Administration Directorate reorganizes HR functions

To help the Laboratory address its workforce needs more effectively, the Administration Directorate will undergo a series of organizational changes. These changes will add efficiency to Laboratory operations and maximize existing resources.

In recognition of the critical nature of human resource issues to the success of the Laboratory, effective June 1, the newly named Administration and Human Resources Directorate will include an Office of Human Resources Planning and Policy. Gloria Kwei, as a new deputy associate director, and Kathryn Craft Rogers, will work together to create the new office and will serve as my senior advisers on institutional human resource issues. This office will oversee development of Laboratory polices associated with personnel and other human resource issues. This office also will play an instrumental role in developing the road map for addressing the HR needs of the Laboratory. Gloria and Kathryn will serve as the Laboratory’s point of contact on human resource matters, including with UC and DOE in coordinating our institutional efforts in these areas.

The existing Human Resources functions will be divided between two new departments: Compensation, Benefits and Work/Life Programs, and Staffing and Employee Development. These new organizations will allow us to focus more effectively on many of the issues that were raised in the recent Employee Survey.

The Compensation, Benefits and Work/Life Program Department will focus on ensuring continuous improvement to the Lab’s "total rewards" package — that of benefits, salaries, awards and recognition and ways to improve work/life balance. Pat Clelland will serve as acting department head.

The Staffing and Employee Development Department will focus on recruitment, retention, training and other employee development issues to ensure the Lab maintains a world-class workforce. Art Wong will serve as the acting department head.

Both positions will be posted.

Another critical function within the directorate is responsibility for Affirmative Action and Diversity Programs. Tommy Smith has managed this responsibility for eight years. In an effort to provide wider institutional visibility for these programs, I have created a second deputy associate director position to lead the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Diversity and have asked Tommy to assume the responsibility for this broad group of institutional initiatives. Additionally, the line diversity functions will report to and be integrated into the new departments. Tommy will continue to provide the institutional coordination to assure that Laboratory diversity issues are appropriately addressed.

I am personally committed to the success of the diversity program as an integral part of our human resources responsibilities. Tommy and I will be working with the new department heads to assure that the new organizational structure recognizes the value of these initiatives. I am confident that this arrangement will allow us to maintain, build upon and expand our current successful programs in these areas.

Since it was created more than one year ago, the Administration Directorate has been responsible for executing the Lab’s personnel and administrative support functions. These organizational changes will move the directorate toward a focus on the HR issues that meet the needs of the Laboratory: a total rewards package that includes benefits, competitive salaries, rewards, and work/life balance, along with ways to recruit, retain and train a diverse workforce that remains best of class.

The recent employee survey confirms these areas are critical to the future of the workforce. Through these organizational changes, our newly created Administration and Human Resources Directorate now has the capability to not only champion initiatives that promote the development and retention of a high-performing workforce, but create an environment that enhances the Lab’s mission performance.

Jan Tulk is the AD for Administration and Human Resources.