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EDI People and Process

EDI > People and Process

In order for an EDI plan to be effective it must be strongly aligned with the workplace culture.  Culture is the character and personality of the organization, based on values, traditions, beliefs, interactions, behaviors and attitudes.  A positive culture will attract talent, drive engagement and retention, impacts employee and customer satisfaction and affects employee performance.

The desired culture as identified by employees of the MHPS is described as a work environment with open communication, free from harassment, where all employees feel included, valued, respected and supported.

The MHPS will foster the desired culture through open dialogue and examination of the many factors which influence the development of workplace culture including;

  • Leadership – The way leaders communicate and interact with employees, including; what they communicate and emphasize, their vision for the future, what they celebrate and recognize, what they expect, how they make decisions, the extent to which they are trusted and the beliefs and perceptions they reinforce.
  • Management – How the organization is managed – its systems, procedures, structure, hierarchy, controls and goals. The degree to which managers empower employees to make decisions, support and interact with them and act consistently.
  • Workplace Practices - Practices related to recruiting, selection, onboarding, compensation and benefits, rewards and recognition, training and development, advancement/promotion, performance management, wellness, and work/life balance (paid time off, leave, etc.), as well as workplace traditions.
  • Policies and Philosophies - Employment policies including, but not limited to, attendance, dress code, code of conduct, and scheduling, in addition to organizational philosophies such as hiring, compensation, pay for performance, and internal transfer and promotion.
  • People - The people hired — their personalities, beliefs, values, diverse skills and experiences, and everyday behaviors. The types of interactions that occur between employees (collaborative versus confrontational, supportive versus non-supportive, social versus task-oriented, etc.).
  • Mission, Vision, and Values - Clarity of mission, vision, and values and whether they honestly reflect the beliefs and philosophies of the organization, how inspiring they are to employees, and the extent to which the mission, vision, and values are stable, widely communicated, and continuously emphasized.
  • Work Environment - Objects, artifacts, and other physical signs in your workplace. These include what people place on their desks, what the organization hangs on its walls, how it allocates space and offices, what those offices look like (color, furniture, etc.), and how common areas are used.
  • Communication - The manner in which communication occurs in your workplace. Importantly, the degree, type, and frequency of interaction and communication between leaders and employees, and managers and employees, including the extent of transparency in sharing information and making decisions.
Initiative: Expand Training Matrix
Status: Completed
Objective: Expand existing matrix 
  • In 2023 the Performance Assessment process was reviewed, re-designed and implemented for Sworn Police Officers. In unison with the updated training metrix it will provide guidance and structure to career development .
Responsible: Support Services Inspector / Training Unit
Measurable: Completion of training matrix for all areas of the MHPS.
Initiative: Review Tenure & Transfer Process
Status: Completed
Objective:
  • The Service put tenure policy into place in May 2022. This policy prescribes recommended tenure periods for every qualifying unit; this ensures opportunities for specialized units are frequent and allow for career development and succession planning.
Responsible: Office of Chief / Support Services Inspector 
Measurable:
  • Completion of consultation and review
  • Review exit interview data.
Initiative: Review of Wellness Programs
Status: In Progress
Objective:
  • Continual evaluation of wellness programs and initatives to determine effectiveness and augment as required.
  • Conduct environmental scan of industry best practices.
Responsible: Chief of Police
Measurable: Employee feedback
Initiative: Review Competencies and Values
Status: To be completed in with the period of 2025-2028
Objective:
  • Determine if current MHPS values and competencies are still valid.
Responsible: Office of Chief
Measurable: Complete review and provide recommendations.
Initiative: Recruitment Strategy
Status:  Ongoing
Objective:
  • The MHPS will work closely with the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police EDI Committee to contribute to the provincial recruitment strategy that will in turn drive the local strategy.
  • Additionally the MHPS Recruitment Team will focus on outreach programs and implement preparation programs to assist candidates in navigating perceived barriers and increase interactions with post secondary and police training academies through participations in job fairs.
Responsible: Administrative Services Inspector and Recruiting Team Supervisor
Measurable: Number of successful applicants and review of employee retention at various stages of career.
Initiative: Mentoring
Status:  Ongoing
Objective:
  • To provide mentorship and external experience for future MHPS executive leaders through the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police (AACP).
Responsible: Chief of Police
Measurable: 

The chosen MHPS Staff Sergeants will be mentored by external law enforcement leaders from around Alberta over the course of the year. They will engage in frequent conversations with their assigned mentor as well as working with their mentor at his or her agency for several days throughout the program. The mentees will also attend the spring and fall AACP meetings where they will be exposed to high level trends in policing in our province.

Feedback on candidate progress and understanding of the issues will be received by the Chief of Police from the assigned mentors.