Travis County Commssioners Court
March 2, 2004
The Closed Caption log for this Commissioners Court agenda item is provided by Travis County Internet Services. Since this file is derived from the Closed Captions created during live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. This Closed Caption log is not an official record the Commissioners Court Meeting and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records please contact the County Clerk at (512) 854-4722.
Item 5
5. Consider and take appropriate action on the human resources strategic team report and recommendations on managing employee performance and disciplinary actions.
>> good morning, alicia perez, executive manager for administrative operations. Last October, the court saw a need for improved documentation on employee performance, in addition to adverse action that a manager may take on an employee. There was a need for documentation. The court also wanted to ensure fair and defensible employee decisions, to ensure better documentations of actions that affect employees, wanted to reenforce the importance of a performance evaluation and wanted to make sure that there was training available for managers to both implement performance evaluation and then follow up with any actions that may be taking -- taken for employees. The court asked a charge and put together a committee to discuss this issue and the committee has been meeting since November, I think. It was October or November time period. And we are here to report back to the court on their findings and also have recommendations to move this topic forward. Linda Moore smith, our director of human resources will make the presentation: thank you, at the power points machine is earl harden.
>> we do --
>> we do have a disconnect?
>> linda, this is nothing new either. This is part documentation, I think that I have heard about it since -- since i've been with Travis County. I guess my concern would be for us to implement some training for everybody across the board. So that we are all on the same page. And I don't have a whole lot of problem with any of the -- any of the information. I -- that is presented. But I do think that we need to all be on the same page as far as training, if we have somehow forgotten about documentation. So -- so.
>> the strategic chain, Commissioner Gomez, that's exactly what the strategic team concluded. That basically a part of the goals that were put in place by the court are those that are rather traditional in terms of basic operational procedures within and among any employer, be it private, public, municipalities, you name it. The concept that the team looked at, let me kind of backup and just introduce that wonderful team that was appointed to produce the information that you have. And the recommendations, the team was represented by departments and offices, including the sheriff's office and -- in the name of patti ekrit and debbie rich, transportation and natural resources, donna holt. Health and human services department, nancy goodman gill. The county attorney's office, tony nelson and eric shepherd. As well as the human resources management department, our staffing training employee relations unit, our staff. Because it is that staff that will be working to implement any recommendations or the recommendations that might be approved.
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>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
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>> whether or not training should be mandated. And also whether or not -- how it is that we're monitoring or enforcing training and the implementation of it within and throughout Travis County. The strategic team indeed met. We had a number of very lively discussions. And included that as you open the discussion with Commissioner Gomez that a part of what we indeed need is to take a look at just brushing up on our process and procedures for managing the performance of individuals and not only their performance, but also disciplinary actions. We have before you recommendations that are in the backup materials that we submitted. In those recommendations we have highlighted those in the powerpoint presentation that we had hoped to share with you. And if I may just for a quick minute, why not forego the powerpoint at this point and we'll just use the hard copy, al, that we've provided the court. Okay. Let me figure out where I am. I've been moving along with minor distractions there. Let's go to -- scroll through if you will. Let's go back, earl, to the ongoing performance management system. There. What we concluded as a team was what wurp looking for and what we didn't have within Travis County was an ongoing system of communication between the manager and the employee. That communication system would be one that would allow for very specific employee performance standards to be established, and against that performance data would be gathered, collected, observed and used within the performance appraisal process. In that what we found within our current policy is that we have a policy that indeed says you will complete a performance evaluation annually. We have policies that talk about how it is that we administer our discipline disciplinary process for our employees. As we looked at each of the policies that are really adequate to provide a basic framework for us to implement our recommendations, what we discovered was that we were treating the management of employee performance and disciplinary actions as events. As opposed to what I like to call a journey. And in the event concept, it didn't leave or provide an opportunity or encourage employees to do the ongoing communication throughout the year, providing feedback, documenting that feedback, coaching the employee, providing opportunities for training and development if indeed those kind of weaknesses were found. On the other hand the journey concept is one that provides the comprehensive system, a performance management system that in one of the -- your backup materials, page 14, I believe it is, it provides the actual cycle that we're proposing -- no, it's page 11 of your backup materials. It provides a basic cycle of performance management that begins with performance planning. And that performance planning is an activity or series of meetings with the manager, with the employee that actually begins at the beginning of a performance appraisal period. At the time the manager and the employee are very clear on what the goals of a particular unit maybe. Once those goals are established for the unit, they're actually translated into employee specific, very measurable objectives that are communicated between manager and employee. That results in what we call the performance plan. That plan then becomes the