Performance agreements form the framework and starting point for the revamping of the existing unsatisfactory performance evaluation system for government servants
The new Performance Management System (PMS) has been practised by the State Bank of Pakistan for the last 18 years. -APP
ISLAMABAD: The performance agreements between the prime minister and federal ministers is the first step towards comprehensive reforms aimed at improving the quality of governance and the performance of the entire civil service.
The next step, as already approved by the government, is the signing of performance agreements between secretaries (of federal ministries/ divisions) and their direct reports down to the section officer level.
Government sources, who have been involved in these reforms, say that the PM must now turn his attention to ensure that the new Performance Management System is implemented in good faith in all the ministries/ divisions and other organisational entities.
Performance agreements between the prime minister and the federal ministers and their ranking based on the evaluation of these agreements have attracted a lot of media attention. A source said that there is little realisation that these agreements form the framework and starting point for the revamping of the existing unsatisfactory performance evaluation system for government servants.
These agreements (between the prime minister and federal ministers) are the first and foremost key in the whole value chain of civil service reforms that have been approved by the cabinet. As per the reforms, these performance agreements lay down the goals to be achieved by each ministry during the year as defined and elaborated by them, the key performance indicators and the dependency on other divisions -- such as Finance, Law, Establishment -- as each ministry has to obtain their concurrence or assistance for accomplishing their tasks.
Once these framework agreements are finalised, they must be systematically filtered down throughout the ministry, the sources explain. It is said that the secretary has to enter into agreements with heads of departments or autonomous bodies, with additional secretaries and other direct reports agreeing on a set of goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).
According to the plan, the additional secretary would enter into similar agreements with the joint secretaries and so on, right down to the section officers.
It is explained that the new Performance Management System (PMS) that has been practiced by the State Bank of Pakistan for the last 18 years is objective, measurable and verifiable and minimises subjective judgments and biases that heavily weigh on personal likes and dislikes of the supervising officer.
Under the new system, while evaluation would be carried out by the direct supervisor, all officers, for example, in grade 20 under all ministries would be given relative ranking by a group of Grade 22 officers and the process would be followed down the hierarchy.
All the officers would be ranked into five categories: outstanding (20pc of the total), very good (30pc), good (30pc), average (10pc) and below average (10pc). Those placed in the outstanding category would receive twice as much in the form of annual merit increments as compared to those placed in other categories.
Those falling in the below average category would receive no annual increment. These performance parameters, the sources said, are also woven into the new promotion rules for officers which have been upheld by the Islamabad High Court.
The policy, according to sources, is based on the principle of rewarding merit rather than following the seniority principle which does not distinguish between good, weak, and poor performers. The policy stipulates three criteria: (a) 40 per cent marks for performance reports (b) 30 per cent for training outcomes and (c) 30 per cent marks for the collective evaluation by the Central Selection Board based on ten different criteria.
As a result of these changes, it is disclosed, the officers are taking their mid-career and senior level training quite seriously, paying attention to their attitudes towards the delivery of services and improving their efficiency.
“They realise that if they get below average reports or are superseded in promotion or are found guilty of corruption, they can be compulsorily retired,” said the source, adding that this weeding out of deadwood from the ranks of the civil service has been badly needed for a long time.
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