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the human resources Project
the brief
In summary, the brief covered the need to develop an overall
approach to Human Resources a new culture of Human
Resources, including guidelines, policies and tools as follows:
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recruitment and Selection: create standard Statements of Duties
for key positions; develop standard selection criteria; review
and enhance recruitment tools; create Job Contract templates;
benchmark appropriate role delineation for senior positions.
}
remuneration and Benefits (based on industry appropriate
comparisons and annually updated): create a formula for
minimum staffing levels for Houses by size and client target; create
Salary Bands for all positions; create a national salary policy;
assess each House staffing against new Statements of Duties, KPI's,
Salaries and minimum staffing levels; explore Charity FBT options
when setting remuneration; recommend a national salary bureau to
for use by all Houses.
}
Industrial relations: create Service Collective Agreements under
the new Employment Relations legislation.
}
Performance Management: develop simple tools to set KPI's for
senior positions; create a National Performance Review tool.
}
reward and recognition: create a national performance reward
program for senior staff explore a bonus system, national awards
etc.
}
Policies and Procedures: develop a full range of HR policies and
procedures.
}
Learning and development: develop strategies to assist senior
staff to meet new standards within change management
timeframes; recommend a national independent supplier of
Management Supervision for staff; recommend ways of
providing professional supervision/ mentoring for all
senior staff; create a Development Plan as part of the
Performance Review tool; recommend appropriate
training courses in front line management and
staff supervision and development; consider
opportunities for rotating staff to different
locations within Australia.
the consultant: Eek consulting
The winning proposal was presented by
Audrey McGibbon from Eek Consulting.
Audrey's proposal demonstrated an innovative
Hr
Hr
background
The mission of Ronald McDonald
House Charities (RMHC) is to create, find
and support programs across Australia that
help seriously ill children and their families. This
mission emphasises the basis of our highest profile
program, Ronald McDonald Houses.
Ronald McDonald Houses are attached to major women's and
children's hospitals. They provide accommodation for families
of children with serious illnesses. There are thirteen Houses
across Australia, providing accommodation for 250 families each
night. Houses are governed by independent Boards, therefore the
employee /employer relationship exists between the employee and
the voluntary Board of the particular House.
In 2005, RMHC engaged an independent consultant to conduct an
extensive Needs Analysis to identify the unmet needs of children
and families, and to seek advice on developing strategies to increase
the quality, range and reach of services for the families and children
using the Charity's programs.
The final report was extensive and made over thirty
recommendations covering numerous aspects of the Charity's work.
The overall theme was that RMHC should take a national leadership
role and embark on a quality improvement process with all Houses
and other key RMHC programs. Focus to be on better outcomes for
the families and seriously ill children who use our services.
A large part of this process involved securing national suppliers
in key functional areas such as strategic planning, performance
measurement, Occupational Health and Safety and Human
Resources to create, maintain and monitor the key projects.
Success
Profiles:
Developing a consistent
human resources culture
across ronald McDonald
house charities
approach to establishing a new culture of excellence for staff, built on
the concept of Success Profiles.
succEss ProFIlEs: thE basIs For thE
stratEgy
The plan was to move RMHC towards a future whereby every main
job family across all of the Houses had its own Success Profile. The
value of such an approach is that it underpins everything we want to
do with our people. Success Profiles bring together and create laser
sharp definitions of the skills, knowledge, experience and personal
attributes required for successful performance in any given role. For
each level of job family, a Success Profile consists of four sections:
Competencies "What I can do"
Key skills and behaviours that are relevant in contributing to success.
Job experiences "What I have done"
Key situations or challenges experienced prior or subsequent to
current employment which have valuable learning outcomes relevant
to this job role.
Knowledge "What I know"
Key internal and external knowledge of functions, processes, systems
and services without which the role cannot be performed effectively.
Personal Style "What I am like"
Other key personality characteristics, attitudes and approaches that are
relevant predictors of success in this job role.
the strength of success Profiles:
This approach allows us to:
}
provide all employees with a clear and shared understanding of
what high performance looks like, and to integrate this into future
recruitment and selection activities to ensure we have a more
consistent quality approach; and
}
provide all employees and managers with a clear and shared
vocabulary with which to review performance, agree on objectives
and agree on development plans.
the consultative Process
The starting point for each Success Profile was the collection of
existing job descriptions and performance management tools from
across different Houses. After the first draft of each Success
Profile, consultation with RMHC and the HR Systems Working
Party (which includes representatives from RMHC, the Houses,
and the Learning Program) occurred. Subsequently, each Success
Profile was also `road tested' by one or more Houses prior to broad
implementation.
the current situation
Within RMHC and our Houses, Success Profiles now provide a
solid basis for all processes within our Human Resources programs:
1. recruitment toolkits - Have been developed for each Success
Profile/position. They include a template for advertising, a guide
to running a recruitment process, all correspondence required
for successful and unsuccessful candidates, a range of interview
questions, how to give feedback, letters of appointment.
2. Performance Management toolkits - The Performance
Management Toolkit is a comprehensive, self-explanatory
guide to the performance management process, complete with
performance review and development plan forms. Whilst
recognising the importance of every role in the House, the
Toolkits have been designed to reflect the varying depth,
complexity and level of responsibility associated with different
job roles. It is expected that the Toolkit will be used as the basis
for all performance management, and that performance reviews
of staff will be held regularly.
3. Salary Banding - Success Profiles form the basis for the salary
banding document which has been issued to Board Chairs and
is updated annually. This means all staff in all Houses now
have recommended salary ranges which are consistent with the
marketplace, and with Houses consistent across Australia.
4. Collective agreements - Collective Agreements are being
finalised for each of the Houses under the new Employment
Relations legislation. This means all staff had the opportunity to
contribute to agreements about their employment conditions and
are aware of their entitlements.
5. training - Training is offered on a regular basis to House
Leaders to ensure new practice is embedded into House culture.
the results
Executive Officers, staff and Boards have all commented on the
powerful impact of the Human Resources strategy in attracting and
retaining our best people and creating a culture of excellence in our
Houses. This excitement about recruiting better people, providing
better training, initiating better feedback and undertaking better
career planning is effectively summarised in the following
comment from a House Board member:
"Our HR project with the development of the Success
Profiles has impacted positively on our recruitment.
The standard of applicant is much higher than
before and the actual process is more professional
and time efficient. Even unsuccessful applicants
have expressed how impressed they were with the
process... has positively changed the way we view
our Charity and consequently also the way others
view us."
n
For further information please email Diana Dagg,
National House Development Manager:
diana.dagg@au.mcd.com.