City of Virginia Beachs Workforce Planning and Development Overview

Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 3-4 The Goal.................................................................................................................................. 5 Initiation of Workforce Planning and Development .......................................................... 5 Role of Human Resources Department................................................................................ 5 Department Roles and Responsibilities Determine Leadership Commitment.......................................................................... 6 Department Director ............................................................................................... 6-7 Coordinator ................................................................................................................ 7 Group Leader(s) ......................................................................................................... 7 Group Members ......................................................................................................... 7 Assign Staff................................................................................................................ 8 Making Workforce Planning Decisions ............................................................................... 8 Prepare For Workforce Planning Determine Scope of the Work.............................................................................. 9-10 Select the Assessment Process................................................................................ 10 Develop a Time Line .............................................................................................. 11 Determine Methods to Gather Information........................................................ 11-12 Data Collection and Analysis Assess the Current Workforce ............................................................................ 13-15 Identify Trends and Issues .................................................................................. 15-16 Determine Future Workforce Requirements....................................................... 16-17 Conduct the Gap Analysis .................................................................................. 17-19 Development of Workforce Plans Align Action Plans with City Strategy..................................................................... 20

Workforce Planning and Development Overview

Introduction
The City of Virginia Beach exists to enhance the economic, educational, social and physical quality of the community; and provide municipal services, which are valued by its citizens. City Council annually reviews its Destination Points in support of the six businesses to address its vision. In August 1998, Virginia Beach, Virginia Community for a Lifetime: A Strategy to Achieve City Councils Vision for the Future (The Strategy) was published to focus the organization on achieving the above vision. One of the strategic goal areas is a Quality Government Organization. Success in achieving our mission and vision is determined, in a large measure, by the quality and effectiveness of the government organization. The critical links for quality and effectiveness are the people the organization employs, uses as volunteers and contracts with for employment services. In The Strategy, the Desired Outcomes for Government section provides a framework for how a quality government achieves outcomes, delivers services and behaves. Workforce Planning and Development is a strategy, which supports our continuous effort of being a quality government organization.

Quality Government Organization Outcome Strategies Linked to Workforce Planning and Development

We advance the public good through commons resource management, a collaborative framework that develops, aligns, and mobiles the full productive potential of our organization's member time, money, technology and material resources in a manner that supports the strategy. We increase organizational capacity by optimizing member awareness, member relationships, member responsibility and member opportunities. We strengthen our community and enhance city services through a strong partnership with a volunteer workforce that offers diverse volunteer opportunities to our citizens and recognizes their individual talents. We increase the organization's ability to learn, adapt and excel continuously within a constantly changing environment.

In addition to the challenges of The Strategy for the future workforce, the City faces new challenges and opportunities due to changing technology, increasing globalization, continuing cost containment, increasing speed in market change, the growing importance of knowledge capital, an increasing rate and magnitude of change, an aging workforce and attrition. Making our vision a reality will require a special kind of workforce - a workforce willing to engage in new activities, work across organizations and organizational lines, employ new skills, and move through a variety of career paths if we are to survive in a competitive and dynamic environment. One key requirement is that our workforce must be available and able to assume appropriate positions. To assure the organization is prepared to meet these challenges, we engage in Workforce Planning and Development.

Workforce planning and development is a methodical process that provides managers and supervisors with a framework for making human resource decisions based on the organizations mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources and a set of desired workforce competencies. In short, it attempts to ensure that the right people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time. Workforce Planning and Development: focuses on knowledge, skills and abilities links human resource needs to organizational goals, objective, and values relies on quantitative analysis of trends focuses on defining futures is proactive is ongoing is a key component of individual professional development

Workforce planning and development is a process that will fundamentally change the manner in which we manage the organizations human resources. A systematic approach to workforce planning can facilitate more efficient and accurate alignment of the workforce to meet organizational goals, commitments and priorities. If done well, the results can be a more effective utilization of members knowledge, skills and abilities, increased opportunities for high potential workers, enhanced career counseling, staff development, identification of current and future training needs, and the strengthening of a diverse and multicultural workforce. This Guide is written for those who have the shared responsibility to ensure successful implementation of the workforce planning process. Although there is no one perfect model or process, workforce planning is a fundamental planning tool, critical to quality performance that will contribute to the achievement of Community for a Lifetime.

