The DAI Advisor

 Learn. Transform. Achieve.
July 2010 Newsletter, Issue 3
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In This Issue
DAI on the Road
Importance of Workforce Planning
DAI Supports Defense Organizations
DAI on the Road
 
We are looking forward to attending the upcoming 6th Annual National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo on July 19 - 22, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Please say hello if you see us there!
 
President and CEO, Dr. Sherilyne E. Dougherty, will also be attending the Women on Course networking and golf event in San Diego, California, July 30 - August 1, 2010. 

DAI Leads Large-Scale Conference Planning and Training Efforts

 

At VA, our efforts are centered on providing employees with the training and skills that they need to succeed and grow in their positions.  By September 30, 2010, we are training over 22,000 employees in 74 locations across the U.S.  The aggressive training program focuses on building the competencies critical for any employee to make meaningful contributions:  oral and written communications, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

 

In August we are hosting a training conference for 1,500 employees in the fields of accounting and finance.  The training conference will offer over 50 classes for participants to select from.  Our goal is to ensure participants receive the training and information they need to meet VA's critical mission.

 

DAI can leverage its full spectrum of conference planning and event management services to help your organization execute a successful event. Please contact us to learn more about what we can do for you.

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President's Corner
Dr. Sheri Dougherty, President and CEO of DAI 

Thanks for tuning into The DAI Advisor, a resource for anyone interested in our core practice areas of communications, human capital and learning solutions and what is happening within our company.  This month's issue focuses on our human capital practice - recognizing the importance of robust human capital training programs, challenges associated with today's workforce trends and best practices in human capital management.  I invite you to continue learning about these topics, in the field and at DAI, by reading the articles below.

 

Read the previous edition of The DAI Advisor.

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Employee Spotlight: Antoinette Merrill, DAI's New Vice President of Finance and Administration

 
DAI is delighted to highlight the recent promotion of Antoinette Merrill Antoinettefrom Controller to Vice President of Finance and Administration.  Since she arrived a year ago, Ms. Merrill has taken on increasing responsibilities in the areas of human resources, information technology (IT) and recruiting.  As part of the executive leadership team, she will oversee the strategy and execution of three service areas - contract management and administration, human resources and recruiting and financial strategies - to stimulate company growth. 

 

"I look forward to new opportunities to further streamline and integrate administrative and business functions, facilitate collaboration and continually enhance the employee experience at DAI," said Ms. Merrill.

Major Demographic Shifts and Retirement Trends Underscore Importance of Workforce Planning
 
A recent Washington Post article illustrates the potential major business impacts that can result from current retirement trends and workforce shifts.  This article cited a significant increase in the number of near air collisions in and around the Washington metropolitan area as a result of the large number of air traffic controllers approaching retirement and the influx of new controllers. 

 

With the growing number of retiring baby boomers, this kind of change in the workforce has become commonplace.  The number of workers between the ages of 65 and 74 and over the age of 75 is predicted to soar by more than 80 percent by the year 2016.  With an increasingly multigenerational workforce and a surge of retirees, organizations should be prepared for such changes. 

BLS Graph

 

For many companies, workforce planning has moved from a more traditional approach that finds and replaces leaders to one that identifies and develops talented individuals who can fill a variety of future positions.  Employees' general competencies are fostered through different means such as coaching, job rotation and university-based education.  Today, more companies are leveraging technological tools to facilitate workforce planning processes within employees' daily routines to include training and developmental activities and frequent feedback mechanisms to track progress.

 

To learn more about the latest trends, some helpful resources include:  Keys to best practice succession management, Building Leadership Bench Strength: Current Trends in Succession Planning and Management and Choose Tomorrow's Leaders Today.

 

Learn more about our aging workforce strategies and services.
DAI Supports Defense Organizations as they Transition from NSPS to the General Schedule
 

For the last five years, DAI has supported Department of Defense organizations with their transition to the National Security Personnel System (NSPS).  As NSPS winds down, DAI is again at the forefront of supporting these organizations with their return to the General Schedule (GS).  DAI consultants support a variety of organizations including the Air Force, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).  Our support includes:

 

  • Developing transition policy and procedures.
  • Creating communications and training products to educate the workforce about the GS.  Our GS101, a web-based course, was highlighted in a recent Government Executive article.
  • Supporting the classification effort.
  • Preparing the workforce for returning to their previous performance management systems.
  • Developing performance management programs that leverage what worked with NSPS and applying it to other programs.
  • Supporting NSPS-related activities while the transition takes place.

To learn more about how we can support your organization with the transition or to receive human capital consulting support, please contact Nicole Alley, Business Development Manager, by email or phone (703-838-0093, ext. 206), or Aaron Jones, Business Development/Account Executive, by email or phone (703-838-0093, ext. 220).