AIMS Project

Audit and Integration of Management Systems
     
 
 

Human Resources / Employee Relations

Rationale for the HR/ER workstream

In the early planning phase for AIMS a number of project outcomes were anticipated that could potentially impact UCT's organisational arrangements and structures, and consequently, directly impact staff. These impacts ranged through the creation of additional jobs, change in job content, redeployment, re-skilling, outsourcing, insourcing (creation of small business units) or redundancy.

It was recognised that the magnitude and sensitivity of implementing these outcomes, particularly given the phased nature of the project, would be substantial. If the University did not ensure the capacity to manage the effective implementation of these outcomes, the risk to the institution would be significant, the real returns on the investment made in the project would not be realised and the general employee climate would suffer. Concerns about the existing HR capacity further compounded the need to proactively ensure implementation capability. Consequently, a stream of work was mobilised as part of the overall project design with the objective of ensuring a well-managed process for implementing the "structural" people-related outcomes of the AIMS Project. This workstream was called the Human Resources/Employee Relations (HR/ER) stream and was tasked with preparing for the implementation of the AIMS outcomes.

The objectives of the HR/ER workstream, as defined in its charter, were: "To develop a customised HR implementation process that integrates with the other AIMS workstreams, recognises the consultative climate within which HR practices have been developed at UCT, and at the same time incorporates appropriate procedural and human resource best practice".

The key deliverables to support this objective were:

  • To facilitate an effective transition from the existing situation to the desired end state by using best practice HR methodologies
  • To support the design of appropriate organisational structures, which included, crucially, ensuring the right person in the job and the identification of appropriate development interventions to enable effective performance
  • To facilitate equity objectives throughout the AIMS implementation process
  • To ensure a "good faith", well-managed consultation process compliant with UCT procedures, agreements and the Labour Relations Act (LRA)
  • To promote collaborative relationships with staff and staff bodies on AIMS HR implementation matters.

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Building Effective Implementation Capacity

Preparing for implementation to achieve these deliverables meant building the capacity of a core team of HR resources. The stream's early work entailed mobilising support within the broader HR department, staff bodies, key line stakeholders and the AIMS team, for what would be required in terms of new HR methodologies and a consultative protocol to support implementation. These requirements were embodied in the introduction of the following key thrusts, which will be briefly outlined:

  • A legally compliant and "good faith" consultative approach
  • Appropriate HR methodologies and protocols
  • Training and capacity-building initiatives
  • A legally compliant and "good faith" consultative approach.

This thrust reflects the ER aspect of the HR/ER stream. UCT's highly regulated procedural environment and the ER climate arising from the outsourcing project of 1999 underscored the importance of this thrust which, as a consequence, significantly influenced the rollout of the AIMS Project. As illustrated in Fig. 11A below, the ER thrust entailed the design of a procedural consultation (or procedural communications) approach. This highlighted clear ER milestones with trigger events for each, overlaps with the "As-Is" and "To-Be" of the other AIMS workstreams, consultation and line management roles, communication requirements, and timing considerations.

Fig. 11A

The key challenge was to sensitise the other AIMS streams on an ongoing basis to the importance of proactively managing their work to align with the critical ER milestones. To this end, the ER milestones (Fig. 11A) became the highly visible rollout template and "integration nerve-point" of the project.

The ER milestones were implemented after the AIMS project launch, which was announced to all staff members in a letter from the Vice-Chancellor:

  • University-wide ER milestones, implemented between November 1999 and February 2000:
    • ER Milestone 1 - Developing the procedural plan and preparing the institution for change; the plan was detailed during November1999.
    • ER Milestone 2 - Consultation on the intention and rationale for use of audit data; a letter spelling out the proposed rationale for AIMS As-Is review and use of audit data, was sent to all staff in December 1999, and feedback was given to staff in a second letter in February 2000.
  • Workstream-specific ER milestones, implemented in workstreams that required them, at a time dependent on workstream progress:
    • ER Milestone 3 - Consultation on the proposed rationale for contemplated redesign; this occurred as and when necessary in the life of any particular workstream, or sometimes at group level - e.g. consultation with all staff in payclasses 1-12 and in payclass 13 (not Directors of support departments) on the rationale for possible changes to support services at UCT. An example of a stream-specific case is provided in the case of ER Milestone 3 in the ODG workstream.
    • ER Milestone 4 - Consultation on the proposed To-Be structures, including communicating the decision as to final structures and next steps in the process of matching staff to jobs. At this point in the process, UCT's collective agreement with the Staff Association (later Employees Union) kicked in.
    • ER Milestone 5 - Conducting the matching process for final selection of staff, including formalising a proposal on staffing for new structures, conducting a "fair selection for retention" process and announcing the decision on the final structures.
    • ER Milestone 6 - Developing alternatives for affected, non-selected individuals.

For another example of implementation of ER milestones in a particular workstream, see the Properties & Services page.

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Appropriate HR Methodologies and Protocols

This thrust reflects the HR aspects of the HR/ER stream. It entailed the design of an "AIMS HR" implementation approach that facilitated job design, defined the requisite skills for positions in any new structures that emerged, assessed existing skills of current (or newly appointed) incumbents and used this as a basis for training needs analysis.

As illustrated in Fig. 11B below, and as with the ER thrust, the design comprised key rollout steps, milestones and their triggers, and related resource requirements. Similarly, the key challenge was to sensitise the other AIMS streams to the HR approach, in order to ensure alignment and integration with the HR milestones for timely and smooth integration.

