Modernizing Human Resource Management

Audited Entities

Audit Scope and Objectives

• The objectives of the audit were to determine whether
  • the lead agencies and selected departments have implemented the new requirements of the Public Service Modernization Act, including reporting;
  • the objective and requirements for the legislative review have been established; and
  • new roles and responsibilities have been carried out.

Audit Criteria

• The lead agencies and selected departments haveimplemented the new requirements of the Public ServiceModernization Act (PSMA).
• The lead agencies have issued reports as required by the PSMA.
• The lead agencies have performance measurement systems in place to report progress made on the modernization of human resource management.
• The objective and requirements for the legislative review have been established.
• The lead agencies were preparing for the legislative review.
• The revised roles and responsibilities for human resource management resulting from the PSMA have been implemented.
• The roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer and the new responsibilities given to deputy heads were defined and communicated.

Main Audit Findings

• The key requirements of the legislation have been implemented. Changes have been made to allow for more flexibility in how the public service is staffed and how recourse is managed. Mechanisms have been put in place to foster harmonious labour relations and to resolve disputes more informally.
• Organizational changes have been made as part of the implementation of the legislation. As a result, new organizations were created and others saw their mandate and role enhanced. In an attempt to resolve remaining concerns about governance, in 2009 the government created the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer within the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS).
• There have been difficulties encountered in implementing some aspects of the legislation, including the application of some of the new tools and mechanisms.
• The various entities required to report to Parliament on human resource management have generally met the requirements. Reports provide information about the implementation process and some activities. However, despite a commitment in 2005 by TBS and the former Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada to report on interim achievements, reports provide only some of that information.
• The legislation calls for a legislative review of the Public Service Employment Act and the Public Service Labour Relations Act. The minister responsible for the review has been designated, and a review team has been put in place. Preparation for the review is progressing. However, insufficient information on whether the results expected from the legislation have been achieved could limit the review team’s ability to provide meaningful information to support the review and to inform Parliament.

Audit Recommendations

• To improve its reporting to Parliament and support the legislative review, TBS should ensure that it provides more timely information to Parliament and that it reports on whether the changes to human resource management have achieved the results intended by the legislation.
• The PSMA Legislative Review Team should ensure that information provided to support the legislative review will allow the report by the President of the Treasury Board to provide meaningful information to Parliament on the extent to which the expectations of the Public Service Labour Relations Act and the Public Service Employment Act have been met and to propose any changes, including improvements.

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