CONTENTS

PageNumber

G P Human Resource Management Good Practices 1

V MV Articulation of Vision, Mission and Values 5

P L AN Human Resource Management Plan 10

MP Manpower Planning 13

P MS Performance Management 18

T& D Training and Development 25

S Q Service Quality Enhancement 37

C O N TAC T Contact Persons for the Cases Listed in this Publication 40

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Human Resource Management Good Practices

Introduction

Human Resource Management (HRM) is a planned approach to managing peopleeffectively for performance. It aims to establish a more open, flexible and caringmanagement style so that staff will be motivated, developed and managed in a way thatthey can give of their best to support departments’ missions. Good HRM practices areinstrumental in helping achieve departmental objectives and enhance productivity. Forthe purpose of sharing experience and providing reference in launching HRM initiatives,we have gathered in this booklet some good examples introduced by departments.

HRM Good Practices In Departments

Since launching HRM movement in 1994 in the civil service, the Civil ServiceBureau has sponsored and individual departments have introduced various HRMinitiatives. In taking HRM forward, we need a strategic and integrated approach inmanaging people effectively for performance.

In taking a strategic and integrated approach, HRM is linked to the department'sstrategic direction in a systematic way. Such an approach is often reflected in thefollowing practices -

² clarifying a department's strategic direction by way of articulating its Vision,Mission and Values statement;

² establishing the strategic linkage and integrating HR programmes through aHRM Plan; and

² projecting its short to long term human resource needs through a ManpowerPlan.

At the same time, all managers must adopt a more open, flexible and caring stylein managing their staff. Such an approach is reflected in a number of ways. The threemost common practices are -

² managing people effectively for performance through an open PerformanceManagement System (PMS) that will call for individual objectives tied todepartmental objectives, regular coaching, and developing staff on the job;

² enhancing staff's competencies to perform better through effectively trainingpeople to achieve departmental objectives and results; and

² delivering quality service through training and engaging staff in developinga service culture in addition to business process re-engineering and workstreamlining.

Through experience in and analysis of various HRM initiatives, we have identifiedas given in the following section a list of HRM Good Practice Indicators whichdepartments may use as reference when they embark on HRM initiatives and when theyseek to evaluate their own HRM initiatives.

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HRM Good Practice Indicators

Initiative Good Practice Indicator

Articulationof Vision,Missionand Values(VMV)

, Sense of purpose reflected in the department’s VMV

, Elements of service culture captured in the department’s VMV

, Involving staff in discussions and meetings to generate ownership

, Management commitment shown in resource allocation inachieving department’s VMV

, Clear and effective communication programme in place to promoteVMV

, Offering training to develop skills and behaviour in living the VMV

, Customer-focused culture reflected in departmental policies,procedures and practices

, Measurement system in place to track performance improvement

, Demonstration of understanding of VMV and observable behaviour

Drawing upHRM Plan

, The HRM Plan developed under the leadership of the seniormanagement

, Department’s strategic direction clearly articulated by the top team

, Debate and endorsement of strategic and ongoing HR issues by thetop team

, HR actions to address HR issues debated, approved and prioritizedby the top team

, Department’s VMV revisited as part of the strategic review process

, An environment scan conducted to identify strategic HR issues

, Staff’s input on ongoing HR issues sought through, for example,staff opinion survey, focus group meetings, interviews, etc

, Specific objectives and sets of actions clearly spelt out in the HRMPlan and clearly explained as to how each will help address certainHR issues in achieving departmental Vision and Mission

, Responsibilities to implement the HRM Plan clearly assigned

, Realistic implementation plan with adequate resource support

, Review system in place

, Development of a human resource information system

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Initiative Good Practice Indicator

ManpowerPlanning

, A systematic information system in place

, A clear plan with action programmes in place to bridge supply anddemand gaps, succession gaps, and competency gaps

, Posting policy published and career paths made known to staff

, Competency profiles of key job grades developed and made knownto staff

, Information derived from succession plan fed into training anddevelopment plans for individual officers

, Career interviews arranged for staff to gauge staff aspiration andoffer career guidance offered

, Regular review and update of the plan and competency profiles

PerformanceManagementSystem

, Senior management’s support and commitment in allocating therequired resources and according priority to this function

, Objective setting starting from the top and systematically cascadedand linked to the departmental objectives

, All appraisers have been properly trained on PMS good practicesand the required skills

, Mechanisms to ensure openness, fairness and objectivity of theappraisal process

, The system being competency-based to help identify training anddevelopment needs for staff and their potential for taking up higherresponsibilities

, Information gathered from the performance cycle linked to otherhuman resource functions

, Staff recognizing that performance management is a jointresponsibility of the appraisee and the supervisor

, Staff performance management being an ongoing process, not anannual event

, Review of the performance management system

Training andDevelopment

, Individual and departmental Training and Development plans inplace and strategically linked to departmental strategic objectives

, A diverse set of training and development activities (e.g. overseasattachment, overseas training, secretariat attachment)

, Training and Development integrated with PMS and SuccessionPlan / Manpower Plan

, Timely induction training provided to all new staff withmanagement training to be provided systematically afterwards

, Regular review of the Training and Development policies

, Evidence of improvement in work quality and efficiency

, Managers’ positive feedback on learners’ performance

, Training courses rated highly in quality and relevance

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Initiative Good Practice Indicator

ServiceQualityEnhancement

, Customer focused culture as reflected in programmes, policies,procedures and practices

, Productivity and efficiency enhanced

, Staff taking more initiative to serve

, Measurement in place to track performance improvement

, Mode of operation being service oriented

, Public image enhanced

Illustrations In the following chapters, there are a number of cases, provided with theassistance of departments, on how good HRM practices can enhance serviceproductivity and quality. The cases are grouped under the following categories -

O Articulation of Vision, Mission and ValuesO Human Resource Management PlanO Manpower PlanningO Performance ManagementO Training and DevelopmentO Service Quality Enhancement

The cases serve as examples illustrating how good HRM practices can helpachieve departmental goals and objectives. As service nature and organizationstructure vary from one department to another, departments should give dueconsideration to their own needs while drawing reference from the case examples inplanning for their own HRM initiatives.

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Articulation of Vision, Mission and Values

v Department of Health (DH) v

Background At the end of 1997, the Dental Service (DS) of DH developed its VMV. A series ofspecially structured HRM workshops were conducted to equip managers with theknowledge and skill required to manage and motivate staff and to incorporate the newlydeveloped VMV into the work culture of the DS.

Implementation In February 1998, twenty Senior Dental Officers with potential to act as HRMtrainers participated in a one-day workshop to have better understanding of HRMconcepts and to familiarize themselves with the standard training package used by thecivil service. After the workshop, the participants further took part in a 2-day "train thetrainers" course. This workshop helped equip the staff to act as competent HRMtrainers and also provided opportunity for the management to identify suitablecandidates to be responsible for developing the DS's own HRM training programme. Eight trainers were selected. Together with the senior management, they madepreparations for a series of HRM workshops for all middle managers in the DS. Atailor-made programme was developed incorporating the new VMV and using theexperience gained during a Dental Service Strategic Management Workshop held in theprevious year. To enable the participants of the HRM workshops to be familiar with the VMV, theDS also launched a VMV publicity campaign prior to the workshops. The VMV of theservice was introduced to all staff through a series of games and competitions. From August 1998 to February 1999 eight workshops were held for 173 middlemanagers in the DS. The workshops were conducted by the eight trained Senior DentalOfficers using the programme they developed. The senior management in the DS wasinvolved in all the workshops.

Outcome Overall, the staff have gained a better understanding of HRM and how to put HRMinto practice. The trainers gained valuable experience and insight into HRM and itsapplication in dental clinic settings. This group of staff is now helping the DS in itsimplementation of HRM.

