HR info RH Bulletin

Healthy Workplace Month

October is Canada's Healthy Workplace Month and this year's theme is "Great Employers Create Thriving Workplaces". Throughout the month, ESDC will be offering several virtual activities and events to help you familiarize yourself with the many tools, services and resources available in our department and throughout the public service that can contribute to a healthy workplace. Don't miss out on the scheduled activities throughout the month that will provide tools to help you maintain a healthy and respectful workplace.

New myEMS (PeopleSoft) 9.2 version

HRSB, in collaboration with IITB, are working on an upgrade from version 9.1 to version 9.2 of myEMS (PeopleSoft), which is scheduled to go live on November 16, 2020.

Some examples of changes that will be reflected in this new release:

• a more fluid and modern navigation in myEMS (PeopleSoft);
• tabs, buttons, and hyperlinks which are easier to read and identify;
• managers will be able to approve multiple leaves of absence at the same time;
• the ability to upload an image (e.g. photo) to the employee's personal profile, if they choose to;
• access myEMS (PeopleSoft) from a mobile device (e.g. work mobile phone);
• access to the Departmental Directory to quickly find a contact in the department while also identifying the organizational structure of this employee; and,
• a new logo for myEMS (PeopleSoft) that will be revealed just before the launch.

Additional information tools (e.g. the PSGuide, and updated iService pages) will soon be shared to help employees and managers adapt to the system's new fluid interface.

Please note that myEMS (PeopleSoft) will not be available between Tuesday, November 10, 2020, 8:00 p.m. EST and Monday, November 16, 2020, 6:00 a.m. EST in order to implement the upgrade. Worth highlighting, the actual impact of this temporary shutdown will be two business days (November 12 and 13, 2020), mindful that Remembrance Day (November 11, 2020) is a federal statutory holiday.

If you have any questions, please contact HRSB's Change Management team.

Actions required in myEMS (PeopleSoft) before November 10, 2020

As part of the upgrade from version 9.1 to version 9.2 of myEMS (PeopleSoft), which is scheduled for release on November 16, 2020, all ESDC managers must action all requests for Leave with pay, Leave without pay (LWOP) for 5 days or less, and Overtime (Compensatory leave) that are pending approval in myEMS (PeopleSoft) by November 10, 2020.

After this date, all previously identified leave requests that have not been processed by management will be automatically approved by the myEMS (PeopleSoft) system.

In addition, please note that requests entered in advance for the 2021–2022 fiscal year that have not been approved, will automatically be rejected, and the employee will be required to resubmit the request following the November 16, 2020 launch.

If you require assistance in reviewing your leave requests that are pending approval, please refer to the PSGuide topic "Approve Employee Absences (DOCX, 63 KB)". If you have questions related to this process, please do not hesitate to contact the HR Business Systems team via the Human Resources Service Centre (PeopleSoft Related Request).

Make the most of your mid-year performance discussions!

Flexible deadline and process due to COVID-19!

For their respective branch or region, Assistant Deputy Ministers:

• have the flexibility to establish a deadline for mid-year performance discussions to take place between October 30, 2020 and January 29, 2021. Members of the Performance and Talent Management Branch and Regional Coordinators Network are your contacts for answers to branch or region specific questions.
• have the option for their managers to input mid-year data in the Public Service Performance Management Application (PSPM App) at year-end for employees who are on track to meet their objectives, thus alleviating the need to access the system at mid-year.
  • The requirement for managers/supervisors to input a mid-year narrative assessment and comments in the PSPM App continues to apply for employees whose performance indicates a need for improvement.

The mid-year process of performance management allows for a:

• structured check-in conversation between managers/supervisors, and their employees, around progress on work objectives (the "what") and core competencies (the "how").
• good opportunity to review and modify the employees work objectives, learning, and development plans.
• manager/supervisor to ensure that employees are on track and getting the guidance, coaching and learning support they require to maximize their work contributions during the remainder of the performance cycle.
• chance to give recognition for a job well done.

There is information available to help you get started, and to provide support for your mid-year discussions with your employees:

• The Performance Management's Mid-Year Review page includes various reference tools.
• The ESDC Mandatory Training page outlines mandatory learning requirements that both new and current employees and managers need to include in their Learning and Development Plans.
• The Office of Informal Conflict Management (OICM) acts as a neutral third party for managers/supervisors and employees, offering ways to prevent, manage, and resolve workplace conflicts. It also offers coaching services to managers/supervisors on how to provide effective feedback and handle difficult conversations. 
• Labour Relations assists managers/supervisors in addressing cases of unsatisfactory performance by providing guidance and support.

Reminder on the use of the Human Resources Service Centre for Labour Relations and Occupational Health and Safety issues related to COVID-19

At the onset of the pandemic, the Regional Emergency Operational Centres (REOC) and the National Emergency Operational Centre (NEOC) became the primary mechanisms for managers to submit their questions related to COVID-19. Following a review of the process, managers are encouraged to return to using the Human Resources Service Centre (HRSC) web application for advice and guidance on most labour relations and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requests/issues related to COVID-19.

How to submit your COVID-19 related requests/issues:

• Open a ticket through the HRSC if you have case-specific enquiries regarding individual employees or small groups with little to no broader implications.
• To a REOC for region-specific requests/issues requiring a standardized regional approach.
• To the NEOC when issues require the department to take a position of national importance.

Managers are also encouraged to continue to consult and use the Manager's Guide on HR Issues during a COVID-19 Pandemic and ESDC's Guide to Returning to the Workplace which are updated on a regular basis, as well as the Practical Guide for Managers – Use of Leave With Pay for Other Reasons (699).