Needs Analysis Assignment
The organization that I will be discussing is the Calgary Public Library (CPL). The CPL organizational analysis is a non for profit, government funded, union environment and learning organization. The itch that I will be discussing is the difficulty in recruiting and retaining librarians. Librarians are the backbone of this organization. There education requirements are stringent requiring an undergraduate degree in any discipline and a masters degree. A master’s degree in Library Science is a bonified occupational requirement (BFOR) for this role. For an entry level role, work experience is not the issue. Regardless if a librarian has no work experience or 30 years experience a master’s in library science is a prerequisite for employment. The challenge of recruiting for this role is fairly significant. Due to the specific education there are a limited number of schools that libraries can recruit candidates from. For example there are only 6 Canadian Universities that offer this program. These universities include UofA, UBC, UofT, UWO, McGill and Dalhousie. The traditional strategy of the CPL has been to draw on impending graduates of these programs and attempt to recruit them.
The environment that CPL recruits from is highly competitive. When the candidates are about to graduate they have numerous competing offers from other libraries. Also there are different types of libraries from private sector, to public sector. The hierarchy of public sector goes from universities, colleges, schools and public libraries. The perception by many librarians is that the public system is the least desirable employer. This itch is fairly significant problem due to the fact that many baby boomers are set to retire in the public library shortly. A major resource analysis problem is the lack of current, updates, real time and bleeding edge technology. A critical problem with the current recruitment strategy is the CPL website. Currently the CPL does not have its jobs posted on there website. Furthermore, the jobs are not listed on any external websites. The jobs require candidates to enter a library and fill out a lengthy application form. Another resource analysis problem is the compensation ranges of attracting and maintain librarians. The CPL gets all of its funding from the government and is considered a non for profit industry. They are finding it extremely difficult to compete for talent in the Calgary market. Also cost of living is not taken into account for in current wages. The working conditions of the role of librarian are stressful. A librarian is required to work full time and evenings and weekends. There are no flex days, no performance bonus and no perks. With regards to organizational context the CPL has only started its succession planning last year. Therefore they have been in a reactive mode to an urgent problem. The CPL is a learning organization that appeals to individuals with high education, strong morals, and a desire to help people. The CPL needs to recreate how it currently handles its recruitment, selection and retention policies for librarians.
Vision: A world of information and ideas within reach of every Calgary
Mission Statement "To enrich lives and build community by ensuring universal access to resources for information, learning, inspiration, and enjoyment."
I have completed a SWOT analysis of the issue at hand and here is a summary of the data that I have devised.
Strengths
Pension Plan 35 years of service
Stable employment
1 months vacation from day 1
Blue Cross
Free Library Card J
No fines ever J
Casual Fridays
Weakness
Negative perception of job
Low compensation
Need to work evenings and weekends
No flex days
No performance bonus
No perks (food, trips, stocks options)
$100 education assistance
Opportunities
Aging workforce baby boomers retiring
Management fast track program
Threats
Lots of competition from other libraries
Job is ultra specialized so development opportunities is limited
Compensation ranges are not competitive enough due to non for profit funding
Limits the amount of candidates to recruit and select
Union environment not appealing to many workers
Cost of living in Calgary increasing
Lack of succession plan
Here is a list of interview questions that I asked each candidate about this needs analysis. The data was collected using interviewing techniques and a series of the same questions was asked to each of the candidates to ensure consistency of the data. Also the time frame was limited to the same time to ensure data integrity. The summary of my data questions are the following. E = employee interviewed
Question # 1: What is the hardest job to recruit for in CPL?
E1) Librarian
E2) Librarian
E3) Librarian
E4) Manager
E5) Librarian and manager
E6) Librarian
Question # 2: How does CPL recruit Librarians?
E1) library schools
E2) library schools
E3) library schools
E4) library schools, referrals
E5) internet
E6) walk in, take applications, library schools
Question # 3: On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 highest and 1 lowest how would you rank the CPL as a place to work? , please comment.
E1) 5, company is stable
E2) 7, company is secure
E3) 10, is a learning environment
E4) 8, rewarding helping people
E5) 2, I don’t know if I can make another couple of years
E6) 9, I almost have my pension
Question # 4: How would you rank on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 highest and 1 lowest the compensation ranges, perks and benefits of working at the CPL please comment.
