State Government Managers

Discussion

The discussion in this chapter explores the connection between the topics and themes in 

Chapter 4 and a comparison of literature to the four overarching topics which were these: 

• Managing in state government; 
• Practices in talent management; 
• Factors perceived as limiting talent management; and 
• Elevating talent management in state government. 

Next is a discussion of the implications of findings to the literature followed by the implications for further research and the field of OD.  At the last, my final reflections are shared on my research experience.  

Source: Brenda R. Norman, https://ir.stthomas.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1037&context=caps_ed_orgdev_docdiss
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Comparison of Findings to the Literature

The comparison of findings to the literature is to identify new elements which emerged from the case study which may add to the current body of knowledge or provide insight to opportunities for further research. 

Topic I: Managing in State Government 

Public organizations differ from private organizations as a consequence of the functions they provide to society. What makes public management distinctive is that the most fundamental politics are at the heart of the enterprise and the external pressures on how public organizations function influences how managers behave in their roles. 

Wallace Ingraham and Getha-Taylor identified the skills and competencies of the political appointees as directors and leaders of large public agencies, noting that they must 

• be policy experts in or have experience in policies administered by their departments;
• have enough managerial and leadership experience to lead a federal agency; and
• be willing to support the policy agenda of the president, or in this case, the governor. 

As administrations change, political appointees are brought in to direct and lead agency bureaucracies. New administrations require organizational redirection to support changing policy direction, which leads to a change in organizational leadership. The appointees play a policy role as well as an organizational leadership role which creates a bifurcated "organization within the organization" model for agencies. This is related to "Abdul's" remarks quoted in Chapter 4 where he described how that concept was played out in the agency in which he worked. "Abdul" referred to an inherent tension that was felt when appointees came in to drive a political agenda, and agency staff must maintain continuity to deliver programs and services. The permanent employees walk a fine line trying to adjust to new leaders and policies and at the same time they are managing within regulations already determined by funding sources. 

Theme 1.1: Public scrutiny of state government raises standards and imposes limitations in the workplace. Working under public scrutiny produced expectations of high ethical standards for state employees who perform as stewards of public funds and services through the work they do. Scrutiny was perceived by managers in Avalon's state government as limiting innovation due to risk of failure, which could be perceived as frivolous or wasteful of government resources. This was underscored by "Tim's" comment that "across state government jobs are visible and high profile; we have to guard state dollars and mistakes just get magnified". Notably, innovation is enhanced by autonomy and support delivered in a positive and safe atmosphere that encourages openness and risk taking. 

While openness and risk taking represents a significant contrast to the environment described by the state government managers, the risk aversion reflects the political nature of state government and the pressures of the external environment. 

Theme 1.2: Managers are dedicated to public service. A study on public employee engagement (M2 Presswire, 2012 which polled over 2,200 US public sector employees, reported 58% were fully engaged with their jobs. Further, 38% of all respondents were reported as very, or somewhat likely to leave their jobs if working conditions didn't improve. Of public employees age 34 and younger, 47% reported they were very, or somewhat likely to change jobs if conditions didn't improve. Specifics on which job conditions needed to change were not defined in the article, however, the higher likelihood of employees age 34 and younger changing jobs reflects experiences managers in Avalon's state government described regarding engagement and job churn with younger entrants in the workforce. 

The most distinguishing engagement factor for public sector employees cited in the IPMA-HR and ADP study was "serving the public with integrity," which was listed at 98% total agreement. The group of public employees age 34 and younger and technology workers of all ages were below average in identifying "making a difference" as a key component in engagement. The article announcing the study also reported that public sector employees who are "fully engaged" are 

• Twice as likely to stay in their current job; 
• 2.5 times more likely to feel they can "make a difference"; 
• 2.5 times more likely to recommend their workplace to others; 
• Three times as likely to report being "very satisfied" in their jobs (n. p).

The IPMA-HR and ADP study was described as a benchmark for public sector organizations and further data were not available with which to compare Avalon's state government. In interviews with Avalon's state government managers, many referenced "working toward the public good," contributing to "public service," and "that's part of the give back of my job". Although these do not draw a direct relationship to serving the public with integrity, they are consistent with commitment to public service, which translates into higher levels of engagement. 

