workforce NEWSTVA TAlenT Sourcing And SupporT SerViceS

Issue 3 | Spring 2012

For TalenT Sourcing anD SupporT ServiceS, 2012 iS abouT

We are continuing to strengthen our partnerships within TVA by working with business units to understand their needs and the skills required to accomplish their goals.

We are streamlining our processes for filling internal positions, as well as for recruiting external candidates.

In 2011, we reduced the time to hire someone outside of TVA by 20 days. Our time-to-hire count begins the day a requisition to hire is requested and ends when the individual selected for the position is sitting in New Employee Experience. A new website for new hires – featured in this issue – is one of the reasons we were able to achieve this objective.

We are building stronger relationships with colleges and universities, too.

We have identified three focus areas for our 2012 recruiting efforts, along with a list of tier 1 and tier 2 schools.

A TVA executive sponsor has been assigned to each of the tier 1 schools. These individuals will work closely with Talent Sourcing and Support Services to strengthen TVA’s connection with the schools by attending career fairs, classroom visits, conferences and other events. We will engage tier 2 schools when we have specific needs.

We also are taking steps to not only retain the interns and co-op students we have already invested in, but also to retain the knowledge of our long-time employees.

Finally, we are stepping up efforts to recruit veterans.

This month’s issue highlights activities across Talent Management. It gives you a glimpse of what next quarter’s issue will offer when we transition to a single newsletter for all of Talent Management.

As you read this newsletter, please give me a call or send me an email if you think of ways we can partner with you.

Susan StoutSenior Manager, Talent Sourcing and Support ServicesPhone: 423-751-8709Email: smstout@tva.gov

relationships

Intern Program

Continues To GrowThis spring 265 interns will be learning more about Tva while contributing to the company’s mission and vision.

An orientation was held for the new interns in January.

Several new activities are scheduled for the spring session, including a career seminar and a resume writing course.

“TVA’s intern program is used as a pipeline to

permanent employment,” says Shunyale Griffin, program manager of TVA’s Intern/Co-op Program. “We have a goal of placing at least 50 percent of interns in TVA positions after graduation.”

In fiscal year 2011, TVA hired 79 percent of its senior interns and met a diversity goal of 36 percent. In December 2011, TVA hired 22 percent of its senior interns.

As summer approaches, Talent Sourcing and Support Services will focus on placing the May graduates in TVA positions. Approximately 110 interns will graduate in May.

TVA Recruiter Michelle Woods, left, talks with Information Technology interns

Kagney Goodwin and Antonio Lansden.

Talent Sourcing and Support Services staff joined representatives from Tva’s power Service Shops at the 2011 power-gen international – an event attended by more than 20,000 people from 92 countries.

While employees from the Power Service Shops were promoting their repair and maintenance services from a 50x50 booth they built, Talent Sourcing and Support Services was on hand to recruit for TVA. Approximately 1,200 companies from the power industry had exhibits at the event.

Lane Bassham, a program manager in Talent Sourcing and Support Services, says staff talked with individuals who stopped by the booth and accepted resumes, as well as met with a number of recruiting firms about filling niche positions at TVA.

“It was a worthwhile partnership to have Talent Sourcing and Support Services employees with us at Power-Gen International,” says Wayne Oliver, general manager of TVA’s Power Service Shops. “The professionalism and spirit they brought to the team was outstanding!”

Talent Sourcing and Support Services plans to partner with the Power Service Shops at future trade shows.

Tennessee Veterans Business AssociationJan. 24, Annual Business Expo, Knoxville, TN

Mississippi State UniversityJan. 31, Career Fair (Business and Non-technical), Starkville, MS

Mississippi State UniversityFeb. 1, Career Fair (Engineering and Technical), Starkville, MS

North Carolina State UniversityFeb. 2, Career Fair (Engineering and Technical), Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State UniversityFeb. 3, Career and Internship Fair, Raleigh, NC

AuburnFeb. 7, Career Fair (Engineering and Technical), Auburn, AL

University of Tennessee at KnoxvilleFeb. 8, Summer Job and Intern Fair, Knoxville, TN

University of Alabama at HuntsvilleFeb. 8, Career Fair, Huntsville, AL

University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFeb. 8, Career Fair, Chattanooga, TN

Naval Submarine Base Feb. 8, Career Fair (Engineering and Technical), Kings Bay, GA

University of KentuckyFeb. 14, Career Fair (Engineering and Technical), Lexington, KY

Vanderbilt Feb. 16, Engineering Career Fair, Nashville, TN

Tennessee TechFeb. 23, Engineer Career Day, Cookeville, TN

Bryan CollegeFeb. 25, Career Fair, Dayton, TN

University of Tennessee at KnoxvilleMarch 1, UTK Engineering Expo, Knoxville, TN

Virginia Tech March 1, Engineering Career Fair, Blacksburg, VA

Service Academy Career ConferenceMarch 1-2, Engineering Career Fair, Savannah, GA

Spring Recruiting Events

TVA Attends Power-Gen International

From left: Monica Stevens, recruiter; Anna Hayes Bruce, procurement agent; and Jack Day, manager of Power Service Shops Planning, at the 2011 Power-Gen International.

