Embracing for Success:
The Ontario Publice Service
by Lois Bain and Jowenne Herrera
The Ontario Public Service (OPS) has a long history of adapting to change. In the late 1990s the OPS began a transformational journey that has made it one of the most respected public services in the world, built on a foundation able to achieve the challenges presented by the government plan for better education, improved health care, a stronger economy and more modern efficient government services.
Over the last decade, the OPS has significantly changed its structure, reoriented its programs and services, and has made great improvements in service quality, innovative use of technology, creative partnerships and integrated solutions. The OPS has become a more integrated, cohesive organization, blurring the traditional lines among structures, processes, policy, planning and service delivery, reflecting the agility and responsiveness of its workforce.
Truly innovative organizations celebrate successes, reward innovation and share best practices. The OPS has been documenting its transformational journey through its annual Framework for Action reports from the Secretary of the Cabinet.
The series, started in 1997, sets out the vision and building blocks or tactics for how OPS transformation is being undertaken and illustrates the desired changes through the celebration of good practices. The Framework reports tell the stories of the local heroes within the OPS who are exemplifying leading edge thinking and best practices in the organization, building pride and recognition within the public service and sharing knowledge and lessons learned.
A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN PUBLIC SERVICE
Ontario’s leadership in public service innovations has been noticed by both public and private sectors. More than 130 nations have visited Ontario to learn about our approach and experiences to a more customer-centred government and seek our help in changing the way they deliver services.
Benchmarking OPS programs and services through award programs has provided us with the opportunity to learn from the best practice models in the world. It has allowed us to understand our strengths and learn how to improve our delivery models to serve the people of Ontario better.
Ontario was the proud recipient of the gold award from the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) for its integrated service delivery innovations in 1998 and for its innovations in governance in 2002. Building on this recognition, Ontario has continued to embrace horizontality at all levels of the organization, including the policy development, service delivery, and enterprise systems and networks to support service delivery and policy development. This year, the OPS received the bronze Innovative Management Award from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) for its horizontal collaborations. Since inception of the IPAC Innovative Management Awards in 1990, the OPS has won nine awards.
E-GOVERNMENT LEADER
Worldwide, technology is a major driver and enabler of connecting across boundaries. In the OPS, e-government is transforming everything we do. System integration has not only changed the face of service delivery, it has required transformation in government process behind the scenes.
In 2003, we achieved a major milestone. The government set a target to increase public satisfaction with electronic services by becoming a world leader in delivering services electronically by 2003. Ontario has accumulated an impressive array of international awards for its innovations in e-government.
Client satisfaction for electronic service delivery is increasing, from a baseline rating of 69% to 71% (see side bar). In November 2004, Ontario launched the ServiceOntario website, a significant step towards improving the public's access to government information and services. The website eliminates the need to search for government information across 200 websites, 70 call centres and over 1,500 counters, and three levels of government.
ServiceOntario.ca includes information and services for individuals and businesses such as:
· Links to three new Ontario government websites: the Children's Information Portal, the Workplace Gateway, and the Women's Information Gateway
· Changing or updating your address online for your health card, driver's licence and outdoors card
· A gathering of useful resources for Ontarians during important life events, such as retirement or having a baby
· Business information bundles, including How to Run a Construction Business and How to Start and Run a Tourism Business
· Registering or changing your business name online
· More than 400 government forms organized into easy to understand topics and categories.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS
Ontario is proud of its accomplishments and awards are a way of benchmarking success. They are also an important way of building pride and letting staff know the organization is on the right track to becoming more efficient. Within the OPS there is a strong culture of rewarding and recognizing excellence.
The corporate Amethyst Award honours public servants for their outstanding performance. The Amethyst Award was created a decade ago as a way for employees to highlight and recognize the outstanding achievements of their colleagues. The recipients are employees who have distinguished themselves in the areas of client service, innovation, professional achievement and for the way they value people in their work. Since its inception, 281 groups and individuals have been honoured with the award.
Ministries continually reward and recognize employees for the great work they do through formal and informal recognition programs. Formal recognition programs are present across the OPS and considerable effort has been invested in the support of informal recognition.
This year, the OPS launched a Recognition Fund designed to support formal recognition programs throughout the OPS and create a culture that demonstrates regular, meaningful recognition of the contribution of its employees.
The Fund will enable managers to praise, honour and encourage individuals and teams for their achievement, behaviours and actions. It provides informal recognition that is frequent, timely and locally based.
THE CONTINUING JOURNEY
Ontario is looking to the challenges ahead. We have come a long way in a transformational journey; however, there is more work to be done. The OPS is on its way to building an organization that works together as one enterprise.
Awards and external recognition can measure success, but more importantly, success can be seen through the pride, innovation, passion and commitment of our staff. These core strengths will allow Ontario to embrace transformative change in the coming years and keep us on the leading edge as a modern, more efficient, results-oriented public service.
Lois Bain is the Acting Assistant Deputy Minister for The Centre for Transformation, Innovation & Excellence (OPS), Centre for Leadership & Human Resource Management, Cabinet Office (lois.bain@mbs.gov.on.ca). Jowenne Herrera is the Communications Officer for The Centre for Transformation, Innovation & Excellence (OPS), Centre for Leadership & Human Resource Management, Cabinet Office (jowenne.herrera@mbs.gov.on.ca).