Theme 1.3: Changes in the state workforce requires different practices in attracting, developing, and engaging employees than in the past. Studies on managing generational differences at work have been conducted to help leaders and managers understand workplace attitudes and the behaviors of the incoming workforce; some differences between characteristics of the departing workforce and the incoming younger were noted. 

Researchers Parry and Urwin argued that, despite the existence of strong sociological theory on generational differences, empirical evidence for differences in work values among generations is not conclusive. The researchers asserted that definitions assigned to a group cannot be considered the representative influence on values and attitudes in the workplace. Despite academic disagreement on true definitions of age cohorts or generations and an arguable lack of empirical evidence, practitioners in organizations responsible for managing a span of multiple age groups need to be aware of the characteristics of their workforce and the influence they bring to an organization's policies, culture, and workforce and talent management strategy. Age-related issues were described by managers in Avalon's state government, as noted by "Natalie" who shared concerns that unmet expectations of the incoming younger workforce led to rapid turnover as younger employees "leapfrogged" across agencies into higher level jobs and increases in salary. "Mike" also mentioned that the younger workforce "didn't want to pay their dues" by staying long enough to learn a job before asking for a raise or promotion. 

Topic II: Managers' Practices in Talent Management 

Managers are the interface between employees and the organization. Buckingham stated that, while the job of the leader is to rally people to a better future, the role of the manager is internally focused on turning talent into performance. Buckingham's recommendation is to find what is unique about each person and capitalize on it to get the best out of the person. Ross suggested that defining talent as an input, and success as the output, creates a climate for personal and professional success. Another approach suggests the best managers are coaches, while Caplan's position is that strategic talent development is the best way to engage employees and keep organizations thriving. The focus on singular management practices in the literature implies that an integrated approach to talent management resides with HR, so the findings of inconsistent talent management practices in Avalon's state government in Theme 2.1 are consistent with the singular focus on management practices presented in the literature.

Theme 2.1: Practices in planning, recruitment, development, and engagement are present but not consistently applied. Silzer and Dowell identified the behaviors managers must employ for effective talent management: (a) develop expertise in recruiting, managing, developing, and retaining the right talent to meet business needs; (b) take responsibility and be held accountable for talent decisions and talent development; (c) establish a clear and high standard for talent management; and (d) instill a talent mindset in others. Managers in Avalon's state government were aware of and practice multiple aspects of talent management in varying degrees and many environmental factors were identified as impacting their ability to do more. 

A survey of public sector practices in workforce planning was conducted by the International Personnel Management Association (IPMA) - HR committee. Reasons cited by respondents to the IPMA study for lack of planning included: (a) lack of sufficient staff to create a plan; (b) ability to get by with replacement staffing or backfilling; (c) leadership development for future key positions was a higher priority; (d) more immediate issues such as dealing with budget crisis and staff reductions took precedence; and (e) planning was not a high priority for management. The IPMA study participants were asked to identify barriers to workforce planning and the factors reported by Johnson and Brown were both strategic and structural in nature: (a) preoccupation with short-term activities; (b) insufficient staffing; (c) lack of funding; (d) lack of executive support; (e) restrictive merit system rules on hiring; (f) insufficient marketing effort; (g) lack of confidence in planning techniques, and resistance to change. 

Preliminary findings from a recent state government workforce study conducted by Barrett, Green, and Seldon were featured in a teleconference hosted by the National Association of State Government Administrators (NASGA) in January 2014. Interestingly, little had changed for many states in terms of workforce planning since the IPMA survey conducted a decade ago. Government HR departments reported that, impacted by budget cuts, HR focused on more pressing activities in reorganization and layoffs which pushed workforce planning off priority agendas. 