document in phase 2 against which ongoing fsmance -- performance communications would take place throughout the year. That's open, two-way dialogue where the performance and work products are observed, feedback is given by the manager on an ongoing basis, coaching is provided when needed. If an employee snlt perform on -- is not performing well under the gathering and documentation phase of that, then that provides an opportunity for performance to either be corrected, behavior to be corrected or improvements to be put in place before we move to the actual appraisal. In phase 4, and that's the part that often is the event, we find that employees often are not aware until it comes to the appraisal period that their performance has been perhaps less than desirable by the manager. And that's when and where we begin to get the kind of concerns that are expressed through our employee relations unit that I had no idea what my performance is what the manager says it is, I think i'll file a complaint, I think i'll file a grievance and all of those type actions that all of us are not very happy to receive will often service at that point. In the fifth phase of that, the performance diagnosis and coaching, once the appraisal is actually done we like to see strengths and weaknesses identified, opportunities for improvement of the employee. And again with step 5 it begins to start the communications cycle for the next appraisal period. So what we have here as we talked about the basic concept of a performance management system is a proposal that we're making to you that we indeed adopt the installation of a performance management system within Travis County. And around that we have some very specific recommendations that we would like for you to consider. What I might mention is that the committee went into a great deal of detail in discussing the current conditions and opportunities that exist within Travis County. The powerpoint presentation does not identify those. You have the current conditions documented in your backup, but based on the recommendations that we will offer to you, you will probably see where there is obviously a direct relationship that it was a condition that resulted in the type recommendation that we're making. The very first recommendation under documentation is that we basically be authorized to develop a performance management policy. And if we go back to the example that I used a minute ago about the existing policies are a bit fragmented and do not tie our performance appraisal system appraisal together in a systematic, whole list tick approach, what we're suggesting in that recommendation is that we would indeed develop a policy that ties all of these pieces together. And by doing so we will be able to see the trends that we talked about, the tracking of performance. We would be able to put in place the measures, the tools and the feedback that the managers would be required to adhere to as we work through the implementation of such a system. Making our performance management system a journey, comprehensive, holistic as opposed to the once a year I get an appraisal and the kind of things that fall out of that. That I know that disciplinary actions and the need to document that was very much a concern of the court. And although this particular recommendation focuses a lot on managing performance, all of the best practices and the data that we receive tells us that if it is that performance is being managed as we're proposing, then the likelihood and the frequency of disciplinary actions then are reduced. Because what typically happens is those actions will come, disciplinary, adverse actions will come when performance management is not being administered in the kind of holistic approaches we're speaking of. We're hoping to create a universal management program. And when I say program I'm really talking about again picking up that systematic approach that we have identified. What we found even among the members of the strategic team is that the sheriff's office as well as health and human services have performance management activities and programs and structures within their department. Other departments also are administering some form of performance appraisal review. Within a program concept, what we would do is actually identify basic criteria that would be components for us to examine the existing performance management systems to ensure that it meets the criteria and the standards that are established for such a program. From all indications we do have departments that are performing and are administering those type programs and we would like to get and learn from them and incorporate some of what they have in place into our overall universal program. 2, procedures, standards and forms. There's information in your backup on that. What we have found is that managers many times do not have enough tools with which to work with. And sometimes it's as simple as a counseling form. It's as simple as a performance improvement plan format. And things that we know that we could work with them on to enhance and assist them in their efforts. Core competence of supervisors. That we will identify and speak with you all. We have created a four day training program that we will give more detail on shortly. Included the appraisal for performance increases. What we're finding is that we would like to work with the departments to -- actually with the automated paf system to have department level authorizations built into that system so that departments can at their level indicate when they process a personal action for a performance increase, be able to say that they have indeed completed a performance appraisal. At this point we have not -- do not have that level of authorization at the department level for them to indicate that. And it does require a great deal of time and effort on hr tracking to make sure that that appraisal has been completed. What we have now is the core competencies that we want to share with you. What we recognize in the strategic team is that many of our managers are at different levels in terms of their knowledge, skills and abilities to perform their management and supervisory functions. We determined not only out of the team, but also in our experiences within hr that that are basic sets of core competencies that we feel that managers need to be trained on. Day one of a four-day training program would include the role of the supervisor. And in the role of the supervisor we would really focus on communications, counseling and coaching, assisting managers in their efforts and skills and handling difficulty employees, trying to avoid some of the pitfalls that many times managers will fall into. And work with them on how to work with an employee in improving their performance.
