7/31/2019 Can we implement talent management in our public sector?

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Can we implementtalent managementin our publiC SeCtor?

by Global Expert Systems

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When we gained Independence in 1966,the Colonial Ofce did not give us anyspecial magic wand to make things work independence is just that, lets do it on ourown. However, as we approach our goldenjubilee, there is enough empirical evidenceto suggest that something needs to bedone about the public sector.

This something is so far-reaching thatwe believe it requires more urgent attention,rapid project implementation and deploymentas well as constant review and evaluation.

According to the Ofce of PublicSector Reform, the vision is to

transform the public sector intoa dynamic organisation, providing

high quality service at minimumcosts, building the capacity of publicservants, promoting the competitive

development of Barbados and

improving the living standards of itspeople.

Public sector reform or public sectordevelopment is always a work in progress. Andfrom a talent management perspective, we willwant to examine the goal of building capacity.

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We honestly do not believe that we have donea bad job thus far. However, there is always roomfor improvement and greater efciencies. After all,our departments requiring specialised talent seemto be on the right track. But how can we make it

better? GES would like to make three suggestions:1. Universal psychometric testing at the point of

recruitment;2. Implementation of specialised competency

assessments to match the required areas of expertise;3. A complete restructuring of the sector where all

recruitment is done through competitive entry exams for allprofessional and technical public sector positions.

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The rst reaction to competitive recruitmentfor the Public Sector may seem a bit radical but this isalready practised in Trinidad and Barbados for somespecialised areas like the recruitment of foreign serviceofcers (diplomats). Our recommendation is to implementthis practice across the board in the entire region and

allow an accredited body like the University of the WestIndies to design the curriculum and testing modulesacross the various sectors, technical and professional

areas.This is not new. Competitive recruitment is already

practised across the European Union and throughout most

of our neighbouring Latin American countries.Here in the Caribbean we are very much accustomedto competitive exams and by taking it one step further,together with other forms of assessment, we will guarantee,or begin to put in place, more competitive public sectorsacross the region.

psychc sVery simply put, GES stands rmly behind the use

of psychometrics in recruitment. This is the ability tomeasure attitude, aptitude, knowledge, personality, only tomention a few of the metrics. There are several options ofpsychometric tests on the market that come with very highcustomer ratings.

The main point here is that a modernised public sectorengaging in such a method at the point of recruitment willbe one step closer to hiring the right persons for the rightjob.

Finally, many of us are not aware that wehave four generations of persons sitting side

by side in the workplace. The hiringof multi-generations can also be

challenging but as we look forward to

transforming the public sector into adynamic organisation, we will have toseriously look at succession planning

and recruiting younger professionals toreplace those from the baby boomer

generation who are now in the processof retiring.

We call those born after 1990, Generation Z they are already working with us and they are ahead of usin one area, digital technology. So how will a governmentrecruitment agency handle this new generation? Canwe begin to imagine interviews via webcams and instantmessaging? Do we have virtual learning and e-training inplace to cater to Gen Z? Are we ready to integrate mobiletechnology into our everyday way of doing business? Letsthink about it because Gen Z is already sitting next to us awork.

Next week we will look at this exciting topic that speakto hiring Gen Z, Talent Management eRecruitment andSocial Media

Feel free to visit Global Expert Systemsonline at http://www.globalexpertsystems.org/index.php/event/rst-caribbean-latin-america

conference-on-talent-management/ or email uat info@globalexpertsystems.org

F O C U S

9/07/12 www.barbadostoday.bb Page 41

Public sector remake

Psychometrictesting.