E1) 5, low pay
E2) 6, no perks
E3) 8, I love my job but could use more pay
E4)7, don’t make enough but I love my job
E5) 2, they just don’t pay enough, thinking of finding another job
E6) 1, awful pay I should go to private sector
Question # 5: How would you solve the problem of recruiting more librarians? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 most important to 1 least important how urgent is this problem?
E1) pay more, 8
E2) get more students to take masters program, 8
E3) use more technology likes websites, 10
E4) use faster recruiting and head-hunters, 9
E5) hire them early on in junior high, high school, university and give them jobs when there done, 10
E6) 5, do nothing current recruitment is ok
Question # 6: Does the CPL have the technology and resources to attract and maintain current staff? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 most important to 1 least important rank the current status regarding technology and resources of CPL.
E1) no, 5
E2) no, 6
E3) yes, 7
E4) no, 3
E5) no, 2
E6) no, 1
These 6 questions were asked to each candidate in a time limit of 30 minutes. The summary of candidate’s profiles is the following. Employee data was derived from age, sex, job position and number of years of service. The following summary was obtained.
List of Data Sources
E1 was 55, female a librarian manager and employed for 25 years.
E2 was 40, female a librarian and employed for 15 years
E3 was 50, female a librarian and employed for 20 years
E4 was 45, male a librarian and employed for 10 years
E5 was a 30, female a librarian analyst and employed for 3 years
E6 was a 36, female a librarian and employed for 7 years
Calgary Public Library website http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/library/site_map.htm
Calgary Public Library Staff, Research of other libraries in Calgary,
Current recruitment strategies employed by other libraries public and private.
The summary of data selection is the following. All members surveyed were employed by the CPL. Also the occupation of these individuals related to the role of librarian. The data might be perceived as bias or skewed because of the limited types of candidate actually qualified to answer these questions. Given the high quality of candidates this data reliability is sound.
Recommendation of needs analysis is the following. Immediately update the current website and place all job postings on the website. Use all major career websites that students, graduates and professionals use to conduct job searches. For example workopolis, workopolis campus, monster, monster track, career click, Calgary job shop and university career sites for all schools that have library science program. Utilize the services of head-hunters, employment agencies and executive search firms to find librarians domestically and internationally. Establish a presence at career fairs and actively recruit domestically and internationally. Market and recruit using new technologies such as Utube, Facebook, MSN Chat and Yahoo Messenger to reach the new wired educated target market. Rebrand and remarket the old image of a librarian to an exciting career into the 21 century.
Target potential students from junior high, high school and university and give them jobs part time in the library. Students can test drive the CPL with the culture, values and work experience before they graduate. Develop coop programs for students in university or masters programs. Offer to pay for the masters of Library Science to graduates and make them sign a 2 year contract. Develop a 1 year online degree at Athabasca University for people who want to change careers. Recruit foreign trained librarians and relocate them to Calgary, have them sign 4 year contracts to lock them into the CPL. Resources are limited so hiring a person to fundraise, bingos, casinos, raffles and corporate sponsorships can increase revenues for recruitment and retention. Retention strategies to keep current staff might include flex days, education assistance, telecommuting, job sharing, increasing compensation and perks. Have a human resources professional from the technology generation of X, Y or Z to recruit and retain these people. Develop a performance management system to track and evaluate the success of the new recruitment and retention strategies. Develop SMART goals, metrics and keep management and human resources updated on a weekly basis. Align performance system with goals, strategies and objectives of the CPL. Ensure that mangers and staff know the targets of recruiting. The technical and resource gap is a significant problem that must be solved immediately. Due to a union environment there may be lag time and significant resistance to major changes in the hiring, compensation, recruitment and selection of librarians. Labour relations experts might have to reclassify librarians as management. Also managing expectations and outcomes of the new ideas will be important. Perhaps bringing back retired librarians and hiring them as consultants would be another possible solution. Regardless of the outcome, this itch must be solved soon. Since the new information economy is here, many people from all walks of life depend on librarians. Librarians provide a great service and function to society. We need to maintain, attract, develop and cultivate librarians in the 21 century.
Cost Benifit Analysis Assignment
Title of Program Proposal
Calgary Public Library
I. BACKGROUND
Rationale of the Program
The key issue here is the redesign of the Calgary Public Library website. The task is to list all the past, present and future job opportunities online. Making the experience painless, productive and simple to use. This will allow potential job seekers to easily apply for jobs on the internet. This will also allow HR (Human Resources) + IT (Information Technology) department to upload modify and respond to job postings and recruitment and selection as quickly as possible. After redesigning the website, I will conduct a 1 day training seminar to all HR professionals and the IT group. The group is 20 people. This will allow the proper transfer of instruction and feedback from key target groups. This training will be held on site at the main corporate headquarters in the HR department.
