Swedish Ambassador Camilla Mellander tells Tuoi Tre what she thinks about the efficiency of public servants in Vietnam and the story in her hometown.* There have been different and conflicting figures on how efficient public officials/workers are in their job, yet one thing that most people agree is that there is a crucial need for improvement in this field. Where do you think Vietnam can start to this end?
First, I would like to stress that a strong public administration that is well-functioning and accountable could help to facilitate growth and promote development.
The nature of the constraints on civil service capacity requires a strategic approach. There is not one-size solution that would fit all agencies. In general I would say options would include to make sure salaries are competitive civil service pay, to attract and retain skilled staff especially for high level management and rationalize civil service employment, to ensure that human resources are wisely deployed in high priority sectors and administrative functions; and that performance based schemes are applied on hiring and promotion. In addition, high quality public service delivery is linked strongly with an efficient system of incentives and accountability mechanisms.
I believe, one good entry would be looking at the perspective from end-users or from the demand side. For example, surveys that assess the experiences of businesses and citizens, civil servants and experts and then carry out pilot on a small scale to tackle outstanding issues and challenges.
Perhaps, it will be good to look at successful pilots in the region and elsewhere, but also in Vietnam such as the case of Da Nang and draw lessons for policy formulation. In Da Nang for instance, I was told that the leaders know how to detect the 30% by asking civil servants to fill in monthly diaries of what their carry out and what they have actually accomplished.
* Many consider low salaries as a major factor that weakens the efficiency in the public administration sector. Do you agree?
Vietnam has become a middle income country. Economic growth has brought increased incomes and better lives for many Vietnamese, especially those in urban centres. Better-off citizens may expect better administrative services by public agencies.
Now, with your question, I do believe that salaries matter when it comes to quality of the public administration sector. When government positions are paid less comparable to other jobs, public agencies may lose their best talents to the private economic sector. And this is happening in all countries, also in Sweden. This is why it is important to also look at other, non monetary incentives for attracting and retaining qualified staff. There are evidences that soft aspects of human resource management, such as employee satisfaction and morale, are also very important drivers of performance.
Based on international experiences, I think what’s proven very effective is also to pay attention to developing and building a merit-based and performance culture. It is important to develop incentives to motivate civil servants in providing best services to citizens, businesses and investors. The transition to a system of merit based pay in years to come should reflect transparency and accountability of the public sector in Vietnam. Above all, competitive, proper and fair system of incentives and remuneration is necessary and would be appreciated by those working in the public section and encourage them to make best contribution from their side.
* What are the lessons Vietnam can learn from Sweden or other countries in reforming the sector?
I think Vietnam is moving in the right direction by beginning to pay attention to and take action towards building a strong and professional public administration.
Swedish public administration, as you may know is characterized by a high degree of openness, transparency and accountability.
First and foremost is that the best qualified person is selected to a position. He or she must show his or her competence for the job with educational qualifications and experience. For management or leadership posts, the person must also meet other important requirements of a good leader, such as the ability to make decisions, take responsibility, and create a good working environment to encourage their staff.
As one of the most transparent countries in the world, Sweden is proud of the clarity in its system. In our country, the leadership selection process must go through clear, open steps, such as tests, interviews, or special training for potential leaders, and could not possibly be corrupted. If someone has suspicions about the grade, performance, or motivation of a leader, he or she can ask relevant authorities to explain how that person could reach that position. We also have a labour court to take care of any disputed issues.
In our working environment, the most important thing is to pay attention to merit and performance in monitoring of job holders. This obviously motivates people to devote themselves to the job and the organisation. In Sweden, a person who works well will earn a good income and move up to a higher position. Conversely, those who don’t work well will be held accountable for their performance. In addition, we make best use of key tools such as job description, performance appraisal and job evaluation as a basis for all recruitment, promotion and remuneration
The media in Sweden has developed in an open environment, so that everything is clearly publicised and if a questionable case was uncovered then journalists would investigate.
Finally, gender equality should be considered as an important point in recruitment. In Sweden, female officials account for some 40 per cent of the total leadership positions. Highly qualified women should be given the chance and encouraged to take on leadership roles. It is good when the leadership ranks are made up of both men and women. With different viewpoints, they can share, discuss, and make decisions based on the benefit of both sides.
* Thank you.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
