MODULE 3: PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION ARTICLES

LESSON 1:
REINVENT PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN HRM AND PPA

Reinventing Public Personnel Administration

Strategic human resource is an enhancement in the effectiveness of personnel management
which has developed out of pressures for change in the way organizations manage human
resources. It consists of common elements found in a variety of public and private employers:
recognition that human resources are critical; a shift from position management to work and
employees; more innovation; asset development and cost control.

Objectives
"Public Personnel administration" involves the management of all an agency's human
resources in a manner that assures the best output with the least costly input, while protecting
and enhancing the welfare of the workers (Hanlon & Pickett, 1984). Public personnel
administration, simply stated, involves acquiring the best folks you can find, paying them the
least you can get away with, and matching the strongest skills to your public organization's
priorities.

Position classification
The clustering of government jobs according to "their nature, qualifications required, duties
performed, and responsibilities assumed." Position classification is used to provide equal pay
for equal work for government employees.

Recruitment
The process ensures that an adequate number of qualified persons will apply for vacant
positions in organizations. Recruitment is understood to include application, examination, and
placement components of the overall government recruitment process. Recruitment may also
include shifting an employee from one position to another within an agency or between two
different agencies.

Job description
A list of tasks required in an individual position. From a job description, a position is classified
in terms of its duties and responsibilities, but not in terms of the person filling the position.

Job description information is of three basic kinds:

~ Information concerning the duties of the position, including the tasks ordinarily assigned to
the incumbent.
~Information concerning the responsibilities of the position, including the degree of supervision
under which the work of the position is performed and;
~ The extent to which the exercise of the knowledge, skill, and ability necessary for adequate
performance of the duties of the position.

Selection

The essence of the selection procedure is to determine whether a given applicant is suited for
the job in terms of training, experience, and aptitude.
Three basic sources of information can be used;

~ Application forms
~ Interviewing
~ testing

The question of who makes the final employment selection from among the screening
candidates is critical. Despite all the techniques, the selection is an inexact science.

Job Evaluation
Job evaluation is the formalized system for determining the relative value of all jobs within an
organization. All jobs are analyzed on the basis of previously prepared job descriptions. Each
job is rated through the use of a job evaluation plan with the purpose of establishing either
specific rates of pay for each job or a specific wage range or salary grade for each job.

Performance appraisal
Evaluation of an employee's progress or lack of progress. Measured in terms of job
effectiveness. There are two primary reasons performance appraisal systems are used in
modern personnel administration in both the public and private sectors

~Evaluations help clarify what is expected of the employee and, used properly, strengthen
and improve employee performance; and
~Evaluations aid the personnel administrator in refining and validating personnel methods and
techniques, and they help '
~Establish an objective basis for personnel decisions.

Types of performance appraisals include

•Person-to-person comparisons,
•Production records,
•Rating schedules,
•Graphic ratings scales
•The critical incident method and,
•Open-ended narrative appraisals.

MODULE 4: REINVENTING PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

CONTRACT, JOB ASSIGNMENT, TRANSFER AND POLICY ON SENIORITY

A change in employment is affected by a personnel action generated by the Human Resources

Department upon receipt of a written request from an authorized representative of a
department telling of the intended change in an employee's status.

ENTRY-LEVEL JOB is a job that is normally designed or designated for recent graduates of
a given discipline, and does not require prior experience in the field or professions.
TRAINEE - undertakes a combination of structured training and work. The flexibility of
traineeship means wage rates and employment conditions vary depending on the type of
traineeship.

CASUAL EMPLOYEE - works on an hourly or daily basis and in most cases for fewer hours
per week than the ordinary weekly working hours of a full-time employee.

PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEE is one who, for a given period of time, is being observed and
evaluated to determine whether or not he is qualified for permanent employment.

PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OR REGULAR EMPLOYEES - work for a single employer and

are paid directly by that employer in addition to their wages, they often receive benefits like
subsidized health care, paid vacation, holidays, sick time or contribution to a retirement plan.

WHY STUDY POSSIBLE CHANGES IN PERSONNEL STATUS

1. To know what are the possible changes in the status of an employee and the causes of
these changes in status from the time he is hired until termination or retirement.
2. To understand the procedure for the transfer, promotion, demotion or termination of an
employee.
3. To understand the provision of law regarding these changes in the status of an employee.

TRANSFER
Takes place when an employee is moved from one job to another of equivalent rank or of the
same pay class within the firm.

REASON FOR TRANSFER

The employee's talents and training may be put to more effective use, a means of encouraging
versatility and flexibility among employee

TRANSFER IS USEFUL DUE TO:

1. Business expansion
2. Retrenchment because of poor business
3. Erroneous placement
4. The need to meet department personnel requirements during a peak season
5. The need to absorb excess personnel during a slack period
6. The need to protect the health and safety of the employees

TWO KINDS OF TRANSFER

Permanent - made to fill vacancies requiring the special skills or abilities of the employee
being transferred

Temporary-made due to the temporary absence of an employee.

