The reform of the human resources in the public administration has become an increasingly present subject in the public debate, against the background of the need for the state, especially since the way in which the employees are directly influence the efficiency of the institutions.
Budgets should be tested for general knowledge, say professional training experts
“The ideal public civil servant should be the result of a Selection system based on merit. For a real reform of human resources in the public administration, there is no need for a revolution. It is sufficient to look at what already works in other European systems – from unitary and transparent testing, to continuous skills assessment, to the real professionalization of the selection process.“, He told”truth”Bogdan Fârșirotu, an expert in vocational training and president of the APSAP training center.
What tests should give
Thus the specialist recommends an assessment that includes:
– test for understanding the Romanian language, not only grammatically, but functional – to know if the person can go through and understand an administrative document.
-foreign language test of international circulation, at the professional level (B2-C1).
– General intelligence test (IQ), adapted to the level of the job (especially for management positions or those that require higher education).
-General culture test, essential in a public system that should be the mirror of the values of an educated society.
– Applied tests, depending on the profile of the function:
• Accountants – financial reasoning tests and operational accounting,
• Urbanism officials – elements of spatial logic, applied geometry,
• Jurists – legal species that start from understanding the principles of law to complex situations, with practical applicability, specific to the institutional profile of the public organization,
• Communication officials – institutional crisis simulations and drafting public responses,
• teachers – personality tests and evaluation of real pedagogical culture, not just the rigid didactics from the manual etc.
“Only after such a national evaluation, applied evenly and correctly, can we speak honestly about the professionalization of the public system, but also about possible restructuring or layoffs. The idea is not to catch people on the wrong foot, but to realize the competence of its mimic. Critical-that is, what is the functional intelligence, not the short-term memory because the truth is simple: not everyone can learn anything.
Professional training is not “DNA surgery”. Cannot create performance where there is no potential. Cannot transform mediocrity into competence. It is not meant to save what cannot be saved, but to help people capable of becoming better.
Until we assume this reality, we will continue to “form” people who are not formable and miss the chance to build a professional public administration”, Says the specialist.
In his opinion, the introduction of standardized assessments of cognitive and functional skills would provide a clear image on the level of training and highlight the areas where professional development programs are required. In this way, both the strengths and training needs, including at the level of management, could be identified, which would create the premises for a gradual and sustainable modernization.
“The ideal budget would have been connected to the realities of the present: they would have real digital skills (not only “supposed”), they would speak at least one foreign language and would be open to continuous learning, exchanges of good practices and international collaborations. He would understand his role in an administration that must serve the citizen, not to confuse him. And its performance would be measured by results, not by old age“Adds the specialist in vocational training.
Which features are most often missing from the employees in the public system
The discussion about the performance in the public administration cannot bypass an essential question: what features are most often missing from the state employees? In a system in which stability is often confused with immobilism, and the procedure with efficiency, certain essential qualities for a modern administration-such as initiative, adaptability or professional courage-remain rare or poorly encouraged. Individual deficiencies are, in fact, the symptoms of a system that penalizes mistakes more than reward good ideas.
“In fact, the feature that really is missing is the courage to evolve professionally, and this is not just the official's responsibility. It is a system problem: we do not cultivate the initiative, we do not promote competence and we do not sanction the inefficiency“Adds the specialist
How should the state employee be paid
In the opinion of the specialist, the salaries of the public administration must be differentiated, but not without the real Oreform of how work is evaluated in public institutions. Without clear performance criteria, any wage differentiation risks being perceived as arbitrary or unfair. The instruments that objectively measure the volume of work, the respect of the terms, the impact of the activity or the feedback from the citizens are missing. In such a context, pay does not stimulate performance, but maintains a superficial balance between conformism and lack of assumption.
Only after the credible evaluation mechanisms are introduced and a “cleaning“In the system – by filtering employees who do not deliver results – it is possible to discuss justified salary increases. In fact, in many cases, the public budget could support significant salary increases without additional effort, only by reducing the waste and formally occupied functions, without real activity. A more supple state device, but consisting of more competent people, and it would be more. Salaries should not be an objective in itself, but a natural consequence of a professionalized system, based on merit, responsibility and visible results.
In conclusion, says the specialist, the modernization of the public administration begins with a deep reform of human resources. “The selection of the officials must be based on real competence, the evaluation on objective criteria, and the removal on proven performance. A system in which only professionals remain will become, naturally, more efficient and less expensive. Talking about higher salaries without talking about performance is not only inequitis, but also useless. Romania needs officials who understand that the state exists for citizens, not the other way around. And for this, we have to start by selecting, evaluating and paying as such. “he added.
