Using Best in Class Practices to bring the Government to the Next Level

by Heather L. Fallon

Washington State has become one of the most innovative state employers. The Director of Personnel, Eva Santos recently presented on where they were, what they have done and what the future holds.

One of the reasons that HR has been brought to the forefront in the state is because the Governor has truly made HR a strategic business partner. The position is a cabinet level position with direct reporting to the Governor.

Technology has taken a key role in bringing their personal system to the next level. The new state job search website: careers.wa.gov is one of the best out there and is a true search engine for potential job seekers. It also includes a wealth of important information for those who are current state employees.

In addition, the department has developed a unique leadership program. They realize that better managers, make for a happier and more productive workforce. The three tier program includes steps on; supervision essentials, a middle-manager program and executive learning opportunities. In several of these opportunities they have partnered with both local colleges as well as Harvard University to develop their curriculum.

Read the Presentation Here.

Heather L. Fallon currently serves as the Director for the Center for Human Capital Management at The Performance Institute. For comments and or questions she can be reached directly at Fallon@PerformanceWeb.org.   

The Performance Institute, located in Arlington, VA., is a private, non-partisan think tank seeking to improve government performance through the principles of competition, accountability performance, and transparency. PI serves as the nation’s leading authority and repository on performance based management practices for government. The mission of the Institute is to identify, study, and disseminate the leading management innovations pioneered by “best in class” organizations.