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v Immigration Department v

Background Since 1995, the Immigration Department has developed a HRM plan with a view toidentifying the department's VMV, and most important of all, the future strategic direction.Owing to resources constraint and as an effective approach, it was decided that a driverprogramme approach should be adopted for implementation of the HRM plan. Twodriver programmes, namely 'articulation of vision, mission and values' of the departmentfor various levels of staff and promotion of a more positive 'organization culture', wereimplemented.

Implementation The programmes included the following activities - (a) HRM seminars

Directorate and senior officers were arranged to attend seminars whichaimed at applying the concepts of HRM in better customer service throughmore effective people management. Briefing sessions were also conductedfor these senior officers to explain to them details of the devised HRM planand steps for implementing the driver programmes.

(b) Value Ownership Workshops

Sessions of Value Ownership were organized for the middle managers tofurther articulate the department's VMV statements and to make them moreaware of the departmental strategic direction on HRM. Attendees were alsotasked to sharing the rationale of the departmental VMV with theirsubordinates when they returned to their offices.

Workshops were then organized for the working levels to enable them tounderstand, share and consequently participate actively towards achievingthe departmental VMV.

(c) Departmental Value Interpretation Campaign

Following a series of workshops, a departmental Value InterpretationCampaign was run to instil the departmental VMV statements among staff ofall levels by asking them to translate the departmental values intooperational behaviour and service standard, which were subsequently putinto practice.

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Outcome A clear and inspiring vision has been set for staff at all levels towards thefulfillment of the departmental goals, which in turn has guided their behaviour andactions when dealing with members of the public. As a result, staff have become morepositive and heart-driven for their work, hence enhancing their productivity. From 1996 to 1998, there has been an upsurge in passenger traffic of about 16%from 99.74 million to 115.48 million while the strength of the department was contained atmore or less the same level. Against all these, the department succeeded inmaintaining its performance pledge of clearing at least 92% of the arriving passengersand 100% of the departing passengers within 30 minutes even at peak hours. The number of appreciations received from members of the public has increasedfrom 227 in 1996 to 469 in 1998. On the contrary, the number of complaints received inthe years has dropped from 291 to 217 respectively. For the management, the HR programmes implemented have provided norms thatguided desirable management practices. More open communication among membersof the department, both vertically and horizontally, has been promoted to maintain apositive and effective working relationship.

v Legal Aid Department (LAD) v

Background Although LAD has implemented Service Quality Improvement to re-engineer thelegal aid applications and case monitoring processes at the end of 1996, the topmanagement realized that process improvement alone was not adequate in achieving itsdepartmental objective in the long run. They need a culture change which wouldtransform the department into a customer-driven and result-oriented organization. Thedevelopment of VMV was considered to be necessary.

Implementation At the development stage, input from various levels was solicited. Adepartment-wide VMV campaign was organized to collect staff opinion. Seniormanagement staff were interviewed for their views on strategic issues facing thedepartment. A workshop for the management was conducted to formulate the VMV. Before the draft VMV was communicated to the staff, the senior managementdeveloped role models of the core values and incorporated these values into their day-to-day work. The draft VMV was published through newsletters and formal/informalcommunication sessions were conducted by managers to introduce the VMV, explain thereason for the development of VMV and process of development, and collect

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feedback. The draft VMV was also distributed to other key stakeholders concerned forcomment. The statement was then refined subsequent to reviewing feedback from staffand stakeholders. To maintain the momentum of the project, a number of promotion campaignswere also launched, including newsletters, change of departmental logo, and VMVposters, plague and stationery. When the senior management and staff were beginning to “live” the values of thedepartment as well as the key operational improvement in application was ready forlaunch, the VMV statement was published on LAD’s newsletter, together with a numberof major announcements on service performance to illustrate that the vision was put intopractice.

Outcome The VMV has defined the department’s purpose and direction, and identified thecore values which guided the actions and behaviours of the staff. The managementstaff have developed a leadership style consistent with the core values of the department.In respect of staff, there was very little resistance in implementing the major process andorganization change. Specifically, they were receptive of significant change in their jobcontents which demanded multi-skilling, high responsiveness to customers’ requestsand accountability for performance. Inspired by the vision and committed leadership, majority of the organizationaland process changes were put in place smoothly within three months with desiredperformance results achieved. Achievements were reflected in savings of staff time,better customer service, shortened application processing time and drop in outstandingcases. The performance in all the five major service areas has exceeded theperformance targets pledged by more than 10% during the period from November 1997 toDecember 1999.

v Social Welfare Department (SWD) v

Background In order to shape up HRM practices of the department, SWD formulated a HRMPlan in July 1998. A Steering Committee on HRM, chaired by the Director of SocialWelfare, was set up to map out the strategy and oversee the implementation of HRMimprovement initiatives. The Steering Committee decided that the cultivation of anappropriate organization culture, to which the development and promotion ofdepartmental VMV are integral, should be the first HRM driver programme.

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Implementation A working group, led by an Assistant Director, was set up to spearhead the taskinvolved. As "staff ownership and commitment" was the key to a successfulorganization cultural change, the department subscribed to the following principleswhen developing its departmental VMV -

Ø all-staff involvement

Ø effective communication

Ø open consultation

Ø share ownership-taking (for both staff and the management) Following the principle of all-staff involvement, the Working Group published aVMV Consultation Booklet to all staff members. The booklet served the purpose of -

Ø introducing the background for the launching of HRM and the development ofVMV;

Ø presenting a draft VMV Statement (which was worked out after severalrounds of directorate workshop) to staff for consultation; and

Ø elaborating the meaning of VMV and the rationale behind the draft statement. The following complementary activities were implemented -

Ø Before issuing the VMV Consultation Booklet, a VMV seminar was organizedfor all Unit Heads so as to better equip the line managers to lead their staff inthe discussion of draft VMV statement.

Ø A set of questionnaires on organization culture survey were distributed to allstaff members to facilitate their discussion of the draft VMV.

Ø VMV promotion activities including VMV seminars, workshops, sharingsessions were launched. Promotion materials like posters, plaques,bookmarks were produced and distributed to staff and service units.

Outcome The various promotion activities provided channels for staff to express theircomments and views about the department and their job. Staff opinion collected duringthe process also helped the department to better formulate its HRM implementation plan.For example, based on staff opinion that internal communication needed improvement,the management subsequently introduced both formal (setting up aHeadquarters/Regional meeting to facilitate more direct communication betweenHeadquarters policy makers and district operation managers) and informal (directorateofficers' goodwill visits to show care and concern to front-line colleagues) measures toenhance internal communication. Being involved right from the very beginning of developing the departmental VMV,many Unit Heads were well prepared to support the translation of the idealsencapsulated in the VMV Statement into operational behaviour.

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Human Resource Management Plan

v Civil Engineering Department (CED) v

Background With the formulation of an HRM plan in late 1997 and the development of animplementation scheme for the plan in early 1998, CED management decided to put inmore efforts to encourage their colleagues to give their views on the department'smission, HR and related issues so that management could better appreciate theirconcerns and act on their feedback more effectively.

Implementation CED conducted its first department-wide staff opinion survey in the last quarter of1998. The outcome of the survey was very encouraging; a high response rate of 73%was recorded. Staff have given positive views on a variety of HR and operational issues,such as implementation of quality service, job attitude, people management style,divisional goals, divisional operations, communication and, in particular, the relevanceand usefulness of CED's mission. Some respondents even spent effort on givingadditional comments on various issues. This has enabled management to collect veryuseful, qualitative as well as quantitative feedback. To enable the survey findings to be communicated to all staff members, adepartmental publication was specially prepared for distribution to all staff in CED inearly 1999 to promulgate the major findings of the survey.

