Mr. Speaker, I’d like to follow up on my statement in which I talked about using our employees as a resource. I’d like to ask the Minister of Human Resources what mechanisms currently exist for staff to provide input into our annual budget process?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that human resources are our biggest asset, and we always try to get the input of individual staff and employees, because we find that they’re the ones that work with the programs and services that we deliver. Generally they come up with some of the best ideas that we have.
We have developed, as a government, a communications strategy and approach for dealing with our budgeting process. We have requested our deputy ministers to send information to their managers, and all managers are familiar with the process.
I would suggest to employees that have any suggestions or comments and want to have input into the process, to raise them with their supervisors or managers. We would welcome their comments.
So I take it from the Minister’s answer that there are no formal mechanisms and processes in regard to input for the budget.
I would ask the Minister whether or not there are any mechanisms in place, apart from the informal system that he’s already outlined, for an individual or for staff to provide input into…. Sorry. Should they see that there are efficiencies to be gained in an operation or savings to be gained, is there a mechanism for them to have input into the department’s operation?
As a government, we have a number of employee recognition programs in which we recognize employees who have provided service above and beyond the call of duty and have made recommendations or suggestions that have resulted in savings or improved efficiencies for the government. We have long service awards, we have Premier’s awards of excellence, we have ministerial awards, and we have deputy minister recognition awards. We used to have a program whereby we would have financial rewards for employees, where they were reimbursed a nominal amount for any suggestions that resulted in real financial savings for the government. But that program is no longer in existence.
Mr. Speaker, having heard the Minister’s answer, I’m sensing that there is not a strong formal program at the moment for input from staff.
Two questions, I guess. Maybe I’ll ask them one at a time. The first one is whether or not the Minister can advise if there’s any real input from staff, any real savings, any real efficiencies that come from the various recognition programs that he outlined.
I guess the best recognition is the performance pay that employees receive. If they perform well, they receive performance pay. I think the Member is looking for “dollars for ideas” type of programs. We don’t have that, but we do have formal employee recognition programs that are provided on a regular basis.
Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Yes, I am looking for a formal program with monetary recognition. I think it’s important. The Minister mentioned that there was a program earlier with nominal recognition. To my mind, something like 10 per cent of the amount of savings which are garnered would be an incentive. If somebody saves $200,000 for this government, that certainly is going to give them incentive to do it. So I would ask the Minister if he would consider reinstating such a program.
Mr. Speaker, as a government we’re always looking to find new ways of improving the morale of our employees and new ways to improve our performance. So it’s certainly something that we would look into as part of our Employee Recognition Program.
