Competency framework for new public service culture

A competency framework to be used for the public sector to define the skills, behaviours and attitudes that officers need to effectively perform their roles has been developed under a multi-stakeholder initiative. The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the implementation of the framework in consultation with the Public Service Commission.Competency...The organisations spearheading this are the National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka (NHRDC) together with the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA), Department of Management Services, Ministry of Public Administration and Management, Public Service Commission and Faculty of Management of the University of Colombo.

The main objective of the framework is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of public sector delivery. 

NHRDC Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody said: “In a continuously changing environment, skilled and experienced managers are the need of the hour. The general public want the quality of service delivered by the public service to improve, therefore it is necessary to develop and groom managers with the required skills, knowledge and attitude to run public sector organisations.” 

“Many argue that the existing situation and the problems faced by the public sector are largely due to the lack of required competencies among public sector managers, also it is necessary to develop new tools, new ways of working, new organisations and skills-sets to deal with the continuously changing environment successfully.”

The proposed new framework according to National Human Resources Development Council Assistant Director Chamila Jayasinghe is expected to achieve the following in the short and long term:

*Improve the quality of public service delivery by having on board an ethical, productive and citizen focused or centric managerial workforce.

*Improve the quality of service of public servants and also their sense of satisfaction, loyalty and commitment.

*To develop high potential officers in the public sector to be effective in senior roles.

*Pave the way for a new public service culture over time.