Guidance

Global HR Design Principles 2024 (HTML)

Updated 31 July 2024

What is Global HR Design?

Global HR Design originates from the Public Accounts Committee report ‘Shared Service Centres’ dated 12 October 2016. This report details that the collective failure to create more standardised processes within Government has meant that the efficiencies to be borne through use of the Shared Service centres have ultimately not been realised.

Global HR Design brought the Government back office efficiency agenda together with the HR Functions drive to create HR services with employees and line managers at the centre.

Global HR Design when delivered in 2018 mapped out HR services, operational standards, reports and outputs, considering the application and benefits of modern HR technology. It delivered standardised processes, ways of working, and technology to leverage where savings can be made as well as enhancing the employee experience.

Global HR Design drivers

The drivers for Global HR Design were:

• ‘Getting the Basics Right’ – the HR Functional Delivery Plan
• User experience – championing an employee-centric approach
• Government Shared Services – achieving efficiencies and adopting common approaches where it makes sense
• Modern HR software – assessing the opportunity and the changes required by new technologies

Global HR Design 2024

The Shared Services Strategy for Government 2021 (PDF, 1,632KB) (SSSfG) outlined the future for modern and efficient central government shared services. It provided a roadmap to more streamlined back-office cloud-based systems and processes that will standardise services across transactional HR, finance & commercial functions to make them easy and quick to use, reduce bureaucracy, deliver better value for money, and improve user’s experience.

It has overseen the move to five shared service clusters (Defence, Matrix, Overseas, Synergy and Unity) with each cluster working to merge its back-office transactional functions through joint shared service design and procurement of a common operating model and single ERP instance.

On the back of the SSSfG, the Government Functions that oversee and manage HR, Finance, Commercial and Grants Management have worked together to realise the ambitions of the SSSfG and address previous lessons through the coordination and delivery of the Functional Convergence Programme (FCP). The programme delivered:

1. standardise data and data architecture as a prerequisite for automation.
2. standardise processes to provide benchmarks against leading practice, identify process efficiencies and reduce risk.
3. enable convergence to common Government Functional Standards across government departments, arms-length bodies (ALBs) and the wider civil service.

This programme builds on the work established as part of Global HR design of 2018 and meets objective 3 of the SSFG strategy to “Standardised processes and data to support interoperability, making it easier to understand and compare corporate data.” and is under pinned by the Government Functional Standard GovS 003: Human Resources (PDF, 364KB).

Outcomes and insight focused

Global HR Design is continues to reimagining the way we do HR in the Civil Service

Design Experiences

A worker-centric approach to the workplace, HR, and management practices that impact people on the job. This approach includes design thinking, an outside-in perspective, and treating the workforce like valued customers.

Become Digital

Leveraging new mindsets with HR and workplace technology to drive transformation, performance, and experiences across the Civil Service now and into the future.

Shape Culture

Promote and strengthen our culture with vision, trust, and delegation to help the Civil Service to thrive in an environment of disruptive and rapid change.

Regenerate HR

Develop, structure, and operate a “fit-for-purpose” HR Function to deliver consistent and flexible experiences, tools, and services throughout the Civil Service, and to address emerging trends in work, the workplace, and the workforce.

The challenges and forces for change in 2018 are still the forces in play in 2024.

While the Civil Service has not matured as quickly as expected in terms of AI and Automation, other areas have, particularly around technology advancement and the increase in the volumes of data.

It is a progression which is being delivered through Global HR design and the SSSfG, moving to cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and automation, to make systems quicker and easier to use, which means we can deliver savings and benefits. We will be able to take advantage of the AI and automation provided as standard within the Cloud ERP’s of today and the future, through their evolution of evergreening SaaS capabilities.

This will see cultural shifts in efficiencies and productivity of employees. This leads to a to strong evidence base of a High Performing function as per priority five of the People Plan.

Functional Convergence Objectives

Functional Convergence Programme Objectives - Driving cross-functional standards, investing in digital technology fit for a modern Civil Service and generating game-changing insights and benchmarking.

