ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE

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ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE
CIVIL SERVICE

• Gordana Dimitrovska
• Head of Public Administration Reform Unit
• General Secretariat of the Government

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Introduction

• Over the last few years, a systemic process of
  reform and modernization has characterized the
  Macedonian public administration, attracting the
  attention of both political and economic groups.
• Since the 2000 many rules have been adopted to
  assure the simplification of public procedures,
  the decentralization of functions, the
  modernization and the transparency of
  administrative procedures, the technological
  innovation, the efficiency, effectiveness and
  quality of services of the public administration.

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Modernizing people and functions

• The cultural change of human resources, the
  modernization of people and functions is
  necessary for the success of reform.
• The efficiency and effectiveness of the public
  administration depends more on the behavior and
  the culture of managers and employees than on
  rules.
• The public administration is required to manage
  motivated, responsible and trained employees to
  provide information rapidly to be competitive
  for the nation.

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Strategic activities

• The present administration intends to assure the
  development of some strategic activities and to
  invest in human resources.
• Currently, the action of the Government and
  administration is concentrated to strengthen the
  management of human resources.
• In particular, some activities have be developed
  by the Macedonian government assuring knowledge
  management on HR attracting high quality people
  improving professionalism ensuring
  communication creating better working conditions.

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Documents

• Information Note on the Human Resources in the
  State Administration of the Republic of
  Macedonia Situation, Management, Development and
  Challenges and Action Plan, 2005
• Decree on internal organization principles for
  administrative bodies, 2007
• National System of Coordination of Training and
  Expert Development of Civil Servants in the
  Republic of Macedonia, 2005,2008
• Policy for attracting and retaining young and
  university educated people in civil service, 2007
• Strategy for training on local-self government
  administration in the Republic of Macedonia 2006
  2010, 2006
• Strategy for civil servants training in the
  Republic of Macedonia 2009 2011, 2008

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Policy for attracting and retaining young and
university educated people in civil service

• Measure from the Action Plan for implementation
  of the conclusions and recommendation contained
  in the Information on the human resources in the
  state administration of the RM, 2006
• The policy was developed by Civil Servants Agency
  and General Secretariat of Government and adopted
  by CSA, September 2007
• Main purpose of the policy paper is to
• scan the present situation in the field
• present a clear picture of measures of attracting
  and retaining personnel through motivation
• give recommendations.

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Present situation

• Why people chose civil service ?
• safe job and opportunity for training, travel.
• interest for employment in the state
  administration, with a selective approach
  motivated by the attractiveness of state bodies
• or to use it as a springboard for quick
  transition to jobs in the public or private
  sector ( working experience acquired in the
  public sector is evaluated as a solid reference
  benefit)
• Why people leave civil service?
• competitiveness of private sector (private sector
  offers easier way of career progression)
• financial reason- private sector and
  international organizations guarantee high
  financial incomes
• brain drain

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Already taken measures

• Verification of the working practice in specific
  field as working experience
• Transparent announcing of vacant and newly opened
  jobs in the state administration plus simplified
  application for employment through Internet
  (apply on-line).
• Decision of the Government on increase of
  salaries (10 per year or 34 cumulating for a
  period of 3 years)

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Already taken measures

• The Government of the Republic of Macedonia also
  provides international fellowships for EU
  training on annual basis and under the process of
  EU integration
• Protocol of Cooperation singed by the Government
  of the Republic of Macedonia and the Universities
  of Ss Cyril and Methodius, St.Climent of Ohrid
  and SEE University in the Republic of Macedonia-
  (the best one hundred students from each
  generation will be offered employment in the
  state administration, after taking the exam for
  beginning employees)
• Agreement of Cooperation signed by the Civil
  Servants Agency of the Republic of Macedonia this
  enables the students from this University to
  realize a practical on-the-job work in the state
  administration and the University of South-East
  Europe (SEE) in Tetovo-()

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Measures anticipated to be taken

• Programs for increasing employment and retaining
  existing jobs.
• Providing fellowships for trainings abroad to 250
  young persons every year, i.e. 1000 persons for a
  period of 4 years.
• Fellowships to 500 best pupils and 1000
  graduates.
• Stimulating young unemployed university-educated
  persons without working experience to do
  volunteer work to improve their skills and
  preparedness for employment.

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Recommendations

• To promote partnership with Universities and the
  NGOs
• To enable a package of benefits for civil
  servants
• To conduct public campaign to promote the civil
  service

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Conclusion

• The measures which have been adopted during the
  last few years show that the Macedonian reform of
  the public administration has been mainly formal
  and rules based. Legislative change of itself
  does not necessarily ensure changed behavior at
  an organizational or individual level.
• Therefore the legislative reform must be
  supported by initiatives designed to change the
  organizational culture, human resources and
  managerial practices.

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• Thank you for attention !
• gordana.dimitrovska_at_gs.gov.mk
• 389 2 3118 022 ext 177
• 389 70 32 85 75