Recruiting and retaining qualified staff at Statistics Finland Recruiting and retaining qualified staff at Statistics Finland Elina Pääkkö Workshop on HRM and Training in Statistical Offices 5-7 September 2012, Budapest

Competence management at Statistics Finland Aims to identify and anticipate changes in competence needs ensure sufficient core competence correctly direct competence to the core processes and their supporting activities enhance the capacity of personnel to cope with challenges of work New tools Group recruiting Career planning

Group recruiting – a centralised recruitment of junior experts several (5-12) employees are sought at the same time with one advertisement The new experts will be placed in different statistics departments but the competence needs of the whole organisation are emphasised Competence needs are especially linked with the stages of the production process of statistics Posts are basic level expert positions, previous work experience in statistics not necessary The demands of the post should be quite similar The process is mainly centralised into the personnel and legal services unit, and is performed in co-operation with the statistics department First round autumn 2010

Inquiry among management: anticipation of exit to retirement and other staff turnover, acute staff changes and needs arising from them Tasks suited for group recruiting and related competence needs Survey of needs Definition of desired competence and educational background based on survey of needs Selection criteria Open vacancies are not itemised in job advertisement -> applicant does not apply for a certain post but the task of a statistical expert in general Job advertisement First screening of applications by HR Amount of applications Applications Same interviewers (two statistics directors, one recruitment specialist throughout the whole process) Around four interviews per one open post Interviews Selection based on criteria defined in job advertisement Selected persons are placed in departments according to proposal Selection

Efficiency Centralisation saves time and costs spent in recruiting Statistical units are able to focus on their core functions Process takes about 2 months – several new employees can be hired Quality Emphasises competence needs of the entire organisation Enables equal and wide comparison of the applicants Professional, documented process Summing up competence that can be recruited from outside organisation and competence bottlenecks Good employer image The candidate applies to all open posts with one application and one interview Interviews and professional process create an image of a good employer Part of branding of state administration as an employer Aims of group recruiting

Experiences After 4 group recruiting rounds, experiences are good. During two months period several experts can be recruited in similar kind of posts In each round quality of candidates good 50 per cent of statistics experts were recruited by means of group recruiting in 2011 in SF. 21 of 37 persons recruited ( ) with group recruiting were women After recruitment: Training Programme in Statistical Skills (TPSS), Career plan for new- comers 13/06/20166Elina Pääkkö. Time of recruiting Applications Open vacancies Applications / open post Interviews Autumn Spring Autumn Spring

7 Career planning at Statistics Finland Career planning improves the opportunities of the personnel to broaden and deepen their expertice Matches employee’s career ambitions and employer’s needs From the employer’s perspective, career planning can support and improve Maintenance of core and strategic competence Multiple competence and mobility Personnel’s job satisfaction and commitment Attraction of employer image From the employee’s perspective, career planning can support and improve Required development of competence Performing of tasks best suited at each career stage Maintenance of eligibility on the labour market Discovery and exploitation of own motivation and enthusiasm Q1012

Defines goals in accordance to operational and competence strategies Creates and offers opportunities Strategic personnel planning Coaching and support Develops and maintains competence management and career planning processes HR planning Supports and discusses with the employee and work community Encourages Monitors, evaluates Personnel planning within working unit and team Draws up a career plan (takes part in coaching / independently using online material) Orientation, deepening and broadening of competence Responsible for own development Employee Supervisor Management HR

9 Three careers Management career Expert career Professional career Team leader Supervisor Manager Expert Specialist Senior expertProject manager Persons in professional tasks Careers are open, movement between careers is possible Leading expert Senior adviser Q1012

10 Tasks at Statistics Finland Tasks are open, movement between tasks is possible Information technology Management Administration Information service Statistical work Q1012

11 Model for career path of experts Researcher Planner Skills requirement levels Expert Senior Statistician Senior Researcher Senior Planner Skills requirement levels Specialist Senior Adviser Skills requirement levels Senior expert Leading Expert Skills requirement levels Leading expert Basic task Development Projects Consulting Instruction guidance, studying Co-operation, networks Work process – command of work Development of products and processes Networks New ideas, overall picture Networks Creativity Here and nowTomorrowIn future Q1012

12 Career planning process Discussion between supervisor and employee 1. Identification of competence 2. Targets, possibilities and means for development 3. Elaboration and evaluation of career plan 4. Finalised career plan and its implementation and monitoring Q1012

Summary – group recruiting and career planning as new tools for competence management Group recruiting: flexible way to direct competence recruited from outside to core processes Career planning: helps to identify changes in competence needs Enables directing existing compentence and sharing competence Both support building of positive employer image Career planning is part of job orientation of new recruits Both enhance the capasity of personnel to cope with challenges of work Supporting personnel’s flexibility and renewal capacity

Thank you for your attention! Elina Pääkkö HR Planning Officer P.O. Box 3C FI Statistics Finland