Is the movement of the employee from one position to another of a higher level involving more
difficult duties and greater responsibilities and carrying higher pay, higher status and/or
offering better privileges.
REASONS FOR EMPLOYEE PROMOTIONS
1. An effective way to keep good men in his firm
2. As recognition of and reward for good performance
3. To boost employee morale and encourage the employees to render to the company the
best service they are capable of

GUIDELINES FOR POLICY OF PROMOTION

1. What should be the basis of promotion?

2. Should it be merit first or seniority next when candidates are equally qualified or should
seniority alone be considered regardless of merit?
3. Who should recommend promotion?
4. The immediate supervisor or department head?
5. Will the promotion be permanent probationary or temporary?
6. Will a promotional increase in salary be granted at the time of promotion, or upon permanent
appointment in the new job?
7. Will there be a specified probationary period in the new job?
8. What steps should be taken if the employee does not meet the requirements of the new job
after a probationary period?
9. What is his record of attendance and performance?
10. What potential ability does he possess?

SENIORITY VS. MERIT IN EMPLOYMENT

Seniority rule - is the practice of basing rights to employment and job opportunities upon the
employee's relative length of service in the firm.

Is often used as a basis for promotion, transfer, layoff, rehiring, and other action that have a
bearing on the employee's status.

Is a potent factor in building morale and instilling loyalty among employees.

DEMOTION
To reduce grade, rank, or status; occurs when a classified employee is reassigned to a
position with a salary range that is lower than the salary range of the former position.

REASONS OF DEMOTION

1. Reduction in business - the number of positions at are certain level must be reduced, or
elimination of certain functions requiring a reduction in manpower. This demotion is not due to
the fault of the employee.

2. Failure of the employee - either to qualify for work on the occupational level that has been
assigned or to meet established job standards.

3. As a form of disciplinary or punitive action - against an employee found guilty of violating

company policies or rules. such an action is seldom resorted to in most business concerns
because it lowers morale and can have an adverse effect on the employee's performance.
4. Inability of the employee to meet the requirements of the job due to age, poor health,
or physical disability.

SEPARATION
1. Is the termination of employment as a result of resignation, layoff, or discharge?
2. Voluntary separation is better known as resignation or quit.
3. Resignation or quit is the termination of employment, generally initiated by the employee.

CAUSES OF RESIGNATION
1. Dissatisfaction with wages and working conditions
2. Misunderstanding with supervisors or fellow workers
3. Inconvenient work hours are among the chief reasons for employee resignation

MOTIVATION AND INCENTIVE

WHAT IS MOTIVATION?

IS THE PROCESS THAT INITIATES, GUIDES, AND MAINTAINS GOAL- ORIENTED

BEHAVIOURS. MOTIVATION INVOLVES THE BIOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND
COGNITIVE FORCES THAT ACTIVATE BEHAVIOUR. IT IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND
HUMAN ACTIONS.

2 TYPES OF MOTIVATION

1. Extrinsic motivations - are those that arise from outside of the individual and often involve
rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition, or praise.

2. Intrinsic motivations - are those that arise from within the individual, such as doing a
complicated crossword puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem.

3 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF MOTIVATIONS

1. Activation - involves the decision to initiate a behavior.

2. Persistence - is the continued effort toward a goal even though obstacles may exist.

3. Intensity - can be seen in the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a goal.

The degree of each of these components of motivation can impact whether or not you achieve
your goal. Strong activation, for example, means that you are more likely to start pursuing a
goal. Persistence and intensity will determine if you keep working toward that goal and how
much effort you devote to reaching it.

In local and regional government motivations are very significant and essential to achieve its
desired goals. However, most organizations do not choose direct extrinsic incentives because
it is expensive in terms of monitoring costs. Using extrinsic incentives may crowd out intrinsic
motivations to exert efforts. In local and regional governance, public service motivations have
been found to be an important source of motivation for workers without looking for rewards or
incentives. Keeping the employees motivated is an important factor in ensuring that local and
regional governance is productive and effective.

MODULE 5: EMPLOYEE POSITIONING

ORIENTATION OF THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

Why Onboarding?
Onboarding - is a process developed to create a smooth adjustment for a new employee into
the organization. It starts before a new employee arrives and continues for the first year of
employment (or applicable length).