Outcome Given the success of the survey, CED has decided to carry out staff surveys on aregular basis to keep track of the improvement of the various HRM aspects. Throughthe survey and other HRM initiatives which involved the staff at all levels, there was anon-going dialogue between management and staff.

v Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) v

Background To ensure successful implementation of the HRM programmes, C&ED consideredit important that staff opinion should be solicited. The department has conducted a

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Staff Opinion Survey in June 1998. The specific objectives of the Staff Opinion Surveywere -

µ to gather staff opinion on the department's climate, i.e. their overallsatisfaction, morale, commitment and expectations of the department, etc;

µ to obtain staff perceptions on the various dimensions of work environment ofthe department, i.e. the job characteristics, management style and practices,performance management system, and training and development, etc;

µ to understand the impacts of the various dimensions of work environment onthe department's climate;

µ to determine different opinions of various categories of staff towards theseelements;

µ to identify the areas of focus for the implementation of HRM programmeswith a view to ensuring the effectiveness of these programmes;

µ to reveal potential problem areas for the implementation of HRM Plan; and

µ to provide baseline data against which future assessment can be made.

Implementation The Survey was based on a questionnaire consisting of two parts: multiple choicequestions and written comments. It was a census of all staff members except theGeneral Grades and Common Grades staff in the department, covering a total of 4,115staff members. 1,164 completed questionnaires were received, representing aresponse rate of 28%. As the Organization Climate was influenced by the Work Environment Dimensions(WEDs) of the department which in turn affected the department's performance as awhole, staff perception on the following key WEDs were obtained from the Survey -

Ø C&ED's Vision, Mission and Values

Ø Customer Orientation

Ø Leadership & Management - Senior Management

Ø Leadership & Management - My Superior

Ø Communication, Performance Review and Evaluation

Ø Career Growth and Development

Ø Work Characteristics The Survey findings were disseminated to all the staff at the DepartmentalSeminar and through the Departmental Temporary Circular.

Outcome

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Based on the strengths and weaknesses of the department's WEDs and theirrelative importance on the Organization Climate, three higher priority WEDs, i.e. careergrowth and development, work characteristics and senior management's leadership andmanagement were identified. The Survey findings also provided useful information for the senior managementin designing new HRM initiatives at the headquarters and formation levels.

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Manpower Planning

v Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) v

Background In 1996, AMS formulated a VMV statement to provide a clear sense of directionand corporate identity for the volunteers and staff of AMS. A HRM Plan was developedto help better achieve the departmental vision and mission. The strategic analysisrevealed that the key strategic issue facing AMS was a lack of overall retention strategyand the problem in keeping the young and active volunteers. To address this issue, aseries of HRM initiatives were drawn up. Amongst the HRM initiatives, the programmeon volunteer recruitment which was linked to volunteer retention was implemented asthe driver programme.

Implementation The programme included the introduction of Trait Test in the selection process toevaluate the applicant's ability and to help select volunteers with the desiredcompetencies. As a result, the newly recruited volunteers would have the essentialskills, knowledge, ability and attitude to fulfil their future duties. On volunteer retention, AMS implemented a range of motivational programmeswhich cater for specific needs of various groups of volunteers and promote jobsatisfaction. The programmes included the following activities -

(a) Professional Segment Volunteers of professional segment were seconded to the operationalunits for emergency services in addition to the duties assigned by theHospital Wing. The secondment would provide them with challenges andwould maximize their involvement in the operational duties.

(b) Young Segment

This group of volunteers liked to have more opportunities to serve thecommunity and learn new skills. Various interest classes were organizedto equip them with more skills to perform duties and serve the communitybetter.

(c) Old Segment

More informal gatherings were arranged so that members could build upstronger friendship which was treasured most by this group of volunteers.

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(d) Compensation Segment

Members were motivated by the allowances they could collect for theirservice. A "Duty" system was established to provide more opportunities for them to perform extra duty and earn more allowances. The fairness ofthe system was endorsed by ICAC.

Outcome Having gone through the vigorous selection process, new recruits now have a lotof pride in becoming an AMS volunteer. It is reflected by a close to 100% attendance ofthe induction training as opposed to a less than 70% prior to the implementation of theHRM Plan. Furthermore, after completing the induction training, the volunteers arerequired to attend 110 hours of training per year. More than 60% of the members havemet such requirement, almost 20% higher than the figure before the implementation. As for Volunteer Retention, the annual wastage has dropped by 30%.

v Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) v

Background

In 1989, HKPF adopted the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) techniques inhuman resource planning. The techniques led to the formulation of systems that arenow used to examine and address those issues that affect the changing DEMAND andSUPPLY for human resources. In 1994 it was realized that such techniques needed tobe well supported by comprehensive Human Resource Information System (HRIS) andthis led to the development of the Personal Information Communal System (PICS) in 1997.PICS now provides an extensive database on both the JOBS and PEOPLE and includesmodules on turnover of staff, training management, career management andestablishment. Implementation Supply Planning

Any proposed changes in organizational structure, expected losses throughturnover of staff and changes in appointment terms of staff, required the HKPF toproduce forecasts in the 'supply flows' of manpower throughout the organization. Theoutflow of staff due to wastage, internal promotion flows to fill vacancies and intakeflows from recruitment were all examined in detail some 18 months ahead. This hasallowed the Force to consider 'what if' scenarios up to 3 years ahead. IES analysis wasbased on pulling together detailed data on turnover rates, including data on the reasons

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why staff left the service that were collected through 'EXIT' questionnaires. Using these'hard' and 'soft' statistical data, both internal and external underlying forces that affectedturnover were better understood. Examining trends in induction leavers, in-servicepremature leavers and scheduled leavers allowed for improved scenarios to be builtaround various scenarios of High, Low and Normal wastage and annual organizationalchanges. The effects of current and future recruitment and retention policies wereexamined to provide a guide to projected turnover, intakes and promotion vacancies inthe years ahead.

In addition, Supply planning allowed internal flows and succession of staff todifferent ranks to be examined. The Force has steadily developed computerizedrecords that outlined the examination, education and training achievements on staff andfor Inspectorate officers, their preferred area of work and type of work posting choiceswere captured. Filling post vacancies, implementing job rotation and formulating staffdevelopment plans were supported by shortlisting exercises that searched against staffchoices, providing staff lists and biographies. The introduction of the PICS on almost2,000 terminals Force-wide has provided the opportunity to further improve the quality ofdata available to front-line commanders when examining supply planning issues.

Demand Planning

To cope with the need for a strategic view of human resources with improvedclassification of the establishment, an improved classification methodology in PICS hasbeen developed. It involved posts categorized by rank/grade, geographical location,contribution against the operational or support programmes and sub-programmes ofactivities as well as the career stream into which the posts fit. The analysis ofdeployment across operational, operational professional support and support functionswas combined with workload, population and financial data putting strategic informationon deployment in the hands of front-line commanders. Commanders and Forcemanagement can therefore have up-to-date information on the deployment and re-deployment of human resources to meet their ongoing operational priorities. Outcome

Supply planning has provided the Force with the capability to examine 'what if'scenarios and determine expected outcomes from any changes in Force policy or theexternal economic environment and labour market. Improved information has had apositive impact on the formulation and adjustment of recruitment and retentionstrategies that ensured a properly resourced and stable police forces.

Demand planning capabilities have been greatly improved by the computerizationof establishment and up-to-date monitoring of changes in deployment of humanresources across the organization.

Decision making on rationalization and re-deployment of resources has been wellsupported by the systems developed in the past few years.

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v Social Welfare Department (SWD) v

Background Very often the department has to convene 3 to 4 selection boards simultaneouslyfor a number of days to interview a huge numbers of applicants. The use of more thanone selection board implies a possible problem of inconsistency in selection standards.Although pre-interview briefing to Board Chairmen and members and informaldiscussion among Board Chairmen outside interview room have always existed to try towork out a common marking standard, the agreed results of the discussion, i.e. somegeneral criteria, are subject to interpretation. An improvement initiative, "the Chairman Board", was implemented in 1997 toserve as a venue for the setting of a levelled marking standard. The proposal was put ontrial in a large-scale Social Security Assistant recruitment exercise. Implementation The “Chairman Board” comprised all the chairmen of the individual boards, whochaired the Board by turn for the first one or two days of the exercise. The "ChairmanBoard" served as a venue for discussion among board chairmen on the interpretationand application of recruitment requirements, selection criteria, marking standard andinterviewing approach. Exchange of views was highly encouraged and the BoardSecretary assumed the role of a facilitator. Given two whole days of experience withsome 40 real candidates, it became a lot easier for the chairmen to set the commonbenchmark when they went back to their own boards. Outcome The Board Chairmen all considered the arrangement highly effective and useful.They treasured very much the chance to discuss among themselves and were moreconfident in marking candidates' performance knowing that they were applying a fair andconsistent marking standard. Statistical review indicated that the number of candidates recommended fromeach board as well as the distribution of marks was close to a random sample with nosignificant statistical deviations. The "Chairmen Board" improvement initiative is now a standing practice for alllarge-scale recruitment exercises in the SWD.

