How to set up a GPEC approach in the civil service?

The GPEC (Gestion Prévisionnelle des Emplois et des Compétences ) strategy was born in a rapidly changing economic, social and technological context, which is disrupting the labor market and resulting in great job instability. Initially applied to the private sector, this model is increasingly being adopted by public administrations. This trend reflects the desire to adjust skills to the needs of organizations, with the aim of securing long-term employment.

What are the particularities of GPEC? What methods and tools should be used to implement GPEC in the public sector? appvizer gives you the keys to a better understanding of this concept and the main principles for successful implementation.

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Definition: what is GPEC?

Definition: the GPEC approach

Gestion prévisionnelle de l'emploi et des compétences (GPEC) is also known as gestion prévisionnelle des effectifs, des emplois et des compétences (GPEEC). A proactive, forward-looking approach, it aims to anticipate an organization's staffing needs , based on a set of human resources management tools.

It simulates the company's future, taking into account the constraints of its environment and its strategic choices. The aim: to envision the company's possible futures, with a view to anticipating, studying and informing HR decisions.

It bridges the gap between job requirements and resources, while taking into account the socio-economic context, technological developments and regulatory changes.

Practical applications of GPEC

One application of this approach is the development of forward-looking action plans: this involves highlighting the gaps between foreseeable changes in personnel (resources) over a given period, and their allocation to existing jobs (organizational needs) over the same period.

In short, it's about having the right skills, at the right time, in the right place.

To achieve this, measures, analyses and action plans are implemented to reduce discrepancies between forecast and actual in order to prevent crises.

From a quantitative to a qualitative management approach

GPEC is not a new concept: companies have long sought to forecast the resources they will need in the short, medium and long term. Here are a few chronological landmarks on the evolution of this concept:

• 1960s: focus on quantitative workforce management, i.e. the number of people needed according to their level of qualification, based on strategic planning models.
• 1970s: focus on career management, with a new emphasis on training, which became mandatory.
• 1980s: the notion of forward-looking management takes hold, against a backdrop of economic and technological change that favours the obsolescence of qualifications, but also the emergence of a more human approach to management.
• 1990s: D.Thierry and C. Sauret forge the most widespread definition (1993), according to which GPEC is the design, implementation and monitoring of coherent policies and action plans:
  • aiming to reduce, in advance, the gaps between the company's needs and its human resources, in line with its strategic plan ;
  • involving the employee in a professional development project.
• 2000s: renewed interest in GPEC within companies following :
  • the Social Cohesion Programming Act of January 18, 2005, aimed at regulating the labor market ;
  • awareness of the ageing of the working population ("papy boom"), leading to mass retirements.

GPEC's main objectives

Today, forward-looking management of employment and skills focuses on quality, which translates into the continuous improvement of skills. This responds to the need for companies to anticipate the evolution of their jobs in order to avoid qualitative and quantitative mismatches, with a view to constantly adapting to new work situations.

The aims of GPEC :

• manage skills to prevent the risk of maladjustment ;
• avoid redundancies by dealing with problems upstream;
• ensure employee employability;
• improve career management;
• guarantee more efficient training;
• limit the loss of knowledge within the organization.

GPEC policy in the civil service

What do we mean by "public service"?

First implemented in the corporate world, the GPEC model has now been transposed to human resources management in the various civil services:

• State civil service: These include central government departments such as ministries, local government departments such as prefectures and rectorates, and public establishments such as universities and the CNRS.
• hospital civil service: this includes public hospitals, public retirement homes, etc.
• local government : this includes local authorities (communes, départements, régions) and public establishments.

Objectives and challenges of GPEC in the public sector

Applying the GPEC strategy in the public sector means adopting a new approach to human resources management (HRM). It is no longer a tool for controlling the wage bill, but for building a coherent career path, in the same way as in the corporate world.

This new management method makes it possible to :

• meet legal requirements, particularly in terms of training ;
• manage changes in the workforce to better determine future recruitment needs and anticipate the transfer of knowledge;
• improve public service, in particular by deploying skills and "employability" to keep pace with changing professions;
• develop a quality approach: ensure that the service meets the needs of the public and the community.

To achieve this, a number of levers need to be activated, including :

• mobility management,
• identifying available skills,
• checking that the position is suitable for the employee,
• offering targeted training to enhance skills, etc.

How to implement GPEC in the public sector?

