▍Background

The BC Public Service Agency is a centralized HR and training function for all government agencies in British Columbia. The agency is made up of approximately 450 people supporting over 29,000 in hiring, employee relations, workplace health, and training and development.

When Lynda Terras accepted the role of Deputy Minister for the 8C Public Service Agency, she was given a mandate for change. Not only were employees shifting to a new business model to align more closely with leading corporations, they were also introducing a new Human Resources {HR) plan and a new customer service philosophy. The overarching goals? To position the agency as an ally for success to its Internal customers and to deliver on the BC Public Service's goal to become a top employer in Canada.

▍ Solutions

The rollout began with top-down implementation. The first step was for all supervisors—approximately 100—within the 450-person agency to attend the Fierce Conversations workshop. The training prepared supervisors to model new behaviors and lead the business transformation.

they're focused on making sure the learning sticks so it becomes part of the new culture. The group connects—In-person, online and over the phone—once a month to share what they've learned and go over what's worked well and what hasn't. Participants reinforce learning by working on and solving real problems. New workshop attendees are Invited to join so the community is always growing.

▍ Results

In a few short years, Fierce Conversations has organically grown from the initial audience of 450 to a program that is widely coveted across the entire organization of over 29,000. The workshop is now the most subscribed course the Learning Centre offers with waitlists for every offering—including a 200-person waitlist in Victoria. Ninety-seven percent of attendees would recommend the course to others.