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v Urban Services Department (USD) v

Background In January 1999, CSB promulgated the new arrangements for employment ofnon-civil service contract (NCSC) staff. The employment of NCSC staff was a novelconcept in Human Resource administration in the civil service. In view of the authorityfor appointment of temporary staff being decentralized to some 35 user sections, thethen USD decided to develop a set of internal guidelines with the objectives of -

µ ensuring consistent and efficient application of the new arrangements bydifferent user sections; and

µ setting up an effective monitoring system on the number of NCSC staff beingemployed.

Implementation

Consultation with the user sections was conducted to identify their existingpractices in employing temporary staff and their concerns/expectations towards the newarrangements. A User Manual and supplementary guidelines have been subsequentlydrawn up for general compliance by the user sections. Before introduction of the UserManual and supplementary guidelines, briefing sessions were organized for allExecutive Officers in the department dealing with appointment and HR functions tofamiliarize them with the philosophy and new work procedures for systematic andconsistent implementation in their respective offices.

To facilitate scrutiny of salary proposals by user sections for employment ofNCSC staff, salary data were gathered from recruitment advertisements in major localnewspapers, the Labour Department, Census and Statistics Department, personnelagencies, pay trend surveys by the Hong Kong Institute of Human ResourcesManagement and employers of specific trade, to form a data base for easy reference.The remuneration packages for NCSC staff were flexibly determined having regard to theemployment market and recruitment situation. The qualification and experiencerequirements of NCSC staff ranks were also flexibly determined to meet the specificoperational needs of user sections. Outcome

User sections had a better understanding of the new arrangements and their rolesin actual implementation. Both consistency and stringency were achieved. Staff costsfor employment of NCSC staff were reduced by the average of 40% as compared with theNAMS value of equivalent civil service ranks, and the recruitment lead time wasshortened by one-third of the original schedule.

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Performance Management

v Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) v

Background The Trade Controls Branch of C&ED has conducted a study in April 1997 toidentify the competencies for each of the five ranks of the Trade Control Officer Grade(TCOG). The study identified 7 core and 4 functional competencies. Thesecompetencies were used as a link pin to integrate various HRM initiatives includingperformance management, training & development, recruitment & selection, andmanpower & succession planning of the grade. Implementation C&ED first applied the identified competencies to performance management andtraining & development. (a) Performance Management

A new performance appraisal form for the five ranks of TCOG with theidentified competencies as the basis for assessment has been designed.Views on the form from staff association, departmental management andCSTDI were solicited before the form was submitted to CSB for approval.

(b) Training and Development

A Training Committee has been established to examine and approve trainingpolicy, training plans and training estimates. It also monitored trainingactivities, determined training needs and training entitlement of the staff,and conducted annual training review. As approved by the TrainingCommittee, a Training Policy has been formulated and a Training Plan drawnup for the provision of training to TCOG officers in a competency-basedapproach.

In order to take into account the changing needs, the curriculum and trainingmaterials for the induction course have been revised in consultation withCSTDI in order to provide competency-based training to the new recruits. ATraining Need Survey for TCOG officers has also been conducted.

Besides, officers having attended special training in management arerequired to conduct post-training experience sharing sessions in theirrespective bureaux.

Outcome

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With specific and observable behavioural indicators for measuring performance,the competency-based performance management system has provided an objective toolfor assessment which can ensure consistency among supervisors and avoid disputesabout fairness in appraisals between supervisors and subordinates. It has also enabledthe supervisors to identify the weaknesses of staff and to coach them for improvementwith clear indicators. The application of competencies to training and development has provided andimproved the knowledge, skill and abilities for TCOG officers to perform their jobsconfidently and professionally to achieve the department's goals.

v Education Department (ED) v

Background Performance management was one of the key programmes in the HRM Plan of ED.The programme aimed to enhance staff performance and organizational effectiveness,which contributed towards achieving the departmental objectives. Implementation A. Integrated framework

ED has devised an integrated framework of performance management andstaff development for the departmental grade staff -

Overall framework

Ø holistic, transparent and dynamic - it built on effective and active

two-way communication, linked up and actively shared informationamong HRM activities

Ø a fair system, useful and purposeful to both management and staff

Ø systematic support and follow-up to performance appraisal throughthe work of Moderation Panel, Promotion Board, Staff DevelopmentPanel, Posting Conference, and related training and developmentefforts

Performance appraisal

Ø encouraged continuous process of review and feedback including aformal mid-year review

Moderation Panel

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Ø adopted appropriate methodology depending on the size and nature ofgrades/ranks

Ø informed staff and supervisors concerned of discrepancies andobservations and allowed representations to be made within aspecified period

Promotion Board

Ø on the basis of performance appraisal records and observations of theModeration Panel, considered individual officers' posting, training anddevelopment needs, and recommended follow-up actions

Staff Development Panel

Ø systematically considered and implemented when practicable agreedrecommendations of the promotion exercises, and determinedindividual officers' needs for posting, training and development

Ø played a strategic role over both short term and long term staffdevelopment

Posting Conference

Ø planned and arranged postings to meet operational needs and for staffdevelopment

Division Head Support

Ø planned and arranged development programmes for staff asrecommended by Staff Development Panel, and monitored theprogress

Ø provided off-the-job training (B) Support Activities

In mid 90s, ED has designed, in consultation with staff unions, new appraisalforms for different departmental grades. The design of individual forms tookaccount of the needs of the different departmental grades, their specific tasks,and key attributes in performance, and incorporated a three-tier assessment inthe appraisal process viz. appraising, countersigning and reviewing. Otherinitiatives to cope with new changes included -

Ø gradual introduction of core competencies in the appraisal process

Ø revised guidance notes on completion of appraisal forms to coverHRM objectives

Ø defined mechanism on setting objectives in the appraisal process, andthe introduction of mid-year review

Ø promulgation of promotion key attributes to increase transparency

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Ø adjustment of appraisal cycle to even out submissions to the PublicService Commission

Ø allowing option of completing the performance appraisal in Chinese orEnglish for all non-directorate departmental grade staff

Ø guidelines for moderation panel and career postings

Ø cross-grade posting and interflow with outside organizations

Ø training activities on different aspects of performance appraisal e.g.concepts of performance management, setting objectives, writing skill,interviewing skill etc. to cater for different training needs

Ø annual briefing sessions

Ø computerization of essential appraisal records to facilitate analysis ofperformance management data, automation of administrativeprocedures, matching of competencies of staff with job requirements,and correlation between staff performance and their variables e.g.nature of work, performance profile over time, etc.

Ø a strategic training review and the reorganization of Training andDevelopment Unit to strengthen the interface between HRMprogrammes and training & development for staff from their joiningthe department till departure

Ø support for the framework from senior management throughdeliberations at HRM Strategy Group and reinforcement of themessages at meetings

Ø consultation with staff unions on the framework to accommodate staffaspiration, and wide publicity through circulars and other internalpublications from time to time to facilitate better understanding of theframework

Outcome The integrated framework with the support activities has fostered an open, fairand objective appraisal system which linked up various HRM programmes in astructured way. It has encouraged better communication between staff and theirsupervisors throughout the appraisal process, making the assessment more focused,well substantiated and transparent. It has enabled proactive and systematic staffdevelopment through training and posting. Further, through taking different roles indifferent boards/panels, staff can assume greater HRM responsibilities in their career.

