LATN Workforce LATN Workforce planningplanningStaffing for the futureStaffing for the future

Fides Datu LawtonFides Datu LawtonDirector (Library Resources Unit)Director (Library Resources Unit)UTSUTS

CAUL MeetingCAUL Meeting16 September 200516 September 2005

BackgroundBackground

Vicki Whitmell LATN consultancy on succession Vicki Whitmell LATN consultancy on succession planningplanning

A report for all LATN membersA report for all LATN members

– Workforce and succession planning in the Libraries Workforce and succession planning in the Libraries of the Australian Technology Network: preparing of the Australian Technology Network: preparing for demographic change,for demographic change, October 2004 October 2004

A report specific to each member libraryA report specific to each member library

LATN workforce planning LATN workforce planning projectproject

Project GroupProject Group Fides Datu LawtonFides Datu Lawton, Director (Library , Director (Library

Resources Unit), UTSResources Unit), UTS Jenny McCarthyJenny McCarthy, Associate Director, Library , Associate Director, Library

Services (Development), QUTServices (Development), QUT Gabrielle GardinerGabrielle Gardiner, Research and Policy , Research and Policy

Officer, Library, UTSOfficer, Library, UTS

Project Reference GroupProject Reference Group including including Craig Anderson [RMIT]Craig Anderson [RMIT] Jennie Barwick [CUT]Jennie Barwick [CUT] Stephen Parnell [USA]Stephen Parnell [USA]

Why workforce planning? Why workforce planning?

Developments in ICT Developments in ICT innovations in service deliveryinnovations in service deliveryRicher array of information Richer array of information

resourcesresourcessignificant changes in work systems significant changes in work systems

and processes and processes

Internationalisation of teaching Internationalisation of teaching and researchand research

Why workforce planning?Why workforce planning?

Reduced government funding – greater Reduced government funding – greater reliance on other income ->More fee paying reliance on other income ->More fee paying students -students - >clients -> customer -> >clients -> customer -> heightened user heightened user expectationsexpectations

Quality frameworkQuality framework– Greater linkages between performance Greater linkages between performance

and reward and remunerationand reward and remuneration– Funding implicationsFunding implications

Greater competition/ New competitors Greater competition/ New competitors (more choices for clients)(more choices for clients)

Why workforce planning?Why workforce planning?

Aging workforceAging workforce– March 2004, UTS Library staff March 2004, UTS Library staff

nearly 50% = 45 years and oldernearly 50% = 45 years and older ca. 10% = 55 years and olderca. 10% = 55 years and older

Short term contractors; consultants, Short term contractors; consultants, project teams =>less time for training project teams =>less time for training & development & development (Must hit the ground (Must hit the ground running)running)

Questions raisedQuestions raised

What kind of library do we want to What kind of library do we want to be?be?

What knowledge, skills, attributes What knowledge, skills, attributes do we need of our library staff to do we need of our library staff to get us there?get us there?

How do we attract the right people?How do we attract the right people? How do we develop and retain How do we develop and retain

them?them?

Identifying core Identifying core competenciescompetencies

Core competencies Core competencies are the skills, knowledge, and are the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to an behaviors necessary to an individual’s success in a position. individual’s success in a position. By identifying core competencies By identifying core competencies for staff, libraries are able to for staff, libraries are able to sustain their ability to sustain their ability to adapt to the adapt to the changing environmentchanging environment and will be and will be better prepared for the better prepared for the on-going on-going changes in the future of higher changes in the future of higher educationeducation

(McNeil and Giesecke)(McNeil and Giesecke)

LATN – IKSAA LATN – IKSAA (Inventory of Knowledge, Skills, Aptitudes (Inventory of Knowledge, Skills, Aptitudes and other attributes)and other attributes)

Client ServicesClient Services Communication and InterpersonalCommunication and Interpersonal Decision MakingDecision Making Information and Communication Information and Communication

TechnologyTechnology Library Technical SkillsLibrary Technical Skills Teaching and Learning SupportTeaching and Learning Support Information ManagementInformation Management LeadershipLeadership Marketing and PromotionMarketing and Promotion Personal AttributesPersonal Attributes Understanding of the Higher Education Understanding of the Higher Education

EnvironmentEnvironment

Personal attributes Personal attributes

Ability for independent learning Ability for independent learning (Whitlatch 2003)(Whitlatch 2003) Ability to demonstrate confidence, assertiveness, Ability to demonstrate confidence, assertiveness,

decisiveness decisiveness (Breaks 2005)(Breaks 2005) Ability to demonstrate creativity and imagination Ability to demonstrate creativity and imagination

(Fisher 2004) (Fisher 2004) and innovation and innovation Ability to think outside the box Ability to think outside the box (Breaks 2005)(Breaks 2005) Displays an openness to new ideas Displays an openness to new ideas (Ashcroft (Ashcroft

2004)2004) Displays a willingness to take risks Displays a willingness to take risks (Breaks 2005)(Breaks 2005) Evidence of resilience, resourcefulness and Evidence of resilience, resourcefulness and

responsivenessresponsiveness Lateral thinking skills Lateral thinking skills (Fisher 2004)(Fisher 2004) Sense of humour Sense of humour (Fides)(Fides)

POTENTIAL USES OF THE POTENTIAL USES OF THE INVENTORYINVENTORY

In drafting job descriptionsIn drafting job descriptions In recruitment exercisesIn recruitment exercises

