CGI Speaker Series, Maryantonett Flumian, Associate Deputy Minister, Human Resources Development Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, June 17, 2003 Ottawa Introduction Je vous remercie de votre chaleureux accueil. Je suis très heureuse de vous parler aujourd hui des très importantes transformations qui surviennent au sein du gouvernement en vue de moderniser les services offerts aux Canadiens. As all of you in this room are more than aware, the Government of Canada has committed to connecting with Canadians on-line by 2005. As a result of the experience of the last few years, Treasury Board leadership has moved beyond just Government on-line to developing a Service Vision that will transform our service delivery networks. The Treasury Board is leading this service transformation effort, which is beginning to translate into concrete service improvements. If we look to the near future, we should be able to see that: Individual Canadians will be able to determine all the income, employment, disability, training and other benefits they are entitled to in one single process. Volunteer organizations will be able to find -- in one location -- all of the federal programs they can access to help them provide their services. Businesses will be able to file their records of employment once, electronically, thereby reducing one of the largest administrative burdens on business. And the list goes on. For the Government of Canada, there are significant opportunities to be seized, notably: to deliver more value-added service to individuals, businesses, workplaces and communities; to enhance relevance, timeliness and speed of service to Canadians through coherent offerings delivered through consolidated service delivery networks; and, to generally increase client and citizen satisfaction with what we do and how we do it. Notre engagement consiste à élaborer, pour les Canadiens, une vision de la prestation des services multimodes, axés sur le client et visant l ensemble du gouvernement. En fait, il ne s agit que de répondre aux attentes des citoyens pour : un accès uniforme aux services gouvernementaux chevauchant différentes sphères de compétence; une conception et une prestation des services axées sur les citoyens; un choix du mode de prestation des services Internet, téléphone, courrier ou en personne; et toujours un service de qualité supérieure indépendamment du mode choisi par le citoyen. Needless to say, Human Resources Development Canada actively supports the broader government service agenda. Our Modernizing Service for Canadians, or M-S-C, is a comprehensive and complex service delivery transformation initiative to provide relevant and integrated service for citizens.
Maintenant je dois souligner d emblée que même si les objectifs de la MSC semblent dépendre de changements technologiques, l initiative n est pas un projet technologique en soi. La technologie permet ce changement et peut même assister à le guider, mais l essentiel consiste à placer le citoyen au cœur de tout ce que nous faisons. So MSC is a business transformation initiative, not an IT initiative. Canadians expect the programs and services governments offer to be tailored to their needs. Citizens want to be enabled to make informed choices about how to participate more fully in their communities and in their workplace. They believe these programs and services should be easy to access, simple to navigate and as flexible and comprehensive as those available from other levels of government as well as from the private sector such as financial institutions, insurance companies and retailers, to name a few. At HRDC, we have undertaken an Agenda for Renewal that touches all the work we do and all of our employees. MSC is an integral part of this renewal agenda, as is our need to renew our Policy Framework and consolidate our corporate enabling functions in support of serving Canadians. As you well know, we are one of the largest departments in the federal government, serving millions of Canadians each year. But you may be surprised by the extent of HRDC s involvement in the lives of Canadians. Let me give you a few revealing numbers. Cette année, nos dépenses prévues atteignent 70 milliards de dollars, dont 95 % sont directement versés aux Canadiens par le biais des prestations de l assurance-emploi et du Régime de pensions du Canada, sans oublier les subventions spéciales pour études pour les étudiants handicapés, les congés parentaux, les prestations de la Sécurité de la vieillesse, et bien plus.. Chacun d entre nous a un numéro d assurance sociale. Il se peut que certains de vous en ont même plus d un, du moins pour le moment! Nous offrons des services à plus de 12 millions de cotisants à l assurance-emploi et au Régime de pensions du Canada. Nous servons également quatre millions de pensionnés. Au total, nous recevons environ 50 millions d appels chaque année et sommes probablement incapables de répondre à un autre 30 millions. Annually HRDC Processes 8 M ROEs submitted by employers 2.6 to 2.8 M applications for insurance benefits 25 M biweekly EI reports, with 45% submitted on paper and mailed 485,000 CPP Applications 500,000 OAS Applications 400,000 student loans
