Photo By Paul Ferguson | Kela Ganzer, G1 human resources specialist, leads a team meeting regarding JMC’s...... read more read more
In an effort to align its personnel approach with evolving organizational needs, U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command has unveiled its Human Capital Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2028. Building on a previous plan, the updated HCSP advances JMC’s mission to sustain an agile and diverse workforce ready to meet the Army’s needs, while delivering lethal munitions at the right place and time. To this end, the new HCSP takes a modernized approach, prioritizing the active recruitment and development of leaders at all levels to utilize human capital management practices that are aligned with the agency’s overarching vision, mission, and strategy.
“We must be proactive and take the initiative to develop the workforce in a way that anticipates future mission needs,” said JMC’s Command Sgt. Maj. Petra M. Casarez.
As the lifecycle of the previous plan drew to a close, Headquarters JMC established a team to revise and update the expiring HCSP. The team drew inspiration from the previous successes and failures, solicited input from experts at the installations, and then spent a year creating the new plan. The resulting HCSP remains aligned with the Army People Strategy and the AMC Human Capital Plan, while addressing JMC’s current and future human resource priorities and challenges.
“JMC is committed to recruiting the right people, at the right time, for the right position,” said Norbert Herrera, JMC’s G1 director. “This is a group of talented, disciplined, competent and professional employees who will help the command embrace change and maintain a standard of excellence. As we look to transform our Organic Industrial Base with the latest manufacturing methodologies, processes and equipment, we’ll also need to transform our workforce to meet these future capabilities through recruiting efforts and specialized training.”
Throughout this process, the team focused on marrying the needs of the organization – at JMC’s headquarters and seventeen subordinate installations – with those of its workforce. To effectively achieve this balance for both current and future personnel, while consistently meeting mission requirements, the team established goals, defined priorities, and identified challenges to successful implementation of the new plan.
The new HCSP has three primary goals:
• Shaping and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce for the future
• Identifying, acquiring, developing, and sustaining a workforce able to meet the dynamic needs of munitions mission, now and in the future
• Developing focused, aware, committed, and effective leadership capable of supporting and guiding the JMC workforce
JMC, its leaders, and its workforce must work together to overcome potential challenges to meeting these goals. The HCSP addresses five major challenges related to human capital. These include:
• Implementing structures and strategies to equip leaders with the tools to effectively manage diversity, be accountable, measure results, think strategically, and institutionalize a culture of inclusion
• Establish and support a strong mentorship program that provides opportunities for employees to expand their leadership, interpersonal, and technical skills
• Remaining vigilant in offering workplace flexibilities that remain competitive with industry
• Executing deliberate strategies and initiatives to equip current senior leaders with effective skills and techniques
• Improving recruitment and hiring practices to include new methods and outreach effort that increase diversity, while attracting and maintaining a high-performing workforce
With people as the top priority, the revised HCSP addresses these challenges through several initiatives geared toward assisting members of the workforce to maintain a healthy work-life balance. These efforts include the Wellness Program, expanded telework opportunities, flexible work schedules, a Mentorship Program, Project Inclusion, and Modernization efforts aimed at transforming JMC’s talent in support of the future mission.
According to JMC’s Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Gavin Gardner, “This strategic plan ensures we build an agile, diverse workforce ready to meet the Army’s modernization efforts. JMC is committed to recruiting the right people, at the right time, for the right position. The 2022-2028 JMC HCSP helps us demonstrate our dedication to our top priority – YOU! The right people with the right competencies generates success that will win on any battle field.”
Effective implementation and utilization of the revised HCSP will require wide dissemination of the plan to the workforce, so that employees at all levels see themselves in JMC’s current and future operations.
According to Teresa Hutcheson, G1 program analyst, “The Human Capital Strategic Plan gives a great snapshot of what it is like to work for JMC and the great things we achieve on a daily basis. It shows the magnitude of JMC’s support to the workforce and the Warfighter. “The most interesting thing to read within the HCSP is what each installation does in support of the Warfighter,” Hutcheson added. “Sometimes we are so focused on our own day-to-day tasks, that we don’t always consider the big picture with each site, and how it all comes together in the end.”
“Encouraging everyone to understand how they fit into JMC’s organizational structure and mission, while showing them where and how to take advantage of development opportunities, helps employees understand the importance of the HCSP, fosters a diverse and responsive workforce, and encourages its personnel to recommend potential revisions to the plan over time. These actions will result in supporting the growth and development of employees throughout the life cycle of their careers, maximizing career planning in support of future mission requirements,” said Kela Ganzer, G1 human resources specialist.
“I enjoy reading about the work-life balance and benefits that JMC offers, such as telework and mentorship for employees,” noted Christy Yaddof, Project Inclusion Program Manager. “I think the next generation of the workforce will be very interested in what we can offer to them.”
Consideration of a generational approach is a significant part of the revised HCSP. According to statistics identified by the team, 66% of all HQ JMC civilians, and 92% of HQ JMC senior experts and supervisors will be eligible to retire by 2028. The result will find the millennial generation dominating the labor market in terms of numbers, which requires ensuring that incoming employees acquire the skills and knowledge to continue the mission as those with the institutional experience retire. At the same time, JMC is addressing the fact that its workforce currently consists of several generations of employees, each with unique institutional knowledge and evolving technological skills.
According to Sherri Newman, G1 human resources specialist, “An interesting piece of the HCSP is the information regarding our multi-generational workforce and the traits for each. We currently have five generations, but these generations are shrinking due to the rapid pace of change,” Newman added. “To think that we could have more than five generations in the next decade or two is very interesting. It will be a definite challenge for leaders to find the best way to lead that many generations of people at once.”
Addressing such concerns for the benefit of the JMC enterprise, the revised HCSP establishes policies and programs that identify mission requirements and gaps for the workforce, recruits for those types of positions, and welcomes employees through a strong onboarding and sponsorship program. The hiring action plan also includes a formal mentorship program and professional development opportunities, such as training and education aimed at improving the performance of both supervisors and employees.
These policies will proactively address human capital needs at both the HQ and installation levels, especially considering the continuing modernization of facilities within the OIB. JMC must have employees who understand the organization’s modernization efforts at every level. This will require the recruitment of engineers and other technical experts who understand how the facilities operate and are familiar with the potential regulatory limitations. Failure to utilize policies and procedures that support new capabilities at the installation level might otherwise prove costly to the government and hamper the effort to meet future mission requirements.
The desired end state includes inclusive recruitment and effective professional development opportunities, allowing the establishment and evolution of a workforce aligned to meet JMC’s mission, now and into the future.
“Our future success is directly proportional to our ability to move together in the same direction, toward our future end state,” said Gardner. “We will continue to face challenges, but with the right people – talented, disciplined, competent, and professional – JMC will maintain excellence and exceed expectations for our mission.”
To review JMC’s new plan, please visit the front page of the JMC Sharepoint site.
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2022 14:06 |
| Story ID: | 415060 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL , ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 131 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, JMC Puts the Human in Human Capital Management Planning, by Paul Ferguson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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