Method and practical implementation

Preparing and deploying a GPEC policy is a complex, medium- to long-term project. To ensure its success, a number of steps need to be taken:

• Draw up an inventory of jobs and qualifications;
• Projection of current jobs and skills;
• Implement HRM tools (detailed below) to :
  • reduce gaps between needs and resources,
  • draw up an action plan to anticipate changes in jobs and skills;
  • Use HR data to analyze all the problems to be solved;
• Strengthen the involvement of all players;
• Carry out the project over the long term, generally 3 to 5 years.

An organization needs to equip itself with the appropriate skills management and development tools, including :

• the job or skills repository, to identify existing skills within the organization ;
• the job directory;
• job descriptions, detailing a function's missions, activities and associated skills;
• the recruiter's guide , listing guidelines to facilitate and professionalize recruitment;
• the mobility system, which allows you to plan a suitable training program;
• the annual appraisal interview to review the missions of each function, initiate reflection on possible changes, and identify skills requirements;
• the training plan to promote employability and career development;
• financial forecasting as a steering and decision-making tool to take action on costs, in particular to better control the wage bill.

Selection: 3 tools for an optimal GPEC strategy

The civil service is characterized by its special status and HR policy: job protection and career management. Many of the digitalization, talent management and HRM tools used in the corporate world can also be applied to the public sector and its specific features.

However, it may be a good idea to go one step further and equip your organization with an automated HR information processing system, and why not with a 100% online software solution. appvizer offers you a selection of 3 software solutions to help you make your HRM more agile.

Chapitre 012: the strategic tool for local authorities and public establishments

Chapitre 012 is a SaaS-based software package that can help you implement a payroll management and steering strategy in the local public sector. It is particularly aimed at decision-makers in local authorities, town halls and healthcare establishments.

It offers the following advantages:

• prospective and retrospective,
• creation of dashboards, reports and indicators,
• organization chart design,
• system to combat absenteeism,
• overtime control,
• limiting the number of replacements,
• reducing the use of temps and freelancers, etc.

This innovative, customizable solution is designed for forward-looking workforce management. It meets the financial management and HR cost-containment needs of local authorities and public establishments. It complements HRIS and other payroll software, adding a dimension of strategic intelligence to the administrative management of human resources.

BL.enfance: focus on HRM in childcare facilities

BL.enfance, formerly known as E.enfance, is a user-friendly software package designed to manage childcare and early childhood services. Its new ergonomics make it easy to use, and enable complete management of school and extra-curricular activities. The application is 100% online, requiring only a simple Internet connection and no dedicated hardware.

The interface provides access to all information concerning children, and offers the following modules:

• Early childhood: management of PSU contracts and automatic transfer of accepted files;
• School map and registration: school zone settings and management of possible exemptions;
• School catering: registration of children and automatic dispatch of orders to catering service provider;
• After-school care: management of bookings and children's enrolment for services, as well as a scheduling system for each session or in real time;
• Transport: ability to manage different bus routes and stops, and create a child call list for each stop;
• Leisure activities: personalized creation of your center's various activities, adapted to your rules and regulations;
• Culture and sports: for managers of cultural and sports workshops, the full range of activities on offer can be configured, along with their pricing.

TalentSoft: a versatile solution for implementing GPEC

TalentSoft's talent and training management software enables you to effectively manage recruitment, performance, skills, careers, training and compensation. TalentSoft's integrated talent management solution enables the deployment of a GPEC policy that can be fully customized to your needs, making it applicable to all public functions.

TalentSoft provides the following functionalities:

• management of the complete GPEC cycle: identification, assessment, development and planning ;
• work organization management ;
• enhancement of individual and collective employee skills and potential;
• on-demand services: integration of employee data, assessment campaigns, recruitment, compensation, training and planning of employment and skills strategy;
• specific to local government: personnel administration, career management, appraisal, compensation, training and social cohesion;
• specific to the hospital civil service: tailor-made services integrating the reference frameworks of each establishment.

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The challenges of GPEC applied to the public sector

Initially presented as a tool for optimizing the payroll, GPEC now makes it possible to go further and promote the quality of working life for employees. However, there are a number of obstacles to its implementation.

Increasingly stringent budget restrictions are one of the challenges facing public sector organizations. In addition to the need to keep payroll under control, this challenge calls for the modernization of public administrations to make them more agile.

What's more, implementing a successful GPEC policy in the civil service implies a change of "culture" in the way government missions and HR policy are approached within the administration. This change concerns the very perception of jobs: we need to think more in terms of professions and skills, rather than positions, status and categories. To embrace this new vision, internal and cross-functional mobility will need to be encouraged.

As an added bonus, consolidating, recognizing and deploying the skills of public-sector employees will boost their motivation and create a favourable social climate. Last but not least, we adopt an approach that promotes talent and opens up prospects for development and improvement.