that each service plan contain three-year budget targets.

This service plan sets out the goals and objectives for the Public Service Employee Relations Commission and performance measures for assessing the Commission’s success in achieving these goals and objectives. This service plan does not present a work plan for individual program areas, or a detailed account of the Commission’s anticipated activities, programs or initiatives over the next three-year period. Rather, it outlines a broad framework of expectations for the Commission’s performance. Information about the Commission’s activities can be found in the Commission’s Annual Service Plan Report published each fiscal year by the Commission.

The Commission

Over the past year, the delivery of Human Resource (HR) services and programs in government has been undergoing a transformation. The Commission was always responsible for taking a leadership role in working with ministries and agencies to develop and implement HR policies and practices in government. The Commission was also responsible for directly providing certain operational HR services and programs to ministries, but many services were provided by the various ministries and agencies of government under delegated authority from the Commission. In the future, the Commission will continue to be responsible for providing HR leadership, policy development and implementation. All operational HR services and programs formerly provided by ministries will be consolidated within and provided by the Commission effective April 1, 2003. This new structure is designed to achieve clearer accountability for HR governance and management in the public service; effective, quality HR services and programs; and more cost efficient service delivery.

The Commission is established under the Public Service Act. Human resource services provided by the Commission include labour relations (ongoing collective agreement administration), classification, staffing, benefits administration, employee health services, occupational health and safety, employee development and training, equity and diversity, and policy and planning. The Commission also acts as the employer and bargaining agent for the province under the Public Service Labour Relations Act.

Vision

The Commission is a key partner in contributing to the achievement of excellence in public service through connecting with our clients to provide excellence in human resource services that achieves results.

Mission

The Commission provides leadership in people management and human resource services to support the achievement of excellence in public service, through

• service excellence — a professional public service that delivers the highest service quality and value for British Columbians;
• work environment excellence — a dynamic work environment that promotes innovation, learning and results; and
• people excellence — passionate people who take pride in making a difference for those they serve.

Values

• Staff in the Commission will know their clients — government, corporate and individual ministry and agencies — and will be responsive to their needs.
• Roles, relationships and accountabilities for human resource management will be clear and well understood across the public service.
• Required levels of decision-making will be put in place for HR management and supported by clear performance standards and measures.
• Products and services will be simple, timely and efficient to use with no duplication of effort and processes will be streamlined and standardized to ensure the greatest level of efficiency and cost savings.

Highlights of Changes from the Previous Plan

There are no substantive changes to this three-year service plan from the previous year’s three-year plan at the goal level. Some objectives, strategies and performance measures under each of the three goal areas have been updated to reflect achievements over the past year and future directions, including the transition to a new HR organizational structure for the public service.

Planning Context

The New Era for British Columbia document establishes the framework for the future of the public service. The Core Services Review has resulted in dramatic changes in the business of government and the resources available to carry out that business.

Regardless of the nature of the change, whether it is a change in organization, policy direction or service delivery model, there are always human resource management implications.

Key challenges facing the government and public service over the next 10 years, with both immediate and longer-term human resource implications include:

Changing expectations for the role of government, and continued resource pressures

• Fiscal pressures will continue to drive changes in the mix of public services delivered and in the way that those services are delivered.
• There is increasing emphasis on transparency and accountability.
• Demand for an integrated, “one window” service delivery that focuses on citizen needs rather than administrative convenience.

Implications:

The role of the Commission in the HR community will evolve and change. Ongoing rapid change to government services will place pressures on HR practices and service delivery as well as driving the need to provide strategic human resource policy and planning advice to the government.

Public service employees and the employment relationship

• Demographics indicate the anticipated retirement of many long-term public service employees, who will take away years of accumulated knowledge and experience. This is noticeably acute at the more senior management levels where the traditional supply groups are also poised to retire.
• The changing nature of work and increasing use of technology drives the need for training and development.
• There is an increased focus on professionalism and non-partisanship in the work of the public service.
• The public service has been challenged to be representative of the population it serves; yet hiring and retention statistics indicate this will require ongoing commitment and attention.
• There are challenges to the nature of work and working relationships, with increased emphasis on flexibility, mobility and a personally satisfying balance of work and other activities.
• Many existing HR systems were developed in an environment of organizational stability, clearly defined jobs, and long term employment. These characteristics have changed and systems based on the continued application of these characteristics may serve as barriers to government’s effectiveness.

Implications:

Managers need to be able to deal with the increasingly diverse interests of employees. Government needs to be responsive to these issues in order to ensure it can attract and retain a committed and talented public service workforce. There is the need to ensure that workforce adjustment is well managed as government concurrently seeks effective strategies to renew the public service.

New Business Model for delivering HR services and programs

• The Commission is facing many challenges in its transition to a new way of doing business and delivering HR services and programs:
• Ministry HR budgets have been reduced significantly from 2001/02 funding levels. These reductions will need to be mitigated by achieving economies of scale through consolidation and more efficient business processes.
• Funding inequities across ministries may make it difficult for the Commission to move towards standardized service offerings.

Implications:

The Commission will need to ensure that it delivers its core businesses in a streamlined and cost effective way to in order to achieve its service and budget targets. The new HR service delivery model requires Commission staff and Ministry line managers to assume new responsibilities. Training of Commission staff and cross government training of line managers will be critical in order to affect the kind of cultural change required.