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Service-wide improvements; Training and WITS/SSS
The objective of inculcating an attitude that embraces continuous change, whilst fundamental, is intangible and hard to measure. Many changes had taken place which helped illustrate the concept of continuous change. The use of scenario planning tools in the strategic planning process, the devolution of personnel boards, and greater autonomy/accountability in financial management, were examples of key changes that had been institutionalised as core Public Service processes. At the individual level, there is high awareness of Work Improvement Teams (WITS) and Staff Suggestion Scheme (SSS), and the need for training (i.e. the 100-hour training entitlement was implemented service-wide).
Adoption of OE tools
There is a growing number of public agencies that adopt strategic Organisational Excellence tools such as ISO 9001, People Developer Standards, Singapore Quality Class/Awards (the Singapore equivalence of the US Malcolm Baldrige Awards), etc. So far, 80% of all public officers are working in organisations that are Singapore Quality Class-certified. Besides the OE tools, there is awareness and adoption of other process tools such as 6 Sigma and the Balanced Scorecard. Recently, the Public Service also set in motion the Economy Drive movement. An Economy Drive committee was set up to champion initiatives to extract greater value for money in public expenditure. A Cut Waste Panel was also set up as the Economy Drive’s public front, and received many useful suggestions to cutting waste in the Public Service.
The Enterprise Challenge (TEC)
To promote the attributes of innovation and enterprise, The Enterprise Challenge (TEC) was set up to offer funding opportunities to pilot and test innovative ideas that can potentially provide quantum leap in improvement to the public service. TEC Unit offers business development services to help proposers polish and refine their ideas before the trial.
Service Quality
In raising the quality of customer service, many supporting structures are put in place. Each agency has a Quality Service Manager (QSM), who is a senior public officer, to look into improvement in service quality. Agencies also draw up service standards to guide their progress in improving service delivery. The Public Service has also gone into e-Government in a big way. Today, more than 1,600 e-services are available on a 24/7 basis to citizens. Most recently, the "No Wrong Door" policy was rolled out in the Public Service to ensure that citizens and businesses do not get referred from agency to agency when they have a problem for the government to resolve. | |
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