Link to Business Strategy & Culture
The business targets will be to train the IT and HR staff to use the new updated website for recruitment and selection of all postings for the CPL (Calgary Public Library) on a go forward basis. The culture issues are this institution is slow to change from a technological standpoint. Since they have not implemented this technology before, people generally fear technology. Once the senior staff are up and trained they can transmit the data to the junior staff. There will be an instruction manual that will be presented to every member in IT and HR. Also there will be an online manual and help desk support from the business consultant regarding website modifications. Using Kolb’s learning theory all 4 systems will be used to complete training session.
II. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learning objectives: Kolbs Learning Style
Concrete experience: the group will be exposed to hands on training that each member will be placed in front of a computer and will walk thru each step of the new updated website for recruitment and selection. They will experience the user side first and how they are perceived when they send a test resume into the website. They will understand how user friend or unfriendly the system is and gain an appreciation of the new system. After the website receives the resume the recruitment and selection functions will be explained and taught from the end user side. They will be able to search, modify, filter, add, subtract candidates to HR departments, job orders and send to IT or managers.
Testing and experimentation: the group will be able to test and modify the new website. They will be able to use data manipulation to run specific searches on past, present and future candidates. They will also be able to make recommendations on methods of improving the website career section. This live exercise is useful for the HR, IT and consultant to modify the solution to the problem at hand. Since both user groups will be available to see how the each business unit can operate this tool within. IT group can modify anything they desire and make it user friendly to the HR group. The HR group can ask for projects or commands that can challenge the IT group in making the career site more efficient.
III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
|
Learning Objective 1 Understand internal mindset of 21 century recruitment & selection using internet |
Abstract Conceptualization Kolbs, | Role
Play Discussion Groups Business Case Break out sessions |
|
Learning Objective 2 Determine external observations of new recruitment & selection techniques |
Reflective observation
Kolbs |
Videotape Utube, Facebook Browse successful websites brainstorm |
Transfer of Training
Transfer of training before will be a cheat sheet summary manual of the commands for using the system in paper format emailed to each user. A transfer strategy during training will be simple live tests to determine if learning is being achieved. A transfer method after training will be to provide a complete up to date manual in hard copy and electronic form sent to each user.
IV. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES REQUIRED
Equipment:
Tools to be employed include computers, laptops, projectors, whiteboards, manuals and basic office supplies.
Facilities:
Will require to work in corporate headquarters where HR department is located and with IT as well.
V. RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Costs List Indirect & Direct Costs of this program
See spreadsheets
|
A |
Fixed costs factors |
$ |
hours |
total |
Alan |
Dar |
|
|
1 |
ovehead |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
Costing Worksheet |
||
|
2 |
supervisory allocation |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
CPL |
||
|
3 |
equipment cost |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
4 |
administrative cost |
$50.00 |
8 |
$400.00 |
Consultant |
1 |
|
|
5 |
training unit fringe |
$10.00 |
8 |
$80.00 |
employees |
20 |
|
|
T1 |
$2,880.00 |
session |
8 hours |
||||
|
during |
work day |
||||||
|
B |
Tota fixes costs per unit hour |
||||||
|
6 |
proffesional hours |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
7 |
support hours |
$10.00 |
4 |
$40.00 |
|||
|
8 |
transporation expeneses |
$10.00 |
8 |
$80.00 |
|||
|
9 |
material |
$1,000.00 |
5 |
$5,000.00 |
|||
|
10 |
consulting fees |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
11 |
other costs |
$15.00 |
8 |
$120.00 |
