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· Answering questions and conveying "What's In It For Them" (WIIFT) to the tar-
get audience.
· Developing metrics, revising accordingly, and reporting progress to management
and employees regularly.
· Capturing and sharing knowledge; begin by documenting anecdotal success sto-
ries and lessons learned.
· Participating and collaborating with other transportation agencies and industry
opportunities.
· Remembering that evolving to an EOC is a journey!
What is an Employer of
Choice?
An Employer of Choice is...
Any public transportation operating agency that, because of its reputation, is able to
attract, retain, and optimize a capable and committed diverse workforce that enables
operational excellence, safety, and high customer satisfaction.
E
X
° Externally, an Employer of Choice
has a reputation for quality of
T services and products. Because of
E Customer this reputation, they are known for
R being a compelling place to work,
Satisfaction
N
A where employees can build world-
L class skills and work with other
Capable and high-performing employees.
° Internally, an Employer of Choice
Committed Safety and
EOC Reputation
Diverse has employees who are proud to
Workforce say they work for the agency that
I successfully delivers on its mission
N
T and vision. Employees know their
Operational
E contributions make a difference
Excellence
R and that they can count on their
N leaders and co-workers to sustain
A
L
the agencies reputation.
1
What are the Fundamental
Concepts for an EOC?
° Is a journey! An organization does not become an EOC overnight...and the
path is different depending on where you start and where you want to get to.
Like any journey, if you don't decide where you want to go, you will never
know if you have arrived.
° Requires alignment. Alignment of the business strategy and the EOC
strategy...alignment of the HR program areas and activities with the EOC
strategy.
° Is a moving target. Even organizations that display "best practices" are
constantly reassessing how they are doing...especially as business and
market conditions change.
° Takes commitment. This is not an "HR responsibility". It requires
engagement of leaders, managers and employees. It will involve resources
and focus maybe additional resources, maybe reallocation of
resources...but definitely a focus.
° Depends on a plan. Because becoming an EOC requires energy and
commitment, organizations embarking on this road want to have a plan to
get there...a plan which is driven from business strategy and which
considers the organization's objectives and desired destination.
° Should be the way we do business. Becoming an EOC is not a program.
It should describe, inform and lead how we address our human resources
systems how employees and potential employees see us...everything from
2 compensation to performance management to culture.
Exhibit A: Sample EOC Key Messages.
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Why is a Capable & Committed
Workforce Important?
° Issue 1: Even if an agency wants to stay the same, external forces will force change.
The labor market is shrinking, customers, public constituents and taxpayers are seeking
reliable and cost -effective services, and environmental and conservation forces are elevating
the provision of transportation service to a national priority. In order to achieve our mission and
continue providing services and products at current or increased volume and service levels,
we need to maximize the talent and skills that we have in our workforce, attract new and
different kinds of skills, and keep our most talented employees from walking out the door.
° Issue 2: New paradigms and models for public transportation organizations require
aligning human capital systems with fundamental changes in strategy. The work done
as part of TCRP Project J - 08B New Paradigms for Local Public Transportation Organizations
concludes that reinvention in local public transportation has be come essential. This work done
by the New Paradigms project calls for an evolution in thinking and strategy. This shift to a new
business paradigm systemically different ways of delivering products and services means
fundamental, strategic activity at both an industry and an individual transit agency level. As
organizations begin to adopt components of the new public transportation model, the need to
adapt and align human resources strategies and human capital infrastructure becomes
apparent. Among other things, it will mean ensuring that employees have the most
appropriate skills for the new ways of working, a consistency in performance measurement
exists (among the community, the organization, the department and the employee), a tireless
focus on the customer experience is maintained, and an environment of participation taps into
the creativity and knowledge of employees at all levels.
° Issue 3: Individual organizations, not industries, become Employers of Choice.
Becoming an Employer of Choice is fundamentally centered on infrastructure, programs,
alignment and reputation at an individual transit agency level. Actual programs and ways of
working that are practiced by each agency make it (or do not make it) an Employer of Choice.
The American Public Transportation Association's PT2 initiative can raise awareness of career
opportunities among workers who would not have otherwise considered a career in public
transportation. However, keeping and motivating employees most certainly depends on their
3 day-to -day experiences at the agency where they work.
Why is a Capable & Committed
Workforce Important?
° Issue 4: Human resource designs do not make an organization an Employer of Choice. It
begins with an informed governing body, an executable strategy, credible, energetic leaders and
a committed workforce. An employer of choice organization uses an integrated combination of
designs to focus priorities and to create line of sight. Designs are selected to ensure the
attraction, retention and optimization of the desired workforce and help communicate priorities
and reinforce behaviors and results important for organizational success.
