New HR management info system for public service
By September 2015, the country’s public service will have a fully functional and the first-ever Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS).
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The system, which is being managed by the Public Services Commission (PSC), is in its final stages with a head count of all public servants nearing completion.
The implementation of the system will help eliminate ghost names on the wage bill and put an end to the unauthorised recruitments and promotions in the service.
The system will initially cover the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the PSC, the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), where an HR audit is currently underway for a clean data for the HRMIS and also to verify data of the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) with what pertained on the ground.
The HRMIS is a comprehensive database on personnel of the public service, and it is the first comprehensive attempt in the sector that covers all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Formerly, human resource information was undertaken on a piecemeal basis in individual ministries, departments and agencies (MDA’s).
Functions
Describing how the HRMIS was going to work in an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Head of the PSC, Mrs Bridget Katrisku, said the system would be linked to the GIFMINS budget and financial management system of the government.
The payment of salaries would, therefore, be based on the HRMIS that would provide the exact information in relation to the number of people in a government agency, the functions and skills of particular workers, and also provide the information on staff in relation to their progression and promotion.
Additionally, the HRMIS would ensure that the exact skills sets required for a particular job function was procured by government and its agencies to fill positions.
She said the system would not permit any unauthorised recruitment, with all recruitments in government agencies being filled by a rigorous process between the PSC and the agency that had to justify the need for the recruitment.
Benefits
Sharing some benefits of the HRMIS, Mrs Katrisku said the actual numbers in the public service would be known, with their age profile, gender, skills, etc., which would help the government in planning for its human resource needs in the public service.
Moreover, Mrs Katrisku said the HRMIS would ensure efficiency in the HR management and planning of the public service workforce, as weaknesses and strengths would be evident through the HRMIS.
She said the system would ensure that some human resource functions, previously being performed by the CAGD, would be passed on to the MDAs.
“It would reduce the turnaround time in the processing of salaries,” she added.
Performance Management
On a performance management system in the public service, Mrs Katrisku disclosed that a piloted public sector wide performance management system two years ago had been completed, with protocols on performance management which included a performance management policy framework, a performance management manual and appraisal document, all developed and published on-line for all public service staff and management.
The training, with support from the Australian Public Services Commission, has extensively covered chief executive officers of government agencies, heads and directors of ministries and departments, as well as staff.
Meanwhile, in a bid to improve upon its communication among its internal and external publics, the PSC has come out with its newsletter, the PSC News, which is aslo accessible on-line.
Writer’s email: [email protected]