Theme 2.2: Managers were inspired by both good and poor role models in talent management. The research findings on the impact of leadership in organizations presented by Zenger and Folkman are compelling. One variable emerged as the highest predictor of differences between satisfied, engaged, and committed employees and dissatisfied, disengaged, and uncommitted employees: their immediate supervisor. In Zenger and Folkman's research, leadership effectiveness was also shown to have a correlative impact on customer satisfaction, turnover, and the financial bottom line in organizations. 

The external environment in which state government operates influences the internal environment, and can impact how managers behave. Graffy observed that, "the capacity of public managers to build bridges between agencies and citizens flows directly from an understanding of their roles, which largely depends on guidance from one generation to the next". The question is whether managers can act as guides in the absence of "a strong sense of public managers as active stewards of socially constructed, continually evolving institutional arrangements that drive legitimacy and ongoing relevance in part from the fact that people inhabit and cultivate those spaces together". What is needed, according to Graffy, is to support public managers to act as ongoing stewards of human-centered social institutions in concert with the complex political influences and technical expertise requirements. 

Topic III: Factors Perceived as Limiting Talent Management 

Managers in Avalon's state government reported multiple barriers they faced in their daily work as well as system and infrastructure factors which they viewed as restricting their ability to identify successors, to cross-train other staff, or to pass on critical organizational knowledge. 

Theme 3.1: Barriers to workforce planning and talent management were identified as lack of time, budget, and sufficient staff. The State Government Workforce report findings were very similar to the findings of the Avalon's state government case study. The report noted that the lack of public sector workforce planning was due to insufficient resources including time, staff, expertise, and other immediate pressures on HR that had relegated planning to a back burner. Likewise, reductions in succession planning, recruiting, and leadership development activities were attributed to recession-related state budget cuts in recent years. The HR perspectives on the reasons for limited practices in workforce planning presented in the Barrett, Green, and Sheldon study, combined with the IPMA survey findings, are consistent with the findings presented in the case study of Avalon's state government. 

Theme 3.2: Outdated systems, lack of infrastructure, and varying agency HR practices were considered primary factors limiting talent management practices. The roles of HR in helping organizations achieve competitive advantage through the strategic acquisition, engagement, development, and retention of talent has been well documented. Managing and measuring the talent management function is pivotal in achieving the organization's strategic objectives. These activities include (a) being a subject matter expert on attracting, developing, and retaining talent; (b) staffing HR with professionals who understand the link between talent and business strategy; (c) acting as a change agent for building and sustaining an effective talent management approach; (d) helping executives and managers make better talent management decisions; and (e) using valid metrics to monitor talent management effectiveness. The data on HR practices and infrastructure generated from interviews with managers in Avalon's state government coalesced into its own theme because of the frequency and depth of examples. While HR was not the focus of the study, managers identified the systems, services, and partnership they hoped to see from agency and enterprise HR offices. The literature on HR's role in talent management compared to the themes of the study points to gaps in system alignment with organizational goals and strategy. 

Topic IV: Elevating Talent Leadership in State Government 

Successful workforce planning cannot be accomplished in a vacuum; leaders must integrate the planning process and the management of the ensuing employment relationships as the plans are brought to fruition. In the National Association of State Government Administrators (NASGA) teleconference in January 2014, both Pennsylvania and Connecticut reported progress in workforce planning during. Both states presented workforce data and planning tools during the NASGA teleconference; both also provided examples of workforce data analysis that aided in informing strategy development and the ensuing implementation of talent management programs. 

Pennsylvania, like many states, faced an aging employee population and loss of institutional knowledge with the retiring Baby Boomers. A retirement projection tool depicted retirement eligibility by agency, organization, and job classification over a four-year span. The tool could be used to predict future workforce shortfalls, identify knowledge transfer goals, and plan succession efforts. Pennsylvania conducted analyses to identify employee preferences and systemic issues that led to employee turnover and trend identification; the data were used to inform recruitment and retention strategies. Further integration occurred with a standardized employee onboarding system, a classification study, performance management automation systems, and several employee development initiatives designed to fill talent pipelines in targeted classifications. The report on Pennsylvania's activities reflected many of the same initiatives reported underway in Avalon state government's strategic plan for implementation of an integrated approach to talent management. 

