׉?4ׁB!בCט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://1CaUJttrypUWsoHoynqcbKlg2nS819bObGLAJvu4R-Qvr`׉ 7cassandra://I-xJ3lnxb2RYv8ZNA3PlZrMqb7DnZyn40rQGeCVsFR8Δ`t׉ 7cassandra://u9GsWpUjNQQF2ohqPn4j00e1Q-YMI_y6eQp6MaXmpgk<`׉ 7cassandra://0x72mniGr2VKCDtaMpPprQHBJYOMfCJSOQBXDMER7jcQ+n͠bd!r+`Pט8pu׈`n׈Ed!r+`*׉E 1 June, 2023 Volume 7, Issue 2 CARICAD is pleased to bring to you a repeat of a series of articles on Strategic HRM and Succession Planning. Just before COVID-19 arrived, we had completed a regional survey to find out how many people had succession plans in place and very few did. We therefore recognised that the need for succession planning is even greater than before. This will enable a public service that is resilient, but subject to change. The public service must be in a place where it can thrive in an organic way so that the leadership and technical skills that should be in place, are in place. To this end, we just completed a Succession Planning toolkit which will be available on request. By Rosemund R. Warrington, HR and ODE Specialist, CARICAD T his article recognises the contextualised nature of public sector ransformation in a complex, frequently intransient and change-averse system, and identifies some factors that are necessary in order for public sector organisations to attain resilience status. These include the importance of: citizen centricity, technology, human capital development, systemic transformation and a focus on outcomes. It is widely accepted that change is the one constant in organisational life today. Virtually all organisations are affected whether it is by the forces of nature, globalisation, shifts in the economy, or an ever-changing workforce. In the context of public sector organisations, the management of change has indeed been a constant. Yet, the speed with which governments must respond to the diverse crises is not always swift, partly owing to insufficient resilience to overcome these adverse effects on their own. Public sector organisations in the Caribbean have faced much pressure to change in recent years largely due to vulnerability to natural disasters and environmental change, fiscal austerity measures, limited institutional capacity, and the desire to deliver world class efficiencies through public sector transformation efforts. Transformation initiatives within the public sector, however, have a checkered history of success. The majority of countries in the Caribbean have been classified as having Rosemund R. Warrington, CARICAD’s HR and ODE Specialist high vulnerability (i.e. environmental risks, economic shocks, social risks and limited institutional capacity) and medium resilience (i.e policy-induced measures, good governance, macroeconomic stability, social development market flexibility), the worst case category being Haiti with high vulnerability and low resilience, (Briguglio 2014). There is now a recognition and acceptance that in order to survive, public sector organisations in the Caribbean region can no longer simply respond to changes in their environment, but they must proactively shape their environment to maximise their own effectiveness. The context for this change is based on a number of philosophies guiding the transformation of public sector organisations, including post bureaucracy models. • Continues on Pages 3-5 ׉ 7cassandra://u9GsWpUjNQQF2ohqPn4j00e1Q-YMI_y6eQp6MaXmpgk<`d!r+`+d!r+`*ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://14mnAfD9lhSkT0uQZtDbPv0QjIbu6_hl_FspR2rQLNA}`׉ 7cassandra://GQ2UvcYaYtRJSHi0LcbcN2Sl4tiK1KiL1bxwf7hOHDsͦ`t׉ 7cassandra://QE2tv73VRlRkIdHLg3Vi8PnZyheASI_5kqLN0Ll89_Y0S`׉ 7cassandra://DBxFOWLNCaut3Fbr9AcOlXmfvMVmhloOVPtbM2G3QLg(͠bd!r+`Sט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://F7mtJ0wtbW8H_TUyu8SraKgE4ah5v3veC-ouGSJOU88[`׉ 7cassandra://H66XkXTz3R4ZX39oraLKyIcU8_Vk4S_ATYmh3FHg9r4͋`t׉ 7cassandra://T3-chjl36m65bMyes9Kk3yZeO_TQAfAPvOG2ap06Fdo.`׉ 7cassandra://EMZOklRvNIPyYdCr3eqgYphyW3rsWNcUepz5ycLYmb8c'͠bd!r+`T׉E 2 • Continued from Page 1 Post Bureaucracy Models Public Sector organisations by their very structure and nature reflect Weber’s bureaucratic legal-rational framework with structured hierarchies; formalisation of decision-making; centralisation of authority; rational systems based on rules and regulations and advancement based, still to a large extent, on seniority and ‘know who’. There has been, however, a steady movement towards transformation in public sector organisations throughout the Caribbean region as they struggle to stay afloat in the midst of social, economic and technological advancements. In this new context of the post-industrial public sector organisation with a keen focus on services and resilience, new management techniques are being adopted in an attempt to reform and transform. There is now the post-bureaucratic public sector, characterized by collaboration, trust, negotiation, teamwork and decentralisation of authority. The new model of public service operations, based on New Public Management (NPM) as a philosophy, advocates a shift in emphasis from rule enforcement and administration to the attainment of results through mission statements, performance management, performance-based rewards, greater client focus, decentralised structures and an output orientation. Indeed, the challenges of the changing times and effects of devastating events in our Caribbean region have recently given rise to touting of the concept of ‘Organisational Resilience’. Public Sector organisations are seeing the need to become more resilient in the face of adversity and committing themselves to becoming more agile, adaptable, flexible and responsive to the needs of citizens. This rethinking is driven by the realities that traditional bureaucracy may be inadequate to cope with the myriad global changes and therefore public sector organisations have no choice but to move beyond basic survival, reinvent the wheel to stay relevant, and press on in these threatening environments. Only flexible, agile and adaptable organisations will survive. 21st Century Public Sector These rolling trends of reinventing the public sector have significant implications not only for transforming the nature of public administration and its relationship with the citizenry, but also for role, structure, systems and the management of human resources. In a climate of budget cuts and an inflated workforce where competency-based job-fit is still a challenge, a 21st Century Public Sector implies a further radical shakeup to the status quo. The following schema therefore focuses on public sector transformation in general and exemplifies the characteristics of the 21st Century Public Sector, which are necessary in order to achieve high resilience status and desired results. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://QE2tv73VRlRkIdHLg3Vi8PnZyheASI_5kqLN0Ll89_Y0S`d!r+`,׉Ep3 • Continued from previous page Building a Resilient 21st Century public sector is therefore all about the right systems, right skills, right leadership, and a culture that is conducive to change. The Public Sector must move beyond crisis management to scenario planning. The Public Sector must become more visionary and outward-focused. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://T3-chjl36m65bMyes9Kk3yZeO_TQAfAPvOG2ap06Fdo.`d!r+`-d!r+`,ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://NgBE3q6D3GkC4hIeMyzkk9dlxU4C8EdseI6PzfrVyGQND`׉ 7cassandra://aac35605FEnml-QHUtt7ghBK4rsfpa9EUjcyHP8qCQQñ`t׉ 7cassandra://XgMxV6pyYo_Bk7U2NRqZY1ggR-qqR6JIShWPxHQDjCk5_`׉ 7cassandra://sozK8do8RITuZsciZGJ0If7KNVDzGgKDZM4fs_H0tyM(͠bd!r+`Wט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://zccWn5b41QnPixGx-1i6cyGoobzVHeFctiV4mNp6Tpc>`׉ 7cassandra://cDgNXDMThtTz0lrLDA5rJvhfl2TeAVbU8L1cOUDIRfsͮE`t׉ 7cassandra://FjTaEEFDjsJznsv4aevCopLdb0iCAq8VLMnD1wngkS42>`׉ 7cassandra://bosmni9y-CUp8I7ZixI-fMWXaCoXIr57ca5j87PbPXc/12͠bd!r+`X׉EE4 • Continued from previous page But what does being a Resilient organisation really mean? There are a number of differing perspectives regarding the definition for organisational resilience. On the one hand, organizational resilience is viewed as simply an ability to rebound from unexpected, stressful, adverse situations and to pick up where you left off. This perspective is reflected in the following definition, i.e. “Resilience is the ability to ‘bounce back’ from adversity” (Frederickson 2001 cited in Cooper et al, 2015). A second perspective of organizational resilience, on the other hand, looks beyond restoration to include the development of new capabilities and an expanded ability to keep pace with and even create new opportunities, viz “Resilience is bouncing back from setbacks combined with remaining effective in the face of tough demands and difficulty circumstances” - Cooper et al, 2015). Vogus and Sutcliffe (2007) also define resilience as “the maintenance of positive adjustment under challenging conditions such that the organisation emerges from those conditions strengthened and more resourceful”. The latter perspectives coincide with how CARICAD has expressed the imperatives for managing in a crisis i.e. Prepare, Perform, Transform. We agree that anticipation and preparation are valuable for organizational performance. We believe however that resilience implies more than just adaptation; it requires a concerted effort to improve overall HR competence and systemic capabilities through transformation efforts. The following definition is therefore apt: “Organisational Resilience involves the ability to adapt creatively and constructively to change so as to endure and recover from challenges in a manner that leaves the organisation more flexible and better able to adapt to future challenges. (Denhardt & Denhardt, 2009). Resilient organisations are able to maintain positive adjustments under challenging and “bouncy” conditions such as natural disasters or national fiscal hardships, among others. The Resilient 21st Century Public Sector will be (1) Technologically Innovative and data driven: freely accessible and shareable data, greater focus on IT as an enabler of service, and increased transparency, public participation and innovation; (2) Systemically transformative: institutional transformation relative to structures, leadership, partnerships, procedures and practices, mindset change, management of human and financial resources etc.; (3) Talent Management focused: attracting, selecting, nurturing, developing and retaining high‑potential; (4) Outcomes focused: focus on results and on achieving impact; and (5) Citizen-centric: delivery of services based on the needs of the people served and engaging citizens in policy and service design. In addition, being resilient is about actively taking risk, learning from it and understanding the benefits. Conversely, ‘Brittle’ organisations are easily overwhelmed by shocks and strains, and do not subscribe to the belief that they can become more effective through learning from their mistakes. It is therefore the capacity for the public sector not only to “bounce back”, “survive” or “cope successfully” in response to adversity, uncertainty, change or risk, but to do so “robustly” and recover more “quickly”. It is this capacity for adaptation and use of sound systems and change management that facilitates resilience. The need for building the capacity for public officers to be resilient in turbulent times and in work environments that are continually adapting and responding to harsh conditions cannot be underestimated. For in times such as these, only flexible, agile and adaptable organisations will survive. Part II of this article will now focus on the role of Strategic HRM in building organisational resilience. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://XgMxV6pyYo_Bk7U2NRqZY1ggR-qqR6JIShWPxHQDjCk5_`d!r+`.׉E N5 By Rosemund R. Warrington, HR and ODE Specialist, CARICAD This article builds upon Part I of the Building a Resilient 21st Century Public Sector series. While Part I focused on the nature of organisational resilience, Part II aims to increase understanding of how to shape an organisation’s strategic human resource management approach to achieve organisational resilience. T he definition of the term “Resilience” adopted in Part I of the series states that “Organisational Resilience involves the ability to adapt creatively and constructively to change so as to endure and recover from challenges in a manner that leaves the organisation more flexible and better able to adapt to future challenges.” (Denhardt & Denhardt, 2009). “Organisational Resilience involves the ability to adapt creatively and constructively to change so as to endure and recover from challenges in a manner that leaves the organisation more flexible and better able to adapt to future challenges.” - Denhardt & Denhardt, 2009 Part I made the case that Public Sector organisations are increasingly seeing the need to become more resilient in the face of adversity and committing themselves to becoming more agile, adaptable, flexible and responsive to the needs of citizens. Indeed, resilience implies more than just adaptation; and as this article will show, a sustained resolute effort is required