Convergence Objectives

• A global functional design to act as a blueprint of leading practice (across public and private sector), covering: Process, Data, Tech, Performance & Controls.
• Hosting the design in a digital modelling tool, enabling comparable data and unlocking further analytical tools and techniques, such as data mining.
• Having usable system-wide data and real-time insight to benchmark levels of convergence, interoperability and efficiency of functional processes and target continuous improvement.

Convergence Leading Practices

Process

Process taxonomies and standardised role-based process flows based on leading practices

Data

Data architecture, meta data, standards, and Master Data Management.

Controls

A matrix of controls by process that mitigate the risks identified.

Technology

Technology overlay showing how each process is enabled and connected by applications.

Performance

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) linked to benchmarks enabling insight and smarter working.

Transformation

Process improvement to transform services and user experiences, through policy standardisation, automation and Interoperability.

Functional Convergence Engagements

A critical success factor of Global HR Design through the Functional Convergence Programme has been continual engagement across the Civil Service and with external stakeholders, including Clusters, Departments, ALBs, Shared Services, functional and subject matter experts.

Employees

Focus groups designed to understand the HR issues at the heart of the employee experience.

Effect

• 17 sprint focus groups attended by 17 departments/ agencies, SMEs, Clusters.
• 190 employees engaged for their perspective on HR delivery, service and strategy.

HR Professionals

• Focus groups of HR colleagues from gov’t departments across.
• Identification of key points of focus for HR delivery and pain points.
• Engagement of all departments.
• Understanding of varying HR delivery models across Government landscape.

Centres of Expertise

• Exploration of key identified areas with expert colleagues across centralised services and within departments.
• Input and validation of materials.

Validation of materials

• Policy and process leads engaged.
• Expert input from functional experts.
• Key engagement and insight gathered.

Shared Servcies

• Discussions with key Shared Service colleagues.
• Collaboration with external vendors.
• Key insights drawn on crossover of functional delivery.
• Expert shared service delivery insight gathered including capabilities.
• Understanding of scope of ambition and scalability.

HR Leadership

Continual engagement, insight and input from the GPG Leadership.

Alignment to the People Plan

• Insight fed in and leveraged from key strategic programmes.
• Departmental nuances captured.
• Enhanced visibility across Government.
• All senior functional governance groups engaged.

Sprint Findings

The sprints undertaken identified that Global HR Design 2018 has various missing Leading Practice processes.

• Five processes in Recruitment
• Two processes in Learning & Development
• One process in Talent & Succession
• Five processes in People Strategy
• Two processes in Onboarding
• One process in Workforce Experience
• Four processes in Workforce Shaping & Planning
• Twelve processes in Workforce Management

All processes which are missing are at level three.

The sprints provided valuable insights and where possible missing elements have been built into the 2024 functional reference model. The more complex areas which were identified will be considered in the future where benefits and convergence can be made.

Sprint Findings Examples

To bring to life some of the sprint findings, below is a selection of key findings that have influenced some of the improvements to our updated processes.

Onboarding

A key finding related to automation and data capture; there is notable lack of integration between recruitment, onboarding data and further downstream systems, which often results in double entry.

Although there is some digitisation in this space through the use of an Employee Transfer Portal, the systems are not mature.

Onboarding will need to include further control points which will use pre-populated new starter data.

A major theme which has been documented relates to the classification of personas/worker types. Each ‘persona’ will follow a different sequence of onboarding steps i.e. cross- government moves vs external candidates.

Control points within ‘initiate provisioning’ and other process stages will equip the individual with relevant onboarding into their new role/dept.

Talent and Succession

Talent Management was identified to be a key enabler of other processes, such as Workforce Shaping / Planning and Learning & Development. Effective Talent Management processes (especially strategic talent management) are dependent on good data on skills, capabilities, behaviours etc.

There was dependency on the completion of the skills taxonomy work in delivering a consistent list of skills for use across the Civil Service and consistent frameworks around them.

Furthermore, there is a dependency on Departments using the skills taxonomy and employees and line managers regularly updating skills profiles in order to maximise benefits from this work. Processes will need to be updated to specifically reference the skills taxonomy and other relevant building blocks such as Success Profiles in order to integrate these pieces into ways of working.

