Report on April 1998 Human Resources Council Meeting

Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 18:03:14 -0400
To: "USGS Employees"<distribution>
From: Janis Nash <jnash>
Subject: Report on April 1998 Human Resources Council Meeting

Memorandum

To:		All Employees

From:		Robert Hosenfeld
		Chair, Human Resources Council

Subject:	Report on April 1998 Human Resources Council Meeting

The USGS Human Resources Council (HRC) held its quarterly meeting April
28-30, 1998,  in Reston, Virginia.  The HRC, which addresses important
human resources issues that affect USGS employees nationwide, consists of
senior managers representing all USGS divisions and regions.  At its April
meeting, the HRC discussed the following issues.

	Awards Guide.  A Guide for Nominating and Processing Awards, which
provides instructions for recommending and processing honor, cash, and
nonmonetary awards, is now available on the internet at:

		http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/hro/perf/awards/toc.html 

	A limited number of hard copies of the Awards Guide has been distributed
to divisions and servicing personnel offices.  If you would like a copy of
the Guide and do not have access to the internet, you may contact your
administrative officer or your servicing personnel office.

	Honor Awards.  The HRC discussed ways to expedite approval of USGS
Distinguished and Meritorious Service Awards at the Department of the
Interior.  The HRC will convene a group in late Spring 1998 to make
recommendations on this issue.

     	Orientation Program.  A multidivision team is preparing an
Orientation program for USGS employees that includes information on the
USGS, the divisions, and human resources management.  The program was pilot
tested in Lakewood in the Fall 1997, and changes are being made as a result
of feedback from that pilot.  Final completion of materials for the program
is anticipated in the Summer 1998.

	Strategic Human Resources Plan.   The ability of the USGS to accomplish
its mission in the future will depend on its ability to align its human
resources and supporting systems with USGS strategic goals.  The HRC has
completed an initial draft USGS Strategic Human Resources Plan that
establishes human resources goals linked to the USGS Strategic Plan.
During its April meeting, the HRC briefed the Operations Council on the
contents of the plan and a proposal for review of the draft plan across the
USGS.  The HRC will convene a group of employees, managers, and supervisors
from across the USGS nationwide and a group of human resources
professionals to review the plan in June 1998.  

	Leadership Development.  The HRC recognizes leadership development as an
essential component of a Strategic Human Resources Plan and has included
leadership development as a human resources goal in the draft plan.  In
addition, preparations are being made to evaluate innovative leadership
development programs in private industry and other government organizations
as well as to pilot test a leadership questionnaire that assesses the
leadership skills of current and future leaders.

	Mentoring Program.  Under the "Strategic Plan for Improving Diversity in
the USGS," the HRC is responsible for developing a mentoring program for
the USGS.  The HRC is collecting information regarding work that has been
done in the USGS on mentoring, developing a draft mentoring program, and
identifying training for potential mentors for discussion at the July HRC
meeting.

	WEL Program.  The application deadline for the 1998-99 Women's Executive
Leadership Program has been extended to June 5, 1998.  Employees who would
like to learn more about the program should contact Jan Templeton at (703)
648-7454 or by email at <jtemplet@usgs.gov>.

If you have any questions concerning the HRC actions described above,
please send an email message to your division or region HRC representative,
whose names are listed below:
	
          	Janet Bishop, Office of Program Support, Central Region
	Wendy Budd, National Mapping Division, Headquarters
	Kaye Cook, Bureau Equal Opportunity Officer, Headquarters
	Tom Fouch, Geologic Division, Central Region
	Bob Hosenfeld, Bureau Personnel Officer, Headquarters
          	Anne Kinsinger, Biological Resources Division, Headquarters
          	Larry Ludke, Biological Resources Division, Central Region
	Wanda Meeks, Water Resources Division, Southeastern Region
          	Alan Mikuni, National Mapping Division, Western Region