The Goal
The Workforce Planning and Development Guide provides information for departments to begin workforce planning. It should be seen as an evolutionary process rather than a project. Eventually, some of the aspects of this effort will become the way we do business. Working together we can ensure the right members with the right skills are in the right place at the right time.

Initiation of Workforce Planning and Development

During the 2000 Directors Executive Workshop, organizational leaders raised concerns over the number of members who would be eligible for retirement over the next several years and the issue of succession planning. The Director of Human Resources accepted the challenge of leading an initiative to begin looking into the issues. Members of the Department of Human Resources department received professional training succession planning. This opportunity broadened the departments perspective on what really needed to be addressed if the organization was to address the impact of retirements and develop succession planning from a systems perspective and long-term view. In February 2001 the Department of Human Resources made a presentation to the Directors on Succession Planning and Workforce Planning and Development. Part of the presentation included a recommendation that Human Resources establish a Steering Committee to develop a plan for Workforce Planning and Development. The Management Leadership Team agreed that a group be formed to do this work and asked the Director of Human Resources to proceed with the initiative. The assignment was to provide the organization with a methodology to successfully implement workforce planning and development and communicate the plan within the organization. As part of this process, a pilot program was developed.

Role of Human Resources Department

Human Resources will provide staff support and expertise as the Workforce Planning and Development effort moves from planning to implementation. As departments and generic groups begin their work, Human Resources will provide continued guidance and assistance to ensure a consistent organization-wide approach. Throughout this process, Human Resources will provide direction and oversight, serving as internal consultants to monitor progress and provide status updates. Fundamental questions as to how the organization will approach generic classifications and other departmental questions will be directed to and resolved by Human Resources.

To develop the optimum workforce for the future, Human Resources will integrate all human resource policies and practices to ensure alignment. This will work to both the member and the organizations advantage. Members will be provided every opportunity to upgrade their knowledge and skills to keep pace with the rapidly changing work world, and the organizations hiring, transfer and promotional practices will better serve the strategic mission.

Department Roles and Responsibilities

At the end of these steps you will have: reached a shared understanding of Workforce Planning understand the various roles and expectations assigned staff to key roles

Determine Leadership Commitment The first critical step for a department involves the departments leaders reaching a shared understanding of why workforce planning and development is important and a key to success. Top leadership commitment is the single greatest determinant of the success of a workforce-planning program. The director, department managers and supervisors create the critical linkage between the direction of the organization and the members. They can foster a process that produces the next generation of workers and make mentoring to new employees a priority.

Define Departmental Roles and Responsibilities Department Director Ensures workforce planning and development is a priority within the department and members understand the importance of the workforce planning process. Reinforces that workforce planning aligns with strategic outcomes and actions of the department and the organizations strategy. Ensures a competent workforce capable of adjusting to a changing work environment and able to assume higher levels of responsibility. Appoints group leader(s), selects team members, develops the initial charge for workforce planning and development within the department and establishes time line, scope and authority. Provides the leadership connection between the department and Human Resources for workforce planning and development. Meets periodically with the leaders and/or group to provide overall guidance. Determines how the department will support workforce planning. Determines how priorities will be decided and which group or groups within the departments will receive primary attention. Appoints a workforce-planning coordinator to lead the department through the process of gathering and analyzing the data for the Workforce Plan.

Participates in the decision making and actions associated with all steps in workforce planning and development. Regularly updates and revises plan. Serves as a conduit between departmental issues and directors and MLT.

Coordinator Leads departmental workforce planning and development. Guides and trains the department in assessment of the current workforce, identifying future workforce requirements, defining gaps and surpluses, completing the analysis and developing action plans. Understands the need and supports the philosophy of workforce planning and development. Serves as a conduit between the departmental group(s) and director.

Group Leaders Focuses the group to accomplish the tasks of gathering information and data. Serves as the communications link between the group and the department workforce planning and development Coordinator. Provides technical support to the team. Ensures completed staff work. Focuses on the philosophical principles that guide this work.

