18.
the MPS at the Government's own initiative, or with recommendations
from Heads of Department for grade changes. Only 12 of the cases in
the current log are the result of representations from grade or
departmental associations directly.
In addition to the PIU and the PSD, there is a designated Staff
Relations Officer who reports to one of the two Deputy Secretaries
of the CSB. The specified role of the SRO, who currently works with
one assistant, is to foster DCC's develop effective staff welfare
-facilities, perform the duties of secretary to the SCSC and the Staff
Suggestions Committee, and liase with the staff associations. (18)
One observation which seems merited about the existing CSB establish-
ment is that the numbers of personnel involved, and consequently the
degree of specialisation available to handle staff relations, are
relatively small in comparison with organisations of comparable size
(whether public or private) in the UK, or other comparable public
services.
As was customary in the early stages of British personnel management in
large organisations, there is no differentiation between staff relations
and welfare functions. The lack of specialisation and the small numbers
of staff professionally involved in staff relations restricts the level'
and scope of activity possible in the field. The departments possess
Assistant Secretaries (Personnel) and similar appointments, but these
posts are external to the CS3 establishment.
It is thus difficult for
CSB, which along with Finance Branch is one of the two centralised
departments in the service, to implement its policy and influence staff.
(18) Hong Kong Government, Job Description Sheet, Staff Relations
Officer.