Recruitment

A key finding on recruitment included the insertion of additional control points to ensuring appropriate governance, account for different recruitment personas (e.g. external hires, internal hires/moves, contingent workers etc.) and to account for the security vetting and employment checks required across the Civil Service.

Pre-employment checks and security vetting – this represents an issue for Civil Service; the time it takes to complete checks can seriously impact time to hire. Recruitment processes need to align around clear progression through provisional, conditional and final offers, in line with security and vetting requirements whilst supporting opportunities to enhance and optimise candidate experience.

Cluster and HR Feedback on Data Standards

A throughout the delivery of the Functional Convergence Programme feedback from key stakeholders has been paramount, particularly with Clusters whereby the changes to Global Design influence the data convergence as they move into the development phase of their new ERPs.

Feedback was collected in two phases with the majority of the feedback relating to HR, and the volumes increasing substantially between the two phases.

Phase 1 Data Dictionary Feedback

• HR: 75
• Finance: 53
• General: 0
• Commercial: 44
• Grants: 30
• Cross Functional: 6
• Total: 208

Phase 2 Data Dictionary Feedback

• HR: 540
• Finance: 138
• General: 94
• Commercial: 92
• Grants: 49
• Cross Functional: 26
• Total: 939

64% of all feedback in phase 2 was accepted.

Feedback relating to other HR key components

• 41 Relating to Key Performance Indicators
• 56 Relating to Process Maps
• 101 Relating to the Business Glossary

Functional Reference Model

The feedback and input from Clusters, SMEs, Shared Services and Centre of Expertise, developed and improved the Global Design from 2018. This provides a stronger and more supportive Functional Reference Model in 2024 and becomes a key enabler of the SSSfG.

Global HR Design Progression

Category	2018	2024
Data Standards	50[footnote 1]	326
Level 3 Processes	18	246
Key Performance Indicators	- [footnote 2]	56

The Functional Reference Model

• 750+ individual functional Process Maps detailing roles, activities and decision points;
• 600+ core Data Standards elements.
• 2000+ common Business Glossary terms.
• 250+ Key Performance Metrics for Finance, HR, Grants Management & Commercial functions, defined and categorised into levels of importance for corporate management

NOVA Functional Reference Model

NOVA is the integral deliverable as part of the Functional Convergence Programme. NOVA is a digital suite of leading practice design assets to align and support cloud-system design and implementation with Government Functional Standards. It also acts as a centralised government repository for historic cloud-ERP designs.

NOVA, is intended to be used as a central benchmark, over the course of designing and implementing new ERPs, thus avoiding duplicate design costs (through use of consultancy and system implementors) for each separable ERP Shared Service Programme. It can also unlock further analytical tools and techniques, such as process mining, to provide game-changing insight to drive continuous improvement.

The NOVA offer provides the central repository of the 750+ individual functional Process Maps detailing roles, activities and decision points; 600+ core Data Standards elements, 2000+ common Business Glossary terms and 250+ Key Performance Metrics.

NOVA is accessible by contacting the NOVA Product Team on the following email; NOVAsupportteam@hmtreasury.gov.uk, or contacting your Cluster HR Lead.

NOVA Reference Model and Taxonomy

NOVA is a reference model which provides access to the consistent and coherent HR assets for the Civil Service, from processes, technology, data and insights, performance and KPIs and governance.

It visually identifies our global processes and creates a common language to be used when referring to processes. It also defines the process groups, sub processes and tasks within each functional area.

The process taxonomy builds on the Global HR 2018 products, by driving deeper into four process layers, and across more HR subjects. All containing supportive process maps and RACI data for each individual task. The taxonomy will:

• Provide a structured framework that identifies our processes.
• Establish a common language
• Provide clarity on process ownership.
• Be the one document that underpins the future design for Clusters.

Aligning the HR Taxonomy to the Employee Journey

The HR process taxonomy in NOVA identifies our global processes and creates a common language to be used. It’s important to understand how the HR process taxonomy aligns to the Employee Journey in the Civil Service, how it links to our employees, policies and strategy, and data and insights underpinned by People Analytics.

