The government has stepped up efforts to kick out underperforming employees from the public sector. This move seems positive, considering that it could deprive public officials of their long-standing "iron rice bowls,’’ but it remains to be seen if these efforts will pay off.
On Monday, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced plans to draw up guidelines on dismissing low-performing workers at public organizations by the end of this year. Specifically, the ministry plans to introduce a "two strikes and you’re out system,’’ under which those with poor performances for two years in a row would be ousted. The ministry also plans to have employees with work experience of seven years or longer subject to the performance-based annual salary system.
The government’s renewed focus on weeding out underperformers stems from its belief that inefficiencies in the public corporate sector have remained the same despite much talk about structural reform. The fact is that most underperforming workers at state firms have held their posts while doing little due to a lack of disciplinary measures for them.
Earlier last week, the Ministry of Personnel Management also unveiled guidelines for ousting high-ranking civil servants from ministries and agencies in the central government. The proposed scheme envisions sending officials who receive the lowest score in two performance evaluations, or the one-time lowest grade plus no assignments for a certain period of time, to a disciplinary committee. The committee has the right to decide on their dismissal.
The government deserves a compliment for its bold move to remove unfit public officials despite the nation’s sensitive political schedule ― next April’s parliamentary elections and the presidential poll in late 2017. But actions speak louder than words.
In fact, the civil servant ouster program was introduced in 2006, but not a single official has been dismissed so far. That is because few have received the “very bad’’ grade because of rampant paternalism in officialdom.
So the Ministry of Personnel Management decided to specify requirements for the lowest grade this time _ policy failure, problematic business attitude and personal irregularities, including bribery. Even so, it is still doubtful if dismissing civil servants can be realized, particularly because of vague evaluation standards.
Fixing lax management in state corporations is long overdue. These entities enjoy high popularity among young job applicants, and are referred to as “God’s workplaces’’ because wages are high but employees are not obliged to work too hard. This painstaking work should start with weeding out underperformers.
What is urgently needed is to make evaluation standards more detailed and clearer so fairness and objectivity can be assured in assessing employees. The government should set an example for state firms to follow by removing incompetent and underperforming civil servants.