Connecticut's report in the NASGA teleconference identified workforce challenges similar to other states and included: an aging workforce with retirement eligibility, salary compression, and a somewhat flat organizational structure that offered little career movement. Risk analysis was conducted through impact assessment of vacancies in key activities and functions, underdeveloped successors in the pipeline, poor assimilation into a job or employment, and poor deployment of talent against organization goals. Integrated planning and strategy development drove changes in statewide systems and processes designed to increase the state government's capacity to attract, develop, and retain talent. 

Businesses have sought to outperform rivals in the marketplace through the strategic differentiators of cost leadership, differentiation, customer intimacy, or innovation. Aligning talent management with strategy is the new differentiator for organizations in achieving goals and fulfilling their missions. Based on the reports from other states, government is also competing for talent. Faced with challenges in filling key positions with individuals possessing the right capabilities and skills, Nagran noted that organizations experience constraints to the organizational structure in which they are "forced to operate at less than full effectiveness in its mission". Participants in the Avalon's state government study expressed strong beliefs about the state's need to address talent management in a strategic and holistic manner. 

Theme 4.1: Developing talent management abilities is a high priority for managers. 

Managers are the primary lever for significant employee engagement as they are the front line of communication with employees. They plan and delegate assignments and remove barriers, identify resources to complete work, and guide employee performance. 

Organizations most successful in attracting and retaining talent are investing in management development programs – such as General Mills' Great Manager program – ranked #1 in Best Leadership Development Programs by Leadership Excellence magazine. A core belief of the program is that talent and leadership development is intrinsic to the company mission; one of the organization's five stated core values is developing and investing in its employees. Senior executives teach the classes, and program effectiveness is evaluated through alignment with key business strategies and metrics. 

An initiative in the federal government called PeopleFirst was an employee-led employee engagement initiative designed to develop talent leaders across the agency. PeopleFirst reflected its purpose in its name and was designed as an employee engagement initiative to address deeply rooted structural and cultural issues that may interfere with effective talent management practices. Inherent to the transformation were shared values – organizational practices; shared goals – performance management; shared knowledge – learning and professional development; and one community – organizational culture. The results of the initiative led to new models of decision-making, new leadership roles regardless of rank in the organization, different approaches to problem-solving, and increased organizational commitment and citizenship. 

While every organization takes a different approach to talent management, each is similar in several important aspects: organizational commitment to development; alignment with organizational strategy; and performance measurement. What the organizations in Rivera and Flink's study recognized was that the success of the organization resided in their employees; they adopted a "talent mindset" and an integrated set of practices to support managers in their work of attracting, developing, and retaining employees for better organizational results. 

The findings in the Avalon case study suggested that developing skills as talent leaders was a high priority for managers. Statements such as, "how do you recruit, attract, select, deal with problems, and [learn] specifics on pay plans….how do you use coaching before it becomes discipline…". were representative remarks expressed by managers. Other comments noted the importance of mentoring, peer coaching, and ideas exchanges through communities of practice. The literature defined managerial behaviors and roles in talent management, and managers in the study expressed understanding of their roles in talent management. There is a gap between the literature and managerial talent management practices in Avalon's state government which managers in the study ascribed to limitations in systems, policies, and resources. Alignment between organizational goals and approaches to management development is a challenge that remains in Avalon's state government. 

Theme 4.2 System change in enterprise HR is focused on integrated talent management. A strategic approach is supported by Silzer and Dowell who wrote that talent management is "a systems approach to thinking about talent". In their research, Silzer and Dowell sought to identify differentiators between effective and ineffective talent management systems. The resulting DIME Model of Talent Management Success described four success factors that characterized the most advanced and successful talent management efforts in organizations: Driven by business strategy; Integrated with other processes; Managed as a core business practice; Engrained as a talent mindset. The interviews with managers in Avalon's state government illustrated the need for a more comprehensive and integrated approach to talent management in the state, and the strategic plan reflected movement toward that goal. 

