The Open Application Process: A Small-Scale Approach
12 December 2008
Read by 2327 persons
• 28% of management positions filled this way
• It helped women succeed
No need to wait decades for a management position. The open application process rejuvenated the Finance Ministry's management and acts as a career accelerator: five out of ten managers appointed through this process are under 40, compared to 14% in traditional appointments. Since 2002, 48 open calls have been launched for department and division head positions following retirements or transfers. This renewed 28% of management positions.
This "method" also eased women's access to management positions. They secured 18% of all competitive positions, representing 10% of division head positions and 20% of department head positions.
The new system also benefited graduates: 99% of managers appointed through open applications hold higher education degrees: 77% have a postgraduate degree (bac+5) and 22% an undergraduate degree (bac+4). Engineers secured 36% of competitive positions, compared to 13% in other appointment procedures.
Beyond these statistics, the entire human resource management is changing. The process will take time, as it breaks with practices established for years. This is the case, for example, with the evaluation system implemented last year. Its goal is to end the practice of handing out high marks indiscriminately. This goal is not yet achieved, but Omar Faraj, director of Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, speaks of a "slight improvement."
In the public service in general, objective-based work is not yet the norm. Objectives are usually broad. "A lot of awareness-raising and change management are needed," says Omar Faraj.
To address sick leave, the Finance Department implemented measures. When sick leave exceeds a certain number of days, it is deducted from the bonus. The average sick leave is 8 days per year. The ministry is also installing access controls, a system that should eventually be generalized to all departments.
This would limit the phenomenon of "zombie" civil servants, those who clock in and disappear for the rest of the day. This system would allow for more flexible working hours, which are in high demand among civil servants. The essential is that they complete the 36.5 hours of work per week.
Posted on March 25, 2008
Leconomiste.com
• It helped women succeed
No need to wait decades for a management position. The open application process rejuvenated the Finance Ministry's management and acts as a career accelerator: five out of ten managers appointed through this process are under 40, compared to 14% in traditional appointments. Since 2002, 48 open calls have been launched for department and division head positions following retirements or transfers. This renewed 28% of management positions.
This "method" also eased women's access to management positions. They secured 18% of all competitive positions, representing 10% of division head positions and 20% of department head positions.
The new system also benefited graduates: 99% of managers appointed through open applications hold higher education degrees: 77% have a postgraduate degree (bac+5) and 22% an undergraduate degree (bac+4). Engineers secured 36% of competitive positions, compared to 13% in other appointment procedures.
Beyond these statistics, the entire human resource management is changing. The process will take time, as it breaks with practices established for years. This is the case, for example, with the evaluation system implemented last year. Its goal is to end the practice of handing out high marks indiscriminately. This goal is not yet achieved, but Omar Faraj, director of Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, speaks of a "slight improvement."
In the public service in general, objective-based work is not yet the norm. Objectives are usually broad. "A lot of awareness-raising and change management are needed," says Omar Faraj.
To address sick leave, the Finance Department implemented measures. When sick leave exceeds a certain number of days, it is deducted from the bonus. The average sick leave is 8 days per year. The ministry is also installing access controls, a system that should eventually be generalized to all departments.
This would limit the phenomenon of "zombie" civil servants, those who clock in and disappear for the rest of the day. This system would allow for more flexible working hours, which are in high demand among civil servants. The essential is that they complete the 36.5 hours of work per week.
Posted on March 25, 2008
Leconomiste.com
