How to attract and retain the best people in the civil service ? BiH experience

1. How to attract and retain the best people in the civil service? BiH experience

2. BiH Civil Service Agency Positive factors for attracting staff: • Permanence of employment (in principle there are no redundancies based on surplus of staff, rare redundant surplus staff are entitled to a very high redundancy payment, amounting to minimum six and maximum 12 monthly salaries); • Stable income from budget (the salary amount is well known and it is known exactly when it is paid); • The training system, established after the Agency was formed, represents a motivating factor also.

3. Increased salary rates for all civil servants • Introduced internal salary scales • Introduced options of special monetary incentives for civil servants • Better work conditions – completed reconstruction of BiH institutions’ building • Each civil servant has its own computer, access to internet and electronic mail

4. CSA BIH Number of candidates applying to one position: 10 For positions requiring 1-2 years of work experience:20 Demanding positions from the aspect of experience, expertise and skills: >5 Number of applicants for internships: 50 CSA RS 9 candidates applied to one position in 2008 6 candidates are interested to start up the employment in the civil service in 2007 Some statistic data

5. Civil Service Agency of Federation BiH • The Agency strongly supports the development of HRM function which would systematically address all issues which influence attractiveness of civil service and its ability to retain the best staff. • In that sense, new (better quality) sublegal acts have been adopted in the area of performance appraisal; • The passing of a new Law is expected. This Law would regulate the issue of rewarding good performance in a better way, which would significantly influence the trend of staff outflow in the civil service, while the obligation of all institutions is to modernize the HRM function.

6. Civil servants most frequently go to state level institutions (better salaries) or private sector companies. Besides salaries, the additional reason is the lack of option for job promotion. • Civil service has some advantages in relation to competition, but the promotion of these advantages is inadequate (salaries are not bad, and job security is much better than in private sector)

7. RS Civil Service Agency • Undertaken research on motivation of civil servants in RS by RS CSA. First research of such kind in BiH. 560 civil servants were interviewed. • Three principal motivating factors are: feeling of job security (79% interviewees); the opportunity to help others through work (75%); feeling of self-respect (75%)

8. Besides said factors, the RS civil servants are highly motivated by factors such as: good work conditions, chance of independence in work and thinking, and job promotion and development possibilities. • Only 25% interviewees get their motivation from the fact that the job offers a certain level of power (authority).

9. What else could we do? What are the main challenges before us? • Implement provisions of the Law on Salaries in BiH Institutions • Facilitate job promotion through internal advertising of vacancies • Issue and implement a new Book of Rules on Performance Appraisal of Civil Servants • Continue activities at securing accommodation for BiH Institutions • Modernize HRM practices • Advocate for new working culture based on effectiveness of individuals • Finalize Competency Framework (RS) • Continue further research in Job Analyses field

10. Thank you for your attention!