Strategic Shift: Optimizing HR's
Impact Through Shared Services
Presented to
IPMA-Montgomery County MD Chapter
2017 Training and Development Forum
May 9, 2017
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to
always reach my destination.
Jimmy Dean
WHY CHANGE?
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A Call for Change
• NOAA’s Workforce Management Office was in need
of change following years of underinvestment and
corresponding performance challenges….
• ….just as its parent organization, the Department of
Commerce, decided to implement “Enterprise
Services” for HR, acquisition, IT, and finance to
improve service quality and timeliness
* Enterprise Services is a form of “Shared Services” focused within a given
Department or agency (in contrast to services that are shared across agencies)
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Why Shared Services?
“Federal agencies already struggle to find the resources
they need to pursue their missions—and yet, as
budgets continue to shrink, they’re continuously asked
to do more with less. By sharing services across
departments, agencies can find efficiencies of scale and
devote more resources to their core operations.
Any change of this magnitude comes with challenges and growing
pains. But the switch positions agencies to be more efficient and
effective long-term. Shared services is a mission-critical upgrade
that federal agencies throughout government need to improve
performance.
The Partnership for Public Service
https://ourpublicservice.org/issues/government-reform/shared-services.php
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Why Shared Services?
5
Benefits of Shared Services
Improved Service Quality
Reduced Duplication of Effort
Economies of Scale
Increased Service Ratios
Cost Savings/Avoidance
Enhanced Mission Focus
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Shared Services: Not a “New” Concept
• For decades, the Economy Act ( 31 U.S.C. 1535) has authorized
agencies to enter into agreements to obtain supplies or
services from another agency.
• Early shared services in the Federal government began in the
1980s with administrative consolidation efforts. In 1983, the
Agriculture Department's National Finance Center opened its
doors to other agencies for payroll services.
• In the 2000s, the “Lines of Business” effort looked to common
business functions across government for opportunities to
transform, streamline and share. OPM launched the HR LOB
initiative for HR services, payroll, HRIT.
• Since 2014, GSA has been applying “Category Management”
to buy smarter and more like a single Government enterprise.
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Discussion
Shared Services has many benefits:
Group 1
• What are some examples of where shared
services is working well in Government?
Group 2
• Would your organization be open to shared
services? What might be some cultural
barriers?
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They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change
them yourself.
Andy Warhol
A NEW MODEL FOR NOAA HR
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NOAA’s New Organizational Structure
On October 3, 2016 the Workforce Management Office (WFMO)* reorganized in
order to, 1) support the transition to Enterprise Services and 2) enable the
organization’s capability to deliver strategic HR services to Line Office customers.
Director
Business
Management
Division
Executive
Resources
Division
Deputy Director
Employee &
Labor
Relations
Division
Human Capital
Policy &
Programs
Division
Senior Advisor
Quality Assurance
& Accountability
Division
Consulting
Services
Division
Human
Capital
Strategy
Division
*To be renamed the Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
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NOAA’s New Organizational Structure
Consulting
Services Division
Consulting Services Division (CSD)
CSD is comprised of the HR Business Partners and HR Business
Advisors on four teams that service NOAA’s workforce in talent
acquisition and strategic workforce planning. CSD will provide
consultative services to hiring managers and employees across
NOAA on all phases of the talent acquisition process
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NOAA’s New Organizational Structure
Human Capital Policy
& Programs Division
Human Capital Policy & Programs Division (HCPPD)
HCPPD supports all of NOAA with HR Policy Guidance and
Interpretation for GS, CAPS, Wage Mariners; Talent Management
Programs include EAP, ADR, Sign Language Interpreters, Honorary
Awards and Reasonable Accommodation; Talent Acquisition
Programs to include Pathways Program Management, Veterans
Program Coordinator, and Volunteer Programs
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NOAA’s New Organizational Structure
Human Capital
Strategy Division
Human Capital Strategy Division (HCSD)
HCSD is comprised of three Centers of Expertise (CoEs), which
develop effective human capital management strategies to ensure
NOAA is able to recruit, select, develop, and manage a highquality, productive workforce.