In September 2010, I sat across the table from TVA recruiters and executives at the National Black MBA Association’s career fair in Los Angeles, Calif., in pursuit of a career after graduate school.

Last September I was invited to attend the NBMBAA career fair in Atlanta, Ga., with TVA senior managers and Talent Management personnel.

I was on the inside looking out – helping recruit top-notch talent to TVA. It was a different, but fulfilling experience to know that the year before I had been walking around, waiting in line myself, and meeting with recruiters and managers from many companies.

The NBMBAA’s annual career fair is an amazing opportunity for TVA, and for graduate students and experienced professionals seeking career opportunities within a company such as TVA.

The event allows the students or professionals to meet face to face with individuals within a company, rather than submitting their resumes online and waiting for a response.

Having been on the job-seeker side of the table in September 2010 and on the recruiting side last September, I feel that the NBMBAA annual career fair enables candidates to form a personal relationship with a senior manager or a member of Talent Management that can help demonstrate the qualifications, experiences and, more important, the individual’s personality for a possible fit within an organization at TVA.

On the Inside

BY JULIEN SEALS, ANALYST, TREASURY MANAGEMENT

Looking Out

improvements in workforce planning initiated by Tva’s Talent Management organization are helping Tva achieve a more competitive edge.

The effort focuses on improving the processes TVA uses to anticipate and ensure a pipeline of talent to meet future workforce needs. “Workforce planning was identified as an area of opportunity as TVA moves forward in turning our vision for 2020 into reality,” says Kristy Stewart, senior manager of Talent Planning and Performance Management. “We’ve taken steps to improve how workforce planning is handled across TVA.” To kick off this initiative, Human Resource Planning Analyst Shonna Moore met with business units across TVA to document their workforce planning practices. The goal was to develop an integrated approach for obtaining, forecasting, submitting and reporting staffing information. “In the past, TVA’s approach to workforce planning varied from organization to organization because of a lack of tools, technology and process accountability,” Moore says. “This created inconsistencies and barriers

that impeded our ability to attract and develop the people and skills needed to meet our goals.” A new approachTalent Management and key stakeholders have collaborated to develop a structured, formal workforce planning process for TVA. Pilots have been conducted to validate each of the process steps. A new database also has been integrated with TVA’s current Human Resource Information System (HRIS). This database will be used as a strategic communication and planning tool. It will help Human Resources and Talent Management assess workforce demand and supply; develop accurate staffing forecasts; identify attrition trends and critical staffing metrics; and create staffing strategies for current vacancies. TVA’s Employee Relations consultants and their respective business units completed training last November. The training focused on the purpose of each phase of the enhanced workforce planning process; the roles and responsibilities of both the consultants and the business unit during each phase; and how to generate reports using the new HR planning tool.

TVA Makes Changes To Better Manage Workforce Needs

“The enhanced workforce planning process will give business units a more strategic, structured and proactive approach to identify critical staffing gaps, resolve key training deficiencies, mitigate staffing risks and retain essential knowledge sets. These factors impact Tva’s competitiveness and ability to achieve its vision.”

Steve McMillenvice president of Talent Management

Nine Talent Management and Human Resources employees were recognized for helping TVA’s Distributor Compliance group meet its staffing target. In response to the TVA board’s direction to create an assessment organization to support TVA’s role as a regulator, the Compliance Office was challenged with starting a new function with a Valley-wide presence. “The support we received from Talent Management and Human Resources was invaluable,” Distributor Compliance Director Rick Buchanan says. “When it comes to interacting with distributors of TVA power, there is no room for mistakes, so it was critical to recruit individuals with strong interpersonal skills and a broad base of technical experience. The groups jumped right in, listened to our business requirements and brought in qualified candidates with the right skills to hit the ground running.” The team members included: Human Resources’ Mike Ayers, Judy Gregory, Kathy Kirkham and Casonya Rose; and Talent Management’s Allison Bailey, Abby Bass, Lisa Murray, Logan Shipe and Michelle Woods.