Join

Attracting and retaining talent and experience through social sourcing and seamless recruiting.

• End-to-end Recruitment (Executive, Specialist, Volume, Apprentice)
• Fast Track and Fast Stream end-to-end Recruitment
• Onboarding

Build

Building career paths and structuring learning and development in a way that develops breadth of experience.

• Learning and Development
• Talent and Succession (SLS, FLS, Fast Stream, Fast Track)
• Apprentices

Manage

Managing the workforce in a way that drives flexibility.

• Performance Management
• Absence Management
• Employee Engagement
• Industrial Relations
• Strategic Workforce Planning
• Contingent Workforce

Enable

Enabling an inclusive workforce that thrives and set themselves up for success.

• Workplace Adjustments
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Health and Wellbeing

Reward

Rewarding high performance and providing employee benefits.

• Compensation
• Benefits
• Payroll
• Time Recording

Leave

Implementing streamlined exit processes with fluid hands-off

• Leaving
• Exit Survey
• Pensions

Employee Journey Mapped to NOVA The Functional Reference Model

The employee journey maps to the level three processes within NOVA The Functional Reference Model, below shows how some of the level three process fit.

Join

Recruitment

• Recruitment Strategy
• Requisition Management
• Candidate Sourcing
• Candidate Evaluation
• Offer Management
• Fast Track

Onboarding

• Pre-Hire Onboarding
• Day 1 On Boarding
• Post Day 1 Onboarding

Build

Learning Strategy

• Learning and Development
• Learning Delivery
• Learning Operations

Talent Design

• Talent Evaluation
• Talent Development
• SCS Performance Management

Manage

Workforce Management

• Organisation Management
• Absence Management
• Performance Management
• Manage Moves
• Employee Relations

Strategic Workforce Planning

• Workforce Planning
• Organisational Design Workforce Experience
• Employee Experience
• Continuous
• Improvement

Enable

Workforce Management

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Employee Health and Wellbeing

Reward

Reward Management

• Reward Strategy
• Compensation Management

Reward Management

• Manage Health and Wellbeing Benefits
• Manage Retirement Benefits

Payroll

• Payroll Management
• On/Off-cycle Payroll process
• Post Payroll process
• Payroll Statutory Reporting

Time Management

• Time and Attendance

Leave

Workforce Management

• Leavers

Reward Management

• Retirement Benefits

NOVA Process Maps

NOVA provides access to consistent, and best practice level four interactive process maps. This allows users to select activities within the processes to understand information relating to the description, RACI or Key Performance Indicators linked to the activity. The level 3 processes are technology agnostic, enabling them to be configured in the cluster ERP’s.

The easy navigation allows you to follow each process in order to allow a streamlined navigation between processes, and the activities undertaken in-between.

NOVA RACI

Level 3 process splits (RACI) are used to assign responsibility to specific HR processes. It is an acronym for ‘Responsible’, ‘Accountable’, ‘Consulted’ and ‘Informed’. Every process should have one clear owner who is ‘Accountable’, while multiple owners can be ‘Responsible’ ‘Consulted’ or ‘Informed’.

The Level 3 process splits (RACI) will:

• Provide clarity on relevant responsibility within each process.
• Feed as an input to detailed process and organisational design activities.
• Provide an indication of improvement opportunities across role involvement within the process.

Each Level 3 process map, when selecting an activity, will highlight the RACI along with the activity description. Alternatively, the RACI for all activities can selected and viewed.

Highlighted below are definitions used within the RACI matrix. These definitions will guide the overview of RACI across the relevant process areas within NOVA.

Responsible

Those who get the work done to achieve the task. This may refer to individual workers to perform the given task.

There is at least one role tagged as ‘responsible’, although others can be delegated to assist in the work required.

Accountable

The party ultimately answerable for the correct and thorough completion of the deliverable or task, and the one who delegates the work to those responsible. There must be only one accountable party specified for each task or deliverable. The accountable party has the ultimate decision-making authority and oversees the work.