to improve overall HR competence and systemic capabilities through transformation efforts. Part I established that the Resilient 21st Century Public Sector will be: (1) Technologically Innovative and data driven: freely accessible and shareable data, greater focus on IT as an enabler of service, and increased transparency, public participation and innovation; (2) Systemically transformative: institutional transformation relative to structures, leadership, partnerships, procedures and practices, mindset change, management of human and financial resources etc.; (3) Talent Management focused: attracting, selecting, nurturing, developing and retaining high potential; (4) Outcomes focused: focus on results and on achieving impact; and (5) Citizen-centric: delivery of services based on the needs of the people served and engaging citizens in policy and service design. Building a Resilient 21st Century public sector therefore is all about the right systems, right skills, right leadership, and a culture that is conducive to change. Strategic Human Resource Management has a critical role to play. Strategic HRM There are a number of assumptions underpinning a Strategic Approach to HRM including the following: • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://FjTaEEFDjsJznsv4aevCopLdb0iCAq8VLMnD1wngkS42>`d!r+`/d!r+`.ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://piyLrrxEhQk25xdB-XnoFHgphQW5QIUTHYdVwQ9LEG0l`׉ 7cassandra://A7TRYT2EFZK2IRtgr2RVT6T0C6o5QEj6iL2xdCODxUIͤ`t׉ 7cassandra://N1INDN5NCA7s01azTdA8YPEuCAtRUek0plVj_O-Nyxo0`׉ 7cassandra://RWwVOTnhDJ5tOq1Q2OopE4jWL_d2xTh3bcrDGKQVizk.V͠bd!r+`[ט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://GMqkvsBuznVi3M5uN9fRNIpUqVtxoczXGPpYmkv5l70"`׉ 7cassandra://ohDMtggbwbiFUlO60G0eFSjT-cyjTnXE7--tviiSeek|'`t׉ 7cassandra://2PZY8CLBRLIskZ2kPvsQjFo97wz2u363RalaF1phIu4,``׉ 7cassandra://9VPHAsHMeje8auEg6abzmK0UaeuKzys59c1WSMOOkOwlt,͠bd!r+`\׉E 6 • Continued from previous page a) Human Resources are an organisation’s source of competitive advantage and are therefore to be considered human capital. All public sector employees are valued as key to optimum organisational performance balanced against their own career-pathing for personal and professional development. b) HR Plans are linked to the organisation’s Strategic Plans; therefore there is alignment between the organisation’s goals and initiatives, and HR goals in order to make best use of the human capital. a) Employee skills are viewed as talents, and managing this skills set in order to create optimal performance is deemed talent management. a) The focus is on employees at all levels of the Public Sector, including its strategic leadership in both the technical, administrative and political directorates, for example, the Permanent Secretaries and the Honourable Ministers with responsibility for the ministerial portfolios. a) Optimum use of employees’ talents – knowledge, skills, aptitudes and attitude – is shared responsibility of both the specialist HR officers (who function in the HR Departments and Units), and the front line supervisors, corporate or supervisory, who are the ‘front line’ transacting with the rank and file workers to produce and deliver services as laid out in the various Corporate Plans. a) The HR Plan highlights the importance of ‘line of sight’ monitoring and evaluation of the HR results against the agreed standards of performance and in light of the resources consistently available for the purpose. M & E enable performance tracking to be evidence-based and cost benefit anchored. The Seven HR Building Blocks for a Resilient Organisation CARICAD’s Charter framework for Caribbean Public Services embodies the tenets of resilient organisations. The pillars and core principles promote good governance, service standards, accountability, better information processing, continuous capacity and competence enhancement, engaging in proactive analyses and modernization of legislative. In recognition of the fact that any Resilience building can only occur in the context of a solid foundation and enabling environment, the base of the 7 Block Model highlights the six pillars of our Charter framework, namely, Governance, Accountability, Standards, Openness, Capacity and Legislation. CARICAD recognises the critical role that strategic HRM plays in relation to the quality of work and productivity in public sector organisations, and using this capacity as a force for resilience. The Seven HR Building Blocks Model has been designed to espouse a mindset that integrates HR practices, processes, and systems; utilising effective ways of planning, attracting, developing and retaining talent as well as managing performance for results. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://N1INDN5NCA7s01azTdA8YPEuCAtRUek0plVj_O-Nyxo0`d!r+`0׉EO7 • Continued from previous page The Model, illustrated and explained below, consists of seven building blocks – HR resilience enablers - which serve as guideposts to individual behaviours and come together to create organisational capabilities to respond to turbulent situations in an effective manner. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://2PZY8CLBRLIskZ2kPvsQjFo97wz2u363RalaF1phIu4,``d!r+`1d!r+`0ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://boE2SRicm2wJYsbx7l9uw6cCH_b_EtA4cnG5BAKSIdA4`׉ 7cassandra://cjSIxVRSZJGH8CWgEpyk78GBxsMz-Tw9eYBLNhsUAyk͢%`t׉ 7cassandra://KSTstTaaC8pUCMpKgi8rF9NHdH70xrsAAp4tQqyvQBY0"`׉ 7cassandra://DHtnEgeY5DfO9it-M5_w9nf04Yf6PwZoRZjf_5rCOEE /P͠bd!r+`^ט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://rxCcWqNvfaQAR-EDK_GQ87Py01AlTS0ui_KoWGBNF0kd`׉ 7cassandra://N4Y55Jjulx3OOxE0pAk-XHtPpNfZ32rJ4jgo7zbYTeQ͘`t׉ 7cassandra://Af-ee13XFvjfteXRuYATvcVRlAeFOtjmpcLG4GcPQhI/`׉ 7cassandra://wf5WE8pUiK8bfDHva4zdHyO0aRmAfrh_nlgbSVsKimk+/n͠bd!r+`_׉E /8 • Continued from previous page Building a Culture of Resilience When considering an organisations’s capability for resilience, prominence must be given to managing culture. It is precisely for this reason that strategic human resource management (SHRM) is central to the establishment and maintenance of an organisation’s leadership structure and cultural values. A number of cultural drivers supporting HR processes include the ability to engage stakeholders, alignment of individual needs to the long term resilience needs of the public sector, the ability to develop a capability for the management of adversity. A culture of organizational resilience is also built to a great extent on resilient leadership. Resilient organisations uphold a culture of respect and trust to take necessary risks