Group Members Represent a demographically diverse cross-section of the department, including members from different job titles, longevity with the organization, etc., and are selected for their interest, knowledge, successful track records, breadth and depth of experience, and willingness to make recommendations and follow through with action. Collects data to assess current reality and identify future needs. Analyzes data to identify trends and issues. Determines future workforce requirements. Conducts Gap analysis. Proposes an action plan. Aligns action plan with The Strategy.

Assign Staff Current staff will handle the assessment with assistance from outside expertise as needed. The department director will identify a coordinator assigned to organize the necessary work for workforce planning. It is important for all stakeholders to understand and identify who will be responsible for completing the assessment.

Making Workforce Planning Decisions

A generic set of decision-making criteria has been developed below in order to ensure consistency in decisions regarding prioritization and allocation of resources. Refer to and utilize the criteria at each major decision point during planning.

Decision-Making Criteria + How does this decision align with the City Strategy? + How does this decision align with Department Strategies and Goals? + How does this decision align with Division Strategy and Workforce Trends?

This graphic represents tools available to assist with various steps within the Workforce Planning process.

The objective of this section is to assess current reality and define future workforce needs by department and/or general classification. The final outcome is a plan of action that identifies steps to address current and future needs. This portion of the process will guide departments through organizing for workforce planning, gathering information and data, analyzing the current workforce, determining future needs based on understanding the need for different KSAs, developing an action plan to manage the gap between the current workforce and future needs, and aligning the plan with the City and department strategies. There will be staff, software and various resources/tools available to assist with each step of the process.

Prepare for Workforce Planning

At the end of these steps you will have: determined the scope of the work selected the type of assessment(s) to use developed a time line determined methods to gather information identified trends and issues

Determine Scope of the Work Departments shall determine the scope of their work. Key decisions in defining the scope include: Determine the sequence for addressing the entire department, sub-units, specific occupations, functional areas or generic classifications. Determine the number of years for which the workforce planning process will make projections. Each plan must cover a minimum of five years. Determine whether the assessment of the workforce includes permanent, temporary, non-FTEs, contractual, volunteers, etc. It is recommended all of them be considered in order to get a complete picture of the workforce issues. Consider how to incorporate and examine diversity and/or cultural issues. Recognize and consider the diversity of the community in addition to EEO issues. Identify baseline human resources and financial data to support workforce planning initiatives such as annual and projected budgets, FTE, etc. that will be used for analysis. Develop a time line and submit to Human Resources within 2 months from the initiation of the workforce planning process.

Develop an internal communications plan to include significant milestones and to communicate the need for workforce planning and the details of departmental workforce planning.

Select the Assessment Process The department will determine the type(s) of assessment to use in gathering data about the current workforce. This data will assist the department in later benchmark efforts and in defining future workforce objectives. There are two types of assessments recommended. A. Internal focus: within the department and citywide generic classifications This type of assessment will be conducted within the department and will examine specific job classifications. An example would be to examine Account Clerks throughout the organization or Librarians within the Library Department.

B. External focus: outside comparison with like organizations This type of assessment will be conducted externally by comparing the department or generic classification to external, similar organizations. An example would be to examine Civil Engineers that work with the Virginia Department of Transportation or other municipalities Public Works department.

Department and generic classification job title information provided by Human Resources Guidelines for conducting external assessment

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Develop a Time Line The department will develop a reasonable time line that outlines critical milestones, activities and persons responsible for the task. Citywide Workforce Planning Timeline

Determine the Methods to Gather Information A. Software Information needed to analyze the workforce will be available through WorkPAD (internal electronic information software systems) and various tracking reports/statistics. The software will provide information sufficient to determine turnover rates, analyze retirement trends, anticipate future retirements, analyze current total workforce, determine recruitment practices, and provide a snapshot of the workforce skills and qualifications. Department Workforce Statistics Report Total Workforce Statistics Report from Human Resources

B. Benchmarking Surveys Surveys should be coordinated by the Department of Human Resources to research trends and benchmark knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and processes with other organizations. Municipal Reference Library Internet Sites for Benchmarking

C. Partners The department coordinator will partner with Human Resources to complete the comprehensive assessment of the current workforce demographics and future workforce skills needed. In some cases a consultant may be needed for this type of work. Such request will be coordinated with Human Resources.

