‘Human Resource Services Will Be Centralized’
“Effective April 1, 2021 all of the government’s human resource services will be centralized under the Department of Employee and Organizational Development,” Minister of the Cabinet Office Wayne Furbert said in the House of Assembly today [March 5].
The Minister said, “I’m pleased this morning to update this Honourable House on the changes in the delivery of human resource services and more specifically the discontinuance of Head 26, the Department of Human Resources, effective April 1, 2021.
“Members will recall the establishment of the Department of Employee and Organizational Development in April 2019 and the intention to abolish the Department of Human Resources and amalgamate the eight satellite offices under one Department.
“During the past year, the Chief Employee and Organizational Development Officer and her transition team have been engaged in the detailed planning and implementation required to eliminate the duplication and streamline the delivery of all human resource services.
“In accordance with the provisions of the Conditions and Employment and Code of Conduct, approval has been granted for the transfer of staff from several Departments to the new Department of Employee and Organizational Development. Approximately 30 staff will be affected in this phase of the transition.
“Effective April 1, 2021 all of the government’s human resource services will be centralized under the Department of Employee and Organizational Development. The Department is headed by Mrs. Carlita O’Brien, Chief Employee and Organizational Development Officer.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased this morning to update this Honourable House on the changes in the delivery of human resource services and more specifically the discontinuance of Head 26, the Department of Human Resources, effective April 1, 2021.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will recall the establishment of the Department of Employee and Organizational Development in April 2019 and the intention to abolish the Department of Human Resources and amalgamate the eight satellite offices under one Department.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members are reminded that as a first step the Compensation and Benefits section formerly of the Accountant General’s Department and the Management Consulting Section, formerly of the Cabinet Office were moved to the new Department. The planned amalgamation of the Department of Human Resources and other satellite offices will alter the current decentralized HR service delivery model which has grown organically over the years and no longer effectively meets the needs of the Government.
Mr. Speaker, during the past year, the Chief Employee and Organizational Development Officer and her transition team have been engaged in the detailed planning and implementation required to eliminate the duplication and streamline the delivery of all human resource services.
Mr. Speaker, in accordance with the provisions of the Conditions and Employment and Code of Conduct, approval has been granted for the transfer of staff from several Departments to the new Department of Employee and Organizational Development. Approximately 30 staff will be affected in this phase of the transition.
Mr. Speaker, it is not expected that all staff will physically relocate in the immediate short-term, though some will. Each Ministry will be assigned an HR Business Partner. It is anticipated that some HR Business Partners will co-locate with the Ministry to which they are assigned. The business partner will be the Ministry’s primary advisor on the alignment of human capital with the delivery of programmes and services in accordance with the priorities set out in the Ministry and its associated Departments’ business plans. This represents a more deliberate staffing approach than is currently the case.
Mr. Speaker, a talent management strategy will be completed and the Human Resource Information Management System will be leveraged to address the HR database, digitized records management, employee and management self-service, and over time, full automation of HR administrative services with enhanced controls and compliance with the data privacy requirements.
Mr. Speaker, the Department will take a whole-system approach to the delivery of human resources and organizational development services. It is expected that the Government will commence a change management process that establishes service delivery standards and measures success. Phase one of a new automated performance management system, specifically on-line performance appraisals for BPSU employees, is at the early stages of implementation and work has commenced on phase two that will see the system applied across all job categories within the Government as we move forward.
Mr. Speaker, human resource services are delivered in accordance with statutory provisions as set out in the Public Service Commission Regulations 2001 and the Public Service [Delegation of Powers] Regulations 2001, as well as statutory provisions contained in other legislation such as [Contributory Pensions Act 1970, Payroll Tax Act 1995, Payroll Tax Rates Act 1995, and Public Service Superannuation Act 1981], to name a few.
A review of the Regulations has commenced and recommendations for consequential amendments to facilitate the amalgamation are at the consultation stage.
Mr. Speaker, as stated, effective April 1, 2021 all of the government’s human resource services will be centralized under the Department of Employee and Organizational Development. The Department is headed by Mrs. Carlita O’Brien, Chief Employee and Organizational Development Officer.
The Department looks forward to servicing internal stakeholders on all human resource matters and the general public on recruitment matters. Its mission is “To optimize talent and transform the Organization”.
Thank-you Mr. Speaker.
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Sounded like a good idea, but as I read on I’m not really hearing of any real benefits to the taxpayers or even the civil service? He talks of amalgamating eight offices under one new department but no mention of closing satellite offices to save rent? No talk of any specific operational savings and savings on software licenses, servers, vehicles, fuel, electricity, internet and so on. There was mention of reducing duplication but not a word about reducing or relocating staff doing duplicated jobs to other departments in order to save money? It seems like the only benefit is to staff that will have even less to do?
As we all know changing department names cost money! New signs, new business cards, new forms, changes to every persons email tag and other info, website changes, legal notices and so on. I’m all for change when its efficient. But this seems like change for the sake of saying they are doing something. Just lipstick on a pig!
Where is the detailed breakdown of savings?
Why wasn’t this done 10 years ago?
There won’t be any savings. There will be more high-grade ‘managers’ to ‘supervise’ the others.
“The more things change, the more they remain the same”.