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v Highways Department (HyD) v

Background Under the individual based performance management systems, there is a strongtendency for reporting officers to be over-generous in grading their subordinates. In1996, HyD has already taken note of such tendency in the performance assessment of theinspectorate and works supervisory grades under their purview. Consideration wasthen given to the establishment of a system of assessment panels to monitor distributionof grading. Implementation HyD worked out a draft proposal -

Ø Assessment Panels are formed at the divisional and departmental levels toreview the performance assessment of inspectors and works supervisors.Divisional Assessment Panels (DiAP) submit their recommendations toDepartment Assessment Panels (DeAP) for endorsement. On reviewing theDiAPs' reports, DeAPs are required to observe the indicative benchmarks foroverall grading and promotion priority distribution respectively as follows :

Overall Grading Percentage

Grade 1 Not more than 10% Grade 1 + 2 Not more than 40% Grade 3 + 4 Remaining

Promotion Priority Percentage

Priority 1 Not more than 5% Priority 1 + 2 Not more than 35% Priority 3 + 4 Remaining

Ø If a DeAP does not follow the percentage guidelines, the Head of Grade (HoG)

will specify on all those staff reports saying that they are being assessed by alenient DeAP.

Ø As a summary of the annual exercise, HoG will compile statistics on thedistribution of overall grading and promotion priority respectivelydetermined by DeAPs. HoG will derive the "mean" number of A’s individualattributes for Grade 1 & 2 officers. HoG will then promulgate the results andremind DeAPs to observe the prescribed benchmarks and the derived“means” in the ensuing assessment exercise.

HyD consulted user departments on the draft proposal before they finalized theimplementation details. The Assessment Panel System was launched in 1997.

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23

Outcome

The Assessment Panel System for the inspectorate and works supervisory gradeshas achieved its intended purpose. Since its introduction in 1997, there has beenimprovement in performance assessment, in terms of objectivity and accuracy. Thestandard of assessment among user departments has been better aligned. Promotionboards have also given due weight to the panel's observations.

v Marine Department (MD) v

Background With the development of the HRM plan in 1995, MD has identified performancemanagement, inter alia, a key programme area for improvement. The department hasthus decided to develop a new Performance Management System with the objectives oflinking division/section/unit and individual performance to strategic objectives,identifying training and career development priorities, improving the effectiveness of theappraisal process, and enhancing the transparency of promotion. The new PMSprogramme was focused on the professional grade on a pilot basis. Implementation Staff consultation was conducted to identify the core and managerialcompetencies of professional officers. Twenty eight competencies in eight majorcategories, each with a behavioural description, were identified. A new Staff AppraisalReport incorporating these competencies was then designed and introduced in 1996.The new form contained various features that aimed to achieve the objectives set. To facilitate the implementation of the new PMS, training workshops on alignmentof individual objectives with departmental goal were organized. To alleviate theconcern relating to appraisal on short-term acting appointment, staff were consulted andrelated procedures were clearly laid down in the guidance notes of the appraisal forms.The Directorate demonstrated their commitment by recognizing exemplary staff reportsin staff meetings and using the staff report as the basis of staff development andpromotion decisions. Open communication with staff was established through on-going forum with staff, biannual meetings with staff associations, access todepartmental information through Internet, the department's Intranet and staff opinionsurveys. The introduction of the new PMS was accompanied by changes to thedepartment's promotion and training. Competency proficiency information was used asthe basis for promotability evaluation and promotion decision. After promotiondecisions were made, Grade Manager met with "Passover" candidates to communicatethe decision and future development potential. Training was provided, as far aspossible, with reference to the training needs identified in PMS. Orientation training for

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24

new employees included training in PMS.

Outcome Although both appraising officers and appraisees had to spend more time on thenew PMS, managers shared the view that they were getting better performance resultsthrough better objective planning, interim and end-of-period appraisals. There was alsoa general behavioural change from task orientation to result focused, aligned todepartmental objectives. As individual objectives in the PMS were closely aligned with departmentalobjectives and goals, achieving individual objectives contributed to MD's fulfillment ofservice pledges to the public. From 1995 to 1997, each year MD has met most of itsmajor service pledges, some of which set with a higher standard than the previous year. For the management, the quality of the completed appraisals has been vastlyimproved, particularly in respect of reports on staff entering the "zone" promotability.On the other hand, staff morale has improved as the transparency of promotion decisionand development plan has ensured fairness and openness.

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Training and Development

v Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) v

Background Induction courses, customized training courses, regular discussion and reviewsessions, on-the-job coaching and supervision are often used as tools to build up thesubject matter knowledge, professional competence and management skills of new staffmembers. Such tools are also useful channels for conveying the organizational goals,values, standard of practices, regulations and requirements to new comers. Seeing theimportance of these tools, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) hassystematically integrated these elements in the design and planning of its induction andtraining programmes for new recruits. The department also appreciated that anytraining, in whatever forms and media, can be made much more effective if the traineestake ownership of their self-improvement. Based on this principle, the departmentintroduced the Programme of Personal Pledges for New Statisticians.

Implementation Under the Programme, a specially designed proforma was completed by eachnewly recruited statistician for every six-month period in the first three years of his/herservice. The proforma consisted of two parts, (A) and (B). Part (A) was a structuredformat guiding statisticians to make specific targets on four aspects viz. (1) readingand self-study programme; (2) participation in various kinds of activities, includingdepartmental and professional activities; (3) improvement to be made in writing andpresentational skills; and (4) contributions in preparing articles on professional subjects.In Part (B), the new statisticians were asked to make pledges on any other aspects notmentioned in Part (A), which might relate directly to their current work or to other moregeneral aspects. When preparing the pledges, the relevant immediate supervisors were required toprovide guidance and advice to the new Statisticians. The completed individualpledges would be discussed among the officer concerned, his/her supervisor and thedepartmental training manager so as to collectively identify together the areas forimprovement and aspiration for development of the officer. This can facilitatesupervisors and the departmental training manger in drawing up development plans andtraining requirements for individual officers.

Outcome The Programme has provided a structured, systematic and comprehensive facilityfor the total personal development of new Statisticians. The personal pledges can serveas a guide book for new Statisticians to set up their personal goals for the initial stage of

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their career within the framework of the corporate mission and help them make progresstowards their determined goals. The Programme can foster the spirit of self-improvement in the Government Statistical Service. Through the Programme, newStatisticians were inspired to make commitments for giving their best contributions totheir work, leading to the well-being of the entire Service. Furthermore, through regularreviews and discussions of the personal pledges, the existing two-way communicationchannels between individual officers and supervisors were further strengthened.

v Civil Service Training and Development Institute (CSTDI) v

Background Continuous learning and development are the only way to stay competitive andrespond effectively to the changing environment. In enhancing the learning culturewithin CSTDI, a number of measures have been introduced.

Implementation A review on the orientation and induction programme for the newly recruitedprofessional staff (at Training Officer II and above or equivalent) was conducted in early1999. The programme has been enhanced and formalized to last for 5 days in generalduring which new recruits would be briefed by the Director, CSTDI, other Directorateofficers, Unit/Section Heads and staff in the Administration Section. The aim of therevised programme was to help the new recruits get acquainted with the vision, mission,culture, values, structure and operation of CSTDI as well as the Government. Theprogramme has also helped them develop a sense of belonging to CSTDI and theGovernment, and to settle in their new jobs. In support of the orientation and induction programme, a mentor system wasintroduced in early 1999. Under the system, experienced officers assumed the role ofmentors and coached the recruitment rank officers in their daily work. The system wasan informal one with the following objectives :

Ø to help new recruits settle in their new jobs;

Ø to facilitate new recruits to appreciate, understand and share the culture andnorms of CSTDI; and

Ø to provide proper guidance and advice to new recruits and help them solveproblems when needed.

