5: Human Capital and Infrastructure

Establish the CSB as a recognized world leader in accident investigation and prevention by continuing to improve our human capital and infrastructure.

Other Information:

Key Results: - The CSB staff has the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, motivation, and diversity to accomplish the agency’s goals - CSB has the critical infrastructure to conduct its mission effectively, such as adequate space, IT systems, succession plans, training programs, human capital plans, and performance management - Agency has attracted and retained high-performing career employees - In surveys, most employees report high overall satisfaction with the CSB as a workplace - The CSB is recognized as a world leader in accident investigation and prevention Key Strategies: Resources, Skills, and Technology Needed - Retain and recruit highly qualified and motivated personnel - Ensure critical infrastructure to support mission accomplishment by developing and implementing the human capital plan, the IT capital plan, succession plans, space plans, and continuity of operations plan - Develop employee development tracks and internal career paths - Ensure teamwork, communication, and cooperation among departments - Develop metrics for the effectiveness of the agency infrastructure and adequacy of knowledge, skills, abilities - Develop a learning culture throughout the agency through seminars, professional exchanges, and contacts with academia, professional societies, and retired experts - Develop and implement core competency training programs for CSB employees - Emphasize accomplishment of action plan goals in individual performance plans and awards Metrics: - Staff retention rate for highperforming career employees - Employee satisfaction surveys - Percentage of key positions covered by succession plans Discussion: The CSB recognizes that high-performing employees are essential to accomplishing its mission. Conducting high quality accident investigations and studies and developing effective recommendations and outreach activities requires an exceptional level of technical skill, motivation, and diligence. The CSB began operation in 1998 as a new federal agency without any transfer of staff or infrastructure. Since that time, however, CSB has devoted considerable resources to hiring highly qualified personnel and developing its organizational structure and procedures. From fiscal year 2007 to 2012, the CSB will continue working to improve the performance, training, productivity, and satisfaction of its workforce. In fiscal year 2005, the CSB developed its first comprehensive human capital plan, which called for the establishment of multiple investigative teams, each with a diverse array of skills. For example, team members should have specialized expertise in evidence collection, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and human and organizational factors. Establishment of the teams, each with its own supervisory lead investigator, will be a key to further reducing the cost and duration of investigations. In addition, the plan envisioned forming a dedicated unit for conducting safety studies. As the plan recognized, conducting effective studies requires distinct skills in research, statistics, and public policy. During the period of the current Strategic Plan, a major challenge is to recruit and develop the skills necessary to implement the human capital vision. In fiscal year 2006, the agency reassigned one of its senior investigators to begin the task of developing a comprehensive training program for its investigative staff. Virtually all career employees participated in a variety of training programs, including specialized investigative courses, safety training, and leadership programs. Aggressive use of the federal career intern program has greatly facilitated hiring at the entry-level. By 2006, nine highly talented and motivated college graduates had been recruited through this program for initial two-year appointments. In 2006 the CSB completed a full overhaul of its information technology (IT) infrastructure, with the installation of modern servers, workstations, and other equipment throughout the agency. The CSB also completed plans for the outsourcing of its public website to reduce costs and improve service and technological currency. The CSB has benefited from excellent retention of key employees. As of 2006, members of the CSB’s staff leadership team have an average tenure at the agency of more than six years, in an agency that was just over eight years old. However, with a large fraction of key employees now approaching eligibility for retirement, succession planning takes on heightened importance. Developing plans for replacing key investigative and administrative functions will be an important exercise during the current period. Baseline Statistics: The CSB’s second biennial survey of employee satisfaction was conducted in 2006. Although, no formalized succession plans have yet been developed, the new structure being established in the Office of Investigations provides a succession mechanism for the agency’s largest office.

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