Report on Human Resources Council Meeting Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 09:00:21 -0500 To: "USGS Employees" From: Janis Nash Subject: Report on January Human Resources Council Meeting Memorandum To: All Employees From: Robert Hosenfeld Chair, Human Resources Council Subject: Report on Human Resources Council Meeting The USGS Human Resources Council (HRC) held its quarterly meeting January 27-29, 1998, in Atlanta, Georgia. The HRC, which addresses important human resources issues that affect USGS employees nationwide, consists of senior managers representing all USGS divisions and regions. At the January meeting, the HRC welcomed four new members who replaced outgoing members Tom Casadevall, Office of the Director; Sue Haseltine, Biological Resources Division; and George Hargrove, Office of Program Support. Current HRC members, including new members whose names are asterisked, are: * Janet Bishop, Office of Program Support, Central Region Wendy Budd, National Mapping Division, Headquarters Kaye Cook, Bureau Equal Employment 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 Janis Nash of the Human Resources Office provides staff support to the HRC. At its January meeting, the HRC discussed the following issues. Awards Guide. The Bureau Incentive Awards Committee has developed a Guide for Nominating and Processing Awards, which provides instructions for nominating and processing honor, cash, and nonmonetary awards. The Guide is now undergoing editorial review and should be distributed in hard copy in all divisions and regions in the Spring 1998. The Guide will also be available on the internet at: http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/hro/perf/awards/toc.html 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 practices (including hiring, staffing, career development, promotion, rewards, and retention) with the USGS Strategic Plan. The HRC is developing a USGS Strategic Human Resources Plan that will establish human resources goals linked to the USGS Strategic Plan. The HRC is preparing a draft Strategic Human Resources Plan for discussion at its April meeting. Leadership Development. The HRC recognizes leadership development as an essential component of a Strategic Human Resources Plan and will include leadership development as a human resources goal in the draft plan. In addition, preparations are underway for a Central Region pilot test of the Leadership Effectiveness Inventory (LEI), a questionnaire that assesses the leadership skills of current and future leaders. The pilot test will be conducted in late Spring or early Summer 1998 upon receipt of the updated LEI questionnaire from the Office of Personnel Management. 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 in order to establish guidelines for an ad hoc group to work on this issue. If you have any questions concerning the HRC actions described above, please send an email message to your division or region HRC representative identified above.