For learning, a learning club for the Chief Training Officers was formed and alearning group for the Training Officers I set up with the Assistant Director as the advisor.They regularly met and shared information and ideas on topical issues. Regular after-work experience sharing sessions were also held. Speakers included CSTDI trainersand their counterparts in the private sector.

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360o feedback surveys have been conducted for Chief Training Officers and above.The main purpose of the exercise was to elicit multi-dimensional feedback for the staffconcerned for developmental purpose. Feedback has been given by supervisors, peers,subordinates and "customers". The composite result would be given to the TrainingOfficers concerned for developmental follow-up.

Outcome Learning is a way of life in CSTDI. Staff have become participative in alllearning-related activities. Sharing and exchange of information among staff are nowone of the main mechanisms for development.

v Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) v

Background The operation of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund (EMSTF)with effect from 1 August 1996 has brought significant change in the service culture inEMSD. The senior management knew that proper training and development programmeplayed an essential role in equipping staff with new skills to cope with the challengesand facilitating managers to achieve their business goals and strategies. Themanagement therefore decided to link training and development with the businessstrategies, and committed to meeting an ambitious target of providing an average of 3training days per staff per year for over 4,000 staff.

Implementation The Business Development Management worked out a training plan that coveredManagement, Customer Service, ISO9000, Business Processing Improvement andVocational Training including Multi-Skill Training. The training plan aimed to supportthe department to implement its blueprint to achieve various business initiatives.

1. Management Training

An intensive 10-day training course was designed to refresh staff'smanagement skill and supply them with contemporary commercialmanagement theories and skills. The target trainees included managers,middle managers and senior supervisors.

2. Experiential Training on Change Management & Team Building

Experiential training was provided to senior managers to enhance thespirit of teamwork, communication, innovation and leadership skills. Thishas set a momentum for enhancement as some division managers took the

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initiative to provide experiential training for their subordinates on specific areas.

3. Customer Service Training

The establishment of a customer service culture within EMSD was animperative step in transforming the organization from an "authority" into a"service-providing department". Several classes of Train-the-trainercourse on customer service skills were conducted with the course contentincluding revisiting the performance pledges, importance of quality serviceand keys to quality customer service in EMSD. The purpose of the coursewas to train up selected groups of EMSD staff for conducting in-housecustomer service debriefing sessions with a view to training EMSD staff todeliver high quality customer services.

4. ISO9000 Training

With the goal of acquiring an international recognition, EMSD hascommitted to obtaining the Quality Assurance (QA) certification for alltrading fund divisions by November 1999. As part of the departmental QAsystems development programme, staff were provided with training onISO9000 awareness, auditing and other QA skills.

5. Business Process Improvement Facilitator Training

To facilitate the establishment of Business Process Improvement (BPI)teams, which was another initiative implemented following the launch ofEMSTF, BPI Facilitators training courses were conducted.

6. Departmental Training Plan

With the aim to lay down managerial and technical skills trainingrequirements for staff, the formulation of a Departmental Training Plan(DTP) commenced in April 1997. In the course of developing the coursestructure and syllabuses, all front-line managers were consulted and wereinvited to define their training requirements. The DTP was then approvedby the senior management, the Trading Services Management Committee(TSMC).

After the implementation of the DTP for more than 9 months, a series ofmeetings were held with the front-line divisions to obtain feedback on thequality and quantity of the training courses conducted, evaluate theeffectiveness of the training courses and invite suggestion on trainingmatters.

In April 1999, a revised DTP that was both 'dynamic' and 'customerfocused' was published. This document was 'dynamic' because bothtraining courses organized by Training Sub-Division and the front-linedivisions would be incorporated and shared by all divisions of EMSDthrough EMSD Local Area Network. The layout was structured to assistreaders in their search for suitable training courses. The document

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covered vocational topics, management, safety, information technology,multi-skill and all other training activities, as well as information relevant totraining matters such as training bookshelf, computerized training recordsystem, training aids register and overseas training reports.

7. Multi-Skill Training

With the need to enhance the productivity, response time andcompetitiveness, multi-skilled workforce was considered a must for aservice organization. A working group chaired by a senior manager atAssistant Director level was set up to develop a systematic multi-skilltraining scheme for electrical, mechanical and air-conditioning artisans.In the development of the course contents, front-line managers wereconsulted to ensure the training would be relevant and meet theoperational needs. The multi-skill training scheme covered electrical, mechanical and air-conditioning engineering trades, each of which comprising severaltraining modules that were designed to equip staff to acquire secondaryknowledge and skills in addition to their principal trades. Each modulelasted less than four days to minimize the inconvenience on the businessoperation. The training courses were conducted by department'sexperienced workshop instructors and technical staff who knew the realneeds of the trainees.

8. Training Circulars

Training circulars were issued to facilitate front-line divisions to outsourcesuitable training courses to equip their staff. This empowered the front-line managers to plan their training programme to meet their business planand day-to-day operation.

Outcome Before the implementation of the Training and Development plan, the averagetraining statistics of EMSD was 1.3 training days per staff per year. By March 1999, thestatistics reached 2.9 training days per staff per year that was very close to thedepartmental target of 3 training days per staff per year. Staff and managers are now aware that learning is an indispensable part of theirbusiness to survive, grow and succeed in the commercial world. Front-line managerstake initiative to organize training to form part of their business development. Staff arein general aware of the need to enhance their skill and are willing to invest personal timeto study.

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v Housing Department (HD) v

Background Faced with many external and internal challenges, HD felt the need ofstrengthening staff’s capability for change as part of the HRM plan.

Implementation Strengthening the training structure and directing focus on human resourcemanagement The starting point was to strengthen the department’s training function bycreating a human resource development structure staffed by a multi-discipline team ofdepartmental staff, training managers seconded from the CSTDI and recruited from theprivate sector. The whole approach was shifted from a menu-driven course approach,with heavy concentration on training administration, to an internal customer-centredadvisory and consultancy service. The HRD function was complete with vision andmission statements, operating principles and performance pledges, and annualdepartmental Training & Development (T&D) plan. Emphasis was also placed ondeveloping managers’ role in staff communication, coaching and performanceenhancement. Staff were encouraged to take a more active role in self development andcontinuous training. Developing strategy to meet business needs A T&D strategy was established as part of the department’s strategic HRM plan.Within the strategy, the emphasis was on strategic alignment of training to supportbusiness and operational changes, and on providing development & learningopportunities for staff in multi-prong ways. The T&D strategy was strategic in focus andemphasized leadership development for change, developing culture of service in staff,and providing strategic just-in-time training to meet business needs. The department has reviewed the competencies of staff required in their changingroles and the preferred staff behaviours associated with HD's core values. Thecompetency profiles for Directorate officers, Housing Class and Works professionalgrades have since been completed to provide common language for staff and direct theirfocus on key areas of performance effectiveness. A new range of training programmes were planned for different levels of staff todevelop staff's key competencies. Management/supervisory development, leadershipfor change and team building have been the emphasis of training to enable managers tobe better leaders of change and to develop their role in team building, staffcommunication, coaching and performance enhancement. The department had a belief that staff are in the forefront of determining the

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quality of HD's services. Training was therefore extended to junior staff and those whohad direct interaction with customers. Developing role of managers and extending training beyond the classroom With the belief that continuous improvement was essential to building a highlycompetent and dynamic workforce, HD placed emphasis on a decentralized HRM role inmanagers. The department has produced a number of guides and tool kits for mangersto support them in this role. HD has built an intranet-based information and learning system (T&D iNTRANET)as a resource for promoting learning beyond the classroom. The system provided useraccess to T&D information, on-line registration for selected in-house courses, and directaccess to HD's learning resources for self-paced continuous development.

