10
Widening the promotion field
27.
One suggestion put to the Commission is to extend the field from which promotion ranks within a grade are filled to all ranks within all grades requiring similar qualifications and the job content of which has at least some similarity. For example, occupants of ranks the duties of which include work of a clerical nature would all be eligible for consideration for promotion to ranks within the clerical grade, and vice-versa, irrespective of whether or not they belonged to that grade.
28.
29.
(a)
(b)
(a)
(b)
(c)
The advantages of this suggestion are
more equal promotion prospects could be provided;
the knowledge that promotion outside the grade was freely available could reduce difficulties in filling some "dead end" jobs and improve the morale and the efficiency of civil servants occupying such jobs.
The disadvantages are
the number of ranks where the qualifications required and the job content are similar will be limited and grades would remain where career prospects were poor or non-existent;
inter-departmental transfers would be increased and it has been argued that this results in a reduction in the efficiency of departments;
the improved promotion prospects provided for some grades would lead to a corresponding dilution of promotion prospects in other grades.
Creation of Non-functional Promotion Ranks
30.
At present there are a few grades where ranks have been created on a fixed ratio basis and where promotion to these ranks involves little or no change in duties. The existence of these ranks is contrary to the principle that posts should only be created on the basis of functional need and the Commission has been advised that recent practice has been to dispense with them as and when opportunity permits. Representations have been received that rather than dispense with fixed ratio promotion ranks, more should be created to provide promotion opportunities in grades where none or few such opportunities presently exist.
/The