by Marion Grobb
Director Communications
CFPSA, Ottawa
(613) 996-6826
grobb.marion@cfpsa.com

Editor’s note: ( Marion Grobb, MG ) I recently had the chance to sit down with ever-busy John Geci ( JG ), our President and CEO, and Gerard Etienne ( GE ), Vice-President Human Resources to ask them about "employee relationship management". Here’s what they had to say.

MG:  Mr. Geci, you have this descriptive chart that shows "CRM" (customer relationship management) on one side, "ERM" (employee relationship management) on the other. We’ve made some progress on the CRM side of the equation with our one-to-one marketing, keeping track of each of our clients and really getting to know them on an individual basis so we can better meet their needs. But what is "ERM"?

JG:  We’re still testing the efficacy of our model and hope to move it forward soon. Just as CRM helps us to attract, retain and enhance value to our clients, ERM should helps us to attract, retain and motivate our employees. It operates on the same principle – getting to know our employees and their needs – like training and career interests – and marrying these to organizational goals.

MG:  I’ve heard you say that, “happy employees lead to happy clients”. It’s sort of cyclical, then? A boomerang effect – clients served by people who really enjoy their jobs and organization are more likely to be served well and therefore, more likely to come back again and again.

JG:  Exactly. We’re looking into all the areas of employee management – training, compensation, recognition and rewards … everything – because we believe that employees deserve it and because it makes them even better able to serve our clients. It just makes great sense.

MG:  Mr. Etienne, how will ERM manifest itself? What will it look like to employees? What could we expect to see?

GE:  Many things. Right now, for example, we’re looking at developing employee recognition programs, an aggressive training and development plan and part-time benefits packages. We are looking into conducting behaviour-based research to test core competencies before people are hired and to help with career plans once they are aboard. We’ll be providing ways for employees to tell us their career intentions including their willingness to move both geographically and into different areas of our business.

MG:  Market and demographic trends suggest that in the next five years or so, it may well be an employees’ market – the competition to get and keep great employees will be stiff. What are we at CFPSA doing to prepare ourselves to compete?

GE:  All the more reason why ERM is increasingly important. Good employee relationship management means becoming an “employer of choice”. That means developing a culture that values its people and fosters career growth, innovation and taking measured risks. We must move in this direction to compete in the labour market. Within five years or so, about 40% of CFPSA workforce will be eligible for retirement. Add to that, normal attrition and we’ll have movement in over half our agency. This presents huge opportunity to the right people. It also suggests the importance of succession planning, which we are also looking into.

MG:  Mr. Geci, you have mentioned many times since your arrival that you support and encourage a respectful and courteous workplace. What is being done to ensure that this is embraced as part of our corporate culture?

JG:  Communication is a big key to getting this message out that each and every employee has an opportunity – no, an obligation – to treat our clients and our colleagues respectfully. Anything less will not be tolerated. Sometimes people don’t clearly understand what is acceptable behaviour or not. This is a training issue and will be addressed by sessions in certain areas such as employment equity, harassment, diversity, ethics, employee relationship management, and how to build teams and work together productively. We want our people to have both the knowledge to understand what we’re doing right, how to prevent inappropriate situations and the skills to create a respectful and productive workplace.

Photo: Major Maria Spencer

From left to right: John Geci, President and Chief Executive Officer; Gérard Étienne, Vice President Human Resources; and Marion Grobb, Director Communications

MG:  How will you determine exactly what type of training is required within our organization?

GE:  We already have some information, we’ll also conduct a survey and ask the employees themselves. Then we’ll share the results and let all employees know how we’re using their information to develop courses and programs to address their needs.

MG:  How could each of us evoke positive change in our organization?

JG:  Leadership is at all levels of the organization. This concept lends itself to management hearing employees and all employees being sensitized to improving customer service to our CF clients ... and to each other.

GE:  The NPF/CFPSA culture is changing. We’re moving toward having greater employee awareness, participation and involvement in their day-to-day jobs. We’re tapping into the creative minds of our employees to find solutions to how we can do things better, more effectively, resulting ultimately, in better service to our CF community.

JG:  Communication plays an important role in all this. We had a great national conference early this year, but it’s too costly to do that annually or even biennially. In the years in between, we want to see employees creating venues to share information and best practices, like possibly regional conferences, or networking opportunities on their own bases or wings. For example, CFB Kingston organizes networking lunches every two months that allow people from all different CFPSA NPF divisions to get to know each other and create synergies. My fellow Executive Management Board members and I travel quite a bit and any of us would gladly avail ourselves to speak to employee groups. Communications is what helps change corporate culture but we must also walk the talk. This means that while training development and the like are paramount, the execution of one’s responsibilities in a professional manner is still a great measure of success and satisfaction.

MG:  We’ve talked a lot about being an “employer of choice”. What do you think constitutes a “great employer”?

GE:  A great employer is defined as such by its own employees – that’s why it’s important that we keep tabs on what our employees are thinking.

JG:  A great employer knows when to say “thank you”. So let me take this chance to pass on the comments I consistently receive when I travel to bases throughout Canada. Our clients recognize and appreciate what we do. They thank us ... and in turn, I thank all of you (employees).