Overview
Human Resources is engaging in a project to create and execute a strategic talent and performance framework, including a new job architecture, capabilities framework, and refreshed performance development program. This project stems from commitments within the University’s strategic priorities and the results of the 2019 employee engagement survey and reinforced in the 2023 results. In the fall of 2023, Deloitte worked with HR and the campus community to determine and recommend an approach to talent development at Waterloo.
About the framework
The Strategic Talent and Performance Framework will provide clarity on roles and responsibilities through a more consistent articulation of competencies and accountabilities for similar roles, inform the redevelopment of the performance appraisal system and processes, and employee learning and development pathways aligned with core competencies.
Three major components of the project:
Job Architecture:
This provides a structured framework for understanding roles within the university, facilitating career mapping tools that empower employees to navigate their career paths and identify growth opportunities. Systematically sort and cluster over 900 current job descriptions to establish clear job families based on functions, levels, and titles. This foundational process for this portion of the project will occur in the background in Workday.
Performance Development:
The new, robust performance development program, built into the flow of work, will support the growth and development of our employees through quality and frequent feedback and coaching conversations, establishing clear expectations, providing opportunities for goal setting along with awards and recognition to create the right conditions for employees to thrive in the workplace.
Values Informed Capabilities Framework:
This competency model serves as a foundation for defining essential skills and behaviours for each job level (executive, management, and individual contributors), ensuring that our workforce is equipped to meet current and future challenges. Learning and development pathways for employees to support growth and development will be aligned to the core capabilities in the model.
Next steps
Waterloo will use a phased approached to implement this project across the institution to achieve these goals.
This website will be updated with additional information as the project unfolds.