CIPM panel discussion concludes with consensus on embracing change in public sector

Panellists at the discussion

CIPM Sri Lanka – the nation’s leader in human resource management organised a half-day seminar and panel discussion on the topic ‘Promising Prospects for HR in the Public Sector’ on Tuesday 11 February at ‘HR House’ in Colombo 5.

CIPM Sri Lanka President Dhammika Fernando, CIPM External Affairs Committee Chairman and Immediate Past President of CIPM Sri Lanka Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, together with other officials of CIPM, keynote speaker Director General of Labour Ananda Wimalaweera and over 100 enthusiastic participants representing different sectors of the public sector attended the event. 

“Governments today operate in an environment challenged by globalisation, digitalisation, new technologies, rising citizen expectations, fiscal constraints and a more dynamic political environment. In order to respond efficiently and effectively to these challenges, governments around the world are advancing human resource management in the public sector to attract, motivate and retain the talent required,” said Dhammika Fernando in his address setting the pace and context for the session. 

“This is the start of a series of seminars that we are rolling in order to proliferate the thinking of human resource management in the public sector. Today, we insightfully interact, intellectually engage in a discussion as to how we can raise the standard of the public sector which needs to play a vibrant role,” said Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri while introducing the topic to the attendees. 

Ananda Wimalaweera delivered the keynote which analysed the current status of HRM in the public sector, and emphasised upon the dire need to follow accepted HR best practices in order to fulfil the high expectations placed upon the public sector in the country’s onward and rapid journey ahead, and to overcome the many challenges which are unique to the public sector.

“Sri Lanka has a large public sector with one public servant for every 15 citizens which is in itself a challenge to manage efficiently and effectively. This amounts to approx. 1.2 M public servants excluding the tri-forces,” said Wimalaweera in his keynote. 

He also stated the need to change the current performance appraisal system which limits the process to the annual increments of public servants with a systematic implementation of a performance appraisal scheme focusing on key aspects of task assessments with Key Result Areas (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and competence assessments based on Key Behavioural Indicators (KBIs) together with a mandatory dialog between the appraiser and the appraisee. 

Several other areas that were highlighted during the keynote was the need to link accountability of public servants to results rather than the process which would pave the way for a higher level of efficiency within the public sector, the need to enhance negotiation and communication skills at all levels and the need to address the challenges in building trust amongst public sector employees in the presence of a static hierarchical structure. 

“In order to build a more efficient, credible and results oriented public sector, it is imperative that we see and understand the change that is required in the people and processes in the public sector and respond effectively with a more structured and forward looking human resource management playbook for public servants,” he added in conclusion.       

The keynote was followed by a panel discussion which deliberated and reflected upon the key messages and insights shared by the Commissioner General of Labour in his keynote address. The panel comprised of Tropical Findings Ltd. Executive General Manager and CIPM Sri Lanka President Dhammika Fernando, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Post Graduate Institute of Management (PIM) Senior Consultant Dr. Lloyd Fernando, SLAF Camp Weerawila Commanding Officer, CIPM Executive Council Editor Group Captain Manoaj Keppetipola, and Sri Lanka Insurance DGM HR and ER, CIPM Sri Lanka Past President Rohitha Amarapala. 

The panel discussion was moderated by Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri – Professor in Management, Director and Chairman of the Board of Management, Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and Immediate Past President CIPM.