Analysis of performance management system in the provincial governments in Pakistan

Abstract

Performance management system of civil servants is one of the key areas of human resource management (HRM) doctrine. This thesis examines the current status of the performance management system of civil servants in the provincial governments in Pakistan; the causes of delays in implementation; identify best performance management system of civil servants practices in the world and suggest recommendations to the policy makers. This is exploratory research and uses both secondary and primary data. The findings are analyzed through the lens of Galbraith’s Star model and the two-factor motivation theory. This study is qualitative in nature and validates secondary data by relying on in-depth interviews of civil servants belonging to ten vital government departments and two directorates of the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This study finds out that performance management system of civil servants is weak due to political interference; lack of internal accountability; absence of vigorous human resource policy; weak performance evaluation of employees; lack of written job descriptions and performance indicators; cultural biases; and non-linkage of performance management system of civil servants to performance based promotion and reward system; and lack of e-governance initiatives. To strengthen the performance management system of civil servants, measures such as goal identification, de politicization of civil service system, 360 degree evaluation system, and performance based promotions and rewards and e-governance initiatives are required. These policies need to be implemented keeping in view four evaluation criteria including, social and political viability; technical possibility; administrative operability and financial feasibility.