Personnel-policy work at central and local levels
For many years, the Danish state sector has worked on central personnel-policy proposals and initiatives in relation to workplaces in central government.
In 1994, the Ministry of Finance presented its first overall personnel policy for the workplaces and employees in the state sector. The policy set out three personnel- policy minimum requirements, to which another four minimum requirements were added in 1998. They are minimum requirements which, for example, assume that all managers hold annual staff development interviews with their employees and that the workplaces carry out regular assessments of managerial competencies.
In the summer of 2003, the State Employer's Authority presented a new personnel and management policy, which contains a vision regarding future personnel and management policy work at central government workplaces. This policy differs from previous central personnel policies in that it sets out expectations of local personnel policies, but no minimum requirements nor specific guidelines.
The overall personnel and management policy provides the framework and direction for the personnel-policy work at the workplaces in central government. However, it is the individual place of work that has to develop and adjust the policy to its special conditions and circumstances. The development of local personnel policies is to a large extent based on the participation of staff and managers.
In addition to providing the overall framework for the personnel policy, the State Employer's Authority develops various tools on an ongoing basis to support the personnel-policy work at the individual workplace.
The State Employer's Authority does not prescribe the use of any particular tools or concepts in connection with local efforts, but hopes that local workplaces will see the tools as a source of inspiration to enhance the effectiveness of work on personnel and management development.
In order to evaluate the effect of the personnel-policy efforts in central government workplaces, the State Employer's Authority conducts measurements and assessments in the personnel and management area on an ongoing basis. Experience gained from these surveys provides the background to the further development of policies, the introduction of new initiatives and the development of new tools.
The 2003 central government personnel and management policy
The 2003 central government personnel and management policy contains an overall vision for the state sector as a place of work as well as four focus areas regarding matters pertaining to the performance of tasks, members of staff, diversity and management, respectively.
The vision for the state sector as a place of work
The Danish state sector performs a number of important tasks, each of which serves the purpose of managing and developing Danish society as one of the most successful democracies in the world.
The vision is that staff and managers in central government workplaces
- generate value for citizens
- ensure integrity and legal rights
- are open-minded and service-oriented
- demonstrate responsibility and a holistic approach and
- think innovatively
The task comes first
Focus must be on the tasks in the work of central government. It means that it is the specific tasks that determine how work is to be best organised. This applies both to cross-institutional tasks and tasks at the individual place of work. Placing focus on the task requires flexible structures and the will to adapt to changing demands. The task must contribute to determining modes of work, competence requirements and the distribution of responsibility. This also means that there must be focus on securing a balance between consumption of resources and results.
Valuable staff
Staff in the state sector are characterised by being competent and responsible. This requires that staff receive ongoing competence development that is rooted in the targets and strategies of the institution. Security for the employee is based on lifelong competence development, not on lifelong employment. The workplace must ensure that individual members of staff are able to develop their potential for the benefit of the employees themselves as well as the workplace. Valuable staff will expect to be recognised and rewarded relative to their performance.
Recruitment
The state sector considers it important to attract valuable staff. Therefore, staff members are offered attractive, individual development opportunities and good conditions regarding the job contents, a good working environment, and they are rewarded relative to their performance.
Employment in the Danish state sector is, as a rule, based on public notice of a vacant position. This is to ensure that everybody has the opportunity to apply for the job. The State Employer's Authority has laid down rules for notices of vacant jobs. These rules comprise both a duty to advertise as well as contents requirements regarding the notice.
Positions are filled by the best qualified among the applicants. Applicants who already are employed in central government have no preferential right to vacant positions.
The state sector has set up a general job database - www.job-i-staten - where all vacant jobs are advertised.
The State Employer's Authority has developed a tool for recruitment, which is available to all central government workplaces.
Strategic competence development
For a number of years, focus has been on the importance of making competence development in the state sector both strategic and systematic. All workplaces must have an overall strategy for the competence development efforts, and it must be firmly rooted in the organisation's targets and tasks. The systematic approach to competence development takes place through recurrent use of tools like, for example, individual development plans.
The staff development interview
In the state sector, annual staff development interviews are a generally used tool regarding the development of employees. Practically all managers conduct annual staff development interviews with their members of staff.
The staff development interview consists of a discussion of the staff member's working situation, his/her performance of tasks in the past year as well as current and future tasks. An important element of the interview is the staff member's need for competence development and his/her own career wishes. It has also become a common feature of staff development interviews that the possibility of an allowance is taken up during the discussion.