The literature is clear on leadership as a critical factor in generating a shared understanding of where an organization is headed and positioning the organization for success. Ulrich and Smallwood also noted that leadership influences the brand identity of an organization and is the basis for an organization's culture and talent mindset. Leadership commitment is central to an organization's internal and external reputation as an employer and ensuring effective talent management practices at all levels in the organization. 

One of the goals reported in the enterprise HR strategic plan in Avalon's state government was to strengthen its brand as an employer. The result of integrated talent management systems and effective leadership is a strong employer brand. Avalon's state government enterprise HR is in the early stages of strategic plan implementation which includes efforts to (a) align talent strategy with business needs; (b) align policy and practices with talent strategy; (c) implement infrastructure upgrades; (d) secure further funding from the legislature; and cultivate a talent mindset throughout state government. Each of these efforts represents herculean tasks when considered individually.

Implication of Findings Related to Literature

The nature of this interpretive case study was to provide the opportunity to understand the essence of managers' practices in workforce planning and talent management of Avalon's state government. When compared to the overarching themes that emerged in the study, the literature on government activity in workforce planning and talent management suggested that Avalon's state government was not unique in its experience, challenges, or practices in workforce planning and talent management. The findings posed challenges and opportunities for Avalon's state government as it advanced toward an integrated talent management system. 

• In state government where priorities change with administrations and political influence, talent management needs to become an integrated, systemic, and sustainable practice able to endure beyond leadership transitions. This requires a long term vision and strong leadership support for system alignment and capacity building to address the talent needs of Avalon's state government. 
• Employment brands are built upon the structures, policies, and practices that frame the employee experience. While the enterprise HR strategic plan demonstrated movement toward an integrated talent management system, a long term human capital strategy is needed to increase Avalon state government's attractiveness as an employer in order to compete in a competitive talent market. Organizations that invest in their people are those who attract and retain talent. The lack of infrastructure related to essential components of employee engagement such as access to development opportunities, career pathways, and consistent HR policies and practices, indicate Avalon's state government is in the early stages of system changes. 
• Managers' practices in Avalon's state government reflected the culture, leadership, and systems that define and support talent management, and need to be considered in the context of the entire state. A clear picture of the vision, philosophy, goals, and strategies that include managerial development and accountability is necessary to cultivate talent leadership in practice. 
• Incoming generations to state government have different attitudes towards and expectations about work and require different management than previous generations of employees. The opportunity remains to structure and align classification, compensation, and career development systems that will attract, develop, and retain employees with the talent needed in Avalon's state government. 
• The barriers to workforce planning and talent management define opportunities to engage HR as a critical link between organization strategy and the HR systems, structures, and policies necessary to ensure business units are able to hire, develop, and retain Avalon state government's workforce. HR and managers need a common understanding of and joint efforts in addressing agencies' employee recruitment, development, and deployment needs. Managers are looking to HR for the structure and guidance in finding talent solutions. 

A long term vision for the state's position as an employer is essential to secure the support for continued progress toward an integrated system of talent management. An employment brand evolves from the ways in which an organization practices recruitment, development, and retention activities. The approach an organization takes to implement and invest in the systems and structures which support those activities reflect the organization's philosophy of and regard for its most valuable resource: talent. 

Limitations

As this interpretive case study was to conduct an exploration of managers' practices in one state government's set of agencies, it was not intended to generalize practices to the private sector, non-profits, or other states. The findings will be useful to inform strategies for sustaining or enhancing workforce planning and talent management practices in the state which was the subject of this study. 

Limitations may have arisen due to this researcher's insider knowledge as an employee of state government. With the years of experience I have in the public sector my perspective may not be as objective as a researcher not familiar with state government, its operations, and culture.

