81 CHAPTER 6 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CONTENTS Introduction 82 Developmental Areas 82 Professional Functional Development 82 Leadership/Management and Command Development 83 Human Resource Development Goals 83 Policy Guidelines 83 Human Resource Development (HRD) Process 84 Management of Personnel 87 Conclusion 87
82 CHAPTER 6 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION The importance of the human resource in having a credible navy was highlighted in Chapter 1 of the Doctrine. In order to give justice to the use of the equipment, the personnel are to be motivated and are to have a high morale. In addition, they are to be functionally well-trained and are to have good leadership and managerial qualities when in those positions. The SA Navy is, therefore, committed to the focused training and development of its members in its pursuit of World Class Performance standards. A focused approach is necessary to identify the knowledge, skills and abilities members require to achieve the SA Navy s mission. It is vital that the human resources in the SA Navy be capacitated through a well co-ordinated continuous learning process that allows for professional and personal development, rooted in professional military education and leadership. This continuous learning should not only focus on the needs of the SA Navy, it should also prepare the individual to exit the organisation with skills and qualifications that would allow for employment outside the SA Navy. The SA Navy aspires to have all the training institutions accredited to ensure that members that are trained, receive accreditation for their qualifications and that the qualifications are recognised outside the SANDF. This is also the SA Navy s contribution to the Military Strategic Objective of providing Support to the People of South Africa, by providing qualified persons to the private sector. DEVELOPMENTAL AREAS The following two major areas of development have been identified for constant attention. Combined, they create a holistic approach to the professional and personal development of members in the SA Navy, throughout their careers. Professional Functional Development. This includes any platform or combat specific training. The development and training are aligned with civilian standards (where possible) to ensure members of the SA Navy are not only employed, but also employable. Personal Development involves general military training, as well as Learners practicing fire fighting skills
training in subjects such as financial planning and management. The development includes required tertiary educational programmes, which forms the foundation of further professional/functional development. Leadership/Management and Command Development. Leadership development is focused on ensuring the members critical thinking skills have been developed to ensure healthy interaction between people in the organisation, linked to the mission articulated by higher authority. 83 Doing gun-run competitions during training develops leadership skills and promotes the understanding of teamwork, which is important in the naval environment HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT GOALS The SA Navy is committed to Education, Training and Development (ETD), in order to effectively achieve its strategic objectives. It ensures that appropriate personnel are available for appointment to positions requiring certain skills. It also enables individuals to function optimally in their posts, as well as equipping them to fulfill their career aspirations in the context of organisational needs or when they exit the organisation. Policy Guidelines In order to do so, the SA Navy has adopted the following guidelines: All training and development activities are directed by a systematic needs analysis and are aimed at the improvement of performance towards clearly defined competency standards.
84 Primary responsibility for self-development rests with the individual and line management; functional specialists play a facilitative role. Talent is systematically identified, developed and mentored in accordance with individual and organisational needs. Managers are accountable for the extent to which they enable their subordinates to fulfil their development objectives. Leadership and employee development must be costeffective. The most effective way to co-ordinate the provision of development opportunities needs to be identified and established. Participating in sport is important in developing self-discipline, teamwork, leadership skills and a competitive spirit. All these traits ensure a well-rounded sailor Skills Development is co-ordinated by a Review Committee. This committee receives regular inputs and bases its decisions on leadership and operating strengths and weaknesses (of both individuals and teams) and development actions undertaken, and the outcomes of the development actions. The Review Committee confirms and defines the Human Resource requirements of the SA Navy, which is then managed by the Human Resource Division in the SA Navy. HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Human Resource Development is a systematic process to ensure that the SA Navy has the effective and efficient leaders and skilled employees it requires to meet present and future organisational needs. The SA Navy uses a model that integrates its leadership and skills formation requirements (present and projected), with individual and team aspirations (with their variety of needs). The model integrates the following four elements: organisational leadership and operational skills requirements; career planning and succession plans; individualised and team needs analyses; and