Consulted

Those whose opinions are sought, typically subject matter experts; and with whom there is two-way communication. This could be a stakeholder who can provide advice regarding an activity where a subjective opinion may be required.

Informed

Those who have some interested in relevant activity and are kept up-to-date on progress, often only on completion of the task or deliverable; and with whom there is typically one-way communication.

NOVA Business Glossary

The Business Glossary contains business terms to which their definitions produces a common business vocabulary that ensures the same definitions are used when analysing data.

In 2018 the Glossary contained 38 terms, this has been expanded exponentially to over 600 terms for HR and are held exclusively in NOVA. Collectively over 2000 terms have been defined across the four functions.

NOVA Data Dictionary

The Data Dictionary is defined as the Data Standards / Items that a Government Function prioritises ‘must’ be standardised for a common process to operate. This is essential to enable interoperability and common reporting across Government Functions, Shared Service Clusters and Departments.

The Data Dictionary is contained within NOVA, and also as an MS Excel document, and both contain a consolidated set of Data Standards / Items, for HR, Finance, Commercial and Grants Government functions across the 24 taxonomy areas. These agreed, common Data Standards, are to be adopted across organisations’ foundational data models, with any localisations (including List of Values) to be mapped back where appropriate.

The MS Excel document is a structured repository that includes the description and details of the key Data Standards (entities and attributes), and their specifications such as Descriptions, Business Rules, Atomic (Child / Individual Item) or Composite (Parent / Composed of other Data Items), Related Data Items, Regulatory Requirements, List of Values, Reference Data Sources etc. To get access to the MS Excel file, contact NOVAsupportteam@hmtreasury.gov.uk.

Cross Functional Standards and Governance

Improvements of the Data Standards have been made across the delivery of the Functional Convergence Programme, standardising cross functional data, improving data ownership and improving the governance to ensuring continued coherence and longevity of the data standards.

Cross Functional Standards include:

Address – follows BS 7666 spatial datasets for geographical referencing.

Legal Name – follows Home Office Use of Names in Passports.

Telephone Number – follows ITU, the international standards in telecommunications.

HR Data Standards include:

Religion And Belief – Follows UK CENSUS 2021.

Nationality – Follows the list of nationalities on GOV.UK.

Worker Country Code – Follows ISO 3166 Country Codes.

Permanent / Temporary right to work – Follows UK Visas and Immigration guidance on GOV.UK.

Change management service is provided by the NOVA Product Team, with engagement from the Clusters and the Functions. For the full process and supporting documents, contact the NOVA team.

Future Convergence Opportunities

Opportunities are being explored to create further convergence within the Clusters. This will drive further standardisation on data, process and policy, supported by the HR Function in exploring these options.

Policy Standardisation has been centralised in the strategic centre of Cabinet Office, since 2011 as part of Next Generation HR, which saw the centralisation of core HR services of Learning, Policy and Recruitment.

This approach over the past decade has seen the creation of a suite of consistent Civil Service Model Policies for HR, and has driven value and efficiency in centrally developing HR policy for all Civil Servants to use.

The delegation model ensures that organisations can decided to have HR policies that meet their needs. This has lead to model policies being tailored or in small instances not taken at all. As such, there’s varying degrees of differentials by organisation.

This provides a significant opportunity to drive substantial efficiencies which can be achieved through policy convergence within the five Clusters. The strategic centre will support Cluster design leads with expert advice as the Clusters converge on their HR policies. Converged policies must meet relevant the legalisation, ACAS Codes of Practice, and Civil Service Recruitment Principles.

Whereby Clusters want to access the Civil Service Model Policies, these can accessed through the GPG Hub, or through contacting their organisations single point of contact.

For more information on Global HR Design Contact – hrfunction@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

For access to NOVA The Functional Reference Model – NOVAsupportteam@hmtreasury.gov.uk

1. The figure represents the “Reporting Standards” which were present in the 2018 Global Design products. ↩

2. KPIs were documented in 2018, but no exhaustive list to provide an accurate figure of comparison. ↩