° Issue 5: Leadership sets the tone and pace and is the "make or break" underpinning to
achievement of Employer of Choice Status. Becoming an employer of choice is not a Human
Resources department responsibility. Although the Human Resources department may be a key
resource in helping to develop, implement and maintain pieces of the EOC strategy and action
plan, boards of directors, leaders, and managers throughout the agency must participate and be
engaged at various stages of the development and deployment process.
° Issue 6: Each agency is in the driver's seat. While a long-term vision of remaking the
public transportation industry is being crafted, at a practical level each agency must
continue to meet the challenges of daily operations. Every day customers need to get from
Point A to Point B safely, reliably and in ways that meet (or exceed) their expectations. Although
the capital investment in transit agencies often garners focus, to maximize your capital
investment, you need to maximize your human investment. Attracting, keeping, and optimizing
talent are challenges faced by agencies every day, whether they are on the road to reinvention or
not. As expressed in the TCRP's Research Results Digest entitled Identification of the Critical
Workforce Development Issues in the Transit Industry: "It is universally agreed upon that
workforce issues are critical to the continuing success of the industry. Every property interviewed
identified particular, severe problems faced in recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce..."
4
Sample EOC Key Messages (continued).
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What is an Employer of
Choice Toolkit?
Contents
° This toolkit is a compendium of materials to guide the
journey in becoming an Employer of Choice (EOC).
° The materials in this toolkit:
· Address the areas of greatest opportunity in the transit
industry identified by research
· Are like the toolkit of a mechanic containing a variety of
materials that can be used as appropriate throughout the
process of troubleshooting, diagnosing and building an EOC
organization.
· Are customizable resource materials
· Include best practices, strategies, assessments, processes,
tools and templates that can be selectively applied where
needed.
· Should be tailored "fit" your agency's needs.
5
What is an Employer of
Choice Toolkit? Where are
we
we going?
going?
Purpose
Vision
° This toolkit provides a plan of action
as well as supporting tools and tactics
How do we get there?
to prioritize and build an aligned,
engaged and committed workforce.
This toolkit is aimed at providing: Strategy
· A framework to consider the
interrelationships between the
delivery of world class transit
services and human capital
What do we need to do well?
practices
· A process to identify and prioritize
improvement opportunities, priorities Critical Success Factors
and direction for your agency
· Methods to stimulate dialogue and
action in your agency to enhance
your agency's ability to attract, retain How do we measure?
and optimize talent Key Performance Metrics
° Ultimately, this toolkit should help the
organization align employees with
Operational Excellence
right times
Customer Satisfaction
: Delivering results effectively, doing the right things at the
: Reflection of Workforce Success
mission Safety & Reputation : Differentiating the organization through its brand...employees
are the brand
Capable and Committed, Diverse Workforce: The ability to attract, retain and
motivate a capable and committed, diverse workforce
6
Sample EOC Key Messages (continued).
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How was this Toolkit
Developed?
· Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a global human resources consulting
firm, along with Focus Consulting Corporation, has worked
closely with panel made up of transit agency experts to design,
test and develop this toolkit
· The toolkit is based on research and information from a variety
of sources, including best places to work organizations and input
and insight from transit employees and transit boards at selected
agencies throughout the United States and Canada, including:
· BC Transit
· King County Transit
· Bay Area Rapid Transit
· Go Transit Toronto
· Iowa (representing various small Iowa organizations
· Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
· Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
· New Jersey Transit
· Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
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How do we Use the Toolkit?
° Although you can move directly to any section of the toolkit, we
recommend that you follow the sequence listed below.
1. Read the Introduction. It will orient you regarding the topic Employer of
Choice and use of the toolkit. A table of contents is included at the
beginning of the Introduction.
2. Review Section I: Employer of Choice Boot Camp.This section
deals with the critical role of leadership in becoming an Employer of
Choice.
3. Review Section II: Building Your Agency's Employer of Choice
Strategy and Complete the Employer of Choice Diagnostic. This
section provides information, processes and tools to: develop an
Employer of Choice strategy, diagnose you current state, identify
priorities and track progress. By completing the Employer of Choice
Diagnostic, you will be directed to other sections of the toolkit.
4. Proceed to the remaining sections and resources in the toolkit as
appropriate. You may be directed to a section in the toolkit as a result
of completing the EOC Diagnostic, or you may simply wish to review
other sections as a reference.
8
Sample EOC Key Messages (continued).
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What is Our Agency's Strategy
for Becoming an EOC?
This message should be developed by each agency and will
be dependent on their place in the EOC journey.
° Themes may include:
· The agency's vision, mission and strategy
· How a capable, committed and diverse workforce contributes to the
agency's operational success, customer satisfaction and reputation
in the community and with the public how the agency defines its
goal of becoming an EOC
· The agency's progress to date regarding building a capable,
committed and diverse workforce
· The priorities for the next year and what will get tracked
· The role of leaders in making the organization an Employer of
Choice
· How workforce input will play a part
· What employees can expect
Sample EOC Key Messages (continued).
