Civil servants who score low marks yearly face the sack

Civil servants who fail to meet performance benchmarks face the sack under the new carrot and stick measures that the State is betting on to boost efficiency in service delivery.

In what mirrors the practice in private sector, workers who consistently score low points in annual appraisals will be removed from government payroll as top performers get promotions and awards.

Every public entity will have to develop service delivery standards “that provide timeliness, accuracy cost effectiveness, accessibility and quality and quantity services to members of the public.”

“Where the performance is poor and the desired improvement cannot be effected, consider steps towards termination of service,” the draft Public Service Commission (PSC) performance management regulations 2020.

The draft regulations propose establishment of a secretariat under the Office of the President to co-ordinate performance contracting and give technical support to PSC.

Each public body — ministries and State agencies — is also expected to establish performance contracting committee “to set targets, monitor and evaluate annual performance and prepare reports required under these regulations.”

The performance management system will give members of the public a mechanism through which they can evaluate the performance standards and effectiveness of strategies “and give feedback that can be used to remove service delivery barriers.

“The standards shall inform the annual targets in the performance contract for the public body, which the citizens will hold a public body to account,” states the draft rules.

Furthermore, the PSC will provide mechanism for public members to lodge complaints should a public body flout these standard.

If the draft laws go through, the PSC will also establish a committee whose objective will be to reward excellent performers in the public service.

The committee will be made up of two commissioners appointed by the PSC chairperson, a representative of the line ministry, a person from the National Treasury and two other people from selected public bodies.

The draft rules say rewards to an individual public officer may include cash or a promotion.