Fig. 11B

The initial work to operationalise the "AIMS HR" approach involved a high-level needs analysis of what would be required by way of methodologies, protocol and capacity. Existing "As-Is" methodologies, protocols and capability within UCT's HR department were then evaluated and the gap established. Members of this workstream and additional members of the HRM Department were trained by the South African subsidiary of Saville & Holdsworth Ltd (SHL) for the use of their software, assessment and testing materials. The result was the introduction of the appropriate best practice HR protocols, namely competency-based job analysis, competency-based selection and micro-organisation design.

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Competency-based Job Analysis

Competency-based job analysis involves describing the job (context, purpose, outcomes and tasks) and what competencies (knowledge, skills, behaviours and attributes) are needed for effective performance. It is not a description of "the person in the job". A computer-based approach called the work profiling system (WPS) which incorporates best practice thinking and methodologies was introduced for this purpose. The HR/ER team members and selected members of the HRM Department were trained on:

  • Competency design, the principles and uses of competency-based job analysis and the WPS system
  • Interpersonal skills training to support the facilitation of the WPS sessions.

By the end of June 2001, a total of 88 positions had been analysed using the WPS and the visionary interviews technique. In addition, various action learning exercises were undertaken in analysing these jobs, to facilitate the transition from an emphasis on formal learning alone, to one which includes the effective practical application of learning.

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Competency-based Selection

Competency-based selection is the fair, defensible and cost-effective selection of a candidate for a position, using a range of assessment measures determined on the basis of bona-fide job competencies. The introduction of this approach at UCT was enabled by:

  • The design and validation of a fair and defensible competency-based selection strategy, incorporating inputs of key line stakeholders and consultation with the Staff Association (later Employees Union). The strategy embodies two primary objectives that entail balancing the need to ensure excellence and competence, with opportunities to facilitate equity objectives in order to achieve a more representative and competent staff profile in the institution. A key emphasis in the strategy is that it entrenches the consideration of potential that is ABOVE and not BELOW the minimum level of defined competence.
  • The introduction of scientific assessment methodologies, such as occupational tests (Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ)), style and preference measures (Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) and competency based interviews. Frank Molteno, Joanne Parker, Babalwa Jaji and selected members of the HRM Department were trained and certified in the administration of SHL ability tests and the Occupational Personality Test (OPQ). Paul Abrams, Joanne Parker and Babalwa Jaji were trained and certified in the administration of the MBTI.
  • The development and validation of selection committee guidelines for UCT adopting a competency-based selection approach
  • The design and development of guidelines for curriculum vitae writing, interviewing skills and competency-based selection.
  • The introduction of key role players to the competency-based methodologies utilised within AIMS.
  • The formulation of a UCT assessment policy and procedure which incorporates the use of competency-based job analyses and occupational assessment.

By the end of June 2001, a total of 61 people had been tested using competency-based ability tests and the Occupational Personality Questionnaire.

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Micro-organisation Design

Micro-organisation design has to do with the design and configuration of roles and jobs, work flows and work groups with the focus being on where most of the work gets done. The HR/ER team, together with members of the HRM Department and various AIMS team members, were trained in a step-by-step micro-organisation design process, customised for AIMS. The HR/ER Team became the ongoing micro-organisation design facilitators for the AIMS Project. This aligned with the strategic objective of building an organisation development capability within HRM at UCT. The HR/ER Team put this core capability into use and attended a number of appropriate courses to augment their skills during the first six months of 2001. By the end of June 2001, their role in micro-organisation design hax included:

  • Assisting the Purchasing Stream with the development of a new team-based organisation structure and the design of new jobs.
  • Developing the micro-organisation design for proposed new functional areas within the HR Department.
  • Co-ordinating support sessions for staff in Campus Protection Services, the HRM Department and the Planning Department.
  • Ongoing scrutiny of AIMS workstream outcomes for possible impact on job design.
  • Ongoing assistance to the various AIMS workstreams in designing new jobs.
  • Investigating the application of various team-based organisation design methodologies.

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Training and Capacity Building Initiatives

A critical AIMS outcome endorsed by the University was the assessment of the skills needed for managing the overall institution and its component parts, and consequently the need to put in place the requisite training programmes for UCT staff at all levels of management. In support of this objective, and as a vehicle for supporting management development and training at the junior and middle management level, the HR/ER team developed, motivated and managed the implementation of a proposal to pilot the Modular and Part-time AIM Programmes, offered by the Graduate School of Business. This entailed:

  • An investigation of comparable programmes available on the open market.
  • A high-level needs analysis of the requirements at the junior and middle management levels.
  • Motivating the pilot to the Deans and Heads of Support Departments.
  • Jointly facilitating a process for the selection of candidates with the GSB and relevant Deans and Heads of Service Departments.
  • Designing and implementing an approach for ongoing evaluation of the candidates and their line managers for the duration of the course.

In addition to the Modular and Part-time AIM pilots, the other ongoing training support given by the HR/ER team included:

  • The introduction of management short courses for both junior and middle management.
  • Consultation with the various AIMS workstreams to support them in the development of their stream training needs.
  • Coordination of capability training for UCT members of the AIMS team.
  • Coordination of the orientation training for new AIMS team members.

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Links to Additional Material

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Last updated: 2001-08-07