Executive and Deputy Minister Performance Agreements
This document will assist deputy ministers and executives in preparing their individual performance agreements. Specifically, it is designed to help define key commitments to address issues that require a concerted effort in the coming year. Key commitments are drawn from the Public Service-wide priorities set out in this document as well as departmental business plans.
The Public Service-wide priorities outlined here are derived from the direction that the Government of Canada articulates for the Public Service in the Speech from the Throne, as well as from the direction set by the Head of the Public Service in the annual report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada.
Individual performance agreements for deputy ministers should include at least one key commitment related to these corporate, Public Service-wide priorities.
In the January 30, 2001 Speech from the Throne, the Government clearly defined its objective for the Public Service:
To assist the Government in fulfilling its responsibilities, Canada must have a public service distinguished by excellence and equipped with the skills for a knowledge economy and society. The Government will seek bright, motivated young women and men to accept the challenge of serving their country in the federal public service. The Government is committed to the reforms needed for the Public Service of Canada to continue evolving and adapting. These reforms will ensure that the Public Service is innovative, dynamic and reflective of the diversity of the country — able to attract and develop the talent needed to serve Canadians in the 21st century.
The focus is on people because they are at the heart of our ability to deliver in today’s increasingly complex and competitive knowledge economy and society. The services we deliver to Canadians and the advice we prepare for ministers hinge on the contributions of public servants — at every level, in every department and agency, in local offices, in regions and headquarters, and abroad. Ensuring that the right conditions are in place to support people undertaking these efforts is the overarching priority for deputy ministers and executives.
To succeed in today’s increasingly competitive environment and achieve the strategic directions set out in the Throne Speech and in the Clerk’s Annual Report, leaders of the Public Service are expected to liberate the potential of every employee and encourage the development of leaders at all levels. To create teams which get results and to encourage networks and partnerships. To support innovation, creativity and the sharing of ideas. To foster inclusive workplaces. And to focus on continuous learning and career and professional development.
Above all, Public Service leaders are expected to have an unwavering commitment to core values and to serving Canadians with professionalism, integrity and excellence in a non-partisan, bilingual and national institution.
To assist leaders at all levels focus these efforts, four broad areas requiring corporate attention were identified for last year’s performance review period: recruitment, retention and learning; E-Government; policy capacity; and financial management. This year, a fifth area has been added. It highlights the Government’s commitment to create a more bilingual workplace to better serve a bilingual country.
RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND LEARNING
In October 1999, the Government outlined its commitment to the Public Service in the Speech from the Throne:
To ensure that the Public Service of Canada remains a strong, representative, professional and non-partisan national institution that provides Canadians the highest quality service into the 21st century, the Government will also focus on the recruitment, retention and continuous learning of a skilled workforce.
The Speech from the Throne in 2001 builds on this commitment, reinforcing that recruitment, retention and learning continue to be the backbone of the "people" part of the Public Service management agenda. A highly skilled, diverse and talented workforce is essential for assisting the Government in fulfilling its responsibilities.
To this end, over the coming year, priority will be placed on hiring Canada’s best graduates and on improving the representation of visible minorities and youth at all levels of the Public Service. Deputy ministers and executives are expected to take targeted action to recruit Canada’s best graduates, to establish a presence at universities and colleges, to adopt inclusive recruitment strategies, and to actively market the Public Service of Canada.
Deputy ministers and executives are also expected to continue to take action in their organizations to address the issues raised in the 1999 Public Service Employee Survey. They are expected to take steps to retain corporate knowledge and expertise and ensure a smooth transition as the workforce ages.
As well, Public Service leaders are expected to continue focussing on learning — for themselves and their employees. They need to ensure that their employees have the knowledge, competencies and tools they need to continue developing sound policies and to deliver programs and services with excellence.