without the fear of retribution. Indeed what is needed is a positive culture that effectively promotes values such as courage, initiative, integrity, loyalty, trust, teamwork and open communication. This positive culture will be mirrored in the organisation’s ability to lead teams to high performance; build trust-based relationships; and successfully undertake cross functional work assignments. Organisations that are truly resilient empower their staff to be proactive and responsive to create readiness for change, in whatever circumstance. In an environment of resilience, the active contribution of individuals’ and teams’ ideas and efforts is promoted. Finally, resilient organisations care about the well-being of employees as they work diligently to deliver results. The well-being of public officers must therefore not only be the concern of representative unions, but also of management at every level of the organisation. Systemic Leadership The importance of leadership in shaping a resilience culture in public sector organisations cannot be overstated. Some of the required attributes of the ‘leader’ and leadership teams include the influencing of an organisational resilience approach that contribute to the strategic direction, culture, performance, continuous improvement, relationship building and overall organisational resilience in the Public Sector. Clarity of interrelationships and respective roles of the Permanent Secretary, the CEO, the Committee of Permanent Secretaries, ‘the Board’, lower level and ad hoc management teams and how these linkages influence an organisation’s potential for resilience are critical considerations. Context matters for resilience building and as such, an enabling environment that supports agile • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://KSTstTaaC8pUCMpKgi8rF9NHdH70xrsAAp4tQqyvQBY0"`d!r+`2׉E 9 • Continued from previous page leadership and the ability to quickly readjust must be central to achieving Resilience status. Connecting Employee and Oganisational Strategy The upsurge of connected devices and emerging technologies continues to enable seamless connectivity in public sector organisations. Connecting new work expectations and norms to strategies, through e-Governance will be fundamental to building a Resilient organisation. This will require revision of policies and key organisational and job roles. Going forward there will be a mix of various work models – traditional but also increased out-sourcing, stakeholder partnerships, etc. Linking the public sector employee with the organisation’s strategy and goals is important and therefore making the right skills available at the right places to support specific technologicallyinnovative strategies will be extremely crucial in building resilience. All of this must be underpinned by a strong sense of purpose, core values, shared vision and a deliberate use of language that promotes a clear sense of direction and one that influences attitudeshaping, relationship-building and actions. Aligning HR Policies and Practices Facilitating individual capability for resilience is the strategic role and framework that human resource management systems offer. Through strategic HRM systems, process, policies and practices, public sector organisations will have the opportunity for setting a framework within which public officers foster their individual capability to be resilient. It is being proposed that the development of strategic HRM policies and programmes take into account not just overarching HR principles and the strategic direction of the public sector, but also take into account the desired employee contributions that the programmes and policies aim to capture. For example, if collaboration as a behaviour is desired from public officers, then the HR policies and programmes need to capture and reinforce the message through the systemic guidelines that are laid out for the organisation. CARICAD is proposing the development and enhancement of HR systems and programmes that would result in fostering resilience outcomes in public sector employees through competency-based Human Resource Management Policies. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://Af-ee13XFvjfteXRuYATvcVRlAeFOtjmpcLG4GcPQhI/`d!r+`3d!r+`2ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://5-qB0fK7nOG3Me7zPSJjey-m2Iv9lh6QH6B7Ng0kADc>`׉ 7cassandra://IpoBykM0Rl7ABnBfMZT3ZQM9E2-fMG-Se0ZYjQNqCsM͢`t׉ 7cassandra://FtdaYoUrZfkAYzp0dXlGZcmfVazsRj4dqI_2UtehuqU/R`׉ 7cassandra://sdsljR4Z2VI8JOz8NPB2yCktn5027VFUVsniwLVy9CY/J͠bd!r+`aט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://fRpuhJRgmWmSO3sK1BnTdoMezG-8mJutrf24NXBEX68zj`׉ 7cassandra://dB1bVeWjDdq_FowCSg-2D22YK_aS146DqgPqM6UBJ-w͏`t׉ 7cassandra://7Wmh4LfD0JwocrQOKKkoMDSkwl90aqukq0geUwoWeyg+`׉ 7cassandra://afesUnkwNfRU9g91dz-HtQdpHmI5XGBVtl9UYpkVSXY.Z͠bd!r+`b׉E 10 • Continued from previous page Competencies are the skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required to perform certain activities well and which are critical to success in building a resilient organisation. In other words, public officers are competent if they know what to do; know how to do it; know when to do it; know why you do it; and can do it consistently well; A Competency Framework was recently disseminated by CARICAD for the guidance of its Member States. It identifies a number of core competencies and behavioural anchors for increasing professional competence in the public sector. In short, the competency framework defines how people employed in the Public Sector are to work. All key HR practices including recruitment, selection and retention; job descriptions; results-based performance management; accountability; integrated information systems; engaging public officers in proactive programmes of resilience training, among others, should operate in harmony to drive employee engagement. These programmes should seek not only to foster general well-being and enhance the immediate working experience for public officers, but also equip them with skills and strategies to embrace future challenges, change and uncertainty. Reinforcing Business Processes Public sector organisations continue to be subject to government initiatives and legislation which result in the need to improve processes. From time to time it is necessary to design new processes to change and improve efficiency and effectiveness. In building Resilient organisations, Process Improvement is one of the ways public sector organisations can address the challenges of increasing Effectiveness, Efficiency, Capacity, Flexibility and Responsiveness. This