Individual development targets that have to be followed up on currently are set during the staff development interview.
The State Employer's Authority has developed material as a source of inspiration for planning and implementing staff development interviews.
Talent and career development
This new focus area is meant to secure that unexploited resources and special talents among staff are developed for the mutual benefit of employees and employers, and that the staff member experiences that there are attractive career prospects in the state sector.
The State Employer's Authority contributes to creating attractive workplaces in central government by offering inspiration and tools for the institutions' work on talent and career development.
The State Employer's Authority has developed inspirational material, which includes a publication on the HR function, a dialogue tool for the management group and a tool of clarification for the employees.
The State Employer's Authority develops and implements a series of two-year career-development programmes. They are, in the first instance, programmes for HR advisers, financial advisers/controllers and international advisers. A fourth career development programme is targeted at experienced project managers.
Diversity
Diversity in central government workplaces is a prerequisite for good performance of tasks. Everybody is able to contribute something special, irrespective of gender, age, family situation, educational background, working experience, ethnic origin or other differences. A broadly composed group of staff and managers, therefore, stand a better chance of providing good quality and service to citizens and enterprises. At the same time, it is a significant aspect of the state sector's social commitment.
Diversity requires broader recruitment and makes demands on staff and managers for respect, tolerance and social responsibility. Moreover, diversity requires flexibility at the place of work and among staff and managers.
Integration of ethnic minorities
Integration of ethnic minorities in the labour market is a significant action area. It is important for society and for the individual. Society is in need of enlarging the workforce, and it is necessary that all resources be fully used. The individual will benefit from being an integral part of society through active participation in the labour market.
The Government has, therefore, decided a target to the effect that 3.5 per cent of central government employees should be immigrants and descendants from third countries. This reflects the proportion of ethnic minorities in the labour force. The State Employer's Authority supports efforts in this area by various activities.
Gender equality
Central government workplaces are, similarly, under an obligation not to discriminate on the basis of gender. Gender equality is regulated by law, and it is an integral part of the personnel and management policy. Furthermore, mainstreaming is used as a tool to incorporate equality into day-to-day activities.
The State Employer's Authority is, moreover, working proactively at raising the number of women in managerial positions in connection with the efforts to enhance the professionalisation of management.
The inclusive labour market
Workplaces in the state sector are obliged to demonstrate social commitment by becoming more inclusive, i.e. they must be able to take preventive measures against sickness and attrition, retain employees and integrate persons who find it difficult to achieve lasting attachment to a workplace. This is done, among other things, through a number of labour market policy and social policy schemes.
In the year 2000, the Danish Government decided a target to the effect that the proportion of employees in the inclusive labour market should grow to 3.5 per cent by the end of 2003. Since 2001, the State Employer's Authority has been in contact with all ministries and has published the development within all ministerial remits four times a year. As a consequence of this effort, the proportion had increased to 3.6 per cent by the end of 2003, corresponding to approximately 4,500 persons.
The effort within the inclusive labour market comprises also the employment of disabled persons. Special rules exist which give the disabled a preferential right to job interviews, provide the place of work with the possibility of a subsidy to employ a disabled person, and may grant disabled persons individual assistance to carry out their trade.
Professional management
Good and professional management in the state sector is a precondition of good and effective performance of tasks and continued development of central government workplaces now and in future. Key words for professional management are: focus on results, strategic overview and holistic thinking, but also to a very high extent an interest in human beings and managerial talent. Management is a professional discipline, and it must be developed and practiced. Good and professional management in the state sector is recognised and rewarded, whereas poor management must have consequences.
These years, the State Employer's Authority has placed much focus on supporting the development of professional management in central government, which implies the offer of tools as well as educational programmes.
Management development programme for new managers
The State Employer's Authority has set up a development programme for all newly appointed central government managers with personnel responsibility. The programme is based on three themes: 1) personal leadership, 2) personnel management and 3) partnership with the managerial group.
Development of personnel managers
The State Employer's Authority conducts a special development programme for personnel managers. The programme focuses on how the personnel manager can strengthen his/her role as a strategic sparring partner vis-à-vis management and how the value of HR activities can be documented.
Management evaluation
The State Employer's Authority has developed a tool for the purpose of evaluating the management of a place of work.
Standards for good management in the workplace are drawn up, and through a questionnaire an assessment is made of how the managerial group and the individual manager fulfil these requirements. Staff, colleagues and the immediate superior carry out the assessment.
The outcome of the assessment is to be followed up on through targeted development of managers with special needs.
