Profile: Jeff Hepp

Jeff Hepp has the right stuff to test new HR strategies

Senior HR Consultant Jeff Hepp is an ideas man. Working for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) in Saskatoon, he taps into his creativity to develop new, innovative recruitment and HR practices for government employees.

A ‘value-based’ culture

“We’ve gone from a ‘rules-based’ to a ‘value-based’ HR culture,” says Jeff, “which is a big change from an HR perspective. It’s an opportunity to be creative with how we recruit people.”

The new strategy is more targeted, he notes: “Get the right people in the right place at the right time and ensure our people-related actions are consistent with the department’s mandate, values and culture.”

With the switch from the objective by-the-book hiring model to a new flexible approach that focuses on “best fit,” Jeff ultimately is helping the machinery of government work faster—and better. And that’s a payoff for all Canadians.

Doing his homework

One of his greatest but most enjoyable challenges is presenting new approaches to hiring, he says. To get buy-in, Jeff has to do his homework and a lot of networking.

“I sit on a regional HR committee where I get to network and share best practices and make use of all the resources in the region,” says Jeff. “I keep up on regional and national labour market statistics in government and look for potential candidates for job openings. No day is the same.”

Small size = opportunities

That’s why Jeff enjoys the environment at WD. Because it’s not a big department, WD gives him the opportunity to develop and apply new HR strategies, and to dabble in other areas of the department’s work.

“I was drawn in by the small size of WD,” says Jeff. “To me it meant the opportunity to be involved in more things. In a larger environment, job duties might be more repetitive. Today with WD I take an interest in the operations of the department, which allows me to integrate the most effective recruitment and HR strategies.

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