Outcome There were increasing staff interest in the T&D iNTRANET, and commitment ofbusiness units and involvement of mangers in staff training. The team buildingprogramme was being recognized to have contributed to the successful merger of theestate management and maintenance functions. The customer service training alsocontributed directly to developing a culture of service in the target staff groups andfacilitated the successful launch of the estate service improvement activities.

v Land Registry (LR) v

Background To inculcate and sustain a customer-based and performance-focused serviceculture that was conducive to the Land Registry's pledge for quality customer service,cost-effectiveness, commitment and teamwork, a number of management initiativeshave been introduced since its establishment as a Trading Fund department in 1993. Substantial effort has been put into human resource development. Strategicapproach on staff training and development which linked with departmental goals andobjectives has been adopted. To ensure support to the new competency-basedperformance appraisal system for the Land Registration Officer (LRO) grade and to equipstaff with skills to meet organizational changes, a survey on the Training Needs Analysis(TNA) has been conducted in early 1999 to collect views for the formulation of the 1999-2000 Training Plan. To tie in with the latest organizational development of LR, a survey on re-prioritization of training needs has also been conducted in early 2000 before theformulation of the 2000-01 Training Plan. Its main objective was to re-allot the prioritiesof training needs of competencies which have not been addressed in the 1999-2000

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Training Plan. Implementation The TNA survey was conducted in January 1999. The methodology of theanalysis was based on a full population and self-administered questionnaire. The targetsurvey group included all the LROs. The target skills and abilities to be surveyedincluded twelve core competencies required for the LRO grade. A 'two-tier' assessmentwas adopted i.e. assessment from both supervisor and self perspectives. A 4-pointrating scale was used to measure the following two main criteria -

Ø the opinions of the target group and their supervisors on the importance ofthe twelve core competencies to the effective performance of the targetgroup; and

Ø the proficiency of the target group in displaying the required skills from theviews of the target group and the target group's supervisors.

The ‘two-tier’ assessment was also adopted for the Re-prioritization Survey.Training needs of each rank of officer were re-prioritized by all their supervisors. At thesame time, officers of each rank were requested to re-prioritize their training needs fromtheir own perspectives. Outcome The TNA survey and Re-prioritization survey were completed in March 1999 andFebruary 2000 respectively. Based on the result of the two surveys, the identifiedtraining needs were incorporated into the 1999-2000 Training Plan and priorities fortraining were worked out for the 2000-01 Training Plan. As a result, a strategic step inhuman resource management can be made by integrating functions of training anddevelopment with that of performance management.

v Social Welfare Department (SWD) v

Background Aiming at cultivating a self-learning culture among staff members, the StaffTraining and Development Committee of the SWD endorsed in April 1998 the granting oftraining subsidy to its five Regions to encourage staff members to conduct trainingprogrammes on their own. The objectives of this new initiative were -

µ to cultivate a self-learning culture in the Region through organizing trainingprogrammes that would best meet the training needs of the staff; and

µ to promote team spirit and a sense of solidarity through participation of staffin regional training programmes.

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Implementation A fixed amount of subsidy was allocated to each Region of the department forthem to organize training programmes on areas of social work practice or managementissues. The Regions had the flexibility to organize training programmes which wouldbest meet the training needs of their staff. While the Training Section of the departmentwould provide support when necessary, the Region was expected to manage the wholetraining process, starting from planning to evaluation. Regions were required to submitthe training programme to the Training Section before the training began and reported onits implementation after its completion.

Outcome The programmes organized met the specific needs of the staff and were highlyregarded by them as reflected from their feedback. They enjoyed the organizingprocess and were more motivated to attend regional training programmes than thecourses organized centrally by the Training Section. They have also developed a higherteam spirit.

v Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) v

Background The Film Section of TELA undertook a HRM Study in 1997 to develop strategies forits HR activities. The objective was to identify areas of its operations which could beimproved to meet the rapidly changing business needs.

Implementation As part of the HRM study, the competencies required by the service providers inthe Film Section of the department were examined. Through a series of interviews,focus group meetings, discussion with the public advisers and observation at theservice counter, a list of competencies required for excellent service delivery wasidentified. A comprehensive training programme was developed based on the competencyrequirements of the Section. Service attitude, service standard, building customerrelations, uncovering customer needs, handling enquiries and complaints, closing aservice call, telephone manner and some real life case studies especially developed forthe service counter staff and Entertainment Standards Control Officers were the keyingredients of the programme. To demonstrate support to staff, senior managers alsoparticipated in the training sessions.

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In addition to training programmes, a service guide book has been compiledbased on participants' ideas collected during the training sessions.

Outcome As a result of the project, the service skills of the existing staff have beenimproved and the consistency of service standards maintained. The guide was not onlyuseful and more systematic to handle various situations, but also served as a tool to trainup new comers. Since clear instructions and service standard were communicatedthrough the service guide, the staff knew exactly what performance standard wasexpected of them. Encouraged by the training, staff of the Film Section proactively designed newenquiry forms and placed them at the service counter. These have facilitated thedepartment to collect customers' opinions and take action promptly. The response timewas shortened and number of complaints reduced. A customer survey was conducted two months after the training. The generalrating of the public advisers and the walk-in customers was "very satisfied" .

v Urban Services Department (USD) v

(A) Training Video

Background Since 1995, the Training School of the then USD has been organizing HRM trainingprogrammes for Municipal Services grades staff on or above MPS Pt 16 of the then USDand RSD. Following a review conducted in mid 1996, the department considered thatstaff below MPS Pt. 16 would also benefit from HRM training. Having regard to the factthat the target trainees were large in number and generally with a lower educationalstandard, and there would be operational constraint in releasing a large number of stafffor classroom training at the same time, the Training School was tasked with theproduction of a custom-made training video to cascade to these staff the concepts ofHRM and messages on discipline and personal conduct.

Implementation A Joint Working Group with representatives from the then USD, RSD and theTraining School was formed to develop the story outlines, the script and the deliveryapproach of the video. Three HRM core-values including service culture, staffmanagement and personal integrity and ten core principles, namely customer focus,courtesy, efficiency, quality, commitment, supervisory accountability, teamwork,responsiveness, conduct and discipline, were adopted and illustrated through nineselected stories. All actors were volunteers from venues where the stories took place.

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The Training School also embarked on the training of some 300 facilitators whowould conduct viewing sessions in venues either at or close to the staff's workplaces.As a supplement, a "Serving the Community" booklet which highlighted the keymessages of the video was also produced for distribution to staff viewing the video.

Outcome The video has become an effective training tool to disseminate HRM concepts andmessages on customer service to a large number of junior staff within a short time frame.The facilitators, on their own volition, have shown the video to other interested staff suchas general grades staff and contract staff who were not the original target trainees.

(B) Production of Guide Books

Background

Having regard to the nature and scope of the staff's duties and responsibilities,the then USD also decided to provide guidance in the form of a HRM Guide to Practice tothe staff. Apart from corruption prevention, the Guide included topics such as integrityand personal conduct, avoidance of conflict of interest, punctuality, staff relations, etc.

Implementation The department has published two HRM Guides to Practice and a Pictorial Guidecovering a variety of subjects by phases for different types of staff as follows - (a) Phase I A HRM Guide to Practice (No. 1) on Staff Relations and Welfare covering

topics on departmental consultation and communication machinery,welfare assistance and facilities, counselling service, complaintprocedures, recognition schemes and awards, etc. was issued in February1997.

(b) Phase II A HRM Guide to Practice (No. 2) on Personal Conduct and Ethics was

issued in March 1997. It provided guidelines on corruption prevention,avoidance of conflict of interest, personal conduct and integrity as a civilservant, etc.

(c) Phase III Since the MOD Scale staff constituted a large percentage of the

establishment, the department considered it also important to deliver tothem the messages of the HRM Guides as well. A Pictorial Guide on

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Personal Conduct and Ethics was also produced and issued in October1998. This Pictorial Guide adopted a concise and simple languagesupplemented by interesting and colourful cartoons.

To enable wider circulation and to achieve a greater impact, the department alsoproduced the Chinese version of the two HRM Guides which were issued in December1997.

Outcome The HRM Guides and Pictorial Guide have become useful reference material inpromoting staff relations and reminding staff of the requirements on conduct anddiscipline.

