“Are you ready? Are you still ready?”: Orientation and Training for Parliamentary Researchers “Are you ready? Are you still ready?”: Orientation and Training for Parliamentary Researchers Philip Kaye Manager, Legislative Research Service Legislative Assembly of Ontario September 10,

The Larger Picture Part of Quality Assurance Uniqueness of the parliamentary environment 2

The Beginning: Hiring the Right People Multi-stage process starts with drafting of the advertisement Research Officer participation in the process Both oral and written questions–in the case of the latter, priority attached to assessing writing skills and issue identification 3

The Legislative Research Service (LRS) (research side) 14 Research Officers (ROs) 1 Research and Publications Librarian 1 Statistics and Data Librarian 1 Research Reviewer 4

Recent Developments Significant staffing changes–retirements, pursuit of other opportunities 7 of 14 ROs started between December 2012 and April

Formal Orientation Program Evolved over past 15 years Usually stretches over two weeks (approx.) with most meetings during the first week, especially the first two days 6

Goal of the Program Learning the fundamentals of what we do and how we do it from colleagues and management Understanding LRS’s core values Starting to develop key work relationships and sense of being part of a team 7

Preparing for the First Project Principle of learning by doing Ready for first project on Day 3 What precedes? 8

Learning the Basics: Days 1 and 2 Introductions to staff Meetings! Meetings! Meetings! Separate meetings with the LRS Manager; branch Director; Supervisor, Office Operations; 1 or 2 Research Officers; Research and Publications Librarian; Manager, Library Client Services 9

Learning the Basics: Days 1 and 2 Learn among other things: core values; office procedures; library client request database; document management system; steps for handling a project from beginning to end; team approach with Research Librarians–also Library tour Access to Staffnet and staff orientation site, including key documents (e.g., best practices) 10

Subsequent Meetings/Activities (first two weeks, if possible) Separate meetings with Executive Director of iDivision and Legislative Librarian; Statistics and Data Librarian; Research Librarians (legislative and legal databases; House documents); Digital Coordinator; Clerk of Procedural Services; Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Observe Committee and House proceedings Assembly Orientation Program for New Staff (every few months) 11

First 3-6 Months Developing appropriate research strategies Review of written work by LRS Manager, including application of following principles of good writing: brevity, clarity, and simplicity 12

Mentorship Ongoing on an informal basis Formalized re Committee responsibilities Assembly mentorship program 13

Ongoing Professional Development for All Staff Substantive and skills-based In-house: staff training team; special sessions and seminars; “teas”; staff meetings; Library/LRS Staffnet 14

Ongoing Professional Development for All Staff External education programs External requirements (e.g., for lawyers) External arrangements such as secondments and leaves of absence Training and development plan incorporated in performance evaluation process 15

Evaluation: Is the Approach to Orientation and Training Working? Assessment by new employees Internal review of projects Feedback from clients 16