100 M pension payment transactions More than 25,000 HRDC employees serve all of these clients through 320 Human Resource Community Centres, 229 Service Canada sites, over 120 processing centres, and 26 major call centres. We currently operate 1,200 different 1-800 numbers. I could go on, but I think you get the picture that we have achieved critical mass! However, notwithstanding all of the above, we also receive very high client-satisfaction results: in the range of 80% and above. We predict a significant rise in case-load volumes, however, which will exceed the capacity of our existing resources. This is especially the case in the area of pensions. Our current service delivery network is complex and difficult to sustain. The Modernizing Service for Canadians initiative will enable us to better anticipate and respond to the changing needs and expectations of Canadians. HRDC will directly engage citizens in shaping our policies, and in the design, delivery and enhancement of programs and service. We will continue as a recognized leader in service delivery through creative use of partnerships. We will aggressively monitor and adopt bestpractices in service delivery and keep our technology base current to meet the needs of today and help us prepare for tomorrow. Our goal is to evolve from a department based on programs and transactions, to one that is integrated, client-focused and citizen-centred, and most important, relationship-based. Our goal is to create a world-class service network that better anticipates and responds to the changing needs and expectations of Canadians. For example, in an ideal world, a person with disabilities would not only have the freedom of choice to access service through any one of the channels on-line, phone, in-person, but would also be able to obtain information or staff assistance across all federal, provincial and community programs. In service delivery jargon integrated service delivery is both a no wrong door as well as a one-stop shop. En effet, la transformation de DRHC repose sur trois éléments fondamentaux. La première transformation visera à créer une culture organisationnelle davantage axée sur le client et les relations avec ce dernier. Les citoyens doivent toujours demeurer au cœur de tout ce que nous faisons. La seconde transformation consistera à établir une structure des programmes et un cadre stratégique plus cohérents et intégrés. La troisième transformation visera à moderniser la façon dont les programmes et services sont exécutés. De toute évidence, la MSC est une initiative de transformation des activités qui dépend davantage d un changement de culture et d attitude de tous les intervenants que des nouvelles technologies. Ces intervenants comprennent les partenaires de la collectivité, les autres paliers de gouvernement et également le secteur privé. L établissement de nouveaux partenariats et le renforcement de ceux qui existent déjà sont essentiels au succès de cette transformation. Partnership Strategic partnering is essential for delivering the financial, management and delivery capacity necessary to achieve the MSC vision. This means partnership between programs, between departments, between levels of government, voluntary sectors and with the private sector.
HRDC alone cannot provide, sustain or finance the capacity that is required to implement and manage this vision. As a result, a new and innovative partnering strategy for use both within government and with the private sector must be developed to provide leverage for MSC. MSC Year One Now, let me get back to the initiative itself. The Treasury Board of Canada approved HRDC s MSC plan in May of 2002. In Year One of MSC we explored the underlying concepts and strategies behind modern world-class service delivery practices. Follow a public tendering process, we worked with four major consulting firms that won the bid and have a global reach. CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants is one of those firms. The others were Bearing Point, Price Waterhouse Coopers and IBM. Through these partners we were able to access global best practices across a range of service components: relationship management, client contact centres, and integrated service offerings. Similarly, we have begun to see and understand the technology and tools that will support the transformation in most cases it is tried-and-tested and in use in other public and private sector organizations. We reviewed global case studies on the relationship between government and citizens, businesses, workplaces and communities. En plus de ce travail conceptuel, nous avons, au cours de la première année, lancé des projets choisis pour leur capacité à générer des améliorations immédiates, des leçons utiles pour DRHC et les fondements de toute initiative future. Ils englobent cinq projets de mise en œuvre, dont quatre étaient reliés à GED, ainsi que de nombreuses initiatives de préparation de l organisation. Notre travail pendant la première année a été mené en fonction de quatre perspectives distinctes : le citoyen, la prestation des services, les ressources humaines et la technologie. The year culminated in the finalization of an overarching vision for MSC, developed as a result of the extensive research and project level work, and a business case for moving forward. Key Findings The key findings that resulted from the Year One work can be summarized as follows: At its heart, MSC is a business transformation. While it is supported by technology, it is not a technology project. Business vision and direction must drive its implementation. While there are technology dependencies, the vision can be achieved with existing market-tested technology solutions. Relationship-based service and integration across multi-channels is the next frontier for the service delivery in the public sector. The transition must be designed, scoped, understood and implemented in manageable, clearly articulated elements that lead to the overall vision. A clearly articulated change management strategy and process supported by staff is essential.