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NOAA’s Model for Service Delivery
Focused on the mission
and talent acquisition/
management
requirements
Strategic advisor
focused on
communications and HR
consultation to offices
SME focused on deep
expertise and building
strategic capabilities
for NOAA
Office (Hiring
Managers, HR
POCs)
HR Business
Partner/Advisor
Centers of
Expertise
DOC Enterprise Services
DOC Enterprise Services streamline efficiencies through economies of scale
Future Model Benefits
Improvement
in customer
service
Proactive
approach to
compliance
Streamlined,
efficient
processes
Focus on
strategy
Enabler of
mission
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Sample Scenario: Filling Positions
Role Title
Description
Hiring Manager
Manager who needs to fill a vacancy
Local HR
In the bureau, the HR advisor whose principle focus is strategic in nature,
possesses knowledge of the organization’s mission(s), and is responsible for
consulting with the Hiring Manager
Enterprise HR
The Enterprise Services HR group is responsible for the overall execution of DOC
HR activities, including talent acquisition
TALENT
ACQUISITION
STRATEGY AND
PLAN
RECRUITMENT
STRATEGY AND
PLAN
CLASSIFICATION
SUBMIT SF-52 AND
HIRING PACKAGE
JOB POSTING
ASSESSMENT
SELECTION
ONBOARDING
Implementing enabling technologies and transitioning transactional activities will allow retained organizations to
serve as the advisory partner for mission customers and will support mission needs through appropriate staffing.
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Enterprise Services Customer Interactions
DOC Enterprise Operating Model
Customers can call the
Contact Center to speak
with a live operator on their
issue or contact their CEM
representative
Customers can log in to the
Enterprise Services Self
Service to find answers to
their common questions,
submit ticket requests
Added benefits of this model:
 A common access point to Enterprise Services through the portal
 A robust, customer-friendly, easy-to-use interactive voice response (IVR) to answer calls
 Knowledgeable Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to handle calls
 Case Management and Knowledge Management to drive consistency, accountability
 A standard set of metrics to measure/monitor customer service quality
Offering customers multiple ways to interact with Enterprise Services will improve
overall customer convenience and satisfaction.
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Parallel Roads to Change
•
NOAA’s HR Transformation includes two major components: the transition of transactional
services to the Department of Commerce (DOC) Enterprise Services Organization (ESO) and
WFMO’s transformation into a provider of strategic human capital services.
WFMO
Redesign
Summer 2015
HR Vendor
WFMO Workforce
Award
WFMO
Transition
August 2016 Reorganization
May 2016 –
October 2016
Oct. 2016
ESO Design
SummerFall 2015
TODAY’S
SESSION
HR Connect /
PAR Go-Live
December 2016
AFS
DOC ESO
Reprogramming Onboarded
November 2016 November 2016
ESO Go-Live
FY17 Q4 WFMO CoE
Stand-Up
FY17 Q3 and
beyond
DOC ESO
TRANSITION
WFMO
TRANSFORMATION
TRANSITION OF TRANSACTIONAL HR PROCESSES
BUILDING OF STRATEGIC HUMAN CAPITAL SERVICES
New Focus: Strategic Conversations
Workforce &
Succession
Planning
Position
Management,
Org Design
Employee
Engagement
Learning &
Development
HR Analytics,
Systems
Support
Performance
Improvement
Workforce
Reshaping
Retention
Strategy
Competency
& Career
Management
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Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what
we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.
Sydney J. Harris
BRINGING ABOUT TRANSFORMATION
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CHALLENGE #1: RESISTANCE
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Force Field Analysis
Current
State
Driving Forces
Transformation Effort
Desired
“To-Be”
State
Restraining Forces (Obstacles)
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Why People Resist Change
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Why People Resist Change
• Don’t agree with…or don’t understand the need
for…the change
• Feel insecure and/or fear a loss of control
• Have had poor experiences with change in past
• Don’t know if they will be successful after the change
• Don’t know if the organization will have the plans,
resources, or tools to effectively implement the
change
Note: People don’t naturally resist change – they
resist change that is poorly designed/executed!
