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Introduction program for new Introduction program for new employeesemployees

Workshop on HRM and Training in Statistical Offices14. September 2010, Geneva

Ingvild Maanum MøllerDivision for Human Resources

Statistics Norway

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Statistics Norway in a nutshell

• Responsible for 85 percent of all official statistics in Norway• About 300 statistics produced and 1000 (news) releases on

http://www.ssb.no annually• Statistics based on administrative registers and surveys • A Research Department within the institution

– Serving ministries with macroeconomic and micro simulation models

• 1000 employees in two locations– 600 in Oslo– 400 in Kongsvinger– (200 interviewers)

• Small majority of women – (54 per cent)– 34,5 per cent of management

• 2/3 have higher education• About 100 persons employed annually (but 2009 was

different)

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Previous introductory program:

• Run at least twice a year, 8 days (3 days statistical methods)

• Good evaluations, but little was actually remembered, little used in daily work

• Wish-list: – more about SSB at a strategic level – practical information on Human Resource

issues, and IT systems and tools. – individual career development, and

possibilities for working abroad.

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Do you remember…

…What it was like to be new at your job?

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Purpose with new course

• Contribute to creating a positive start for new employees;

• Create a better understanding of Statistics Norway as an institution and Statistics Norway’s responsibility for society;

• Give an overall understanding of statistical activities, and what describes good statistics;

• Contribute to creating professional and social contacts across departments.

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Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Strategy 2007

Cooperation to improve statistics

Statistics Norway – an institution that counts

Research of high quality

Quality in every process

Statistics portray society

Satisfied users and motivated respondents

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Statistics Norway – an institution that counts Statistics portray society

• Statistics Norway’s strategy;

• Statistics Norway’s social mission, history and culture;

• Statistics Norway’s safety procedures;

• The totality and the individual elements of the statistical production.

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Quality in every process

• Quality work in Statistics Norway;

• The importance of good questionnaire in quality work;

• What is metadata and its importance of Statistics Norway;

• Why do we need statistical methods in Statistics Norway;

• Quality work - presentation and dissemination

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Cooperation to improve statistics

• Statistics Norway 's national contacts and partners;

• Relations with suppliers of administrative data;

• International cooperation;

• International collaboration – some practical experience;

• How we work and cooperate within Statistics Norway.

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Research of high qualitySatisfied users and motivated respondents

• Statistics Norway’s establishment in Kongsvinger;

• Dissemination of statistics and analysis;

• Data collection;

• Data collection and dissemination of the consumer price index;

• Statistics Norway’s research activities.

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MAIN FINDINGS

Benefits for participants

• The course gave general knowledge

• Improvement: provide more specific knowledge and encourage cooperation

What benefits did I get from the course?

General knowledge

Network

Feeling of belonging

Confidence at work

Specific knowledge

Ability to cooperate

1 2 3 4 5 6

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1 - strongly disagree 5 - strongly agree

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MAIN FINDINGS

Suggestions for improvements

• More examples, avoid repetition, more practicality and breaks

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Suggestions to improve the course

Examples in presentationsAvoiding repetitionMore practical examples More breaks

More discussionsFeedback abut groupworks

Various assignmentsMore challeging tasks

More interactionMore time for groupworks

Inspiring presenters

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

1 - strongly disagree 5 - strongly agree

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What worked well

• Using Strategy 2007 for structure

• Ownership of course in HR

• Course leader present at all times

• Overnight stay at hotel

• Support from top management

• Consumer price index (CPI) was used as an example throughout the program, to make some of the more theoretical topics more accessible to the participants, as well as understanding CPI.

“It’s great to meet top leaders in the course, have the course in different locations and get to know people”

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Let’s remember the purpose

– Contribute to creating a positive start for new employees Met. “The course gave positive impressions”.

– Create a better understanding of Statistics Norway as an institution and Statistics Norway’s responsibility for society

Met. “The course was informative and provided general knowledge about the company”.

– Give an overall understanding of statistical activities, and what describes good statistics

Partly met. “Gave an overall understanding. The course could provide more specific knowledge”.

– Contribute to creating professional and social contacts across departments

Met. “This is a great opportunity to meet leaders and get to know other employees”.

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What about next time?

• General vs. job specific knowledge– Many backgrounds, different job tasks– the topics are perceived as too general ? – How to make topics relevant for everyone?

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What about next time?

• Many brief vs. a few thorough topics– ambitious program, many topics– tried to keep the presentations short– participants wanted more examples in the presentations, – more practical tasks, – more discussions, – and more feedback

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What about next time?

• Statistical vs. non-statistical competence

– Framework for competence: “basic competences”, “core competences” and “job specific competences”

“Modern statistics needs new profile of statistician. Knowledge of statistics (concepts and methods) must be accompanied by flexibility, invention, communicative and language abilities, capacities in team co-operation. We need more staff with managerial skills, understanding its own work in relation to other activities of the institution”.

Mr. Jan Fischer at the UNSC High level forum in 2008

- process orientation

abilities in team work and project/process - management combined with innovative and analytical capacities ?

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What about next time?

• Inspiring presenters– Presenters given a summary of the evaluation and clear

instructions on the main purpose of the topic, – we encouraged interactivity.– Some presenters not engaging the participants– Monologues– PowerPoint with a lot of text– the presenters are first and

foremost statisticians

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What else can be done?

Before the course

• Trigger participants’ interest

• Signalize the importance of the course

• Assure participants’ preparation for the course

• Create e-learning course

• Test the knowledge before the course?

• Let participants to be aware that their will be tested after the course

During the course

• Show how different methods can be applied at work

• Increase concentration

• Use more practical examples in the presentations

• Initiate discussions

After the course

• Test the knowledge that participants gained after the course?

• Initiate small group works after the course

• Inspire new employees to share their ideas

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Evaluation ModelKirkpatrick, 1998

4. Results - did it generate results? the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainee's performance /application

3. Transfer/behavior – did they use it ?extent of behavior and capability improvement and implementation

2. Learning – did they learn? the resulting increase in knowledge or capability

1. Reaction - did they like it ? what they thought and felt about the training

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“Newcomers learn through active participation in a social practice, and as a result of interaction between newcomers and established members”

Lave and Wenger, 1991

“The most important aspect of human resource development is the daily professional work and cooperation with colleagues”

Statistics Norway HR strategy

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Towards integration, not only introduction

We are currently also working on the following measures:

• The role of the mentor, more assistance and clearer definition of responsibility

• Review information given by HR department at arrival and after some months

• Assess (and possibly add) courses offered at our internal training to this target group, make some mandatory for some groups

• Update and supplement information at our intranet

• Individual career planning offered after 12 months on the job

• E-learning on certain topics. This means training can be offered at a more targeted time, e.g. 2 weeks after employment begun

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Thank you!Thank you!

imm@ssb.no