One of the biggest determinants of success is the speed of change. Communication is a key ingredient. Legislative change is not a necessary requirement for the implementation of the MSC Vision. MSC Year Two Currently, we have the RFP out on the street. In Year two, i.e., this year, a new and innovative approach to partnering will be developed by early fall that follows three main avenues: Opportunity Identification: current partnering relationships will be examined with a view to identifying best practices. Industry Stakeholder engagement: early discussions with stakeholders will be undertaken to solicit input and ideas and to provide the context for the partnering strategy. Market Testing: specific opportunities will be tested and assessed with respect to feasibility. The partnering strategy will be finalized in close collaboration with industry stakeholders and an implementation plan will be in place by January 2004. The MSC Vision creates a clear picture of an end state that provides new value to Canadians and addresses the critical challenges presented in our case for change. Four critical themes provide the framework for the vision: focus on the citizen, integrate and simplify service delivery, manage on an enterprise basis and, one that I have already discussed, partnership as a strategic lever. Nos Initiatives À la lumière de ces thèmes, sept initiatives ont été choisies comme fondement de la vision de la MSC pour cette année. 1. Finaliser la stratégie de service de la MSC Notre stratégie s harmonisera avec la vision de la prestation du service du gouvernement du Canada. La stratégie du service représente le fondement unificateur du réseau intégré de prestation des services. Elle permet de faire entendre la voix des citoyens d une façon collaborative, inclusive et souple. 2. Développer le concept de Service Canada et du service en personne L initiative permettra de finaliser le concept de l approche du service en personne et de Service Canada, et d élaborer et de mettre en oeuvre une stratégie et un plan de transformation par étapes. La mise en place se fera de façon à rediriger les ressources à Service Canada et au service en personne au fur et à mesure que DRHC progressera vers une approche globale du versement des prestations. 3. Accélérer les initiatives d amélioration des services L amélioration du service vise la réduction du chevauchement, l élimination du traitement manuel et une diminution générale des efforts et des coûts des fonctions secondaires. Cela veut dire
mettre en ligne les demandes d AE et du RPC, et permettre aux employeurs de nous transmettre les relevés d emploi par Internet. Récemment, nous avons mené, avec succès d ailleurs, un projet pilote de transfert de données électroniques avec un employeur du secteur privé et sommes prêts à aller de l avant avec cette initiative. 4. Enhance the Competitiveness of Business HRDC will work with CCRA and employees to scope and design an e-payroll single window to facilitate data exchange and transactions between businesses and the Government of Canada. 5. Implement an Enterprise Approach to the Management of Benefits Delivery This is a foundation initiative the puts in place critical management and operations prerequisites for the overall vision. The enterprise management of the call centre channel will help to get the phones answered. The enterprise approach to Internet, Web sites and e-mail service as a second channel is our next challenge. The establishment of client contact centres, which integrate the virtual channels of access, will be the last step toward a single integrated service delivery network for all access points. This initiative will demonstrate that HRDC is working to meet the new expectations of citizens for seamless and integrated service early in the transformation. It will also yield savings through the automation of back-office manual processing that can be reinvested where more capacity is required. 6. Implement Enterprise-wide Enabling Functions Key enabling functions will be reformed with a focus on creating an enterprise-wide approach. The first priorities for transition will be HR and IT, as they are the fundamental enablers for achieving the MSC Vision. For example, how better to demonstrate how a Client Contact Centre can assist citizens than having an Employee Contact Centre that provides employees with on-line and phone assistance for their HR questions and needs personally and corporately. 7. Establishing Strategic Partnership Opportunities As I mentioned, HRDC will take a fresh look at new ways to partner with other government or private-sector organizations, so that all can share the benefits pool that we plan to create. The seven initiatives have been strategically staged as part of a comprehensive transformation plan developed to guide the MSC work in Year Two and beyond. They confirm that, at its heart, the work that has begun is about business transformation supported by, but not exclusively about, technology. La transformation doit être conçue, dirigée, comprise et mise en oeuvre en portions faciles à gérer et clairement articulées qui mèneront à la concrétisation de notre vision. La communication est un ingrédient clé d une stratégie et d un processus de gestion du changement bien articulés, et nous sommes maintenant mieux en mesure de diriger et de communiquer les aspects importants de cette transformation. Ces changements seront guidés et apportés par notre personnel, à tous les niveaux et dans nos 320 points de service. Nous nous
engageons à appuyer ces employés afin de tirer profit de leur grande expérience et de leurs capacités. Conclusion En résumé, DRHC est au coeur d une importante transformation. En outre, comme si cela ne suffisait pas, nous avons accepté d assumer un rôle de premier plan quant à la vision de la prestation du service du gouvernement du Canada. Le Conseil du Trésor a demandé à trois ministères de repenser et de redéfinir la façon dont le gouvernement sert les citoyens, les entreprises et la communauté internationale. À partir des fondements de la Modernisation des services pour les Canadiens, DRHC dirige le segment axé sur les citoyens canadiens, au nom des 18 ministères, en vue de créer une nouvelle vision des services faisant appel à tous les modes de prestation en ligne, en personne, au téléphone ou par la poste et recoupant le mandat de ces 18 ministères. We believe that the culmination of the three visions for individual Canadians, business and the international community will result in a whole-of-government service delivery approach that will renew the government s relationship with all Canadians. HRDC is proud to be playing such a supportive role in this government-wide initiative. We are proud, too, of the progress we have made on MSC. We have many interesting projects underway, we have proofs of concepts to test projects against, we have seven Year Two initiatives, and we have a thoroughly researched and detailed business plan. Si nous voulons continuer de progresser dans la bonne voie, nous devons nous fier davantage aux partenariats, partenariats qui ont mené au développement de la MSC et qui sont essentiels à sa concrétisation. I look forward to the continuing support of all of our partners as we get on with our task of providing citizens with the best service delivery in the world. Thank you. Merci!