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Change Readiness Self-Assessment
How have you prepared employees to embrace change?
Yes
No
Have you clearly articulated your vision and the need for change?
Can you describe the potential benefits to the organization? For your
employees (WIFM)?
Are you able to describe what successful performance will look like after
the change?
Is your organizational culture supportive? Are you prepared to address
potential barriers that might inhibit success?
Do you have a communications plan? Are your communication channels
effective?
Are you forthcoming with information? Are you open to questions and
challenges as others adapt?
Have you cultivated other champions/agents for change?
Are you willing to involve and empower employees to help shape their
future?
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CHALLENGE #2: PRODUCTIVITY LOSS
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David Viney’s J-Curve
https://www.interfacett.com/blogs/pmp-beyond-self-actualization-leading-change-part-1/
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Discussion
Reflect on a past/present organizational change:
Group 1
• How might you minimize the period of disruption
and its negative impacts to employee productivity
when implementing organizational change?
Group 2
• How might you sustain your stakeholder’s faith in
the changes when things likely will get worse
before they get better?
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Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think
you build one with your employees first.
Angela Ahrendts
NOAA ACTIONS/LESSONS LEARNED
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Change Driver: Values Guide Behaviors
Be Accountable and Responsible for
NOAA’s Human Capital Outcomes
Build Trusted
Relationships
The Office of
Human Capital
Services
Provide a Consistent,
Quality Experience
Relentlessly Drive
to Solutions
Empower through Tools,
Education, and Authority
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Change Driver: Competencies are Key
• Conducted self-assessments of employee
competencies, proficiencies and interests, to
determine placements in new organizational
structure.
• Developed an extensive training plan for each team
member focused on ensuring their successful
transition to the new roles in the service model.
• Created role-based IDPs, supported by on demand
learning options over a six month period.
• Conducted training for staff using team building and
problem solving on real-life scenarios for experiential
learning and role-based application.
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Change Driver: Engage the Workforce
• Led with vision, highlighting the goals and WIFM
• Created opportunities for staff to be involved in the
changes through work groups, process development,
and collaboration with department level contacts.
• Encouraged fun, creative opportunities (e.g. videos).
• Held group discussions on the impact of changes to
address employee questions, reactions and concerns.
• Upcoming:
– Peer mentoring across divisions, Community of Practice
– Capstone Project - A “live” learning exercise to assess
employee readiness for new business advisor roles
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Change Driver: Over-Communicate
• HR Workforce:
– Provided extensive communications with staff throughout
using customized website, regular briefings and messages,
email box, staff all hands, etc.
– Established an ombudsman to enable “safe” conversations.
• Customers:
– Reinstituted the HR Director’s Advisory Council.
– Held detailed briefs to customer communities over a 4
month period leading to service transition.
– Leveraged additional channels of communications using
key contacts in the offices to distribute messages and gain
timely customer feedback.
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Change Drivers: Customers Change Too
• Used Bureau Implementation Teams (BIT) to
communicate the changes and convey what’s needed
from them to bring about change (e.g. “Do Your
PARt” Campaign).
• Engaged representatives from all customer
organizations to ensure successful data migration
and new HRIT systems testing and launch.
• Supplemented training on the new system with ondemand training, detailed process maps, workflows,
user guides, and journey maps to support effective
assimilation to new business model.
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Other Lessons Learned
• Your plan will account for about 80% of your design – the
other 20% will become obvious when you implement.
• Be patient and understanding when faced with resistance
– use feedback to course correct if needed.
• Change will uncover things you weren’t aware of. Use
this as an opportunity to make things better.
• Old adage: People support what they help create. Don’t
underestimate the value of involvement.
• Matrix organizations present unique challenges.
• True transformative change is a bit risky/exhausting , but
it can bring about major improvements not achievable
otherwise. Done well, it’s worth it!
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Discussion
Reflect on a past/present organizational change:
Group 1
• What best practices did you observe that
supported employees in making the transition?
Group 2
• What best practices did you observe that
supported customers in making the transition?
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Questions/Discussion
Kimberlyn (“Kim”) Bauhs
Director, Workforce Management Office
[email protected]
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