Goal 5

The Ministry is a Responsive and Motivating Employer.

Core Business Area: Executive and Support Services

Objective 1

The ministry recruits and retains a workforce that is competent, capable and flexible.

Staff actions align with ministry goals and objectives.

Key Strategies

Define core competencies and selection standards for key ministry positions.

Implement employee performance, planning and development and review processes and tools.

Performance Measures and Results

Measure 5.1: Percentage of employees with performance and development plans in place.

An important consideration for the ministry was the need for staff to have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities, and how they contribute to the ministry's goals. This performance measure gauges the success of the ministry in implementing performance and development plans that assist staff to connect their daily actions to the ministry Service Plan.

Specific skill sets, called competencies, were identified for key positions throughout the ministry. Performance and development plans have been introduced to set work and development goals for employees based on these competencies.

Objective 2

Employees have the tools to adapt to and benefit from change.

Key Strategies

Consistently address change management issues in all ministry project plans.

Performance Measures and Results

Ministry staff have undergone several changes since the BC Employment and Assistance legislative changes in September 2002. Policy resulting from this legislative change continued to be refined throughout 2003/04. New resources, guidelines and tools were developed to assist staff in applying new policy and regulations. Development began in the fall of 2003 on an Online Resource for staff that will provide access to ministry policy information, standards and tools. As well, staff from nine regions were amalgamated into five regions, standardizing the ministry's regions with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and Ministry of Health Services regions.

Alternate service delivery methods continued to be explored to assist in providing more efficient and streamlined service delivery across the province. In an effort to ensure practices and procedures were consistent across the province, the ministry has initiated the Process Improvement Project. This project examines existing processes from across the province and other jurisdictions, determines the best practices, and develops and implements standardized processes province wide.

Objective 3

The ministry's working environment encourages productivity and innovation.

Key Strategies

Continue to implement effective health and safety programs and practices.

Performance Measures and Results

A safe and secure work environment is a priority. Assessments of security strategies and updates on local violence prevention plans began in 2003/04 and were 65 per cent completed by the end of that fiscal year. The ministry supports the formation of formal Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) committees at all ministry offices.

New Measures (2004/05)

Percentage of employees with a personal learning plan.

Learning plans are tools designed to enhance employee satisfaction and performance toward ministry goals. A personal learning plan sets out the employee's goals for development, and efforts that will be made by the employee and the employer to support success.

Personal learning plans have been incorporated as an integral component of employee personal development plans. A higher percentage for this measure indicates that the ministry is successfully supporting employee success and career development, thereby making the ministry a more effective organization.