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December 14, 2009
1. What is an organizational review?
An organizational review looks at the structure and systems of an organization. It means making critical decisions about how an organization is structured and the systems it uses to communicate and provide services.
The City of Red Deer’s organizational review focuses on management and leadership levels. There is no direct impact on non-exempt employees and their jobs. It is about ensuring effective leadership and service delivery.
2. Why did The City need to go through an organizational review?
The way we have been working is not sustainable. Through the organizational review, we strive to enhance effective leadership and provide excellent municipal services.
3. When was the last organizational review at The City?
The City of Red Deer underwent an organizational review in 1994 when we had less than 600 employees. We now have close to 1,200 employees.
4. How does the organizational review connect to the 2009-2011 Strategic Plan?
The 2009 – 2011 Strategic Plan addresses the organizational review within the Be Excellent goal area. This goal area focuses internally on our organization. It is about all of us; how we work together, trust each other, value the work we do and be innovative.
Goal: Be Excellent – Spirit to make it happen: Create a sustainable workforce through trusting our people, valuing the work they do and encouraging work life balance.
Objective: SPIRIT 2: Create an organizational structure and corporate culture that facilitates leadership and effective service delivery.
Strategy: SPIRIT 2.4: Undertake and implement an organizational review that enhances effective strategic leadership.
5. What process was used for the organizational review?
June 2009: City Council adopts the need for an “organizational review” as part of the
2009-2011 Strategic Plan.
July 2009: City Manager appoints consultant to undertake review
August 2009: Terms of reference established
September 2009: Consultant undertakes interviews with Council members, SMT
and department heads.
October 2009: Consultant presents recommendations to Council and SMT behind closed
doors
November 2009: City Manager and SMT discuss consultant recommendations
December 2009: City Manager presents his Phase 1 recommendations to Council
6. What issues does the organizational review address?
Leadership and decision making
Some roles and relationships are unclear at the leadership and management levels and need to be more clearly defined. This includes ensuring leadership focuses on strategic planning and direction while ensuring managers are part of the decision making process.
Communication
Internal communication and collaboration is difficult due to the present hierarchical structure and limited mechanisms that are in place for staff to consistently communicate and interact both within and across divisional boundaries.
Culture
Rapid growth in the organization, changes in leadership and the shifting demographics of the workplace has impacted the organizational culture.
Process
There are a number of key systems / processes which need improvement including planning services and committee structure.
7. What changes will be made?
On Monday, December 14, the City Manager recommended and City Council approved the following six areas which provide the foundation for future transformations to the organizational structure.
Recommendation 1: Establish a new Corporate Leadership Team (CLT)
The new CLT will replace the current Senior Management Team. The team will focus on strategic priorities driving The City towards our vision of innovative thinking, inspired results, vibrant community.
The new team will include:
- City Manager
- Director of Corporate Services
- Director of Community Services
- Director of Development Services
- Director of Planning (new position)
- Manager of Human Resources
- Manager of Communications & Strategic Planning
- Manager of Legislative & Administrative Services
This broader team will bring a variety of new perspectives including planning, communications and city clerk functions to the table. It will also ensure greater alignment of decisions with the strategic direction and corporate values.
Recommendation 2: Establish an Operational Leadership Team (OLT)
This team will consist of department heads and directors. This will allow for cross-departmental collaboration and more input by department heads into the direction of the organization. This will empower decision making at the appropriate level.
This team will provide a corporate view of operational issues, challenges and opportunities and will utilize this viewpoint to make decisions rather than a divisional or departmental focus.
Recommendation 3: Create a Planning division
Currently planning and development functions are located in two different divisions and an outside service provider. No dedicated planning and development division is responsible for functions related to the ongoing growth of the city. This disjointed approach to planning creates barriers to the city reaching its full potential.
The new planning division will include:
- Inspections and Licensing department
- Land and Economic Development department
- Red Deer 300,000 project
- Greater Downtown Planning
- Tourism Board (Liaison)
- Parkland Community Planning Services (PCPS) staff liaison
- Parades and special events applications (liaison with)
While PCPS will remain a contracted agency, the new planning division will be their connection into the organization.
Other changes related to this area include:
- Changing the membership of the Municipal Planning Commission by making the City Manager and Director of Development Services advisory members rather than voting members.
- Reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of establishing an in-house planning department as opposed to the present contract with PCPS.
Recommendation 4: Review Police Services
There is a need to update the current Policing Study completed in 2005. As part of this update, the pros and cons of establishing a municipal police force and the related cost implications will be explored.
A Protective Services division comprised of Police, Emergency Services and Disaster Planning will be explored in Phase 2.
Recommendation 5: Review, articulate and communicate the role of Council and its boards and committees
With new leadership, roles and relationships have changed. The roles of Council, CLT and the governance relationship with the City boards and committees are unclear and must be examined.
Recommendation 6: Departmental changes
The CLT will develop a series of principles to govern future restructuring within individual divisions and departments.
8. What are the next steps?
These recommendations make up Phase 1 of the organizational review. Phase 2 will focus on a review of services that are currently provided by outside contracts and the potential alignment of Police, Emergency Services, Disaster Management and Corporate Security functions under a new division. You will be kept informed of the progress and decisions being made.
9. What about the hiring review, is this part of the organizational review?
No. The organizational review addresses the management and leadership structure of the organization. The hiring review process was implemented in response to the economic recession and the drop in service demand in some departments.
All vacancies will be evaluated against the following criteria:
- Service impact if vacancy not filled
- Financial cost or saving if position not filled
- Can the responsibilities / workload be reallocated within the organization
The 2010 operating budget recommendations will address a number of positions which will be kept vacant. This may result in some temporary or permanent reorganization within divisions and departments.
10. What will this restructuring cost?
There will be some changes in salary due to additional responsibilities for some positions; however as this is a normal practice this expense is already built into the budget.
The newly appointed Planning Director will work within an amalgamation of the various individual departmental budgets. The cost of the planning and policing reviews has not yet been determined.
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For more information, please contact:
Craig Curtis
City Manager
403 342-8156
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