Transitioning from Private to Public Sector HR: How Do You Shift the Focus from Process to Results?

I have recently joined as an Assistant Director HR in a well-known public organization. I have been working in the private sector for almost 6 years before accepting my new assignment. What I came to realize is the main difference between the private and public sector is the focus on results and processes.

In a dynamic private sector firm, everything is aligned with business objectives, and processes are re-engineered to cope with the business requirements. The same situation is reversed in the public sector when the focus is on processes and not the outcome, frankly making you frustrated sometimes.

Seeking Best Practices for Mindset Change

I would like to ask the worthy members' opinions on suggesting the best practices on how to bring or initiate a change in this mindset.

Regards,
Bilal

Well, you are right, my friend. Even I am working in the government sector in India and am going through all this frustration daily. Is the Pakistan government also like this?

Let's face it—governments the world over are the same in terms of work attitude and culture. You may be surprised to hear that the situation in the USA or UK is also the same, if not worse, except that the issues are different due to the general culture being different.

Addressing the Query on Changing Mindsets

Coming to your query "suggesting the best practices on how to bring or initiate a change in this mindset," that would be a tough proposition. I am not sure of your reasons for joining the public sector from the private sector—usually, this factor is taken into account by anyone making such a move, especially at senior levels, since this is where interference is high.

Regards,
TS

Transparency and Accountability: Key Aspects to Begin With

Transparency in HR policies and processes can be achieved by making these documents viewable by all employees on your organization's website. Before doing that, you need to read and understand these documents fully since management will hold you accountable for their implementation in practice. People will also bombard you if something is not being followed on the ground. However, the results will be worth the effort you put in. Through transparency, you will build the loyalty of people to the organization. This loyalty will lead to accountability if you gradually introduce the process of KRAs/Goals setting for executives and managers.

There will be tremendous resistance initially, but carrying the management and some key personnel in the organization with you will help in launching this initiative. For example, if you can introduce an automated system for Performance Management (which permits the use of your existing Appraisal Forms and workflows), you could trigger a change in the mindset of people who, in the public sector, are more used to slow operations with little scope for data analysis.

Automating KRAs and Goals Setting

Now automate your KRAs and Goals setting system, keeping an eye on the objectives of the organization, and ensure that this process is completed before the start of the next financial year. Use software like 'EmpXtrack,' which helps in periodic tracking of the completion of Goals for all employees in all departments and keeps everyone involved and well-informed. Let the management see this activity on their dashboards.

I understand you want to change the work culture of your organization because you are getting frustrated. Meet this challenge through HR technology to avoid getting into a spin. You can successfully achieve both transparency and accountability if you plan well and carry your management with you. See your frustration as an opportunity.

I appreciate your response. The fact is that people resist change, which is a global issue. In a public sector organization, people generally develop a mindset of being present in the office until the closure of official hours. Automation of all HR processes is what we are aiming for; young officers in our batch are discussing getting things done through a well-structured plan.

Management Support in Transition

Management support is key in this transition, and we are working on a comprehensive plan to gain management support in the change process. I agree that a well-structured Job Analysis, Performance Evaluation, and opportunities for growth can make employees work more efficiently.

Regards

Red tape is an international problem, and even here in Mauritius, this is an issue. Of course, it's only the public who needs the service that suffers. Our government is trying to remedy the situation and has introduced the performance appraisal system. Future promotions and salary increases largely depend on the outcome of the performance appraisal. Though resistance to change is a significant barrier, I think that performance appraisal is one solution. Those working efficiently will generally welcome the practice, and others will eventually need to follow. I commend you for your concern about this situation. It is also true that only because you have worked in the private sector previously can you compare efficiency.

Regards, Vikash

Appreciate your thoughts on the subject. Due to the permanent nature of jobs in the public sector, employees tend to overlook any effort to establish performance standards when they are receiving increments equally. Promotions, in most cases, are based on seniority as well.

Challenges in Implementing New Performance Evaluation Systems

We are trying to change this culture by incorporating new strategies, but the main challenge in bringing up a new performance evaluation system is biases like the Halo Effect, Central Tendency, Recency Effect, and Personal Biases.

Regards,
Bilal

Bilal, all biases get smoothened over a period of time automatically. These should not act as barriers to the launch of new initiatives. Vikash has already indicated that the Government of Mauritius has been successful in their attempt to regulate promotions based on performance. I am sure they too would have encountered or still be experiencing the impact of biases mentioned by you and may have created some innovative performance normalization measures, besides undertaking extensive training-cum-counseling of their Appraisers at all levels.

Governance and Accountability

In my opinion, governance cannot be without accountability. To introduce accountability in the government sector, goal-based performance is the answer. Tracking of performance against goals has to be a periodic (quarterly/half-yearly) activity, and records of counseling have to be maintained (which should be viewable by the concerned employee at all times) to manage complaints and grievances. All this is possible only through the use of automation of the performance appraisal process. Tools like 'EmpXtrack' have helped some organizations in the government/public sector across the globe, and their use has not been resisted by the employees.

