A diagnostic survey has been conducted to assess the current systems that impact organisational development across agencies within the public service and the results should be known within two to three weeks.
This disclosure has come from Director of the Office of Public Sector Reform, Michael Archer, who said that once final approval was given, the Organisational Diagnostic Survey Report would be circulated to public sector organisations.
Mr. Archer pointed out that the study, which is based on survey results collected from 121 agencies in the public service, looks at seven key areas – Administrative Systems, Performance Management, Occupational Safety and Health, Service Standards, Record Management, Counselling Services and Reporting Systems.
He continued: ???The information garnered from the study will also highlight the weak areas which need to be upgraded. We may also recognise those organisations meeting most of the standards required by issuing certificates of compliance or achievement.???
Mr. Archer said another follow-up survey might be conducted in two years, adding that this would give the organisations time to improve their standards before being assessed again.
The Director explained that the Organisational Diagnostic Study is a continuation and expansion of a similar study of key service agencies which was conducted in 2010.
He noted that an analysis of those results indicated that there were some areas of weakness which the selected organisations should improve, and he listed them as performance indicators, strategic plans and service standards. He added that a list of guidelines for organisational improvements was circulated to all public sector agencies in 2012.
Mr. Archer noted that organisational improvements were always being implemented, but suggested that ???the process needs to be accelerated, especially in the information communications technology area as it relates to online services???.
He continued: ???Stronger action is also needed in the implementation of extended hours for persons to conduct business outside of normal hours.?????The Director indicated that public sector reform ???is always a work in progress??? which requires ???a sense of urgency and humanised management???.
sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb