HRWG Work Report Ljubljana, 28 May 2008

HRWG Priorities in MTP for 2008/2009 Two working areas in MTP Public administration values and Strategic management Work in both areas during the Slovenian Presidency

Working area: PA Values Item: Promotion of trust and quality Activities: Identification of factors and practices that contribute to promote trust and transparency in PA Goals: Promote transparency, ethics, integrity and confidence-building in the public service and in relationship between PA and general public Identify positive developments, success factors and practices, which may enhance trust in PA

Conditions for better knowledge management (MOBILITY!) Working area: Strategic Management Item: Management for change Activities: Identification of leadership skills of senior staff, development of competencies/leadership Conditions for better knowledge management (MOBILITY!) Goals: Identify leadership competencies for managing changes. Facilitate cross-border mobility

HRWG - 2 meetings 28-29 January 2008, Brdo 23 April 2008, Brussels

HRWG 3 main topics Study 1: What are Public Service good at? Success of Public Services in the Field of Human Resource Management (Study by EIPA) 363 responses all levels (incl. 43 top-managers) Study 2: Leadership Competencies for Change Management (Study by FOS) 284 completed responds of Top and Middle management Survey: Proposals and solutions in the field of Mobility (employment, secondment, exchange programs)

Success of Public Services in the Field of Human Resource Management Study 1 What are Public Service good at? Success of Public Services in the Field of Human Resource Management (Christoph Demmke, Thomas Henökl, EIPA)

Findings and preliminary results of the study 4. Findings and preliminary results: general observations Findings and preliminary results of the study General picture optimistic: HR policies generally improved Successes public services more customer-oriented and citizen-friendly HR reforms successful in reducing administrative costs and burdens equality between sexes improved civil servants better qualified ethical standards better known and ethical attitudes improved

4. Findings and preliminary results: general observations Example: Overall picture of the HR-policy improvements within the last 15 years

Critical developments in the field of HR In some areas no (clear) improvements: staff is not rewarded for good performance public sector unsuccessful in managing poor performance performance rewards not more transparent and quicker performance assessment systems too subjective some other problems with mobility policies between public and private sectors and between EU Member States, with (unfair) promotion procedures and (increased) HR rules

State’s competitiveness as an employer: public-private comparisons respondents considered work in the public sector as attractive and would recommend it to friends or family however, generally, private sector is considered to be more competitive public sector is thought to be quite competitive as to working time and pensions (differences in EU-countries), less competitive with salaries and various HR policies (differences in EU-countries)

Respondents are very positive as regards Developments in one’s own organisation and job Respondents are very positive as regards their work content, working atmosphere working conditions job responsibility feedback and communication from colleagues and job autonomy

Conclusions and suggestions The preliminary findings are promising - advisable to continue cross-country HR comparisons in future. !Larger (representative) sample size to be collected Public Services must become better in marketing and perception management

Studies performed in HRWG were very interesting - a lot of useful information BUT As they are based on detailed questionnaires, they are also very demanding: for performers and also for SC who have to prepare answers to the questionnaires The studies can hardly be completed during one presidency, not enough time for discussion of interesting results, difficulty to draw lessons from studies in the given (shortage of) time

It should be considered how to do carry out high-quality studies (and getting the necessary number of responses) without causing to much administrative burdens: Extend studies over 2-3 presidencies (realistic?) Translate the questionnaires in more member states languages (costs?) Distribute the questionnaires more widely and reach more persons (availability of ICT, how?) Availability of a central secretariat which would manage the study (like in OECD), manage it through longer periods, irrespective of current Presidency

Leadership Competencies for Change Management Study 2 Leadership Competencies for Change Management (Milan Pagon, FOS)

! Leadership - critical component for successful policy implementation and change management CAF- Criterion 1: Leadership ! WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO ? Which are the right leadership competencies – in order to face a changing environment effectively? Are they inherent or can they be trained?

SUCCESSFUL CHANGE MANAGEMENT ANTECEDENTS SUCCESSFUL CHANGE MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESSFUL CHANGE MANAGEMENT Productivity Relationship Quality Number of Conflicts Cooperation Organizational Culture and Climate Organizational Learning Curve Goal Attainment Change Implementation Employee Satisfaction Motivation Adaptability Customer Satisfaction Superior Agency’s Satisfaction Etc. COGNITIVE Divergent Thinking Critical Thinking Creativity Problem Solving Analytical Skills Strategic Thinking Numerical Abilities Etc. FUNCTIONAL Language and Communication Skills Technological Skills (IT, media...) Intercultural Competencies Learning Abilities Personal Development and Career Planning Skills Managerial Skills Decision Making Skills Etc. PERSONAL / SOCIAL Self-Direction Interpersonal Skills Teamwork Skills Compassion Integrity Mobilizing People Stress Management Ethical Dimensions Etc. Personality Values Attitudes Education Training Mentoring Coaching Consulting On-the-Job Training Characteristics of the Environment Work Experience Etc. 18

Hierarchies of control Conformity Impersonality of work Traditional Values Instruments of Reform New Cultural Values Hierarchies of control Conformity Impersonality of work Authority through position Command-control paradigm TRANSORMATION Citizens empowerment End of lifelong career Policy dialogue Normalisation of employment conditions Delegation of authority Performance-oriented focus Subtle leadership Accountability Openness Transparency Efficiency Effectiveness Authority through leadership Managerial culture

Main result and conclusion Selecting managers for public administration doesn't require the search for "supermen". All that is necessary is to find people with the right mindset (who believe they can influence what is happening in their organisations without attributing too much importance to chance and to powerful others – locus of control) and to provide them with enough and good training!

Training - in the areas of Multicultural skills Understanding, innovating and changing the organization Emotional intelligence and self-control People skills.

By training people with the right mindset new cultural values in public administration will be encouraged and fears and resistance to change will be reduced; furthermore - training has positive effects on competencies !

The basic issue in the HRWG focused on employment in other PA. MOBILITY The basic issue in the HRWG focused on employment in other PA. Questions were legislation according employment of non state residents (recognition of professional qualifications, social security, taxation) an overview of legislation was prepared Glossary NCP - network

We realized that other forms of mobility are in practice in MS: During the Portuguese EU-Presidency it was realised, that there is not much interest in this kind of mobility and that NCPs are not very busy We realized that other forms of mobility are in practice in MS: Secondment Exchange schemes…

The purpose of stimulating mobility is not only to exchange skills and to find solutions on a specific issue, but also to improve: intercultural communication understanding each other to become familiar with organizational cultures to improve the experts networks and other possibilities which can help the EU MS to become more connected, transparent and understandable

Cross-border mobility of civil servants – 3 main issues - promotion of bilateral agreements and exchange programs in all EU Member States; starting point for the promotion of cross-border mobility is better use of Your Europe website (http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope); NCP Network as HRWG subgroup merges with HRWG.

Proposals for resolution related to Your Europe website: It should be completed and updated by all EU MS; Updating will be done in cooperation with editorial board of the website; EU MS are encouraged to provide the name and/or contact address/functional mailbox of the person in charge of informing about mobility issues; DG will be informed on regular basis about the current state of play in the field of mobility; The task of informing DG shall be included in the EUPAN handbook.

Merging of NCP Network with HRWG does not mean the extinction of NCP functions; NCP functions will be assumed by HRWG; Civil servants having performed NCP functions may keep performing them in the future for HRWG; Each EU MS decides how it will organize the work for HRWG.