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Human performance improvement–A way of life for PENNDOT By Harry Zimbler
	Harnessing the intellectual power and creativity of its workforce should be the goal for any organization planning to attain or maintain a leadership position in its industry. This applies to public agencies, as well as to private businesses. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) takes this charge seriously and is on the leading edge of implementing human performance improvement programs in the delivery of its important state services.   For more than 20 years, PENNDOT has been involved in quality improvement, most recently through its Center for Performance Excellence and the eight colleges of its highly successful Transportation University. In 2001, the organization decided it was time to focus specifically on building competencies in improving human performance.   To accomplish this very important goal, PENNDOT sought out Penn State’s Management Development Programs and Services. The agency has a longstanding relationship with Management Development faculty, staff and administration.   “We chose Penn State Management Development, because we felt confident in the faculty’s abilities to deliver the program we wanted for our people,” explained Richard Harris, chancellor of the Center for Performance Excellence at PENNDOT. “In addition, Management Development provided access to Dr. William Rothwell, professor of workforce education and development, who is considered among the world’s leading experts in the area of human performance improvement.”   The idea was simple: increase the level of skills and professionalism in the PENNDOT staff.   “We searched for a certificate program in Human Performance Improvement. Management Development designed one specifically to meet our needs,” Harris said. PENNDOT wanted to target the consultants who work within the Center for Performance Excellence, as well as the agency’s training and quality coordinators.   Dr. Wesley E. Donahue, director of Penn State Management Development Programs and Services, believes his group’s relationship with PENNDOT has enriched the experience of both organizations.   “PENNDOT has harnessed a powerful voice within its own organization,” Donahue said. “Clearly, state agencies like PENNDOT can reap great benefits for their people with a Human Performance Improvement initiative. We are pleased to have been a part of this tremendous project. It demonstrates that PENNDOT is, indeed, committed to continuous improvement and excellence.”   Dr. Katheryn Woodley, assistant professor of management development, served as the lead faculty member for the initial Human Performance Improvement program. In addition to Woodley and Rothwell, the following Management Development faculty members played important roles in the complete program: Dennis M. McCartin, J. Richard Zelonka, Michael P. Sawczuk, James H. Hoy, Donald W. Turner, Harold A. Johnson and Maureen Dodson.   “I believe that PENNDOT selected Penn State to deliver the Human Performance Improvement initiative for three reasons,” Woodley said. “Bill Rothwell’s work and reputation in the field, its long and successful relationship with Management Development and our ability to tailor the experience to their very specific training needs and requirements.”   The Human Performance Improvement program offered 18 full days of training divided into six, three-day courses. The process was centered on the completion of real-world projects based on the targeted needs of PENNDOT’s various departments. In essence, the teams served as internal consultants to the organization.   “These projects are a great benefit to PENNDOT, because they will lead to improvement in performance at the individual, group, bureau and entire department levels,” Woodley said. “They will also lead to improved training programs, developed and delivered only when training is the correct performance solution, among other things.”   “The beauty of Human Performance Improvement is that it brings all our quality and training tools together in a package and provides a neat methodology to have us consider a range of interventions across all of them,” Harris noted. “Human Performance Improvement is an important tool in our quality tool box. If we don’t get better every year, with our revenues growing at only 1 percent, we will lose buying power and capability to inflation.”   Harris was particularly pleased with the final project report presentations that each team delivered to the entire group. These projects addressed some of the major challenges facing PENNDOT and included such topics as the development and implementation of a comprehensive work-site wellness program across the entire organization; the development of an important training program for equipment operators; the creation of a Quality Coordinator Workbook, addressing such issues as meaningful cross-training experiences, career development and promotion opportunities, and training and development tied to the department’s strategic direction; ways to share innovation across PENNDOT; ways to capture institutional knowledge, institutional memory; succession plans; and leadership enhancement.   “The projects influence cost, quality, productivity or customer service,” Harris said. “For example, the one that addressed a driver’s license center will have statewide implications for customer improvements. I get the greatest satisfaction from seeing our Human Performance Improvement professionals grow with the process. It truly casts them as consultants, and they now have a methodology to use with their bag of tools. This gives them more credibility with their clients in the department.”   Watching the program participants grow throughout the Human Performance Improvement learning process was a great pleasure for Woodley.   “It was wonderful to see the growth of many participants from deep skepticism in the beginning to excitement about their potential to better serve their internal clients by the time the program was over,” Woodley said. “The large number of people having the Human Performance Improvement orientation and technology represents a critical mass that can truly improve performance. I think participants saw that as they moved through the program. It’s greatest benefit? I believe it’s the real, valuable organizational change.”   The Human Performance Improvement program, designed by Penn State Management Development Programs and Services, was administered through Penn State Harrisburg’s Erin Shannon. She is the senior workforce development representative at Penn State Harrisburg.   While its initial design was tailored to meet the specific needs of PENNDOT, the program will likely have a life cycle beyond the state agency. At least that is the wish of both Management Development Programs and Services and PENNDOT.   “Our hope is that the feedback and suggestions we provided as we took the course will help Penn State Management Development further develop the course for public offering,” Harris said. “Human Performance Improvement can be a tremendous asset to any enterprise. We hope to continue to grow our Human Performance Improvement professionals and gain from our investment. We hope that our sister agencies will follow our lead.”
© 2002 Outreach Communications,   Outreach & Cooperative Extension,   The Pennsylvania State University phone: (814) 865-8108,   fax: (814) 863-2765,   e-mail: outreachnews@outreach.psu.edu