will require application of organisation development principles. Organisational resilience supports the organisation’s ability to reinvent business processes and strategies as circumstances change. This requires strategic flexibility, high performance work systems, and multi-skilled public sector employees to steer the course through the environment. Workforce Planning A simple, often quoted definition, is that workforce planning involves ensuring that there are the right number of people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time. Workforce planning is therefore simply about arriving at existing and future demand for different types of employees, matching this to the likely future supply, and assessing the impact on training, recruitment and retention plans. • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://FtdaYoUrZfkAYzp0dXlGZcmfVazsRj4dqI_2UtehuqU/R`d!r+`4׉E 11 • Continued from previous page Workforce planning during challenging times is a must. Financial and headcount constraints will impact on the ability to recruit; essentially this means that more will have to be done with fewer people. Maximising the use of the existing workforce has all sorts of implications for HR – training, performance management, relocations, selective retention initiatives in some areas and selective redundancies in others. One of the most important is to ensure that workforce plans are in place to align HR capacity in terms of numbers and skills with Public Sector mission, vision and service deliverables. Integrated Talent Management Talent Management is often described as the systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement/retention, and deployment of talents1 (Public Personnel Management, 2017). Integrated talent management is an organisation's commitment to recruit, retain, and develop employees. integrated approach to recruitment, retention, succession planning, performance management, compensation, employee development planning and learning. • According to Deloitte (A New Talent Management Framework, 2010) the goal is not only to make the Human Resources function operate more efficiently, but more importantly to create an "integrated system" for managing people which allows for the rapid and effective response to organisational needs. • In a Resilient Organisation, the practice of Integrated Talent Management is key to sustaining an organization’s initiatives and performance and to ensuring it meets its mission even in the face of turnover and other workforce challenges. The system must enable the identification and development of individuals who would be able to step in and step up in times of crisis. Managing the system in a transparent and equitable way will enhance the organisation’s capacity to be resilient and generate productive results and outcomes, even when faced with adversity. • Sustaining such a system, will require the public sector organisation to foster an environment that encourages high performance, continuous professional development, and recognises existing talent and the transfer of knowledge to future talent. It is an 1 Source: Public Personnel Management, December 1, 2017 • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://7Wmh4LfD0JwocrQOKKkoMDSkwl90aqukq0geUwoWeyg+`d!r+`5d!r+`4ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://iU1K3EMKxQ3AfVTvQzeaarWHKSKexqS4ML_LBjNNYT4`׉ 7cassandra://KF6xKOElhfxK8Oh_Nf4O499EwZ0wRddzkObFJ1HLNYQ͹{`t׉ 7cassandra://B7WWqe58GTA8ZRIanfWwVCjuDRbtNjFsDOfXn377_t42`׉ 7cassandra://9ffKV7ahcaV3kA3uVRJLxGV_Qd7zaFBqv7TMoGJ2ynIj-͠bd!r+`dט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://8j6EHxVex6jEDehemlw21zoZnoL_sVWNKFGFE4U04ew `׉ 7cassandra://shTEbRQRzWJPO22uwqdWypjAfRe_hFdhHHqxYvHqSHgͥ`t׉ 7cassandra://OrDb1lg5ZHYlW_DcNOvM22GWjBUZLQQIWbEeun_jOOI.`׉ 7cassandra://X-e3sdTaIrT5uSb5u5IK0SdXAlIqDgLV7xJNPh7i-I8y3͠bd!r+`e׉E 12 • Continued from previous page Conclusion Resilience translates to renewal, transformation and innovation. The above discussion illustrates that Resilience is a capability that can be developed deliberately. Therefore, the configuration of strategic HRM practices listed above can play a critical role in cultivating an organisational environment to facilitate resilience building. It is not enough to implement just one of the blocks, public sector organisations need to adopt them all to truly achieve resilience in this 21st Century environment. Similarly, in order for organisational resilience to be achieved, individual capacity for resilience must be developed strategically through HRM. The following quote sums up this point: The public sector’s capacity for developing organizational resilience is achieved through strategically managing HR to create individual competencies among core employees that when aggregated at the org level make it possible for organisations to effectively absorb uncertainly, develop situation-specific responses to threats and ultimately engage in transformative activities so thaty thye can capitalize on disruptive surprises that potentitally threaten their survival. - Lengnick Hall It will be important therefore to equip public officers with skills to stay strong in difficult situations. One of the key issues and one that is likely to threaten the status quo of the public sector is that of change. Introducing a resilience focus and ethos therefore constitutes a change management effort. It has been said that resilience is tested by unexpected events. Those member states who have experienced environmental and fiscal challenges in the recent years, know first hand the debilitating psychological, cultural and socio-economic effects of such events on a nation. The Seven Building Block Model illustrates the confluence of seven distinct but interrelated Resilience Enablers: Building a Culture of Resilience, Systemic Leadership, Connecting Employee to Organisational Strategy, Aligning HR Policies and Practices, Reinforcing Business Processes, Workforce Planning and Integrated Talent Management. It describes what is necessary for public sector organisations to fulfil their purpose and values; and how people work together in fulfilling that purpose. It is hoped that the Model, cognizant of contextual relevance, can serve as guide to countries trying to ‘bounce back’ from tragedies and aspiring to achieve Resilience status. Mrs. Rosemund R. Warrington is the in-house Certified Specialist in Strategic Human Resource and Organisation Development & Effectiveness (HR/ODE) at CARICAD. Over the years, CARICAD has provided HR/ODE services both in Public and Private Sector organisations in the Caribbean