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We must ensure that our human resource management (HARM) practices develop even further the commitment and performance of civil servants. Each one of us have a role to play in meeting the challenge of improving our HARM practices and maintaining a dynamic and progressive approach to managing people. This Guide to Human Resource Management not only encapsulates the vision and guiding principles of how we intend to manage people in the future, but also provides a practical tool to assist us all in realizing that vision.
The Civil Service Branch carried out a review in 1993 to determine what changes were needed in implementing Human Resource Management so that it could best complement and support the new focus on devolving authority, on customers and on raising service standards. The outcome of the review has established the direction for Human Resource Management. First the Civil Service Branch is now concentrating more on its strategic role, determining policy, setting guidelines and rules, and advising branches and departments on implementation. Within this, the Branch is legating as much authority as possible to departments, and simplifying rules and procedures. Second, the emphasis is now more on the management of people rather than the administration of rules.
Third, branches and departments are expected to review and develop their own Human Resource Management plans to help them meet their operational requirements. While the Civil Service Branch encourages the implementation of Human Resource Management initiatives, it appreciates that change cannot happen overnight, and that many effective staff management practices are already occurring. It is for apartments to build upon these and show continuous improvement over time. This booklet explains how Human Resource Management works in the Hong Kong Civil Service. It describes the core principles and values of the Government; where responsibilities lie; and the key management tasks that must be addressed.
AIMS AND PRINCIPLES Aims The Government exists to serve the community : it seeks to provide the services the community needs and the leadership Hong Kong needs to go on succeeding. Serving the Community is the Government’s single most important aim, to which all civil servants should be committed. It requires the Government to provide the services the community needs, and to provide the leadership Hong Kong needs to go on succeeding. To do so, we act in the public interest to: ; foster stability and prosperity, ; improve the quality of life for the whole community, ; care for those who need help, ; protect the rights and freedoms of the individual, ; maintain the rule of law, and ; encourage people to play their part in the community.
Principles DEVELOPING OUR CULTURE OF SERVICE AIMS It is as true for the Government as for any other organization that we depend n our staff at all levels to achieve our aims. It is therefore important that we set these out so that staff have a clear sense of direction for their work, and know how their performance will be judged. The Government’s aim Of Serving the Community is a simple concept, readily understood by civil servants. In support of this, departmental missions help staff focus their efforts on performing to their best in their particular area of work. Human Resource Management is a planned approach to managing people effectively for performance.
It aims to establish a more open, flexible ND caring management style so that staff will be motivated, developed and managed in a way that they can and will give of their best to support departments’ missions. PRINCIPLES The Government establishes four main principles which guide us in our work. We have adopted the following additional principles to guide departments in their Human Resource Management work: ; the Government should be a good employer; ; people are our most important asset; ; staff are recruited and their careers managed on the basis of merit; ; staff should take their share of responsibility for developing their potential; ; staff management is the responsibility of all managers; and ; departmental Human Resource Management plans must be guided by departmental plans and objectives.
Human Resource Management helps them to do so in a structure way, by linking functions such as performance management and training to departmental aims and values. Human Resource Management brings out the important values of trust, care, teamwork, encouragement and development which help the Government meet the principle of being a good employer and thereby motivating staff to give their best. The responsibilities for Human Resource Management rest with the Civil Service Branch, policy branches, departments, managers and individual civil servants. ; Civil Service Branch determines and communicates overall Human Resource Management policies and advises departments on the implementation of these policies. policy branches and departments are responsible for implementing central Human Resource Management policy and developing the HARM plans to meet their own needs. ; Managers and individual civil servants have personal responsibility for putting policy into practice. CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH The Civil Service Branch sets the strategic direction according to which civil servants are managed, and performs a number of central functions. To do so it: Strategic Role : develops and promotes policies, standards and good practices in the management of civil servants; and implements these policies through discussions, explanations, guidelines, regulations and circulars.
Central Functions : determines and communicates overall Human Resource Management policy and standards of best practice; advises departments on the implementation of policies and the development of their Human Resource Management plans; formulates pay and conditions of service, fringe benefits and allowances and also deals with proposals for changes to structures of grades/ranks and for creation of directorate posts in the light of advice from independent standing bodies; deals with appointment, promotion (including succession planning) ND discipline relating to senior positions, taking into account the advice from the Public Service Commission.