Disclosure of internal audits 2004-2005

Management Response to Internal Communications Audit

Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) management has responded to the Internal Communications Audit published in April 2004. In general, the organization agrees with the recommendations. In its response to each recommendation throughout the table, the TSB indicates the action it has taken, is taking, or plans to take to address the recommendation.

RECOMMENDATION MANAGEMENT RESPONSE OFFICE OF PRIMARY INTEREST TOOLS COST TIME FRAME
Prepare an annual corporate communications strategy - internal and external - linked to the corporate planning process

Environmental assessment, audiences, key messages, activities
Agree.
A three-year Corporate Communications Strategy has been developed and will be supported by an annual Communications Operations Plan.
Chief, Communi-
cations
Prepare a
three-year Corporate Communi-
cations Strategy

Prepare an annual Communi-
cations Operations Plan
$50,000






$12,000
Completed in 2005





June 2005
Prepare individual communications plans to set out how communications tools and techniques will be used to help achieve specific business objectives, with performance indicators such as level of awareness Agree. The requirement for such policy with supporting tools and practices
was identified as an action item in the Corporate Communications Strategy approved by senior management in fiscal year 2004-2005. Significant effort was made on an ongoing basis last year and will continue.
Chief, Communi-
cations
Develop an Internal Communi-
cations
Policy with supporting tools, practices and processes for managers, enabling timely, improved
and consistent internal communi-
cations at
the TSB
Approx. $12,000 Calendar year 2005
Make managers accountable for internal communications, provide them with improved tools to communicate Agree. The requirement for such policy with supporting tools and practices was identified as an action item in the Corporate Communications Strategy approved by senior management in fiscal year 2004-2005. It would provide support to senior and middle management to communicate internally in a timely, effective manner. Chief, Communi-
cations
Develop an Internal Communi-
cations
Policy with supporting tools, practices
and
processes for managers, enabling timely, improved
and consistent internal communi-
cations at
the TSB
Costs included in the previous item Calendar year 2005
Invite the Chief of Communications to participate in all senior management committee meetings, to advise on internal and external communications Agree. In effect as of November 1, 2004, as part of the new governance process. Chief, Communi-
cations
The Chief of Communi-
cations is a permanent member of all governance committees, as part of the new governance process.
No cost Completed
Place a communications strategist on other key committees, to advise on internal and external communications Agree. In effect as of November 1, 2004, as part of the new governance process. Chief, Communi-
cations
Communi-
cations has established internal working practices in the Division to advise on internal and external communi-
cations issues.
No cost Completed
Strengthen relationship between Communications and Corporate Services, which is a key player in most internal communications activities During fiscal year 2004-2005, the Communications Division created distinct service lines to formalize the support provided to Corporate Services. Chief, Communi-
cations
and
Director, Corporate Service
A formal bilateral meeting will be held with key players from Communi-
cations and Corporate Services to validate the level of service.
No cost August 2005
Reorganize and clean up the Intranet site Agree. As resources permit. Phase 1 of the TSB Investigations and Information Management System Project (TIIMS) will provide a reorganized Intranet as a transition to a complete restructuring and introduction of new content management practices with the Corporate Services gateway in Phase 2. Content for individual directorates and branches is the responsibility of individual managers.

At its January 2005 meeting, the Internal Management Committee agreed that the Chief, Communications would lead the development of a governance committee for the Intranet in line with that for the Internet.
Systems
Analyst Corporate Services
and
TIIMS
Project Manager























Chief, Communi-
cations
An
assessment is currently being conducted to plan the approach for transitioning the Intranet to this new environment called
TIIMS.

TIIMS will introduce a new Intranet environ-
ment, eventually providing TSB staff access to all required
TSB electronic tools and information. Along with this will be new procedures and governance for content manage-
ment.
Intranet redesign for the TIIMS environ-
ment is included in project costs, but individual managers' costs for main-
taining and updating content are not.













No cost
Interim transition - pilots in June/July 2005, production in October 2005; Final TIIMS environ-
ment in 2006-2007



















September 2005
Manager's handbook containing policies, human resources information, financial information, etc. Disagree. Our focus will be on making that information available on the InfoNet for employees and managers. Director, Corporate Services
Events calendar, showing both external and internal events and a contact person where appropriate Agree. An events calendar will be available on the Intranet.







The events calendar will be compatible with the TIIMS project.
Chief, Communi-
cations








Corporate Planning Officer Corporate Services
Communi-
cations has created a calendar for the Public Awareness Program showing the external events.

Create an events calendar showing both external and internal events, to be available on the Intranet
No cost










No cost
Completed in March 2005








September 2005
Guidelines for employees on the use of e-mails (these could likely be picked up from another department) Agree. Records management guidelines have been available to all employees since February 2004. A reminder will be sent to employees about the guidelines.

Note: will review Network Handbook for
e-mail
etiquette.
Acting Manager, Information Manage
ment Corporate Services
and
Manager, Informatics Corporate Services
No cost June 2005
Creation of additional internal e-mail distribution lists, so employees are less likely to send to "all staff," or have to spend time creating their own lists Disagree. Adequate distribution lists already exist and employees simply need to be reminded to use them.
A new corporate newsletter could help bridge "silos," prove useful for corporate messaging, but would require significant investment

An alternative would be to use the existing Corporate Services newsletter for broader corporate purposes: updates on Business Plan priorities, status of Public Service Employee Survey Committee work, etc.
Disagree. Emphasis will be on introducing a new Intranet environment within TIIMS that will eventually provide staff with access to all required TSB electronic tools and information. N/A N/A No cost