Many examples of actions which deputy ministers and executives can take to make progress in these areas can be found in:
Performance measures could include:
- the Perinbam benchmarks (1 in 5) are met or exceeded;
- managers have taken concrete, visible action to attract bright, motivated young women and men;
- managers offer jobs to spring 2002 graduates no later than December 2001;
- students get meaningful and challenging assignments, and managers receive the coaching and mentoring they need to make this happen;
- succession plans are in place for specialist positions at risk;
- in response to the findings of the 1999 Public Service Employee Survey, more employees, particularly visible minorities and disabled people, feel their workplace is more accepting of diversity;
- workload pressures are systematically assessed and resources are reallocated as required; and
- departmental learning policies and individual learning plans are in place and there is including is a commitment to provide the time and resources required to implement them.
Modernizing service delivery to Canadians is an important undertaking for all deputy ministers and executives. Leadership and action is required to provide Canadians with faster, easier, more convenient and more seamless access to government services in both official languages, as well as to improve the level of satisfaction with these services. (For information on service and innovation, see www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/si-si/about_e.htm.)
In the last two throne speeches, the Government has committed to putting its services on-line by 2004 in order to better connect with citizens. Over the coming year, deputy ministers and executives should ensure progress is made to the Government-on-Line Initiative. They should also work to strengthen the linkages between multiple channels of service delivery.
Deputy ministers and executives can also make a contribution by exploring, in more depth, the potential of E-Government for transforming the role and work of the Public Service. Beyond digitizing existing services and approaches, E-Government could lead to fundamentally different approaches to service delivery, as well as to new ways of engaging citizens, advising ministers and managing employees. It could mean fewer artificial barriers and structures, more empowered individuals, more team work, improved horizontal collaboration and a better exchange of ideas in this diverse society.
E-Government is about becoming an "E-nabled" government, a modern institution capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century. It is as much about the smart use of information and communications technologies to help achieve goals, as it is about new ways of doing business and having a public service equipped with the skills, mind sets, and leadership approaches for a knowledge economy and society.
Performance measures could include:
As the environment in which governments operate becomes more complex, there are increasing demands on policy research, analysis, development, implementation, and monitoring. Economic, social and management policy are becoming integrated; domestic and international issues are also becoming increasingly interdependent.
Collaboration and co-ordination are essential for making progress on the Government’s policy agenda. This means working within and across departments and regions; with other levels of government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations; and with individuals, both in Canada and abroad.
Over the coming year, the focus will continue to be on developing the capacity to manage policy issues horizontally and on finding ways to advance policy options and programs that support all elements of the integrated agenda (e.g., fostering innovation, building a strong social fabric, and modernizing governance) in ways that bring a variety of perspectives and knowledge to bear in the process. Policy proposals should be developed with a whole-of-government perspective to ensure efforts to advance in one area also support progress in other areas, to the benefit of all Canadians.
Performance measures could include:
Canadians and their elected representatives want to know their tax dollars are managed well and that programs and services are delivered efficiently, effectively and reliably. They want to see results and value for money.
Initiatives that promote modern comptrollership, particularly at the level of individual managers, are essential. This means that ensuring expenditures are accounted for, audits and evaluations are carried out, areas of greatest risk are actively monitored and managed, and the lessons learned are actively applied in the development of new proposals. It also means managing risk without stifling innovation and creativity and rewarding those who succeed in bringing the principles of modern comptrollership alive in their daily work. It means integrating financial and non-financial performance information related to results.
Over the coming year, reallocation will continue to be a key source of funding for both cost pressures and new initiatives. This will deepen the need for performance evaluation and effective management information systems that allow resource allocation to be tested against established priorities.
Performance measures could include:
Canada is an inclusive society which embraces its bilingual heritage as a cultural and competitive asset. As the January 30, 2001 Speech from the Throne said: "Canada’s linguistic duality is fundamental to our Canadian identity and is a key element of our vibrant society." In this speech, the Government committed to "...mobilize its efforts to ensure that all Canadians can interact with the Government of Canada in either official language."
Ensuring federal services are actively offered in both official languages where they are required to be is a priority for the coming year. Equally important will be to ensure that the Public Service of Canada becomes a truly bilingual workplace, which reflects the two official-language communities and in which employees are at ease speaking, writing and working in French or English.
Performance measures could include:
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