region in the development of HR Strategies, HR Audits, Skills Assessments, Competency Frameworks, Workload Measurements, Recruitment and Selection Strategies, Workforce Planning, Competency-based Performance Management Systems, Job Evaluations, HRD Plans, Capacity Building, HR Policy Manuals, Job Analysis and Job Description Writing, Succession Planning, Training Systems Review and Re-Design, Organisational Capacity Assessments and such. ׉ 7cassandra://B7WWqe58GTA8ZRIanfWwVCjuDRbtNjFsDOfXn377_t42`d!r+`6׉E 13 By Rosemund R. Warrington Specialist in Strategic Human Resource and Organisation Development & Effectiveness, CARICAD T he COVID-19 Pandemic has demonstrated the importance of business continuity in organisations. From our observations, the immediate response (in addition to safety and health matters) to the pandemic by a number of organisations focused on business continuity. CARICAD, in response to this need, developed a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) template at the start of the pandemic in 2020, for customisation by Member States. By adopting a Business Continuity Plan in the heart of the pandemic, Member States were able to deploy effective plans, putting in place contingencies, identifying capabilities and strengthening technological infrastructure. From a Human Resources Management (HR) perspective, all of these actions assisted with the management of the sudden increase in remote work arrangements. For instance, the use of technology including business communication platforms such as Microsoft Teams facilitated HR processes in recruitment, learning management systems, and redeployment of employees, among others. For most if not all organisations, the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated that HR is an integral component of business continuity. Public Sector Organisations (PSOs) have been forced to re-focus and to re-direct themselves towards becoming more flexible and adaptable. The pandemic required answers to important questions: • What does our talent bench look like? • Do we have the capabilities for interim replacements in the event of an unexpected absence or multiple absences? This article treats briefly with some key HR considerations to ensure continuity in PSOs, as they confront risks and opportunities in times of crises. The COVID-19 pandemic has also shown that public officers, whether senior managers, mid-level officers, individuals in critical positions including specialists, as well as administrative and technical support staff are not immune to the virus. CARPHA has reported a total of 3,255,544 cases in the Caribbean as of March 7, 20221. The risk of further cases occurring in the Caribbean, according to CARPHA, remains Very High. PAHO also reported that in January 2022 COVID-19 infections were increasing in most countries in the region because of the Omicron variant and that Caribbean islands had the steepest increase in infections since the pandemic began2. Public Sector employees no doubt are included in this number. From CARICAD’s knowledge of regional public services, public sector programmes and projects continue to be impacted by the absence of COVID-19-affected employees at all levels, thus creating disruptions in work continuity. ILO-OECD in 2020 reported loss of jobs and declined income, globally resulting in supply shock3. It was also reported that there were unprecedented fall-offs in employment and total hours worked. • Continues on next page 1 - CARPHA Situation Report #219 2 - Congressional Research Group – In Focus, 2022 Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19 January 21, 2022 3 - ILO-OECD “The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on jobs and incomes in G20 economies” 2020 4 - ILO:COVID-19 eliminates the equivalent of 1.5 million jobs in the Caribbean ,2020 ׉ 7cassandra://OrDb1lg5ZHYlW_DcNOvM22GWjBUZLQQIWbEeun_jOOI.`d!r+`7d!r+`6ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://L37IvVNMfpMfUNpc1TovdDxqY67C88PtKazsQDg32fU`׉ 7cassandra://u-WafaSf-AXpv5lUXQlNoKDJPPOXs_lTrygWFKTX8kA͵`t׉ 7cassandra://oGS7NpsYvQhV-kZeNV-pjMQHdEttlwqFip43w1rP3UA0`׉ 7cassandra://DMuq_y8Bbm7QPz1nE6WE1gaUzG7lGh3InfUZf0DXkWsY3͠bd"r+`hט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://ORfj3VVxQcNZuB1J-iRgH6uZlc9LsJXjTUJo3r37y3k?`׉ 7cassandra://ux07WGASNthBiF5riMw8Q5_H8NFSLdtDfJDZrKpzclEͮI`t׉ 7cassandra://OoqadtCWrT2FSXFtMDY2_x5OjQhb0pZS4trxWtcW8pU-=`׉ 7cassandra://4ZQEHpEn7oT6jMqNrV40lC-R9xe1wxCJbNWIXB0pWpY02͠bd"r+`i׉E 014 • Continued from previous page In fact, according to the ILO, there was a decline of 9.9% in total hours worked in the Caribbean, at the peak of the pandemic4. Such data shows that the impact of COVID-19 on organisations and the workforce is significant. COVID-19 has intensified the need for PSOs to seriously consider well-tailored risk-management programmes to plan for the unexpected absences or loss of key persons during times of crises and subsequent Recovery effort. The adoption of succession planning and structured interim replacement planning must now become critical HR processes to ensure business continuity. The idea of succession planning is certainly not new; however attention to the process has increased due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Its adoption will therefore require a reinvigorated approach to the development of talent which includes re-skilling, upskilling, and retooling of public sector employees. Succession Succession Planning requires purposefulness in terms of deliberate action by PSOs Succession Planning and Talent development go hand in hand and are two critical HR processes. For clarity, talent development focuses on processes and programmes that build capabilities which in turn impact an organisation’s ability to drive results. Succession Planning is the process whereby an organisation ensures that employees are recruited and developed to fill critical roles. This process ensures that there will not be a critical role vacant for which a replacement employee is not prepared. It is now recognised that critical roles are not only strategic in nature such as senior managers, but also include those roles that are critical to the success of essential workflows. deliberate action Planning requires purposefulness in terms of While Succession Planning may be commonly understood as the identification of critical positions and preparing to move people into higher-level jobs, I hold the view that succession planning is not just about preparing for the automatic replacement of employees who leave or retire. The concept is broader. Succession planning