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D. Environmental Scan Each department will perform an environmental scan.

Environmental Scan: A systematic process of examining internal and/or external trends focusing attention on economic, governmental/legal, technological, social, geographical, and other issues and trends affecting the organizations internal and/or external environment.

- Request for Authorization and Approval Form for Outside Consultant

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Data Collection and Analysis

Assess the Current Workforce
At the end of this step you will have: analyzed what the current workforce looks like completed the internal assessment completed the external assessment

A. Analyze What the Current Workforce Looks Like Analyze the current department and or generic classifications to create a departmental workforce profile. The following questions, although not inclusive, should be used as a guide: 1. How many employees are there in the department? 2. Is there a balance of experienced workers and newcomers in all functional areas of the department? 3. What is the breakdown of job titles within the department? 4. What is the turnover rate? 5. What are the vacancies and reason they are vacant? 6. Why are employees leaving the department? 7. How many employees are eligible for retirement in the next five to ten years? By classification? 8. Are employees retiring when eligible? 9. What is the average age of retirement? 10. What is the average education level? 11. What are the gender/racial statistics? 12. What impact does existing legislation (i.e. PLOP) have on retirements? 13. What are the knowledge, skills and abilities of those who are eligible to retire? 14. What is the average number of years of employment in department?

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Citywide Workforce Statistics Provided by Human Resources Generic Classification Workforce Statistics Provided by Human Resources Individual Department Workforce Statistics Provided by WorkPAD

B. Complete the Internal Assessment Define KSAs and performance standards. It is important to determine the knowledge, skills and abilities of the current workforce. A KSA Guide will serve as a resource to conduct the assessment. The outcome will be the development of a KSA Matrix and Position Assessments. KSA Assessment Summary Report Using the KSA/Competency Guide, you will choose the KSAs for your department and titles within your department. The result will be a KSA Assessment Summary Report that provides a description of the knowledge, skills and abilities identified for each position within the department. A well-developed and documented KSA Assessment Summary Report will serve as the basis for identifying current KSAs and future KSAs that will be sought in new recruits, promotions, transfers, etc. Position Assessment As a part of the analysis, departmental and generic classifications must indicate how frequently specific knowledge, skills and abilities are used, and indicate the relative importance of each KSA to do a job. It will require departments to indicate the current need for development of each of the KSAs identified.

KSA Guide KSA Assessment Summary Report - By Position

C. Complete the External Assessment As a result of the KSA Assessment Summary Report, outside localities (other cities or government agencies) can be queried for information regarding positions, department structures and processes. Departments may wish to benchmark certain positions and the knowledge, skills, abilities for positions with similar outside sources. Surveys should be coordinated with the Department of Human Resources in advance.

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The following process will be used to collect comparative data from external cities or government agencies for current and possible future KSAs. 1. Using the results from the KSA Assessment Summary Report, select positions to benchmark. 2. Attach an introduction cover letter with timeline for response. 3. Mail and follow-up for results by deadline. 4. Collect data using the external survey analysis matrix. 5. Conduct Analysis.

KSA Assessment Summary Form External Survey Analysis Matrix

Identify Trends and Issues Using information obtained from the environmental scan, the following questions, while not inclusive, should be considered: 1. What aspects of the City Strategy and Council priorities may guide departmental decision-making? 2. What specific program/operational strategies will impact staffing levels? 3. What new department initiatives may require additional staff or skill mix? 4. What future plans require collaborative partnering and integrating of resources? 5. What contingencies and other back-up resources are being considered in case of shifting priorities? City Strategic Plan Department Strategic Plan, if available Legal Mandates

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Determine Future Workforce Requirements At the end of this step you will have:
defined expected future changes defined critical KSAs needed defined future workforce needs

A. Define Changes Expected In The Future An important part of the future needs forecasting is the examination of the anticipated knowledge, skills, and abilities that are needed to accomplish the work of the department in the future, and how that work will be performed. The following list of questions, while not all inclusive, will assist in identifying anticipated changes that you would expect over the next five to ten years: 1. How will the program or organizations method of doing business change? 2. How will jobs within the organization change as a result of technology, demographics, economics, social and political conditions? 3. How will divisions, work units and jobs be designed? 4. What is the nature of the work to be done? 5. What changes are anticipated in the way your department does business? 6. What are the departments diversity objectives?