85 individual and team development plans divided into inputs and outputs (see diagram below). The approach to Human Resource Development is aimed at ensuring a link between the inputs, ie individual profiles, needs analyses, and the staffing (core skills) requirements of the SA Navy; and the outputs. The link is made possible through development activities and skills formation. These development activities are based on succession plans, which are the result of a systematic and regular review of leadership and core operating skills. The said review provides the SA Navy with a synopsis of: strategic and operational manning needs, and the aspirations of individual employees. The Focused Approach to an integrated Human Resource Development Model can be depicted as follows: Figure 10: The SA Navy HRD Skills Formulation Planning Model Inputs Outcomes 1. Organisational Needs Leadership succession requirements Projected structure and staffing needs, as derived from operational + strategic plans Career paths per discipline 2. Skills Development Plan Summarises the candidate s availability and readiness in relation to projected skills requirements Plans for skills shortages and surpluses Review Committee 3. Individual Needs Candidate data: biographical career interest development needs strengths + weaknesses potential 4. Individual Development Individual Development Plans Specific formal actions: CBT Planned exposure Extension exercises (projects)
86 The model moves away from the premise that Human Resource Development is the responsibility of Human Resource Managers only. It emphasises a systemic approach to Human Resource Development that requires the involvement of the entire organisation. The traditional Human Resource Planning, Management, Administration and Development subdivisions can only function in an environment where the organisation as a whole participates in the focused approach to ensure that the people in the organisation can deliver on the mandate of the organisation. The model consist of four (4) segments ie, Inputs: Organisational Needs, Inputs: Individual Needs, Outcomes: Skills Development Plan and Outcomes: Individual Development. Input: Organisational Needs. The operational and leadership requirements of the SA Navy must be defined on a regular basis. In this process, the demand for skilled personnel is described in relation to the defined core skills required for World Class performance; the career paths (technical and leadership positions); and pre-requisites for appointment to succeeding levels of work in the organisation Note: The defined requirements are in terms of the skills and knowledge requirements, stated in terms of outcomes required at succeeding levels of work. Requirements are thus not described in terms of positions in a hierarchy, rather in terms of what the people in the positions must know, and do. Input: Individual Needs. The needs and aspiration of individuals must also be defined. This process matches information about the individual's career aspirations, with a description of his/her strengths and weaknesses. The said description is derived from subjective and objective assessments. Subjective assessments of the individual's performance, ie the outcomes of performance appraisals and development interviews; and Objective assessments of individual performance and potential by means of Outcomes-based Assessment, Assessment Centres, and Trainability Testing. Outcome: Skills Development Plan. All development of Human Resources results in a formal planning process. The planning is recorded in the SA Navy s Workplace Skills Plan. The Annual Training Report encapsulates the degree to which the planned skills development was achieved. Skills shortages or foreseen shortages are addressed through recruiting Human Resources with the required skills from the labour market. The Workplace Skills Plan is intertwined with the career planning and development process in the SA Navy. The said career planning and development process aims to reconcile the career aspirations of the individual with the operational objectives of the organisation.
87 The needs of the organisation are depicted in the organisational structure, establishment table, promotion policies, service systems and requirement for qualifications. The need of the individual is reflected in his/her selection for officer/rating, mustering, contract type and as stated in his/her career questionnaire. Outcome: Individual Development. The individualised development is recorded and reported. The outcomes of the assessment processes describe the development actions that should, ideally, be provided for growing the individual. The parameters governing who will be developed for what and when, depend on the outcomes of the analysis of the SA Navy s requirements and as described in the Skills Formation and Succession Planning. MANAGEMENT OF PERSONNEL Divisional System. Within a unit, much emphasis is placed on the management of its personnel by enforcing the use of the traditional Divisional System. Sailors and officers are trained on the use of the divisional system during basic training. A publication, the Divisional Officers Guide is produced for use by all divisional officers. Use of Reserve Force Personnel. To ensure that the expertise of personnel leaving the SA Navy is not lost, the members leaving (short term contract period is completed, resignations or retirement) the SA Navy can join the Reserve Force. This component of the SA Navy will be utilised when certain expertise in the regular component is not available to carry out certain functions and when additional forces are required where the Regular Force cannot meet the demand. There are also specific billets allocated to the ships to be occupied by Reserve Force personnel. CONCLUSION By applying the above process, the Human Resource component of the SA Navy will be trained and skilled to be capable of operating equipment in the SA Navy s inventory in an efficient manner in order to provide combat ready and supported Force Structure Elements to Chief of Joint Operations for employment in pursuit of achieving the three Military Strategic Objectives. In addition, the use of good management principles and the divisional system will ensure that the morale component of the SA Navy remains high The above actions will further achieve the following: Adequate resourcing and utilisation of the Regular and Reserve Force. Improved Human Resource service delivery. The retention of the required operational and functional expertise.