Richard Herrin was recently honored by the Nuclear Power Group with an employee recognition award for developing and executing a strategic recruiting plan to help Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant’s Engineering Department fill its vacancies.

The department had a critical staffing shortage that had received attention from the National Safety Review Board and Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. At one time, the department was down by almost 20 engineers.

“As the only recruiter assigned to assist BFN with all of its staffing needs, Richard was aggressive in establishing a solution,” says Mike Durr, BFN’s director of engineering. “Richard spoke with hiring managers to obtain detailed information about their needs, desires and challenges.”

Herrin used different recruiting techniques than had been previously used – such as coordinating engineering interview fairs, which cut weeks off of the recruiting process since managers were able to interview multiple candidates for numerous vacancies during one visit.

Herrin also placed cold calls to industry peers to locate and attract potential candidates.

“Richard’s relentless tenacity has been instrumental in us not only filling vacancies but preparing for attrition as well,” Durr says.

Customer Thanks Groups for Outstanding Performance

Senior Recruiter Honored for Exemplary Performance

Talent Management’s Michelle Woods, left, and Abby Bass were among the team members who received an award for their efforts.

Richard Herrin displays the framed certificate he received from his clients at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.

These veterans are a win-win for TVA, says Susan Stout, senior manager of Talent Sourcing and Support Services.

“These individuals not only add to the diversity of TVA’s workforce, but they have the skills and drive that TVA needs for its operations,” Stout says.

Wes Wingo, an Employee Relations consultant who also serves as TVA’s veterans affairs manager, agrees.

“It is wonderful to see TVA take advantage of the opportunity to make veterans a valued part of its workforce,” Wingo says. “Veterans possess a unique skill set that will only serve to enhance TVA’s efforts to pursue its vision.”

Recruiting efforts Talent Management personnel regularly attend the

Service Academy Career Conference – a job fair for the graduates of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.; the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y.

Talent Management represented TVA at the 2011 Service Academy Career Conference in Seattle. TVA participated in the 2012 conference in Savannah, Ga., in March.

Members of Talent Management and TVA hiring managers also attend the annual Navy Tri-Base Career Fair in Jacksonville, Fla. The event targets separating, retiring or retired service members from the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia, and the Naval Station Mayport and the Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida.

TVA Actively Recruits Veterans for Its Energy Future

TVA is committed to recruiting and hiring U.S. military veterans – including veterans who are disabled.

TVA also participated in a separate recruiting event for service members with a nuclear background held in Kings Bay, Ga., in February.

In addition, TVA targets local military candidates by attending career fairs sponsored by the Tennessee Army National Guard. Talent Management personnel attended a career fair in Smyrna, Tenn., in December, and a similar fair in Chattanooga in March.

TVA is developing a long-term relationship with Troops to Energy – a program managed by the Center for Energy Workforce Development.

“This program provides TVA with the opportunity to recruit veterans that have been trained in skill sets that directly translate to some of TVA’s most important jobs,” Stout says.

Talent Management also works with the Army Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) to identify and elevate its referrals for entry-level positions like electrician apprentice and lineman apprentice.

TVA is committed to a larger partnership with Helmets to Hardhats (H2H). Area H2H representatives help advertise positions for which TVA would like to attract veterans.

TVA Recruiter Kelda Davies says TVA has worked closely with the H2H representatives to review the backgrounds of local veterans and provide an understanding of the requirements of different TVA positions.

“I have attended many different military career fairs since coming to TVA,” Davies says. “Many of our veterans know exactly where they want to work when they end their military service. It makes me feel great when so often the answer is TVA.”

Talent Management will launch a new leadership development program aimed at providing a pipeline of qualified candidates for executive positions.

This program – called Executive Candidate Leadership Development (EXCEL) – will focus on preparing high-potential candidates in short-term ready succession slots for executive positions.

Participants will identify development targets, receive one-on-one coaching and participate in courses designed to improve their abilities to:

• Influenceandleverageleadershipskills• Thinkandactstrategically• Workandleadacrossboundariesinthe

organization• Navigatecomplexsituations• Makeefficientandeffectivedecisions

involving uncertainty

Changes also are being made to the Leadership Management Accelerated Program (LMAP) – TVA’s existing leadership development program. Going forward, this program will focus on preparing candidates in long-term ready slots for executive positions and will include courses aimed at improving participants’ abilities to:

• Understandanddevelopleadershipskills• Understandframeworksforchange• Thinkcritically• Solveproblemscreatively• Relateandcommunicatewithothers

effectively

The need to improve internal leadership development – particularly, the need to develop high-potential mid-level managers for executive positions – was identified in a series of interviews conducted recently as part of Talent Management’s ongoing effort to develop a human capital strategy.