is about developing a clear approach to the identification and development of talent for all levels of staff, through which skills development interventions can be prioritised and delivered. PSOs would therefore need to develop clear approaches to the identification and development of high performing talent, identifying future workforce and talent requirements, ensuring effective retention, talent management, robust data, and development strategies across staffing levels. As the above suggests, Succession Planning requires purposefulness in terms of deliberate action by PSOs. It is worth noting that the majority of CARICAD Member States that responded to our surey do not have a Succession Planning programme in place (CARICAD Survey-2018). The reasons given for not having such an important HR process in place include financial constraints, the lack of HR systems to support succession planning, the absence of meritocratic systems, and the failure to recruit, train and retain the right individuals who will lead in the future. As PSOs re-evaluate their succession planning efforts, several key factors should be borne in mind. Succession Planning in the Public Sector must entail active engagement by top executives, Public Service • Continues on next page ׉ 7cassandra://oGS7NpsYvQhV-kZeNV-pjMQHdEttlwqFip43w1rP3UA0`d!r+`8׉E 15 • Continued from previous page Commissions and unions who are all required to coalesce to build a holistic strategy and set the tone for guiding the development of employees through training, mentoring, coaching, shadowing, and similar modalities. This concept of a talent growth approach to succession planning is a key consideration, whereby, not only are staff well prepared and developed for the challenges of strategic initiatives and the ever-changing world in which work is conducted, but the systems, structures, and cultural interactions within the public sector must serve as active enablers. Ensuring successful succession planning will require a keen focus on individual plan development that sets the foundation for learning experiences whether through education, engagement or exposure/attachments. Such actions will help strengthen the talent bench. A talent growth approach to succession planning also supports structured replacement planning which has the objective of minimising the threat of interim unplanned loss of key job holders as has been experienced during the pandemic. Some may be of the view that Succession Planning is a waste of time and there is a perception that jobs are not being filled by persons with the right competencies. There may even be a tendency in our region to see key posts in the public service as rewards for loyalty and not competence. There are those who may even say: “Why do succession planning when no one is certain that he/she will be appointed in identified key positions?” Whilst these may be the realities in some of our organisations, Succession Planning can be part of a wider talent development plan that is aligned with recruitment, retention, training and development and performance management. I hold the view that an approach that can be perceived as non-threatening in terms of limiting cherry-picking or selectiveness in relation to appointment, promotion, training etc. and one that provides opportunities for employee growth and development at all levels, in a fair and equitable manner, would be better embraced in a public sector setting. There are costs in time and effort associated with talent-based Succession Planning. However, having the right staff, in the right place, and at the right time, should represent a great return on investment and improved organisational performance. Succession Planning is a long-term investment that continues to be worthwhile regardless of diminishing budgets and prevailing cynicism. In order to curtail risks associated with the loss of valuable employees, organisations must engage in succession planning. Effective implementation of Succession Planning in public sector organisations in our region is not an impossible feat. However, the process must be focused and transparent in ensuring that a pipeline of talent is available for future leadership and interim replacements. It is equally recognised that a fully integrated succession system will require an effective enabling environment including complementary HR strategies and other systems. As you consider your specific public service environment you are invited to reflect on the following questions: • How might we re-calibrate our HR Strategies to enable and adopt a talent-based approach to Succession Planning? • What barriers might there be to successful implementation of Succession Planning in your country and organisation? • How can Succession Planning be done under institutional fiscal constraints? ׉ 7cassandra://OoqadtCWrT2FSXFtMDY2_x5OjQhb0pZS4trxWtcW8pU-=`d!r+`9d!r+`8ppבCט8pu׉׉ 7cassandra://2P6wJ4DPlsh8flPovZM3TOt4QXcInUxmAqk4X_haQuA`׉ 7cassandra://qbNxEZ2uXQY-nkQnCTghDOKytEcMu9CZ0099x9voBBo;K`t׉ 7cassandra://hITCUOX6qDS0huIN9PhzEfBr3CTucDzNKdrS_ehOjA45`׉ 7cassandra://ReGWvup46MVgBvAAQM7WBqDc_lSNJGQMe2BmLJ_jpmI5&͠bd"r+`ט88pu׉׉ 7cassandra://yYnEBcjuBwPFSbM_6qmdTaTupxejM2kIQmoN1ZnK3RA\ `׉ 7cassandra://O0Lp6qYsWANbo1LPDCGnLnSEHgH6LUOMLXnb8PPBTYc͙`t׉ 7cassandra://saLpu-htx66N4CTcbU1qwNid9rg3LmAECK7Yo0I6jQ84`׉ 7cassandra://bH15S0OcKeMyI2IvKJLkaLG0fssVeN9GUa7WbP2L91c ^N͠bd"r+`נd"r+`k%h 9׉H7https://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon---feb-2023-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`l% 9׉HBhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon---hurricane-july-2022-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`m%U 9׉HBhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-march-2022-newsletter-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`n%$o 9׉HEhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-december-2021-newsletter-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`o%2a 9׉H>https://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-october-2021-newsletterGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`p%@ 9׉HMhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricads-horizon---hurricane-edition-june-2021Gׁ ׁ rנd"r+`q%NU 9׉HAhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-horizon-march-2021---finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`r%\a 9׉HFhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-october-2020-newsletter---finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`s%j{ 9׉H=https://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon-july-august-2020-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`t%x 