>> have you had a chance to meet with the members of the court individually?
>> yes. Or their staff persons.
>> would it help us to read the book that y'all generously provided us?
>> that's why I had -- suggested that we do it on the 16th of March.
>> have you had an opportunity to share the 16 pages of backup with county managers?
>> not all county managers.
>> I think that would help. I think that would be helpful. I was sitting there listening to your wonderful presentation and recalling the meeting that we had and looking at my beautiful book that i've not had a chance to look at yet. And it does strike me that a good next step would probably be to share the backup with supervisors in Travis County and provide their input and maybe let them know that the court plans to take action on the recommendations on the 16th. Next Tuesday is election day, and that's probably not a good day for serious business. But on the 16th if we reschedule this one, this would give us two weeks to do whatever mulling and chatting we need to do and also give the supervisors a chance to provide input. I think that would be good. What we have in mind is putting in place a fairly comprehensive policy to guide us in the future. And I'm mindful that the court thought this was a good idea because we have gotten some employee grievances, many of which we had to settle, and they were costing money. Then there is the fair treatment in the workplace issue. How does that sound?
>> that sounds wonderful.
>> I think it's a great issue because it's one that I view as saving money for taxpayers. I don't want to pay those lawsuits any more, but the bother some thing about this is that it almost appears as if we've been getting raises and getting promotions without having something in place. And I just thought that anybody who was a department head or a supervisor or whatever had these basics already before they got into the position. Unless you're elected, and then you kind of have to learn on the fly. But you learn quickly what the laws are that you cannot break, otherwise they cost you money, and it's taxpayer money. So it's a very important issue, but --
>> there hasn't been any -- [ inaudible ] someone else does it the other way. It doesn't mean either is incorrect, but there's no standardization.
>> but if it leads to a lawsuit...
>> you are right there.
>> and it's taxpayer money.
>> and I want to make sure whatever input and feedback to give to you all is out for the public record as well. I would not make a presumption that there is a four-day association with how long it will take to go through this course work. I think one of the things we are required as Commissioners and judges to go get 16 hours of training as well. And I like to see options where in terms ofraining that I can take that it can be done over a two-day period that seems like stretching it out over four days may not actually be something that keeps people on task. I would have a number of opons related to the core competency, but no presumption that it has to take four days. Now, it may work out that one of the offerings is a four-day because that's the only way you can get people there half a day to complete this stuff, but I would also offer options related to that it can be done, say, over a two-day period because that may work out better for those folks. We just have to be flexible in that. The other thing it seems like the same way that if we do not take our mandatory education, we can be kicked out of office. There needs to be something in here in terms of a kicker related to managers who do not complete this training are not eligible for performance-based pay. I mean, if that's what we're expecting, there has to be some kind of kicker there to say this is important and we really mean it. And in the same way, I would say that executive managers would be held accountable for their managers underneath them who do not get the training done or did not see that their folks underneath them got things done. It seems like this is something that needs to go all the way up the food train.
>> and -- chain.
>> and I can add a carrot here and I would add if they don't complete the 16 hours and don't hold their departments accountable that they absorb any lawsuit costs from their budgets.
>> I think there's some direct correlation on some of these things. The other thing is I thought it was extraordinarily important that you all thought that we needed to track that appraisals did occur through paf's before those got done. But we also need to make sure that we track that appraisals get done when unfortunately there is no money for performance-based pay and therefore there is no generation of a paf, but it is equally and probably more important that the appraisals continue to occur when there is no money happening there because that too is creating the permanent school record of when we're going back. What was said to these employees, what kind of feedback, what kind of performance based plans were out there for somebody to improve. And so that's going to be equally important to get that piece as well of how do we track that appraisal are occurring even if it's not through the paf process. I think they've done a great first start here in terms of very good work that's already occurred to this point, but it just taking to to the next level, but sharing this with the managers is essential.
>> can we send a cover letter advising managers and supervisors that the Commissioners court would like them to read the backup and provide human resources any input before -- I guess by March 12th or 13th, give y'all an opportunity to put it together and get it to us by the 16th?
>> okay.
>> and we have it down to bring it back up on the 16th of March. Thank y'all very much, especially the strategic team. Obviously a lot of work went into this and I do think we ought to act on it on the 16th. Our information would be if we need to tweak it, to tweak it then, but to approve it.
>> great.
>> thank you.
>> thank y'all.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 2, 2004 9:13 AM