– Selection criteriaSelection criteria– Interview questionsInterview questions

In identifying gaps in staff knowledge In identifying gaps in staff knowledge and skillsand skills

In developing and implementing staff In developing and implementing staff development plansdevelopment plans

In benchmarking staff competencies In benchmarking staff competencies with other organisationswith other organisations

LATN Meeting, 15 Sept. endorsed LATN Meeting, 15 Sept. endorsed these recommendations these recommendations

1) 1) Enhance LATN website with:Enhance LATN website with: links to PDs links to PDs links to salary scales for different positionslinks to salary scales for different positions links to organisation chartslinks to organisation charts sample job advertisements, especially sample job advertisements, especially

advertisements for new positions and their advertisements for new positions and their corresponding selection criteriacorresponding selection criteria

2) 2) Identify evolving library roles/positions and Identify evolving library roles/positions and matching these with their corresponding core matching these with their corresponding core competenciescompetencies

LATN Meeting, 15 Sept. endorsed LATN Meeting, 15 Sept. endorsed these recommendationsthese recommendations

3) work on a proposal to LATN for collaborative staff 3) work on a proposal to LATN for collaborative staff development programs to facilitate the development programs to facilitate the development of the core competenciesdevelopment of the core competencies

4) LATN to provide the necessary resources (staff, 4) LATN to provide the necessary resources (staff, venue, funds, etc.) to implement agreed venue, funds, etc.) to implement agreed collaborative staff development programscollaborative staff development programs

5) LATN contacts to review programs after a year 5) LATN contacts to review programs after a year and submit a report to LATNand submit a report to LATN

Remaining challengesRemaining challenges

Review appropriateness of job descriptions Review appropriateness of job descriptions – from task orientation -> system-wide thinking from task orientation -> system-wide thinking

and planning and highlight core competenciesand planning and highlight core competencies

Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment processesprocesses– Provide support and training to supervisors in Provide support and training to supervisors in

effective interview and recruitment strategieseffective interview and recruitment strategies

““Hire people for future roles, not just for today’s Hire people for future roles, not just for today’s vacant position”vacant position” (Whitmell) (Whitmell)

Remaining challengesRemaining challenges

Eliminate barriers to peak staff Eliminate barriers to peak staff performanceperformance

Align performance measures & evaluation Align performance measures & evaluation strategies with generational behavioural strategies with generational behavioural considerations considerations (Whitmell)(Whitmell)

Establish partnership with libraries, library Establish partnership with libraries, library schools and library associationsschools and library associations– in attracting suitable people to the professionin attracting suitable people to the profession– in developing future library staffin developing future library staff– in keeping them (in keeping them (and and inspired and challenged) inspired and challenged)

Whitmell onWhitmell on Generations X and YGenerations X and Y

value flexibility and a balance between work and value flexibility and a balance between work and lifelife

put a premium on results rather than processput a premium on results rather than process place less emphasis on guidelines, procedures, place less emphasis on guidelines, procedures,

structures and organizational hierarchiesstructures and organizational hierarchies generally work well with others but … see generally work well with others but … see

themselves more as individual contributors than themselves more as individual contributors than as members of a teamas members of a team

unimpressed with authority unimpressed with authority will be seeking to work with and for organizations will be seeking to work with and for organizations

that value service and keep their promises…that value service and keep their promises…provide a flexible work environment with few provide a flexible work environment with few levels or hierarchies… that value self-starters, levels or hierarchies… that value self-starters, and that welcome new and creative ideasand that welcome new and creative ideas

Certainly the most contentious, Certainly the most contentious, expensive, and difficult resource to expensive, and difficult resource to leverage effectively is people. leverage effectively is people. People, particularly in service-based People, particularly in service-based information organizations, have the information organizations, have the largest effect on customer largest effect on customer satisfaction, levels of innovation, satisfaction, levels of innovation, and organizational effectiveness. and organizational effectiveness. Your competition can duplicate all of Your competition can duplicate all of your strategic resources except the your strategic resources except the people in your organization. people in your organization. (R (R Bazile-Jones)Bazile-Jones)

Questions for CAULQuestions for CAUL

1)1) What workforce planning activities What workforce planning activities are happening in your organisations?are happening in your organisations?

2)2) Have you developed core Have you developed core competencies for staff? Can they be competencies for staff? Can they be shared?shared?

3)3) How effective are your recruitment How effective are your recruitment processes?processes?

4)4) Is there broader interest in Is there broader interest in collaboration on workforce planning?collaboration on workforce planning?

ReferencesReferences

Abram, S (2005) “Next generation librarians in the Abram, S (2005) “Next generation librarians in the workplace” In Staff planning in a time of demographic workplace” In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Presschange, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press

Bazile-Jones, R. (2005) Bazile-Jones, R. (2005) Diversity and libraries. Diversity and libraries. In Staff In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow PressWhitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press

McNeil, B and J Giesecke (2001) “McNeil, B and J Giesecke (2001) “Core competencies for Core competencies for libraries and library stafflibraries and library staff.” Avery, E F, T Dahlin and D.A. .” Avery, E F, T Dahlin and D.A. Carver. Staff development : a practical guide. 3Carver. Staff development : a practical guide. 3 rdrd ed. ed. American Library Association.American Library Association.

Staff planning in a time of demographic change (2005) Staff planning in a time of demographic change (2005) ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Pressed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press