Baldrige Express Follow-up

IPS and the Baldrige Express Survey
One Year Later, What Happened?

In October 2009, employees of the Institute for Public Service were invited to respond to an online survey asking how we rate our organizational performance compared to national standards of performance excellence. Of the 167 distributed surveys, 131 IPS employees responded, achieving a 78% response rate. We noted several organizational strengths including our commitment to customers, our willingness to measure our performance, leaders’ commitment to promoting legal and ethical behaviors, and the scope and quality of the workplace benefits. We also noted five priority opportunities for improvement that could help us become an even more valuable asset to Tennesseans. Listed below are those five opportunities for improvement and an abbreviated list of actions that have been taken or are underway since we completed the Baldrige Express Survey last year.

Analysis and Use of Customer Data: determining customer groups and segmentsThough we have significant amounts of information about our customers, we believed we could be even more effective by doing a better job of segmenting, targeting and collaborating on our training and assistance efforts. Actions undertaken this year included: (1) CIS and CTAS deployed shared worker safety training programs targeted to county highway officials; (2) MTAS and CTAS targeting Pioneer Academy training sessions for rural leaders; (3) CTAS and LEIC deployed new training for Sheriffs departments’ corrections leaders; and (4) MTAS survey of each city to determine which services are most valued.

Emergency Readiness: preparing the work system and the workplace for emergencies and disastersThe IPS Public Safety and Worker Safety Strategy Team and the IPS Human Resources Strategy Team worked together to update and distribute emergency evacuation plans for each IPS work location. The IPS IT Strategy Team reviewed data management processes and practices to assure emergency and disaster plans are properly implemented throughout the Institute.

Workforce Enrichment: performance management system to support high performance work and workforce engagementWith input from the IPS Performance Management Strategy Team, the IPS Leadership Team developed and deployed a draft IPS Balanced Scorecard for FY11. Specific performance metrics and performance targets continue to be refined in preparation for the Calendar Year 2011 Annual Performance Review (APR) and Goal Setting period. The IPS Annual Supervisors survey was administered again in September 2010 with feedback and results used to support 2010 APRs and 2011 individual development plans. Finally, IPS deployed the Baldrige Express tool and engaged targeted IPS leaders in a variety of professional development settings (Pals’ Business Excellence Institute, Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence, Baldrige Regional Conference) designed to support improved understanding of high performance work systems.

Vision, Values and Mission: sustaining the organization through innovation, learning, organizational agility, and developing leadersMany actions were undertaken involving this priority. One example is the IPS Leadership Team’s initial implementation of the recommendations from the IPS Organizational Review process regarding opportunities to promote collaboration between IPS and UT Extension (e.g. the CREST economic development pilot project) and additional IPS engagement with faculty and students in the conduct of our work (e.g. Candace Graham hired as first Muscatello-Rodgers Intern during Summer 2010). Another example is the creation and deployment of the IPS Leadership Academy, a two-year professional development program to better acquaint participants with IPS and University operations and how IPS contributes to the University’s outreach mission.

Communications and Organizational Performance: effectively communicating, engaging and encouraging workers to take action to improve performance and create customer valueThe IPS Communications Strategy Team took an active role in addressing this priority. First, a survey was completed of all IPS staff exploring the methods by which IPS employees prefer to be communicated with. Following the survey, additional communications tools were deployed including a Vice President’s blog and a mid-month electronic update of the IPS Exchange newsletter. Changes have been made to the IPS employees intranet to promote easier sharing of sensitive organizational information and a new, standard format for updates to IPS strategic planning teams work agendas and accomplishments has been created.

As IPS and its agencies continue our organizational journey, we will continue working to improve our performance. Using the platform of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program provides us a world class tool and language to approach our continuous improvement efforts and comparative information to help in our journey. Thank you for all you are doing to help us improve, including providing feedback and changing your approaches to work as we move ahead together.