133■Ensure that employees are knowledgeable about all
product lines.
■Provide basic orientation for new employees that they
rate as “above average” in surveys.
■Help managers provide specific job orientations with
new hires to reduce time required to get new employ-
ees up to speed.
■Use acting status appointments to develop at least four
promising managerial candidates per year.
■Maintain a database of training options for specific
positions that at least 30% of employees consult in any
given year.
■Develop a staff development plan that reflects the
organization’s skill needs for the upcoming year and
incorporates input from executive, line managers, and
employees.
■Advise on organizational development issues and refer
managers to competent resources, to the satisfaction of
the managers.
■Keep current and knowledgeable about current HR
trends and laws by attending annual government brief-
ings on HR law and attending one national HR confer-
ence per year.
■Maintain database of local trainers, including quality
review information, so managers can arrange seminars
without the intervention of HR.
■Reduce staff development costs while increasing staff
development hours delivered by coordinating needs
and solutions across the company and using economy
of scale.
■Ensure that staff development planning is linked to the
work-unit performance management process.