Regards,

Frankly, you ought to be appreciated for your intent and efforts to change the ways of the public sector company where you joined. Having worked in both public and private sectors, I can see the type and scale of challenges you would face in changing the mindset there—and one can clearly see that you are indeed gearing up for it.

In addition to the good inputs given by BK Bhatia and Vikash and your own knowledge/realization about the typical PSU mentality, I would like to add just one—whatever you decide to implement, suggest looking at the consequences from the employees' mindset, which is typically "what's in it for me." In fact, this is much more prevalent in PSUs than in private sector employees, given the nature of work culture that dominates there. That way, the success chances of your proposals/schemes increase.

For example, if you are about to propose/implement a revised Appraisal Scheme that brings in accountability with enhanced salary raises (to counter the existing norm of 'one increment whether one works or not'), target those who actually work in your PSU (like every PSU, there would definitely be quite a few who do take their work seriously and produce results). They would definitely be happy to see such a new measure. At the end of the day, at most, you may have to slightly lower the upper-limit figures to satisfy those who don’t work and yet don’t want others who actually work to get more than them (which you can be prepared for in advance by factoring this aspect into every proposal you make). Hope you got what I mean.

With respect to who faces the consequences of such a lethargic/lackadaisical way of working in PSUs and in Government Departments—in the case of such work culture in Departments, the general public would be directly affected (which is what, I think, Vikash was implying), while in the case of PSUs, it's very indirect, so much so that most PSU employees won’t even know any of the end-customers (sort of 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind'). This would make your effort so much more difficult.

All the very best.

Regards, TS

Some of the points highlighted by you will surely be helpful. My thought is that the changes we are looking forward to need to be implemented in stages, i.e., to the extent of officers first and then gradually the supporting staff.

Job Description, Accountability, KPIs, Performance Standards

These are some of the terms only people with a higher qualification know by default. They are easy to talk to and get them onboard.

The tricky and challenging task is implementing a change to support staff, especially when there is a strong union influence inspired by political parties (I'm talking about Pakistan here). I do understand that the process will be slow, but with an organized effort and management support, it can happen.

All one can say from a distance is: ALL THE BEST, and you can count on the members of CiteHR to give you the back support to the best extent possible.

Steps to Implement Change

Coming to your PoA, you are right—one needs to GO IN STEPS in such situations, irrespective of the location/country. What you [or anyone in your situation or with your intent] will be against MORE PRIMARILY will be the complacency that is brought about by the comfort zones they have become used to, and bringing about any change will always have resistance [unions, politics, etc., come later]. It's something like—the doctor doesn’t give you the full dose of medicine all at once. More than reviving the patient, it’s likely to kill him faster. Hope you get the point.

Focus Areas for Change

Regarding the focus areas you mentioned [Job Description, Accountability, KPIs, Performance Standards, etc.], beginning from the top is more likely to succeed—as you planned. However, suggest ensuring the evolution of the parameters of any attribute you want to focus on ALONG WITH the Min/Max limits AND the rewards/retributions—that way they would be able to see the benefits THEY would have—leading to faster agreement.

Approach to Policy Changes

Regarding your plan to focus on the Officers first followed later by the workers—in a way, it’s a good approach. However, you MAY need to factor in the workers too in some of the policies/changes you plan to introduce—for the simple reason that the Officers invariably need to depend on the workers for whatever they need to achieve. Hence, the sequence AND timing [which-one-first & which-one-later] of the changes you plan to take up WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT, especially the initial ones. If the first ones fail to get acceptance for implementation, then the chances of you introducing the later ones become so much tougher—hope you get the point.

All the Best.

Regards,
TS

I don't know if it's the same at your place, but here in Mauritius, at times, the presence of the superior alone suffices for the work to be done more efficiently. What I mean is that I believe that only with the determination of Mr. Bilal, provided that he readily advertises his standpoint, and his regular presence in all his departments is already a huge motivation for his people to work. An authoritative method also pays off. As long as you are within the limits of labor laws, I don't think that unions will interfere. Of course, you should have a core team working in close collaboration with you, and I believe that we still have a lot of people who have the will to make things happen. Make it happen, Mr. Bilal!

I take this opportunity to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!

Regards,
Vikash

Wow Bilal, that reminds me of my own PSU stint [in NTPC] long back [before I got into the private sector in a totally different domain], with a focus on power grids and power generation. Since my knowledge base in this sector would, by now, be outdated, let me see if I can rope in any of my old colleagues who still work there. And to think of 'coincidences,' it was just a 'hunch' that made me ask my query...!!!

Regards,
TS

Bilal, good to know that you are streamlining HR practices in the Power Sector. I was associated with NDPL (Tata Power - Delhi) as an Adviser HR for 4 years and could refine/redefine their HR processes in conformity with their Business Excellence Model.