New Leadership Development Program Prepares Employees To Help Lead TVA

Streamlined Process Makes Checking Contractors In and Out Easier

Thanks to a cross-organizational TVA team, this process recently received a facelift.

Susan Stout, senior manager of Talent Sourcing and Support Services, says the team – comprised of individuals representing Talent Management; the Nuclear and Fossil Power Groups; River Operations; and Operating Support and Fleet Governance – recognized that TVA’s method of using organization-specific forms simply wasn’t working and didn’t make sense.

The team met to review the existing process and pinpoint a solution.

“To streamline the process and to help ensure contractor information is accurate, two TVA-level forms were created – one to check contractors in and one to check contractors out,” says Nikki Reed, TVA’s contractor workforce management associate and the team’s lead.

The new forms will be used by all TVA organizations.

“The effort was truly a process improvement for TVA,” Stout says. “Transitioning from six forms to two will help alleviate confusion and reduce the time it takes to bring a contractor into TVA.”

That was easy! Effective immediately, TVA hiring managers should use form TVA 40156 to check-in non-craft staff-augmentation contractors, craft staff-augmentation contractors, managed-task contractors, and consultants. This form will also be used to check-in new TVA nuclear employees and to grant unescorted nuclear access.

Form TVA 40157 covers check-out for non-craft staff-augmentation contractors, craft staff-augmentation

contractors, managed-task contractors, and consultants – and to check-out all TVA employees.

(Note: Both forms are available from the online TVA Forms site.)

Check-in and check-out requests for non-nuclear staff-augmentation (craft and non-craft) contractors and consultants should be sent to esc@tva.gov for processing.

Requests for non-nuclear managed-task contractors should be sent to ctrfossil@tva.gov for processing.

All nuclear requests should be sent to TVA’s Central In-Processing Center in Hollywood, Ala., at cipschedule@tva.gov or to the appropriate site’s plant-access office.

Questions?Anyone with questions about the contractor check-in and check-out process should contact Susan Boyd at 423-751-6688 or Nikki Reed at 423-751-4882 in Talent Management.

The team responsible for developing the new process for contractor access included, from left, Nikki Reed, Mark France, Meredith Knight, Ron Casey, Jerrie Downs, Gerald Sinkfield and Anna Rorex.

For many, checking contractors in and out of TVA used to be a complicated process – with six different forms to choose from depending on a contractor’s business unit and type.

New employees are seeing a new side of TVA, thanks to a new website aimed at improving their “on-boarding” experience.

The website (shown here) is the result of months of work by the New Employee Experience (NEE) core team, which identified the need for new employees to have access to pre-hire information electronically before their first day at TVA.

The team – comprised of representatives from Talent Sourcing and Support Services; Leadership, Development and Training; Compensation and Benefits; Retirement Management; Information Technology; and Communications – recognized the value of transitioning to a website that would allow TVA’s On-boarding Services group to post updates quickly and do away with printed notebooks filled with pre-hire information. Without notebooks to prepare and ship to new hires, the group has more time for dialogue with TVA’s new hires.

“By eliminating the printing, paper, labor and shipping costs associated with this notebook, TVA will save

about $24 per new hire or more than $26,000 a year,” says Susan Stout, senior manager of Talent Sourcing and Support Services.

The new password-protected website features links to benefits, retirement and contact information, as well as a list of forms that must be completed by new hires.

“With the forms now posted on the website, there has been an increase in the number of new hires arriving at the New Employee Experience with completed forms,” Stout says. This saves time for new hires to perform other work in the classroom related to the New Employee Experience.

Tim Meeks, TVA’s NEE facilitator and core team leader, says the NEE core team is now looking at other ways to streamline new-hire processes. In a second phase, the team is working with other TVA groups to enable new hires to access online training modules via the website, as well as reviewing opportunities for restructuring and improving NEE based on benchmarking data and feedback from past participants.

New Website Allows New Employees To Access Pre-Hire Information From Anywhere

produced periodically by Talent Sourcing and Support Services, Workforce news provides updates on recruiting, staffing and other activities aimed at ensuring Tva has the right people and the right skills in place at the right time to achieve our vision. if you have questions or comments, or would like us to

address a particular topic in a future issue, please email Tempe Wagner at twagner@tva.gov.

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