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37

Service Quality Enhancement

v Department of Health (DH) v

Background In line with the departmental Customer Service Improvement vision of "We arecommitted to providing quality client-oriented service" and as a first step to transformthe Pharmaceutical Service (PS) into a more client-focused and people-orientedorganization, a Strategic Management Workshop was conducted for the directorate staffand PS management in October 1998 to develop a set of core values and strategies. Subsequent to the Workshop, a VMV statement was refined and a 3-year masterplan was drawn up. The plan comprised the necessary strategies and correspondingaction for addressing strategic issues in the PS like streamlining work processes,improving resource planning and building effective managerial leadership to leadchanges. With a phased approach, the master plan was formally launched in March1999.

Implementation During the first 12 months, the master plan focused on strategic prioritiesdetermining the PS's future growth potential and service capability while individualstrategies with lower priorities were implemented in subsequent phase. In January 1999, a quality improvement team was formed with members from theprofessional, dispensing and general grades. A series of workshops on service qualitytraining and process analysis were conducted to explore the streamlining of workprocesses to improve resource efficiency and customer service. After the workshops,the team generally concluded that there were inadequacies in the current processes -

Ø the public members habitually gave insufficient information while submittingtheir applications thus lengthening the processing time; and

Ø a lack of sufficient modern office equipment led to duplication of work andlow-value adding activities.

To improve cost effectiveness and establish a closer link with customers, anumber of improvement measures were implemented -

Ø installation of more computers to enable the pharmacists to retrieveinformation promptly for evaluating applications;

Ø provision of more comprehensive guidelines and checklists to the applicantswho would be able to submit more documentary materials to support theapplications;

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Ø establishment of a product classification database to help traders tounderstand the implications of medicinal claims and the difference betweendrugs and health food;

Ø delegation of authority to appropriate levels; and

Ø streamlining procedures to remove non-essential steps. In order to establish a core team of staff who would become committed humanresources mangers for developing proper programs to upgrade staff quality, 10 seniorstaff members of the PS including Senior Pharmacists and Chief Dispensers attended adepartmental workshop on HRM in May 1999. The participants have in turn performedthe role of facilitators to train Pharmacists and Senior Dispensers since November 1999,thereby cascading the general concept and message on HRM effectively to improvecustomer service to safeguard public health. Outcome Through the study and recommendations made by the quality improvement team,the senior professionals were responsible for initiating quality improvement measures intheir own sections with due reference to raising the standard of customer service. Thestaff at all levels have been committed to service improvement and made practicalrecommendations. Team spirit has improved and managers took on the responsibilityfor the development of the Pharmaceutical Service.

v Intellectual Property Department (IPD) v

Background In 1994, owing to the significant increase in the number of applications for TradeMark Registration (TMR), IPD found that their pledge of issuing 70% of the examinationreports within 13 months for TMR could not be met. The department thereforeembarked on a Service Quality Improvement Project between July and November 1994 toimprove the performance of TMR. The objectives of the project were to improve the level of performance over timewithout additional resources, to ensure that the performance targets were deliveredreliably and consistently and to develop a customer oriented and quality service culturein the department. Implementation

1. Communication

The department kept staff informed of the progress of the project andprovided them with channels for feedback throughout the implementation.

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2. Enabling infrastructure

A three-tier enabling infrastructure was set up namely a SteeringCommittee consisting of top management to lead the project; a WorkingParty of senior managers to provide management support and six QualityImprovement Teams (QITs) at operational level to identify issues anddevelop solutions.

3. Diagnosis

Workflow analysis, formal and informal interviews at all levels and adepartmental-wide staff survey were conducted.

4. Engaging staff

Service quality training was provided to all members of the SteeringCommittee, Working Group and QITs. The QIT members worked on theproject to generate suggestions on service quality improvement while theteam leaders were engaged in drawing up implementation plans. TheWorking Group provided management support throughout the exercise.

5. Findings and recommendations

The QITs presented the findings and recommendations to the SteeringGroup in October 1994. Staff participated in the process were laterdeployed to implement the recommendations. The changes were wellreceived by staff and there was a strong desire to execute the changes.

Outcome The majority of the recommendations were implemented and some desiredresults achieved within a year. The major accomplishments included:

R Clear direction among staffR Improved communication between different grades and level of staffR Enhanced customer focused cultureR Streamlined procedures resulting in smooth workflow, reduction in

overtime work and better deployment of resourcesR Improved staff satisfaction and corporation between teamsR Improved departmental performance

Year Output Cycle time 94/95 13,228 16 Months 97/98 20,468 9 Months

The TMR performance after the implementation of the project was well abovethe performance standard pledged which was revised upwards in 1997 to 70% of thecases to be completed in 11 months.

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Contact Persons for the Cases Listed in this Publication

For those who are interested in learning more details about the cases listed in theabove sections, they may contact the subject officers in the respective departments, aslisted below –

Subject Department Contact Person Tel. No.

Department of Health Dr. Michael HO,Principal Dental Officer

2892 2115

Immigration Department Mr. L. K. CHEUNG,Principal Immigration Officer (General Duties)

2829 3820

Legal Aid Department Mr. Stephen CHAU,Deputy Departmental Secretary

2867 3171

Articulation ofVision,Mission andValues

Social WelfareDepartment

Mr. Terence LAU,Senior Executive Officer (Human ResourceManagement)

2892 5266

Civil EngineeringDepartment

Mrs. Philomena NG,Chief Training and Development Officer

2762 5066HRM Plan

Customs & ExciseDepartment

Ms Natalie CHAN,Executive Officer (General Services)

2852 3020

Auxiliary Medical Service Mr. W. H. LUK,Staff Officer

2762 2022

Hong Kong Police Force Mr. Kim Adams,SP Manpower Planning

2804 1741

Social WelfareDepartment

Mr. Terence LAU,Senior Executive Officer (Human ResourceManagement)

2892 5266

ManpowerPlanning

Urban ServicesDepartment

Mr. Steve CHOW,Executive Officer (Appointments)

2867 5079

Customs & ExciseDepartment

Mr. K. K. FAN,Acting Deputy Head of Trade Control Headquarters

2852 3222

Education Department Mrs. Doris CHU,Chief Executive Officer (Human ResourceManagement)

2892 5709

Highways Department Mr. Tony TSANG,Deputy Departmental Secretary

2762 3311

PerformanceManagement

Marine Department Mrs. Sophia WONG,Departmental Secretary

2762 2022

Census & StatisticsDepartment

Ms Agnes LO,Senior Statistician (General) 2

2582 4730

Civil Service Training andDevelopment Institute

Miss Elaine YIP,Executive Officer (Administration)1

2231 3856

Electrical and MechanicalServices Department

Mr. Arthur WONG Kam-hay,Training Manager

2197 0700

Housing Department Miss Stella MAN,Chief Manager/Human Resource Development

2761 7420

Land Registry Mrs. Cynthia SO,Acting Deputy Registry (Manager / Managementand Customer Services)

2867 8008

Social Welfare Department Ms Rita FAN,Senior Social Welfare Officer

2575 4321Ext. 306

Television andEntertainment LicensingAuthority

Ms Lucia LAU,Departmental Secretary

2594 5886

Training andDevelopment

Urban ServicesDepartment

Miss Elsa WONG,Senior Executive Officer (Staff Management)

2867 5495

CONTACT

41

Subject Department Contact Person Tel. No.

QualityService

Department of Health Mr. Anthony CHAN,Chief Pharmacist

2961 8750

Enhancement Intellectual PropertyDepartment

Miss Dora NG, Department Secretary 2961 6812

Colleagues in Civil Service Bureau are ready to offer assistance and informationon HRM activities implemented in the civil service. We also provide financial assistanceto assist departments to launch new HRM initiatives. Interested departments are invitedto contact us at 2810 2803 or write to us at –

Address - Civil Service Bureau (Attn. : Division 5) 11/F, Central Government Offices (West Wing) 11 Ice House Street Central Hong Kong

Fax : 2530 5827

e-mail : csbdiv5@csb.gcn.gov.hk

CONTACT