CalHR Strategic Plan 2014 - 2018

​Message from the Director

I am very pleased to present the refreshed CalHR 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. This plan reflects the evolution of CalHR and our team as we continue to pursue our vision to be the premier leader and trusted partner in innovative human resources management.

This refreshed plan is the result of what we have learned since implementing our original strategic plan in June 2014. The decision to refresh our strategic plan was based on the need to have a plan that allows all CalHR programs to align with each of the plan’s strategic goals. The goals are now based on customer needs rather than on the existing services CalHR provides, allowing the programs to make those alignments.

In January 2015, Governor Jerry Brown introduced Civil Service Improvement (CSI) in order to radically transform the way California recruits and develops its workforce. The goal of CSI is to produce a modern, effective civil service system for decades to come. Although the successes of the CSI efforts are made possible through the collaboration of multiple departments and outside stakeholders, CalHR is key to leading the implementation of many of the effort’s outcomes. This refresh allows our strategic plan to better align with the broader changes to state service that are developing through CSI. The strategic plan is a living document that we will refresh and update as CalHR evolves and the environment around us changes.

Our refreshed strategic plan is a high-level road map to guide us as we improve customer service and work to ensure that state government is an employer of choice. This plan helps us strengthen our institutional excellence by developing our expertise, leveraging technology to improve service and ensuring we are responsible stewards of the resources we manage at all levels of CalHR. It is designed to give the department a strong outline for achieving high-level goals while still allowing divisions and teams the flexibility to adapt, innovate and become more productive as we move forward together.
 

​Overview of CalHR

​Strategic Planning Process

The strategic planning process is an ongoing collaborative effort with the department’s executive staff, divisions, and employees that touches every CalHR program with its focus on shared goals and values. The strategic planning process acknowledges that CalHR serves a diverse group of organizations and stakeholders with complex and varied human resources needs. In order to better understand the environment in which CalHR operates, and to identify those factors that are priorities to internal and external partners, environmental scans were conducted. Environmental scans collected information through the following methods:

• An online survey was distributed to external CalHR stakeholders during months of January and February 2014 to solicit input from departmental personnel officers, human resource professionals, state control agencies, human resources associations, professional groups, equal employment opportunity professionals and civil rights officers who expressed interest in the strategic direction of CalHR. 108 stakeholders responded to the survey.
• Interviews were conducted with the executive team during the months of January and February 2014 to assess the challenges and opportunities CalHR is currently facing or will face in the next five years.
• Six focus group sessions were held with CalHR employees, managers and supervisors during the months of February and March 2014 to obtain an internal perspective on CalHR’s progress and strategic areas of focus.

Our Vision, Mission and Values

Vision - To be the premier leader and trusted partner in innovative human resources management.

Mission - To provide exceptional human resources leadership and services with integrity, respect and accountability to state departments and all current and prospective employees.

Our Values:​​

Our Strategic Goals

The strategic goals and objectives were created and structured in a way that allows for an enterprise wide perspective to be the framework of the strategic plan. Through this structure the progress made is not limited to a single service we provide, but rather the progress supports multiple goals and better supports CalHR’s core vision, mission, and values. Enterprise wide efforts are prioritized in a separate CalHR Enterprise Project Portfolio. The portfolio is governed by CalHR’s Executive Team.

Superior Customer Service

Customer service is a highly cherished CalHR value and one of the most critical elements of the strategic plan. Providing superior customer service starts with understanding customer needs. Through planning processes and daily interactions with business partners we have determined that our customers value timely and accurate responses to their requests. Our customers also desire self-service tools and resources that enable them to quickly and efficiently address their human resources challenges. To address this goal, CalHR will pursue the following strategic objectives:

• Deliver timely, expert guidance to our customers to ensure the state maximizes its efforts to recruit, hire, retain, and utilize a diverse workforce.
• Increase self-service options for our customers.
• Educate stakeholders on our services and resources.
• Partner with stakeholders to deliver improved services.

Team of Experts

Our vision of being the premier leader in human resources management relies heavily on our employees working together as a cohesive team to provide expert guidance. The expertise of our employees is highly valued by our customers and critical to the services we provide. Our employees are the backbone of our organization and in order to be successful we must invest in their ongoing development. Our team of experts must also be empowered to collaborate and think creatively to resolve problems. We recognize that through encouraging cross functional communication and collaboration we can break down workplace silos and offer organic methods of professional development. To address this goal, CalHR will pursue the following strategic objectives:

• Further develop expertise on all levels.
• Improve internal communication.
• Collaborate as multi-disciplinary teams to complete projects
• Make workforce planning an operational norm.

Leverage Technology

As we work to reengineer business processes, we also seek to leverage technology to optimize operations and services. In order to maximize investments in technology, we must create a comprehensive business architecture plan that will provide CalHR the framework for implementing long-term business technology strategies. We are also aware that we need to address the data needs of our customers with new innovative solutions to collect, analyze, and communicate quality information. To address this goal, CalHR will pursue the following strategic objectives:

Develop a business, information, and technology architecture plan.

• Improve access to our resources.
• Enhance access to our data.
• Enhance internal business processes.

Organizational Excellence

We must constantly seek to evaluate and update internal processes to maximize our ability to be responsive to the needs of customers. The design of our organization and framework of program procedures needs to be efficient in a way that aligns our limited resources to those operational needs that best support the department’s mission. Efforts to achieve organizational excellence, including prioritizing the work and monitoring progress, will be built on a foundation of effective ongoing strategic and tactical business planning processes. To address this goal, CalHR will pursue the following strategic objectives:

• Evaluate and update internal policies and procedures.
• Reengineer and innovate processes.
• Create an enterprise business plan.

Fiscal Responsibility

It is important that we are responsible stewards of the precious state resources that we manage. Efforts to achieve operational excellence include identifying more efficient ways to conduct business. We also understand the role that health and wellbeing plays in maintaining a productive workforce and we lead and support efforts to sustain a strong, balanced civil service workforce. To address this goal, CalHR will pursue the following strategic objectives:

• Enhance employee health and wellbeing to maximize workforce productivity.
• Promote retirement security through the effective management and marketing of supplemental retirement savings.
• Increase CalHR operational efficiencies.

​Our Services

The day-to-day services we provide are essential to the way we do business. As many projects are started and completed core services remain fairly consistent.

Benefits

Administers dental, vision, the Employee Assistance Program, workers' compensation and other benefits to state employees; and partners with the California Public Employees Retirement System to administer health benefits.

Civil Rights

Provides leadership and guidance to departments to protect the civil rights of all state employees.

In-Home Supportive Services

Serves as the designated collective bargaining representative on behalf of the California In-Home Supportive Services Authority, which is the employer of record for collective bargaining purposes only of individual providers in seven demonstration counties pursuant to the In-Home Supportive Services Employer-Employee Relations Act.

Labor Relations

Represents the Governor as the "employer" in issues involving employer-employee relations, including collective bargaining pursuant to the Ralph C. Dills Act.

Legal

Provides legal advice and representation to the Governor’s Office, CalHR Executive Programs, and various client agencies throughout the state on matters concerning collective bargaining, employment law and personnel management.

Personnel Management

Administers the state's classification plan, salaries and manager/supervisor programs and other personnel related programs.

Savings Plus

Administers the state employees' 401(k) and 457 programs and the part-time, seasonal and temporary and Alternate Retirement programs.

Selection

Creates and administers civil service exams providing a fair and open process to hire the most qualified candidates to serve the state.

Workforce Development Programs and Special Projects

Responsible for statewide recruitment, statewide workforce planning, and statewide training programs to ensure the recruitment and retention of a diverse and qualified workforce.