XN000022-1981-11-12 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1981

HUMAN TERMS IN PERSONNEL RELATIONS

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THE BROADER APPROACH NOW AT THE ROOT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PERSONNEL POLICIES MIGHT BE EXPRESSED IN THE MORE HUMAN TERMS, OF PROVIDING A WORK ING CLIMATE IN WHICH EACH STAFF MEMBER FELT ENCOURAGED TO GIVE OF HIS OR HER BEST AND ACHIEVING A HIGH LEVEL OF JOB SATISFACTION, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE,

MARTIN ROWLANDS SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, MR ROWLANDS SAID THAT TO ATTAIN THIS GOAL OF A GOOD WORKING CLIMATE THROUGHOUT THE CIVIL SERVICE INVOLVED THE GOVERNMENT IN ACTION UNDER A GREAT MANY DIFFERENT HEADINGS, INCLUDING STAFF STRUCTURE AND MOTIVATION, WORK ING ENVIRONMENT, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND STAFF.

DISCUSSING STAFF STRUCTURE, HE SAID HIS EXPERIENCE SHOWED A PRE-REQUISITE TO GOOD STAFF RELATIONS +15 TO GET ONE'S STAFF STRUCTURE RIGHT. AN ORGANISATION WHICH KEEPS ITS STAFF STRUCTURE IN TUNE WITH CHANGING REQUIREMENTS IS UNLIKELY TO SUFFER FROM ANY STAFF RELATIONS CRISIS THAT CANNOT BE SOLVED, GIVEN GOODWILL ON BOTH SIDES.

OF MOTIVATION, HE SAID HE WOULD DEFINE THE AIM AS INDICATING AT ALL LEVELS WITHIN THE ORGANISATION, THROUGH FORMAL TRAINING AND CONTACTS WITH INDIVIDUAL STAFF, THE RIGHT ATTITUDES TO WORK, TO THE PUBLIC, TO ONE'S OWN COLLEAGUES, TO ONE'S SENIOR OFFICERS AND TO ANY STAFF FOR WHOM ONE IS RESPONSIBLE.+

+GOOD MOTIVATION OF STAFF IS CRUCIAL,+ HE SAID.

AS FOR WORK ING ENVIRONMENT, IT INVOLVED NOT ONLY THE PROVISION OF SATISFACTORY OFFICE OR WORKSHOP ACCOMMODATION, ADEQUATE REST AND RECREATION FACILITIES, BUT ALSO OTHER FACTORS WHICH IN THE AGGREGATE COULD MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE TO THE PRODUCTIVITY AND JOB SATISFACTION OF STAFF.

WITH REGARD TO CAREER DEVELOPMENT, THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO PROVIDE A CAREER PLAN FOR ALL PERMANENT STAFF IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, ACCOMPANIED BY REGULAR CAREER INTERVIEWS AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL STAFF RESOURCES WOULD BE NEEDED BEFORE THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE.

ON THE QUESTION OF COMMUNICATIONS, HE SAID GOOD TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE WERE VITAL, INVOLVING MANAGEMENT GUIDING, EXPLAINING AND LISTENING, AND STAFF AIRING PROBLEMS, OFFERING VIEWS AND ALSO LISTENING, AND BOTH PARTIES RESPONDING TO EACH OTHER IN A DIALOGUE.

MR ROWLANDS POINTED OUT THAT THE PERSONNEL FUNCTION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE USED TO BE REFERRED TO AS 'ESTABLISHMENT WORK', A COLD ABSTRACTION WHICH REFLECTED A SOMEWHAT NARROW TECHNICAL AND REGULATORY APPROACH TO PERSONNEL MATTERS.

+ IF WE ARE HONEST I THINK WE MUST ADMIT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS SLOW TJ ABANDON THIS NARROW APPROACH, BUT WE HAVE CERTAINLY DONE SO NOW, HE SAID.

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