Facilitated Discussion to Identify Future Changes Consult with Human Resources About Generic Classifications

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B. Determine Critical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Needed for the Future Based on the data collected in previous external bench-marking efforts and surveys: 1. Define knowledge, skills and abilities needed in the future. 2. Coordinate generic classifications with Human Resources to define the knowledge, skills and abilities workers need in the future.

Facilitated Discussion to Identify Critical Future Needs External Survey Analysis Matrix

C. Define Future Workforce Needs Combine the information obtained from A and B to define projected workforce needs. This analysis will provide quantitative information regarding the actual numbers of employees needed by department or generic classification. - Projected Workforce Needs Form

Conduct the Gap Analysis At the end of this step will have:
completed a series of reports (analysis) determined shortage or surplus of needed positions determined shortage or surplus of needed knowledge, skills

and abilities by department and subsequently, by individual

developed a set of action plans

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A gap analysis will be conducted to identify the differences between the forecasted human resources needs (what) and the future human resources supply (how many). This analysis reveals gaps and surpluses in raw numbers and will assist with further planning for addressing these gaps. A gap indicates a future shortage of needed knowledge, skills, abilities as well as steps that have to be taken to fill the need. A surplus indicates future excess in some categories of positions, which will also require action. The departments critical knowledge, skills, abilities should be identified and analyzed with particular care, as the action plan developed will need to reflect strategies to deal with these gaps. Surplus data should be analyzed to determine those occupations where the skills are no longer needed. This information needs to be analyzed to identify possible matches with gaps that may exist in other agencies and to help guide re-training plans. A. Compile and Condense Current and Future Data After compiling the results of the current and future analysis from the previous steps, condense the information into the following (minimum) series of reports. The reports will be used to analyze the gap that exists in each area: 1. The amount, type and location of work to be completed. 2. Organizational structure and design. 3. The mix of knowledge, skills, abilities. 4. The supervisors/manager to non-supervisory employee ratio. 5. Diversity initiatives/statistics. 6. Increasing/decreasing workforce demands. 7. The KSAs required to perform future roles in the organizations. 8. The balance between new employee and corporate knowledge and experience (succession planning). 9. Individual assessment of critical KSAs.

- Gap Analysis Template

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B. Develop Plan of Action Action plans need to be developed based on analysis of the reports completed in Step 11A and comparison of workforce trends and issues completed in Step 8. Using the following question will facilitate identifying actions to develop an Action Plan: What must be done to ensure that the right people (within the department and/or generic classification) with the right skills are in the right place at the right time? Each department will use citywide and departmental criteria to guide the development of action plans. Using the decision criteria matrix, list the proposed actions and score them in order to create a prioritized list of actions for discussion and final decisions prior to writing the Action Plan. 1. Determine enablers and restrainers This is an iterative process; revise action plans as needed. What will enable the department to achieve this action? What will restrain the department from achieving this action?

Facilitated Exercise to Develop an Action Plan Reports compiled and considered on Current and Future Data Decision-Making Criteria (Page-8)

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Development of Workforce Plans

Align Action Plans with City Strategy

At the end of this step you will have:

determined if action plans are aligned with the organizations strategy integrated and identified links with other departments

and generic classifications

A. Other Groups to Communicate With Identify links and interrelationships Each department will need to identify links and interrelationships with The Strategy and other important City documents. The departmental Action Plan developed in Step 11B will be aligned with the City Strategy. B. Assistance from Human Resources Coordinate your plan of action with Human Resources

The Strategy

Congratulations! At this point you have completed the Workforce Planning and Development (WFPD) process as outlined in this guide. Please take time to review the completed plan, document and assess the process to ensure that the plan meets with departmental and organizational objectives as well as aligns with the Citys strategy. Remember, workforce planning is an ongoing process that requires periodic modification of the WFPD plan to assure continual alignment with changes to departmental and organizational goals and objectives.

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