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Public sector remake areas.
This is not new. Competitive recruitment is already
by side in the workplace. The hiring
of multi-generations can also be
practised across the European Union and throughout most challenging but as we look forward to
of our neighbouring Latin American countries. transforming the public sector into a
Here in the Caribbean we are very much accustomed dynamic organisation, we will have to
Can we implement to competitive exams and by taking it one step further,
together with other forms of assessment, we will guarantee,
seriously look at succession planning
and recruiting younger professionals to
Talent Management or begin to put in place, more competitive public sectors
across the region.
replace those from the baby boomer
generation who are now in the process
in our Public Sector? of retiring.
FOCUS
by Global Expert Systems
Is our Public Sector
in Crisis?
When we gained Independence in 1966,
the Colonial Office did not give us any
special magic wand to make things work –
independence is just that, let’s do it on our
own. However, as we approach our golden
jubilee, there is enough empirical evidence
to suggest that “something needs to be
done” about the public sector.
This “something” is so far-reaching that
we believe it requires more urgent attention,
rapid project implementation and deployment
as well as constant review and evaluation.
According to the Office of Public
Sector Reform, the vision is to
“transform the public sector into
a dynamic organisation, providing
high quality service at minimum
costs, building the capacity of public
servants, promoting the competitive
development of Barbados and
improving the living standards of its
people”.
Public sector reform or public sector
development is always a work in progress. And
from a talent management perspective, we will
want to examine the goal of “building capacity”.
How to better recruit
in the Public Sector
We honestly do not believe that we have done
a bad job thus far. However, there is always room Psychometric
for improvement and greater efficiencies. After all, testing.
our departments requiring specialised talent seem
to be on the right track. But how can we make it
better? GES would like to make three suggestions:
1. Universal psychometric testing at the point of We call those born after 1990, Generation Z –
recruitment; they are already working with us and they are ahead of us
2. Implementation of specialised competency in one area, digital technology. So how will a government
assessments to match the required areas of expertise; recruitment agency handle this new generation? Can
3. A complete restructuring of the sector where all
recruitment is done through competitive entry exams for all
Psychometric testing we begin to imagine interviews via webcams and instant
messaging? Do we have virtual learning and e-training in
professional and technical public sector positions. place to cater to Gen Z? Are we ready to integrate mobile
Very simply put, GES stands firmly behind the use
of psychometrics in recruitment. This is the ability to technology into our everyday way of doing business? Let’s
Competitive recruitment measure attitude, aptitude, knowledge, personality, only to
mention a few of the metrics. There are several options of
think about it because Gen Z is already sitting next to us at
work.
psychometric tests on the market that come with very high Next week we will look at this exciting topic that speaks
The first reaction to competitive recruitment customer ratings. to hiring Gen Z, “Talent Management – eRecruitment and
for the Public Sector may seem a bit radical but this is The main point here is that a modernised public sector Social Media”
already practised in Trinidad and Barbados for some engaging in such a method at the point of recruitment will
specialised areas like the recruitment of foreign service be one step closer to hiring the right persons for the right • Feel free to visit Global Expert Systems
officers (diplomats). Our recommendation is to implement job. online at http://www.globalexpertsystems.org/
this practice across the board in the entire region and index.php/event/first-caribbean-latin-american-
allow an accredited body like the University of the West conference-on-talent-management/ or email us
Finally, many of us are not aware that we at info@globalexpertsystems.org
Indies to design the curriculum and testing modules have four generations of persons sitting side
across the various sectors, technical and professional