|||
|
T2 |
$6,840.00 |
||||||
|
C |
Program development |
||||||
|
12 |
proffesional hours |
$100.00 |
350 |
$35,000.00 |
|||
|
13 |
support hours |
$50.00 |
10 |
$500.00 |
|||
|
14 |
materials |
$1,000.00 |
5 |
$5,000.00 |
|||
|
15 |
consulting fees |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
16 |
SME/mangment input |
$100.00 |
3 |
$300.00 |
|||
|
17 |
other costs |
$10.00 |
8 |
$80.00 |
|||
|
T3 |
$41,680.00 |
||||||
|
D |
Program Delivery |
||||||
|
18 |
administrative costs |
$25.00 |
8 |
$200.00 |
|||
|
19 |
admin support |
$10.00 |
8 |
$80.00 |
|||
|
20 |
presentation delviery hours |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
21 |
technical support hours |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
22 |
traineer material costs |
$50.00 |
2 |
$100.00 |
|||
|
23 |
transportation/ meals |
$100.00 |
2 |
$200.00 |
|||
|
24 |
faciliites rental |
$20.00 |
8 |
$160.00 |
|||
|
25 |
equipment |
$20.00 |
8 |
$160.00 |
|||
|
T4 |
$2,500.00 |
||||||
|
E |
Evaluation |
||||||
|
26 |
support hours |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
27 |
management input |
$100.00 |
1 |
$100.00 |
|||
|
28 |
trainee input |
$100.00 |
1 |
$100.00 |
|||
|
29 |
transport |
$10.00 |
8 |
$80.00 |
|||
|
30 |
material costs |
$10.00 |
8 |
$80.00 |
|||
|
31 |
consulting fees |
$100.00 |
8 |
$800.00 |
|||
|
T5 |
$1,960.00 |
||||||
|
F |
Revision Costs |
||||||
|
32 |
proffesional hours |
$100.00 |
3 |
$300.00 |
|||
|
33 |
support hours |
$100.00 |
2 |
$200.00 |
|||
|
34 |
management staff colaboration |
$100.00 |
3 |
$300.00 |
|||
|
T6 |
$800.00 |
||||||
|
G |
Total program Cost |
A+B+C+D+E+F+G |
$54,700.00 |
||||
|
Net Benefit Value Calculation Worksheet |
CPL |
Alan Dar |
||||
|
Operational results area |
how measured |
before training |
after training |
difference |
expressed $ |
|
|
1 |
cost of retirement |
dollars + time 1 year |
$100,000.00 |
$80,000.00 |
$20,000.00 |
more proactive recruitment |
|
2 |
cost of new hire |
dollars + time 1 year |
$50,000.00 |
$40,000.00 |
$10,000.00 |
costs to find new person |
|
3 |
cost of firing |
dollars + time 1 year |
$50,000.00 |
$50,000.00 |
$- |
cost to eliminate |
|
4 |
cost of transfer |
dollars + time 1 year |
$50,000.00 |
$40,000.00 |
$10,000.00 |
cost to move person |
|
5 |
job advertising |
dollars + time 1 year |
$100,000.00 |
$154,700.00 |
$(54,700.00) |
change website |
|
6 |
man-hours to recruit |
dollars + time 1 year |
$50,000.00 |
$10,000.00 |
$40,000.00 |
increase efficiency 1 hire |
|
7 |
opportunity costs |
dollars + time 1 year |
$100,000.00 |
$50,000.00 |
$50,000.00 |
increase efficiency 1 hire |
|
T2 |
$500,000.00 |
$424,700.00 |
$75,300.00 |
|||
|
Return on Investment ROI |
Net Program Benefits |
$75,300.00 |
||||
|
Costs of Program |
$54,700.00 |
|||||
|
ROI |
1.376599634 |
|||||
|
ROI as % |
137.6599634 |
|||||
|
Net Benefit |
$20,600.00 |
|||||
|
(Net Program Benefits - Costs of program) |
||||||
|
Evaluation |
||||||
|
ROI > 1 |
gain |
|||||
|
ROI = 1 |
break even |
|||||
|
RO < 1 |
loss |
|||||
|
Therefore ROI is > 1 |
program should be implemented |
|||||
|
Therefore given the ROI is 1.376 which is above 1. The ROI as % is 137.66 more effective then the previous system in place. |
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|
Also the net benefit is $20,600 which illustrates another promising detail. It will also free up HR assets to focus in and be more |
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|
efficient on the recruitment, selection and retention of people for the CPL. Also the intangible benefits of having a career section |
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|
will appeal to the new generation that is tech savvy. This will also increase the branding and marketing of the CPL. This website |
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|
update will be in place so that when HR and IT staff turnover the systems will still be in place and the manuals will be in place. |
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|
Due to the low unemployment rate, high turnover and job hopping nature of the Calgary market competition for talent is intense. |
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|
Technological tools that assist such as an update career section in a website is critical to any firms success especially the CPL. |
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|
The needs analysis with the cost benefit analysis illustrates room for improvement in this business case. |
