This presentation will 1) demonstrate the Human Resource Manager (HR Manager), an automated delivery system developed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that provides occupational information and model human resource products for over 200 occupations, 2) describe the occupational studies used to develop the database for this system, 3) describe the technical background of the system, and 4) discuss applications of the data (e.g., a careerbanding project with a DoD agency).

The HR Manager system was developed following a carefully designed occupational analysis plan including input from agency focus groups. The model products can be customized to meet specific HR needs by using agency-specific data or subject matter expert input.

The occupational analysis efforts occurred in three phases. First, job analysis data was collected for supervisors, managers and executives in the Federal government. The original study was conducted in 1990 and resulted in a managerial competency framework that delineated the competencies necessary for each of the three levels. The information was updated in 1997 and resulted in the 5 megacompetencies needed for effective performance as a supervisor, manager or executive: Leading Change, Leading People, Building Coalitions/Communication, Results Driven, and Business Acumen. Benchmarks have been developed that describe what is needed at each of the three levels. These competencies are used for selection into the Federal Senior Executive Service.

The second phase of the data collection was the Federal clerical and technical occupations in grades 3 through 9 (lowest populous level to journey/supervisory level). OPM worked with a consortium of agencies for this effort. The agency participants 1) provided the necessary customer input for the development of the HR Manager, and 2) provided the resources for the project. The agencies benefited by 1) receiving the automated delivery system to assist them in developing HR management products, and 2) receiving agency specific occupational analysis data.

This phase of the data collection focussed on 54 clerical occupations and 23 technical occupations that covered over 500,000 Federal employees. The survey was comprised of the following major parts: Competencies, Tasks, Organizational Assessment, Demographics, and Competency-Related factors (using the factors from the Factor Evaluation System for job classification and job evaluation purposes).

The third phase focussed on over 100 Federal professional and administrative occupations in grades 5 through 13 (entry to journey levels). A consortium of agencies also participated in this effort and provided input on the development of the Windows-based version of HR Manager. The occupational survey contained the same major parts as the clerical and technical survey: Competencies (e.g., Integrity/Honesty, Teamwork, Customer Service), Tasks, Organizational Assessment (this section assessed ones’ perceptions of work experiences), Demographics, and Competency-Related factors (e.g., Supervision exercised over the position, Scope and effect of the work, and Variety and complexity of the work).

Currently, OPM is completing the world of work picture and is focussing on the Federal wage grade occupations (the Trades and Labor occupations). It is intended that these data will be integrated into the HR Manager database and system.

The three occupational analysis studies were conducted using the Multipurpose Occupational Systems Analysis Inventory-Close-Ended (MOSAIC) approach. This is another way to say that MOSAIC is a multipurpose, survey-based occupational analysis approach used to collect information from incumbents and supervisors on many occupations for a wide range of HRM functions. The MOSAIC survey is constructed to reflect multiple occupations selected for study. This approach eliminates costly redundancies in the collection of occupational information and ensures a technically sound and provides a foundation for human resource management decision in areas including job design, recruitment, selection, performance evaluation, and career development. It results in a common language (i.e., common tasks and competencies) and allows for comparisons both within and across occupations.

HR Manager is an automated competency-based system that provides managers and HR professionals with occupational information and products to support a variety of HR management functions (e.g., position descriptions, selection criteria and tools, and performance and training plans). The system can be used for re-engineering, streamlining HR practices, occupational classification, career and broadbanding, title consolidation, career transitioning, job design, selection, and performance management. The system contains competencies and tasks for the three sets of occupations discussed above.

The HR Manager has two modules: "Create Human Resource Products" (Module A) and "View Task and Competency Information" (Module B). The first module guides one through the HR Manager to develop position descriptions, vacancy announcements, crediting plans, structured interviews, performance plans, and training plans. The user chooses the occupation they want to develop the product for, or can develop a job and find out which occupation most closely matches it.

The second module allows one to view the specific task and competency information for governmentwide data collected from the occupational surveys. The means displayed for the tasks and competencies are based on a minimum of 10 cases. If there were fewer than 10 cases responding for a specific grade within an occupation, or an entire occupation, a message indicating insufficient data will appear.

Based on the occupational group you select, the HR Manager offers a number of options (i.e., rating scales) for one to choose to view the data, [e.g., Importance by Supervisors, Frequency by Incumbents, Criticality (Avg. Of Importance and Frequency), Percent Performing by Incumbents, Percent Performing by Supervisors].

Throughout the system the user is given the option to edit, save, and print the information.

The HR Manager has provided information to many agencies to develop various HR products and programs. The Personnel Resources and Development Center (PRDC) of OPM has used it to provide information as a foundation of projects with various state and Federal agencies. For instance, the information was used to revamp and streamline the state of New Jersey’s personnel system. Amiel Sharon is discussing at this conference the development of career development plans for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) which used the HR Manager data as its basis.

Careerbanding for the DFAS. PRDC is also using the HR Manager data as a basis for a careerbanding program with DFAS. PRDC obtained the competency information (importance, distinguishing value, and required at entry) for each of the clerical and technical and professional and administrative occupations in DFAS.

A cluster analysis was performed on the raw data to confirm, and revise, if necessary, job groupings already established in the development of the career development plans. Then, competency frameworks were developed for each of the job groupings. The next step is to confirm these groupings and competency frameworks with DFAS subject matter experts. Then, this information will be used for selection and promotion, as well as career development, in the careerbanding program. The competency frameworks will also be used as a foundation for the revision of position descriptions and performance evaluation systems.

The occupational information is being used by PRDC and OPM to review the Standard Occupational Classification, which is a new occupational classification system that will cover all jobs in the national economy, including occupations in the public, private, and military sectors. All Federal agencies that collect occupational data will use the new system; similarly, all State and local government agencies are strongly encouraged to use this national system to promote a common language for categorizing occupations in the world of work.

As stated in the Federal Register, "The new SOC system will be used by the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics for gathering occupational information. It will also replace the Bureau of Census’ 1990 occupational classification system and will be used for the 2000 Census. In addition, the new SOC will serve as the framework for information being gathered through the Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET), which is in the process of replacing the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)."

PRDC and OPM are using the occupational profiles to crosswalk Federal occupations to the SOC occupations. In addition, the MOSAIC occupational information is being used to confirm the occupational groupings in the SOC system.