LATN Workforce planning Staffing for the future Fides Datu Lawton Director (Library Resources Unit) UTS CAUL Meeting 16 September 2005

Background Vicki Whitmell LATN consultancy on succession planning A report for all LATN members –Workforce and succession planning in the Libraries of the Australian Technology Network: preparing for demographic change, October 2004 A report specific to each member library

LATN workforce planning project Project Group Fides Datu Lawton, Director (Library Resources Unit), UTS Fides Datu Lawton, Director (Library Resources Unit), UTS Jenny McCarthy, Associate Director, Library Services (Development), QUT Jenny McCarthy, Associate Director, Library Services (Development), QUT Gabrielle Gardiner, Research and Policy Officer, Library, UTS Gabrielle Gardiner, Research and Policy Officer, Library, UTS Project Reference Group including Craig Anderson [RMIT] Craig Anderson [RMIT] Jennie Barwick [CUT] Jennie Barwick [CUT] Stephen Parnell [USA] Stephen Parnell [USA]

Why workforce planning? Developments in ICT Developments in ICT  innovations in service delivery  Richer array of information resources  significant changes in work systems and processes Internationalisation of teaching and research Internationalisation of teaching and research

Why workforce planning? Reduced government funding – greater reliance on other income ->More fee paying students - >clients -> customer -> heightened user expectations Reduced government funding – greater reliance on other income ->More fee paying students - >clients -> customer -> heightened user expectations Quality framework Quality framework –Greater linkages between performance and reward and remuneration –Funding implications Greater competition/ New competitors Greater competition/ New competitors (more choices for clients)

Why workforce planning? Aging workforce Aging workforce –March 2004, UTS Library staff nearly 50% = 45 years and older nearly 50% = 45 years and older ca. 10% = 55 years and older ca. 10% = 55 years and older Short term contractors; consultants, project teams =>less time for training & development (Must hit the ground running) Short term contractors; consultants, project teams =>less time for training & development (Must hit the ground running)

Questions raised What kind of library do we want to be? What kind of library do we want to be? What knowledge, skills, attributes do we need of our library staff to get us there? What knowledge, skills, attributes do we need of our library staff to get us there? How do we attract the right people? How do we attract the right people? How do we develop and retain them? How do we develop and retain them?

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

LATN – IKSAA (Inventory of Knowledge, Skills, Aptitudes and other attributes) Client Services Client Services Communication and Interpersonal Communication and Interpersonal Decision Making Decision Making Information and Communication Technology Information and Communication Technology Library Technical Skills Library Technical Skills Teaching and Learning Support Teaching and Learning Support Information Management Information Management Leadership Leadership Marketing and Promotion Marketing and Promotion Personal Attributes Personal Attributes Understanding of the Higher Education Environment Understanding of the Higher Education Environment

Personal attributes Ability for independent learning (Whitlatch 2003) Ability for independent learning (Whitlatch 2003) Ability to demonstrate confidence, assertiveness, decisiveness (Breaks 2005) Ability to demonstrate confidence, assertiveness, decisiveness (Breaks 2005) Ability to demonstrate creativity and imagination (Fisher 2004) and innovation Ability to demonstrate creativity and imagination (Fisher 2004) and innovation Ability to think outside the box (Breaks 2005) Ability to think outside the box (Breaks 2005) Displays an openness to new ideas (Ashcroft 2004) Displays an openness to new ideas (Ashcroft 2004) Displays a willingness to take risks (Breaks 2005) Displays a willingness to take risks (Breaks 2005) Evidence of resilience, resourcefulness and responsiveness Evidence of resilience, resourcefulness and responsiveness Lateral thinking skills (Fisher 2004) Lateral thinking skills (Fisher 2004) Sense of humour (Fides) Sense of humour (Fides)

POTENTIAL USES OF THE INVENTORY In drafting job descriptions In drafting job descriptions In recruitment exercises In recruitment exercises –Selection criteria –Interview questions In identifying gaps in staff knowledge and skills In identifying gaps in staff knowledge and skills In developing and implementing staff development plans In developing and implementing staff development plans In benchmarking staff competencies with other organisations In benchmarking staff competencies with other organisations

LATN Meeting, 15 Sept. endorsed these recommendations 1) Enhance LATN website with: links to PDs links to PDs links to salary scales for different positions links to salary scales for different positions links to organisation charts links to organisation charts sample job advertisements, especially advertisements for new positions and their corresponding selection criteria sample job advertisements, especially advertisements for new positions and their corresponding selection criteria 2) Identify evolving library roles/positions and matching these with their corresponding core competencies

LATN Meeting, 15 Sept. endorsed these recommendations 3) work on a proposal to LATN for collaborative staff development programs to facilitate the development of the core competencies 4) LATN to provide the necessary resources (staff, venue, funds, etc.) to implement agreed collaborative staff development programs 5) LATN contacts to review programs after a year and submit a report to LATN

Remaining challenges Review appropriateness of job descriptions Review appropriateness of job descriptions –from task orientation -> system-wide thinking and planning and highlight core competencies Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment processes Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment processes –Provide support and training to supervisors in effective interview and recruitment strategies “Hire people for future roles, not just for today’s vacant position” (Whitmell)

Remaining challenges Eliminate barriers to peak staff performance Eliminate barriers to peak staff performance Align performance measures & evaluation strategies with generational behavioural considerations (Whitmell) Align performance measures & evaluation strategies with generational behavioural considerations (Whitmell) Establish partnership with libraries, library schools and library associations Establish partnership with libraries, library schools and library associations –in attracting suitable people to the profession –in developing future library staff –in keeping them (and inspired and challenged)

Whitmell on Generations X and Y value flexibility and a balance between work and life value flexibility and a balance between work and life put a premium on results rather than process put a premium on results rather than process place less emphasis on guidelines, procedures, structures and organizational hierarchies place less emphasis on guidelines, procedures, structures and organizational hierarchies generally work well with others but … see themselves more as individual contributors than as members of a team generally work well with others but … see themselves more as individual contributors than as members of a team unimpressed with authority unimpressed with authority will be seeking to work with and for organizations that value service and keep their promises…provide a flexible work environment with few levels or hierarchies… that value self-starters, and that welcome new and creative ideas will be seeking to work with and for organizations that value service and keep their promises…provide a flexible work environment with few levels or hierarchies… that value self-starters, and that welcome new and creative ideas

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

Questions for CAUL 1) What workforce planning activities are happening in your organisations? 2) Have you developed core competencies for staff? Can they be shared? 3) How effective are your recruitment processes? 4) Is there broader interest in collaboration on workforce planning?

References Abram, S (2005) “Next generation librarians in the workplace” In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Abram, S (2005) “Next generation librarians in the workplace” In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Bazile-Jones, R. (2005) Diversity and libraries. In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Bazile-Jones, R. (2005) Diversity and libraries. In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press McNeil, B and J Giesecke (2001) “Core competencies for libraries and library staff.” Avery, E F, T Dahlin and D.A. Carver. Staff development : a practical guide. 3 rd ed. American Library Association. McNeil, B and J Giesecke (2001) “Core competencies for libraries and library staff.” Avery, E F, T Dahlin and D.A. Carver. Staff development : a practical guide. 3 rd ed. American Library Association. Staff planning in a time of demographic change (2005) ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Staff planning in a time of demographic change (2005) ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press