In 2016, Natural Resources Canada launched a pilot to test a new cloud-based model for workforce mobilization and Canada’s Free Agents was born with an initial 10 employees. Today we have scaled to almost 60 Free Agents across three federal departments. Our model offers employees who have been pre-screened for innovation attributes the freedom to find work that matches their skills and interests AND supports managers to rapidly hire those employees in a low-risk manner, in order to fulfill their short-term project needs. Join Helen to hear stories of success and failure from our experiment in employee autonomy, mobility, and system change.

1. #GCAgents

2. #GCAgents
The problem?
Talent locked down in positions + increasing
need for gig work + SLOW staffing

3. #GCAgents
“The most challenging thing
(in the Public Service) is being
nimble. Moving people around
from one task to another or
being able to dismantle a
work unit and create a
different one. We are too
slow and not very nimble.”
- Michael Wernick,
Clerk of the Privy Council

5. Experiment to test hypothesis that:
1. A cloud-based model will enable matching talent
to business need
2. Free agency supports employees to be engaged,
happy, and healthy
3. A network of Free Agents will improve the
overall innovation capacity in the federal public
service

6. Project ProjectProject Project Project

7. Benefits for Free Agents
Autonomy
&
freedom
Mobility not
restricted to
discipline &
level
A talent
manager to
support
career
development
Access to a
network &
community
Stretch
opportunities
!7#GCAgents
Potential to be
promoted
Wellness &
balance
(flexible work
schedules,
LIA, telework)
Learning &
development
activities
Pursue
interests &
“flow”

8. Don’t
need a
classifie
d
position
Low risk
A talent
manager for
support
Rapid hiring
Access to a
network of
innovators
!8#GCAgents
Pre-screened
highly
engaged
talent
Cheaper
than a
consultant
(keeps
knowledge
inside GC)
Benefits for host manager

9. #SUCCESS
Happy employees -
● 100% Job satisfaction vs
77% PS wide
Happy managers -
● 93% Satisfied managers
● 85 % would hire another
Free Agent
● Just trying stuff (pilot)
● Iterating & scaling
● Focus on the people
● Community (vs silos)
● Learning
● Finding flow & purpose
● FAs pitching their own
ideas

10. #FAILS
● Superhero
change agents
● Scaling quickly -
as a hack
Next…
Influence lasting
system change

11. Who are the current Free Agents?
Of 40 current Free Agents:
● 22 women / 18 men
● 4 regional
● Ages ranging from 25 to
60 years
● 8 different disciplines:
○ Comms
○ IT
○ HR
○ Policy
○ Science
!11
#GCAgents

13. Innovation attributes
Model from nesta (UK
company)
● Action-orientation
● Courage
● Creativity
● Curiosity
● Empathy
● Passion
● Persuasion
● Problem-solving
● Quick learning
● Reflection
● Resilience
● Team-orientation

15. #GCAgents
The conditions?
Blueprint 2020

16. #GCAgents
A vision + desire for change +
senior champion + JUST TRY
= something new

17. #GCAgents
The visionary + the leader (kingpin) + the do-er
(serendipity + stepping into unknown)

20. #GCAgents
Recognized as a model of
innovation by the OECD:
● Semi-finalist for the
Innovation in
Government Award in
Paris
● 1 of 8 innovations
featured at the World
Government Summit in
Dubai 2018

21. #GCAgents
GCcollab, Twitter, LinkedIn
@freethetalent