Human Resource Practices Development Team

Design Team Report June 1996 - February 1997

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VI. Description of a Transition Team Model

Guiding Principles

Team Structure: A Description of the Model

Team Composition

First Phase of Implementation

Strategic Planning

In partnership with the current Personnel Office, the Human Resource Practices Transition Team (HRPT Team) is oriented toward the future. It will have a dual role: technical advisor and strategic planner. As a technical advisor to reengineering teams and other units undergoing structural change, the team will pilot certain of the recommended human resource practices. Apart from the pilots arising from structural change, the team will investigate and test other recommended practices in interested units elsewhere in the Institute. The goal of this multi-year project is to help MIT evolve a comprehensive, equitable human resource strategy that will be applied consistently across the Institute. However, such a strategy will also allow for adaptation and "customization," if necessary, to fit specific needs in various administrative and academic settings across MIT.

With ongoing strong and visible support from senior administrative and academic leadership, the HRPT Team can also be a clearinghouse and resource center for initiating, testing, analyzing, and evaluating new human resource practices, such as team training, innovative compensation alternatives, and a comprehensive employee orientation process.

Guiding Principles

Implementation of the human resource practice recommendations will occur over time in a way that favors testing, measurement and continual assessment. Further, the implementation process will be open, inclusive of the MIT community, and designed to ensure success across the wide variety of sub-communities within MIT. The process of implementing specific recommendations will generally include the following elements:

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HRPD Team Structure: A Description of the Model

The transition design is built around the integration of a core team, five sub-teams and affiliated pilot sites. The core transition team, the HRPD Team, consists of a team leader who will manage the project, five sub-team captains with specific expertise in the core practice areas, a community outreach coordinator, and dedicated administrative and support staff. A process consultant and an outside strategic planner will assist the team.

The five sub-teams will be focused on redesigning specific human resource areas. Sub-team A will examine the design of jobs, roles, and the compensation and reward structure. Sub-team B, in partnership with Information Technology (IT), will be responsible for changing technology to more effectively support human resources. Sub-team C will determine changes to the training and development and performance planning processes. Sub-team D will map the current human resource processes administered by the Personnel Office, and examine the complementary practices administered in the local areas. They will recommend more effective methods of working and collaboration. Sub-team E will develop methods for identifying competencies and integrating them into human resource practices, such as hiring and career planning. While sub-team members will be recruited largely through a public process at the Institute, it is critical to involve the current staff of the Personnel Office in the teams.

The transition team will have a direct relationship with pilot sites developing one or more of the human resource practices.

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HRPD Team Composition

The HRPD Team will include professionals with a 100% time commitment who have or will soon attain sufficient technical expertise in either a particular human resource area , such as job/role design, compensation and rewards, or a supporting area, such as technology. In this capacity, they will be resources for both the team and its affiliated pilot sites. In most cases, these "content experts" will also serve as sub-team leaders focused on determining how a particular practice can best be applied at MIT. The transition team will likely include some members of the Human Resource Practices Design Team, while other team members will be recruited on the basis of their competencies from across the Institute. The efforts of this team will link to the ongoing efforts of central HR.

Roles critical to the success of the team include sponsors, a team leader to manage the project, dedicated administrative and support staff, and a communications coordinator. To ensure continuity of direction, learning, and development of in-house expertise, it is recommended that Hay/McBer continue as process consultant to the team.

First Phase of Implementation

Using the detailed recommendations as a framework, the HRPD Team will begin by identifying priorities, developing a specific work plan, and recruiting sub-team members. When fully operational, the HRPD Team will conduct simultaneous experiments (pilots) across the Institute. The team will negotiate memoranda of agreement with pilot sites to define and clarify the roles of the HRPD Team, the current central HR personnel and the staff in the operating units and/or implementation teams.

The HRPD Team will regularly recalibrate the work plan based on the outcomes of those pilots. More than one recommended practice will be "tested" through sub-teams' involvement in pilot sites. As the transition team gains knowledge from one pilot, new applications of once-tested practices will be piloted in a different type of operating unit. In this way, the team and its partners will understand the implications of new practices in both academic and administrative areas, structured departments and short-term workplace settings.

The operating mode of the HRPD Team will be grounded in learning through testing, analysis, recalibration, research and widespread dialogue. The team will provide quarterly summary reports to the MIT community, including the Steering Committee.

Strategic Planning

As the HRPT Team works to help MIT change human resource practices, many strategic issues will emerge for future consideration. As these issues arise, MIT may need an outside strategic planning consultant to work with both the senior leadership and the HRPT Team to integrate human resource strategy into the overall strategic direction the Institute.

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