9׉HBhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon---hurricane-june-2020-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`u 9׉H=https://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon---covid-may-2020-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`vU 9׉H7https://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon-march-2020-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`wk 9׉H5https://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon-dec-2019-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`x$] 9׉H5https://publizr.com/caricadsec/horizon-oct-2019-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`y2 9׉HPhttps://publizr.com/car%C3%A2%E2%80%A2%C2%A6/caricad-august-2019-special-editionGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`z@L 9׉HBhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-april-2019-newsletter-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`{No 9׉HBhttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-december-2018-newsletter-hlGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`|\[ 9׉HChttps://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-august-2018-newsletter-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`}jo 9׉H>https://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-december2017-newsletterGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`~xG 9׉H9https://publizr.com/caricadsec/caricad-horizon-july-finalGׁ ׁ rנd"r+`T_ 9ׁHhttp://www.caricad.netׁ ׁ Јנd"r+`r 9ׁHmailto:caricad@caricad.netׁ ׁ Ј׉E16 By Dr. Lois Parkes, Leadership Development and Institutional Strengthening Specialist, CARICAD C ARICAD member states, whether through national vision plans or political manifestoes, have promulgated promises around improving quality of life and socio-economic development. The vehicle through which this occurs is public administration. According to the recent report on PUBLIC SECTOR PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME 2022-2025 An International Benchmarking Study - Sub-Study 2022, Public Administration “…refers to all those activities and procedures related to the formulation and implementation of policy and governmental and other public programmes, and to the management of the organisations and activities involved.” This is done broadly through the translation of state resources into the related outputs i.e. service delivery, which in turn should lead to impacts on the satisfaction of citizens and other stakeholders, and align with good governance and democratic principles. Improving public service delivery is therefore about improving the mechanisms for the translation of state resources into needed outputs, which hopefully should further translate into broader positive impacts at the societal level. These mechanisms take the forms of public policies, the supporting legal and regulatory frameworks, and the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes and any attendant technology to support the efficiency and effectiveness of government transactions, in which citizens/clients engage. Across Caribbean public services, there has been some progress, particularly in the use of ICT, in enhancing certain areas of public service delivery, a notable example being immigration services and the issuance of passports in many member states. However, it is recognised that further improvements are required and being demanded, to ensure that public administration serves as a better facilitator of socio-economic development in the Caribbean. Public administration is not always a direct provider of final goods, but plays a crucial facilitation role for other players in the economy. At times, the service orientation with the citizen/client at the centre is lacking, or not properly understood in the public service context. So where does one begin to better address these service delivery challenges? A critical first step is to start the conversation. Public Service Leaders in particular have a responsibility to engage their teams, organisations and stakeholders in this all -important service delivery conversation. The conversation begins by asking some key questions: • What truly is our mission? • Who do we serve, and why? (understanding the ‘why’ is needed for true engagement in the process) • What services do we provide? Does a listing of all of our services exist? • How do we currently provide those services? Online, in person? • What standards do we have now for delivering those services? (timeframe, quality etc.) • What is the current level of satisfaction with the delivery of these services? • Do we track the delivery of these services? Do we have an understanding of the volume/frequency etc.? • What changes (no matter how small) could we make to improve service delivery? Once the conversation begins, it is then about determining the service improvement strategy to be pursued, being consistent and determined to continue the conversation, and the willingness to be held accountable for service improvement. The service improvement journey starts with the conversation. REF: PUBLIC SECTOR PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME 2022-2025 An International Benchmarking Study Sub-Study 2022 The European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands ׉ 7cassandra://hITCUOX6qDS0huIN9PhzEfBr3CTucDzNKdrS_ehOjA45`d!r+`N׉E%17 FROM LEFT ARE: Angela Eversley, Trudy Waterman, Dr. Lois Parkes, Franklyn Michael, Devon Rowe, Dario Richards and Rosemund Warrington. THE TEAM PREVIOUS EDITIONS CAN BE VIEWED AT: The CARICAD Horizon is a regular publication of the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD). The Horizon has superseded the “Chronicle”. The Editor-in-Chief is CARICAD’s Executive Director, Devon Rowe. The Production Team comprises: Franklyn Michael, Rosemund Warrington, Dr. Lois Parkes, Trudy Waterman, Angela Eversley and Petra Emmanuel. February 2023 Special Hurricane Edition July 2022 March 2022 December 2021 October 2021 Special Hurricane Edition June 2021 March 2021 October 2020 July-August 2020 Special Hurricane Edition June 2020 Special COVID-19 Edition May 2020 March 2020 December 2019 October 2019 Board Meeting 2019 Special Edition April 2019 December 2018 August 2018 December 2017 July 2017 1st Floor Weymouth Corporate Centre, Roebuck Street, Bridgetown, Barbados Tel: 246-427-8535 Email: caricad@caricad.net Website: www.caricad.net ׉ 7cassandra://saLpu-htx66N4CTcbU1qwNid9rg3LmAECK7Yo0I6jQ84`d!r+`Od!r+`Npp,HORIZON - June 2023 FINAL>The latest edition of the Horizon Newsletter is now available.d!`nR@