About Onboarding
1. Focuses on a strong employee welcome, ensuring continual growth, affirming that the
employee fits into the organization and is a valued team member, and enhancing long-
termrelationship building and retention.
2. Provide upfront expectations that foster knowledgeable, diligent employees and
reducemiscommunication which could lead to low productivity, errors, anxiety, and
dependency on other staff.
3. Introduces employees to the formal and informal culture, values, and practices of the
organization and has a positive impact on an employee’s view of the organization.
4. Involves all team members including the new employee, who also has a role and
responsibility in making onboarding a success.
5. Capitalizes on the motivation of new employees and enables new employees to more
quickly perform in their new environment and ensures they are comfortable enough to ask
questions.
6. Reduces turnover and increases retention, allowing for job satisfaction, increased job
performance, and reduced costs associated with these.

Tips for a Successful Onboarding

1. Learn the correct pronunciation of the new employees’ names
2. Contact new employees prior to their first work days.
3. Express an enthusiastic welcome and ensure the workplace is friendly and positive.
4. Build some fun into the first few days.
5. Check in with new employees as frequently as possible during the first week.
6. Ensure new employees are provided with meaningful tasks early on. Provide information
from a variety of sources such as one-on-one discussions, the Internet, or individuals in the
workplace.
7. Give new employees some responsibility for their own onboarding.
8. Keep the onboarding process flexible enough to meet individual needs.
9. Encourage new employees to join their applicable Employee Networks
10. Keep the new employees’ families in mind especially if they have relocated
11. Ensure your commitment as a manager as this will determine the success of onboarding,
and future recruitment and retention
12. Remember onboarding is an ongoing process, not an event.
TENURE AND JOB STABILITY

What is Job Tenure mean?

Job tenure - is typically measured by the length of time workers have been in their current job
or with their current employer, and so refers to continuing spells of employment rather than to
completed spells.

How does tenure affect performance at work?

Human Capital Theory - suggests that as knowledge and skill increase with greater tenure,
job performance will improve as well. In contrast, the literature on job design suggests that as
job tenure increases, employees are likely to become more bored and less motivated at work.

What is a tenured employee?

Tenured Employee - is someone who has worked for a company or organization for a number
of years.
Long-tenured employees – are those who have worked for a company for more than five
years.
Short-tenured employees – are those who have worked for a company for less than five
years.
Employees with longer tenure - are often valued because they have adapted to an
organization’s culture and have a strong understanding of the policies and processes, which
results in increased productivity. They are often viewed as loyal and tend to indicate employee
satisfaction.

Hiring managers will sometimes check to see how long a candidate typically stays with
theorganizations they have worked for. Depending on the qualities they are looking for, tenure
may determine if they consider hiring the candidate.

Tenured employment - provides many benefits to both the employee and the organization.
The number of years an employee spends working for the same employer can result in a
strong skill set and knowledge base that can be passed down to new employees. Tenured
employees may also demonstrate that the work environment is stable and secure.

Common Benefits of Tenured Employees:

1. Stronger expertise and knowledge Mentorship opportunities
2. Job security and stability
3. Attraction and retention of talent.

Stronger expertise and knowledge

Employees who have been with a company forseveral years have developed specific skillsand
extensive knowledge of how the company works and the way things are done. They have
been there for the various changes that have occurred and have a deep understanding of the
company’s policies and processes for doing things, which leads to an increase in productivity
and fewer errors.
Mentorship opportunities
Tenured employees can use their knowledge to train and mentor other employees. They can
help guide employees who may be less experienced by offering their knowledge and providing
training and support to new hires.

Job security and stability

Employees with tenure have some measure of job security because there is less of a need for
hiring and training new employees. Tenured employees tend to feel more stable in their
careers and positions, resulting in increased motivation, productivity, and commitment to the
organization.

Attract and retain talent

Organizations with a high number of tenured employees can attract talent and encourage
employee retention. High employee turnover rates can make existing employees and
candidates looking for a new job feel uncertain. However, when employees stay with a
company for many years, that company can be viewed as having a secure work environment,
which may be attractive to candidates who are looking for stability.

Steps to take to remain engaged as a tenured employee:

1. Seek new and challenging roles
2. Take on leadership and mentorship opportunities
3. Participate in team-building and after-work activities
4. Find ways to help your company improve. Learn and develop new skills
5. Stability of tenure of personnel is a principle stating that in order for an organization to run
smoothly, personnel (especially managerial personnel) must not frequently enter and exit the
organization.

Job stability
Job Stability - refers to the stability that one has in his/her has or desires in a job or
occupation.It can also be understood as the duration one perceives to keep his/her current job
without external factors.

Not long time ago this was one crucial parameter in selecting a job, people chose stability over
the nature of work. That was the reason people sought government jobs. With the changing
times the scenario has just reversed, aspirants are choosing skills and quality of work over job
stability.

The average tenure in a company has gone much down. There is one thing that has always
been felt is that job stability will not always lead to life stability. Job satisfaction is what then
comes into the picture. While several conditions are considered for stability –output from
employees, satisfaction, economic growth of the country, growth of the company and the
employee, productivity are one of the few.