Implications for OD and Future Research

Managers in this interpretive case study described a strong sense of need for Avalon's state government to identify a statewide talent strategy and to align systems and policies that support talent as a strategic resource. Among those mentioned were compensation and classification systems; employee skills, career, and leadership development; and recruitment and retention efforts. Also clearly identified was the need for more transparent and consistently applied HR practices; a stronger relationship between HR and managers in order to support better practices; and increased talent leadership skills development for managers that would allow Avalon's state government to position itself as a desirable employer in a competitive talent market. Based on these findings, I suggest future research in the following areas:

• This case study focused on 12 managers' practices in state government in a Midwestern state. Research on managers' practices and perspectives in additional states would generate understanding of similarities or differences across geographic areas. 
• Understanding the links among talent strategy, managerial practices, and outcomes in state government has not been fully explored. Further studies on effects of managerial engagement in specific value chain activities would help identify the impact and value of differentiated activities. 
• As workplaces increase in generational diversity, research is needed to understand if there are differences in the impact of talent management strategies across generations at work. 
• Integrated talent management suggests whole systems are engaged in promulgating a talent mindset which cascades downward through the organization. I recommend further research to explore how sustainability beyond changes in administrations is achieved in political environments such as state government. 
• Further research is needed to understand how to achieve an integrated approach to talent management in decentralized organizations. I recommend studying how strategy is implemented in a way that supports a single employer message yet provides a consistent employee experience across decentralized systems. 
• Ensuring alignment of management and leadership development is critical to promulgate talent management practices throughout the organization. I encourage research to explore how talent strategy can be translated into management and leadership development programs, practices, and accountability measures.

Research Question Answered

This research study asked the question, "What are state government managers' practices in workforce planning and talent management?" The study yielded rich data and insights into the systems, policies and practices in state government, along with specific and detailed information on managers' practices to answer the research question.

Final Reflections

Conducting the case study of Avalon's state government was a multifaceted look at the layers and dynamics in which the systems of state government operate. A conversation that began with managers about their practices shone the spotlight on internal and external factors which influenced their abilities to engage in workforce planning and talent management. The external factors of dealing with changes in workforce composition and availability, in the face of politics as the driving nature of government, presented management challenges for those engaged in attracting, developing, and retaining the workforce. In the absence of a strong vision and message for human capital strategy, government will not be in a position to attract and keep the employees it needs to continue to implement and deliver the programs and services to its citizens.

Insight on HR practices in Avalon and other states' governments, in contrast with current literature on the overall role of HR, provided rich data on which to expand further study. HR needs a clearly defined role in the organization that partners with and provides support and guidance to managers in achieving the organizations' objectives through its employees.

The most compelling insight was the passion, dedication, and the desire that managers expressed to increase their own capacities to inspire, motivate, and develop employees in their charge. They clearly believed the best of the people they manage and have a strong belief in the importance of the work they do. It is the lack of or barriers within the systemic infrastructure that undercuts the workforce planning and talent management practices needed.

One of the greatest surprises that arose in conducting this study was the lack of discussion on diversity in any context other than age of the workforce. The reason is not clear why managers did not raise other diversity topics, especially as they all discussed changing demographics. It does raise the question how Avalon's state government, as an employer, will take on this significant challenge for the future. The workplace of the future is changing in many forms of diversity and the reputation an employer creates through its diversity and inclusion practices will be a major driver in the overall employment brand.

Conducting this research was an engagement into which I entered with a fledgling knowledge of talent management, a passion for learning more about it, and a curiosity for exploring the practices managers in state government undertake to hire, develop, and retain their workforce. This study revealed a perspective on state government not generally considered – that of the practitioners. The managers who participated in the interviews shared more than their practices and challenges. What shone through the conversations were managers' desires to become better talent leaders connected to a larger community of peers. The commitment and passion they shared provided a depth and dimension to state government that made it about real people instead of a large bureaucracy; I felt privileged to give them voice.

I developed a deep appreciation of the layered systems upon which government operates. It was a clarifying moment for me to grasp that government is built on politics and this will always be the driving force for decisions just as profits are to the private sector. Conducting this study also helped me view the system dependencies and interdependencies of strategic initiatives and how politics influences these, and to consider the delicate balance between action and perception. Balancing leadership and politics to address workforce issues is a significant challenge. I believe these research findings will contribute new thinking into how state governments consider their approaches to talent management and strengthen the employment brand of government in a competitive talent marketplace.